Summer, swimming, Maddy and other hmmm...ings

This has been a different summer for me … I usually head to the lake often, but usually love it from the view of a chair on the beach and a good book in hand. But this year, I’ve found myself dropping my stuff off and before sitting down I head straight out into the water. Of course, the weather and the water is a lot warmer than usual, that may be less of a bother for me. But none-the-less, it’s been wonderful to not slow down or turn back and just swim.

Swimming is kind of a freeing feeling, and this year not with the usual wade on tiptoe … slowly up to my waist (yes, I’m one of those people you laugh at) and then hurry back to shore. But both feet flat on the lake floor, then dive in, soak it up, arms over head (you may still laugh at this picture). The kind of swimming that I always admired in Brian and the kids.

I surprise myself, wondering why swim this year? What is so different?

I’m older (maybe a little wiser/maybe not). But, maybe the circumstances surrounding Maddy’s illness with cancer and then subsequent death, maybe finding more about ‘being alive’ because of the lessons I learned from her life. One of those many lessons was to be fully in the moment. Surrendering to God in whatever comes your way. Perhaps, not wanting what seems ‘ordinary or everyday’ to pass by without notice. Maybe just wanting to live each day as God lays it out, not worrying about tomorrow (or my hair – after all Maddy had only begun to get hers back before she ‘went home’).

Honestly, I’m not as much concerned with the why’s anymore… having to have everything all figured out … but instead learning to go on faith, without knowing the whys, “seizing the day” with the Lord through what I would say the is one of the most difficult journey as a family we’ve taken so far.

This morning, I found myself in I Thessalonians 5. ^“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” Not easy all the time to give thanks ‘for’ all circumstances, but that is not what God’s Word says … it says ‘in’ all … big difference. Today, for me, that would be giving thanks that God is ‘in’ every moment with us - is present, shows up, and will be glorified – in all circumstances I/we am/are going through.

My prayer is that you will read God’s Word more frequently, understand it more deeply, come to know Him more closely (even through two letter words like ‘in’), love Him more dearly, and begin to share Him more freely. Sometimes, circumstances help us in ways we’d never ‘get it’ or to see Him so clearly at work in our lives and the lives of those we love . So my challenge to you very this day is just dive in, no matter what circumstances you are ‘in’, swim full out, no timid tiptoes, into the deep waters of God’s Word and trust Him in His promises – I pray He compels you to go for it. One thing I can tell you, for sure, - the ‘water’s’ just fine!