{Painting Princesses}

A typical afternoon while we "shelter in place" and social distance... and the lessons sinking deep as another season changes...

I accomplished my first social media fast only to be welcomed back into it with the scariest pandemic I know I've ever faced...and hope ever will.  

My focus quickly went from healing at home to worrying about the world.

Rushing to grab necessities for a family that eats anything but ordinary.  Allergies and sensitivities don't leave us much in the frozen food or canned veggie aisles.  Our food is typically fresh and from a farm.  It's easily identifiable and rarely consists of more than 1 ingredient in the "packaging"...and doesn't have much of a shelf life, unfortunately.

The fear of others can easily drive the fear within me.  

And it has now for weeks.  

And the anxiety that I thought I had such a strong hold on has taken over again...leaving me checking numbers daily by zip code. 

 I'm turning to numbers on a screen instead of the chapters in my Bible more than I'd like to admit.

Of course, His presence is all around.  

But, I'm not seeking Him like I was.  

My eyes are focused on doubt when they should be focused on the Deliverer. 

Somehow getting behind this lens slows me down and puts everything back in its place...like the beautiful simplicity of two little girls completely unaware of the pain this world is enduring and just painting an afternoon away.  

Finding joy is hard when you aren't seeking it.  But, when you do...it's just heartbeats away.

As we prepare for this Resurrection Sunday and...ultimately, His return...may our ears hear the Song of Glory over gloom...may our eyes focus on Beauty instead of brokenness...may our minds desire Truth over momentary trials...and may our hearts cling to King Jesus.