a visit and a psalm

(ahh, a little metal pitcher with Peter and the cabbage leaves. . .)

Last week I visited my friend, Jennifer- we drank tea in china cups and ate little cookies and tender biscotti. . .special treats from Amy in Mississippi.
The house was quiet-nice (but not necessary) for tea and talk. Jennifer shared Psalm 13; I pulled my travel Bible from my book bag and followed along-
"How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?. . .consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes. . .but I have trusted in your steadfast love. . ."
I remembered-no matter the season or circumstances, the challenges in a woman's life are the same-the clothes are different, the heart's the same. . .and God's Word restores.
Then Jennifer left to pick up her children and I drove home.
The house was quiet- at my desk I opened my worn old Bible and read Psalm 13 again; the page is wrinkled, words are scribbled in pen and pencil in the margin, "I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me." (vs 6)
Worship. . .scribbled in the margin

my mind rambles. . .

Women's Bible study started up on Tuesday, a new year- I can't wait. There are new things ahead for me, opportunities not planned by me. . .
And on Tuesday I met new women- so nice.
We circled the group, introducing ourselves, and I could only think of one thing to share; you see, Tuesday was Josiah's birthday, and Noah's birthday-they share the day, 5 years apart.
So, I told the women, "Today my sons share a birthday, born 32 and 27 years ago!"
Now my boys are fathers -I imagine my sons with sons, but God has given them daughters. I love to watch . . .
Boys! keep training and loving - supporting her head, holding her hand and all the rest. . .for a very very long time.
(Now I need to remember what those dear women shared with me about themselves. . .)

a space between each book. . .

Last week I visited Caroline-she showed me her clean, organized pantry.
"Lovely! Leave the door open for a few days." I said.
I told her about my bookshelf cleaning project-dusting, sorting, giving away, rearranging.
a clean bookshelf is nice. . .you know, a shelf with little spaces between each book. And I love that empty middle shelf. . .
I discovered some treasures and a bunch for the give-away box; Wild Alaska belongs to Josiah, sent from his dear grandmother who filled the title page with a personal letter; she also promised to send him an ample collection of books about Alaska. (I only found one)

So-John started a new school year and I started cleaning the bookshelf-I thought about Psalm 16, "I have set the Lord continually before me, because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken."

I have set the Lord. . .not a person, or vision, or ministry or any good thing. Then day by day my children and grandchildren started back to school, teaching and attending-universtities, high school, elementary, home school. . .in Mexico City my 3 sweet grandchildren began a new school year.

I recalled past school days. . .with a hint of longing. So, I kept cleaning the bookshelf and I prayed for them, for me. . .

I have set the Lord continually before me, because He is at my right hand I will not be shaken. (Ps 16:8)

just a button

So, I'm writing a post about a button-curious, but then the tiniest details seem to weave our lives together, don't you think?
This sweater is ready to send off to sweet Florence, but it needed a button- just one.
So I spilled out the button jar and quickly chose 4 or 5 possibilities. Then I asked my husband his opinion. . .fully expecting that he would respond, whatever-all good. . .
But he didn't-instead he chose the large colorful button, and really, I love it- and I love that my husband had an opinion about my handiwork. . .

Consider Him. . .

Friday night after Bible study I sat with a friend on the edge of the pool- our legs dangled in the tepid water.
surrounded by noise, splashing, laughter, conversations -she shared, "I want peace, this relationship is still broken, what more can I do?"
A tangled mess. . .that's what she described. we had discussed it before, her part in pursuing peace.
As much as possible with you be at peace with all men.

I hear my friend's confusion and feel her sadness; I want to smooth out the trouble for her, take away the hostility, somehow bring about reconciliation. . .
today I've been thinking about our world broken by sin- and about the gospel. . .
"Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted." (Hebrews 12:3)
So, today I'll call and encourage my friend . . .remember the cross! the gospel applies here, now, Consider Him. . .

dry but thirsty

Amaleah called on Monday, "Gran! it's 102 degrees-are you and Papi okay?"
so sweet. . .actually, at 5 P.M. the temperature outside was 105 degrees and I was driving home from cool Starbucks. I stepped inside my house, slipped off my sandals-the hardwoods felt hot.
And such is south Texas at the end of summer, hot and dry.

Last week I ate lunch with a young friend, "I wanted to ask you about this. . .I feel spiritually dry." she said.
Dry?? I look around me and dry means cracks-like the ground cracks, walls crack, skin cracks. . .but I understand my friend, and I know what it's like to feel dry on the inside.
Sometimes I feel parched. And the inside struggle flares when I don't thirst, or when I thirst for what is dead.
So, I keep putting the living God before me- My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to your word. . . (Psalm 119)

It helps to cultivate thankfulness. . .for small things.

Today I'm thankful for a new screen door. . . John is building, piecing, repairing, painting it. There are still cracks all around me, but I'm focusing on the lovely door.

O God, my soul thirsts for you, my flesh yearns for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (Ps 63)

a little cheer

Fanny Crosby wrote, "All the way my Saviour leads me. . . He cheers each winding path I tread."
So, I sing it, believe it. . .
Sunday after church meeting, John handed me a brown paper bag containing a lovely golden brioche. That evening we sliced and ate it- toasted, with butter and jam. Perfect
Monday I got an email from Michelle, "I know your kitchen is hot; you probably don't bake bread in the summer-I thought you'd like some homemade. . ."
Wednesday John and I munched goodies in the kitchen, "I keep meaning to thank you for buying these dates!" he said.
"Me? It's our friend, Patricia-every time I visit her, she sends me home with dates!" I said.
I love to think on the particular ways the Saviour leads and cheers. . . and how He uses people with bread and dates and more-
And this week my boy sent me a text, "students are back, bike shop is crazy busy, no day off for 2 weeks."
hmm, how to cheer his path? I sent a fast food gift card- Yep, fast food.
2 days later he texted, "Thanks, Mom, you're the best!"