Embracing Love and Success

Life crowds itself around me these days, pulling in too many directions. Emotions get the best of me. I do a poor job of focusing on each “job” individually. I lose confidence in the knowledge that God uses each and every little task He gives us to mold and shape His world. I give in to the exhaustion of sickness.

In these days of muddiness – mental and emotional blurriness – I’ve ignored this blog. My lack of clarity transferred here as a lack of inspiration and motivation.

This morning, however, during a dual-time of devotion to God (reading my Bible) while snuggling an extremely early-waking little boy, God gently reminded me of something: some things I’m doing right now I’m doing REALLY WELL.

They are tiny things… lots of hugs, taking time to enjoy children’s smiles, really holding little ones with presence and purpose, choosing to participate in activities my husband enjoys (even though they’re not my favorite), and giving way to worship through honest thanksgiving.

Today I choose to celebrate the tiny bits of green growth I see in myself and put aside my self-labeled failures. Today I choose to embrace God’s name for me: Beloved. I choose to allow love to focus me and see things differently.

What about you? What are you doing well right now? What can you celebrate? Where do you see Spring emerging? How does embracing your successes change your present tense?

Song of Songs 2: 10-13 (NIV)

10 

My beloved spoke and said to me,

“Arise, my darling,

my beautiful one, come with me.

11 

See! The winter is past;

the rains are over and gone.

12 

Flowers appear on the earth;

the season of singing has come,

the cooing of doves is heard in our land.

13 

The fig tree forms its early fruit;

the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.

Arise, come, my darling;

my beautiful one, come with me.”

My beloved is mine and I am his!

And his banner over me is love.

(Song of Songs 2:16, 4)

- Bethany Tippin, Publicity Leader