YayLife! The Joy of Finding the God Who Found Me
WordSongs on Life and Faith from an April’s Fool
by
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1st couple pages of chapter Please, come on in! No need to wipe your feet . . . we’ll be going right back out the door! Let’s go recharge our batteries, the natural way . . . metaphorical hike in the woods. Hopefully either transformational or entertaining. This book is not about hiking, but it is about a Journey, about going deeper and higher into the secret places of the heart, the ones that make life richer and more meaningful. Touching a reality that can’t be touched. Seeing life differently. Doing life a whole new way. Perhaps meeting some new friends in wild places! You’ll discover poems, short stories, and serious writings. So if you’re brave and still want to come on this adventure, welcome! If you are not so courageous, awww, c’mon, come for a little while anyway. You’ll at least get a whiff of the fresh air. What if we really are living in the grace of God, and just aren’t aware of it most of the time? What if some of the things we see and feel are reflections of our connections with our Creator? It would be hard for me to imagine not experiencing encounters with finding hearts on rocks and clouds and other ridiculous objects. Like streams wiggling downhill to hide in quiet puddles, these enchanting blessings have consecrated me with joy settling into peace. What if sometimes the zone i find Jesus in, ‘my God zone,’ can overlap with your ‘God zone’ while we walk together? Before we start, can we talk about sneakers? Because mine are already too tight. One reason to escape into the woods and wander on trails is for the freedom and fresh perspectives. So, shed your work duds or office costume, and get comfy. No need for you guys to shave. Ladies, you can take a day off from hair doing and make it upping . . . since getting out on the trail is about stepping thru a doorway to a whole other world . . . breathing air no one else has breathed yet. The Thing about work is that it has its purpose, but sometimes it gets kind of routine. But outside, hiking . . . . isn’t it delightful to encounter a deer with her fawn? On the trail, if a snake crosses our path, some of us might jump or scream, but won’t it be something to talk about on Monday?! Will you forgive me this one thing before we begin? Some writings lend themselves to neat little rows of thought, starting with a big letter, ending with a little dot. Hopefully, you will notice when i am doing that. Xxxxxx. They are a nice option, so can we consider them optional? i have this thing about capital letters, they take too much energy to type, interrupt my flow of thought, crimp my creativity, and crick my neck. Consider this: capital letters can sometimes be like poetry wearing little uniforms. poetry has fewer rules, so do i. (Spellinng is more important, tho.) But just because i’m not using capital letters doesn’t mean i’m not being serious. Can we agree to disagree? Could i just use them some of the time? i’ll try not to be too annoying about it. On a sincere note, “i” prefer the small letter when i refer to myself. Besides it’s a fun rule to break that doesn’t hurt anyone. When i use the little i, it feels like i’m being real, without all the masks and formalities of trying to measure up. In the spirit of freedom, can we practice a little right here: what’s laughter if it isn’t taking off your straight face and letting the guffaws out? throwing the windows of your eyes up and letting the twinkles show? and the wrinkles! laughter is one of the best parts of being human! think of the times you’ve laughed the hardest did your eyes run with tears? did your nose run? were you in the library snorting? attracting disapproving scowls? stares and glares? did you wet your pants, or even almost? now that you’re all grown up, do you ever wish you hadn’t laughed so hard? do you remember what you were even laughing about? isn’t the joy more important? and actually, when it comes to living, this life is just a rough draft, with lots of revisions. if we have time . . . So, now that i’ve loosened the laces on my sneakers, . . . . are you ready to go? . . . come on, i’ll show you the way . . . it’s in a pleasant valley near a quaint village ( <~~ this is true in my real life!) and overlooks a really beautiful wild and scenic river. along the river are some sweet secret spots (where i sometimes sing my heart out to the love of my life. the only one who is true peace listens to me, whispers to me. and i