Where The Grace Is

Gratitude – Wednesday’s Peace

Yesterday being a Wednesday, I didn’t have to work and it wasn’t too bad weather wise. There was a slight breeze keeping the humidity moving, clouds kept the sun at bay for the most part. It was a beautiful day. I decided early in the morning it was going to be a porch day. I was not staying cooped up inside. I had a lot of stress the beginning of the week and I needed some peace. My porch has become my haven of peace.

I grabbed my coffee, my big tote containing a blanket I started crocheting 6 years ago that I hadn’t touched since then. I had put it down in the basement storage and forgot about it until Tuesday when I found it. I did a couple of household chores within a few minutes and then headed out on the porch before 8am. I spent the entire day out there crocheting and sat with my neighbor as she worked on her hook rug and we talked, laughed and watched traffic. She would pop in and check on her animals now and then and I would do the same. the day didn’t seem to drag but at the same time it didn’t rush by either. We were two comfortable 50-something year old women enjoying our time doing what we loved, relaxing and finding peace.

Sometimes we have to step away from the everyday struggles. I know I do. Once in a while on one of my days off, I need to stop the everyday stuff and grab a project, remove myself from the internal messiness and sit somewhere that I can get out of my head and keep my hands busy. Usually the porch with my knitting, crochet or knitting loops. Sometimes it’s a journal or sketch pad. Just to stop thinking of all the daily life things, enjoy the things God has created around me, visit with my neighbors, say hello to passers-by and create something with my own hands.

The gratitude yesterday was three fold:

1. Great conversation and laughs with my neighbor that I haven’t had (belly laughs) and the conversation was light and joyful. We didn’t have the “mother complaints”.
2. The weather wasn’t too hot and humid, calling for rain but it held off until this morning.
3. I was able to relieve my stress in a healthy way without feeling like I was forcing myself or consciously doing it. I just sat down and started conversing, crocheting and counting stitches. Every muscle in me loosened and I could hear the wind in the trees, the birds singing, the cicadas rubbing their legs in the distance, dogs barking on the hill and the traffic coming by the house didn’t seem so loud as it usually does. I can surely say that God blessed me yesterday. It was a gift to have such an amazing day!

Today will be a busy day but as soon as all is said and done, I’ll be doing the same thing for a bit until my zoom meeting tonight. Yesterday was too good not to try to have a 2nd day with a couple hours of porch time with crochet, coffee and my neighbor!

I pray you have a blessed day today and find your peace. What is your gratitude for today? Let me know what you find, I’d love to hear all about it.