Talk about a crazy few weeks…

Due to Justin’s car accident, business travel, and a trip to Mississippi I have hardly had a decent conversation with my husband for several weeks. This is NOT like us. We talk about everything, but sometimes life crowds out the living, doesn’t it?

The good news is…my son is home! (Cue the parade.)
Yes, as soon as it sinks in, I’ll probably be seen doing cartwheels across our front yard.
He is home and he is at peace in his spirit. He is surrounded by love and filled with hope, and we haven’t seen that in him in some time. He brings with him much wisdom and we marvel at how our God is a just-in-time God. (Note the clever little play on words with Justin’s name right there.) There is a confidence in my son’s step that could have only come from the road he walked, mostly alone, for the better part of a year. And the way he hears from His God shouldn’t shock me, but it does.

We have had some challenges this last month. That may just be the understatement of the year. I have walked around showing some sparkly hairs to my family asking which one of them is responsible for the latest addition.

The good news is…I see how taken care of I am by my heavenly Daddy in a million ways despite the trials. I wish I could find the words to describe.
Each challenging situation we faced threw us back a step for a minute, but then all of a sudden, we were seeing how what looked like rejection was really God’s protection and His redirection. It’s really all in the way you look at it.

I’m not trying to beat a dead horse. I know I already wrote about perspective, and I know I’ve reiterated recently about being thankful for even the things we don’t want to be thankful for like laundry and bills. When money fairly flew out of our pockets this month for vehicle repairs we wanted to do some serious complaining! But, those repairs safely brought our son home. And God provided. That’s some good news!

There’s a slight possibility that I could maybe possibly be a bit irritating or Pollyanna-esque once in a great while when someone around me needs to tell me their difficulty with something and I chime in with a “Well, the good news is…” statement. I understand that sometimes, though that cloud may have a silver lining, it’s more fun to stand in the rain.

That may be why the bracelet challenge kinda trickled away. I admit, while I was in the midst of my very long thirty days, I just wanted to say what I needed to say and let it all out. But what does that really accomplish? My wallowing doesn’t really make me feel better. In fact, it just makes me muddier. And makes more work when it’s time to get out.

That’s why I’m always looking for the good news. If the dog just pooped on the floor, the good news is it wasn’t on the carpet! If the dryer broke, the good news is it’s summer time and clothes can hang outside for now. If money is tight, the good news is we have a job and hope of the next paycheck. If I lost my cool and spoke in anger, the good news is I can ask for forgiveness.

I double-dog dare you to be borderline annoying this week with your family and friends, and with every negative thing you hear add some good news. And every time you feel overwhelmed by a situation you feel like you can’t handle, look for some good news. I realize there are situations that aren’t so easy to make light of. Quite honestly, I’ve had some heavy ones too this month that were not so easy to find the good news in.
There was good news, though. I couldn’t avoid it. No matter how bleak the moment feels, I can have hope because of what I know is true. Even when every human fails me, I am deeply loved. There is Someone who hears me–even when I’m nasty to listen to. He has good planned for me. It’s a promise because we love each other. His mercies are brand new every morning. That’s some really good news.