life these days as reported to a friend
Coming home from our four days in St. Augustine, I am pleased with the memories of the endless surf, high winds, beauty of the sea from our mansion windows, and time alone with Cal: no responsibilities, no relational distractions.
Physically, I am dragging and pushing as ever. The night we got home was Bible study and our drive home included a breakdown on I-95 for which I stood on the sunny grassy bank 45 minutes and got a fire ant bite on my foot. After Bible study the kids wanted to show us Batman Begins they had checked out from the library. So we were up till past midnight with that. And then I was past my sleepyness and couldn't. Four hours of sleep later I faced Saturday. We spent the afternoon at the Gonzalezes with the Islers --a new homeschool family recently joined to StA. So when we returned home after eight there was still the Lord's Day for which prep was not done. And Cal hadn't finished putting together the bulletin nor studying to teach Sunday school. So we were up till after one. And then I couldn't sleep. Four hours of sleep later I woke after six to get the roast started, etc. Now we leave for church at eight since we have to set up the (donated by Jay's church) sound system to avoid a $90. charge for hotel sound. But the kids are all on for this and helpful. Heather is in town and she and the girls came for SS & church. Then they joined us and Brian Douglas' parents' family for Sunday dinner here. The Douglases had to leave early after dinner to release their doggies, but Heather stayed and we chatted through Cal's snooze on the couch until it was time to go to Skaries for our evening church--the next seven weeks of which is really the New Members' Class for all of us. We will be interviewed by our session (made up of two OPC pastors and an OPC elder in the west of Florida) after these classes are finished and all be taken in as the founding members of Holy Trinity Presbyterian Church. We had a lovely older couple show up for our first members' class, besides our regulars. This was a great encouragement to us. What God is doing in knitting together these 22 plus hearts is a wonder to me.
When we were finished there my intention was to go straight to bed. Cal and I were in bed by nine, but talked till after ten, and then I couldn't sleep. I was lying there praying. And thinking about writing something I was thinking about. And realizing that I didn't have my thoughts together properly to warrant getting out of bed to do it. And thinking about how Kilby, also, has suffered not writing much in the past months. And thinking about Kilby. And praying for Kilby. And then I had to get out of bed (Cal was already sound asleep) to find out how she was doing. I asked her, and she responded that she was still feeling a little sick to her abdomen, and then I asked her how she was doing elsewise and that led to a sweet mother-daughter-friend conversation that lasted almost an hour. I was so thankful for the prompting of the Spirit to seek her out. But returning to bed, my dear husband, who had not only eaten a grapefruit for its somnolent effects, but had as well two aspirin, two tylenol, and one benadryl in hopes of getting a sound sleep after days of exhausting work, was sleeping so hard, so soundly, that he could not help but snore. Loudly. Steadily. Like I had never heard. I tried waking him and getting him to move which he did but not to remember it later, but it didn't help. I tried pillows (on my head, not his face) which also didn't help. So I took my pillows, blanket, and went to the couch in the living room sometime in the wee hours of the morning. Slept well enough for several hours and then returned to my own bed for its better support. He wasn't snoring. Until I had gotten settled. This time pillows on ears and sleepiness won out.
So I faced Monday also with little enough sleep. So little that I could never think clearly at all on Monday. Nor did I feel good about anything. In my younger days it would have been a day of falling apart and attending my depression. But I am old enough to know that my depression can be an actual thing without ruling my emotions. I kept recognizing my extreme tiredness, the transitional chaos of our home these day, and kept putting one foot in front of the other, praying for God to help us. Actually got groceries, chose and bought material for a new performance dress for Kilby. Kilby made an early dinner while I did what I do around the house. Kilby cut out the pattern while I read articles from Banner of Truth to her. We washed and dried bits of the materials to make sure they wouldn't shrink, fade, or change texture. Cal went off to a church planning meeting and after managing the kids to the end of the day I went to bed early.
It rained that night. For the first time heavily in months. Praising God.
(Our front garden bed is planted with purple orchids, purple pentas, purple persian shield, purple ornamental mystic spires salvia, and ornamental sweet potato vines that repeat the light green of the ginger at the back of the garden. I pruned the tree/bush in front of the front window drastically short, knowing it will fill the window better when it grows back. David tried to get me to take it down that far last time we pruned it and I was chicken. Now there is so much more light and exposure in the living room that Heather thought I had taken down window treatments, though she remembered that I had had none in that window.)
Woke and talked with Cal when he returned late.
Susan got home last night. We had a wonderful, hilarious time around the dinner table. And afterward Susan played her piano again. Followed by everyone playing a piece for her (AJ on his classical guitar). The funniest was Peter's Hungarian Rhapsody that rhapsodized over and over again into jazz turns. And then we listened to this intelligent song: Click here: Portland teens make a musical global warming plea for some more hilarity.
Today I must work on Kilby's dress. We've already had waffles and omelettes. Cal and Becky have gone to the seminary, Becky driving all the way to 441 and Stirling by herself. Kilby is awake but I haven't organized her yet. Susan is giving Grace a piano lesson. AJ is practicing the guitar. Peter is probably doing research for Cal. He gets paid for that now. Nonnie is in Washington for another week. We have prayer meeting up in Pompano tonight; we'll meet Cal and Becky there and have a late dinner afterward.
God is teaching me to believe in His goodness and His mercy and His steadfast faithfulness and the blessings to us of His Word.
