Hope & Catch Me Up
Burn brightly, but don't set yourself on fire.
Hope Matters
Hey, Hope Buddies! It is truly my desire that this hopeletter finds you well, and if it doesn’t, know that I’m holding you in my prayers.
I regularly read daily devotional plans from the YouVersion app. I attempt to do this daily, but there are times when I fall short and end up skipping a day or two in a row. A few months ago things got really hectic around here, and I found myself skipping more days more frequently. Well, there’s this feature in the devotional plans where, if you fall behind, it’ll shift the days forward in the plan, and you can simply begin again with the first day you missed. It’s called Catch Me Up.
I’ve been using this app since 2012, and in all those years I have refused to use the feature. Somehow, it felt like a personal failing to need to use it. So, if I got behind for several days in a row, I would make it up by reading two or three a day to fast-track myself to whatever day I was supposed to be on. (It’s okay if you’re shaking your head; I’m shaking my head at myself.)
Now, why wouldn’t I do what made sense? Let’s welcome back to the stage, Perfectionist Parthenia! (Hold your applause please. 🙄) I would sacrifice the study and learning in the name of finishing the plan on time. 🤦🏾♀️ I just could not stand to be behind. Well, one morning this June (See how long this took? 12 whole years!) I’d gotten behind on one of the plans I was reading. I didn’t feel like trying to play the planning-my-own-catch-up game, so I elected to lay my finger on that Catch Me Up button. And, magically (not really), those dates shifted right on up. Y’all! The deep breath I took…the weight I felt lifted just from that selection was absolutely unexpected but necessary. I took time to study what I was reading and finished the plan with more knowledge and wisdom.
As you might’ve guessed, Hope Buddies, this all led to some self-reflection. I began to think about some other areas in my life where I was attempting to fast track some things and needed to take a breath, so I could simply enjoy the space and time I’m in or focus on what I’m learning as opposed to just doing things to get them done. I was over here fast-tracking about to burn my self out, looking like the third candle…
I realized there’s no fast track to the promises of God nor the visions I’ve been given for my life. I am not behind, because I haven’t accomplished certain things by now. I am not an ineffective parent, because we’re still working on some things. It all takes time. I’m doing my best to recalibrate my thinking and only burn brightly at one end of my candle and not set myself on fire. There will be times when my candle is at a slow burn and others when it’s at a high burn, and I’m learning to be okay with that.
Hope Buddies, whatever your personal Catch Me Up button is, press it. God will shift those dates forward. You haven’t lost time; you’re on God’s time, and His doesn’t exist within ours. You can. You will. It’s not too late.
Coffee Matters
Alright, Coffee Buddies, this is about to be really short. I’ve been sipping on the Mill Street from Northshore Specialty Coffee Co. that I’ve mentioned a couple of times before, so I’ll just let you go back and read about it here and here.
I’ll be back next week with something new, as this coffee is almost spent. Sip slowly and savor your coffee. Take time to think about what you’re tasting or anything else that brings you peace. I encourage you to make your coffee time your you time, not always a lifeline. You deserve at least that.
💜 & ☕️,
Parthenia
Are you burning brightly or burning out? If you’re burning out, what do you plan to do about that?
I appreciate you taking the time to read this hopeletter about my life and coffee. Please share with a friend who could use a little hope or coffee recommendation.