Attention Leads to Celebration
Sundays will be for celebrating as they are known to be mini Easters. I am choosing to make space for the beauty scattered all around just for me.
Painting inevitably helps me hone the muscle of attention. I must make time and space for curiosity and practice. I am enjoying the way my eye now is drawn to the tiny details without feeling the pull to make sure they are perfect. Instead I linger a little longer in the abstract and find beauty in the unexpected.
Food is truly a most kind place to encounter the goodness of God. I am currently studying Ecclesiastes and am realizing that most of the themes found in it are in fact pointers back to The Giver of all things, Jesus. He punctuates his time with his disciples before his death with a meal. During the meal He instructs them to remember. Not only to remember that passover meal together but also the meal to come when he returns again in his kingdom. So, with each meal I am reminded that the giver of good gifts delights with me at the table and this is only a foretaste of the table He is preparing even now.
I have kept my word of having cake as many times as possible this past month. I thoroughly enjoyed a mini daisy cake from Whole Foods for an afternoon coffee with a friend.
I pray that this season will flow in a rhythm of rest, reflection, and celebration for you too. I pray that as we remember our brokenness we can also make time to remember that He came to set us free! He, who is faithful will also return to make all things new again! Amen, come soon Lord Jesus.
Grief Snuggles in Next to Celebration
This celebration Sunday is also the anniversary of my cousins passage to his eternal home. I wrote this poem as I reflected on his life and and the way he blessed me from the moment we met until the moment we parted.
You Were the First
You were my first sibling
The first to watch me grow
You were the first to name me
The first to celebrate me
You were the first to fight with me
You were also the first to fight for me
You were the first to fight for our family
You were the first to sing over our family
Your smile was one my first memories
Your laugh one my first known sounds
Your voice one my first lullabies
Your song forever engraved in my heart
How can I move forward?
Sigh
Tears steam and I smile
You’ve lead the way
You were first in many ways
And now you are first again
The first to God’s embrace
The first to Love him face to face
The first to sing praises to his name
The first to have fought the good fight
You are the first to finish the race
I am coming behind you
I am sure you are cheering me on
I won’t fret but will keep running my race
You were the first
to join the cloud Of witnesses
The first to celebrate with Abuelita
The first to see the beauty
Más allá del sol (further beyond the sun)
You were first, of course you were
-DFD
Don’t Forget the Giveaway!
I love that this giveaway is all about sharing our stories with those who have made space for us in their lives!
This give away includes two of each of the following{ one for you one for a friend}
Traveling Pendants
10 dollar gift cards to Noonday Collection
Gentle and Lowly Books
encouraging stickers
Enter this giveaway by leaving a comment on this post, following Lesley and I on all our social media outlets, and subscribing to Lesley’s Newsletter. But because you already subscribe to the Graceful Table Newsletter you will get an extra entry just by leaving a comment here and sharing this post!
Gracefully,
Daisy