loving

I know some stuff.

Some say, “Jama, sure, she knows some stuff.”

They may say, “She knows some stuff about…”

• Bible stuff (lots of scripture stuff)
• Raising boys stuff (baseball cards and Legos and pirates and rockets and video games)
• Sports stuff (lots and lots of sports stuff)
• Books stuff (and English literature stuff)
• Grammar stuff and writing stuff (don’t mess with her about apostrophe misuse)
• Midwest Writers Workshop stuff.

Yeah, I know some of that stuff.

But the best stuff I hope that they know I know is stuff about loving and giving grace and forgiveness. About doing all that I can do and then leaving everything up to God. That the best stuff I know is that God is in control, and that with God nothing is impossible, and that Jesus loves me this I know.

And I know stuff about finding a Happy Day Moment.

There’s lots of stuff I’ll never know, stuff like rocket science or brain surgery or axiomatic geometry. And that’s okay.

Because I know stuff about waiting and going slow and being patient and having faith and obeying God and believing and trusting and staying strong and living with gratitude.

I know that kindness matters. In all things.

I know about love about compassion about sacrifice about healing about friendliness about mercy about generosity about tolerance about understanding about listening about encouraging.

I know stuff about getting older and wiser and learning from mistakes.

I know about good stuff sad stuff happy stuff and hard stuff.

But it’s not always about the stuff we know. It’s also about the stuff we say and do.

I know about being brave.  That we should say what we need to say.  That when we don’t speak up, there’s a lot of important stuff that ends up not getting said.

It’s good to believe in ourselves during the hard stuff, but it’s better to believe in God during the hard stuff.

I know that I will never regret the chances I took, the love I gave out, and the gifts I shared.

So, sure, thanks for noticing that “Jama knows some stuff.” I want to keep knowing more and more stuff.

You know, you’re always welcome to follow the daily stuff I know and post on my Happy Day Moment Facebook Page. Here’s the stuff I know and posted on the Happy Day Moment Echoes for July.

• Don’t let anyone’s ignorance, hate, drama or negativity stop you from walking a path of kindness and grace.
• Seek the benefit and the blessing hidden in the folds of each experience and each decision.
• Let your dreams be bigger than your fears. Be strong. Take chances.
• Don’t be afraid of the size of your dream or the magnitude of your mission. All things are possible.
• Don’t rush things that need time to grow.
• All those painful things we experience in relationships remind us of our need for God and His grace.

• Be a love that is not just words. But be a love that is words wrapped in actions.
• Choose to be loving even when you are wronged, misunderstood and rejected.
• Do your best to love what is.
• Where you can help, help. Where you can give, give. Good given will be good comes around.
• Injustices don’t change when we choose to be angry. They change when we choose to love.

• What God has graciously given to you is always enough to be abundant grace for someone else.
• Why not be the one to makes a difference instead of the one who makes division?
• Make time for quiet every day.
• Discover ways to enjoy your successes in life and don’t obsess over what hasn’t worked.
• Do more of the stuff that makes you happy.
• Life is always better when we approach it with intentional gratitude.

• Let giving grace be your response, let it not be getting even.
• We can make every day blessed if we decide to make it so.
• If you’re unwilling to give love and forgiveness and grace, don’t expect to receive them.
• Write something positive today and tell your friends that you love them.
• Look around for happiness. It shows up in the smallest ways, in the minutiae of moments, in the collection of pieces we often forget.

• Having a friend who tells you when you have something in your teeth or a booger in your nose makes life good.
• Let’s think of ways to spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
• Our attitudes directly impact how well we live our lives. Successful people are positive-thinking people.
• Being grateful is the shortest and surest way to being happy.
• Sometimes our own pains and failures will help others. Be empathetic.

• We’re never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.
• Have faith. Don’t focus on obstacles; focus on God.
• Offer to help others in ways that you feel in your heart will guide and uplift them.
• There will be a day when our family, our relationships, our friends as we know them will no longer exist. Make and cherish daily memories.

And I know you know stuff. You can always share your stuff with me.