Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Encourage one another.

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands. ~1 Thess. 4:11 

Add to the Beauty
What happens matters
Encourage one another
Love you. 
Mean it.


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Remembering the purpose of my blog.

It was to encourage.
It was to love.
It was to add to the beauty.


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Add To the Beauty by Sara Groves


We come with beautiful secrets
We come with purposes written on our hearts, written on our souls
We come to every new morning
With possibilities only we can hold, that only we can hold

Redemption comes in strange place, small spaces 
Calling out the best of who we are

And I want to add to the beauty
To tell a better story
I want to shine with the light
That's burning up inside

It comes in small inspirations
It brings redemption to life and work
To our lives and our work

It comes in loving community
It comes in helping a soul find it's worth

Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces
Calling out the best of who we are

And I want to add to the beauty
To tell a better story
I want to shine with the light
That's burning up inside

This is grace, an invitation to be beautiful
This is grace, an invitation

Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces
Calling out our best

And I want to add to the beauty
To tell a better story
I want to shine with the light
That's burning up...



The original Quiet Life profile picture.

Wearing my homeschool denim jumper and 
our mom's diamond.  
Loving our baby girl.



You are loved.
You matter.


Encourage one another,

Donna




11 comments:

  1. Yes, amen to it all xx
    We all need encouragement
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dear Donna,
    This has been my journey this last year. Our nest continues to fill and empty, as seems typical these days, but the empty days bring some interesting challenges for me. I've had to ask myself if maybe the reason I wasn't accomplishing all my dream ideas WASN'T because I had all these kids around. Just maybe it has more to do with me. I have had to face my fears and my self more and decide what the new dreams are. And then live that life. It's been super good for me, very exciting, but really, REALLY challenging.

    This song has LONG been one of my favorites, but I have never even seen the words, "We come with beautiful secrets...With possibilities only we can hold, that only we can hold." I have so long viewed myself as part of the collective that I think I lost sight of what it is that I am, what it is that I am called to do. The funny thing is, it is 100% enriching my family relationships rather than being selfish. Oh! I have so much to learn.

    THANK YOU for posting this. Means the world to me. LOVE YOU SO!!!!

    Always,
    Di

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your comment is worthy of the main page of the blog, Di!
      May I post it? Or would you like to elaborate on your first year with an empty nest for the blog?
      Help me. Help you.
      hehe
      I couldn't help it.

      Delete
    2. I am happy to have you post it. I can ALWAYS elaborate...it is one of my super powers (-: But it may be a few days before I can. Let me know if you would like me to.
      *Smooch*

      Delete
    3. I'll post it and....you can elaborate also!
      Elaborating in NOT one of my super powers.
      Brevity is.
      Repetition is also.
      :o)

      Delete
  3. This post is beautiful and a good reminder. Di, thanks to you also for acknowledging that good things can be challenging (and challenging things can be good).

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh, my dear friend, thank you. That is all. Just thank you. Your words continue to touch my heart. As much today as they did almost 9 years ago.
    Love you
    Mean it

    ReplyDelete
  5. Beautiful post, beautiful song. Di’s comment brought me to tears. I so look forward to her guest post.

    Love this QL community!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mary,
      I'd be interested in your adjustment strategies too!

      Delete
  6. Anonymous10:31 AM

    This reminds me of the days when the QLCS was a lifeline for me. My daughter was a newborn [she'll be 14 in December!], we were in Seminary [11 years on now!], and I was considering homeschooling my tribe, which I did for two years with the help of the QLCS. We had get togethers in Madison, in Racine, and in the North Woods.. and Di and Carol walked me through losing my mom -- I don't know how I would have endured that season without them. Bonding over hymns, golden globes, British TV and British Royals, and ultimately wanting nothing more than Adding to the Beauty... you girls have been a mainstay in my life. While I miss the active days of this blog and the comment section so very much [because we choose little social media in our family so I'm not on FB or Insta any longer..], I know that I only need reach out and this tribe will be present. I have often felt that Sara Groves and I grew up together as brides, wives, and then as parents -- and her music has been the soundtrack of my adult life. When I opened for her, we sat around the table with our kids in high chairs and shared mom and ministry life stories -- and now we send those same kids to high school and off into the world, praying that they'll be Beauty Adders too. Thanks, Donna, for creating a place where we could be a family. You're the very best. Love you. Mean it. As ever, we are all Glyman girls. Love, Your Stephie

    ReplyDelete
  7. Monica B.6:48 AM

    Hello from NYC!

    Our lives shift and transition. In one hand is the gentle offering for release of each fledgling for flight, in the other hand is the gentle opening, revealing and receiving of the once long resting many possibilities held dear and ready for your planting, offering and outward expression. Thinking of you!

    ReplyDelete

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