Glancing Back .... AND a Look Forward ...

Funny year. My 75th.

‘They’ said it was because I could not be surprised on my 75^th birthday.

So ‘they’ pulled off a big surprise party for me last year on my 74^th.

*whew* Glad THAT is over and done with !!!!

On my blog last year, I promised to post pictures.

Pictures never got posted.

Don’t know why.

But, the party was fun!!! I’ll scatter some photographs through this post. J

          After that fabulous party, the ensuing year got r.e.a.l.l.y. strange. Not because I had suddenly become “old.” At least, I don’t think so. Life just happens while you live it. Know what I mean?

          These days, things should be easier with just three of us in our household…. my grown daughter Precious, Dear Heart, and me. But, one or the other of us kept battling various health challenges… all year. And while those frustrating health challenges haven’t let up, gone away, or improved very much, the three of us keep holding on!! Most days, we even laugh and hug and smile.

My birthday DAY. With Dear Heart. 2-25-2011: Dinner with Melinda and Rusty, Cindy, Michael. Special night !!

          And now, today, for no particular reason, I looked back over my blog for the past year. My posts ebbed and flowed…along with my health. The beautiful surprise is that the posts that received the most comments were the ones I penned after a long absence. How sweet is that ???    It is REALLY sweet !!!

          This afternoon, I also read again the post I wrote last year on the day before my birthday. It was a tribute to my mother—and my daddy. Awesome people, MayBeth and Mack. In my humble opinion, that post was especially delightful!

Birthday girl last year with her baby brother. :-)

If you missed the story of our parents and my birth,—or want to enjoy it again (wow, bold of me, huh???), here is the date: Thursday, February 24, 201, The Day Before Tomorrow

    

Surprised with cake made by soon-to-be granddaughter-in-law Ashley. Who planned the whole day... just for me.



So, tonight, I have several things on my heart AND on my:

What-Will-I-Do-With-My-Time-This-Year? List

…in addition to Grandson John’s wedding in November…..

          1. Only because I’m compelled to live my life fully as long as I live, I am reading and will study and report on Billy Graham’s book Nearing Home. Delightful book. Billy says, “Growing old has been the greatest surprise of my life.” Along with Dr. Graham, I, too, want to finish well.  
      2. I am also in the process of selecting a word or phrase to study, to claim, to define this 76^th year of my life. In recent years, my words have been: “clutter,” “intentionally intent,” “gratitude,” and “contentment.” Lately, my prayer time continues to be drawn back to my old nemesis “trust.” I may just have to finally tackle TRUST head on, now that I’ve bumped into this ¾ of a century mark. (Appears to me that this—more or less—last quarter might be a tad difficult.)

          3. Read a new Nicholas Sparks book. Ohio Granddaughter visited last week and she and I had a great conversation about our shared love/hate relationships with Mr. Sparks. Young Granddaughter and I agree he tops the list of favorite novelists. I wrote a short story a couple of years ago that my local writing group did not like. The story had a very abrupt and unhappy ending. I finally changed the ending a little bit just to appease the ladies, but I learned that kind of writing from Nicholas Sparks. (tee hee and I really like writing that way J)

          4. Knit a dressy, flimsy scarf for Julie’s birthday. Even though I have until August and it just “looks” like my daughter-in-law, the yarn is slightly intimidating.

          5. Attend two writers’ conferences….

(a) Johnson City Library 4^th Annual Writers Conference, February 29, 2012. www.jclibrarysite.org because it is so close to home, a good place to meet other local writers, and great, inspiring speakers.

(b) Christian Writers Group of Greater San Antonio Area, March 9, 2012, featuring Message, Ministry and Momentum with Sharon Norris Elliott, http://www.cwgsa.com/p/contact-us.html and NOT just because at last year’s conference I won the door prize which was free attendance at the 2012 conference!!!!! Woooo-hoooo, here I come !!

          6. Post on this blog more often…. There are MANY things on my heart to share with you.

          7. FINISH my novel about the slave family I invented… Emma, Annie, Molly, Sarah, Rebecca ... well, yeah, along with James, Silas, Will, and Ben.... Will they make it home... or to freedom ... safely?????

STOP !!!!!!! It is said that SEVEN is a complete number. So, my list for the year is more than done. ugh. And, now, with so much to do, I best stop this rabbit trail and get busy. But, just one more memory....


Reagan and her hand/heart-made card with her Aunt Lizzie

 Okay. 'Nuff said !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Prayers and blessings to all of you,

    Liz

P.S. The hill country of Texas is giving great thanks for our recent rains. Just this past 3 days, we measured almost 2”. Thank You, Heavenly Father for your merciful gift. We will try to use it wisely.

