Blessings within the Brokenness

Another Monday posting on a Tuesday. Yesterday my mind was on other things and was not focused on the one who would take care of all of those things - to keep releasing and to keep living the way He wants me to live and not to be in constant fear and worry. Anyway, today I had this song on my mind on my way into work this morning, it is by Amy Grant (one of my most favorite artists ever), called 'Better than a Hallelujah'. It is really the chorus that stirs me up the most....."We pour out our miseries, God just hears a melody. Beautiful the mess we are, the honest cries of breaking hearts are better than a Hallelujah."

My heart has been really aching lately - 1. Over the things here at my job. Especially the other lady who does my job on two days during a week. The extremes from the strongholds that she is experiencing day to day is severely 'handicapping' her on the inside AND on the outside; 2. Huge unemployment numbers all over the nation, and that our household is still greatly affected; 3. A lady that I sang with in chorus, lost her mother last month, and even tho I was not really close to her and her daughter (I sang with them in a barbershop harmony chorus), the pain of what happened still hurts like heck; 4. My cat going through her healing 'spurts' from what she is going through as she keeps getting older. I must remind myself that TRUE healing takes TIME and not to fear when things don't seem hopeful (must remind myself of the mint plant that I thought had no hope and it started growing new leaves - this was noted in my post from last week); 5. Not being able to get a really good nights sleep and to truly be functional during the day; 6. Another Sweet Adeline friend who is going though some similar issues that me and my husband are going through and seeing her groans out to God via her Face Book posts; 7. One of my sister's friends who was just diagnosed with breast cancer, and she went through me to get them re-connected....oh so much as been on my mind!

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good: His love endures forever ~ 1 Chronicles 16:34 (NLT)

Continuing daily gratitude within the brokenness:

31     Impromptu strawberry shortcakes and chit-chat with my mom.    

32     Small areas of healing fur/skin on my cat.

33     My nephew's 8th birthday party. The weather was absolutely perfect for it too! Hard to believe that my sister's children are growing up so fast!

34     Dr. Burt's Res-Q Ointment....one of the best Burt's Bees products that I have used.

35     On the nationwide news last night with all of the not so happy stories, one interesting really stuck out at me. It was a surfing dog that helps people with disabilities to surf, have fun and be independent in some way.

36     Lady in California who makes herbal healing salves to help animals (mostly horses) with skin conditions......Zephyr's Garden. I found it kinda by accident as I was doing a Yahoo search.

37     Winery time with a friend that we have not seen in awhile.

38     Still getting to use a free bus pass even though I will need to give it up after Wednesday of this week. My friend who works for the area transit system, gave me her guest pass for me to use. That has been for about three years, almost four. Now, stuff in the corporate system has changed, and I won't be able to use the pass any longer. But it was nice while it lasted anyway.

39     Light fleecy jacket for cooler summer mornings and nights. I love these 'transitional months' before fall.

40     Former apartment neighbors that are still praying for you.

In one of Ann's (Voskamp) talks at a blogging conference (Relevant 2010), she mentions that "Our stories are lifelines (within the Upside Down Kingdom). We need to share more of our messes." Sometimes we are just not sure on how to share them AND a lot of times we are reluctant to let others see into our messed up, broken lives, worried what others will think of us. I am finally learning as an adult that it is our brokenness that makes us whole, in the image of Christ himself.

Really seeing these (and other) blessings, help fill in the 'empty spaces' and help us see things from God's perspective, no matter how overwhelmed we may be.

Remember to visit other blogs in the Upside Down Kingdom over at Ann's.

Till next week!