More [Music] Change

Okay, so, Austin and Law are both 'officially' gone from the music group, and tonight's practice was... well, I was going to say, "I'm not going to say 'terrible'..." but I won't say that, because I am going to say 'terrible'.

Three weeks ago at practice, before we started, Austin told me that the next week was his and Law's last week. I was the only one who didn't know, because I go to the adult service on Sunday nights, instead of the youth classes. Everybody else found out the Sunday night before, when they were practicing for that night.

I knew Austin and Ava would soon be going to their new church on Wednesdays too, in addition to Sundays, but I didn't realize it would be so soon.
And I was completely surprised to hear Law was leaving. He said his folks had said he could at the end of the school year. He didn't give reasons or explanations (he's just like Archer on that), but his life shows that he wants what the Lord wants for his life; it's between the two of them, and I didn't ask more questions.

I was going to be gone the next week, so they agreed to push it back another week - until May 21st, instead of May 14th.

So, this past week was the last one of us together.
It was a wonderful, wonderful, final week. I took my camera and got pictures of us at practice, and then Trissy took some on Wednesday night. The spirit of camaraderie, and joy, and praise to God was so special - I think we all were consciously trying to focus on the good memories, the little 'family' we'd formed, and the reason for it all - to glorify the Lord - instead of the fact that this was the last time to play together. It was just so so great.

I've been sad, but haven't let myself focus on it. Last time I lost a cluster of dear friends all at one time, it nearly did me in. Of course I'll miss them, but hopefully I've grown in my reliance on the Lord since that time. The night Austin and Law told me they were going to be leaving, I felt almost sort of guilty that I didn't feel worse about it! But then it seemed like the spirit of the Lord showed me - and I pray this is why! - 'It's because I've become enough for you.'

This evening, I felt a reluctance, but not a dread, about going to practice, and the new way it's going to be. On the way, I didn't let myself think about it as the loss of our old group, I made myself think of it as the forming of a new group, and I could almost look forward to it. At least anticipate the newness of it.
Abigail will sing still, and I will still play the keyboard. But Trent's moving to drums, Peter to bass guitar, and Lydia will now be our leader/organizer/director and play acoustic guitar.

It was pretty much, 'terrible'. Everyone wanted to do their best to make it work, I think. It's just that it was practically a whole new group trying to learn how to work together.

I think the biggest thing to get used to is going to be how Lydia leads, versus how Austin led.
Austin is very mild-tempered, very considerate, and very open to suggestions from the other members. He hates to see or be part of conflict, or for others to be uncomfortable, and he will do all he can to accommodate others' feelings. He's excellent at deflecting difficulties, relieving tension, and bringing out the best in people, all while getting the job done right.
Lydia is very much a 'take the bull by the horns'-type person. She knows music, she's been/is a music teacher, and she's got a very bold, honest, up-front personality. She doesn't hem and haw and beat around the bush about anything, and she is meticulously honest, perhaps a little to the point of bluntness.
Both types of people are great for leadership positions. One is, 'Come with me'. One is, 'Follow me'.
The hard part is switching from following one type of leader, to *BAM* following the other type, with practically no transition phase.

This is a whole new ballgame. We've just got to learn how to play.

"...so that thy youth is renewed..." Psalm 103:5

Assorted [unedited] photos from the past week, including flowers in The Grandparents' yard, the look down from the top of the metal outside stairs going up to the youth room at church, Law's "Dora", Abigail making a snail with her hands, our cat "Murphy", sunrise this morning, moss, and the ornamental pear trees at Victory Rd. I've been taking lots of flower and other outdoor photos - Spring is definitely on it's way around here.

With the past week in mind, I'd like to share here a poem that Bro. Earl quoted from in his sermon this evening.

"Many crowd the Savior's kingdom,
Few receive His cross;
Many seek His consolation,
Few will suffer loss.
For the dear sake of the Master,
Counting all but dross.

Many sit at Jesus' table,
Few will fast with Him,
When the sorrow-cup of anguish
Trembles to the brim.
Few watch with Him in the garden,
Who have sung the hymn.

Many will confess His wisdom,
Few embrace His shame.
Many, should He smile upon them,
Will His praise proclaim;
Then, if for a while He leave them,
They desert His name.

But the souls who love Him truly,
Let woe come or bliss,
These will count their dearest hearts' blood
Not their own, but His.
Savior, Thou who thus hast loved me,
Give me love like this."

