A Candle and a Length of Rope

Life overwhelms so easily. I struggle to reclaim my purpose when joy is being stolen away. Shadows loom; I have to forcibly remind myself of the bright moments.

Right now, someone is lonely. Right now, someone grapples with despair. Someone is frightened. Someone is weary and confused.

Unfortunately, I cannot reach through this screen to support you in person. But I would like to encourage you somehow. So I'm going to share some of my recent "bright moments." I hope this helps you recall some of your own.

• An after-dinner conversation: it involved memorable quotes ("Why is there aluminum in the wine?!"), giggles and deep belly laughs, two friends collapsing on a couch, cuddling, and even a head rub
• Praying various psalms back to my Lord.
• Listening to silly songs about pots and pans, ducks, chocolate chip cookies, and bears wearing sneakers
• Receiving special presents: handmade bracelets (that are forming a tanline on my wrist), hugs, someone heating up dinner, beautiful artwork, being entrusted with another's thoughts and struggles, a lunchbox packed by my mother, a book, teacups, earrings, being given a special nickname, or being permitted to bestow one on someone else
• Calling my grandfather a "handsome stud" just to watch his eyes light up and see that slow grin I love so well
• Splitting a package of Oreos (dunked in soy milk--Oh Yeah!)
• Curling up on a good friend's living room floor; discussing anything from hummingbirds to chocolate cake to Predestination
  
• Creating a bulletin board and quote wall in the house
• Finding hilarious thing to put on said bulletin board and quote wall, such as: a mail clipping that reads "Do you trust Governor Sarah Palin with the fate of the polar bear?" or my friend's random comment, "I might still have ant poison somewhere on top of the fridge" or the dust bunny ("Fred") who arrived in the mail--in an enevelope complete with air holes, which contained an introduction and guidelines for his visit, as well as a paper chocolate chip cookie in case he gets hungry
• Getting locked out of the house bathroom; dismantling and reassembling three doorknobs (the bathroom doorknob twice, and my bedroom doorknob once--to figure out what I'd missed on the bathroom doorknob the first time)to finally regain access to the shower
• Stepping on the severed butt of a mouse with my bare foot (the day after I got locked out of the bathroom)
• Playing Apples-to-Apples with a good friend, happening upon the Global Warming card, noticing for the first time that the caption reads, "Is it hot in here or is it just me?" and then giggling non-stop over a joke that only my friend would understand
• Going to the park and playing on swings!
• Giving small, meaningful presents--like a bag of chocolate kisses, or a bottle of bubbles
• Sitting in a dark living room at 4:30 in the morning--just me and the Lover of my soul

Take heart, my friend! There is light, and air, and joy! The Lord is taking you to it, even if you cannot detect that right now. Let's just grasp the bright moments and wait on him together!