Swb: Comfort

"Gray" from Don Perovich's log.

In a world where discomfort and pain seem to get the greatest amount of attention, my friend Mary Lue leads the way on her Sleeping with bread host post with words of comfort that rush over me like a warm tide.

"You will call and I will answer you; you will long for the creature your hands have made. Surely then you will count my steps but not keep track of my sin" (Job 14:15-16)

All week long it seems a series of discomforts were in the works of life. My son's broken wrist, some challenges with allergy asthma and exercise, rain that never seemed it would stop, and a meeting that was so negative that it effected my mood for way too many days of the week. In many ways it was a gray week.


Image from China Daily.

But then there were many, many comforts that were like beams of sunlight breaking the grayness away. Like having a Greek lunch with my son and having both of us laugh at the challenge of eating soup with his left hand due to his new cast on his right. Going to the movies and having the entire theater to ourselves to enjoy the new 3-d movie, "X Games", driving out of town not once - but twice to take the kiddos school shopping, having a quick lunch with a good friend, meeting someone new and having them pray for both my friend and I in a restaurant - sounds weird but somehow it wasn't, going for a few runs later in the week and finally being able to breathe fully, spending some fun time with my kids, singing with my whole heart boldly in worship on Sunday, sitting down to a crock pot lunch with my family (including my mother in law who rarely get a break) for a relaxing meal and conversation, and a lovely Sunday afternoon nap.

Did I mention a nap?

Upon waking from my nap, I picked up the book, 'Eat, pray, love' by Elizabeth Gilbert that I've been meandering through for the past week or so. In the page I opened to I found her talking about the joy of rest and comfort. In her childhood, although happy - it was very simplistic and puritan. Seeking comfort and rest were not a part of her everyday life. At this point in her story, she is in Italy and surrounded by beauty and comfort. Instead of denying herself the delicacies of Italy, she embraces them fully taking note of the colors, textures and flavors.



She soaked in all the comforts in order to have strength to face the challenges before her. Good thinking Elizabeth!

I got up from my nap, put on my new fuzzy sweater that I'd planned on saving for fall, headed to the store and bought the fixings for bruschetta and a lovely green salad. I also got ice cream for the family. (My daughter just sat down behind me with a bowl of ice cream and said, "Yeah, Ice cream is good!")

As I cooked my zucchini and tomatoes with pesto to place on top of my salad greens and avocado slices, I felt the grayness of last week finally melt away. I drizzled olive oil over the colorful plate and placed some bruschetta on the side and felt happy. I poured a glass of red wine and savored every sip. Rest is good.


Image from Foodie rant.

We played scrabble and laughed so hard our faces hurt.

It is amazing to me that even on gray weeks, that when Monday's sleeping with bread meme time comes, the comfort always outweigh the discomfort. As I head into a new week with come challenges to face and a new school year to help my children adjust to I've already been pursued by these words of comfort on Sunday morning and I will carry them with me all this week. In grayness and sunlight, these words have already caught my attention.

2 Timothy 1:7 The Message
"God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible."

Be bold - use your gifts - and don't forget what good a nap, a good book and little bruschetta can do. (Lol - bruschetta is my bread!)