more favorites, with thanksgiving!

366. summer solstice. The peak of the year, full of sunshine - life affirming, energy-giving sunshine!

367. Junebugs, though there haven't been many this year. They have such a funny, clumsy way of being... always bumping into things and never quitting. Funny bugs.

368. Lightning bugs! Seriously, who would have thought of such a fun idea? Bugs that light up! I love them!

369. Balmy summer nights so delicious that I never want to go in to bed. I am seriously considering getting a futon or something outdoors so I can sleep out on those warm, wonderful nights.

370. Mocha-mint blended iced drinks... yes I know they are not good for you. But as a rare treat, they are so delicious!

(Yes, these are June blessings, and August is already here. There is still a possibility that I might catch up to life. It could happen! Still, even though late in coming, I felt they were
thank-worthy... so there you go.)

Wisdom

Life gets heavy sometimes. And when it does I tend to curl up and ponder. I do well when I ponder the problem while looking to God's Word for answers, not so well when I ponder the problem and stay right there. Just looking at it first one way and then another, wrestling with it and getting tied up with it.


In those times I end up all curled up around the problem, and focused on it, believing I want a solution, but not looking to the Solution. I forget the basics.


So today, I said out loud (and by "out loud" I mean I posted it on Facebook, right where the whole world could see it, or at least certain friends of all walks who I have allowed access to this window into my life) I said I needed wisdom from God. Not just "some" wisdom, but a "truckload" of wisdom! In fact, a "huge truckload!" I said.


Yes, I put that right out there on Facebook.


And I got a response. From someone who knows me well. He reminded me that if I needed wisdom, I could ask for it, and that no matter how much I ask for, God will give that and more! It's right there in James 1:5.


Oh, yeah! The basics! I have heard that verse so many times, but I was not thinking about it today as I wrestled with how to respond to a challenging situation... I only knew how desperately I needed the wisdom that only God can provide.


Sometimes I love that Facebook!


The next thought to cross my mind was that sometimes, even though I do know that God will provide wisdom, it seems so long in coming. And you know what? Right in the same passage, the very verse above, it says, "Let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and whole, lacking nothing."

Oh, yeah! Patience! It doesn't have to be obvious right now to be real!

So then. If I have asked, then I can be sure that the solution will be evident WHEN IT IS NEEDED! At the right time. My job is to ask God for wisdom and then to be patient. His job -- His promise -- is to give me the wisdom I need. Generously. At the right time.


Ok, I can rest now.


And untie myself from the knot I was getting into.


Do you hear me breathing a sigh?


Yeah. For real.

halfway through summer

It's true. According to the news online, today marks the midpoint of summer. I don't know how to feel about that! I am glad to know we have quite a bit of warmth and sunshine left, but... really? Halfway? That's a little unsettling.

Silly, but I am a tiny bit scared of losing summer, because I know that by winter's end I am usually dragging through the days, fighting depression and aching for sunshine.

But...that's some seven months away, so I really shouldn't be worrying about it now, right? Why should I let the fear of impending winter cloud my best days of summer?

I don't know. I wish it didn't.

Meanwhile, I do love this warm weather we've been having.

I soak it up every chance I get.

a few of my favorite things

350. learning something new

351. snuggling next to the man I love, or just knowing he is close to me

352. cricket song

353. frogs singing croaky music on the pond

354. killdeer shouting

355. sitting outside as twilight grows

356. daisies shining bright in the green

357. roses blooming everywhere

358. the smell of fresh air

359. hula hoops! and yes, I can.

360. bargains

361. learning the names of plants and what they are good for, what kind of jobs they can do

362. motherwort, for example

363. Jump rope, and I sort of can. But not very much. Yet.

364. clouds. Their infinite variety.

365. kids in the house making happy together noises

100th post!

OK, I keep waiting until I have something really important to say because, after all, this is my one hundredth post and shouldn't it be noteworthy? Shouldn't it be profound or something? Or at least have really good pictures?

But nothing I had was spectacular, or particularly significant, even.

So I didn't write anything for kind of a long time.

Well, that's a bummer.

Therefore, today I am writing my one hundredth post -- yay! -- about nothing at all. And it feels much better than waiting until I have something profound to say.

Yep, doing stuff you love is better than waiting for something ideal to happen; being is better than waiting to be.



Well, that's a little bit profound, isn't it?