Ecclesiastes 7:14

Ecclesiastes 7:14 - "When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future." 

Often, I find myself forgetting to enjoy the good things going on around me because I'm so worried about what is going to happen next. I haven't even taken the chance to recognize that I'm graduating with my Master's in THREE WEEKS, because I'm so worried about what's going to happen after graduation.

This verse reminds me to slow down. I deserve to enjoy this moment in my life. God led me here and wants me to bask in my accomplishments. I've learned it's much easier to be thankful and have a heart of worship when things are going well. It's like practicing for softball back in high school. We only played one day a week, but we practiced at least 4-5 days a week. Practice makes things more comfortable and natural for when it's time to preform. Learning to be happy during the good times will only make it easier to learn how to do so when times are rough. 

When those times come, it's important to remember God has allowed for all seasons to come my way. I think it's okay to feel upset and question what's going on, as long as I am still focused on God and what He's trying to teach me. I think He gives us good and bad times to help increase our understanding that God is God in every season. He is always faithful, always available, and always listening to us. 

It is imperative I stay focused on Him, rather than my surroundings. My emotions and circumstances are fleeting. Focusing on them would only increase my anxiety, stress, exhaustion, etc. I have no control on what comes next. Only He knows what's coming next for me. 

My goal for these next couple weeks is this: Rejoice for the blessings around me. Enjoy my accomplishments and upcoming opportunities. Stay focused on His plan, rather than my own.
And, when the time comes and I feel like my situation has shifted, I will continue to thank Him that my journey isn't even close to being over. 

Thanks, God, for all the good and all the bad. 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

 Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 - "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

These verses are so full of life; I'm almost overwhelmed. If feel like the best way to write about them is to take them at face value and pray something significant comes out.

"Two are better than one." (*insert praise hands emoji*) I love having a partner to count on every day. We've gotten into this great habit where I cook dinner and he's learn how to properly do the dishes so I can relax afterwards. We've also learned that he takes the dog out first thing in the morning and for the last time at night, and I take care of Gandalf during the day. If I have to work later, he starts dinner for us. He checks the mail; I make sure the house gets vacuumed once a month. Both of us, together, contribute to making our house run smoothly. I couldn't do it without him. 

"If either of them falls down, once can help the other up." In attempts to be transparent, Stephen and I have had some difficult times lately. This CPA crap has had us both stressed to the max. We finally had a pretty intense discussion where I looked at him and just said, 'Let me help you. That's why I'm here!' Since then, we have been working on helping each other. He called me from work saying he was struggling and we developed a game plan together to help calm him down. We've started asking each other how we can help more often and it seems to be working. This has been a good week for us; it feels like we're finally getting out of this valley. 

"If two lie down together, they will keep warm." Yep. I've learned to sleep with one leg outside of the covers. Maybe its just our bedroom, maybe my husband is a human heater. Either way, we keep warm. 

"Two can defend themselves." My favorite part about having a life partner is having someone who can take the reins when I can't handle them. He is really great at talking rationally to others. However, when that doesn't work, I'm really good at making people understand that The Henry's mean business! We are like a tag team wrestling duo. We defend ourselves against work trials, family struggles, and ridiculous apartment managers who don't give us our packages in a timely manner. I have no doubt I've picked someone that will forever stand in my corner and defend my honor no matter the situation. I hope he knows I will always fight for him and for our marriage. We're unstoppable. 

"A cord of three strands is not easily broken." My engagement ring has a beautiful twisted band. To me, it symbolizes Stephen and I coming together and becoming a team. My wedding band is pretty fantastic as well. It's a simple band, but it says so much more. While my engagement ring can totally hold it's own, it's not enough. In order to be complete, it needs the wedding band.
Stephen and I are enough for each other. We love each other and are willing to stick by each other through thick and thin. We're (ok, mostly Stephen is) pretty rational about seasons of plenty and seasons of want and we've done the best we can to prepare for whatever. But, that's not really enough. We wouldn't be able to handle much without God's guidance and grace. We are not complete without him, our wedding band. He is our rock, our foundation, our lighthouse. All of the confidence in the above paragraphs come from having God as our backbone. He helps us stay focused on each other. He will carry us through the ups and downs and everything in between to the day we celebrate our 60th 70th wedding anniversary surrounded by a plethora of family. It's gonna be a great ride! 