P.S. 2 The surprise I believed could not happen included a table beautifully decoraded, loaded with food and flowers provided by family and friends:

I am absolutely a blessed woman !!!

Rest: from the Father's Heart

There are times you just need it.

          A quiet day at home by the fire.

Almost deliberately, we laid aside the world yesterday.

Hibernation comes to mind.

Yesterday was Sunday, but we stayed home—all day.

          The Texas hill country has had almost no winter this year, but yesterday was cloudy and cold and felt like a snuggle down kind of day.

We did.

          We slept a little late. Till almost eight o’clock and that is late for us on a Sunday morning.

          We put on some easy listening music and I made breakfast. A rare occurrence in our everybody’s on his/her own at breakfast retired life style.

          As the heavier clouds rolled in, we lingered at the table watching the birds flutter around in a feeding frenzy at the back yard feeder. When we felt the need to stretch, Dear Heart built a fire in the fireplace and I cleaned up the kitchen.

Easy.

Slow.

Quiet.

Peaceful.

A light rain began. A little sleet? A little snow? Soon there was a sprinkling of white here and there around the yard. Ava and I ventured to the back porch. We quickly breathed some good, clean, CHILLY, fresh Texas air, snapped a photo, and immediately retreated to the fireplace.

 

          Dear Heart tuned in a golf game, I pulled out my current knitting project, Daughter retreated to her end of the house for a rousing Scrabble game on her computer, and Ava snoozed by the fire.

          My needles clicked and clacked while my mind floated in that stress-less state of nothingness. A rare thing for this old but not necessarily wise wife/mom/great grandmother/sister/aunt/care provider/person-in-charge of everything overgrown worrier.

All day. All evening.

I wonder if our yesterday counts as REST.

As BE STILL AND KNOW.

As COME UNTO ME ALL YOU WHO ARE TIRED.

Our yesterday was a very good thing for us and for our minds and for our souls. And we exaulted God..deeply.

Genesis 2:2
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work

Psalm 46:10
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Matthew 11:28

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

(NIV)

Personally, I give thanks that we took a day of rest. I highly recommend it. Especially for us aging Type-A’s. J

Prayers & Praises restored,

    Liz

Did You Hear the Quiet?

What is good in your world?

My world has been strange and I almost forgot that the Son is shining.

Over the past three months, there have been many dark days around our house so I am determined to look up, give thanks with more gusto, and to see the sun and The Son through all the clouds.

My computer screen has been blank. My typing fingers still. For 104 days.

One hundred and four days hiding out on my hill. One hundred and four days without posting on my blog… or writing thank you notes… or sending sympathy cards… or reaching out in any way to anyone... without knitting a stitch.

And me a woman of MANY words.

My spirit was numb.

No, we’ve had no tragedy and I am grateful. In fact, my family and I are deeply, abundantly blessed. However, when I am seriously sleep deprived, my life is inside out and upside down. Actually, over the past year, my world has been upside down more often than right side up.

Do you remember the adage we drilled into our children’s minds?

 A frown is just a smile turned upside down!

Things appeared to pile up on me and my smile turned

Upside Down:

Then, the other day, I reread my “October” post.

          The one I wrote last October.

                    The one about living in the fall of my life.

I have not written a blog since.

And I thought, “Oh Dear!!” That post was followed by such a long empty silence, my readers must think, “Liz Left Life !” or worse: “Liz has nothing more to say.”

Oh my!!!!  Dear me !!!

During my silence, many of you wrote sweet, inquiring, encouraging notes for me in the comments section of the blog or via e-messages. Each word and prayer blessed me in all those places of my soul that were dry and cold. I was grateful to you. Even when I could not pen a response, I carried your words in my heart.

But I could not find my words.

Sometimes, I saw my words lurking behind the blank computer screen. Often, they danced around my head. Other times, the words just sat at a distance and teased me. I could not grab them. I could not contain them. I just stared at the blank screen.

Today I decided to take a big dose of courage and tell you that I do have MANY, MANY words left. Granted, the words don’t fall into place easily, but

 I am turning my frown - - - -RIGHTSIDE UP. . .

Today, with the psalmist, I declare, “Blessed be the LORD, because He has heard the voice of my supplication. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart exults., and with my song I shall thank Him.”

Psalm 28: 6-8 NASB

On this first day of a new month, two of my own words, written just for you, come easily and quickly:

. . . Thank You . . .

. . . for praying when I could not … for being there when I was quiet … for stopping by today… for taking time to use your words to say you care.

