iambreathingbygrace.blog

“See you in the Dawn”

River splitting around a single tree at sunrise in a green valley

Lamenting life without fun? But for God, that might be true…

“That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do [can do now] prospers.” Psalms 1:3 NIV

First the lament, but then the praise…

Nighttime LAMENT

Julia on occasion told me I needed to stop working all the time and play a little bit. She feared I no longer knew how to play. Perhaps she was right but now that she’s gone and I’m living in the aftermath of cancer and its treatment, advancing arthritis, and spinal stenosis, another layer has been added to the difficulty – unrelenting episodes of physical weakness and weariness that often rob the physical of fun.  

Physical activity is no longer restorative, but a necessary chore. I used to take long walks for the joy of it. No longer. I used to enjoy getting physically tired from yard work, hiking, fishing, and a bit of woodwork or housework. Now I often start tired. Physical exercise restorative, even “fun”? Seldom. Without Julia, even going out for an “exploration” (a drive to find a road untraveled together) seems empty. Join in with family games simply for the fun of it? How can I? Mentally now it’s often hard to keep up with the pace or intricacies of a game. Some of you will understand when I say I go out to work in the yard or walk a bit with others and find it’s simply to keep living, keep meeting people, keep breathing.

But all this lament has an answer and it’s a powerful one I remind myelf of every single day.

PRAISE is in the dawn of every day! 

Lamenting life without fun? But for God, that might be true…

Physically, I may not have much fun. Yet, there is so much other “fun” to be thankful for – activity that protects my heart from the lamentable – stuff I’m sure could crush me otherwise.

There are things not dependent upon my weakened physical body that I daily take delight in. They are “fun,” not in a physical sense, but I recieve them with joy as God’s good gifts to me, things given me to strengthen my hope his good and perfect will is fulfilled in me: 

  • Meditation in his Word and discussions related to his Word.
  • Recognizing The Voice of God more readily and feeling his love in the quiet aloneness of my life.
  • Sitting quietly on the porch with a cup of good coffee, listening to the birds, watching and praying for my neighbors as they come and go, hearing their cheery “hi, how are ya?” 
  • Greeting my little dog in the morning when he comes to me for a belly rub, or watching him thoroughly enjoy meeting our friends on our little walks together. 
  • Being present with my amazing family and watching them interact with one another, enjoying meals and singing together.
  • Gathering in worship or table fellowship with God’s people.
  • Prayer and conversations with family and friends that are truly God-given opportunities to be part of what he is doing in our lives to keep us believing, keep us hoping. 
  • Watching old movies, reading good stories, baking bread, crafting a blog, swapping stories from past experiences that have shaped our lives and reflect the goodness and glory of God. 

Lamenting life without fun? But for God, that might be true…

Ruth and me

After a recent Ewert Family Reunion in Granby, Colorado, my sister Ruth’s parting words in my ear were, “See you in the Dawn.”

Oh, that together we would taste and see the goodness of God TODAY!

How blessed we are when we trust Him to help us discover the life-giving joys that keep us moving toward that eternal Dawn when together we can dance again, laugh in our work, worship in our play.

THE FOLLOWING PICTURES ARE FROM THE FAMILY REUNION AND REPRESENT THE FUN I’M HAVING!

Family worship
Beloved family games
Table of Grace
Family Closeness

Family Love
How MANY pushups did you say?
Visiting Jerroll, Julia’s brother in Lincoln, NE
Western Nebraska
Chick-fil-A “Cow Day”
What’s for breakfast?

What an amazing blessing it is to be greeted at every dawn with the Joy of Abba Father!

In these days and years of declining physical strength, it is He who has taken me deeper into His eternal joy. 

How about you? Do you have a source for Joy other than what you can do through your body and brain?

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

  • YET WILL I PRAISE YOU – Passion, Crowder 
  • CHRIST’S JOY AT HIS RETURN – Joni and Friends
  • HE KEEPS ME SONGING – Stuart Hamblen
  • I WILL SING – Rich Mullins 
  • Psalm 1:1-6: Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! [2] But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, And on His Law he meditates day and night. [3] He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. [4] The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind blows away. [5] Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. [6] For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish.

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