There Will be Joy

I have come to cherish the days when there is time and space to make my own decisions about my time and space.

The past few weeks have been so full!
All good stuff, of course, but it makes me feel rather ungrounded when I find myself gone for the larger part of each day.
I love being home, and I love doing what needs doing in my home.

I love feeding people, but I have not been feeding people very well these days. It seems like I am always just throwing something on the table without much forethought, and I don't like that.

Today I will plan a menu for the week before I shop. Because I have time!
I am getting the laundry caught up. I can hear the washer down there working away, and it is a nice sound.
I can wash the windows.
I can make a list of tasks that I want to finish, and check them off.

The day started with amazing prayer, and I am so grateful when the Lord chooses to speak deep into my heart, and I have the time to really take it in.

I spent some time thinking about the things that I have put on my own plate, and the things that other people have asked me to put there.
There's a lot, but when it's for Jesus it just goes so much better.

Doing the day of Nettie's program that I did, I was able to identify some of the things that I don't want.
I don't want to be focused on what people can do for me. I want to be focused on what I am called to do. If I am called to call, that is one thing, but building structures for myself, so that I can be bigger in the world, that's not where I want to put my energy.

I don't want to be preoccupied with gathering information that will not benefit my mission. There is so much that I want to read, and learn, and discover, but I want it to be only what I need for the journey. I have a lot. I have been given so much, and it's all Grace.
I have a very full backpack, this Frodo pack.

I discerned a little metaphor for myself on Wednesday.
I am a little like Frodo Baggins.
I carry something that can't be carried by anyone else. I have help, but only I can carry this particular treasure. It is mine to bear. The message (ring) is given, the journey is voluntary.
I must always stay smaller than the message, always give praise and all the Glory to the author, and stay humble, gentle, fearful, and willing.

We all have a treasure that only we can carry. It is an awesome, scary, beautiful, priceless treasure.
It is our journey, and we don't walk alone, but we can't give it to anyone else.
It is a Cross, and it is a gift.

So today I set out on the part of the path that I have to walk.
There may be Orcs or there may be Elves, but there will certainly be Joy.