Thanks, God, for sticking with us and making our marriage stronger than ever for years to come.  

Ecclesiastes 3:22

Ecclesiastes 3:22 - "So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot." 

So many people get caught doing a job they don't enjoy because it pays the bills. There is nothing wrong with that; providing for your family is a huge responsibility that I admire. But me, I was not built to do a job that simply provides income.

Honestly, my best friend has inspired me to pursue my dreams. She got her degree in painting from Texas State and has fervently pursued a career as an artist. She has developed her skills over time and I am blown away at how talented she is. She is not deterred by the difficulty of becoming an artist. She is not swayed by the masses that say she should seek out a  more 'practical' job. She is simply doing what she loves and is doing it well. 

I have always wanted to help people. My first couple jobs were in public service - retail and waiting tables. Both were great learning experiences; I learned that's not what I meant when I said I wanted to help people. I wanted to be an instrument of God, healing wounded hearts. Counseling seems unnecessary and like a waste of money to some people. To others, it's a life changing decision, a step towards a healthier and happier life. I don't care what people say, especially those who 'don't believe in counseling.' I know this is my passion and I plan to continue to pursue it with the same intensity my best friend has shown me with her painting.

And that's why I love what I do. For the times when a client looks at me and tells me that I have helped them. For the times when a client finally realizes they are more than their past, their failures, or what others have said they are. For the times when a client brings me a gift they've made specifically for me to say thank you. For the laughter and the tears, the new beginnings, and even the times when one of them calls me out for my roots showing again. I truly love my job! 

I may not always see the fruits of my labor, which can be difficult at times. Reading this verse for the first time helps ease the pain from the hard days. There is nothing more that I can do other than enjoy my work. I think as long as I do that, I will hear those coveted words from God at the end of my journey - "Well done, good and faithful servant." 

Thanks, God, for leading me towards a career I love.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Ecclesiastes 3:1 - "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." 

New seasons make me nervous, which is probably half the reason I'm so thankful to live in Texas where I can bask in my favorite season for the majority of the year. 

  

This chapter is encouraging, especially coming up on a new season of life. In three weeks, I'll graduate. I will no longer define myself as a student, but more as a professional adult. Some days, I'm ready. Today, I'm not. 

I'm comfortable being a student. As a student, I can tell people "I'm still learning" when I make a mistake. I can claim to be overwhelmed by homework in attempts to put off other important tasks, even when I'm just being lazy. I can be that girl that does it all by going to school and having a job while still finding time to cook dinner and do laundry. Verse 3 tells me there's "a time to tear down and a time to build." It's time to tear down that safety net of being a student and begin building up my confidence and identity as an adult. Someone who works just as hard as that student did, but is willing to take more responsibility for mistakes and laziness. Someone willing to be more intentional with relationship building. 

Verse 4 continues on to say there is "a time to weep and a time to laugh." I think I'm in my time to weep. I'm a little more emotional than expected to be graduating soon. I'm scared of being an adult. I'm scared of being so close to everything I've worked towards and someone saying I'm not good enough. I'm sure this season will last longer than I would like it to, but I am excited in knowing my next season will bring laughter. I can look back and chuckle at the scared little counselor I used to be as I confidently tackle more difficult clients. I can laugh at that time I was worried about money as I look around and realize God has always taken care of me despite what my bank account says. 

I keep reading over all the other seasons trying to place myself in one or the other. I don't think that's the point of this chapter. I think God wants me to know it's ok to be hesitant about entering into a new season, but to not avoid moving forward in life. He has always been faithful in walking me through the tough patches of life and my graduation will be no different. This chapter serves as both a warning and a celebration. Life ebbs and flows, and only by the grace of God will I be able to conquer whatever season I am in. 

Thanks, God, for new seasons - even if they are scary.

 

Proverbs 31:10

Proverbs 31:10 - "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies." 

