Posted on 05/13/2024 6:00:32 PM PDT by laurenmarlowe
Bible in a Year :
I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad.
As humans, it’s understandable that we’d want to seek and prolong feelings of joy. Yet the reality that life is riddled with hardship means we must cultivate the ability to view both pain and pleasure through a lens of faith in a loving God. We needn’t be overly pessimistic, nor should we fashion ourselves an unrealistically sunny outlook on life.
The book of Ecclesiastes offers a helpful model for us. Though this book is sometimes thought to be a catalog of negative statements, the same King Solomon who wrote that “everything is meaningless” (1:2) also encouraged his readers to find joy in the simple things in life saying, “There is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad” (8:15).
Joy comes when we ask God to help us “know wisdom” and learn to observe “all that God has done” (vv. 16-17) in both beautiful seasons and in difficult ones (3:11-14; 7:13-14), knowing that neither is permanent on this side of heaven.
Reflect & Pray
What kind of “season” are you currently in? How can you find joy in it?
Dear Father, thank You for being the source of beauty and joy in my life.
Howdy, luvie.
I hope the day didn’t turn out to be a roaster down there.
It never warmed up here.
Congratulations!
I hope your daughter and the new grandbaby are doing well.
Hey there, radu!
It wasn’t too awful. It got up to 86 and of course the bright sunshine made it feel warmer. It’s a lovely 74 and very still now, and I’m sitting outside. Laptop fully charged and airpods on to be able to hear videos.
Sorry it stayed coolish over there. Was it too cool and damp to get out to do anything productive?
That’s a bit warm if one is in the sunshine. In the shade with a little breeze, it would be too bad.
You were about 20 degrees warmer than here. And it was VERY windy.
My stay-inside plans didn’t work out too well. I left to haul off trash and as I went out the driveway, I realized the grass was about to get away from me. I got out to feel the grass and the wind had dried it out enough to mow. NOT enjoyable this time. Took longer than usual because the grass was so long and thick, and the wind made it cold enough to need a heavy jacket. But it’s done. The yard will have to wait but should be doable by the time I cam mow it.
I’m beat tonight.
I’ll bet you are beat! Mowing in the high wind had to be a battle. Did you become a chia pet?
I’m not going to get to stay out here much longer. The coolness becomes a bit too cool when the breeze kicks up. Doesn’t take much...and I’m cold natured anyway. It nice, though. And I did need the fresh air.
Chia pet BIG time. LOL First time I’ve mowed with the wind blowing so hard and I don’t want to do that again. But if it wasn’t done today, I would have had to ask one of the guys to do it with the tractor and big mower and I do NOT want to do that. They already mow enough here.
Nice that you had a pleasant evening for sitting on the patio for a while. It’s good to get outside for some fresh air. And the kitties probably appreciate having you out there with them, even if they aren’t under your feet. You’re still “company”.
No, doing anything in high wind is a challenge and annoying as heck. LOL!
I’m back in now, but it was very nice and I even feel cleaner...smelling like fresh air. The kitties flitted around, but didn’t want to be petted while I was there. They seemed to think it a bit weird. LOL!
It’s VERY annoying. I wish these fronts would stop barreling through and let us have some calm days. But this isn’t going to stop any time soon.
The kitties probably had kitty games they preferred playing tonight. Sometimes they do enjoy some skritches. Maybe it’ll be nice again tomorrow evening and you can sit out there again, and they’ll be in the mood for it then.
LOL! I probably won’t be in the mood for going out tomorrow. I think it was just me being “different” tonight...sitting in a chair instead of standing at the door with food in hand. They’d already been fed.
Yesterday at Comanche Lake:
How's everyone doing this morning?
Ya never know. It might be nice enough tomorrow evening that it’ll beckon you out again. :-)
Howdy, E.G.C. ((HUGZ))
Gizmo looked much happier with the beautiful weather you had yesterday.
But uh oh .... they mowed his tall grass!
His smelly spot was untouched though. LOL
((LOL)) Yep, and speaking of tall grass, my grass is getting a little taller too. It’s going to be lawn mowing time once again sometime this week.
Happy mowing.
I wish I could stay off my mower. LOL Too much area to mow and it grows too fast.
Could be. But...2 days in a row? That’s almost unheard of. LOL! I hope you get some quiet outdoor time soon, too.
It won’t be long before you’ll be wishing for a nice enough evening to sit outside for a while. Too hot and/or too many skeeters. LOL Better take advantage while you can.
That is so true. Being in the desert, it nearly always cools down pretty well at night. However these dark red bricks our house is made of absorb a LOT of heat that radiates at night. I’ve always wanted a covered patio, but it’s always been just out of our budget to afford one.
Are the fireflies still rising out of the grass in the evenings. Such a happy sight.
It’s a shame you don’t have a covered patio. We didn’t have one at the old house but there’s one at this house. I like it because I can sit out there when it’s raining, as long as the wind isn’t blowing.
The lightning bugs are coming up but not all that many yet. I think the chilly nights we’ve had lately have slowed them down. The crickets too. We had some warm nights last week and they were really loud but not so much the past few nights. It’ll be kinda hot by the weekend so we’ll see if things pick up.
I hope all your critters get with the program soon. I know you enjoy them.
Guess it’s waaaay past time for me to go to sleep. I forgot to look at the clock. Woopsie! See ya tomorrow!
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