Joy in sorrow.

I'm taking a small pause from The Katie Series. 1. I have something else I want to write about. 2. I've already written about everything that Katie initially suggested (ready for some more ideas, Katie!)

I mentioned the other day that I'm reading a book called Beautiful Battlefields by Bo Stern. My friend and I are reading it together because we are both are currently struggling with some "battles". Our battles are quite different but strangely similar: she and her husband are having a hard time getting pregnant and I'm having a hard time... getting married. :) Infertility and singleness aren't huge battles, especially compared to the author, whose husband was diagnosed with ALS. But, no matter how big or small, they are still on our hearts and they are still what we are struggling with. The book is good stuff. It gives us perspective on the battles and encourages us to embrace the amazing things that God is teaching us during then and the Godly women (or men) we are becoming in the process.

The last chapter we read was about joy and sorrow and how they aren't mutually exclusive. You can be experience intense sorrow and still be joyful. And really, you can't really feel or appreciate one without the other. This was my favorite part of the chapter:

"The pain of my battlefield has served as a spotlght on the things in my life that are truly love. I am learning to embrace the wonder of the colors of fall and the sounds of my family around the dinner table. I am breathing in deeply the smell of Baby Magic on my grandson's freshly washed skin and delighting in the fact that he has his grandpa's eyes. I am treasuring every cup of coffee I share with a friend while telling each other stories. These moments of pure joy must be lived fully because they are the oil that softens the suffering. Joy that shows up in the heat of battle is one of the most beautiful things I have ever known. I'm so glad I stopped believe it was impossible."

The author encouraged us to write down our joys on a regular basis. I feel like I've done an ok job at that, but want to continue here on this blog.