Nature has a way of silencing me with her beauty, of giving me perspective. With her leaves brighter than my dim heart and her trees bigger than all my fears, I get a fresh look at my small problems.

Pain is a teacher, if we let her in. And like all good teachers, we find that we hunt them down, many years later, and say: Thank you. You pushed, you prodded, you poked...and now look at me. Because of you, I am who I am.

It seems a table, a bar, the floor will do. So will an egg, tea, leftover cake. The point isn’t the content of the offering, the point is the content of the heart.

And aren’t we grateful? For the other ones who know our insecurities, our tears, our laughter, our grit and fight, our wins and losses. And still, yes STILL, they love us.

Those who are not licensed foster care families were also in it with us: encouragement, helping, rolling with it, joining the fun. It doesn't take a license - it takes a heart posture. Having support families is beautiful and shares the load.

There are things I am proud of and things I am not on Difficult Days. Let's look at the list. 

C.S. Lewis - he's such an encourager. An inspiration. A writer for our hearts. May this one be for you and all that is in your dear heart.

Tears and bravery - they are sisters. Related. Connected. From the same family. Usually seen together in those beautiful, really important moments. Cut from the same cloth. 

Leaders lose the right to be selfish. Let that one sink in. Let it sink in the year we have to hire a new president. Let it sink in when we want the credit. Let it sink in when a small, 2 year old child asks for more milk when we are tired to the bone and just sat down for the first time in weeks.

I need to admit something. I keep learning from CHILDREN'S Bibles. Am I allowed to say that? I work for a church for crying out loud. Shouldn't I have gotten it by now? But then you and I both breathe a sigh of relief because NO ONE knows it all, thank God. Let's get off the Gotta Look Perfect Train. It wasn't going anywhere to begin with. 

Comparison cannot be our compass. Constantly looking left and right will give you a headache, too. It's dizzying and destructive.

Let's quit. Whose with me?