Contented…

There is frost on the ground outside and thin, gray clouds in the sky. The sun still hangs low in the southeast, and peeks out from behind the clouds periodically. For those brief moments, the living room is bathed is golden light, and seems to warm up, although, I know that is more psychological than anything given the briefness of its appearance.

The cats are playing WrestleMania across the great room, leaping into each other from the tops of the couches, running into the kitchen, ambushing from a kitchen chair. Every now and then, one will escape the other with a leap to a window sill for a brief respite, only to leap into action again with no notice.

My father is sitting with his green tea at his oak roll top desk. When he saw it for sale, he said he’d always wanted a roll top. Not my favorite look, but he bought it. He is probably scrolling through FB for new pictures of his great grandchildren and checking his emails. Every now and then he lets out a cough. He has COPD and post nasal drip, so that cough has become a regular sound in our home.

After walking to the mailbox in the briskness of the morning, enjoying a few minutes with my Creator, I enjoyed a soy free, sugar free, dairy free, chocolate protein shake very early for breakfast, and will top it off with some oatmeal with freeze dried blueberries and pecans. Then, I will head upstairs to read the Scriptures and pray, and probably nap. Later, when my honey wakes up, we may discuss some of what we have been reading, or maybe I will read a book while he reads the newspaper. We plan to drive into town to walk around a new park along the river, then maybe rewatch some episodes of The Chosen.

It’s a beautiful day, and my heart is overflowing with joy. I hope you can find things to make today a joyous one.

Big yawn…

The sky has been gray all day long, with a fine mist falling at various times. The hum of a space heater and the growl of my father’s outdated computer tower have been the white noise for my day of rest.

I spent an hour answering questions in my grandparent’s reflections book that I am filling out for the four grands we currently have, the one in the oven (idiom for our son and his wife’s pregnancy), and hopefully more grands and greats to come. Once my honey woke, we talked politics as he read through the newspaper, then talked about our plans for celebrating the Feasts of the LORD out on our property once we are done building. The smell of Marie Calender’s mushroom chicken pot pies filled the house with warmth as the conversation meandered through upcoming birthday celebrations, the visit we had with friends last night and the ugly clock sitting in our living room that belongs to my father.

My father and I spent a bit of time finishing out one of our Scrabble games. I won, 353 to 322. And then I settled in to do some Bible reading and praying for our children, our grands and the body of believers we call family. My eyes began to feel like sandpaper and I dropped off for a five minute snooze. My honey went upstairs to take a nap, and here I am now, blogging about my uneventful, yet satisfyingly restful day. My mind is at peace. My body is resting up to begin another week.

There is something special about the Sabbath. I have taken other days off to rest, but it is never the same. God meets with his children on the Sabbath in a special way. Try it. It can change your life once you give yourself permission to jump out of the rat race for 24 hours and spend time with the Creator who made you and loves you. Shalom.

Too early…

My day began much earlier than I had hoped it would with a dry, asthmatic cough. Not mine, our cat’s. When the house temperature drops to its coldest around 4am, it seems to trigger the cough. I gave up trying to sleep by five and decided to do something to help. This year the cough has been considerably less than in past years. I pulled out my handy homeopathy remedy binder and read up on the different asthmatic issues. After finding a spray bottle, I mixed the chosen remedy, then lovingly sprayed her with it. Usually over the top of the head so it doesn’t go directly in the face. I will probably use it again tonight before bed and hopefully hat will stave off a four o’clock episode. A day too late, since I could have slept in this morning, but have to be at our property early tomorrow to work on wiring our electrical panel.

C’est la vie.

To make the best of it, and make this “the best day ever”, I am going to eat breakfast alone, cuddle in the couch with the cat, blog, make a set of tzitzit (tassels worn on the corners of clothing to remind us to obey God’s instructions for living) for our granddaughter, then read my bible until I drop off again. Our granddaughter has been asking for a set, so I bought embroidery thread in her favorite colors. A day in jammies, cuddles with a cat, reading my favorite book with my favorite person. It doesn’t get any better than that!

Hope you have “the best day ever!”

A fly is buzzing…

As I sit in the living room on my Sabbath, I can hear the hum of the furnace fan circulating the air in our home. There is a huge fly buzzing in the window, and the sleeping cat next to me is twitching. Across the street, the neighbors weed whacker is growling. Upstairs is the sound of whatever sporting event my honey is watching, and I can see the neighborhood trees outside gently swaying in the breeze.

I had coffee with one of my daughters friends this morning, who has become one of my friends. We walked around the local farmers market and sipped coffee while she shared pictures and stories about her recent trip to Israel. I ate a bowl of green salad on the couch, and some leftover potato salad while enjoying the warmth on the back patio.

The sleeping cat has begun to squeak snore. There is a small airplane buzzing overhead. I like these lazy days. They help refresh my soul and body. The dishes can sit in the sink, we can rummage through the fridge for leftovers to eat. There is plenty in there to eat, even though it may take a little creative thinking. The biggest decision I have ahead of me is whether to take a nap on the couch, or should I take a walk around the block in the heat. I am grateful for permission from my creator to take a day off of work. He certainly knew what he was doing when he said we should work six days and rest on the seventh.

Hopefully you can find the courage to rest one in seven, and the refreshing that comes with the rest.