cheer.

cheer.

When daffodils make their appearance after a long winter, not only do they announce spring’s arrival, but they bring cheer. Who can not help but smile?

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Jesus said: “In this world you will have trouble. But be of good cheer! I have overcome the world.”

That means God has the final say.

We don’t have to wait until that day to be cheerful. We can be cheerful now.

Cheerfulness can only come when we know God is watching over everything. It gives us a sense of relief when we know this.

Even in the depths of despair, don’t be afraid to smile. It will cheer your heart and help you heal.

blissful.

blissful.

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

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Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed–and gazed–but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

~William Wordsworth

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valuable.

valuable.

When you see the order and design all around us, it is clear. God is real.

And more importantly, that same order and design is a part of your life, too.

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You are more valuable to God than a spider web.

The one who created the universe is very aware of you and everything you’re feeling.

This web may have gone unnoticed had the dew not clung to its intricate design, revealing its beauty.

You may think God does not notice you.

He does.

Wait for the dew drops of Heaven meant just for you.

From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind …

Psalm 33:13

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understand.

understand.

“First of all,” he said, “if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … “

“Sir?”

” …  until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

-To Kill a Mockingbird

Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes today.

grateful.

grateful.

I have found myself smiling – even in moments of despair. Where could this possibly come from? I say God.

Being grateful is so opposite of how you’re feeling. But when you choose to think about the good that’s happened in the bad and being thankful, something good happens inside of you.

“Tell a friend or loved one a story about something for which you are grateful.

Don’t be surprised to find yourself smiling by the end of that story.”

-Rabbi Brad Hirschfield

 

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remembering.

remembering.

Weeping with those who weep.

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The Boston Marathon Bombing.

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happy.

happy.

It never ceases to amaze me.

With predictability, without any assistance, the earth knows what to do.

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The earth can tell us a lot if we’re looking.

And waiting.

Hope springs eternal.

It’s not over even if it looks like it.

Be happy! And stay hopeful.

 

beauty.

beauty.

The walls we build around us to keep sadness out also keeps out the joy.

-Jim Rohnfence

Ever see a flower growing in an unexpected place? An uneven sidewalk or a cold stone wall is lifeless until the beauty of a flower makes it home.

Even a rusty fence can be home for a delicate vine.

We all have barren places in our lives. Don’t let that emptiness you feel make you hopeless. There is ugliness in life but there is also beauty. They dwell together.

It’s far too easy to become hardened and bitter, and before you know it, you’ve  built a wall of protection around yourself.

Don’t keep the beauty from growing in your life! Let it wrap around the ugliness and diminish its power of negativity, sadness, and hopelessness.

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pleasure.

pleasure.

We can be hurting so badly, we don’t see clearly.

Yet, God has ways to bring comfort. Our pain makes us sensitive to the ache in our heart, but it also makes us aware of small pleasures.

The way the morning sun filters through the window curtains, laying patterns on the bed.

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The rhythm of rain lulling us to sleep.

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The way a butterfly lands on a flower, certain of provision.

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These are not small things. They are meant to strike a chord deep within our souls and bring a smile.

This is God telling us He is with us.

Don’t miss the moments. They are all around you!

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tears.

tears.

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.

Psalm 56

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There is so much in life we do not understand.

Why is one person unscathed from a car accident, and another dies?

 It hurts. Unbearably.

Yet, somehow in the midst of our pain, there are glimpses of God caring very personally for us.

He is a caring God. He collects our tears.

One day, we will understand. But for now, we trust.

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