-Amy Carmichael

The past week has been an emotional one, internally. And externally, I suppose, when I'm alone, just the Lord and me.

A little over a week ago (Friday, Feb. 28) Uncle Alvin's family came to visit for a couple of days. Jaylyn and Jewel had seen a mutual friend a couple of days before, and told Trissy and me that she had asked them to pray for one of her friends. He had been out chopping trees in the woods by himself when one hit him in the head. He had been found four hours later, and now he was in the hospital.
We don't know the boy personally (just know of him) and, though it certainly didn't sound like a mere stick-a-band-aid-on-it kind of accident, I must confess that I wasn't struck by the enormity I now realize the situation possessed. I simply received the information, expressed my surprise and sympathy, may have said a prayer, and moved on. How sad. How typical - Christians, who have the indescribable privilege of speaking with God, are so often presented with others' needs, and then neglect to excercise that awesome gift on behalf of the hurting.

This past Tuesday, Mar. 4th, I received an e-mail from that mutual friend. It was a prayer request, sent out to most of her address book, I imagine. It was about T. R., her young friend.
The e-mail gave a few details of the accident and his recent progress toward recovery, then told that he'd taken a bad turn and they were trying new things to help him. It still didn't really hit me until this sentence:
"The doctors really don't know if he will make it or not, but we serve a mighty God who can heal him if it's His will!"
The doctors really don't know if he will make it or not...
I read that, and it hit me; and the impact of it was like getting kicked in the stomach. This kid is seventeen years old, people! Seventeen!! And he 'might not make it'.
Praise the Lord, this boy knows Christ as his Savior. If he dies, it will be his gain. But for those left behind... What a tremendous, unspeakable loss.

I have never prayed for healing quite like I have this past week. I've prayed for healing for adults, people close and dear to me who have already lived long, healthy, God-honoring lives, and have had a life to look back on with contentment. I've prayed that children would be granted to precious friends who had none. I've prayed for confused young Christians trying to find their way. I've prayed for the salvation of souls who I knew did not know Christ. And I've prayed for people in all of these situations with a passion and desperation and love that was so strong I often wondered that I did not explode with it.
But I've never prayed prayers for the life-or-death situation of a seventeen-year-old Christian boy.

I don't even really know T. R. I was at a youth camp five years ago, and he was there as well. He was one of the youngest campers, I was one of the oldest. We didn't really hang out together! I did notice that sharp little twelve-year-old, observing that he was packed with the potential to become a great man one day. My family goes way back with people that know him (like the family of the young lady who asked our family to pray for him), and occasionally through the years I've heard something about him, always in a good light. But he's not even my friend - I don't even know him.

Yet I have found my prayers and thoughts for him this week to be made of the same passion and desperation and love that they have for people very close and/or important to me. What causes the Lord to choose certain people for certain burdens, I don't know. But when He has chosen, you know it!

I have been praying that the Lord would spare his life. That He would heal him, and give him back all the health and mobility that he had before the accident. I've been praying that the Lord would give him a long and great life of ministry and service for Christ, and that this accident would somehow be used to lead many people to the Lord. At first I prayed also that the Lord's will would be done, even if it meant taking him Home. As the week has gone on, with natural human difficulty that part's become harder.

I got that gut-wrenching e-mail Tuesday. Wednesday morning, after dreaming about the situation, I woke up with the old song "What A Mighty God We Serve" going through my head. Haven't thought of that song in ages. Can't just be coincidence.

Two nights ago (Friday), there was some good news. The young lady sends out updates as she gets them, and I got a message saying that his blood pressure was back to normal and he was more stable.
Last night (Saturday), he was worse. Haven't heard anything today.

I'm reading through the Bible this year, and Friday morning I read 1 Samuel 2. The first chapter is about Samuel's mother, Hannah, her desire and prayer for a son, and the Lord granting her prayer. Chapter two is her prayer/song of praise to the Lord. So, with that backdrop in mind, when I read verse six of chapter two, it didn't particularly catch my attention. Until, for some reason, I went back and read it again. And the glory of it blew my mind.

"The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: He bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up."

The Lord brought T. R. down, oh so very low - and if He chooses, He can bring him back up. That verse was such a strength all Friday. And then that hopeful message Friday night...

