These Are A Few of My Favorite Things

As many of you know, I used to work at a clinic that serves children with autism, and every morning we would wait in the lobby for our first client of the day to arrive.  One day, my client literally came into the building singing “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music. This particular kid usually insisted that we sing nursery rhymes or the mind-numbingly repetitive “Friday” song by Rebecca Black, so this was a welcomed change!  I also happen to LOVE The Sound of Music (who doesn’t?), and I’m pretty sure Julie Andrews is every girl’s hero. Or at least she should be. With a happy smile, I jumped right in somewhere around, “Brown paper packages, tied up with strings…”

As we went about the rest of our day with this happy soundtrack, I couldn’t help but be encouraged by the well-rhymed list of simple joys that I don’t always take the time to notice.  And I thought, “how wonderful would it be if I was known for all of things that I delight in?”

Later that evening, I was catching up on my reading for the women’s community group that I co-lead with my dear friend Kristi.  We’re studying Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend, and if you’ve never heard of this book, I highly recommend it. The tag line is: “When to say yes, how to say no, to take control of your life” which probably sounds equal parts intriguing and intimidating, especially for a Bible study book choice.  Let’s just say we have quite a few counselors/psychology majors in our group.

I was reading through Chapter 5, which outlines the 10 Laws of Boundaries, and one section reminded me of my musical morning and the passing thought it had sparked.  In Law #7: The Law of Proactivity, Drs. Cloud and Townsend write:

“This is the beginning of the establishment of proactive, instead of reactive, boundaries.  This is where you are able to use the freedom you gained through reacting to love, enjoy, and serve one another.  Proactive people show you what they love, what they want, what they purpose, and what they stand for. These people are very different from those who are known by what they hate, what they don’t like, what they stand against, and what they will not do.” (Boundaries, p. 98)

There it was, right in the pages of my “homework” –  in this world where so much of how we identify people is based on what they are against, I want to be someone who is known for all of things that I am for.  I want to be identified by the joy that I express as I open my heart and choose to notice all of the everyday, beautiful moments of my life.  I want to make my own version of “My Favorite Things” and sing it out to the world every day – maybe not literally, because I work in an office with serious grown-ups now – but I want my soul and spirit to be singing a new song to Jesus, giving Him thanks for all of the gifts that He bestows, and giving Him glory by delighting most of all in the Giver Himself.

Now I’m not really a songwriter, but I did manage to come up with a couple verses of my own Favorite Things; and if I can do it, you can too!  I’ll even share mine to give you some inspiration (and to prove that it’s totally okay if it doesn’t rhyme!):

Blue jays that sing from the tree by my window
Big, comfy couches and mugs full of coffee
Library books that are long-overdue
These are a few of my favorite things!

Fluffy white clouds while I fly on an airplane
Colorful weeds that I call wildflowers
Smell of bonfires that clings to my clothes
These are a few of my favorite things!

Maybe you don’t have the creative capacity to write a song today, but won’t you still join me in living with such fierce delight in God’s most precious gifts to us that, as His people, the world knows us by what we are for, rather than all of the things we are against?  I would be honored to walk this journey with you.

with love and wanderlust,
Cassady