Making Space + Grace
I wanted this blog to be grand. My heart and mind had a lot it wanted to say but not all the words could find their way out.
Making room for more stuff. That is what I was facing physically and emotionally as I entered this summer. I had begun a 14-week study on biblical hospitality, I thought I was going to be feeding my soul on a topic I already loved. Physically, at work I had stuff all over my desk (and probably 7 others) as we prepared for the golf tournament, not to mention I just have a slight problem staying inside my cubicle...poor Caitlyn has been victim to this. Not like it is always a bad thing, I just tend to always have presents or projects that need extra space. And at home I'll be honest, we missed spring cleaning. But Ainsley and I loaded up a car full for the Goodwill in an effort to do a round of decluttering. We got a little done but summer got the best of us and I still have that to do list a mile long, but what I found was that I was more productive in making room for personal growth, and I think that is what God had planned.
The first week of the She Reads Truth's study reflection, by one of the Co-founders Raechel Myers, started with her opening her heart to the fact that the Holy Spirit had impressed upon her heart the words: make room. She then continued to list all the ways that people had made room for her and what hospitality the Heavenly Father had had offered to her himself. I sat there for a moment when I read her reflection and thought "Tauna, do you have capacity to make more room right now? It sounds like just too much." But before I started with all my "I Can'ts" or "I'll do it later" I wrote a little prayer asking for for the Lord to reveal how I should embrace the ideal of celebrating hospitality.
As I journeyed through this summer, I consciously wanted to reflect on how I had made room and shared space through hospitality with my community over the years. I kept a sub-list of how I wanted to share space (or as Raechel would say, make room) for my community, but I knew this summer was going to be best spent filled with gratitude for this life and the journey I had been on so that I didn't push my limits emotionally. I felt the Lord calling me to rejoice in that and this process. Today marks the 4 year anniversary of losing my mom, and I have dreaded this day coming since June 5 (her birthday). But that was part of this process. I knew that I couldn't solely focus on making room, but I also felt that this was a time to appreciate where space had been shared, not only with mom but with others in my life.
The ever growing list of shared spaces became an emotional process. I learned a lot about the people that I have shared a lot of space with. The places where a lot of space was shared. Most importantly, I discovered how much grace has been given to me and all of my community. This summer has given me the gift of feeling love through shared spaces with people, understanding how much grace we have been given and knowing that no one person embodies grace perfectly other than God, and being able to find peace in the many valuable relationships I have been gifted over the years.
I wanted to be able to write about each thing, but I am going to be honest, I don't have the emotional cash to do that today. So I wrote one message of thanks for a handful of people from the list (below in no particular order). I would like to add a disclaimer though, this is only a list with 7 bullets, where my full list has 53 current shared spaces (people and places). I worried about posting any because I don't want there to be any hurt feelings by not being listed on here, but I chose to because it is important for me to share some of this list. The 8th bullet has no picture because... there were too many to fit into a instaframe and I couldn't choose. So there family, I love you. 😘
Thank you to those of you who read this blog. I have received a number of comments or contacts from people who have appreciated hearing my story/stories and I am thankful that these posts have had purpose. May all of you have a wonderful end of summer.
❤,
T
1. Mom and Dad: Thank you for unconditional love and believing in me.
2. Bobo: Thank you for always having my back.
5. J: Thank you for your patience, trust, and knowing me better than me sometimes.
6. 18 and 27 years of Friendship: Thank You Kyle and Lynsey for being there through everything.
7. My Y Family: Thank you for years of memories and friendship beyond the office.
8. My Blood Family: Thank you for being my cheerleaders.
Note: The She Read Truth Making Room: A Study on Biblical Hospitality is set to be 14 days, but I chose to do 14 weeks to focus deeper into each of the messages.
Making room for more stuff. That is what I was facing physically and emotionally as I entered this summer. I had begun a 14-week study on biblical hospitality, I thought I was going to be feeding my soul on a topic I already loved. Physically, at work I had stuff all over my desk (and probably 7 others) as we prepared for the golf tournament, not to mention I just have a slight problem staying inside my cubicle...poor Caitlyn has been victim to this. Not like it is always a bad thing, I just tend to always have presents or projects that need extra space. And at home I'll be honest, we missed spring cleaning. But Ainsley and I loaded up a car full for the Goodwill in an effort to do a round of decluttering. We got a little done but summer got the best of us and I still have that to do list a mile long, but what I found was that I was more productive in making room for personal growth, and I think that is what God had planned.
The first week of the She Reads Truth's study reflection, by one of the Co-founders Raechel Myers, started with her opening her heart to the fact that the Holy Spirit had impressed upon her heart the words: make room. She then continued to list all the ways that people had made room for her and what hospitality the Heavenly Father had had offered to her himself. I sat there for a moment when I read her reflection and thought "Tauna, do you have capacity to make more room right now? It sounds like just too much." But before I started with all my "I Can'ts" or "I'll do it later" I wrote a little prayer asking for for the Lord to reveal how I should embrace the ideal of celebrating hospitality.
As I journeyed through this summer, I consciously wanted to reflect on how I had made room and shared space through hospitality with my community over the years. I kept a sub-list of how I wanted to share space (or as Raechel would say, make room) for my community, but I knew this summer was going to be best spent filled with gratitude for this life and the journey I had been on so that I didn't push my limits emotionally. I felt the Lord calling me to rejoice in that and this process. Today marks the 4 year anniversary of losing my mom, and I have dreaded this day coming since June 5 (her birthday). But that was part of this process. I knew that I couldn't solely focus on making room, but I also felt that this was a time to appreciate where space had been shared, not only with mom but with others in my life.
The ever growing list of shared spaces became an emotional process. I learned a lot about the people that I have shared a lot of space with. The places where a lot of space was shared. Most importantly, I discovered how much grace has been given to me and all of my community. This summer has given me the gift of feeling love through shared spaces with people, understanding how much grace we have been given and knowing that no one person embodies grace perfectly other than God, and being able to find peace in the many valuable relationships I have been gifted over the years.
I wanted to be able to write about each thing, but I am going to be honest, I don't have the emotional cash to do that today. So I wrote one message of thanks for a handful of people from the list (below in no particular order). I would like to add a disclaimer though, this is only a list with 7 bullets, where my full list has 53 current shared spaces (people and places). I worried about posting any because I don't want there to be any hurt feelings by not being listed on here, but I chose to because it is important for me to share some of this list. The 8th bullet has no picture because... there were too many to fit into a instaframe and I couldn't choose. So there family, I love you. 😘
Thank you to those of you who read this blog. I have received a number of comments or contacts from people who have appreciated hearing my story/stories and I am thankful that these posts have had purpose. May all of you have a wonderful end of summer.
❤,
T
1. Mom and Dad: Thank you for unconditional love and believing in me.
4. Sweet Ainsley Jean: Thank you for being my shining light.
5. J: Thank you for your patience, trust, and knowing me better than me sometimes.
6. 18 and 27 years of Friendship: Thank You Kyle and Lynsey for being there through everything.
7. My Y Family: Thank you for years of memories and friendship beyond the office.
Note: The She Read Truth Making Room: A Study on Biblical Hospitality is set to be 14 days, but I chose to do 14 weeks to focus deeper into each of the messages.
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