Last night, our county and the surrounding counties near us were under a tornado watch.
As I was driving home from an errand the voice on the radio was calmly sharing best practices for readiness during a tornado watch. Among the brief list of tips including collecting a flashlight and first aid kid the voice ended with:
“Get to your safe place.”
Yes, in a tornado watch or warning the “safe place” is recommended to be an interior room on the lowest level of your home such as a closet without any windows.
But my “safe place” in this everyday life where destruction and death of all types seem to be right outside my window every morning?
My safe place is on my knees seeking God’s heart and asking Him to “come close.”
Yesterday I was bumbling through setting my oldest daughter up with her school issued laptop which we are very grateful for. With handy web tutorials cued up, we sat side by side following the step by step instructions.
And?
I still wound up having to call the school.
Why?
It was our “lack.”
We could not remember her unique password to log in.
We were locked out.
And as I sat at my daughters desk and stared out the window, God led my heart to the people of Louisiana.
As frustrating as it can be to navigate the new waters of virtual learning…and the woes of forgotten passwords.
I am sitting in my home…inside my safe place…
with my healthy children navigating wifi and its kissing cousins of lost passwords…
while the people of Louisiana are navigating the land of devastation.
They have lost…EVERYTHING.
And?
They are still without POWER.
And even the “safe places” like churches and hospitals have had to be shut down because they are also without power and water.
It’s too easy to not feel the hurt when we live far away from the epicenter of crisis…
But when we discipline ourselves to seek out God’s heart daily?
He leads us to places of softened hearts.
Places we may not be able to see but places where we are called to feel.
I found gold winning, Olympian baseball pitcher, Jennie Finch’s Instagram video gutting and necessarily eye-opening at the same time.
Friend, thankfully…
our individual “lack” never leaves us “locked out” from seeking the shelter of God’s love.
Falling at His knees does not require a unique “password” to be granted access to find your “safe place” inside His upper room of grace.
This week we have attempted to regain some semblance of “order” in our home.
You too?
It’s an uphill battle for my three daughters whom we have allowed to all sleep tangled up together every night since COVID and quarantine life began.
At first I was compelled to allow them the simple pleasure of being together..and then Summer came and we were back and forth to and from the beach and still they snuggled up near one another, talking themselves to sleep.
But…they just don’t seem to be getting enough sleep or good sleep all together every night.
Which means…our mother ship is slowly sinking.
I think you know where I am going…
Separating these sisters has been tough.
Worn weary from the day and late at night are not my best combo for keeping my cool.
Earlier in the week, I lost my patience and my attempts of separation fell unsuccessful winding up with my little Livvy sleeping on the floor next to my side of the bed and eventually snuggled in the bed beside me.
Last night as she started to get herself ALL WORKED-UP warming up for the next episode of “how to make your Mom lose it.”
I met her where she was…melting down…but this time with a soft safe place for her to land.
I told her she could do hard things and tonight we are going to do the hard thing of sleeping alone.
As she continued to cry HARD, I softly stood, staring at her wet eyes and held up six fingers (because she is six) and I borrowed a technique my dear neighbor had demonstrated years ago with one of her littles and I tucked inside my own mother’s toolbox.
I told Livvy to blow out her candles.
“I can’t!” she replied.
For several minutes, she cried and then?
A soft quiet hung in the air as my reply to her tears.
I continued to stand in front of her, holding up my six fingers like candles and asked her to take a breath and blow them each out one by one.
Slowly and so softly she stepped closer, starting with my pinky candle she blew out her tiny breath.
Then again and again with each finger candle she breathed in her baby breath and blew out.
We did it again two more times…and then?
I congratulated her that she “did the hard thing” of calming down…and now? Because she is strong and calm…she could do the hard thing of sleeping alone in her bed without the snuggle of her sisters…at least for tonight.
(Because let’s face it…these sisters are being reunited tonight.) 🙂
But?
At least my sweet Livvy knows…
she can do the hard thing that scared her.
Friend…
I don’t know what “unknown” you may be staring at in front of you.
I don’t know what new thing you may be scared of starting.
I don’t know what new direction you may be forced to head into.
I don’t know what is threatening to scare, stress or suffocate your breath…
But I do know that there is a “safe place” in the threat of your personal storm that you can seek out that does not require any special password and username combination.
The only combination you need is an open heart and open hands.
Bring that offering and you can receive “new strength” and the ability to take the deep breaths that will softly move you into your own personal “state of readiness” to receive what is next.
“But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31 NLT (emphasis added)
There is a “state of readiness” we all find ourselves in whether we realize it or not every single day.
Somedays we feel “half-ready.”
Somedays we feel “not ready at all.”
Somedays we may “look” ready but don’t “feel” ready.
And somedays we feel “totally ready.” (somedays)
Whatever state of readiness you feel you are in…
you can know and trust that God is ready and able to fill in the gaps of our lack.
The mental state of readiness that we hold space for to use as our jumping off point for what is coming next…is relative to how we see God in the picture ahead.
It’s Ok to let Go and Let God hold your heart.
Never forget that He is for you.
“With God” is the only password you need to remember to unlock His peace that surpasses all human understanding.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
Also, this week my daughters and I watched the movie “Smurfs” for this first time. We are big movie watchers and I love a soft and slow morning that winds its way into snuggled up sisters beside me.
There is a moment in the movie when the human, soon to be father played by Neil Patrick Harris is confiding in the all wise, red-hat wearing, “Papa Smurf” over his concerns on his overall ability and personal “lack” on becoming a Dad.
Papa Smurf, in his hundred years of “smurfing” as the one and only Smurf Father shares this wise word:
“When it comes time…you just do.
And knowing what to do, doesn’t come from up here. (pointing to head)
It comes from where it matters most.
Your Heart.”
– Papa smurf
Oh friend while I am so thankful Papa Smurf shared such wisdom with the scared, soon to be Dad in the movie…I am overwhelmed with gratitude that even in this script of life where everywhere we look we feel the sting of the death rate not only in our physical bodies but in our families and relationships, that we have a Heavenly Father that knows us better than we know ourselves and can heal us back from broken and into His redeeming grace.
He sees ahead for us farther than we can look, and is able to move our hearts into a state of readiness for whatever is next when we come to Him.
Secrets to Feeling A “State of Readiness“:
1. Seek God.
2. Breathe softly in and out.
3. With each breath allow God to soften and shape your heart towards the world around you…unlocking gratitude to grow.
4. When it comes time…”just DO” with JOY as your springboard from the Spirit to be your jumping off point.
Friend, I pray that as we each are being led to let go…of what we once held on to as familiar landmarks and learn a new way of doing things, that, as we each take our steps along the road we have not travelled that we will seek God.
That we will inhale, softly blow out, re-learning with the faith of a 6 year old, how to breathe again in the face of unsettledness….that our hearts will be softened soil for gratitude to grow within us and that we will be filled with new strength so that whatever state of readiness you are in…that JOY will be your jumping off point for whatever is next.
Father God,
Thank you that you are close.
Thank you for reminding me that despite my own personal lack…you are ABLE.
Help me to hear you.
Help me to seek you.
Help me to abide in you.
Lead me into the days ahead with a soft heart for others and a trust that is strengthened in your ways.
Please fill me with your Spirit so that I may receive your Joy as my jumping off point for today and the days ahead.
Amen.
Living on a prayer,
Heather
beautiful reminder
Thanks so much Linda. I appreciate you coming here to read the words and share your thoughts and feedback. I appreciate you!! XO, Heather