What a difference a day makes

 What a difference a day makes. This was a very good day.  I was filled with peace, joy, and hope virtually the entire day with a few moments of happiness thrown in to boot.  Did anything particular happen to cause this happiness?  No, quite the opposite actually.  But because I had the early warning system from yesterday I was prepared.  Thinking I was going to have a challenging week, I didn’t react negatively when struggles happened. Two or three things occurred that could have ruined my peace.  But because I was semi-expecting them, I did not over react.  It felt great too.  I liken it to being on a beach when a rogue wave hits.  If your back is to the ocean facing away from it, when the big wave hits it will send you end over end out of control.  However when you face the wave you can stand your ground. Maybe you can also lean into it or duck under it because you are anticipating it coming.  Whenever God speaks into me like this, I can anticipate the struggles and not react adversely.  If God cares about helping me preserve my peace and joy with the little things, then it’s not much of a stretch to believe that I will eventually emerge from the pit that I find myself in.  All things work together for good indeed, but in hindsight and rarely foresight.  

I mentioned there were a few moments of happiness thrown in.  I was able to see ⅔ of my daughters today.  Because I get to see them so little (as compared to when I had them full time) I cherish these times and savor every moment.  My youngest also always gets so excited to see me.  Its just pure unadulterated joy when I’m with them.  My middle daughter was sick so I didn’t get to see her.  I also got to come home to a dog that goes bananas every time I come home.  It’s so nice to come home to things excited just to be in your presence.  And the fact that I get to share my day with you readers is the icing on the cake.  It’s been a long, long, long time since I’ve been able to come home for someone to ask me how was my day?  By the fact that you are reading this, I just feel that you are non-verbally asking me “How was my day.”  Otherwise why would you be reading this?  Let me say, I so appreciate you.  I have been fortunate to live in 3 continents and work in five.  I’ll consider the Middle East part of Africa, so that makes 5.  I am curious to see the stats of this blog and to see where the readers are coming from.  I’m proud to say they are coming from all over the world and that thrills me.  I just want a venue to help spread God’s Love and faithfulness.  I’m trying to be very transparent with my struggles and vulnerabilities for several reasons.  We are programmed as a society to hide our struggles and that helps isolate us.  So I’m trying to combat that to do my part into making it normal for people to cry out and admit they are hurting.  The second reason is I’m trying to call my shot.  My season in the emotional desert will someday come to an end because God is faithful.  I want to illustrate the lows that I’m going through now that will accentuate the divide when I do hit my highs.  The good times will certainly come and it shall not delay.  God is faithful and the last 24 hours in my life have proven that.  So I didn’t get a raise, or affirmation, or a hug, but I’m filled with joy nonetheless because joy is non-circumstantial.  I have Joy for the simple reason that God made a promise that I would have Joy if I obeyed the Lord’s commands.  I have been and boy does this joy and peace feel great right about now.  Not only that, I get to watch the Golden State Warriors play basketball tonight too to top a pretty good day. I’m writing this at half time.    Watching sports has always been one of my favorite things to do even though the Raiders have been awful since they got rid of Derek Carr.  It’s just another example of the little things that God cares about.  Even if that little thing is being able to stay up late to watch a west coast basketball game with my dog by my side.  I’m looking forward to tomorrow.  It feels great to say that and mean it.