The Answer is Simple

Simple is not so simple...

Simple is actually very difficult for me.  I guess I'm complicated as my husband would say or maybe overthinking, overanalyzing, trying to make some logical sense out of unknowns just comes naturally for me.

While I know God's ways are WAY higher than mine, do I have to make this earthly life more complicated than it really is?  Isn't it complicated and messy enough all by itself?

My favorite author, Emily Freeman has once again released a new book titled "Simply Tuesday", and I've been so excited to read it!  It's a book that puts the joy of simple-ness back into our souls. 

It is giving me eyes to see the precious gifts in simple, ordinary moments which our lives are mostly made up of.  She quotes one of my other favorite authors, Oswald Chambers:

"It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God - but we do not.  We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people - and this is not learned in five minutes."

My Utmost for His Highest

Extraordinary in the ordinary. Do you see it?  For me, it must be intentional. I have to put away my expectations of the day, set aside the to-do list, offer my stresses & worries as an offering to God (I know these aren't sweet smelling offerings but I love that He is willing to take all my junk as a trust offering), and lastly calm my spirit & open my eyes WIDE for the small & easily missed simple.

Emily says, "Small is my new free."  
I love that because I totally get that and want that.

A friend wanted to get together with me to catch up on life so she asked if I wanted to take lunch to our aging friend Rufus in the next town over.  I love that about my friend - always with a kind and serving heart.  So simple. 

We want to connect so let's go serve someone else together.  
She continues to teach me who Christ is!

Rufus' front door was open when we arrived, and we found him in his favorite chair with his Bible in his lap. He was pleased to see us. While my friend and I ate lunch and his Wendy's frosty began to melt, Rufus' spoke of times gone by, people he walked life with, cars he drove, family he loves - the simple things.

And as he shared his memories, he would break out in song. He would say "Thank you, Lord" and in his next breath begin to sing, " Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank you, Lord, for making me whole...." As he would sing, he would cry, and then beautifully through the tears chuckles of laughter would emerge.

He would talk about how good God is and how much God loves us and then sing, "Oh, how I love Jesus."  These songs would take me back many years ago to the little Christian church in Star, Idaho where I grew up in the faith.  Simple songs packed with deep roots of faith and spiritual milestone memories.

Rufus just can't help but praise God. It just oozes out of him, the overflow of his heart. It's as if his spirit is already in heaven walking and talking with God, but his body is still here. 

He got up from the table, shuffled to the closet to put his cowboy hat on, and then rested his body again in his favorite chair, instantly putting his Bible where it belonged- in his lap. He read Psalm 26. We sat and listened to the reading of God's Word. 

We came to make his day with a small meal and a little company yet he made our day extraordinary by simply doing what he does every day - praising God and loving His word. He had no complicated strategy, no agenda...just an infectious love for God.

I walked out of Rufus' home with a puzzle in hand, a heart and soul full of gratitude and faith in the great God we serve, and a new understanding about the freedom and power of simple.  

He didn't know it, but Rufus gave US so much more that day!

I took the puzzle home Rufus gave me, and after dinner Ava and I opened the box just to get it started. We ended up spending the entire evening together putting pieces together, celebrating our finds, and enjoying each other's company until it was finished.  Ava now has a new found love for puzzles all because of Rufus' gift! 

The answer is SIMPLE if one can take the time to see the value of it. 

I'm learning. I fail at times, and I'm working on not feeling guilty about it though. I'm human; therefore, I'm broken and I live in a broken world. It is messy and hard and ugly at times, but I'm catching glimpses of the beauty of simple just this morning as I went jogging with a friend and shared our lives with one another.....as I ran into another friend at a consignment sale and ended up praying together in the corner of the teen section. Small moments but huge for me.  Simple yet powerful.

Don't let the size fool you. The world probably won't recognize it or even value it. It's sadly not worth it's time, but I think it is what many of us crave deep down inside - the new free! 

I was planning on sharing our family's favorite Lettuce Wraps this week, but Rufus took precedence. I love this picture of him, and I wanted to share it with you. 

Rufus, the man overflowing with the love of God!

Can it be any more simple?   The answer is SIMPLE!