Sweet Closure

Today was officially the last day of winter break.
Tomorrow a new semester starts, which I'm completely excited for. Elated.

But today was a day to which I said, "Please don't end..." not because I'm dreading tomorrow. Not at all. Rather because today was such a wonderful day.
Have you had those days or moments? Where it's so wonderful and even perfect that it seems like a dream that you wish could last forever? Today was one of those for me.

In the morning I woke up to an alarm... one which, to my surprise, wasn't an interruption at all. I opened my eyes and thanked the Lord just for the simplicity of being able to do just that: open my eyes. After a little bit, I opened the book that I've been reading called Simple Faith by Charles Swindoll. Then I started getting hungry so I actually ate breakfast in bed... something I don't think I've ever done. I went to go get my cereal bowl and sat on my bed with the covers up to my hip, put my headphones on and clicked my ipod to "Background" by Lecrae feat. C-Lite, a song I've listened to more than 50 times this weekend alone (and a lot as my bedtime song as I doze off and quietly whisper the lyrics). As I sang the song this morning while sitting under the covers my heart kind of reached out to the Lord... making the song my prayer. And after listening to the song about 6 times I set my ipod aside and kept reading Simple Faith. A portion of the book that captivated me and made me just pause and pray was when the author quoted a book of prayer that finished like so,

"Take away my roving eye, curious ear, greedy appetite, lustful heart;
Show me that none of these things
can heal a wounded conscience,
or support a tottering frame,
or uphold a departing spirit. Then take me to the
cross and leave me there."

Take me to the cross and leave me there. Take me to the cross and leave me there.

I kept repeating that... just to the Lord.

That phrase isn't just "a phrase." It's a statement of abandonment... like someone's last will. Do you see? It's a petition of finalization; as in, "This is all I want."
Like the hymn that says, "Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus. You can have all this world. But give me Jesus."
It's someone finding everything in Christ; not needing anything else. Abandoning oneself in Christ.
That was my prayer this morning.

I took my guitar out and started singing to God. Practicing some new songs as well. Sweet time.

Washed the dishes while listening to an introductory sermon on Ephesians. Reminded on being a believer who knows what she's got in Christ and living as such. We are never bankrupt in Christ. Ever.

Later, I took mom and pops to lunch which we thoroughly enjoyed. We were all hungry so we got to eating. Sometimes it's so quiet at the table that one wonders if something's wrong. This wasn't the case. The silence at the table today for lunch was sublime. Just to be able to look at mom and dad and be with them eating... I smiled quietly and thanked the Lord for that moment. It might not seem like such a big deal but small moments like those, as simple as seeing mom and dad face to face, made my heart grateful.

We later went to leave food to my sis and her husband. She felt uncomfortable that we went to go leave them food. The thing is that mom and dad have given both of them so much since they got married that even my sister's husband isn't used to it. And this giving is not a forced giving. On the contrary, mom and dad continually think of different ways to give them things and they gladly do it. My sis and her husband feel a sort of uncomfortability or some inkling of wanting to refuse so much giving. And don't think I'm trying to magnify anybody's giving here... the aspect that I'm trying to amplify is the aspect of recieving. It makes me think of the Lord... how much He gives. You know? How much DOES He give? Man... too much. But sometimes we just need to learn how to recieve... to recieve gladly, joyfully.

We went to the store to buy goodies and I took the opportunity to buy jel-o. A lot of people don't like jel-o but I LOVE it. I bought 6 different flavors and made them as soon as I got home so they could cool off for the evening.

We watched a video and dad took mom and I out to Starbucks. As I went up the stairs to change really quick, I said, "What a wonderful day it's been. I'm happy." Not like something super extraordinary happened like there was a birth in the family or someone won the lotto... no, it was the cherishing of the simpleness of today. It was so simple yet so grand.

It was dad's first time going to Starbucks so that was cute :) Fully enjoyed it. Mom and I wanted to hang out with dad some more so we all went to Borders. Really wanted to buy a C.S. Lewis book called The Weight of Glory but I left it for another time. Drove mom and dad back home and we ended the night eating jel-o from tiny cups. Just like the old days when I was 5.
Dad said, "You know times like these where we get to fellowship and just be together makes me want these moments to never end..."
"I couldn't agree more," I said.



Maybe the retelling of my day was pretty boring. But think of your days. Do you enjoy them? I pray that I may praise the Lord everyday of my life... whether circumstances are bleak.
Find the small details in life that make it worth living. Seeing the sun rise, smelling the rain, hugging those you love, eating jel-o.


If it weren't for the Greatest detail in the entire universe, the smallest pleasure in life would be insignificant.