The Blessings of Emotions

I am on blessing 150, which happens to be the blessing of making things with my hands. But I want to park today on blessing 146: the blessing of emotions.

I was reading (in the devotional I am doing on John, by Beth Moore) about how John wept and wept when no one (at first) was found worthy to open the scroll. And trying to imagine that, so familiar, that my emotions perhaps are stripped out of it. yet, I think, when I will actually be there, and it will actually be taking place, I am sure I will be very emotional.

I often see and hear a disdain for emotions. "Oh, she is so emotional" "Get your emotions under control" "I hope I don't loose it" Stiff upper lip and all that. Yet, think how blah and cardboard-chewing our life would be without emotions.

God made us, Body, Soul and Spirit. Our soul houses all our emotions. God is an emotionally God. Words like devotion, worship, love, joy, .... emotion is on almost every page of the Bible.

I find emotion to bring such a rich quality and satisfaction to my life. I often soak in it. At least the rich, positive emotions. I too find myself at times, soaking in a sad or gloomy emotion. I know I don't desire to be ruled by my emotions, but I also don't desire to not feel them. They bring the color and skip into life.

Yesterday I felt my heart grow lighter and hope stronger, when I got good news about adopting my daughter, Mame. Two nights ago, my heart was aching as my Taddy sat with red-faced anger, tears and pain. I almost burst inside wanting to make it better. This morning I started the day with joy, when a little tickle, silliness and one on one time turned Taddy's mood to smile and lightheartedness. In the evenings I have been enjoying soaking in the emotion of "family" as my kids read books, or play in the living room while I sit amoung them and knit, embroidery or join in. One will read me a line from a book, another will show me a picture drawn or read a page from a comic strip. The littlest will plead for one more hand of "Go Fish", as I sit aside my yarn for a time. I cannot find the right emotional label for what I feel then. Love, fullness, contentment, closeness, famiy.

So today, I thank the Lord for blessing 146. Making us a people of emotions and being a God of emotions.


(Are you doing the 1000 Blessings? Read about it here)