Affirmative Life

“This is how God showed his love to us: He sent his one and only Son into the world so that we could have life through him.”  I John 4:9

I was blessed this past week to share a day with one of my nieces.  Raya is a nine-year-old with a great sense of humor and joy for life.  She is a ray of hope to her parents.  When I picked her up, I told her this was her “Yes Day.”  She looked at me a little puzzled, and I explained that I took the idea from my niece, Jodi.  It means it is her day and whatever she wanted to do or buy, I would say, “Yes.”  There were limits but basically, I would agree.  She jumped up and down with her arms in the air and yelled, “Yes.”

First, we mixed up chocolate chip cookies to bake but chill first.  Then it was off to her favorite store (the one I do not like, but I said, “yes”).  We skipped into the store together.  She picked out cake mixes to make into cookies, frosting and candied eyes to decorate them.  Then it was down the arts and crafts isle for a sketch pad and pens.  She loves to draw.  The toy isles called to her, and she carefully chose toys that added to what she already had and that she would play with more than once.  Next, she wanted to go to a local restaurant for lunch, The Village Restaurant, which is one of my favorites, too.  Then it was back to my house to bake and decorate cookies, draw, and open her small treasures.  Nothing elaborate but simply time together to create and laugh.  It was “Yes” to enjoying today.  Her fun was also hiding the candied eyes in my house, and I continued to find them days later.

As we sat together in the restaurant and at home baking, I learned from a nine-year-old.  She likes who she is and will not let anyone change how God created her.  She knows God loves her, and her sister is in Heaven with Jesus.  She loves her mom and dad.  She loves her friends and has future plans with them.  She loves her cousins.  Nature is beautiful to her.  The birds and animals in our backyard amazed her.  Laughter and having fun come naturally to a nine-year-old.

Society would say my niece does not have a stable life, and she has had some intense experiences in her short life.  But that is not her view of life.  She is positive and her joy and love is contagious and fills my heart.  She finds ways to make the most of each day in very simple ways.  As we walked out to my vehicle to take her home, we were singing, “Our God is an awesome God.”  She loves to sing and loves music and art and animals and life.

My niece loves her life and the people in her life.  No matter the hurt and sadness of life, she finds joy in the days.  She adjusts to her parents’ schedule and does not let other people define her or let circumstances of life bring her down.  It is about attitude.  There is always negativity in life, and we can focus there if we choose.  But there is a lot to be grateful for and to look for the positive in life.  A sense of humor is essential, too.

God affirms you and me daily and gives us “Yes Days.”  God loves us.  God calls us His children.  “Yes, I love you.”  “Yes, I am with you.”  “Yes, I forgive you.”  “Yes, I will walk with you through the storms of life.”  “Yes, you are mine.”  “Yes, I have given you abundant life.”

Can you affirm today?  I know that today is not perfect.  There is a ton of negativity all around you and me.  The world is broken and fallen and filled with evil.  I am not denying the bad and the hurt and pain this world brings into our lives.  It is there, and it can be our focus that pulls us down and fills us with worry, anxiety, fear, depression, and struggles.  But I believe God gives us “Yes Days.”  We may not get what we think we want, but we receive what we really need.  We need Jesus.  We need God’s presence and love.  We need to release control and surrender to Jesus.  We need to let go of worry and anxiety that is unproductive and leads us to fear and being afraid of everything.

Today is your “Yes Day” with God.  “Yes, Jesus loves me.  Yes, Jesus loves me.  Yes, Jesus loves me.  The Bible tells me so.”

Yes, you are loved.  Yes, you are forgiven.  Yes, God is with you.  Yes, God has given you today to live in the present and enjoy the moments of today.  Yes!

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