Two words: Kona Coffee.
Two more words: Life changed.
Well at least for the next few moments while I'm holding this cup of coffee from the coffee bean farms of Hawaii. Now, I just need a beach and some palm trees.
A girl can dream.
Well... let’s be honest my dreams involve far more than coffee. Buuuuut... for the moment coffee will do. Because with a cup of hot coffee in my hands for just a few moments all is right in the world. It’s not reality, friends… annnnnd I may have a coffee problem. Nope. Scratch that. I most definitely have a coffee problem. But I suppose there are worse things in life. And so for this moment...I’ll be over here in my own little reality holding this wonderful hot cup of coffee pretending I’m an emotionally stable female who has life all figured out.
And if you look just over my shoulder… Bella says hi. I love her.
And speaking of emotionally stable… I finally got my act together enough to put some effort into some running. I don't love how my car looks because of these dirt roads, but I'm loving running out in the country on them.
I was supposed to run a marathon in May. Well, I was supposed to run a marathon last May, but it got canceled… because of... well… Covid. And then it got rescheduled for this May. And then a few months ago… it got canceled again…. Because of, well… Covid… I think. I don’t even know anymore. And it got rescheduled for next May.
I’m really just hoping by May of 2022, I’ll actually be able to do a real, live, in-person, race again. Cuz these virtual races…. Yeah… No, thank you... I’m willing to embrace my crazy... but, friends, no way on God's Green Earth am I going out and running 26.2 miles just for kicks and a medal in the mail. That’s a whole different level of crazy. If I’m going to run 26.2 miles I expect people there cheering me on and greeting me at the finish line. No shame here. I expect actual human validation for some things in life.
I was in Midland for part of the day yesterday and this was my view on the way home. Gorgeous. Like coffee, I feel like when one sees sights like these... for just a moment all is right in the world. And with that, seems to come this realization that this moment is just a moment. I am just one person. And God’s got a plan that’s way bigger than you and I.
Reach back to all those childhood Bible stories and you probably know that the rainbow was a sign of God’s promise to Noah that he would never destroy all of mankind again with a flood. Genesis 9:12-15 says, “It is a promise for all time to come. Here is the sign of the promise I am making. I have put my rainbow in the clouds. It will be the sign of the promise between me and the earth… the waters will never again become a flood to destroy all life.”
The rainbow is an interesting thing these days. We see rainbows everywhere. And in most cases, they’ve kind of taken on a different meaning than the original one God intended. And while to most they might have a different meaning today, every time I see one in the sky, I can’t help but think about this promise that God made.
As I’ve gone through the Old Testament this year simply seeking who God is, I’m overwhelmed with the amount of things that are his character which are also his promises. I’ve got a list (we’ve established that I love myself some Punch Lists!) that I have added to over the last few months. And when I’m struggling, I’ve found myself pulling these out and often just reading them out loud to myself. It amazingly has helped me so much in some of my most anxious moments because...
You guys!
It’s who God is.
And he is unchanging. And I can hold him to it. And I love that.
You keep your promises.
You will not forsake me.
You will not forget me.
You will protect me.
You are good and you do good.
You will direct me.
Your peace will guard my heart and mind.
If I seek you, I will find you.
You reward those who seek you.
You draw people to you.
You open people's hearts.
You will answer me.
Nothing is impossible for you.
You are faithful in everything.
You will have compassion on me.
You love me.
Your love is perfect.
You are trustworthy.
You will withhold no good thing from me.
You will do more than I could ask or imagine.
You will guide me.
You are faithful.
You hear me.
You are gracious.
You give peace beyond all understanding.
On another note… anyone watch the President's first actual press conference today?
Anyway….