life beyond the well…


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The Orange String

This morning as I was finished getting dressed, and was preparing to gather my things to leave, I noticed a string hanging from the last button of my blazer.  While this normally wouldn’t stop me, I paused because the string was orange.  My blazer (and pants) are tan.  There’s no reason for any stitching on these garments to be orange, especially in this one place.

I started to pull the string, thinking that it would just be a stray from another item in my closet.  But as I started to pull, I realized that it was attached to the button.  Under closer inspection, I saw that in some kind of way, this orange string had been used to tighten the button to the blazer.

And once I saw that, I immediately knew the culprit was: my aunt.  You see, as Preacherman and I were preparing to completely uproot our lives in Durham and move to Jax, my aunts came to our home nearly EVERYDAY for two weeks, to help pack, clean, organize, and reorganize our belongings. They did this while we were away at a conference for our new jobs, while we were back, but working the final days at our old jobs. But not only did they help pack, clean, organize, and reorganize; they fixed stuff.  Stuff like this button, which I don’t even recall being loose.

I’m thankful for the orange string, which slowed me down this morning, and allowed me to reflect on God’s love for me through family.  Both Preacherman and I have been incredibly blessed to have our families love us beyond the miles, and having these little reminders just makes the distance seem that much shorter.  I’m grateful for the gift of family that God provides us, and I’m thankful for my family.

Where have you been reminded of God’s gift of love for you through your family?

Be Encouraged! Peace and Blessings!


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Celebrate Those Still With You

As the new year comes in, I’ve seen my social media feeds flooded with people proclaiming their plans to leave behind people who they feel no longer need to be a part of their lives.  I believe that’s a necessary part of life- everyone isn’t designated to be with you for the duration.  Some relationships have expiration dates, and we can literally make ourselves sick when we continue to indulge in those relationships after they’ve reached that point.

So, I get it.  I totally understand that you want to (and need to) let people go.  However, I think there’s another side of this that often gets overlooked- are we celebrating those who are still with us?  Have we expressed our gratitude to those who have held us down over the past year(s)?  Have we taken the time to let them know how much we appreciate their friendship and their loyalty?

There are some people who have been with me since way back. Since before I could comfortably walk in heels, since before I knew how to wrap my hair and apply makeup; back to the time where I was happiest rocking a hoodie and some fresh sneakers. They’ve been with me and they’ve watched me grow.  They’ve let me change.  They held me when I cried from brokenness, and they celebrated with me as I some of my dreams came true. They might not be in every physical picture, but the photostream in my mind is full of moments where they are present.

I know that you have people like that in your life.  I’m sure that as you read this, you immediately thought of 2-3 people who fit the bill.  My hope is that you’ll take some time to let them know how much you appreciate them for staying with you.  Cheers to a great 2014 with the people who helped you make it this far!

Be encouraged! Peace and Blessings!