My prayers are flowing again.

And I am covering YOU with words to our Holy Father.

Love, Liz

My TWO Octobers

       October in Texas is often amazing. It is delightfully cool and gives me energy to do outlandish things such as prepare the soil for its winter rest, wash windows, and clean out closets. The best part of October in Texas is taking long walks under skies as blue as my grandson’s eyes.

      With those things in mind, our local writers group, Hill Country Women of Words, chose to write about OCTOBER for our meeting this week. I’m posting here the words that flowed from my heart through my fingers yesterday afternoon just before meeting time. While the words surprised me, I am encouraged to renew my reach to answer His call on my life. Most of my readers are many years younger than I am and may not quite understand the larger picture here so please do not read gloom, doom, or sadness. Pause a minute in your own whirlwind life to find the joy, excitement, and awe in the calling of Jesus Christ.

October. Autumn. The 10^th month of the year.

The land is tired and ready for its winter rest but first there is much to be done.

On All Saints Day we officially and communally pause to look back, to remember our ancestors, friends, and loved ones who beat us to the finish line. It is good to consider that instead of gloating and forgetting us altogether, those saints are surrounding the very Throne of God, praying for us who still struggle in this life. This year, our local Methodist church will dedicate the new Columbarium on All Saints Day. A very good thing.

In the cold of November, golden coverings fall from the trees, leaving them bare. Yet, the crops are safely gathered in so we come as thankful people, raise the song of harvest, ask the Lord’s blessing, and thank we all our God with heart and hands and voices. Thanksgiving: family gathers; a very good thing.

Then the best season is last when our earthly calendar ends with the Joy of Christmas and is complete with chorus, bells, and happy song. It is fitting that man created a calendar ending with a birth that gives Life forever. Christmas: celebrate Jesus, celebrate family, celebrate life; a very good thing.

And, so it is.

October. Autumn. The last seasons of my life.

It is about time for my winter rest and from my October vantage point, the calendar of my life is---

Dotted with both storms of sorrow and amazing, heavy showers of joy. I can now look back and see long periods of growth - - -

- - - and empty years of stagnation.

I am fascinated to witness how the seasons of my life connected and how

old things became new, increase replaced loss, and trust overcame fear.

So, at 74 ¾ years of age, I can see almost clearly how Christ worked it all together. I smile in gratitude. It is a very good thing.

Now, with only two seasons left - - -  there are still celebrations and MUCH to do.

More than ever, I must be about my Father’s business.

J I must remember that those who are younger do not have the advantage of my amazing wisdom and grace and … well… I must be more patient. J

Therefore…..

I will continue to diligently study the woman of Proverbs…

          As I fold my hands in prayer, and as I knit, wash dishes, make beds, wrap gifts, wipe brows, and type words… please bless the product of my hands. . .

          As I love and attempt to guide and bless and nurture please help me to look well to the ways of my household and may the teaching of kindness be on my tongue. . .

          As I rise up and face each day… please let strength and dignity be my clothing. . .

          Especially, may I smile at the future.

In the cold of the November of my life, as I slow more and more, I will give thanks for those crops I gathered throughout my seasons and I will raise the song of harvest; I will ask the Lord’s blessing on the meager gifts I’ve offered Him; and I will delight in praising Him with all my heart—even if my hands grow feeble and my voice dims.

Then at the Christmas of my own December, I will celebrate my real beginning.

Claim with me Paul’s admonition in Romans 11:36:

          For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”

Love and hugs and blessings !!

Liz

Giving Thanks in Texas

RAIN.
Real rain wet rain much rain steady rain.

Water falling from God's Hands onto our dry, parched, thirsty land.

No, the drought is not over but our dirt got a BIG drink tonight.

Yes, it came with a bang. Lab Ava and I jumped five inches at the first out-of-nowhere-house-shaking-soul-straightening bang. But the water was wet.

Twelve hours earlier, the bride was radiant, the groom adoring and the families hugged and laughed, danced, cheered, and gorged on father of the bride Jimbo's remarkably luscious home made barbeque and the absolute best-in-Texas Italian Cream wedding cake. Drove safely through minor storms there and back. Stayed up late visiting, knitting, and listening to the rain that was predicted to end by 1 a.m.

Wooooo-hooooooo here it is five a.m. and the rain continues to fall.

Yes my restless legs roused me out of a much-needed and oh-so-restful sleep.
But I can type praises.
Because.
There is RAIN in Texas.

RAIN poured onto a sinful people from the loving hands of the One Triune God who is merciful and forgiving.

Thank You, Holy Father.

One of your grateful children,
Liz