And Now There Is -- LIGHT!

The nice, nice man I live with has been working evenings, Saturdays, and whenever we didn't have commitments, to finish the electrical in our offices, where are located my closets. One closet has shoes, shirts and jackets; the other has my slacks. The bedroom closet has his clothes -- because he gets dressed sometimes while I'm still sleeping -- and just because........

And on Saturday he finished it all, both rooms, so I can walk into a room and SEE what I'm pulling out, not fish to feel the texture, or pull out and put back. I can SEE where I am walking, not put my hand out in front to not walk into Libby's play-n-back (folded!) that we will take home to her in a couple of weeks. I don't have to get my clothes out the night before and hang them in our room because I can SEE them early in the morning!

I like my nice man. I like it that he likes to do things for me. I want to keep him another 32 years. I want our grandkids to know what a nice man he is so they will want to be like him.

Again! It takes Time!

Life has been so far removed from what I thought it would be at this stage. I thought it might be bor-ing.......and I would do project after project. HA! "How are you doing with the empty nest?" someone asks. "Well, we aren't home to find out!" Since Lora married, life has been too much to do, too little time, too little sleep, too much forgetting, too much we want to forget!

But St. Francis of Assisi's prayer brings it into focus. He said,
"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sew love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair; hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying that we are born
TO ETERNAL LIFE!"

Well put, St Francis. You remind me that this is not all there is. The bumps and bruises will heal, most quickly, most easily, most sweetly, if I give what I would like to receive; if I pray for others when I yearn for someone to root for me; if I reach out when I feel more alone than I can stand.

Because Life DOES rebirth itself! It comes around.

Life takes ...... Time!

They Understand?

I subbed Kindergarten today. First thing this morning the kids were, of course, asking, "Where is Teacher? Why isn't she here?"

I told them that I did not know, that she probably had an appointment today.

One little girl volunteered, "Maybe she just needed a break from all the yelling......."

I know this teacher is not a yeller, but the kids do know when we are at our breaking points. Actually we WANT them to know, don't we?!

I See Him

Larry's neice is expecting her first child any time, and I have been working on a baby quilt for our new little Katelyn, like I did when the other neices had their first little ones .... who are now not little anymore.......

With our remodel going for so long, my sewing has been very minimal. I thought I had sewn something within the last few months, but it must have been either by serger or by hand, because when I pulled out my machine yesterday, the power cord was missing.

I remember finding a cord I couldn't identify when we were packing and moving things -- last May! It was an odd shaped plug-in, so I felt it must be important. I just didn't know where it belonged. Must have been Larry's, I thought. I stashed it -- somewhere!

So the brain started rummaging through possibilities, and I looked everywhere it should have been. No luck. Next I go (yes, this is a common practice) where it should NOT have been. Still no luck. I started reaching for any memories connected with a cord, that cord, any cord. I thought maybe I had stuffed it into one of Larry's laptop cases and called him at work to ask him to check them out. Still no luck. The baby was due last Sunday, so I NEEDED to get this project completed -- before I misplace it!

Ok, next, where might Larry put something like that, if HE found it where it shouldn't be? I began checking his haunts, places he puts reading material, glasses (I found 4 old pair in his bedside drawer and 2 add'l cases - smile!), notes. I remembered the cabinets we designated for his "library" under the phone in the kitchen.

Bingo! I found my cord! Not wrapped the way I wrap it, so I felt confirmed that he'd found it and re-placed it. But now I could proceed with my work.

Silly to you, I know, but important to me. Yes, I always breathe a prayer when I'm frustrated at what I can't find. I didn't need to tell God how important this was to me. He knows I'm trying to maintaine order , minimize confusion -- to survive. No bargains like "I'll do an act of kindness if you help me find my cord....." It was just His gift. Just a kindness.

I probably could have bought another cord, maybe online or in a local shop that carries my line of machines. It would have taken $30 to $50 and a week or ten days. Not that the mama needs the gift before baby arrives -- that won't happen. I just need order. I forget things if I can't follow-up right away. Like the friend that did me a favor last week ............

I know Someone is looking out for me. A cord is a simple gift, but my reasons for needing it were important. He knew that. He loves me.