Blessed and I Know It

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(The following inspired by some great music by Andrew James. Feel free to listen and read.)

I’m incredibly blessed. I’ve got a family that loves and supports me. I have friends that love and check in on me, both near and far. I have a church home that truly feels like a home, a community I can invest in and has invested in me. I have a flexible schedule that allows me to take ten minutes and pour into the people I run into day to day. It allows me to travel and work remotely, to spend time with those I care about. I’ve been granted a clear vision of where God is leading me to next and been given the resources to make that happen.

And God loves me. As I am, right here in this moment, as I stand. That should be enough for me every single moment of every day, but I forget it. That truth gets lost in the fog of day to day “problems.” Finances, relationship problems, future job endeavors, health, drama, car problems, workplace issues. These are all real things. Very tangible and in your face. But they are secondary to the truth that you are loved more than you can imagine and there’s nothing you can do to change that. For good or for bad.

You are enough.

A handful of my friends and family that know me best asked me if I was doing ok or even a little depressed with some of the posts I’ve done recently. I’m truly grateful for their concern and I’m sure there were others of you who might have wondered the same thing, but didn’t have the space to ask me. Life’s been hard, no question about it. But I’m just choosing to feel it and want to share that with you.

It helps me process, but more importantly I want you to know that it’s ok to feel only “ok.”

It’s hard to help someone if you don’t know that they need help. We all need help. And that’s why we have each other. Don’t carry the burden alone my friends.

So for those friends that are worried about me and my mental state, I’m well. I’m taking one day at a time and staying in touch with my gratitude each morning. I’m pursuing connections to move to Denver in the next year to find a job with an international non-profit as a photographer/videographer telling the stories of those in need for the sake of making positive change in the world. And I am blessed out of my mind! Life is good and I’m grateful to have you with me on this journey.

If you’re feeling good today, share the love. If you’re in need of some support, ask for it.

Love you all. God does too.

Stuart

PS- A little more of some music I’m digging right now:

“Begin and Never Cease”

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This morning was like most when I wake up, it was a struggle. But I had caught up on some sleep over the weekend finally and was actually motivated to get out of bed. While fixing some oatmeal I caved and put on some Christmas music. It was cold inside, I felt peaceful and it just seemed appropriate.

Now this wasn’t Mariah Carey or Nat King Cole. Love ’em, not yet tho. I put on what has become my favorite Christmas album, with only four tracks. “The Oh Hellos’ Family Christmas” has amazing acoustic instrumentation with a perfect blend of vocals to compliment it. It’s set up in four movements that create the four tracks. Each one has it’s parts that makes me love them, but my favorite is “Mvmt II, Begin and Never Cease” (also commonly known as “While Shepard’s Watched Their Flocks by Night.”)

This is classic that really isn’t heard all that much in the contemporary church any more. About four minutes into the song it transitions into “Come Let Us Adore Him” and they just start laying into the percussion and jammin’! This part always gives me chills. Something in music has always connected and moved me. As I felt that swell in emotion it comes back to “Begin and Never Cease” with the whole band getting louder and more full with

“All glory be to God on high,

And to the Earth be peace,

Good will henceforth from God to man,

Begin and never cease,

Begin and never cease.”

Ugghhhhhhhh, yes. Amazing. Moves me every time. These lyrics are timeless. It got me thinking, what does it mean to begin and never cease? Is it referring to acts of good works? God’s good will towards man?

For me it resonates with call to serve the Lord and never cease. Or maybe it’s His love coming down in the form of Jesus that begins a new era of love and life from God to us. It’s just begun and will never cease henceforth. Either way it’s an encouragement that I needed to hear.

Hear it for yourself and let me know what you think. Listen to all of the movements as well!

“Begin and Never Cease”

Stu