Deep Thoughts and Little Happenings

I had two very weepy days at the beginning of the week.  Momma is enduring multiple health difficulties.  Daddy is in the hospital with pneumonia.  The anniversary of my sister's death is fast approaching.  Multiple friends are fighting the same battle my sister lost three years ago.  Our son is on a temporary assignment to a place that's far from friendly to US citizens.  And I was having a full blown pity party. Yes, all of those things are valid reasons to feel weepy, but I was making them all about me.  I knew it was happening.  I prayed about my attitude.  I even confessed it to my brother when we talked.  But I kept feeling sorry for myself.  I even cried over forgetting to use the baking cups when I made George's breakfast muffins.  Thankfully, they came out of the pan without tearing into a million pieces...unlike me! I'd like to say I was able to pull myself up by the bootstraps (whatever that means) and get my attitude right, but I wasn't.  I did a lot

Good Morning!  We got about 10 inches of snow over the weekend.   I love snow!  Have you ever noticed the hush of snow?  It seems to muffle all the background noise. Snow transforms a dirty world into something beautiful and clean.  The entire world glistens when it snows.  And there's not a brighter white.  In fact, it's blinding in it's sparkling whiteness. I can't stop thinking about the transformation snow brings.  It's God who brings not only the snow but the transformation.  Even two days after the snowfall has ceased, I'm admiring my red maple and how its winter nakedness has been covered. And that has me thinking about how the LORD hides my nakedness.  He covers me over and protects me from exposure.  His presence and love transforms me. In Isaiah chapter 1 we're told our sins are like scarlet, but when He covers them with His righteousness, they become whiter than snow.  Wow!  I cannot imagine anything whiter than snow. Shoveling snow ma

Good Morning!  It's another gray winter morning here and there is something too dreary about gray.  Okay, that's totally off topic, except that it gives you my frame of mind as I write. I'm thinking about relationships this year, but I've been reminded of the importance of boundaries this morning.  So, I'm exploring boundaries in relationship and realizing just how different they are with every person. I'll use our children as an example of what I mean.  They're both grown with families of their own.  They both need me to listen to and hear them.  The similarities end there!  What I can say to one will offend the other.  One will expect much input and the other will feel corrected with the same input.  I know this because I've had years of being in relationship with them (and I'm still practicing). This is not about how they were taught.  It's about them, their perspectives, and their desires.  In order to love them well, I have to know the

George and I are always looking for ways to create connection and community with all who come into our home.  We want it to be about more than existing in the same space.  We want it to be about relationship and enjoying one another. One of our craziest memories is when we had friends here prior to their departure for the mission field.  Our daughter's family also joined the fun when Hurricane Sandy decided to visit the area. We lost power for about 18 hours, but between the gas fireplace, stove and water heater, we stayed clean, had a bit of warmth, and plenty of food for our bellies.  We sat in the lantern light playing games and eating popcorn cooked in a pot on the stovetop that night.   We put both sets of children, five in all, in a row across one bed with layers of quilts on top.  They were so weighted down they couldn't move.   All those memories were summed up by what one of the children said that night, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm