just one day. . .

I've been thinking about my week full of people-it takes my breath away. One morning I read Psalm 118, "The loving kindness of the Lord is everlasting, let the redeemed of the Lord say so, let those who fear the Lord say. . ."
I need to say it out loud, tell somebody face to face.
I munched toast in the kitchen while Ralph washed his dishes.
"Sister Darcie, you've got a pile of dishes here but not much food," he laughed.
"I cooked dinner last night but you weren't around to eat it!" I said.
The loving kindness of the Lord is everlasting, Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.
Mercy called from college. I heard the traffic at the bus stop-I heard her voice smiling.
Let those who fear the lord say, his loving kindness is ever lasting.
After lunch I visited Erika; bright pink curtains hang in her tidy apartment-I love the rosy glow.
And this girl had questions all lined up, ready to go-good questions. I talked and Erika refilled my glass, half ice tea, half lemonade.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say the loving kindness of the Lord is everlasting.
Next I drove around the corner to a fast food place and ordered more lemonade. I sat at a green metal table under an oak tree and called Amy in Michigan.
"How does it look and what does it mean to worship in spirit and in truth?"Her questions were so deliberate, so earnest. . .
Then at 5 p.m. I drove home through city traffic. John was mowing the backyard jungle.
"Let's go out for tacos" I said. "I'll tell you about the people in my day and you tell me about the people in your day!"
hmm. . .just one day in my lovely week.
The loving kindness of the Lord is everlasting, let the redeemed of the Lord say so.

His perfect plan

Here's our sweet Adalyn. . .she wears her bicycle helmet even when she's not riding in the bike trailer behind her dad. That's our family.
So, last week I made a short rode trip to north Texas to visit them. I'd planned to stop half way to see my friend Julie; sometime I can squeeze 2 or even 3 visits into a single trip.
I'd planned to take Julie's daughters, Lydia and Anna, with me to visit the family, to have an overnight, to play with the little girls and Jamey-we'd been making plans for a long time. . .
But plans changed.
I've lived a long time. . . but I still wrestle disappointment when my plans are thwarted, even though I practice remembering that God is in control. (I guess after 6 decades I still want to be in control.)
But on my drive home I did visit Julie- in the hospital, expected though unexpected.
I simply exited the interstate into the hospital parking lot, imagine that?
I sat on the edge of the bed with my sweet friend and heard snippets of the account of her baby boy's birth just hours before.
Then I got to go into the NICU-to gaze at him, to wonder at birth and life.
Remember, heart, God's plans are perfect- always.

home

Traveling home from Mississippi, I missed my connecting flight in Houston.
I was there- amid a nation of spring break people, all headed for exotic destinations, most grumbling loudly about the delay.
I was just going home. . .
So-late that night I turned the key in the door at 2305. I discovered that a rodent had invaded my kitchen, my car had a flat tire, and the next morning as I bounded out to Bible study, the milk curdled in my coffee.
hmmm, welcome home. . .
But while I was in Mississippi last week, it rained in Texas-everything is growing, blooming.
Really, home is lovely.

good growth

I love to look at faces. . .here's a sweet bunch.
Last week I visited Amy and her children in Mississippi-we talked a lot and I pulled out my camera only once, on the last day.
This one is for their dad; he's in Afghanistan.
During the week I worked on a Bible study wrap-up, Good Growth.
Amy and I talked-
"The Christian life is intended to be one of continuous growth; we want to grow but we resist the process." (Jerry Bridges)
That's me, I want to grow but I resist the process- the discomfort, the unknown, the pain. . .
But our God is a zealous Redeemer. He invades my life with his transforming grace, patiently working to make me into the likeness of his Son, my King.
It helps to remember God's character and God's agenda -
And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus (Phil 1:6)
in you. . . God is doing his good work in me, not on the outside, not in my circumstances, but in me.
My friend is learning to embrace the process-it's good growth.

John and I are packing separate suitcases for separate destinations-tomorrow he goes to California and I head to Mississippi.
Friday I told our Bible study group that although John and I are scheduled to care for the children at our next meeting, we'll both be out of town. . .
"Tell us where you're going so we can send our children to you!" quipped one young man.
City, Seashore, Mountains. . .that's where you'll find us.
And in a week, we'll meet back at home, tired but with lots to share- opportunities, adventures, challenges.
So, teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90)

to sketch and talk. . .

My husband has been teaching for 22 years in our neighborhood public school. Recently we sat together while he graded a pile of test papers.
"I'd give this one an extra point for really neat handwriting," I told him.
John teaches his public school kids about the systems of the human body with a clever turtle diagram-he thought it up.

That's my creative husband- always sketching his ideas. (I talk ideas)

And he tells the children, "This couldn't just happen by chance- our bodies were designed by a Creator!"

Last week he spent 2 days reading standardized test questions in Spanish to Luis-2 days with one little guy. Luis worked away on the test and John sketched his profile.
"Mr. Newton! that's me- that's my ear with my big hearing aide!"

And one day last week my husband shared gospel truth with his co-workers, really amazing; they asked the question. We've been praying for opportunities.
Longevity in a place can be good or bad depending. . .well, depending on what we sketch.