Celebrate!

 

I was thinking the other day how many things we celebrate. Not just birthdays and holidays but many of the happenings in life. First Strawberries…last tomatoes…new accomplishments…or finished projects…all call for celebration.

Sometimes of course we simply rejoice in our hearts but often we cook a little something special, invite a few people over and rejoice in the good around us. To the complaining heart or the eyes which see only the brokenness of the world I am sure this seems foolish.

“Celebrate tomatoes, when people are starving?”

“Enjoy that child’s sweet nature now, he’ll be a teenager someday..”

Yes, celebrate although there is sorrow around us, and the future is beyond our control. There are two main reasons to do so:

  1. Moping and moaning does not help alleviate bad circumstances in my life or anyone else’s . In fact dwelling on the negative tends to produce a feedback loop that convinces us that our lives are worse than they really are.
  2. While I often can do very little to change the brokenness of the world (for I do believe that it is real) on a global scale I can make sure that my piece of the world is as whole as possible. In order to do that I need to notice the wholeness and speak and think so that others are encouraged to build wholeness with me.
  3. I believe that of all people, Christians, have reason to rejoice and celebrate! Not only do we know the end of the story, but we know that God is working good for us in all circumstances and we rest and rejoice.

Here are my reasons to celebrate this week:

  • laughter
  • passionate kisses
  • explanations
  • help with housecleaning
  • naps
  • space to think
  • a really good garden so far this year
  • children who encourage each other
  • S’s faithful going to work each day
  • cooler weather
  • rain
  • good sleep
  • weekly celebration of the Eucharist

 

 

 

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