I've highlighted verse 10 specifically because my husband left a note on that one saying: "You are my wife of noble character. I will lead you, but please support me in all our trials."  

It feels good to know that he believes me to be of noble character. When I think of those words together, I imagine people like Esther or Ruth... even Abraham Lincoln. I do not consider myself to be eligible to be in the same category as any of the above at first glance, but as I'm writing I'm brought back to the beginning of my dating relationship with Stephen.

Before we started dating, I told Stephen he needed to prove to me that he was a man of God. I told him I wanted to find my husband in my next boyfriend and if he couldn't show me he was able to lead me, we wouldn't be dating. I mostly told him that because I was scared of how handsome he was and half hoped he wouldn't rise to the challenge. But he didn't run away; he simply ran way past any of my expectations of what a husband should be! 

Even today, he reminds me about how I helped him turn his life around and bring him back to God. I don't say that to pat myself on the back. I say that as a reminder for myself that although I am blind to my noble characteristics, he is not. He sees them and nourishes them. I've always had strong convictions about things, even if some of my intentions are hidden by fear. Stephen can see past my fear and pushes me to continue to seek God's will for my life and stand firm in what I believe. (*insert verse 11 - "Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.")

Verse 12 says, "She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life." It feels like Stephen was speaking to this verse when he left me that note in my Bible. Like he knew our marriage would have some difficult days and just as I asked him to lead me years ago, he's asking me to follow for years to come. It's amazing how beautifully God can bring things together like that. 

As far as the the rest of Proverbs 31 goes...
I don't bring in "food from afar" (v.14), but sometimes I do go to HEB by myself.
I do "set about my work vigorously" and if you tried picking up my work/school bag, you'd see that my "arms are strong for my tasks" (v.17).
I don't make "coverings for our bed" (v.22), but I do try to at least arrange the comforter to look semi-made in the mornings. 
I don't make "linen garmets" (v.24), but I'm really good at taking my husband's work clothes to the dry cleaner when needed, i.e. "supplying the merchants with sashes."

I hope to be "clothed with strength and dignity" (v.25) one day.
I also hope that one day my beautiful children will "rise up and call me blessed" (v.28). My husband is already a champ as praising me. 
I hope to leave a legacy as a "woman who fears the Lord" (v.30).

Maybe the key here isn't that Proverbs isn't a standard that is meant for me to reach and be done, but it serves as a character development model to be pursued throughout a life time. 

Thanks, God, for a molding me into a strong, Proverbs 31 wife.

Proverbs 27:19

Proverbs 27:19 - "As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart." 

As I read back over this verse, I flashback to a scene in Zoolander. If I remember correctly, Zoolander just lost a runway contest to Hansel (he's so hot right now!) and he's looking into a puddle of water on the street. He sees himself and asks "Who am I?" 

I feel like I ask myself that question quite a bit. This verse reframed it quite beautifully for me. Because honestly, I can rattle off a pretty extensive list about who I am. I am a wife, a daughter, a student, a hard worker, an awesome aunt, (almost) a graduate, caring, a good listener, dramatic, a story teller, a Texan, a Cinderella fanatic, a coffee drinker... etc etc.

But this verse goes deeper than that. It causes me to answer these questions: What does my heart's reflection look like? What am I doing with my daily life to accurately portray the condition of my heart? Unlike the above list, this one is a little harder to create. 

I'd like to think I'm reflecting the love of Christ through my work. I'd hope my clients can see that I truly care about their well being and I am proud of the work some of them are doing. I'd hope they can see compassion and grace and encouragement through our time together. 

Most days, I'd say I reflect that I am a giving person. I may not have monetary things to give, but I do my best to give time to those in need. I love being able to have dinner with a friend to catch up or vent about life. I love cooking dinner for my husband (sometimes) and binge watching Netflix with him (we've started The Walking Dead!!) without our cell phones around. 

Sometimes, I reflect a selfish and impatient person. I reflect an anxiety ridden, emotional wreck. I'm human and I have bad days. It's hard to keep my flesh in check. I can get frustrated easily and I can forget to mimic Jesus through my words and actions. (His mercies are new every morning. Thankfully!) 

