Reflecting on June

June has been a month of deep contentment and joy for me. I watched my daughter wrap up a fun and successful softball season with a great group of girls and an awesome coach. Some family came to visit us for a super fun weekend. My daughter and I took care of my brother's three young kids for a few days while he and my sister-in-law went on a trip. We spent a day with my parents, hiking at a state park and helping them on their farm. And then we traveled to our house in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where we have been cutting and splitting firewood for upcoming winters, preparing a garden plot for future use, and just enjoying being together in one of our favorite places.

June has also been a time of longing for a more perfect world. I encountered conflicting priorities that had painful trade-offs, which I couldn't resolve. I faced intense nostalgia for the days when my kids were little as I cared for my brother's kids. I wondered again and again what the activities I was enjoying would be like if Oliver was still with us. I received sad news from a family member. I yearned for peace as I read the local, state, national, and international news. I faced random times of grief as we approached the anniversary of my son's death.

It can be hard to know what to do with all the joy and contentment mixed with all the sadness and longing. As I bring my feelings to God, I am reminded to give thanks:

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

Thanks for reading!