lost in Jersey, caught in New York City. . .

This I know about myself: when I am lost, I struggle with fear. . .

Last Saturday John and I left Richmond, Virginia, headed towards Boston.

I'm the navigator. . .reading printed map directions, I navigated neatly around Baltimore, but somehow, somewhere I missed a line and instead of getting on the New Jersey turnpike, we stayed on I-40 east. . .the scenery was lovely and I was reading aloud to John.

hmm, I guess if we drive far enough east we'll hit the ocean, I told my husband. . .

Indeed, we hit the ocean, in Atlantic City, imagine that? And then we were lost. . . in Atlantic City.

Heart, why are you fearful? And of course, every city has a way out. . .

Yet more confusion-toll roads, turnpike tickets, a maze of highway arteries, an intense traffic snarl in New York City (how did we end up in Manhattan?)

Heart, why are you fearful?

I texted our kids, Pray! We're tied up in New York City-Scarey! (one cheeky girl suggested we visit Central Park and the Empire State Building.)

We crossed the George Washington Bridge, and of course, every city has a way out. . .

That morning as John and I wandered east through New Jersey, I was reading to him from the autobiography of Patricia St. John. She writes of the Morracan children who packed into her little room to hear the parable of the lost sheep, of their delight, amazement. . .The man having a hundred sheep, if he he has lost one, leaves the ninety-nine and goes after the one that is lost, until he finds it. . .then he carries it home on his shoulders, rejoicing (Lk 15)

And such is the Good Shepherd, always. . .

in Virginia. . .

though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Alex lived with us in Texas when he was single and young in the Lord. Arriving home from work and school, he would say, "Darcie, can we have tea and talk?" So, we visited Alex and Kathy in Virgina last week; we met their sweet children. I was cleaning out the car and Alex called to me, "Aren't you going to join the conversation?" Not much has changed, and I'm glad.

Deborah was part of our home group Bible study in Texas-she is dear to us; in April she married Paul and he took her to Virginia. Last week we ate Mexican food with Paul and Deborah in Virginia, imagine that? We asked Paul what he's learned about Deborah since they married. . ."Have you tasted her chocolate cookies?. . .She's kind and soft spoken now, just like before I married her!"
While John drives, I've been reviewing Colossians 2:1-5, practicing my verses for him- and thanking the Lord for our sweet young friends in Virginia.

For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

in North Carolina. . .

Welcome to Mr. Newton and Mrs. Newton. . .a note on the bedside table in 5 year old style, 2 water bottles and 2 Hersheys chocolate bars. So- Allan, Courtney and 5 sweet children welcomed us to North Carolina.
We arrived Monday evening, the same day Allan deployed to the Middle East-expected, but not expected so soon.
John did bikes and bugs and baseball. . . and shoe tying lessons. I held tiny Rebekah and untangled the sewing machine bobbin a hundred times-perhaps we cushioned the gap a bit. . .

Courtney and I crammed a year's talk into 3 days. we sat at the the neighborhood lake, counting 1-2-3-4 dark heads. . .and we talked about life in a broken world, about God's grace and goodness.
And Courtney said, "Darcie, it's not until I experience the opposite of God's character that I really appreciate God's character. . .when I experience loneliness, then I appreciate that God will never leave me. . .when I experience upheaval, then I appreciate that God never changes. . . "

We explored that worthy thought, fleshing out truth with real life.

And I was so glad to be in North Carolina with my friend.

summer on the road. . .

A few days ago we packed up the VW again, headed east on I-10, and 900 miles later we stopped in Auburn, Alabama. We spent the night in a hotel-imagine that?
My husband is an amazing packer; he fits things together like a puzzle-I watched him deftly manuvere 2 bicycles and a suitcase into the hotel elevator-I fit too.
The next morning a man in the hotel asked about our trip. . .5,000 miles planned!
Then we counted up the people we will visit-12 family groups (maybe more?)
An even dozen-we can hardly wait!

road trip, part 2

I've noticed. . .most stories involve a Part 2.

Monday evening the VW came back repaired! I was set to drive home Tuesday.

However, I needed to be at the airport in Austin to pick up John at midnight-How to break up the drive? How to steward my time?

So I called a friend who lives half way . . .

"Here's the deal. . .can I come by for a visit? How about dinner?"

"Please come!" she said.

So, Tuesday afternoon my friend and her sweet children were waiting on the porch. The kids showed me the new puppy, new paint, new room decor, the boys showed me new matial arts moves (my friend showed me the window broken by a foot through the glass. . .I have boys.)

It was all good.

Later my friend and I sat together. We talked, and she brought up familiar themes -the need for vigor in the christian life, future fears, past regrets, priorities, priorities, choosing to believe truth when it's hard. . .. Lots poured out-and fast.

I thought, God's truth layers into our lives-always

Friend. . ."Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with their whole heart."

I left my friend's place after 9:00 and arrived at the airport just in time to meet John's plane.

We drove an hour home- I told him all about my good day. . . road trip, Part 2.

a cup. . and a girl

I became a Texas Tech Mom when Mercy went away to college-this cup is big, too big for a comfortable coffee, so I eat vanilla ice cream out of it-and I think about Mercy studying hard, scooping ice cream on the side, in the Texas Panhandle.
But she's home for the summer-and last week we took a road trip to visit family in Dallas. We were hoping for a little adventure like that, just the 2 of us.
So-we drove and talked, drove through heavy traffic and talked. . .no music this time, just talk; we stopped for a coffee and more driving and talk-talk about vision, communication, relationships, writing, the gospel, people-how to love the people in our lives. . .
"if I can't connect with a person, it's probably because I haven't taken time to find out how we're alike," she said.
True, I thought
The next morning our road trip took a slight twist when the VW wouldn't start.
John and Noah attempted to trouble by phone, Texas to California;they concluded the VW needed a real mechanic.
And the next day Mercy took the Greyhound home-7 hours on the bus, by herself.
hmmm, not really by herself-I missed the talk. . .

Aunt Mercy and Adalyn

when the kitchen is 100 degrees. . .

Today I'm going through old cooking magazines, tearing pages from Summer Cookbook. The recipes look amazing, cool dishes for hot summer days-but my kitchen is 100 degrees. . .
Summer comes and goes in my kitchen, and I've learned a few things:

• Butter puddles fast on the counter (and honey pours onto my toast- good)


• Yeast dough balloons up and out the bowl (hint: no summer breadmaking)


• Buy few bananas. . .


• Close the refridgerator door fast-less humitity inside the fridge means less drip.


• Plug in the crockpot on the deck-outside


• Eat salad-

Well, I say Eat Salad, but in 100 degrees food wilts, looks and tastes just so-so; I tell myself, most women in the world cook- serve- eat in hot kitchens like mine, or hotter. .
I've also learned that grumbling and comparing are in my heart, on my tongue. I know- Scripture is packed with verses about contentment, but today I just need to remember the gospel, what I deserve and the great price Jesus paid with his blood, for me.
Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness (Ps 37)
. . .a very good reminder to dwell right here in my kitchen, to feed the people I love, and to be amazed by the gospel