How to deal with discouragement

 

a pretty, little leaf on my dirty garden hand

It is hard to not give in to discouragement.

This sinful world we live in works against the spirit who lives inside us.

The world will never win, let's be clear on that!

It's a weird situation, but so natural at the same time.

God lives in me.

I am not my own.

Yet, I have autonomy in regards to my actions and reactions.

I am human.

I am saved.

But still just as capable of sin as everyone else.

I have the comforter with me.

Yet I am still suseptible to despair and discouragement.

I need to be more aware in each little moment of sitting back, breathing, and letting go.

I don't have to do everything, know everything, solve everything.

I just need to lean on my comforter and let His spirit envelope me like a warm, soft blanket.

I need to use this season of joyful colors in nature to really and truely feel the joy of the Lord!

I've been walking more on the path out in our woods (I have a half mile loop)  It's been a rainy summer and the green moss has created a beautiful carpet on the path.  I think because we raked the whole path last fall.  It's so peaceful.

Empty Nest Brain Dump

 This morning I deactivated my facebook account.

The world

near and far

is becoming too much for me right now.

So I drank my cup of coffee, showered, and went outside for a walk.

Sat on the swing out back

Came back inside and made a picnic lunch for Jeff and I, 

Then went to church.

It's the real world that matters.  The one right here.  The one I can touch.  The one I can make a connection with and feel like it really matters.  

I've made a few really wonderful connections through the internet.  Friends for life even though we have never met in person.  I actually made those friends through blogging (xanga) but we all wound up on facebook.

That is the part that tugs at my heart.

After church Jeff and I went to a nearby beach with our chairs and our picnic lunch.  It was cloudy and not quite 70, but it was very relaxing.  We talked a lot.  We have a lot of conversations lately about me letting go of things.  Expectations mostly.  Trying to live my life for me, for us, and not for everyone else.  I guess I'm still having a really hard time switching gears between motherhood/full nest and grandmotherhood/empty nest.  How dang long should it take?  It's been 10 years!

I'm very thankful for all of my grandchildren (there's 12)  But I have to keep reminding myself that I am no longer the center of that world.  I'm on the periphery.  I'm a satellite and not planet mom.  

The sooner I accept that 

The happier I will be.