Beginnings and Expectations full of Grace and Truth, Words of my Heart by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Beginnings and Expectations full of Grace and Truth

In any relationship there are beginnings and expectations.  Most ignite with hope and excitement. Would it not be nice to wake each morning with that joy igniting your day?

I have memories of when Terry and I fell in love... we talked about it last night. We met in 1963, but it was in 1964 that the relationship began. We were in eighth grade.  That first love is filled with new beginnings and expectations.  You literally cannot wait to see him every day.  Your emotions run wild from excitement to love, to worry and back again...but yet every day you wake in anticipation of seeing him.  As we grow older do we have to be laden with the world on our shoulders? Why can we not wake today with that same joyful expectation?

No matter what the season is in life, there is a need to embrace the joy of the day.

With this first week in advent based on hope and expectations, I pray for that lightness in your life and your days. I pray for you to wake with hope and expectation to discover the gifts coming to you on this very day.  Despite pain, illness, family troubles, financial stress, unemployment, and whatever else seems to burden you down, allow yourself to have time each morning to open your hands up to heaven and allowing God to carry your burdens.  Begin to list those positive things you do have.  Not just in your head, but list them on paper.  Focus on them only.

Begin to nurture back the light and love in your life that seems to have been crushed out by the world.

I struggle often trying to separate my human frustration and problems from that spiritual relationship that offers total freedom from all the problems I carry, those rocks I pick up and shove into my pockets.

I choose to do this, and so do you. How do we stop collecting those rocks that weight us down?

I am challenging you now to let those problems fall from you.  Let the wind (God's breath) take them off from your mind if only for a short time as you begin to grow spiritually. As you start this new relationship with God today have hope and expectations. He will not fail you.

It is your choice.

I light the candle this day to mark a new beginning to chose the light of God and prepare my heart in expectation of the celebration of Christ's birth. I will put aside the issues that cloud my mind and open my heart to receive His light.

Words of my heart,
Laurie

“[The Word Became Flesh] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-2, 14 NIV