Awesome. . .

As my children grew up. . . I talked to them about words.

Awesome, I would say, is no bland, insipid word-Awesome describes our mighty creator God-and not much else.

"But boys. . .one day as your bride walks down the aisle, you will think,"Wow, Awesome!"

Appropriate word usage, I would say.

And last Saturday I could read Josiah's face. . .Awesome!

Congratulations

Josiah and Lindsey Newton

July 24, 2010

chorizo, clean clothes, new friends

So, as Mercy's car was submerging in a drainage ditch, off the highway in a no-name Panhandle town-she escaped the car and ran to a convenience store.
Leo was finishing up his all-night shift, delivery at the convenience store-he overheard Mercy's appeal for help and he offered. . .paper towels, his cell phone, kindness-and then Leo asked if he could take Mercy home to Gloria, his wife.
Yes, please!
And Gloria was there, warm and kind, caring for 3 grandchildren, making chorizo tacos-chorizo, one of Mercy's favorite things.
So, Gloria fed her, washed and dried her soggy, smelly clothes, offered a shower-and comfort.
Leo helped her call the sheriff, make the police report- and that afternoon, Mercy caught a ride part way home to San Antonio with Leo, Gloria, the grandchildren.
New Friends, I'd say- Mercy's already been back to visit.
I'm readng through Proverbs again this summer, asking the Lord to give me fresh eyes for familiar truth.
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. (Prov 3:27)
I think about Leo and Gloria. . .and what about me?

meditate, be still, trust the Lord

Reading through the Psalms, I'm back at the beginning-today, Psalm 4
Tremble, and do not sin; meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still; offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And trust the Lord (Ps 4:4-5)
Sometimes that's just the best place to be: tremble, meditate, be still, trust the Lord. . .today I was there and very thankful for God's grace to me-that I could even stay there.
Last Friday morning Mercy's car slid off the highway and plunged into a drainage ditch.
she called. . I was in the kitchen, just putting the cinnamon rolls in the oven, "Mom, I was in an accident, I'm safe, my car is submerged. . ."
submerged- a scarey word
That night Mercy told us the details- I got a hiccup inside, thinking what could have happened. . . she's safe-I remember that life is fragile, like grass that withers. . .
So, 4 days later, in a borrowed car, Mercy drove back to the Panhandle.
And I chose to remember God's words which describe her life:
"Your eyes have seen my unformed substance and in your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them" (Ps 139:16)

Boys and Books

Our grandchildren are visting- they all love books!
And I love to watch them-purusing the shelves, examining the covers, touching the pages, drinking up the words.
Malachai and Josu are visiting from Spain-mmmm, boys are different than girls. . .the grandaughters have never attempted to scale the bookshelves-one day I discovered Josu (4 years) at the top of a tall narrow one, plucking off a good read.
And the boys have their own favorites-for an entire week Malachai (7 yrs) was deep into Aesop's Fables.
I chose Misty of Chincoteaque (Maurgarete Henry) for our read aloud days-some horse terminology needs explanation, but the engaging story, illustrations, and writing all combine for a wonderful read aloud; almost every day after 1 or 2 chapters, Malachai appealed for 1 or 2 more, and I would beg off -tired voice. . .
"I can keep reading!" he would announce.
Then I would explain the reading rules at 2305, "I read, you listen"-that's the way it's been forever. . .
And our grandsons discovered the Tintin (Herge) collection-Jeremiah printed his name and address on the inside cover of each- tattered copies, retired from the public library, gifted to our son years ago- so, Tintin (in English and Spanish), loved by boys young and old, one generation to the next.

kitchen observations

Naomi's kitchen in Spain

So, Rachel and Naomi, have been cooking together in Naomi's kitchen in Spain for 6 years- this summer they're hanging out in my kitchen.
I heard them say, "Can you believe it? Mom has a toaster. . . and a rice cooker!"

I imagine they remember my aversion to extra machines in the kitchen, machines that take up space (and always break!)
but my new kitchen gadgets have stories. . .

So-my friend, Caroline, makes great rice-and I've told her so; a few years ago Caroline found me a rice cooker at a garage sale, one just like her's; now as I make rice the easy way, I think about Caroline.

when my friend, Pam, came to San Antonio, we made toast together in the broiler part of my oven-we both love hot tea with toast and marmelade. Pam returned to California and next I received a package in the mail-a small white toaster, just the size to fit in a squishy little space in my kitchen; now I make perfect toast almost every day-and I think about Pam.

A good story -and thoughts of sweet friends-legitimize the keeping, don't you think?