A Pretty Tree, Heavy Traffic, and the Grace of God

Who else forgot how much traffic there is on the day before Thanksgiving? I guess everyone’s picking up food and ingredients for other food and getting on the road to travel and whatnot. We had to run a couple of errands along with the rest of the Birmingham metropolitan area and it was raining so hard and flooding and I almost had to pull over and wait it out. ⁣
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But we did what we needed to do and we survived. ⁣ (This sentence is very 2020.)
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I had a wonderful IG Live conversation with @the.quiet.musings this morning. We talked about loneliness, belonging, vulnerability, and all kinds of other things. It was so nice to talk to Poline. I love how she truly wants people to be real with themselves and others. I think our conversation is over on her IGTV.⁣
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Also, I had like three opportunities this afternoon to explode and yell and use obscene language and I didn’t. If I told you these three things you wouldn’t believe they all happened on the same day. But they did. By the grace of God I somehow responded to each situation with grace and patience and we survived. God really does sanctify us.⁣
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I have complicated feelings about Thanksgiving. I’m sure others do too. But this is a time to be thankful, so here are a few things I’m thankful for right now: this tree outside my bathroom window in the photo above, the fact that I’ve kept so many houseplants alive this year, and my new hairstyle that’s only a week (or two?) old. I love it. ⁣
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Oh, one more thing. I’m so thankful for everyone I’ve connected with here [on Instagram]. It’s been fun engaging with all of you since I started using this previously-dormant account in June. Thanks so much for your posts, photos, comments, messages, and conversations.⁣
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I hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving or a decent Thanksgiving or a not miserable Thanksgiving. We have received so many good gifts, but it’s also a really hard time. ⁣
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May we notice God’s presence wherever we are, however we are.

*Image and words originally posted by Charlotte Donlon on Instagram.

More Than One Thing Can Be True

When we write or speak about why we are grateful, we aren’t claiming other things aren’t also true.⁣
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When we write or speak about why we are lamenting, we aren’t claiming other things aren’t also true.⁣
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It’s all about the “both and.” We can be grateful for things worthy of gratitude. We can lament things worthy of lament.⁣
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And we can honor those who are led to express one but not the other at this particular time or another particular time. We can honor those who can’t express anything right now. We can honor those who just need humor and distraction. ⁣
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Of course, there are holidays and liturgical seasons and other emotional and spiritual prompts that help us navigate our hearts and minds and souls. But our current personal experiences and circumstances may not line up with all of that. And that’s okay!

Holidays and liturgical seasons can encourage us toward certain truths that don’t feel natural or easy to believe in that moment. That can be a good thing!

But no one is making you focus on gratitude or the coming birth of Jesus when you NEED lament and the Resurrection ASAP.
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Really. It’s all okay. (I mean. Within reason.) Jesus came to free us from so many things. He frees us from cultural and religious and societal holiday expectations that we really don’t have to give in to. Be free. Lament, grieve, be thankful, be joyful, wait, don’t wait.
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It’s impossible to write or speak or explore the whole story every minute of every day. But we can write, speak, and explore pieces of it. We can uncover some of what’s hidden, we can explore some of what’s been revealed. ⁣
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That’s why we keep writing, speaking, and exploring.
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So, let’s be free with our stories. And let’s honor others and their stories.
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Okay. Carry on with figuring out how to prepare your Thanksgiving turkey which will most likely be dry and bland anyway. (Did I just say that?)

*Image and words originally posted by Charlotte Donlon on Instagram.