Mon.-Took Susan to church early to meet her ride for youth camp. Ran a few errands and came home and cleaned up what I could from the pig roast under threatening sky. At noon, my vacation started and I rested until 2. Then Micah and Janelle and I went to the river. Micah and I came back up after we started a fire and we found some hot dogs and marshmallows. We had fun building a little playmobil village and catching crayfish. Janelle and I discussed the writing of books. She said, "We'll get a book out of you yet." Went to bed early after finishing my E.P.Roe book I've been working on. I am thankful that Phil is taking me to the dentist tomorrow. I'll be drugged up due to vertigo and the drug acts like truth serum so only certain people are allowed to take me. ;) I am thankful that the most important thing in the world to do today was a gift from God. All I had to do today was to forget what time it was, sit by the river, play with Micah, and dream with Janelle. I am thankful for Hugh's fresh sweet corn sitting there hot in the kettle, waiting for me to put butter and salt on it.
Tues.-Sleepy day. Phil took me to the dentist. Slept in the chair. We got a Wendy's burger and a Tastee Freeze ice cream on the way home. I don't remember the rest of the day. Slept all day and all night. Thank you God for sweet dentists, sweet treats, and sweet sleep.
Wed.-Erin came around 9 and we literally sewed all day. Had alot of trouble with the zipper in her dress but the end results were great. She is so happy with her 'fun' dress. Hers is green and gold with oriental designs and elephants trumpeting here and there. Alli stopped in later for me to sew in her straps. Her dress is pink eyelet and she is pleased with hers as well. Both girls are wearing their dresses to different weddings this Sat. Erin made some chinese food for lunch. It served as supper as well. She hung out with Phil and I for the eve. while Philip went to youth group. We played some pick one and made popcorn using sesame oil to pop it in and adding garlic salt, popcorn salt, seasoned salt, and curry. Delicious. Phil read to Erin and I from his book about Africa while we ate popcorn. I am thankful for Alli's bubbly happiness. I am thankful for Erin's friendship to our whole family. I am thankful that both of their dresses actually fit them. Next time, we are going for a fast and easy pattern. I am thankful that Judy is quite a seamstress!
Thurs.-Day to myself. Long quiet study time. Did some wash. Exercised. Listened to Medi-share's teaching. Walked to the river. Sewed on Susan's dress. Blogged. Picked and ate blackberries with Phil. A very wonderful day. I am thankful that Michelle learned about 'community' on her Chi Alpha conference and community has been on my mind as well. I am thankful for Sara's nice phone call today. I am thankful for Alli's post on her blog about the chair she reupholstered.
Fri.-Another day to myself. Until 4 anyway. So, I am looking back on the themes of my life in the past year...obedience, humility, simplicity, and now the word is 'community.' I was reading in 1 Thess. 12, 13 where the writer is praying that "our love would abound towards one another SO THAT the Lord may establish our hearts blameless in holiness before God our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints." Loving each other and being blameless in holiness is what church should look like. This is true community. If we love one another, God can then establish our hearts to be blameless in holiness. People can have the appearance of holiness but they can be self-righteous in their holiness and be void of love. And that profits no one. So holy love between one another is true community. I left around 3:45 and ran out and got groceries and then met Michelle at the Asian Cuisine near the theatre and caught up with her life over chicken teriaki. We saw Nanette with her parents going into the movies so we ran out to swap howdies and I gave her my Aborigines holler across the parking lot to get her attention (Its quite loud when I am excited and outside and have no personal children around to withhold the volume so as not to embarrass them as greatly) and I looked back at Michelle just in time to see the people inside the restaurant giving themselves whiplash. I hope no one had any accidents. I love being older and not caring what people think. Nanette, who just got married a week or so ago, is positively aglow and that's all I'm going to say about that. So Michelle and I spent a lovely evening and I gleaned more from her about community which I wrote about on a separate blog. I picked up Susan around 8 from Mission Trip Boot Camp and got to hear about some of her adventures from camp. She is taller and older looking and quite wise. She grew up in 5 days and I miss my little girl but I know it is right that she grows up as I grow older. ///I am thankful for another day to be at home and sew and catch up on some correspondence, etc. I am thankful that Susan is now registered with LCA online high school and that they will accept music, art, phys ed, home ec. hours and credits, etc. I am thankful that their spanish program is Rosetta stone which we already have.
Sat.-Nice relaxing day at home. Susan did some wash and packed for NY. She and I made a large Asian stir fry for lunch complete with brown rice. Chace and Travis had spent the night here with Philip and made their own breakfast and went fishing for most of the day. Some of their friends came over in the eve. and they made bacon burgers and watched a movie in the house and now they're playing kickball. I took Susan out to town for boot camp. I got a few more groceries and dog food and then went to Chick Filet and bought a chicken sandwich and sat outside and started reading a book on spiritual friendships which is all about....drum roll please...COMMUNITY!!!! Oh, Yes! It's amazing how this has been happening to me. I bet there will be something in the sermon about community tomorrow. Community is happening in our back yard as I write this. Oh-then I left Chick Filet because I was getting second hand smoke downwind from a dear lady and as I was driving towards church I saw Judy and so I called her and we ended up at McD's eating Rolo blizzards which are not listed on my diet but are so good. ///I am thankful for Susan's excitement for tomorrow. I think she will want to go back to NYC. I know that I've wanted to go back ever since I went 30 years ago. I am thankful for Judy and her friendship and willingness to be spontaneous even though she was tired. I am thankful that community starts in the home and reaches out to the neighborhood and into people's hearts and souls. I am thankful that community has nothing to do with being perfect.
Sun.-Many waters of sorrow, fear, sin...cannot quench His love. I know of no better way to describe what church was like for me today. Susan's NYC Missions Team went up front for prayer and then left right afterwards. She posted some happy sounding times on face book as they traveled north. Alli and Freeman came home from a wedding they attended yesterday. I missed them sitting with us at church. Philip hung out with his buddies all weekend. Michael was in Fairfax for a training with Cutco. Phil and I were empty-nesters and came home and ate leftovers. I made popcorn and we watched 'Knight and Day' again. We went down to the river to start a fire and soon Janelle, Micah, and her parents, Carl and Marcia, and her brother, Jason and his wife, Erin, and their three sweet kids, Leah, Isaac, and Corbin came down to spend the evening. We roasted hot dogs and s'mores and had watermelon, raw veggies, and chips to round out our meal. Little Corbin, 11 months old, couldn't decide whether he liked me or not. It was pretty funny. Philip came down later, with his puppy, Isaac. It rained a bit but we were under the trees and didn't feel a thing. Phil drove the kids up in the gator and they loved him for it, hugging him before they left for home. ///I am thankful that Micah is still young enough to want me to kiss his chin when he hurts it. I am thankful that he still wants to sit on my lap and I look at him and wonder how much longer he will snuggle with me, being seven, and so grown up. I am thankful that Micah wanted to show off his gate closing skills and show off his river to his cousins. I am thankful for the envelopment of God's love all around me.
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