Shadows in the light

(Our Wizard of Oz party cake. Rainbow made by Lydie and our good friend Ella. Proud smiles.)

2 Corinthians 4:18 (The Message)

"So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today and gone tomorrow. But the things that we can't see now will last forever."

This week was a marvelous one. After 5 days in bed, I finally was able to make a full recovery last Friday and enjoy the Labor day weekend. We enjoyed a day in Chattanooga at the zoo and museum, with a wonderful evening visit with good friends. (Tiffany: We saw Denver, Joanna, and family. I tried to find your number, but couldn't! Oh how I wished we could have gotten together! But there's always next time!) Saturday was a good day of yard work, rest, football, a taste of fall. We enjoyed a beautiful message at church and fellowship. And Monday was filled start to finish with a day at the water park (our consolation prize for missing the weekend trip to the beach with family due to my illness). That amazing weekend was followed with four great days of school, our first fall tennis lesson, several play dates, the first fall Women's Bible study, a Wizard of Oz anniversary party ( *note the new music), and a friend's birthday party. Fun, fun, and more fun. I survived four days without my husband very well and even slept well, which is a testimony to God's grace.

"Parenting isn't so much about instructing people as it is about inviting into Presence."

~Ann Voskamp

I am not foolish enough to think I can earn, control, or manipulate a good week like this one. "The earth is the Lord's". But I am thankful and I intend to celebrate good health, rich learning, and good times with our loved ones. I have come out of what felt like a dark couple of weeks and now we are enjoying lighter days. That is the story of our life- a tide of trials and joys that ebb and flow like the ocean. Seasons change so quickly that the black darkness seems like merely shadows in the light of a new week. That is why I pray for the maturity (but do not quite possess it yet) to stay true to what I know, hang on, and move forward through the trials that come my way. I am such a feeler, this can be very difficult. That is, seeing beyond the here and now. I purpose to hold fast to the truth that He knows, He controls, He is always loving, and seasons will come and go- both good and bad-but He stands firm. I have discovered the secret to happiness- cling to Christ with all that is in me. Cling, cling, cling! Know Him (by spending time with Him), trust Him, love Him, serve Him, thank him by acknowledging His grace and His majesty. When I feel like I am sinking, put all that I desire down at His feet and trust Him to lead me into that particular day to do what He wills. I am His and not my own. But simultaneously, HE IS MINE as well! And with the love of Christ I have it all.

"I belong to God, and He has placed me here, and He will undertake for me and give me poise, grace, love, and wisdom, all I need to bring Him honor in the life He has appointed."

~Ruth Bell Graham

(Lydie giving a Lydie-style pose. I wonder how many childhood pictures my Mom has of me in this exact same pose?)