conversation and meditation

I have a collection of cups, each with a story. . .
Once Rachel and Abigail rode a tandem along the ocean, roamed a quaint coastal town, wandered into a shop with Italian pottery and purchased this lovely mug for me!
Now after 7 years, the rim reveals chips - and each time I choose this one, I think of my girls on a sister outing together. . .nice.
And this week I met a friend for coffee. We talked about God's call to obey, "If you love me, you will obey me," calls our good King.
And obedience is hard, but worth it. . . because God's glory is worth it.
I read Jesus' words to my friend,
If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. (Lk 9:23-24)

Then I went home. . . I pulled down my Italian cup with the chipped rim and I made a cup of Earl Grey-just for me. And I thought a lot about the words of Jesus, just for me.

whoever wishes to save his life shall loose it, whoever looses his life for my sake will save it.
mmmm, what specific ways have I been trying to "save my life" rather than lose it?
Curious, isn't it. . .how those words of Jesus were just for me.

words in a broken world. . .

Last week Diana and I spent a day translating a bridal shower devotional-over breakfast, lunch, and coffee, we reminded each other, Communication is more complex than just translated words!
Girls night out-mmm, how do I translate that to avoid sounding like. . .well, you know.
Endurance- more than patience. . .maybe a combination of words?

"Careful, Darcie, here the meaning is different in Spanish. . .this reference we leave out, okay?" Ah, friend, I'm thankful for you!
And the Gospel translates, no matter the language, the power and the truth translate!

It was a good day, a worthy pursuit with a friend. . .but even a faithful translation can be misunderstood, you know.
And so it is even when we speak the same language, right? No matter my sincerity, no matter how exact my words, there's no guarantee, and sometimes I'll be misunderstood. . . such is life in a world broken by sin.

So, I'll keep working at it, pursuing clarity. . . remembering the Savior, who communicated perfectly-yet was misunderstood.
Lord, create in me a humble, teachable heart.

dear aunts and uncles. . .

Saturday morning these children came for breakfast-7 sweet cousins, imagine that? So, we snapped a few pictures, then the food. . .
We ate and talked, and the littlest boy, the one with the roundest blue eyes, ate his blueberries. . .well, a few blueberries inside, lots on the floor and table, but really-mostly he sat on his blueberries.

Buddie, look at you! exclaimed one uncle.
then the aunts and uncles converged-mopping, wiping, scrubbing (the little shorts will never be the same).
-good thing a boy has aunts and uncles around when his mother is busy serving everybody and his grandmother is just standing there, amused. . .

just this. . .

Today I reviewed Colossians 1: 1-24.

So, I've been rumminating a bit. . .when life seems confusing-crushing,
Heart, remember just this:

He has delivered me from the domain of darkness and transferred me to the kindgom of his beloved Son, in whom I have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (vs13-14)

And that's enough. . .

love listens

I hear her mother say,

Selma, love listens. . .and listening works hard to understand the words-

hmmm, that's good, and good for me now. . .remember: love listens.

sometimes I forget the hard work part; sometimes I resist. . . (and sometimes I just talk.)

And one night as I tucked her into bed . . . Gran, I'm gong to take my bed to Mexico City and when you come to visit me, you can sleep in my bed.

nice, sweet girl.

about waiting. . .

Last week Dian and I wandered the museum grounds.

I wonder about this girl. . ."Ah, Til we have Faces," said my literary friend. I like an artist to give some context to his piece, like a label-

this girl only has a name, Victoria-and her story?

hmm, a girl made of stainless steel- I like her neck, the curve of her mouth, her round, smooth hair.

And I think she is waiting. . .

This week I"ve been thinking, reading, praying about waiting. So, waiting is a kin to being caught in the middle of something- caught in the middle. . . hmm, I was meant to live for something bigger than myself, bigger than my relationsships, situations, locations; I'm part of God's kingdom, and while I wait, He's crafting me. . .

Wait for the Lord, be strong and let your heart take courage, wait for the Lord! (Ps 27:14)

"There are times when waiting is painful, impossible. . .but we wait because the world is carefully administered by the one Person who is ultimate in power, ulitmate in authority, ultimate in wisdom, ultimate in love. I am being asked to wait by One I can trust." (Paul Tripp)

And I can rest. . .He's doing good in me, even though at this moment it feels as if I have been caught in the middle.

thankful for grace.

chair project. . .and a visit

I inherited 6 lovely oak chairs from a friend. ( they match my floors!)

I'll replace the seat covers-John advises that a few need regluing, but really, they're okay, I say. . .

I plan to replace one bench at my dining room table with chairs-easier seating for some.

One afternoon last week my neighbor, Nieves, came by for a visit. Nieves works long days in a meat packing plant, in refrigeration- it"s been months since her last visit. I offered her one of my new chairs, a nice one with arms. We shared life for more than an hour- family, photos, flower seeds.

creak. . .creak. . .(Aye-every time she shifted in my lovely chair).

"No te mortifices" (don't worry), she said. . .and again.

And I did worry about it. After Nieves left, John got out the gorilla glue.

something knitted

I'm blocking this little shrug-for Selma. Her mother suggested white or navy blue. I'm hoping it fits our sweet 3 year old-if not, there are plenty of little girls in my life, and I'll try again for Selma, knitting the same pattern with bigger needles.

And a button-it still needs one button!

I love this pattern- it's quick, easy: "Knitting Pure & Simple"-Little Girl's Shrug.

parsley, sage, rosemary, and. . .

One day this week I met an old friend- we strolled the grounds of the art museum and ate lunch at Twin Sisters-a favorite spot, crowded, noisey. . .

"I like the hum!" said my friend.

So there amid the buzz, we ate soup-talked, encouraged, challenged. . .until there was no longer any buzz in that place. My old friend-really, she's not old, but our friendship has been long, and we're growing older. . . nice, I think. from my yard in the morning, I cut her a bouquet-Parsley, Sage, Rosemary. . .sorry, no Thyme!

"How appropriate," she said, "Always so little time!"