A smile, a smile...

                                      

Oh my.  I can't believe it's been more than a month since I last posted!!!  Okay, maybe I can since the days seem to be flying by ridiculously fast.  That's what old (um, I mean, mature) people always used to say and now I'm saying it.  I think that makes me old (I mean, mature). :P

Anyway, life has been good.  Little life update, I am OVER halfway done with my year of school, praise the Lord, and still enjoying my time at work.  Spending time with friends this summer has been great and my family continues to bless me just by being themselves.  Last night we were laying on the driveway staring up at the sky watching for meteors and laughed so hard we cried.  A few minutes ago I turned to go up the stairs and my brother had been lurking, waiting to scare me.  It worked and I screamed like a little girl (in contrast to the maturity claim in my last paragraph).

One thing people ask me in the ER and other places is why I smile. Well, there are about a billion reasons any given day, but in general, I smile because Jesus Christ has taken me as His own. He brought me up our of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps (Ps. 40:2).  How blessed am I whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered (Ps. 32:1)!  Through God's abundant mercy He has given me a living hope and an incorruptible, undefiled inheritance reserved in heaven kept by His very own power...in this I rejoice even if grieved by various trials...Jesus Christ is coming back and even though I have not seen Him, I love Him.  Even though I do not see Him now, I rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory - my soul has been redeemed (I Pet. 1:3-9).  I don't force myself to smile, it just happens.  This joy from Him is my strength every day (Neh. 8:10b).

Now if you see me smiling, it may not be directly due to something this holy and revered.  A giggle from a child, a humorous statement from a patient, a co-worker helping me out, my dad mistaking a lightning bug for a shooting star - all these things make me smile throughout the day.  But, to those who ask me why I smile so much, let me assure you it is because of the grace of Jesus Christ.:)