This morning, after last night's discouraging message, I was thinking of how hard it must be for his family. How heart-breaking. I know very little about the details of the situation, only what my friend's messages tell, and those are pretty slim updates. But if he's still in ICU, which is quite probable, his family may not even be getting to stay with him. They've got a son, a brother, a friend, hanging between life and death, and they are powerless. What heart-break indeed!

It came into my head to look up verses about how the Lord feels toward the hurting, and how He feels about healing. I didn't have alot of time before we had to leave for church, but these were the four I found right off.

"The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." Psalm 34:18

"He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds." Psalm 147:3 (How appropriate!!)

"...I am the Lord that healeth thee." last part of Exodus 15:26

"...Who healeth all thy diseases;" last part of Ps. 103:3

I jotted the references down on a scrap of paper and stuck it in my Bible as we hurried out the door on our way to church, thinking I might get a chance to look them up and study them a little more between services or something.

Every Sunday morning during the music part of the service, one of the men of the church reads a verse or passage between songs. Today was Dad's turn. He also teaches a Sunday School class, and confessed that he hadn't had a chance yet to get a scripture passage picked out. With my little list in the front of my Bible, I eagerly asked if he wanted a suggestion. He gladly asked me to read him one.
I randomly picked the Ps. 103 one, but knowing that that verse was the middle of a thought, I started at the first verse of the chapter and just started reading. And when I stopped after reading through verse five, I almost didn't hear Dad say thanks or that the selection was "...just right!" - I was stunned by what I'm sure was the providence of the Lord.

"Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." (Ps. 103:1-5)

Begin with praise, for whatever the almighty God does is right. Remember the power with which He has answered in the past. He's the one that forgives sin. He's the one that heals. He's the one that rescues life from destruction. He is the tender love and compassion that makes life good. He is the only one that satisfies. He is the one that renews youth.

Wow. Just... Wow.

Tonight, in his sermon, Bro. Earl used part of that poem I included above. So true, so good, all of it. But, thinking of T. R., the last stanza caught me, and both conviction and human pain hurt deep down in my heart.

"But the souls who love Him truly,
Let woe come or bliss,
These will count their dearest hearts' blood
Not their own, but His.
Savior, Thou who thus hast loved me,
Give me love like this."

Love enough to hold all He has given, with an open hand. Love enough to love Him whether heart-break or healing. Love enough to release the most priceless gift from Him, back to Him. Love enough to love like He loves.

I don't know what the Lord will choose to do for this young man. Whatever it is, it will be right, for it will be what He chooses.

It's almost midnight. I'd better go to bed. Soli Deo Gloria!

-Kyrie<><

"Superbowl Party" 2014

So last year's 'Superbowl party' was one of my favorite memories of 2013. And I've got to say, though they were very different, this year's 'Superbowl party' is probably going to make the list of favorites from 2014.

After Sunday School yesterday morning, Bro. Nick came in briefly to let the class know that they were going to be having a Superbowl party again this year, after church in the evening. I had wondered, with the youth group having shrunk so, if they were going to do one or not. I was glad to hear it. Last year, basically no one watched the game - everyone spent their time playing games and enjoying being together!

Jaylyn and Jewel are visiting us for a few days, and went to church with us last night. So after church, we went over to the gym and pulled out roller skates and the rip-stick out of the big wooden footlocker, expecting the youth classes to be finishing up soon, and everyone to be coming down to the gym like we did last year.

After the four of us had been 'rolling' around the gym for about 35 minutes and no one had appeared, it suddenly dawned on me that they were probably using the youth room and/or the 'new' game room for the party (there was an unused classroom adjoining the youth room, that Bro. Nick and Lydia have turned into a sort of 'game room' for the young people)! But we were having a great time just the four of us, and realized the party was probably over by this time anyway - and it's always awkward to walk in on the tail end of an event - so we just stayed where we were, deciding to just keep roller skating, and see how the evening unfolded.

In a little while, Julia's mom came down with a practically-empty crock pot of cheese dip, heading to the kitchen to clean it out. When she found us in the gym, dear encouraging soul that she is, she urged us to go on up anyway, get something to eat, and join in the game of Taboo they were into up there. I followed her to the kitchen to help clean the pot, and we got to chat a little while. She told me how Julia's university experience is proving to be pretty difficult, and about a mission trip quilt she and her husband had had made for Julia out of her old mission trip t-shirts. Jaylyn came in, and stood and listened, then Trissy came in and joined the conversation, then Jewel, so we all ended up standing (then sitting) in the kitchen for probably another 30 minutes just visiting with Julia's mom! But she is so sweet and big-hearted - it was nice to get to chat with her for a while!

