Finding Simple Comforts for A Complex Life

Finding Simple Comforts for A Complex Life -christyfitzwater.com

The guys went north, loaded with fly rods and wading boots. I went west, to the Dressbarn.

Can we just stop here and ask who in the world came up with the name “Dressbarn”? Makes me think of when somebody chalked a cattle crossing on the street, in front of the girls’ dorm in college. Barn and cows aren’t the words that make a girl feel pretty.

But really it’s a wonderful store with clothes for women. You know what I mean when I say “clothes for women”? No more teenage waistlines or fads. This is a store full of classics, with higher waists, lower skirt lines, and flowing blouses that say, “What tummy?” I am loathe to admit that this is my world now. I’m approaching 50, though, so at some point a girl has to make friends with elastic.

School is just over a month away (Yeah school! I love school.), and I really needed some new blouses. I was hoping to find shirts on the clearance rack, and I scored in that department.

But first I stopped at the skirts. C-ute!

No skirts. No skirts, I told myself. You have foundation skirts already. By foundation I mean navy blue, black, and tan. A girl does not need more than that. She wants more (especially that white eyelet A-line), but the foundation pieces are sufficient. One can trade out tops with classic skirts, to create a whole lot of new outfits.

All that story is to tell you that a few days ago I was feeling a lot of things. A little stress. A little sadness. A little discouragement. A little joy. You know how those things can all be twisted in together at the same time?

I was praying, but I didn’t even really know what I needed from the Lord. So I just asked if he could make me feel better.

I opened the Bible and read this verse:

Know that the LORD is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 100:3

I read the facts over and over, and they changed what was happening in my heart. In this verse, the psalmist didn’t talk about anything I was feeling –not the stress, not the sorrow, not the discouragement, not even the joy. Still, the facts calmed and comforted me. I meditated on the verse for the next few days.

The LORD is God.

He made us.

We are his.

These are foundation pieces. Maybe sometimes we want more from God, but what if this one verse is enough? We can mix and match all of our feelings and experiences with these truths, like pairing colorful shirts with staple wardrobe items, and come away feeling calm and secure.

So I put out this very simple challenge for you today: grab a notecard and write down Psalm 100:3. Carry it with you and say the verse to yourself all day long, no matter what you’re going through. Let the Lord comfort you with a reminder of who he is and who you are.

One Comment

  1. Eloise Mycroft says:

    Thanks Christi, That was very refreshing!

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