Free to be me

Daily life here on the island can be "normal" just like living back in my comfortable surroundings in the States. "Normal" living tends to creep up on you no matter where you live or what your surroundings are like. The first few months living here were exciting because it is a new place, new culture, new people and new challenges. I call it the "honeymoon" stage of starting something new. Then over time the "normalcy" of daily life tries to yank you into living without a purpose.  One of the symptoms of "normal" living is you forget to express gratefulness. A hopeless and ungrateful attitude tends to slide in and if you don't nip it in the butt right away then the full-blown way of "normal" living sets in. So, I sensed it sneaking up on me. I was reminded of my weapons of fighting this draining way of living and I immediately began expressing gratefulness to God for the smallest detail of my life to the weightiest detail. I also began serving people around me. There is no greater joy than to be completely free to be me. One of the ways I can do that is if my perspective of every day life is centered on God. God has blessed me in so many ways and I get to be a conduit of sharing those blessings with anyone that comes my way. So, I set out to do just that.

I swept up some water that flooded our coffee shop a bit. I was weeding in our garden while I fought off sand-flies. Later I got to comfort some dear friends by praying for their youngest daughter who is in a hospital in another country. I made lunch for Jeanne and I. I did laundry by hand on a washboard in the bathtub. I filled our water jugs. I started organizing another friends business files. I typed some emails to friends. I made some coffee for a few peeps who needed a kick in the afternoon. I paid some bills. I hit a dog on my golf-cart (he was totally fine, just nipped him...someone scared him right into my cart). I hugged a friend. I told a hard working girl here that she looked beautiful. I explained to a man on a motorbike that I wouldn't be his girl because I will only be the girl of my husband (wherever he is). I fed some iguanas. I turned off my A/C so I could hear the rain pounding on my roof.

I went about my day looking for ways to be me and bring joy to whoever came across my path. I went about my day being content in the fact that I am 100% cared for by God. He is looking out for every detail of my life so that I can be free to me.

Are you free to be you? What things are weighing on you that you need to leave in God's hands? He is listening to every word we share with Him. He wants us to be free to be who He has created us to be. May this sweet picture of my niece be a picture etched in your mind today that there is no joy like being free to be ourselves.