why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?

a new day
a fresh start
a crisp morning
an email from a friend
country music on an ipod
horror stories in the newspapers

a mixture of accepting & expecting

living in but not of

it's a strange world that we live in
when we really stop to think about it

the other day a woman from my home church shared about her life
her journey with jesus
and i think she is incredible
born into hardships & many others added to her life as she lives it
but she said this
you can choose to be miserable
or you can choose not to be!
i love that.

i also love this passage of scripture (psalm 42) in the message. today i will choose to not be miserable. to fix my eyes on God. he puts a smile on my face. he's my God.

^1-3 A white-tailed deer drinks from the creek; 

   I want to drink God, 

      deep draughts of God. 

   I'm thirsty for God-alive. 

   I wonder, "Will I ever make it— 

      arrive and drink in God's presence?" 

   I'm on a diet of tears— 

      tears for breakfast, tears for supper. 

   All day long 

      people knock at my door, 

   Pestering, 

      "Where is this God of yours?" 

 ⁴ These are the things I go over and over, 

      emptying out the pockets of my life. 

   I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd, 

      right out in front, 

   Leading them all, 

      eager to arrive and worship, 

   Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving— 

      celebrating, all of us, God's feast! 

 ⁵ Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? 

      Why are you crying the blues? 

   Fix my eyes on God— 

      soon I'll be praising again. 

   He puts a smile on my face. 

      He's my God. 

 ^6-8 When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse 

      everything I know of you, 

   From Jordan depths to Hermon heights, 

      including Mount Mizar. 

   Chaos calls to chaos, 

      to the tune of whitewater rapids. 

   Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers 

      crash and crush me. 

   Then God promises to love me all day, 

      sing songs all through the night! 

      My life is God's prayer. 

 ^9-10 Sometimes I ask God, my rock-solid God, 

      "Why did you let me down? 

   Why am I walking around in tears, 

      harassed by enemies?" 

   They're out for the kill, these 

      tormentors with their obscenities, 

   Taunting day after day, 

      "Where is this God of yours?" 

 ¹¹ Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? 

      Why are you crying the blues? 

   Fix my eyes on God— 

      soon I'll be praising again. 

   He puts a smile on my face. 

      He's my God.

and i will enjoy this cup of chocolate chai tea. in this fabulous new mug. both gifts from audrey :)