Memorial Day 2012

The S. family had the college crew over to their place for a Memorial Day cook-out this year. Actually, they pretty much turned over their place to the college crew for a Memorial Day cook-out this year :) ! Bro. S. was at work, and Mrs. S., Abigail, and Piper all went to the beach, so Archer and Law were the hosts. Trissy and I got there just as the ladies were leaving, and the girls jumped out to show us how the house was coming along (very well! The siding is on, sheet-rock up, bathroom's finished, washer and dryer in, doors hung, and I think all of the painting is done.) and the color of their freshly-painted room (teal).

It was a wonderful, simple, wholesome, fun day!

For a big part of the time, about half of us sat around on the wide, welcoming, wrap-around porch, some swinging lazily in the hammocks, some scooted back and leaning against the house where the shade was, some unable to resist the fun of sitting on the edge in the sun and swinging their legs over that nice height.
The guys grilled hamburgers and deep-fried potato slices and onion rings down by the pond. There were coolers filled with ice-cold cans of soda and bottled water, plates of cookies, brownies, cupcakes, and a dirt cake. There was potato salad, and of course, the hamburger 'fixings'.
It was hot and humid, but there was a welcome breeze blowing off the pond, and mist from the sprinkler cooling the air.

As we got hungry, we'd go down to the folding table set up beside where the boys were grilling, fix a burger or grab a bag of chips or some desert, and then stand around or sit on the ground eating. The ants loved it ;) .

Russell and Toby helped Archer spread out a plastic tarp on the little hill leading from the house down to the pond, turned the sprinkler on it, and Aron put liquid soap on it to make a 'slip-and-slide'!

One of the S. family's favorite family activities is to go kayaking together, so they have their own little fleet.
Several had brought fishing gear and were standing around the pond fishing. Russell got out in one of the kayaks to do his fishing, and after a few minutes Law dove in and swam out to where he was, keeping Russell company while enjoying a swim himself.
Others began taking turns getting out in the kayaks and/or swimming in the pond, and eventually I think almost everyone was out on, in, or beside the water at the same time. Trissy and I got to kayak for the first time, and - country kids that we are - I guess it was our first real swim in a pond too, though we've done plenty of splashing and wading in our neighbor's cows' watering holes!



I think just about everyone that has ever been part of the college group in any way was there. Only Oliver, Landon, Bro. Mike, Lora, Andrea, 'my brown-eyed boy' and Julia were missing. There must have been 25 or 30 of us there.

I love people. I love these people. I notice things about people I love. And I notice the brilliant and beautiful details God programed into them.
A few from today: Hair ruffled in the breeze. Red happy faces glistening with sweat and water drops from the sprinkler. Huge grins. Arms brown under the summer sun. Strong legs and nimble feet chasing a soccer ball. Shining eyes. Good-natured laughs. Observant personalities. Humility. Compassion. Contentment.

At one point I was sitting on the porch in the sun, swinging my legs over the side, and I suddenly noticed and became keenly aware of the importance of this seemingly trivial moment in time.
I was surrounded by friends. Christians. Archer had hooked up his laptop to some speakers, and music that praised God was filling the yard. Some were playing soccer, some were sliding on the slip-and-slide, some were fishing, some were spraying or getting sprayed with the water hose, some were sitting around visiting. It was totally peaceful. No fear. No stress. No pain for this moment. And my mind sort of took that moment and paused it as a slice of the day - a sample of the best of summer times - and as I soaked it up, the thought *involuntarily came to my mind, "This is a taste of what Heaven will be like."

A drop of ocean water is still part of the ocean. Though of course it cannot even begin to describe the ocean in it's entirety of size, content, color, or temperament, it nevertheless represents a tiny part of what the ocean is like.
If someone who has never seen or experienced the ocean were to be given access to a drop of ocean water, they would be able to touch, see, smell, and - in a sense - 'experience' the ocean. But if they were to be taken to the ocean, the experience would be much different.
So, I think, it is with moments like this one in the lives of Christians. These moments are drops of water from the great Ocean, Heaven, that the Lord gives to us in order to sharpen our craving for Home.

