Crappy Days.

Some days are just crappy.  

Sometimes the days turn into weeks, & the weeks turn into months.

Things don't happen like you hoped.

Things happen that you didn't expect.

Your plans fell apart.

Sometimes the people you thought would reach out or be there just aren't.  

For whatever reasons.  

Maybe they are busy.  

Maybe they don't know what to say.  

Maybe they've been lied to or decieved.

                                               Maybe they are having a crappy day too. 

I woke up after a day of blissful yard work - the yard of our rental house was a bit overgrown- and my arms were covered in poison ivy.  Then my legs were.  Then it spread to my face and it just was not getting better.

(And by the way - I never remember having poison ivy in my life....) 

So after a week of steroids and a shot in the butt, I *think* I'm on the mend.  

Oh- and this started on the FIRST day of my new job.  Which is at a cute little cafe downtown- and not anything I've ever done before - but it's time for new things.  So here I am.  

After a week of meltdowns in our family - did I mention this has been a HARD season? - I finally feel a bit of relief.  Kevin has a potential job and another possibility - and we are choosing to believe - to beleve UNTIL.  Until the prayer is answered.  Until things are better.  

Sometimes life is rough. Don't overspiritualize it or analyze it. Just be honest about it. Sometimes life is hard because the battle is hard. ‪

And maybe - just maybe- there is something really great on the other side of the fight.  Something precious.  Something that you just can't get the easy way.  

Keep praying, friends.  Keep going.   Keep believing.  

Until <3 

Christa 

Don't you carry stones.

We think we know so much.

We assume... And usually we only have partial information.

We have so many opinions. 

"I like warm weather. I like cold weather. I like Trump. I like Hillary. Chocolate is better than vanilla. Music preferences. Hair color. Job choices. College. This church is better. That person is this or that. The way we drive our vehicles. The way we raise our kids. I would do it this way. I sure wouldn't have done that. I would never...."

On and on. 

We think we know what is best. We think our way is better. 

And we call it wisdom... 

Who really knows best? Who is really qualified to judge? To see a mans heart and know his intentions? 

God, that's who. And if you call yourself one of His, you are required to do things his way. 

There is no other way, only his way. 

To choose love, as he is love. To seek him and his way. 

What does that look like?

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 

Love hopes all things, believes all things. 

If someone is seemingly living lower than their potential, you are called to hope. If you think they aren't sorry or repentant, remember you really don't know...if you think you see something- you are not called to carry around stones to throw. You are called to bear all things. To believe. To pray for them.

We love to read this scripture at weddings or when we are feeling good. But to walk it out is another thing entirely. When someone has done wrong- or hurt us- or someone we care about- it's much harder to embrace. 

We'd rather point our finger and say what we think. Forgetting that 4 fingers are pointing back at us. 

Help us Jesus. Help us to remember we are all imperfect people in need of a savior. No one should have stones to throw. 

Teach us what real love is. 

Christa