Eventually we made our way upstairs. Julia's dad was the only one watching the game on a TV in the youth room - the others were all gathered in a rough circle in the game room, involved in an enthusiastic game of Taboo. Except for Joy and Nicole's younger brother, who were playing a football video game in the other half of the room.

Bro. Nick, Law, another girl of the youth group who's graduated but good friends with Abigail, Abigail, a visiting girl, and Piper, made up the two teams (Lydia had had to leave a little earlier to go put their two little girls to bed).

It worked really well as an ice-breaker game. We 'jumped' right in, including Jaylyn and Jewel, and the group got to meet them and they got to meet the group without any of those awkward introductions and now-what-do-I-say-to-be-polite-and-keep-the-conversation-going-? moments. A little later on, Nicole and her husband came to pick up her younger brother to take him home, and ended up staying and playing for a little while! I think everyone had a really great evening - after the four of us got there, we all kept playing until we got through the blue sides of the entire box of cards. We'd mixed up the teams and started on the pink side, when Piper suddenly looked up and asked Bro. Nick half-jokingly, half-seriously how late we could stay before he kicked us out. He chuckled and replied we'd probably have to close down right after 9:30, since it was a school night. Right about that time, Mom called Trissy's cell phone to see where we were - we usually leave the Sunday night college suppers at 9:00, and it was 9:30! We'd completely lost track of time!

Trissy and I spent the night at The Grandparents' (where Jaylyn and Jewel are staying), quietly slipping in the house, getting a snack, making out our beds, and crawling in for the night. Jaylyn and Trissy went to sleep after talking together until probably about 11:00. Jewel and I talked until past 2:00. Yeah, I know, there goes my great sleeping habits. But we had some great discussions, and it was really nice. Now at 8:00 the next morning, after less than five hours of sleep, I'm not sure how well I'll function the rest of the day... :) . But it will be okay - I work a shorter shift at the restaurant today, and then plan to go over to VRCA to help the secretary with paperwork for an hour (registration starts today and she's getting over surgery - there's lots of paperwork, but I always have so much fun helping her!), and the rest of the afternoon can be spent enjoying my cousins and family!

The whole evening I just kept thinking, "Praise God! He is SO good!"

My First Lens

Oh that beautiful golden box :) !

My new lens came last Saturday, and yes, I have been going a little crazy taking pictures with it; and enjoying it tremendously. I absolutely love the auto-focus feature. Many many thanks to the dear friend who loaned me her manual-focus lens until I could buy my own - beginning with a manual-focus lens gave me the same type of valuable learning and patience that learning to drive on a stick-shift did!

[Note: Steering wheel picture courtesy of Piper. Trissy and I had her and Abigail over for a couple of hours Monday afternoon. We played games and had a 'tea party', and Piper fell in love with my "fancy camera". In her words, 'This camera makes anything look amazing!']

Recent Happenings No. 7

Last Tuesday (Oct. 1), after running for our family (or part of it) for roughly 30 years, our refrigerator was replaced. This is a big deal. Maybe a little silly, but still a big deal. That thing ran for Mom for several years before she met and married Dad, and for them and Trissy and me until now. It's just now giving out. They built quality back then. It's like giving up an old friend :( .

Last Wednesday (Oct. 2) night, Uncle Alvin's oldest daughter and her family came down and brought us their chickens to 'babysit'. They are moving, and mom offered for us to keep the chickens until they are settled into the new house they're building. They have some pretty chickens, and they are so friendly too. I guess my cousin and her husband's eight kids have them pretty much used to anything :) .
When Trissy and I came in from church, my cousin's oldest daughter was calmly fixing peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches while the next-to-youngest little boy was sitting sleepy-eyed next to the counter. The adults were out in the night, trying to get a chicken coop and pen put up so they could deposit the chickens and get back to finish up a long list of things before my cousin's husband had to be at work in the morning. The kids were loving our country place (they currently live in the city, and are moving to the country), roaming the yard, playing with Murphy and Jack (our two cats), trying out our small basketball court, the older boys helping with the chickens. I know my cousin and her husband have taught and trained their kids well, but I was still so impressed to walk into the house (tired and, I admit ashamedly, rather cross and irritable) and find the oldest little girl calmly making everybody supper. And soon the baby was brought in for her to look after, so my cousin could help with the construction of the chicken pen. She deftly hoisted him to her back, and there he clung like a baby opposum, while she supported him with one hand and continued making sandwiches with the other. Her responsibility and calm just impressed me so much, and warmed my heart in a way I can't explain!

