So Cool.

Late this afternoon I went to Mom and Dad's to do laundry. I didn't leave until after 6:00 and on the way home, I had two grocery store stops to make. I buy most things at ALDI, but a few things aren't available there, so I always have to go to Giant too. Giant came first on my homeward journey, so I went in there and found the few things I needed. By the time I was leaving, it was 7:13, and ALDI closed at 8:00. I knew I could make it; it is only a few miles. But I was still a little nervous about cutting it so close. I never like to still be shopping in there when 8:00 hits.

On my way out of Giant's parking lot, I stopped at the traffic light for just a moment, then made an easy right turn. The next traffic light was already a green arrow, and I turned and got right onto the highway. As the next light approached, about a half mile away, I watched it turn green and saw the line of cars start to move through. By the time I got there, it was still green and the traffic had loosened so that I barely had to slow down. I assumed we'd all get jammed up at the next light, but somehow, it was green too. I breezed through, merged onto the off-ramp, then onto the next road, and in a few more minutes, I was at ALDI.

After the first already-green light: "Thanks, God! That was convenient!"
After the second already-green light: A big smile "Hooray!"
After the third already-green light: Almost laughing, "That was so cool."

God cares about traffic lights. And I think He laughed tonight too when He gave me three green ones in a row. What a delightful reminder of how much He cares for us.

Bethel

So early in the morning, Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called the name of that place Bethel [which means the house of God].
Gen. 28:18-19

At the edge of our cemetery, by which I mean the cemetery adjacent to our house, is a small meadow which backs up to a grove of trees covering the slope down to the road. At the place where the meadow and the treeline meet is a stone about the size of a coffee table. Slightly tapered at one end, like a miniature Pride Rock. The first time I saw it, I thought of the rock that Sylvester becomes in Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. It looks much like that rock.

I have always thought of it as a friendly rock, waiting for a picnic blanket to be spread over it or for lovers to share their intimate thoughts while sitting on it in the twilight or for a young woman in need to sit on it and ponder...

Today, we encountered quite a snag in our aspirations to buy a house. I was discouraged when I came home and frustrated. I also had a lot to do including baking for our church class tomorrow evening. But I knew I needed to pray and I thought a hard run might help me do that. I put on my sneakers and jogged a lap around the cemetery, meditating on Proverbs 19:23.

The fear of the Lord leads to life, then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

My legs, unaccustomed to such exertion, quickly tired and I walked to the rock to sit and think. Sitting soon became reclining and I lay on the rock on my back (which was surprisingly comfortable), staring up at the blue sky through the crisscrossing still-bare branches of the trees. I turned to another verse card.

2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Slowly, the words seeped into my heart and convicted me of my selfishness. What do I need that I don't already have? Nothing. God has already provided all that I need, and if other needs arise, He will meet them as well. Our house search is in His hands. We need nothing that He has not promised to provide. And as for life and godliness, this evening that included baking that cobbler and getting dinner ready for Husband who would be home soon. I had all I needed to complete those tasks, and for this evening, that was all God asked of me.

I have given you all you need, He said to me. It's time to get up, go inside, and bake a cobbler for Me. I stood up from the rock - my Bethel - walked inside, and obeyed.

Lamb

Springtime is for babies. Baby flowers pushing up through dusty earth in tiny green bullets. Baby birds hatching from speckled eggs. Baby lambs.

A few weeks ago, Husby and I went to see the play at his school, The Secret Garden,
and this little sweetpea played Dickon's lamb. I got to pet him after the show.

I get carried away with baby love in the spring (don't worry - no baby for me yet) and I just want to see little cuties everywhere I look. Husband thinks animal motifs disrupt the true meaning of Easter, and he's right, but how can you not just love this little Easter bunny?

He's my lockscreen wallpaper on my phone

 

Fortunately, Husband did see to reason and agree to let me make a little Easter decoration for the living room. I wanted silhouettes of Easter animals, but it was much harder than you might think to find nice animal shadows. I finally found a lamb and a bunny I was happy with. Then I downloaded a springy seamless wallpaper from patterns.ava7.com and placed it behind the silhouettes. I printed them out, framed them, and set them on my half-table where I already had my little nest, a Ten Thousand Villages purchase from last spring.

Pete even admitted that he liked them when I got them finished.

I think it would look even better if I could have made the animal separate from the background. I didn't have a real Springy scrapbook paper, but if I did, I would have printed out just the silhouettes, cut them out, and then placed them on top of a Spring backdrop in the frame. It would add depth.

Maybe next time.

Hope Spring babies brighten your week! Watch for the baby eagles who will probably be hatching this week!

Cadbury

I caved.

Last year I remember walking around Walmart - on Easter day - in search of a Cadbury egg. They were sold out. This year, I had again been holding out on buying Easter candy. I thought giving in to jelly beans, malted milk eggs, and peeps in March might be a bit much. But when I saw Easter candy at ALDI, I couldn't resist. And I wasn't taking any chances on not getting a Cadbury egg again this year.

More on the true meaning Easter to come, but I have to admit on this beautiful Friday afternoon that I do love Easter candy. Sugar me up in the sunny springtime days!

Cha-Ching

Four ways I saved money in two hours this morning:

1. Got a $5 gift card at Target for buying printer ink.
2. Traded in used books at Books 4 Less, therefore earning credit at the store.
3. Saved 20 cents per gallon at Giant gas station by using my Bonus Card.
4. Shopped at ALDI and spent just $25 on food for the week.

Spring Things

Spring Encounters Today:

Crocuses smiling up at me from the flowerbeds.

My clients comparing canes outside in the sunshiney garden after lunch.

A squirrel skittering out of the dumpster when I approach to throw in some trash.

Propping bright white flowers in a blue vase.

Not wearing a coat.


Has Spring met you?

Onion Grass

Spring is onion grass. Mud you can hear gurgling under wet grass. The sun melting on your skin like butter. Open windows. Sneezing with the dust of spring cleaning. Crocuses. Ceramic bunnies and chicks. Spring is breakfast with a friend. A cemetery walk with Husband. A trip down memory lane while purging stacks of old papers. Crocheting while watching Lord of the Rings. And maybe a nighttime trip to the laundromat. Welcome to us, dear Spring.

Puffy vest equals chubby shadow.

Little Joys

Steel cut oats with frozen blueberries, pecans, and brown sugar.

Watching the Iowa eagles.

Mini brownies.

Getting my wedding rings cleaned. Finally.

Tortilla chips with melted cheddar cheese.

"He leads me beside quiet waters."