# 5, I am Abundant By Susan L.

  The first place my mind went was to my waistline. Yup, plenty of abundance there! Which I've decided to do something about. Peanut butter has been banned. I bought gum to curtail after dinner snacking. The improving weather means making myself go for walks. It's a start.
  I digress but I have to ask the Lord to forgive me for turning to food for comfort.


  "Abundant" is a word of harvest.
  The cornucopia, a horn of plenty, overflows with the goodness the earth produces. It's a symbol of thanksgiving, a successful season, as well as family and feasting. It's a regular ole party hearty. (Gee, turning away from food didn't last very long did it?)
  So what would the "Cornucopia of Sue" be filled with? Better yet, what does yours have in it?



  In mine I'd find:
  1. Abundant faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
  2. Experiences which have served to deepen my faith and draw me closer to Jesus. They have also enabled me to connect to others with the intimacy of commonality. None of us are alone.
  This is when I start to struggle because listing attributes always feels like boasting. Therefore, I will give the glory to God for having freed me to embrace the abundance of everything He has given me.
  3. Intelligence that is tempered by moments of being slow to understand. Wisdom is not necessarily part of intelligence. :)
  4. Curiosity and wonder. Those encompass the ability to learn. Learning comes with admitting that I don't always get it right. Now that's wisdom!
  5. Emotions. That's all of them, even anxiety and sadness because when I feel these things it means I am connected to my heart. This has helped me turn to prayer in times of need when sometimes, I think I have to cope all on my own.
  6. Laughter and play.
  7. Courage to follow the darkest paths in order to glean God's truths about life, love and community.
  8. Joy in everything, even in the sadness.
  9. Vulnerability and strength.
  Nine and ten explore and celebrate our duality. They are entwined and inseparable like Paul says about being full and suffering need at the same time. (Phil 4:12)
  10. Determination. The best part of determination is I truly want to be better than I am.
  11. Honesty although sometimes it takes a while to figure out what is really going on.
  12. Humility. Shame is NOT humility. Humility is the offspring of gratitude and surrender.
  I know there are riches to be uncovered still so the last two items for today are:
  13. Jesus is present in all things, at all times, in every aspect of my cornucopia.
  14. Rest.
  "I (Jesus) am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." Jn 10:9-10
  I have to add that I was rather taken with the idea of going in and out of the Jesus gate. Having been a shepherd, I know sheep need times of feasting as much as times of rest in the safety of the barn. They never spent all day out on pasture but would return several times throughout the day to digest and chew their cuds.