listen to the one who calls my name.) then, with only a 20 minute hike up to the overlook, we’ll be up there getting whole new outlook on life. over the years, my family and friends have come here countless times . . . there’s a web of other trails to get here. some are short and sweet, or with a variety of ecosystems, some longer yet more ‘scenic’. the view at the top is the one i love the best. but, of course, along the way, you’ll have many choices too. if we start on a trail that isn’t appealing to you, no problem, turn the page, take a shortcut to somewhere else. or you can call it quits and come back another day. the timeless echoes of nature is one of the most appealing and healing to our souls because they are available when we are. many of the writings are meant for pondering. as in any new friendship, it takes a while to get to know each other, to ride with the quirks and let laughter win the day. my hope is for you to have fun and perhaps to see spiritual things with renewed vision. this="" is="" true="" in="" my="" real="" life!)="" and="" overlooks="" a="" really="" beautiful="" wild="" and="" scenic="" river.="" along="" the="" river="" are="" some="" sweet="" secret="" spots="" (where="" i="" sometimes="" sing="" my="" heart="" out="" to="" the="" love="" of="" my="" life.="" the="" only="" one="" who="" is="" true="" peace="" listens="" to="" me,="" whispers="" to="" me.="" and="" i="" listen="" to="" the="" one="" who="" calls="" my="" name.)="" then,="" with="" only="" a="" 20="" minute="" hike="" up="" to="" the="" overlook,="" we’ll="" be="" up="" there="" getting="" whole="" new="" outlook="" on="" life.="" over="" the="" years,="" my="" family="" and="" friends="" have="" come="" here="" countless="" times="" .="" .="" .="" there’s="" a="" web="" of="" other="" trails="" to="" get="" here.="" some="" are="" short="" and="" sweet,="" or="" with="" a="" variety="" of="" ecosystems,="" some="" longer="" yet="" more="" ‘scenic’.="" the="" view="" at="" the="" top="" is="" the="" one="" i="" love="" the="" best.="" but,="" of="" course,="" along="" the="" way,="" you’ll="" have="" many="" choices="" too.="" if="" we="" start="" on="" a="" trail="" that="" isn’t="" appealing="" to="" you,="" no="" problem,="" turn="" the="" page,="" take="" a="" shortcut="" to="" somewhere="" else.="" or="" you="" can="" call="" it="" quits="" and="" come="" back="" another="" day.="" the="" timeless="" echoes="" of="" nature="" is="" one="" of="" the="" most="" appealing="" and="" healing="" to="" our="" souls="" because="" they="" are="" available="" when="" we="" are.="" many="" of="" the="" writings="" are="" meant="" for="" pondering.="" as="" in="" any="" new="" friendship,="" it="" takes="" a="" while="" to="" get="" to="" know="" each="" other,="" to="" ride="" with="" the="" quirks="" and="" let="" laughter="" win="" the="" day.="" my="" hope="" is="" for="" you="" to="" have="" fun="" and="" perhaps="" to="" see="" spiritual="" things="" with="" renewed="">
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About the Book
What if you miss the point of life? Or you find happiness and success, but the deeper joys escape you? What if you’re stuck in drudge that slowly suctions life out of you? Or never really discover your true purpose?
Are you suddenly grasping that as you accomplish your bucket list, you look back on your life and see that there was a hole in your bucket all along, yet you’re still empty? Your unidentifiable inner hunger remains unsatisfied?
Through engaging writings of different styles, humor, struggle, doubt, pain, and plenty of surprises, the ‘YAY’ rose up out of the author’s life and landed in this book. Most of them were written purely for self-expression, then the joy of sharing life and healing with friends gave them life and purpose. Chapters and pieces are arranged to delight, comfort, and o yes, challenge. Designed to winsomely feed your soul, this book provides choices to fit your mood or need, or just be relaxing.
About the Author
In her whimsical and refreshing way, Katy journeys with people through ups and downs, digging deep, getting in the mud, and discovering fun and the treasures of knowing God. Her writing styles are uniquely intriguing.
Katy faces inner grapplings, looking beneath the surface with compassionate understanding. In friendship, her perspective inspires hope, healing, and tuning in to God. This is also reflected in her photography, noteworthy for catching stunning or quirky things. She is a fan of fresh air and refreshing perspectives.