Over tea and creme brulee. . .

I will sing aloud of Your steadfast love in the morning, 

for You, my God,  have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.

Once upon a time I penciled the names of 2 old friends in my Bible next to Psalm 59:16-17.
My friends live on opposite coasts- they've never met, but one day they might.

 Pam lives on the west coast- she comes to San Antonio every November and we pack in a day together.
She brings gifts- San Francisco sour dough bread for John, treats for my grandchildren, an assortment of little treasures for me; we've  been friends for almost 40 years.

A few weeks ago I met Pam in Dallas. We stretched dinner over an evening and then ordered dessert. The waiter set out little white teapots and a creme brulee with 2 spoons.

"I think you haven't seen each other for a very long time." He observed, smiling.

The tea steeped and we probed, "What is God teaching you, friend?"

"Blessed are the meek. . . He's teaching me not to think more highly of  myself then I ought to think- you know, old lessons in new shoes." I said.

We sipped hot tea and dipped 2 spoons into creme brulee, in slow motion.

 "Ahh,  every morning I pray the same. . . pray and practice again and again" she revealed.

I say to every one among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think,

 but to think with sober judgment. Romans 12:3

Elliott Benjamin~Welcome to the world
and to the family.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made
. . .and with a soul that will live forever

A peek into retirement

Boots, big puddles, sweet girls, a grandmother . . . I'm spending the week with Noah's family in the Dallas area, anticipating baby boy's arrival.  

John drove up for the weekend and Saturday we played at the park.
My husband buckled his little grandaughters into car seats- I watched him eye the narrow spot where the infant seat would be wedged-

"I'm thinking about this design. . . a base for triple interlocking car seats."
(Hmm, I call that his "Thomas Edison brain")

For an instant I peeked through the retirement window. . .

Last week I shared with a friend that my husband is thinking about retiring at the end of this school year.
"Really?" She sounded surprised. "He seems so vigorous!"

"I don't foresee pushing him around in a wheel chair any time soon." I said.

I know. . . the future is a mystery.
 But bit by bit we share plans, and my husband keeps adding to his bag of worthy pursuits -

And sometimes he tells me about inventions stored up in his Thomas Edison brain. . .

Strong in different ways

Sunday afternoon we peddled our bicycles in Austin, around the university and state capitol; for me, peddling the hills is arduous and the traffic a little scary;  I managed alright in the well marked bike lane until John called out, "Move over- a bus is coming up behind you!"
That day I learned the rule of  the road: when in a bike lane, yield to the bus. . . (at least in downtown Austin)

My husband is sharp and sure of himself on a bicycle, on unfamiliar streets, amid traffic, and somehow he navigates me along. . . the next morning he mapped a 10 mile ride and we explored a tamer part of Austin.

But I stopped to pull out my camera. . . again to tie my shoe. . .and again to avoid a collision-
"Let's share the pumpkin bread in my basket and find coffee/hot chocolate," I suggested.

So- in the  line at Starbucks a conversation floated from behind me, "Ahh, listen to that beautiful Spanish!" I whispered to my husband.
"I can't catch it all- they're talking too fast, must be Argentinians." he whispered back.

Later we sat in an office in Austin and listened to a young man behind a desk talk about teachers retirement.

Retirement will be good, I think. . .we'll be strong in different ways.

Two are better than one. . . for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. (Ecc 3: 9)

debt of love

Let no debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to love one another. . .Rom 13:8
 

I've been thinking a lot about what it means to pay the debt of love I owe to my enemies, neighbors, family. . .
Last week I took a meal to a family with a new baby-a young family with 4 children, 5 years old and younger- just like my family 30 years ago.
The memories blur, sepia with cracked edges in the album of my mind.

"How did you handle contention among siblings?" they inquired.
"Oh, so your children fight? imagine that?" I said.

 I attempted a thoughtful answer and we talked on while I cradled the sleeping newborn.
 Mainly we talked about living out the gospel in our families- it was good.
  
But I forgot to tell them that the pursuit of peace never ends- we work  to keep away from strife, to prefer others, to pay the debt of love we owe, again and again, year after year, siblings and parents too.

I told my young friends that brothers and sisters grow up- and sometimes they actually choose to live together, to serve and enjoy one another.
my girls have a sweet story about a ceramic cake stand and a sister surprise.

 I'd blog the story, but it's theirs to tell. . . (hint hint)

All in a day. . .

My  sister, Beth, is a nephrology nurse. . . I love that word- nephrology, but to me her work is an amazing mystery.  My sister is compassionate and  incredibly skilled- she takes care of people with kidney disease.

 And this month she's retiring after doing her good work for 30 years in the same hospital.

Beth collects children's books, the kind that narrate an authentic story with beautiful words and illustrations.  So-I found a perfectly lovely picture book,  All in a Day, and sent it off  to her-

to celebrate retirement, to celebrate what's next. . .because a day is a perfect piece of time to live a life, to plant a seed. . .

Today I'm musing how my dear sister will fill her days with beauty in the garden and the kitchen, with care giving in new venues, with a cross country bicycle trip, perhaps? 

 And I'm really hoping she'll write a children's book of her own--an authentic story with beautiful words and pictures, a book that I will read to my grandchildren.one day.