I have just returned home from my first “Girl’s Trip”. Yep, I’m 50 years old and have never taken “time with the girls”. It just never worked out before. In light of my circumstances, I can say I am soooo thankful that it didn’t work out until now because every trip I’ve taken, with the exception of work-related trips, have been with my man and our daughters. Those are sacred times in my book. Sacred.
God isn’t finished providing me with even more sacred times because I can honestly say that this past weekend was “sacred”, as well. I describe it as “sacred” because it could not have been more perfect! God ordained the perfect place with the perfect people and the perfect weather to coincide at the beach for a long perfect weekend … just so this mama could heal just a lil’ bit more! I have not laughed so hard in sooooo very long. I’m telling you, our sides hurt, and still ache, from laughing so hard! Our laughter was so forceful sometimes, we actually peed on ourselves!!! (Yes, I said it!) It’s the truth! We also cried HUGE tears. I mean we had some ugly cries that one tissue could not take care of! These tears flowed because we were touched deeply. Raw. Others flowed because we were laughing so hard. We listened to every and all different kinds of music genres. I brought Tim’s “Tailgater” to the beach … that’s Tailgater with a Capital “T” to the beach. It’s a modern-day boom box. The sound is perfect, rich, and deep. We sang, danced, and grooved all weekend in the condo, on the balcony, at the pool, and on the beach. We were our true, genuine, authentic selves. So good! Thank you, Lord, for sacred times!
I was sitting there with my people just feeling full and getting fuller by the moment and a song came to mind. I had heard the song a couple of times on the radio and purchased it before the trip. I shared the song with my people on the first night. We listened to it over and over. We realized we were living this song. We were this song. My friends are REAL! They love Jesus, are led by the Holy Spirit, and worship a mighty God. They exude His grace. AND, are “tons of fun”!!!!
I want to share this song with all who read this blog. Mercy Me recorded this and I want to thank them! Please watch this video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmerCfxIqAc It so perfectly describes what happens when we succumb to God’s grace that He so freely gives. When we allow ourselves to become overtaken by Him, a miracle occurs despite our thoughts, circumstances, and challenges. Grace just gets you and you can’t help but dance, laugh, smile, glide, and so on and on and on! If we were perfect and got it right all of the time, there would be no need for grace. No grace would not be needed because we had it together. Because we are perfectly imperfect, we provide the opportunity for God to perform a miracle in our lives. We BECOME the miracle. Nonbelievers and those who haven’t succumb to God through Jesus can’t believe we can sing, dance, and have hope in the midst of our storm. Once you succumb to the fact that He is taking care of your business in HIS way, He loves you in His way, and that His way is the BEST way, you have set the stage for grace to show out and for others to see a miracle.
This weekend we were just talking about “life, work and the pursuit of happiness” kind of stuff. I was sitting on the couch and just soaking the conversation in. I remember being so proud of my friends. I remember having an epiphany of sorts. It hit me, my friends got it right. They work hard and are lovers of people. They possess the servant’s heart. I shared with them why they become worn out sometimes. They “do their job and a little bit more”. The epiphany came as I said that and I realized that if we ALL “did our job and a little bit more” the world would, indeed, be a better place. My world was better this weekend because we all “did our jobs and a little bit more”. Every one of us wanted to serve the other.; we did not expect to be taken care of! We loved each other just as we were and all of our perfect imperfections! Heaven on Earth, per se!
I remember thinking about how very proud I am of my husband and two daughters. They “do their jobs and a little bit more”. I was reminded of me telling Savannah that she did not have to stack the dishes up when we finished eating at a restaurant because there were people who will do that for us. Silly me. I didn’t realize it when I said it, but Savannah was so full of God’s grace that grace just exuded from her and she couldn’t NOT stack those dishes up and wipe the table for the waitress or bus boy. No, GRACE GOT HER!
Here’s another example from this weekend. I made the announcement that I was going to go down and begin putting my stuff in the car. One of my dearest friends told me she would help me. As I was telling her that she didn’t need to, she said that she wanted to go get a luggage cart anyway. I said, “How about this? I will bring a cart up when I come back! You stay here, let me bring this up for you.” She reluctantly conceded and as I was looking for a cart, I saw four. One big plastic pull cart, then two bellhop carts, followed by another large plastic pull cart. On one of the push carts was a dirty paper plate, a fork, and other garbage. I remember thinking, “Now there’s a perfect example of our society now.” Someone left their trash for someone ELSE to pick up! I remember being so thankful for my friends and family who do “their job and a little bit more”! My people clean the toilet seat when they’ve sprinkled when the tinkle. They pick up that candy wrapper on the floor that someone else dropped. They go out of their way to help someone in a jam. Grace has GOT them!!!
I was thinking about all of this as I was rolling that push cart to our room. As I was speaking it to them, I realized that I left the trash on that other cart! Although, it was not mine, I could have picked it up! When I returned, the trash had been moved from where I had originally seen it (on the other push cart) and placed on one of the bellhop carts. Now, someone had, indeed, picked the trash up, moved it to another the location (not the garbage can) for someone else to pick up and move! Are we playing “pass the trash”? I picked up the trash, walked the 50 or so steps to the garbage bin, and threw it away. It felt freeing, good, and satisfying. I had an opportunity for Grace to Get Me. I “did my job and a little bit more”!
I think I might do a “Happy Dance”! This brings up another song from Mercy Me. Check out this video and get to dancing! Happy Dance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I32vblmQ714
Have a wonderful week doing “your job and a little bit more” while you are THRIVING!
Stephanie