Laughter and Song

I command you: be strong and steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD, your God, is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9  

For everyone feeling a little foggy today, welcome to Monday.  When I don’t write the date on the board everyday I have to stop and think a little.  Like many other folks, I’m missing routine and ordinary things.  I’m missing my 22 girls and all the other middle lovelies for sure!  I was thinking about my classroom this morning and realized Monday morning was always the time I switched classroom jobs and I sure could use a good “room fairy” and a couple of “lunch helpers” right about now!  I’m not gonna lie, I could use some young eyes to help find my glasses because all of my students would agree that the most frequently asked question in my room is, “Does anybody see my glasses?”  After three weeks of finding my own glasses I’m getting exhausted! 

While I was looking for my glasses yesterday, I paused to think of some of the funny ways life is different this Lent.  I realized that I’m probably going to be able to get another year out of my “school shoes” because I haven’t had a pair of good shoes on in weeks.  I might need to consider shopping for Easter sweats or pajamas instead of a dress.  I think it would be hilarious if  everyone who filled my newsfeed with family pictures in their Christmas jammies does the same thing for Easter.  As an added bonus, after you take the picture, you can just leave them on, walk into the living room  and boom…you’re ready for church!  My concept of dressing up has changed.  I put on a pair of jeans the other day and felt so fancy I could hardly take it.  Like teachers everywhere, I’m busy learning how to teach on-line so before I launched my first Zoom call with my amazing middle lovely work partners, I did my hair and put on mascara and lip gloss…I’m tellin ya what, I felt like I was ready for the prom!

There are so many things to laugh at and be encouraged by, but then there are moments when my breath catches in my throat and I feel a little overwhelmed by it all.  I’m finding that if I use those two simple prayers I shared last Thursday, the Father truly speaks to my hurting heart.  Two really big places he spoke to me was the verse from Joshua and the second was a part from Numbers that said, The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and  give you peace.  

I felt so much peace and comfort from those two verses so I read them often but God is bigger than that.  I am so moved and touched by music.  Music helps me remember and think in a way plain spoken words don’t.  I can’t remember three things from the grocery store but I can  bust out in song if I hear the first few words of a  School House Rock song. (if you’re too young to know what that is, google it) I know all about conjunctions and the Preamble to the Constitution because of these silly little songs.  God, in his fanciness, knows how much he can bless my heart and touch my soul with music so I “randomly” came across this brand new song by Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes.  They wrote it in early March in an attempt to bring peace as the pandemic was just beginning to unfold.  They wrote the song “The Blessing” on a Thursday and recorded at their church on Sunday.  This song the Holy Spirit sent provided such a healing balm to so many hearts it had more than 2 million views in five days.  As I listened and watched I realized the song uses the verse from Joshua and from Numbers and a sprinkle of other great promises from Scripture.  The whole thing is tiny nuggets from God repeated over and over so it can sink in.  The entire song is about twelve minutes and as I watch them sing my heart is so touched by their joy, their faithfulness and I’m just so filled with hope.  God sent this  song to these incredibly talented people at a time when he knew we’d need his truth.  I watch it at least once a day and it gives me a dose of hope, truth, peace and it is such a lift for my soul.  The link is below and I hope you will give yourself the gift of time it takes to watch it and hear the truth God is speaking to all of his children.  

A Seed To Plant:  First, watch the video and second, call, zoom or face time someone you’re missing this week.

Blessings on your day!​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp6aygmvzM4&frags=pl%2Cwn