A Year to Let Things Go

You've heard 'em all before! Year of the dragon, lion, snake. BUT have you heard of this one yet? The Year to Let Things Go. Ahh.

I think for most, that phrase doesn't automatically conjure up feelings of peace and relief. Quite the contrary, actually, it makes most of us uncomfortable. "Well, what are you going to make me let go, or give up?" But I think when we go down that path, we sort of short-change ourselves because we fail to look at what we'll be getting back.

I was walking Howie the other day on the bayou, and as much as I enjoy all of the natural elements of the bayou coming together for my enjoyment - my schedule always seems to get the best of me. Now I know I've written about this before. Those small surrenders we can make with our schedule, and what a difference it makes. Well, instead of falling into my usual pattern of tugging on his leash and hurrying him on for the sake of my day...God pulled one of His famous magic tricks. He won my heart over for the moment with a simple breeze. (He knows how much I love those.) I immediately closed my eyes and took a deep breath in. Somehow everything that seemed so important was put in perspective, beautiful perspective. And in that brief moment, I somehow caught every scent in the air. The salt from the water in the bayou, the smell of the SUN somehow, the grass. My imagination immediately took me back about 18 months to my trip to the Bahamas with Liz and Stins. I was transported to my time kayaking on the sea, just me and the Lord. The peace that I felt was exquisite. Somehow, God had managed to elevate me from being a slave to my day TO ... living on an extravagantly higher plane. And SUDDENLY - I didn't feel like I needed a vacation anymore. :)

It's not just with my schedule that I feel the need to let things go. Hurt feelings, ego, my WARDROBE. I've been trying to practice letting things go in all aspects of my life - and the feeling of freedom that I have is totally exhilarating. I sometimes forget how happy God wants me to be. I start to think of myself as His personal slave - and when I fail I brace myself for the blow of a century. But He gently reminds me that He just wants my happiness, my freedom, my joy, my elation - independent of my output. He reminds me of how much He still has to give to me, and how if I can only trust Him enough to let things go - I can experience more and more this life that He keeps telling me about. This is a love - that I have never in my life felt. This is a depth I've never gone. This love that He gives me ... shakes me to my very core. It pulls out things I never knew were in me. THIS LOVE. Answers desires that I never knew were in my heart.

Yesterday morning, the kids and I went to Casa Juan Diego to pledge our best efforts for three hours. I am more and more inspired by the self-sacrificing love that comes from the hearts of Mark & Louise Zwick, it changes lives. I hope you don't judge me for what I'm about to say. :) Never in my life did I ever think that a house for immigrants would be the place where I would think "I never want to leave." But I believe that God so fills us up when we're in His grace, and being around such beautiful people and such a beautiful cause - makes me feel incredibly rich. It makes me feel like "I made it. I have no where else I want to be." With the number of times I've been to CJD over the past four years, it's amazing to me that I fall more and more in love with the God in those people. All I had to do was let go of my notions of what will make me happy. Truth is, God knows best.

My prayer for you this Sunday morning is that today, you will know Him more. My prayer is that you might be able to join me in praising Him whole-heartedly for the things He has done in YOUR life. My prayer is that you will say "yes" to Him and His plan to free you and make you truly happy. And that you'll make this your year to let things go.

His wounds have paid my ransom. Hallelujah.