“Seasonally, we too are stripped of visible fruit. Our giftings are hidden; our abilities are underestimated. When previous successes fade and current efforts falter, we can easily mistake our fruitlessness for failure.”
Anonymous, Alicia Britt Chole
This book was given to me by Chi Alpha Boston as a gift. I’m getting so much out of it that I thought I’d share it with you all 🙂
If you hadn’t guess by my last post, I’m reading through Galatians in the Life Recovery Bible, which is a version of the New Living Translation. I’m getting a lot out of it 🙂
“But oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives.” chapter 4, verse 19
How often I have felt this way in my life & relationships with other believers – the desire to see people grow into and walk in all God has for them. God calls us to freedom, but living out that freedom is both a daily decision and a process.
“Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are His child, everything He has belongs to you.” Galatians 4:7
We’re back from our jaunt all around New England & New York; actually, we’ve been back a week. My grandmother’s service was really nice. I managed to sing “Precious Lord” without choking up. My sister sang, a friend of Grammy’s sang, and my brother-in-law played Brahms, as well as several of Grammy’s compositions on the piano. We then went to the cemetary & had a few brief words there, as well as an a capella version of “Angel Band”, led by my dad. I got to see several of my mom’s siblings, so that was nice.
The next day, we then drove to Vermont to see my grandmother’s sister, who is almost 99. She is legally deaf & has been as long as I can remember. In order for her to hear you speaking, you basically need to speak very loudly & annunciate clearly. But when my brother-in-law played some of Grammy’s compositions on the piano, she seemed to be able to easily hear them & was even humming along.
We stayed overnight in a hotel & then saw my aunt again in the morning. We then headed 50 miles east to NH, to see my grandfather’s younger brother & his wife, as well as their son, his 2nd wife, & their son’s son. We went out to lunch & then went on our way back to Boston. Roy went & picked up Noodles that evening; he had been well cared for by the in-laws 🙂
Bear did very well in the car. I was very proud of him. And it was great to see all my family.
Now I’m preparing to speak on Mother’s Day at my church. I’m quite excited about it.
I’ve written a series of articles for “Boundless”, the webzine of Focus on the Family. This was possibly the easiest to write, but the most difficult to share. It’s strange to see it up in print now.
“Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed.” James 5:16, MSG
There’s freedom in honesty. It’s out there for the world to see. I can’t take it back, and I don’t want to.
God is cooking something up………..it’s best stated in Scripture and song lyrics 🙂
“There’s something’ due any day;
I will know right away
Soon as it shows.
“It’s only just out of reach,
Down the block, on a beach,
Under a tree.
I got a feelin’ there’s a miracle due,
Gonna come true,
Comin’ to me!
“Something’s coming, something’ good,
If I can wait!
Something’s comin’, I don’t know what it is
But it is gonna be great!”Stephen Sondheim
“Back to the start, my heart is heavy
Feels like it’s time to dream again
I hear your voice, and yes I’m ready
To dance upon this barren land
Hope in my hands“
Delirious?
“Now something inside is awakening,
Like a dream I once had and forgot.
And it’s something I’m scared of
And something I don’t want to stop.”
Sara Groves
“For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you. Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13
Much has happened since my last post.
We had a great trip down south to see family. It was a looooong drive, and not one I’d like to do again in the near future, especially with a baby & a dog!
A couple of days after we returned, I found out my beloved grandmother had a fall and had not woken up. She was 95. After 11 days on hospice care, with just oxygen, she passed away on Friday, 39 years to the day after her husband died. She was an amazing women! A mom, wife, pianist, organist, composer, and wonderful grand and great grandmother.
It’s snowing again. Trees have been knocked down, and people quite close to us have lost power. I’m planning on laying low, doing some cooking, hanging out with Baby Bear. I’m finally cooking a turkey I had in my freezer for a month & a half. This should be interesting as I’ve never cooked a turkey! I may also attempt an apple crisp.
This is my new blog! My blog on my site was so inundated with spam comments that I couldn’t keep up with moderating them. I’m hoping I’ll be able to control it better here.
Comments are not moderated, but you have to have a Google or Blogspot account to comment.