My feed is not quiet these days. Each day, the ante of insanity that has become this election cycle is upped a bit more and I’m pretty sure we’ve not yet reached the zenith. It’s a heyday for pundits and comedians, but the rest of us are left wondering whether our nation will be able to absorb the maelstrom we’re bracing for in the next four years.
And yet, for all of its noise, that gathering maelstrom has been at the fringes of my life. I see it and note it, but I’ve got way too much life going on in my home right now to get caught up. Despite the circus going on politically, I think many of us have our heads down doing LIFE – getting kids fed and our office work done, the insurance calls returned and dinner dishes cleared.
The headlines grabbing attention stay at the fringe because though they may impact my world, they don’t really change my LIFE.
Life is a full house home for spring break.
Life is celebrating the picture drawn, the basketball shot, the biology test.
Life is morning chores, afternoon laundry and dinner-time stories.
Life is hugging tight and listening when the tears come and the missing hits hard.
Life is pausing for the phone call when a hundred other things are waiting for you.
Life is stopping to play because it’s low tide and there’s so much to explore.
This past week, I read And It Was Beautiful, the last book written by Kara Tippetts. Kara was a mom of four young kids, wife to her church-planter husband and popular writer at Mundane Faithfulness. Kara was diagnosed with breast cancer and chronicled her life and journey, emotions, hope and faith so bravely and authentically until her death at 39.
Her honest words on living well and intentionally have been a stark contrast to the flashing, angst-driven headlines in my feed this week. They’ve been a respite and reminder that when all is said and done — faith, love and kindness to the people in my life are what will remain.
Suffering comes laced with good gifts and one of those is clarity. Suffering chisels out the meaningless in life and makes those under its training razor focus on what really matters.
Those are the lessons of And It Was Beautiful. Listen to Kara’s beautiful bucket list. When she knew that her life story was coming to a close, THIS was the life that mattered:
1) Live with deep forgiveness to share and honest repentance with those you love. Keep short accounts and don’t find offenses that aren’t there.
2) Live each day intentionally. It’s hard, and I often fail and fall into lazy mode. But I try to spend my days looking deeply into the eyes and lives of those I love. I stare. I smile. I do my best to remember to laugh. Even with all the hard in my life, it’s still a wonderful life that deserves attention.
3) The time I spent in the past leaning on and learning of God serves me well now. It was time well spent. Don’t neglect your heart and your faith in the seasons where all is well. The seasons will change and you’ll be glad for the foundation you have.
4)Don’t squander a moment. I understand small talk, but I’m now at the point where I believe small talk is for small people and God wants us to live big. Ask the hard questions, have the deep conversations, contribute to what’s meaningful and real about life. The pretend story is not really a story at all.
5) Reach out. I regret the comfort I kept myself isolated in for so many years. God has lavished His undying love on us, so why don’t we extend ourselves armed with love to our hurting neighbor? Yes, we’re selfish. But we can be better than that, we really can. Reach out.
The news feeds may flash. They may threaten and they will undoubtedly change the world we live in. Yet, beneath all the flashing and the changing, we choose our life. What matters and who matters. What legacy we will leave and the aroma that will linger with those we’ve touched.
I highly recommend Kara Tippett’s book, And It Was Beautiful – Celebrating Life in the Midst of the Long Goodbye. What a refreshing, faith-filled, encouraging and honest read.
I’m giving away the complimentary copy I was given to review. To be entered, just leave a comment by Sunday at midnight and I’ll have rafflecopter randomly choose a winner. **UPDATE: Congratulations to Holly H. for being selected the winner of this giveaway!
Please enter my name! Thank you for your continued faithfulness in sharing your hear, wisdom, and struggles with so many.
In the midst of all the craziness in our world right now, this is a wonderfully sound reminder for all of us – always love your writings. Thank you, this is a book that is currently on my list of books I want to read.
This is an on time message for me, I have been thinking about this very thing for days–life is now so enjoy it. Don’t just survive–thrive. Life is short and can change in an instant. I am learning to be content in all things, finally.
Lisa…thank you for your real/honest posts. So appreciated! I had just finished Kara’s book Just Show Up when my husband became ill. Little did we know that in a few months he would be diagnosed with a fast growing lymphoma. He has two treatments behind him and four more to go. This journey has been hard, but our God is so much bigger than this and continues to carry us through each day! As hard as it would be, I would love to read Kara’S last book. She was so transparent in her journey. I want to be more intentional about my life each day.
Would love to read/win this book.
This is such a nice giveaway. Thank you for the opportunity.
I’d love a copy!
I’m learning how to just “be” and let go of the unnecessary….. I have my good days and my bad days,but I’m progressing a little more day by day..that by itself pushes me to keep going even when it feels like I can’t take another step forward and I’m extremely proud of me😊
The book sounds wonderful & what I need to hear right now! Isn’t God great to put these things in our life, exactly what we need at the exact moment we need it! I’ll add the book to my wish list in the event I don’t win. Also thanks for bringing us such uplifting messages in your newsletter! Love it & have forwarded many of them to friends & family!
If it’s the Lord’s will, I would love to read this book =) thanks for the opportunity, Lisa! pax, amanda
Thank you that you always say What I need to hear!! It is people that make our lives rich and the reminder is good. Would love the book!!
Thanks for this…God inspired…perfect timing. I would love to read Kara’s book, I need it now, and know it will be an emotional read for me. By the way, you have the rare gift of stringing word together to create emotional word pictures that penetrate the heart.
I’m new to your site but have already been so encouraged!! Thanks so much!! I would love to read this book…breast cancer is so close to me as we recently lost a good friend to the fight as well! Such a hard and terrible disease but praise the lord for his mercy and grace!
Having survived breast cancer last year, God has taught me many of the sames lessons that you mentioned from Kara’s book. I would love to be able to read your copy as much of the help I have received I have gotten from your thoughtful posts.
What a relevant post! The world screams at us and we can easily focus on things that are not eternally important. Thanks for the reminder to be intentional about what truly matters.
Thanks for the give-away. 🙂
I would like a copy. But thank you for writing this. It was a challenging reminder with what’s going on in our newsfeeds and how we be needing to live as Christians during times like these. I struggle with that and don’t hold onto what’s important.
I have taken such comfort in your words and shared with friends who have found the same comfort.
I did not realize that Kara Tippets died of breast cancer…But what a life she lived. And I love your list of what life is. 🙂
Thank you for sharing this post. Made me stop and think how my “busy-ness” gets in the way of reaching out, and sharing more of myself and deepening my relationships with others. I hope to read Kara’s book.
Insightful and helpful. Thank you for your message here Lisa. Blessings to you.
This book sounds like a good read!
Her book sounds like a great read!
Thank you! XOXO 🙂
I want it! Thanks Lisa for your awesome words!
The bucket list is one we all should try to accomplish each day. You’ve woven her book content so successfully into your post, and I thank you for your daily posts! I would live to win your/her book!!
sounds like a great book to read. Please enter my name in your giveaway. Have a great day!
Thanks for the reminder to live life well!
I would love to read her book.
I read Kara’s blog for a long while and then took note of the living and dying that was taking place before my eyes. She taught me as she was dying. She taught me as she lived and breathed God through everything. I knew there would be this book but my memory had laid that thought aside. Thank you for sharing this today.
I also appreciate your wisdom in the real living being in our day-to-day life with family and friends, the caring and compassion, in being the image of Christ in this world.
And then there is this world, in particular, this nation. The chaos, lack of respect, the so-not-of Christ-ways of those set before us on the media…this is on my fringes, yet it intrudes more often than I wish right into my breathing space. I want to breathe in Christ and exhale this world. Help me, my Father.
Thank you for this much needed and timely post. When things get crazy we all need to be reminded of what is really important.
I would be honored and blessed to be chosen to receive such a gift!
Lisa, God has been growing me in this area for some time now, and the joy it has brought me to get back to a simpler life cannot be expressed in words. Every morning and every night, I refocus my priorities with Him, and I always remember at the end of the day what’s most important in life. Thank you for sharing about the book here. I will have to pick up a copy:) It looks like the type of book I would LOVE.
Just lost my husband after a long illness. We were not always our best selves. I have regrets but we were honest with our feelings. I don’t regret that. What I do regret is that exhaustion made it difficult at times to be patient/kind and kindness goes such a long way and never disappoints.
I’m so sorry Sheryl. There are so many emotions involved in loss and, in your case, a long illness. I pray that you know the grace God has for you and that you will continue to process through all the grief.