Proverbs 27:19 reminds me that as often as I check my reflection in a day, I need to learn how to check my heart's reflection. Through practice, I think it can be as effortless and satisfying as walking by a full length mirror on a good hair day. 

Thanks, God, for teaching me how to check my heart and become more like You.

Proverbs 27:17

Proverbs 27:17 - "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." (NIV)

It's amazing to me how unavoidably true so many of these proverbs are, how easily they stand the test of time. This particular verse is one of those "oldies but goodies." 

I'm pretty sure my mom recited this one to me over and over during high school and college... which means I tried to ignore it.

In high school, I hung around some of the "cool" kids on my softball team. They were popular, I wasn't, and I just wanted to be liked if I had to hang out in that school 5 days a week. Hanging out with them made me feel like it was okay to lie, okay to not turn in homework, okay to be rude to my parents. It was okay to be everything I wasn't because at least I had friends. IRON SHARPENS IRON. 

In college,  I found my first set of friends through the BSM. They were a constant encouragement in my life. With them, I grew closer to God and longed to serve others in hopes they too would begin a new journey with Christ. We went on mission trips, hosted steak nights and pancake nights, offered free lunch on Wednesdays. It was rockin! IRON SHARPENS IRON. 

However: I decided to leave the BSM my last year of college. I found some new people to hang out with, very opposite from the BSM friends. Let's just say, despite being a rather shallow deep end, I jumped off it. Church was no longer important, but getting to the square after my double on Saturday definitely was! I blew off my true friends for some faux ones, and I didn't really care (Good move, Sarah...). IRON SHARPENS IRON.

I say all that to say this: the verse stood true no matter the types of people I surrounded myself with. Even better, the iron (friends) that sharpened me in the positive way stayed by me, waited for me to come back, and helped remold me into the person I want to be. 

I feel like this verse can be a reminder to me that I will be sharpened by the people I choose to hang out with, whether I realize it or not. It's up to me to be diligent enough to pick the right people. 

Thanks, God, for true friends who point me towards you.

Proverbs 18:22

Proverbs 18:22 - "The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord." (NLT)

I'm struggling here about what to write. Part of me wants to brag that my husband totally found a treasure in me and tell him he is welcome for bringing on tons of good things from God. The other part wants to admit that I probably haven't been the "treasure" I was meant to be lately. 

I guess if I'm being transparent, I'm leaning more towards not being that treasure my darling deserves. We've both been stressed to the max lately. He's currently studying for the CPA exams (which makes me more than proud of him) while balancing  40+ hours at work, a reallllly crummy commute to and from work (shout out to Houston rush hour, 610, and 290!), and an emotional mess of a wife. Honestly, if this psalmist were to look into our life before writing verse 18, they probably would have switched roles and said that I, the wife, has found a treasure in my man. 

So, how do I become that treasure for him? 

The first thing God popped into my mind is stop comparing. Lately, I've fallen into comparing different aspects of our life to each other, and in every scenario, Stephen comes out on top. I end up feeling pity for myself and animosity for my husband for no particular reason. The thing is: Stephen and I are a team now. Our marriage is not the place for me to compare my stressors, my mistakes, and my shortcomings to his. It's definitely not the place for jealousy, disdain, or contempt - especially when he has done nothing to deserve that. We are called to love and support each other, no matter how our day (or week or month) has been going. I've got to be more proactive in loving my husband correctly.
 

I also feel like I need to actively begin to help my husband out. Yes, I do his laundry and cook dinner often (maybe I am a treasure after all!), but I'm not sure when the last time was that I truly helped him out. As many times as I have stressed for him to "listen to my feelings" and "try to see it from my perspective," it's time that I start doing the same for him. It's time to stop seeing him overwhelmed and thinking, "it's about dang time you see what I'm feeling!" I need to learn how to ask him how I can help. He deserves to be catered to on the hard days just as much as I do, if not more. 

Despite me not feeling like a treasure, my darling does a pretty good job and reminding me that he thinks I am. He truly is a blessing, even in the rough patches. 

Thanks, God, for a godly husband and your favor on our family.