Yesterday morning as I was preparing my tea, I noticed this random tea-tab hanging out of a tea canister I wasn’t even using.

Naturally, this enneagram four, tea-lover took extra-special notice  — reminding myself to look for ways to live righteously (rightly) and love all who came my way. 

I went on with MY morning, executed MY plans, until God sent a woman to my home who was in desperate need of a hug. Over tea, we spent the next hour in an unplanned, unforeseen conversation that both of our hearts desperately needed. One full of love and one full of honest remarks about the unplanned, unwanted circumstances of life.

Simultaneously—I’ve had a MAJOR unwanted decision to make this week. A decision brought on by a set of unplanned and unfair circumstances. Yesterday was supposed to be D-DAY and my primary focus was to deal with the nuances of this decision.

To be fair, it’s only right I tell you this decision will have a MAJOR impact on my life, my families life and the memory of my deceased husband Chad, whose birthday happens to be TODAY.

To say this is a difficult decision is putting it mildly. To say I haven’t been wrecked over it, would be the worst kind of lie.

In efforts to calm the adrenaline coursing through my veins, I decided NOT to drop myself smack-dab in the middle of enemy territory — but to proceed on foot, entering the perimeter slowly.

Because a slow attack in battle is sometimes the wisest approach…

I took a deep breath, collected my thoughts and began to complete this week’s last reading from a study I’m doing with the girls over at http://www.incourage.me. To my surprise (though I probably shouldn’t have been), the main focus was walking through life courageously with palms-open instead of fists-clinched.

Because circumstances are always changing and the enemy is always lying in wait.

Then, the accompanying verse smacked me right in the face!  

“I’ve learned by now to be quite content WHATEVER  my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.” Philippians 4:10-14 MSG

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In short—the divine knew I had tough couple of days ahead so instead of allowing me to mix my own useless drink, he pulled out the rolling cart, reached for the top-shelf and shook up the best wisdom cocktail, comprised of the finest ingredients:

A scripture that reminded me I’M OK in WHATEVER state I find myself because I can make it through ANYTHING IN the ONE who makes me what I am.

A book that reminded me maneuvering through this unpredictable and sometimes unfair life requires a hand/heart posture of palms-open instead of fists-clinched.

A spontaneous visit from a friend who needed a tangible, human hug just as badly as I did.

AND a tea-tab that reminded me to steep my life in the right choices, to steep everyone I meet in love and to watch the aura of God’s light and love surround us all.