just a quick run into Safeway…

It was just a quick run into Safeway

to buy sweet potatoes for a dinner side dish

and a Diet Coke for right now.

She was in the check out line behind me

talking loudly on her self phone,

having a dispute with someone,

her boyfriend?

She bought a Lunchable

and two bags of Reese’s pieces

and she was younger than me

but her face looked old and tired.

I thought to self, “Doesn’t she know there’s a proper place for private conversations and this isn’t one of them?”

Inside myself I was irritated at her.

Then she says, “We’ll talk more later” and hangs up the phone.

She glances at me and notices my 25th anniversary diamond from my husband and admires it.

I give her a polite fake smile, pay for my potatoes, and leave the store.

The next morning I’m brushing my teeth and it all comes back to me.

A Voice speaks to my heart about a hurting woman and a missed opportunity.

All I would have had to say is, “Looks like you’re going through a tough time.” and then listen.

But I was too full of self to notice, to care, to take the time.

This facing the truth about the darkness of my own heart and choosing to die to self isn’t easy.

Yet when I do shut off the constant

I think…

I feel…

I want..

and think about and serve someone else

I am blessed…

I am happy.*

A self-focused life is a miserable life.

*John 13:17

Still following,

Elizabeth

3 spring haikus…

Gray and rainy day

Warm spring sun please hurry up

Winter has been long

 

Flowers brought indoors

Reminding me of the hope

Spring will surely come

This spring I will plant

Lavender and rosemary

I hope they will grow

 

Just having a little haiku fun today,

Elizabeth

Tightening up the belt of truth…

What difference would it have made in my life if, in late September of 2009, I hadn’t taken pen to journal page and written: 1)I am lavished with love, grace and favor by Jesus.  It was the first of what will, in the next few days, become 1000, and I am still counting.  I had no idea that in the time represented between that first entry and now, youngest daughter would move to the midwest, second daughter, son-in-law, oldest granddaughter and only grandson would move to the east coast, oldest daughter and her husband, who served as our assistants for 12 years, would start their own church birthed by our church with a core group of people dear to us, my Mama would die.  The changes have been soul shaking.  Yet through it all, each time I take pen to that same little journal and write 981…982…983…I am tightening up the belt of truth and remembering the truth that, no matter the circumstances and changes life brings, I am lavished with love, grace and favor by Him.  The signs are all around me everyday.

“Awaken in me a holy givenness that is not just periodic but perpetual. 

Move me into the place where I am looking for You,

finding signs of Your love in the everyday

and responding amidst ordinary activities with extraordinary love.” Dana Candler

my continuing gratitude list

#969-#984

-family dinner with oldest daughter, son-in-law and baby granddaughter

-baby granddaughter squeezing her eyes shut, raising her hands, and singing,

“Hoe-wee, Hoe-wee, Woard God Awmighty.”

-Hub’s warmth next to me

-flowers from friends

-brown eggs in porcelain cartons

-God singing over us and us singing back “My soul sings, My soul sings, My soul sings, how I love You.”

-grocery store full of choices

-the smell of dinner in the oven

-phone calls and Skype

-praying together

-egg with sunny yellow yolk and multi-grain toast to sop it up with

-the Hubs prayers for me and encouragement and help with chores when I wasn’t feeling well

-a walk with a friend and her encouragement

-this book

-home

-a visit from my sister –in –law

 

Gratefully yours,

Elizabeth

 

joining the gratitude gatherers here-

Seated with Him…

Oh to live with this truth imprinted on our minds and hearts!

Wouldn’t we be unshaken by circumstances?

No longer intimidated by the enemy?

I am praying for God to help me to more deeply understand this and to more fully walk in its reality.

Still following,

Elizabeth

(photo of sunrise from a plane window)

I simply remember my favorite things…Friday’s favs…french-style milk bottle…

When the Hubs and I spent a couple of days at the beach for Valentine’s we had set back a little extra spending money to take along.  I looked at the outlet mall and not a thing caught my eye.  I browsed through some of the antique stores…nada.

Later on when I saw this French style milk bottle here I knew that it was the little Valentine present I wanted.  (I also got a card filled with love words and a bag of my favorite peanut M&Ms. My mama always said I had “champagne taste and a beer budget”.  But that’s not the case with me when it comes to chocolate…give me peanuts covered in chocolate over fancy chocolates any day!)

I love the red, which is one of my favorite colors.  I love the French words, probably because my mama and her family were French Canadian and when I was little I thought that was so exotic…my Nana spoke French!  I took four years of French in high school.  Parlez-vous francais?  I barely parlez-vous anymore…sad.

(The healthy muffin recipe can be found here, only this time I halved the amount of oil and sugar to make it even healthier.  Baby granddaughter loves them. The vintage style chicken wire basket was purchased at Marshall’s.)

Happy Friday Everyone!

Elizabeth

The counting…

I just finished reading Ann’s book yesterday.  Beautiful. 

Before the book, well over a year ago, I joined Ann along with many others and I began gathering gratitude, counting my blessings, giving thanks, eucharisteo, in this tiny journal made by my daughter…

I’ve almost reached my first 1000…

and I will keep counting.

Still following,

Elizabeth

 

my Simple Pleasure this week is Ann’s beautiful book

and the counting…

Each ordinary moment…

 

“Each ordinary moment is a possible exchange with Jesus…I can be wholehearted right now.  These common moments could be sacred if I would live them with an “I love You” in my heart…these seemingly static seconds of time have hidden doorways in them if I will choose to seek out their invitation.  The secret of the many saints of history, the heroes of the faith, is not that they managed to do only “spiritual” things, but that they learned how to make common things sacred unto the Lord.  They learned that God can be loved continually and can be known always, not just in times set apart for prayer or in lofty spiritual experiences, but in the commonness of life, the everyday moments and even the busy comings and goings.  If we do not find Him there, in the ordinary tasks and circumstances, we will not somehow suddenly find Him in times defined as sacred.”  Entirety by Dana Candler

Desiring to love Him continually, wholeheartedly, in every common day and moment, in every common task.

Still following,

Elizabeth