April Acceptance: Share Four Somethings

Waving farewell to another month, I rejoice in a glance back at my April Acceptance joining Jennifer Goodwin as she hosts a monthly feature called, Share Four Somethings, where writers share the fourth Saturday of each month something in each of four categories from the previous month.

Many readers notice I choose a theme for each month, which often reflects lessons or themes from my personal life. This month’s theme is “acceptance”, which speaks to my reflections on a month of changes and challenges, learning to trust God’s goodness in both the pleasant and challenging.

Each month the four categories remain the same: Something I’m loving, reading, learning, and eating! Jennifer delights me by listing these categories in the present participle form of the verbs rather than the past tense of completion.

something i’m loving

In the wake of the uncertainty of an ongoing health crisis, something I’m loving right now to kick off my April Acceptance: Share Four Somethings, is my new specialist. After a long journey through many medical professionals, tests, procedures, and a general lack of answers, my new specialist offered much Hope on a recent visit.

Though yet facing a long road ahead, her supportive listening, and time spent with me (nearly 90 minutes!!) communicated sincere concern, along with capable knowledge which put me at ease.

She had her staff arrange all the necessary testing and made room in her schedule to see me immediately after everything was completed to formulate a plan.

While my health condition remains, her kind care made accepting a new reality much easier than sitting with uncertainty coupled with a feeling of insignificance.

something I’m ReADING

Truly delighted with my Kindle for many reasons, one of the biggest benefits of owning a Kindle is the ability to read multiple books at one time effortlessly. So sharing what I’m reading at any given time remains a challenge!

This month, my reading centered on my new devotional “Behold the Lamb” and a new release by Strahan Coleman, entitled, “Beholding: Deepening Our Experience in God”.

His premise centers around discovering the Joy of being with God, not just working for Him. Coleman invites his readers to a place of stillness before God where prayer moves from seeking to becoming.

What impacted me most was Coleman’s invitation to exchange our transactional approach to being with God, for a transformational approach of simply seeking Him in solitude.

Coleman says, “Beholding is much deeper than [prayer], it’s about how we hold God before us and how we live from the place of being held by Him. It’s the practice of looking to God with an open soul, admiring Him, allowing him to be, and watching Him move in and around our lives. It’s a much wider definition than speaking to God to get things done, offering words of praise, or interceding on behalf of others. It’s about how we exist.”

While I’m still digesting the concepts of the book, learning to simply sit with God without an agenda has taught me to breathe again in His Presence; to learn what He feels like, looks like, and sounds like.

My favorite quote from the book is, “Beholding is the practice of gazing into God, gazing into us, gazing back into Him.”

something i’m learning

With Spring as my teacher, something I’m learning is accepting the impermanence of life. This season of reawakening tantalizes us with its sheer beauty as it bursts on the scene gloriously blooming the rainbow.

But just as quickly, I watch the transient nature of Spring sprinkle blossoms at my feet on a windy day, the faded blooms no longer vibrantly waving in the sun.

author's personal collage, of her garden

The breathtaking beauty of Spring quickly fades into the sturdiness of summer, reminding me to embrace today’s loveliness before it’s gone.

Tempted to cling to the beauty present today, in an attempt to hold it forever, instead, I receive one of the greatest lessons Spring teaches:

“Gratefully embrace and savor the magnificence of the present moment just as it is, without wanting it to be something more.”

Impermanence invites us into gratitude simply for what is, not what we wish it would be.

something i’m eating

Believe it or not, I find this category the most difficult. I notice most folks sharing comfort foods, decadent desserts, or their favorite fast food. Spoiler Alert: As a clean eating, health-conscious person who chooses food rich in nutritional benefits, you may find my monthly food forays rather boring.

This month, however, for my April Acceptance: Share Four Somethings, my top food choice honors my Mom. Her sudden death in January of this year, remains a point of painful acceptance.

One of her all-time favorite vegetables was asparagus. Growing up in a rural area, asparagus graced our Spring dinner table in many forms from the traditional steamed or roasted, to sauteed with garlic and lemon, or even the more radical asparagus omelet.

As she lived near my brother in New Jersey, on the first farm market day he spied it the tables, he gifted her a bunch to celebrate spring.

Long my favorite as well, this month asparagus has appeared in many dishes including my top favorite: Tuscan roasted asparagus with parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar.

Though accompanied by tears the first time I prepared it, each subsequent time has filled my heart with softer memories and the Joy of savoring Spring with Mom.