Oh the Joy!

When I was young, I remember swinging high into the air. I thought the clouds would touch my feet if only I stretched out far enough. The wind whipped through my hair and I smiled, so happy. When tired of my fun or just because, I jumped from the swing and landed on the ground, not near as hard as it seems to be now that I'm older.


When we swing, we start down low to the ground then we pump our legs faster and faster until we're high in the air. Oh the joy!


Life is like swinging. One day we're low to the ground, we can hardly go on, and then another day or maybe another minute, we're up high in the air - our worries gone for a bit.  


I can't wait until Jesus comes to take us back, but in the meantime, we must keep each other's swings flying high in the air.  One day you might be the one on the ground pushing, another day that person gives you a good push then runs underneath as you both laugh in complete happiness. 


I pray that we can work together to lift, push, and encourage.  When we think we're alone, things are bad.  When we remember and see God working, things are so much better, and when He puts friends in our path, those friends become God's hand and feet and we can smile with hope.  

A good friend, Laura Shaw, shared a verse today in Facebook.  I'm sure she probably thinks no one notices, but we do.  Here is one that we all need to remember and hold onto:

"Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord." Psalm 31:24

Feel the wind whip through your hair? Maybe that's the Holy Spirit sweeping over us, you think? When you feel the physical touch of a friend when you hurt, remember it's God's gift, to bring Himself to us in a tangible way. And those times we feel we fight alone and we're down and depressed, maybe hurting -- know for sure that God is there, holding you tight in his arms, waiting patiently until we remember and look up at Him and touch His cheek.