I snapped these pictures of a few of their chickens yesterday morning when I went out to feed them.

Wednesday (Oct. 9) afternoon we had Joy over for a little while. Wednesday is not the best day to have 'the girls', because they (at least Joy and Lela - Abigail and Piper are a little more flexible since they are home-schooled) have school 'til 3:00 and then we have church at 6:30, even if we cancel Piper's 5:00 piano lesson and Joy's and my 5:35-ish discipleship session. But Wednesday was the only day I had off work this week, and we've been wanting to have the girls come over for quite a while, so we worked hard, got the house clean, and invited them. Turns out, Joy ended up being the only one who was able to come (Trissy and I picked her up from school, then took her with us when we went to the church). Mrs. S's mother was to have surgery the next day and Abigail and Piper were going with her, and they had packing to do. So Joy came and we had a short, nice, afternoon. We made and ate corn dog muffins (only we put two 'dogs' in them, side by side, and called them "pig noses" instead!), and Mom played a game of Rummikub with us. Joy had never played but caught on quickly. We finished the game and the muffins right about time to leave for me to get to the church for Piper's piano lesson. It was a quick but very refreshing, enjoyable, and fun afternoon treat with a dear friend.

Thursday afternoon when I came in from a long day of work, Mom and Trissy had hot tea waiting for me in a china cup, and some of Mom's hoarded 'French Vanilla' creamer in a small matching pitcher (Trissy took the photo below, of her tea. She was working on some project in the sewing room).

Thursday night I stayed up late updating/preparing/working on the 365 photo blog I hope to start the first of 2014. I'm enjoying my new Nikon so much. I'm already taking lots of pictures, so set up a page for some of my favorites before the "365" challenge actually starts. The blog still has tweaking and work to be done (for instance, I'm not sure I'll keep that title... But I've got a couple more months to think about it.), but I feel very happy with the beginning results.

Biscuits and gravy last night for supper at The Grandparents'. The Grandmother's biscuits and gravy are still the best, and Friday evening is a special treat - the six of us together for a bonafide Southern home-cooked supper, and usually a movie or game or reading out loud afterwards until bed time. So thankful for these times together.

Today is, I am afraid, one of the last flip-flop days of summer. The weather is getting cooler and is so beautiful. Fall is, hands down, the most wonderful season. I'm lovin' it.
And yes, I do wear mis-matched flip-flops around the house.

I had a little free time today, and a burst of inspiration, and pulled out my things to make some more reversible flag pendants. The academy is going to be doing a "Fall Festival" fundraiser in the old part of town near the end of the month. They are renting booth spaces to craft and food sellers, and I'm thinking about renting half a booth with Niclole and her mom.

Yesterday as I left work at the restaurant, I stopped at the vacant lot next door where a family was having a yard sale. They've had about three during the time I've been working at the restaurant, and I always go over and see if they have any books. When I walked up this time, one of the ladies said with a smile, 'There's a box of books over there. They came from my husband's aunt though, and some of them look a little strange.' As I knelt and looked through them, one of the little girls (there was a whole passle of cute kids playing in the tall grass behind the lot - this one was probably about seven years old) bent down to me and asked, 'Do you want some lemonade?'
"Well, how much is it?" I asked.
She answered shyly, "Fifty cents."
'Fifty cents. Then yes, I'll take some lemonade!' I've always been charmed by the fact that there are still kids who do the old-fashioned lemonade stands, and I couldn't turn down this sweet little cutie. I chose two books - "Heidi", an old classic, and another old one that looked promising - and as I paid for them, she came back and handed me a sturdy plastic cup full of icey lemonade. And it was some of the best lemonade I think I've ever tasted!

{Note: I considered it quite providential that Jewel had just loaned me an old book called "Penrod: His Complete Story" which, so far (I just started it this morning), has proven to be quite well-written and very entertaining! The book I bought from the yard sale was not good, and left 'a bad taste in my mouth', so to speak, though I only skimmed it.}

Blueberry jelly :) . The end.