I thank Him for them; and for Heaven to come.

*I specify 'involuntarily' because I think that trivial earthly experiences are compared to Heaven (i.e. "This chocolate cake is heavenly!" or "Living here is like heaven.") so many times, that it becomes irreverent. Heaven is a real place people! A holy place, the home of God and those who have believed on His Son - indescribable beauty, pure happiness, complete health, glorious freedom, and total focused worship of the One Who made it possible.
I want to stress that in no way did I intend to compare a fun day with a group of friends - wonderful as it may be - to that glorious Place in a flippant or irreverent way.
But - based on Biblical descriptions of what Heaven will be like - in this case, I believe the comparison is quite acceptable.

Life Is An Adventure

There have been hard trials, bitter lessons, and pits so dark and deep that only God's light could reach down to me at the bottom. Then ecstasies so indescribable only He could understand them. Life is an adventure.
And it goes on.

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

-Kyrie<><

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 33

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: A Gold-laced Sunset

2. Hearing: After-class Wednesday Night Prayer Time

3. Smell: Gardenia Bush

4. Taste: Henley's Peanut-butter-cup-chip Chocolate Cookies

5. Touch: Ava's Engagement Ring

The stories behind the list:

1. I'm not usually a big fan of sunsets. I prefer sunrises. Beginnings, not endings, I guess. But this week I witnessed a sunset that absolutely took my breath away. I was on my way back to our house one evening (don't remember where I'd been... probably music practice), and as I passed a field close to where we live, I looked over at the setting sun, and it was dazzling. The sun was just behind the top edge of a spreading group of dusky blue clouds, but it's rays were reaching up and turning the long stretch of the upper edge of the clouds a shimmering gold. That's really what it looked like - gold with the light shining on it. The picture was gorgeous. That stretching expanse of dark green field, and those slate-blue, billowy-textured clouds, trimmed in brilliant golden lace.

2. After class on Wednesday nights, we always have a prayer time for whoever would like to stay and participate. It usually ends up being a group of the college kids. But what sweet times we've had! Treasured memories of those earnest voices, lifted to the Lord in thanks and/or supplication. Seldom have I felt my love for my friends so strongly, as when I hear them pray.

3. Our gardenia bush is blooming. The sweet summery smell sweeps me off my feet every time I pass that part of the yard.

4. Dear Henley made cookies for our Thursday night college Bible study class last night. They were chocolate cookies, with peanut-butter chips in them. Henley is a good cook anyway, but these cookies were exceptional!

5. Austin had Ava's engagement ring at church Sunday night at the college supper, so that whoever wanted to see it could, before he gave it to her. Mom thought it was cheating Ava just a little - the gang getting to see it before she did, when it was for her. But I thought it was neat - our college group is very close, we're each others' brothers and sisters in a sense, and he was including us in this landmark time of his life.
The ring is beautiful - a dainty style, the main diamond set in the center of a smooth-cornered square of other tiny diamonds. Ava loves sapphires, and one of the reasons Austin picked this ring is because under the diamonds (you can only see it if you look at the ring from the side instead of the top), a sapphire is hidden.
A special significance, from him to her.

Delighting In The Lord

Have you ever read the first part of Psalm 37 and wondered, "Hmm, verse 4 says, 'Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.' How can I delight myself in the Lord so that He will give me what I want?"
Maybe you haven't been quite that blunt, but if you really admitted it, that would be what you meant. I know I have.

Of course that's the wrong reasoning - we shouldn't want to obey the Bible just so we get a treat for good behavior. We shouldn't, but we do. We are human - sometimes we're just selfish.

But what if you're genuinely trying to obey the Bible, follow God's plan for the best honorable and godly living, or just truly wanting to "delight ... in the Lord", regardless of any 'reward'? How do you delight in the Lord?

