The Father is good, and it's worth blogging about. : )
Last weekend was so very nice. I finally was able to venture out with our family to the most wonderful old, old church in Midtown yesterday...I put my super-glued Sarah Palin glasses on, threw cotton balls in my purse for my ears in case of wind (yes it affects me being sickly lately) ; ) ... didn't even bother with contacts, threw my plaid skirt on with my trusty belted black turtleneck, put that make-up on.. and clipped up that hair-do ; ) and away we went.
As we walk up the old wood stairway to the balcony, I hear the most beautiful sound of the choir singing,
Holy, Holy, Holy....Lord God Almighty....Now that song is one of my favorites ever, there is something about that song that brings me to tears. And in this old church it really does something within my heart. It is one of the most beautiful hymns ever and I've thought so ever since I was a little girl. As we file into our seats the choir's voices sounded just like angel voices. It was breathtaking. It was as if you were afraid to move much, as if it would break a holy anointing of sorts...
Now you must know by now I'm a student of people. I watch them, I listen to them, I watch their attitude and where their eyes go. I am such a student of people I can even watch and perceive a person in my peripheral vision of
another student of people watching
me. Yes indeedie. I suppose it goes back to me being an artist of sorts. There are some spiritual gifting too that go along with that, the world would correctly call it being an HSP. (highly sensitive person). The Bible calls one part of it discernment. : )
As I sat above int he balcony listening to a most wonderful sermon on witnessing to others about Jesus, it was very good by the way...I kept finding my eyes looking down upon a lovely, lovely elderly lady down below. Her hair was perfectly coiffed in a bit of a dark silver modified flip of sorts? She wore a pretty dark coral pink jacket and she had pretty cheek bones. I bet she was a knock out during World War II. A classic beauty. But not a cheap beauty, a
sweet looking beauty.
After the service we file down the stairs...promises of hubs taking us to that neat Greek restaurant and eating outside too. A treat for us. The girls and I go into the Ladies room and while I was in my private little world of listening to the sounds of lady's voices and taking in the oldness of even the bathroom tile...I hear the sweetest voice. She tells the lady next to her she hasn't been to the church but twice since New Year...I thought to myself, well I sure know how she feels but she's been feeling better than I obviously. She proceeds to say she watches on tv, and of course is faithful to her Sunday school lesson. This woman's voice was soooooo sweet...Noticeably so. I hear the lady next to her say...
"I'm going to have to call you."
The most sweet pretty elderly voice says:
"Oh please call me, I would love it if you would call me, that would be so nice, and I could talk with you about your grandchildren."
Oh my I thought, this sweet lady, she's been lonely, she's willing to talk to the other lady about the other lady's grandchildren.
Oh my.... I guess I could relate to her in a very small way, I have been so sick since January. Thank God for my girls and of course Hubs when he's not working of course. Plus... the lady's voice reminded me a little of my mom's too, just a little older.
I said a little prayer that I would be able to talk with this sweetheart later when I opened the door to see and identify the mystery lady...I figured I could find her later? I opened the door and it was the beautiful sweet looking lady with the pretty dark silver hair, she was taller than I and I smiled as she and the other lady talked.
No, I
didn't see her later, we were off to the car in the sunshine walking through the foyers by many older men in their nice suits...I'm fascinated by the older gentlemen, I just know most of them must be the cutie pie soldiers I see in the 40s WWII movies. Yes, these gentlemen are older and now in older age they recognize and appreciate goodness and family when they see it. It's nice to see them and make that eye contact, trade smiles. I see so many smiles from all of these people, a breath of fresh air. I suspect I'll see the pretty, sweet lady again one Sunday too. I'll be ready for her with a compliment and smile. : )
As we get into the car it feels so nice to be there in that downtown area...the oldness of it all, I could drink it up. The hospital where Hubs and I were born in walking distance, we were both delivered by the same doctor, good ol Dr. Salerno. Yes, most all the Italian women delivered with Dr. Salerno.
I really
do hope and pray I can see the pretty older lady one Sunday in the reasonable future. She has no idea but I may just know how she feels in small ways of course, although she would never guess. God does things like that. Yes He does.
.....................................................................................................
Saturday.
