Living, Laughing, Loving

Isn't that what it's all about? Living....really living this life we've been given -- with all its many adventures. Laughing out loud in the midst of the good living and the tough-living-times. AND, most of all LOVING God, others AND ourselves. Sure, there's plenty to complain and worry about but, seriously, why waste time, energy and breath on complaining, when there is so much to celebrate and be grateful for?

Here's what I know: Gratitude begets even more reasons to be grateful; laughing begets laughter; God's tender mercies begets even more of God's tender mercies. That's what a life intent on loving, serving God and living for Him is all about. Psalm 103:17-18 says it this way, "But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children's children; To such as keep His covenant, and to those that remember His commandments to do them."

So, I MUST give gratitude for the last week in Austin.....so that I'll continue to have even more reasons to be grateful. I like that. It's just God's laws of reciprocity. "Give and it shall be given."

When God orders our steps (Psalm 37:23), and we respond with "Yes, Sir!" to His orders, it brings us countless blessings. Our steps were ordered this last week. First was Payton and Alexia's NCFCA Speech & Debate Tournament at Austin's Concordia University where I'm always astounded by the brilliance of these young people. Three days of early morning to late at night competitions. It's a work-out but ever so worth it. Then it was three exhilarating days of family fun with the Wuerch cousins: swimming, fishing, Brennan's winning baseball game (10-2), seeing "Captain America's Civil War", and then Mother's Day breakfast, church, and yummy barbeque dinner before heading north for Frisco last night with laugh out loud jokes and stories along the way.

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To say that I feel overwhelmed with God's tender mercies, puts it mildly. I know it must seem so mechanical to read my posts because I'm always posting about gratitude, celebrating life and its great moments. I just can't help myself. The truth is....that's what I focus on, so that's just what I keep getting. Accentuating the positive and eliminating the negative....just keeps the sunshine shining -- whether there's rain or shine! What a way to live!