Thank God, it's Friday ♥

I shuffle to the car, buckle in the carseat as Henry fusses (he hates his carseat!), move Ernie to the passenger seat, set the diaper bag and my wallet down, and start the car. I shut the door of my car and safe in that space, I cry the ugly cry. The mascara-smearing-nose-running-people-at-stoplights-are-staring cry. "I cannot keep up with my life today." I think to myself.

Then the unexpected happens.

 My sister, Kaitlyn, calls, telling me a funny story about her trying to pump gas at a station out of town, first pulling up to old gas pumps, then having to go back and forth several times to the clerk counter because it wouldn't read her card; for the second time, tears stream down my face.But this time it’s because I’m doing the mascara-smearing-nose-running-people-at-other-tables-are-staring laugh.

Later that night I realized God graciously gave me exactly what I needed. Sometimes our hearts don’t need a lecture or advised. What they need is to laugh. I wrote this on a post-it and stuck it to my mirror:

Laughter is a form of worship. It’s our soul’s way of saying, “I surrender to being human.”

God knows we are human. We’re the ones who tend to forget. Laughter is one way He reminds us. It changes our perspective, helps us move forward, opens up our hearts again. It’s “good medicine” for the heart {Prov. 17:22}.

Laughter that comes from a place of humility and grace is holy and healing.

We all need our daily dose–and sometimes a little extra.

There will come a day, an hour, a moment when you say: “I’ve had enough.”

Who knows what may push you to the edge…another disappointment, someone cutting you off in traffic {or on the journey to your dreams}, opening the cupboard to find someone has taken the last cookie.

What’s important to know is that we all go to that place.

Quitting in other words can be, “I don’t want to be facing this right now.”

It’s human to grow weary.

It’s okay to want to give up.

It’s understandable to want to quit.

What matters isn’t avoiding those moments but instead learning to lean into them–or rather lean into the One who loves us.

“Yet not My will but Yours be done.”

When we tell ourselves, “I shouldn’t feel this way” then we cut ourselves off from the help we need.

Instead we can say, “I do feel this way. Now what do I need to get through this?”

It might be help from a friend.

It might be a reminder of Truth.

It might be a nap {yes, really}.

Fight the guilt. Fight the shame. Fight the temptation to believe no one else ever feels this way.

We all do.

And together with Jesus we will make it through.

Today is GOOD FRIDAY :)
...and to me that is the ultimate  "Thank God it's Friday!" :)
The day Someone took all our brokenness and gave us wholeness,
felt great hurt so we could have true healing,
said “It is finished” so we would never have to.
Let’s remember and celebrate and live like we know how much we’re loved!

Happy Easter to you :)

XOXO, Kess