Early Morning Rain

We awoke to the unfamiliar sound of rain this morning! I went outside to smell the fresh air and feel the raindrops on my skin. The street lights reflected onto the glimmering, running water in the road. The crape myrtles and ligustrum hung onto every precious drop. How refreshing!

The grass has become yellow and crunchy. The highways, only a few months ago crowded with wildflowers, cry for a drink and cringe at the cigarette butts thrown casually out of car windows. Trees, lawns, and bushes are taking their last breaths all through Texas. It is only a little rainfall, but how refreshing! We receive it with glad hearts! You know you don't live in Nebraska anymore when you race out to take pictures of snow and rain.

~~~

The Lord will guide you continually,
and satisfy your soul in drought,
and strengthen your bones;
you shall be like a watered garden,
and a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail.
Isaiah 58:11

Seeing is Believing?

On this past Friday morning I was out doing some errands and stopping at a few garage sales along my path. I found myself passing by an apple tree while getting back to the main road. I noticed that lots of birds were feeding on the apples. As I got out of the car to get closer to take a picture of the fruit I noticed green movement. When I stepped closer a flurry of green birds flew off into the tall trees in back of the lot. I rubbed my eyes, and though I saw them I still did not believe what I was seeing. Doubting Thomas I was.

When I went back the next day with my camera I saw them again. A few were in the apple tree; but most of them were across the street. I had to strain to see them hidden high in the green leaves. The neighbor to the apple tree told me that they had migrated from the Texas coast last year and again this year. They returned to the apple tree.

I thought again how God sets me up. I stop to take a picture of one thing and find the He has positioned me to see something that is so awesome that it is hard to believe, even though I see it right before my eyes. God is good!

Gram Sandwich

I kept two of my grandchildren today while my daughter went to a medical class. I had gotten a shirt and some sunglasses for my grandson, and some skorts for school for my granddaughter. I found some sunglasses in my stash as well that I gave her to match the sundresses I made her from a sleeping shirt she brought over to use as a pattern.

Faith has loved fuchsia and purple forever, so when I pulled out this yardage I knew it would be well received as a long summer dress. The short one with sunflowers was a remake from a very large size Acapulco shirt I found at a garage sale. I put it away until the idea came to match the remake.

We went around the corner to Subway after a vote of choices. I was able to get a gluten free sandwich there as well, and we enjoyed a great lunch together.

My husband Skyped us from Israel, and it was great to see and talk to him with the kids here. Phone and computer problems at the first of his trip made the days very long without voice communication.

When my daughter came to pick them up after her class I was blessed to be a gram sandwich surrounded in a big hug by my daughter and grandchildren. Much joy and laughing today!

~~~

He will fill your mouth
with laughter
and your lips
with shouts of joy.
Job 8:21

Help in our Weakness

I knew when my husband was going to be gone for a week and a half that it would be an opportunity to clean out corners and clear clutter out of my house. I have made promises to myself before to exercise every day or throw /give away 10 things every day. I need God's help to be able to do those kinds of things. They are not necessarily fun, but there is much satisfaction in completing the tasks, one day at a time.

One of the pressing things I have wanted to get done is paint an accent wall of navy blue in our master bath. I started yesterday afternoon and finished today. I have also gotten a few other huge tasks started. You can't finish unless you start. The start button, for me, does not keep the motion going forward unless it is fueled by God. Discipline, if it were easy, would be evident everywhere. A simple definition for discipline? G...ood O...rderly D...irection: GOD. Without God I run out of gas, gumption, and grace. With God? All things are possible!

~~~~

The Spirit helps us in our Weakness.
Romans 8:26

Parched Ground

Isn't God good that he put in us the capacity to stay in the moment, but also the capacity to bring up a memory. We can remember a place of wildflowers growing on the banks of rushing waters when we are dwelling in a time of parched ground. We can remember fertile, lush fields when we are in the midst of flooded lands. There is a cycle, and things pass.

My friend from Colorado always reminds me, "It came...to pass." The circumstance we are in, whether it be flooding or parched ground, will not be forever.

We can sing praises of thanksgiving that we have beautiful memories of past times and hope for a future. God is good.

~~~~

He turned the desert
into pools of water
and the parched ground
into flowing springs.
Psalm 107:35