I wondered about this for years. I've been in both places - desiring things and wanting to know how to delight in the Lord, so that He would give me the things I desired, and also just wanting to know how to delight in Him, simply because I wanted to do what's right.

Then I came across this thought: Maybe the verse doesn't mean that the Lord will give you what you desire, if you delight in Him. Now, it may, but what if it means that, if you delight in Him, He will give you your desires? As in, He will be the one to make you want the things you want.
Just something to consider.

But I still wondered how to delight in the Lord. I'd never really thought about 'delight' as an action before. More like a state of being. As in, "She was delighted with how the project turned out." How do you 'delight' in something, or someone? Does that just mean that you love them very much? Does it mean that you hold them in such high regard and respect that you nearly (or in God's case, you do) worship them? Does it mean that you are happy to be around them? Happy to obey them and serve them? Is it all these things rolled into one?
To find the answer became almost an obsession with me for a time.

But then, as time went on and I've been blessed to be under more good Bible teaching and learn more through my own study, I became content with simply doing my best to fulfill that idea of 'delighting in the LORD' in my life:
By striving to cultivate a spirit of thankfulness to the LORD for whatever He allows in my life, whether it seems good or whether it seems bad.
By praising Him for the undeniable ways He touches me.
By loving His people that He has put into my life - with all that I have in me.
By taking care of my body - which is His temple - through a well-rounded diet, fresh air, sunshine, and exercise.
By making an intentional, valiant effort to control my fiery temper and sometimes-easily-offended feelings.
By trying to train my mind to dwell on things of rich value, instead of things that are innocent enough, but have no real or lasting value (for example, praying for a friend when I find myself daydreaming about a fiction book).
By doing my best to appreciate the blessings of life that so often get overlooked or taken for granted.
By singing or making music to the Lord as often as I can, either physically or in my heart.
By being on the look-out for opportunities to be a friend, to be an encourager, and to be a witness, in practical, simple, loving ways.

Do not think that I have it all figured out now, or that I am trying to brag or boast for myself in the least. I assure you I am not. I boast in the LORD Who has helped me and, I believe, showed me how to live 'delighted' in Him.

I still do not really feel like I thoroughly know the meaning of that verse. But last Sunday, the thought came to me all-of-a-sudden that perhaps I have been 'delighting in the LORD'; for, in the last three or so years, He has given me (or is giving me) the fulfillment of most of the dearest and deepest desires of my heart. Perhaps He gave me the desires also :) .

Note: Just a side note that I found interesting, but the Wednesday night after that Sunday, Bro. Mike used Ps. 37:3-6 as the Scripture for the night's lesson. Later in the week, the author of the book I'm currently reading used verse 4. She points out the Webster's Dictionary definition of "delight": "A high degree of gratification, extreme pleasure." And today, in the little devotional booklet that we read out of in the mornings, the day's reading was Ps. 37:1-8. I'd not come across this set of verses in months, and now I've run into it four times within the last two weeks. Just found that interesting :) .

"Boo Kitty"

Ever heard the expression, "Quiet as a church mouse."? Yeah? I'm not surprised; it's an old one. Ok, have you ever heard the expression, "Friendly as a church cat."? No? I'm not surprised at that either; 'cause I just made it up.

But, if it had been an old expression, it would have fit Boo Kitty quite perfectly. Big gray "Boo Kitty" is (or should I say, was) Bro. Mike's family's cat - though why he was called "Boo Kitty" is anybody's guess. They live right next door to the church, and Boo Kitty was the self-appointed greeter, custodian, and general owner of Victory Rd. and the people who go there. If someone was at the church or in the fellowship building, Boo Kitty felt it was his duty to keep them company, and get some ear scratching in the process. He'd rub his big, gray, sleek self against the glass doors of the fellowship building if we were inside, especially if someone stuck their foot up to the door as if to rub him with their foot. He'd follow people around if they were outside. He got locked in the building numerous times because someone would inadvertently leave the door open when moving stuff for VBS or something, and he would come on in and make himself at home.

