Porch #82 * Joy in Chaos Edition

PORCH
a soft place to land
a calm weekend haven
a gentle pause from life's busyness
so we may experience
the tender lovingkindness of Jesus
as we do life together
in community

🌞

Yay, we're together again!

Was this another weird jumble of a week or what?  From crummy disappointments to awesome answers to prayer to living with a half-done kitchen, March has been a topsy-turvy ride.  Knowing that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever is the most glorious stabilizing force in the Christian's life (Hebrews 13:8).  I'm so grateful He's written the end of the story and I don't have to figure out every last detail of what's going on.

Meanwhile, when I read something that grabs my attention, I'm always excited to share it.  Because we're all students of life, sitting at the feet of The Master Teacher, our friend Jesus.  And there's no place I'd rather be.  Here's what came across my radar this week:

Jon Acuff
'If your teenager has a hard time managing their phone, remember, there wasn't a single time during your entire childhood where your parents gave you a fragile, pocket-sized, distraction casino worth $500-$1,000 and said "Here, good luck."'

3 Reasons Your Adult Child Treats You Like Dirt 
- Psychology Today
'As children grow up, they may develop values or beliefs that conflict with those of their parents, leading to disagreement and tension ...'

A Stubborn Habit 
- Pam Ecrement
'We prefer our own way of doing things and for us they become the “best” way and as a result we can be judgmental and critical of how anyone else does it and a stubborn habit of dissatisfaction develops without even realizing it’s there ...'

Pondering the Pillars of a Healthy Spirituality - Humility
- Jean Wise
'To be honest, being humble is tough.  Elusive.  The minute you think you captured humility and can practice it well – poof! – you are no longer humble.  This characteristic isn’t high on many lists of desirable traits yet still belongs in the mix for cultivating a healthy spirituality ...'

Jennifer's response to This is Helping Me Grieve Well
'Speaking my father’s name and remembering his genuine and all-encompassing love for my children have helped me to grieve well.  When the pain of missing him overwhelms me, I go someplace quiet and allow the tears to fall.  The year after my dad died, my husband had a sign made for me.  It contains a quote from a dream he had, where he encountered my Dad in a park.  Knowing how sad I was, my husband asked my father in the dream, “What message can I give Jen from you?”  His response: “Take a little piece of the Gospel and make it part of you every day.”  The sign hangs in our bedroom, where I see it every day. ❤️'

*

And this song refuses to leave my head: 

May the sun shine brightly on your weekend.  And may you continue to move through March holding joy in chaos and cherishing peace that makes no sense.
Linda 🌞

P.S. 1
Thanks, Judie, for sharing that Scripture right up top.

P.S. 2
To clarify, my adult children are not treating me like dirt but there's some important cautions for us all when it comes to 'making intrusive comments and showing problematic listening skills.' 

P.S. 3
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P.S. 4
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