Today is a good day.  
I was awakened to the sunrise. 

Solo but I put on some great music to get me going ..
 Andrew Peterson's Counting Stars.

I felt inspired to post Dancing in the Minefields' on FB as it really sums up a lot .. in the past, present and hopefully again in the future.

"This is harder than what we dreamed but I believe that's what the promise is for .. But to lose your life for another, I've heard, is a good place to begin .. 'Cause the only way to find your life is to lay your own life down and I believe it's an easy price for the life we have found."

You can pretty well gauge how I am doing by 

a. if I'm taking and sharing photos

b.  if I'm posting on FB, to a lesser degree

Just indicative that I am taking notice of the beautiful things in my life and am stepping beyond my fears to share words, thoughts and feelings.

I think I've decided that I will try to keep FB posts succinct and expound here.  Writing helps me process, hear what my heart still needs to surrender and keep my mind accountable when there aren't as many to help with the latter otherwise.

My companions this morning.. 

one caffeine free, one NOT - Starbuck's MYO double hot chocolate!! 

A Christmas treat from parents' of children I teach.  I do enjoy chocolate but I have to moderate it.  It helped me write weekly newsletter for my class at least and more true to my form than it has been in weeks or even months.  Might also explain my accomplished/euphoric feeling, to borrow from another, and sense of rebound/restoration.  But, to be true, that comes from The Lord redeeming me yet again this week.  

I am so thankful for new devotional from Linnea/Coffee, Tea and Thee/my church - Joyce Meyer's Trusting God day by day.  It is the literal reinspiration behind me returning to this aforetitled blog.  I started reading TG early, before the the new year.  I'm starting to want to write about and feeling more able to tell of this past season and beyond.  As one in my bible study class said, the scar tissue needed time to form (paraphrased) much less heal and reconciliation has been a serious journey.  To draw parallels, the journey didn't take 11 days as maybe it could have but it hasn't been 40 years thankfully ;)  I know definately that this year is all about HOPE and that alone is something to write about, IMHO.  I would love to go back and recap the last week or so but I think the title's will suffice to summarize:  14th: "God Will Give You All the Wisdom and Power You Need", 15th: "God's Rest for You", 16th: "Give God Your All", 17th: "There's Nothing God Can't Handle", 18th:"You Have Nothing to Worry About", 19th: "How to Find Rest in Your Soul"!!!  Nail hit on the head and I'll leave it at that!

In our class at church it was asked "How do you know that God loves you?"  I can't exactly recall my response at the moment except that it was likely and appropriately so something like because He has has seen me thought all "this" (i.e. the last 5+ years).  But, it is also music!  I hear Him speaking to, drawing me in 

and proclaiming His love for me in songs like these.

From Bebo Norman's Lights from Distance Cities, I LOVE:

Outside Her Window Was the World

"She took a broken piece of glass and held it in her hand

Sharp as a razor and a wire from the ground

It was a broken piece of love that she had tried to cover up 

And outside her window was the world

..

on the day it fell apart

Just a girl and all the world under the sun

But with a push and a turning lock he had frozen all the clocks

And outside her window was the world

.. 

So she was singing 

Come on, come on set free 

All that is a prisoner inside of me

..

And come on, come on set fire 

Burn through the wreckage, leave it all behind

..

And no one cried, oh, no one cried for the damage done

..

But on the day she realized that she was stronger than the lies

She broke through her window into the world

..

Hope is rising, hope is rising 

oh, my soul is rising, oh, my soul will rise

..

come on, come on set free

All that is a prisoner inside of me

come on, come on set fire

Burn through the pain, set it on fire

..

And all along outside her window was the world"

Just a Glimpse

"Just a glimpse into the deep
Into your love could change everything
..
Can you bring me back, back to the time 
..
Open up, open up, open up my heart again
just enough, just enough, just enough to see a glimpse
of everything You are, open up my heart
To just a glimpse 
..
And the veil would fall
And all that seemed hidden was here all along
And you’d take me back, back to the start
Lost in your affection, lost enough to find again
The light that steals away the dark
..
Oh, my love, oh, my love
Deep enough to dream with You again
And, oh, my soul, oh, my soul
The toll that time has taken on me
Cannot break the arms that hold me"

Nothing Without You

"Take these hands and lift them up

For I have not the strength to praise You near enough

For I have nothing, I have nothing without You

Take my voice and pour it out

Let it sing the songs of mercy I have found

For I have nothing, I have nothing without You

All my soul needs

Is all Your love to cover me

So all the world will see

That I have nothing without You

Take my body and build it up

May it be broken as an offering of love

For I have nothing, I have nothing without You

All my soul needs

Is all Your love to cover me

So all the world will see

That I have nothing

But I love You

With all my heart

With all my soul

With all my might

With all the strength that I can find

Take my time here on this earth

And let it glorify all that You are worth

For I am nothing,

I am nothing without You"

.. and repeat .. again and again :)

K, I have to step away from my laptop and get some things done or I will be kicking myself when the day is gone.  Already halfway?!  I sound like a half-empty person ;)