When my Patio is un-inviting at the hand of yucky weather, I retreat to a couple small but inviting spaces inside my home. Or I visit a local coffee shop with a home-like feel. Nothing thrills me more than to patronize a business where the owners and I are like minded in our faith. I will however try out new local places just to say I’ve been there.

It’s no secret that I like a little coffee with a lotta flavored cream! And it’s pretty much a given that I love to sit’n’sip hot or cold beverages while I’m conversing with our maker or with friends and family. The liquid only enhances the pleasure of the conversation, just as being on the Patio listening to or watching the birds, seeing the mystery of creation only heightens the experience of the Holy Spirit’s company, and there are times I don’t even take a sip.

I write a lot about my struggle with keeping my negative emotions under control. I don’t feel like I give enough attention to the positive emotions that come from spending time with God….wherever that may be. Honestly, nothing in a mug or glass is sweeter than the peace that God fills me with on a morning after. After a night of tossing and turning, stressing and fretting, dreaming distorted disturbing dreams or when I lie awake all night waiting for an answer to a problem or when my eyes are still stinging and swollen from the heavy hearted tears I cried on my pillow for those hurting, or for lost loved ones. When marriage hurts, or kids make wrong choices and the paychecks don’t last til next payday. These are situations that create negative emotions, but I don’t have to carry them another minute once I lay them at the Saviors feet. And neither do you.

I hope as you read this, you will join me and choose not to carry these into the future. Whatever is heavy on your heart or mind I pray you will like me, leave it in more capable hands and truly return to it no more. Will we be perfect at this every time, no….but we will continue to strive for it, we will receive blessing and peace in place of burdens. As we worship and serve God only, his angels will attend us…just as it is written in Matthew 4:10; we will be stirred but not shaken.

“God examine our hearts, hear our pleas and heal our afflictions. Serving you and dying to our own sinful desires will bring a bounty we can never imagine, let us choose this, desire it and be filled with peace that passes all understanding. Thank you Lord.. in Jesus name Amen.”