it's too easy to define your life solely by the things you do not have. by those things that somehow, along the way, you had dreamed or wished you would have, but for whatever reason, simply have not arrived.- a spouse
- children
- the 'right' home
- good friends
- the dream job
- any job
- good health
- {insert whatever it is you want but don't have}
as a graphic designer, i am a huge proponent of the concept of 'white space', which is leaving a portion of what you are designing blank and unmarked. instead of filling space up with more text or graphics, leaving white space creates room within the design, and allows the important elements that are on the page to breathe, and speak to the reader.
by not filling up the page, what is important can clearly be seen.
perhaps that is why God doesn't give us all the things that our hearts desire. maybe that is why he doesn't fill our lives so full of everything... because what, then, would we truly value? how would we know what was most important?
i cannot help but be grateful for the things that i wished for that didn't arrive, and the beautiful life it has afforded me...
...and for all the gifts, unexpected and rediscovered, that God does give me, and the grace to be able to count them.
* * * * *
i am so grateful for...
91. The blank cheque of hope, knowing that whatever I am waiting for, God is still the same.
92. The smell of fresh coffee grinding at Starbucks.
93. The fact that the things that happen to me are not my life, and all the lessons we are learning from Ecclesiastes.
94. Celebrating nephews who share the same birthday.
95. The privilege of walking through life with some amazing young women of God.
96. Spring cherry green tea on a morning when coffee won't do.
97. Sharing licorice babies with co-workers.
98. That no matter what the question is, hope in God is the answer.
99. Meeting with a friend over pink cupcakes to discuss what God is saying to each of us.
100. A Friday afternoon field trip to St. Jacobs—and starting the weekend early.
101. Find a beautiful new Lug—and having the self-control not to buy yet another one!
102. A pretty, floral-y scarf that feels amazing wrapped around me neck—and, apparently, makes my eyes look bluer.
103. The scrapbook mom made me of our trip to NYC, and sharing it with friends, old and new.
104. Watching Marie Antoinette with B & M over quiche and cupcakes.
105. Getting my first massage, and the friend in massage therapy school who made me homework!
106. My nephew N who asked his mother to have the pastors pray for his brother, J {who has been in a wheelchair since the discovery of tumors/cancer in December}, because N wants to go for a hike with J next week. N said to his mother, "God healed him before and He can do it again... I know it!"
107. How the faith of a child reminds me that sometimes I think and believe too much like a grown up.
3 comments:
I laughed at your tweet and appreciated your remark about 'white space.'
(from a fellow graphic designer)
I really liked this, Suzi. What a great analogy. The white space of our lives, designed perfectly by God. Oh, to believe like a child.
I'd love to see the scrapbook! How fun.
Some time ago, someone gave me the quote, "All that I have is all that I need." In times when it seemed that my whole life was one big white space, I hung on to that, and I have found that it WAS all that I needed. The Lord has always been enough, and the white space has only emphasized that! Thank you so much for the reminder today. I needed that!
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