I must write this praise report too. Our baby, Grace is graduating homeschool this year. She is our fourth born and my thoughts on homeschool graduation have changed drastically. I had no idea when my older girls graduated that many homeschoolers even in Christian support groups do not homeschool for the Lord as Lord. Academics evolves into their god of sorts...even if they throw the name of the Lord in here and there. My oldest two girls were part of a huge beautiful graduation but underneath it all sadly were politics and vain philosophies of man. To make a long story short, my thirdborn Zuzu after much prayer and me as a mother begging God to show me another graduation Zuzu was able to graduate with a smaller sweeter more independent graduation where was God was glorified. A blessing. Now that we've moved further out, the graduation was once again a matter of prayer once again, this time for Grace. I've been praying we could go out of the box for her after attending a really sweet and very nice homeschool
home-graduation that I thought was very nice last year. But it was up to Grace on this one. I was so wanting to be a part of a certain homeschool church's graduation ceremony but they seem to have changed their rule and now it is for church members only. That caused a
good cry for me
and Grace trust me...We were disappointed. Maybe they will still change their rules.
Hubs and I dutifully took Grace to the graduation meeting an hour and a half away, me with cotton in my aching ears and cough drops in my swollen throat for this smaller graduation ceremony's committee meeting. It would be the same ceremony Zuzu participated in. It was cold outside and trust me, it was a labor of love as sick as I was to attend that meeting. It was a long, long way to the meeting but what is a mother to do?
We three talked about it all on the way home...I could tell Grace was not decided at all and really in a quandry.
I pray. We all pray. Sisters are praying too, in our family graduation is a big deal.
Last Saturday it was so very wonderful! The sun was streaming in as Grace, Joycie and I were in the kitchen and to my delight as we talked of graduation, Grace suddenly said..."I'm going to do a doubly nice graduation party for my ceremony, here at home. I just decided. It just donned on me!" With the sun streaming in and the Holy Ghost so strong in my heart....I knew our prayers had been answered. This may sound silly to many if you haven't homeschooled or maybe have boys who don't care about all of that stuff. : ) But I think this is going to be a big season of creativity for our family. Just think of the memories we are going to create! We already had so much fun brain storming in the kitchen! Grace is my artsie one and I'm artsie enough to understand her perfectly and I think this is going to be GREAT. The great thing about homeschooling is our four girls have friends of all ages, Grace is friends with Janie's friends and vice versa etc. So this is going to be the party extraordinaire. The sky's the limit here in the country...Grace's photography can be on display and everything. Good food will abound. The outdoors, the trees are our canvas. True friends will be here to join in. The theme? It will be a fanciful one I assure you! Nothing else like it. : ) Oh wow, the ideas are flying! God is good! AND MAY GOD BE GLORIFIED. HE ALREADY IS.
God is with us. : )
He answers prayers.
I'm feeling better, thank the good Lord. I do not know what was going on, if it was the flu or strep and then a cold, relapse and then another virus or what or perhaps one big virus but it was horrible. The sickness had me so worn out, it was depressing, and the depressing part was making me even sicker. I've even wondered if it wasn't something akin to mono? Every now and then my throat feels a bit swollen and my ears crackle but the Lord is so good, no more advil, no more claritin. Only vitamin C and a few other supplements, some for detoxing, green tea with good healthy foods and no sugar of any kind. Next winter and Christmas? I will take better care of myself and not take things so to heart and stress out. I must learn. My hubs tells me the same. My husband was reading to us last night in devotions...
He makes us lie down in green pastures.
So this is my time capsule of words from March 5, 2012.
This morning I was able to go out by the pond and sit in the sun for 15 minutes. Glory Hallelujah!
Here are some photos from last winter (Jan.)
before my relapses.
Janie, Joycie and Zuzu at an Italian restaurant after Zuzu's birthday. It was such a blessing, Zuzu's sweet family she works for gave her a gift card for her birthday to this family favorite of a restaurant. : ) A blessing!
I love the way they decorate this restaurant, it's a family restaurant, but the atmosphere is wonderful!
Bright lights, suburban city...
Hubs going to the car....We girls were laughing and going on checking out some of the goofy clothes in the windows. *big smile*
Back for the drive to the country! Praise God for our home here.
Love, ~Amelia
