Happy Wednesday…happy Cinco de Mayo…happy halfway through the week.

Seems like a good day for some randoms, so here we go:

Random #1

I googled Cinco de Mayo since I am pretty sure it is more than just an opportunity for all of us to eat Mexican food and be thankful for yet another celebration day that doesn’t require appropriate decorations and purchasing gifts. 

My search taught me that it is, in reality a minor holiday in Mexico as it commemorates a victory in only one battle, not the entire winning of independence for this country. 

It is more widely celebrated in the U.S. because it is an opportunity for our hispanic communities to celebrate their heritage. So enjoy some good Mexican food and music and be thankful for the diversity around us. 

And yes, I just googled the difference between “nation” and “country” to make sure I was using the correct term. So that is the level of google-nerd you are dealing with here on the Journey.

Proceed to random #2 at your own risk. 

Random #2

Mother’s Day is a mixed bag and I say that every year. 

My own mother was convinced that it was an opportunistic holiday perpetuated by card companies to play on our emotions and get us to spend our hard earned money on something that would end up in the trash.

Which is ironic because she never threw a piece of paper away in her life as we could tell when we had to clean out their house…but I digress.

She did receive all the love we could lavish on her in spite of her cynical views and I think that is what we forget about Mother’s Day. 

Yes, it is a sharp thorn to those who long to be a mom or long to have a good relationship with a mom or have just lost their mom….recently or years ago. 

But let’s turn it a little bit and downsize our expectations. 

Maybe we can make some space that doesn’t involve checking in on how everyone is celebrating the day and just be in our own place of either joy, grief, remembering, hoping, forgiving, healing, thanking, or all of the above…whatever it looks like to you. 

If the posts of social media hurt, don’t scroll that day. Be present in what you do have and find the loving hand of God who provides all that you think you are missing out on. 

If you are filled with the moment of motherhood, rest quietly in the fullness of your joy. Post away but don’t go back and count the likes, just post out of the overflow of your heart and pray it is a blessing to others and not a tripping stone for them. 

Remember that you are not missing out on anything that God didn’t intend for you to have. Don’t compare what your family did to honor you with anyone else…live in gratitude for what is your assigned territory and fully embrace it. 

Random #3

I am reading in 2 Kings and have mercy…have mercy….have mercy. 

What a mess again. 

There are just a few shining moments of Kings who did right in the eyes of the Lord and yet…there is this “however”…where they failed to take down some of this or that of the idolatry of the nation. 

It is amazing to see how some awful King will just do the worst of the worst and yet, when he repents, God forgives. 

What a word for us in a world run amok. 

I can get discouraged on the daily as I move about 2021 on planet Earth. So much doesn’t line up or make sense, so reading about similar periods throughout the history of God’s people gives me hope and encouragement that God is faithful even when we/our leaders/entire populations…are not. 

THAT is something to celebrate! 

Random #4

I set aside my stack of reading for a little book club I am in. They are reading “The Path Between Us” by Suzanne Stabile. 

If you are at all interested in the Enneagram discussions, I highly recommend this as it not only helped me understand me a little better, it gives great insight into others and how our wirings can work together. 

I did something that is so novel (pun intended) for me…and borrowed a copy from the local library. 

Since I like to mark up my books, I went out on a limb here and attempted to not add to our already overflowing shelves. It was a wise move. 

While the book is good and helpful, the information I need to be reminded of is available on the internet from various articles so if you are interested in reading this one, you might be able to just borrow it like I did. 

Random #5

I am fully vaccinated as of Monday. 

I am also unconvinced that I am now made of titanium and, thus, invincible. 

For the record, I followed the advice of people I trust and did what seemed the wisest thing to protect myself from contracting serious side effects of Covid that would cause my family heartache. 

I also wear my seatbelt, get regular checkups and floss my teeth daily but I know that doesn’t insure me against injury in a car accident, being diagnosed with something fatal or gum disease….they are just steps that are proactive towards better health options. 

Contrary to the enticing thought that by being vaccinated, I will be free…I rejoice that I am already free.

Because the one thing I will always count on as solid and a 100% guarantee is that what Christ has set free, is free indeed…and that would be me <3