Wide Open Secrets & Surprises
Three, two, one...I felt the ticker ticking. I was moments from exploding. Every last thread of self-restraint began to buckle under the pressure until finally...oop, there it went. A vomiting of frustration and anger and "over it" feelings came gushing out of me, spraying the people I love most in this world. My sweet, amazing, grace-filled, understanding, sloppy-kissing (well, only one of them!) kids, and my deeply struggling and somewhat detached husband (whom I love so much it hurts) were covered in the mess. The stench took the rest of the night to clean up.
This was not how I envisioned my life going, but I certainly never expected to feel as depleted as I do. Who thinks of that? We just put on our rosy glasses and figure we'll be okay. Well, sometimes we aren't okay...and that's okay! But we all thrive in an atmosphere of grace and encouragement. We become better versions of ourselves when we are cushioned by others who see the best in us when we simply can't see it.
When we open ourselves to the good within people and we get brave enough to tell them what we see, we unleash a gift of hope inside them. I want to unleash more hope with those in my home. This month I am on secret mission to drop a different sort of bomb -- an encouragement bomb that will cover them with hope. I plan to start secretly slipping notes in the places I know they will find them. Writing what I love about them, where I see them growing, how they shine the brightest, why they make me happy -- these will unleash hope for them to be the best versions of themselves. On the days they lose it or everything goes wrong, they will have the cushion of grace and encouragement to help catch them and stand them back up.
Will you join me? Will you Hope on Purpose within your home? Grab some sticky notes or note cards or use the recycle paper pile. Get your sleuth on and open yourself to the good in them. You will find your home turned inside out in the best of ways! If you live alone, the people you most directly influence on a regular basis are your home! Let's go create an atmosphere of grace and encouragement!
