Brownies, Tears, and People Who Love

It is late and I am tired. It has been a long day and I sure am glad tomorrow is Friday. But I am choosing to show up for myself by participating in this practice because I know it is good for my heart and a t draws me closer to God. Lenten practices are meant to bring us closer to the One who created us, loves us, and calls us by name. Looking for joy and documenting it does that for me—it reminds me God is really and truly in it all.

So for the brownies that are beautiful and delicious I am grateful. I am hopeful that they might bring people who work really hard and give so much of themselves joy and that brings me joy.

For the tears that I shed today, I know you are a sign of my strength—the strength of my faith, the strength of my heart, the strength of my trust that love truly is the way and that love will always find a way to be present in this world and love will overcome anything that tries to block its way. Thank you to those tears—you brought me joy by reminding me that I am human, that my heart is open and soft—not closed and hardened and for that, in the face of mean world, I am utterly grateful and leaping for joy.

For the people who love, for the people who show up, you give me such hope. You bring me joy by inviting me into that love, by letting me witness it, receive it, and be a part of it. You teach me over and over and over again, this world still has a whole lot of beauty and joy left in it. You remind me that no matter how mean, how dark, how scary the world is—love is never defeated. You remind me to believe and trust in the magic that is Love.

Amen.