Even the more 'cool' among us seemed to like Boo, and as Toby half-jokingly said, 'Boo Kitty was legendary around Victory Rd.'

Well, even church cats are mortal, and Boo Kitty had to be put down Friday because of some strange feline disease. Yes, he was just an animal, but we'll miss him anyway. The Lord used a friendly gray cat to bring a cheerful presence to many church work days, and a smile to many faces, some of which were in need of a reason to laugh.

My "Tidbits from Life" Journal

I have a small, spiral-bound, vintage style, mint green notebook. It was given to me along with a set of wind chimes, at Easter by my 'secret sister' at church.


I love to write. The thing is, I tend to 'save' new notebooks, not wanting to use them and then be disappointed with the layout or content I used. But I decided it is more important to write than to 'save' a book that will be wasted anyway if it sits forever in my bookcase.


I chose to use this one for what I call a "Tidbits from Life" journal: A journal of thoughts, to-do lists, recipes, Scripture verses, song lyrics, poems, happenings, trivia, things-to-remember, random facts, doodles, special memories, and whatever else inspires.
The idea came partly from Breezy Brookshire and her "Little Black Notebook", and partly from Trissy, who keeps a composition notebook that she records sermon and devotional notes in.


So far it has been rather therapeutic :) . I started it with the 30 Hour Famine, and have recorded something almost everyday since, whether it was a quote, a memory from that day, a Bible verse that blessed me, or a detailed account of something that happened.
I think this was a good idea :) !

P.S. Please forgive the poor-quality cellphone photos.

"with my whole heart ... will I sing praise unto Thee."

The Sunday morning after a 5th Sunday, the youth music group leads the music part of the service, for the dual purpose of giving them experience and also to give most of the usual musicians a break (though Austin, Archer, and Law are part of the youth group and the main group, so they play either way). So Austin called for a practice last night.

It would be my first time to play with them for a Sunday morning, so I'd never been at one of those practices and didn't know how one usually went. According to the others, it went much different than usual.

We were going to do five songs, but only had two decided on, so after a brief consultation we selected three others, Austin printed the sheets for everyone, and we got started.
There was the usual guitar tuning, joking, bossing, and generally good-natured carrying on. But the electrical system was acting really crazy and messing up the volumes, Law's cable wouldn't stay plugged in, we had to re-listen to a couple of the longer songs to make sure we were doing them right, it was the end of a long day and we were tired, few of us had eaten supper yet so we were hungry, and lots of other little discouragements and inconveniences kept coming up.
Yet somehow, we had an absolutely amazing time. I think each person commented or told me at some point that it was the longest and most meaningful practice they'd ever had when preparing for a Sunday morning. As Simon said, 'We're not rehearsing, we're practicing.' which I took to mean that we weren't just going through motions we'd learned and that had become all habit and no heart; each one was really putting his or her heart into it, seeming to dedicate himself to doing his best for the glory of the Lord.

We worked hard, fine-tuning until each thing was right, or at least close enough to being right so that it would be easy when we ran through everything one more time Sunday morning before services. And we seemed to have a freedom to worship God with our music that isn't always there when in front of an audience; after all, we weren't playing for anybody... God and Joy were the only ones there to hear us, so we just practiced to Him! It was really a meaningful, sweet time. Helping, encouraging, and challenging one another, and prayerfully begging the Lord to give us hearts that would sing and play only for Him and His glory.

Here's what I jotted down later in my 'Tidbits from Life' journal:
"Practice from 5:00 until past 7:30 - for youth-led music Sun. morn. Hard work, great fellowship, successful practice; the presence of the Holy Spirit was there & we just played for God. I think everyone commented that it had been the longest & the best practice they'd ever had. Sweet time."

How thankful I am for each of these dear young people! Austin, Archer, Julia, Law, and Simon. How blessed I am that the Lord has allowed me the privilege of sharing in their wonderful talents. Oh may we only ever use them for Him!