Physically, I am dragging and pushing as ever. The night we got home was Bible study and our drive home included a breakdown on I-95 for which I stood on the sunny grassy bank 45 minutes and got a fire ant bite on my foot. After Bible study the kids wanted to show us Batman Begins they had checked out from the library. So we were up till past midnight with that. And then I was past my sleepyness and couldn't. Four hours of sleep later I faced Saturday. We spent the afternoon at the Gonzalezes with the Islers --a new homeschool family recently joined to StA. So when we returned home after eight there was still the Lord's Day for which prep was not done. And Cal hadn't finished putting together the bulletin nor studying to teach Sunday school. So we were up till after one. And then I couldn't sleep. Four hours of sleep later I woke after six to get the roast started, etc. Now we leave for church at eight since we have to set up the (donated by Jay's church) sound system to avoid a $90. charge for hotel sound. But the kids are all on for this and helpful. Heather is in town and she and the girls came for SS & church. Then they joined us and Brian Douglas' parents' family for Sunday dinner here. The Douglases had to leave early after dinner to release their doggies, but Heather stayed and we chatted through Cal's snooze on the couch until it was time to go to Skaries for our evening church--the next seven weeks of which is really the New Members' Class for all of us. We will be interviewed by our session (made up of two OPC pastors and an OPC elder in the west of Florida) after these classes are finished and all be taken in as the founding members of Holy Trinity Presbyterian Church. We had a lovely older couple show up for our first members' class, besides our regulars. This was a great encouragement to us. What God is doing in knitting together these 22 plus hearts is a wonder to me.
When we were finished there my intention was to go straight to bed. Cal and I were in bed by nine, but talked till after ten, and then I couldn't sleep. I was lying there praying. And thinking about writing something I was thinking about. And realizing that I didn't have my thoughts together properly to warrant getting out of bed to do it. And thinking about how Kilby, also, has suffered not writing much in the past months. And thinking about Kilby. And praying for Kilby. And then I had to get out of bed (Cal was already sound asleep) to find out how she was doing. I asked her, and she responded that she was still feeling a little sick to her abdomen, and then I asked her how she was doing elsewise and that led to a sweet mother-daughter-friend conversation that lasted almost an hour. I was so thankful for the prompting of the Spirit to seek her out. But returning to bed, my dear husband, who had not only eaten a grapefruit for its somnolent effects, but had as well two aspirin, two tylenol, and one benadryl in hopes of getting a sound sleep after days of exhausting work, was sleeping so hard, so soundly, that he could not help but snore. Loudly. Steadily. Like I had never heard. I tried waking him and getting him to move which he did but not to remember it later, but it didn't help. I tried pillows (on my head, not his face) which also didn't help. So I took my pillows, blanket, and went to the couch in the living room sometime in the wee hours of the morning. Slept well enough for several hours and then returned to my own bed for its better support. He wasn't snoring. Until I had gotten settled. This time pillows on ears and sleepiness won out.
So I faced Monday also with little enough sleep. So little that I could never think clearly at all on Monday. Nor did I feel good about anything. In my younger days it would have been a day of falling apart and attending my depression. But I am old enough to know that my depression can be an actual thing without ruling my emotions. I kept recognizing my extreme tiredness, the transitional chaos of our home these day, and kept putting one foot in front of the other, praying for God to help us. Actually got groceries, chose and bought material for a new performance dress for Kilby. Kilby made an early dinner while I did what I do around the house. Kilby cut out the pattern while I read articles from Banner of Truth to her. We washed and dried bits of the materials to make sure they wouldn't shrink, fade, or change texture. Cal went off to a church planning meeting and after managing the kids to the end of the day I went to bed early.
It rained that night. For the first time heavily in months. Praising God.
(Our front garden bed is planted with purple orchids, purple pentas, purple persian shield, purple ornamental mystic spires salvia, and ornamental sweet potato vines that repeat the light green of the ginger at the back of the garden. I pruned the tree/bush in front of the front window drastically short, knowing it will fill the window better when it grows back. David tried to get me to take it down that far last time we pruned it and I was chicken. Now there is so much more light and exposure in the living room that Heather thought I had taken down window treatments, though she remembered that I had had none in that window.)
Woke and talked with Cal when he returned late.
Susan got home last night. We had a wonderful, hilarious time around the dinner table. And afterward Susan played her piano again. Followed by everyone playing a piece for her (AJ on his classical guitar). The funniest was Peter's Hungarian Rhapsody that rhapsodized over and over again into jazz turns. And then we listened to this intelligent song: Click here: Portland teens make a musical global warming plea for some more hilarity.
Today I must work on Kilby's dress. We've already had waffles and omelettes. Cal and Becky have gone to the seminary, Becky driving all the way to 441 and Stirling by herself. Kilby is awake but I haven't organized her yet. Susan is giving Grace a piano lesson. AJ is practicing the guitar. Peter is probably doing research for Cal. He gets paid for that now. Nonnie is in Washington for another week. We have prayer meeting up in Pompano tonight; we'll meet Cal and Becky there and have a late dinner afterward.
God is teaching me to believe in His goodness and His mercy and His steadfast faithfulness and the blessings to us of His Word.
posted by Compleat Mom at 10:42 AM
1 Comments:
Wow what a busy couple of days you have had. It was such an encouragement for me to read as you kept gong even when you were so tired. Thank you for that blessing
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