Sunday Afternoon Tea

In my home it is still early morning. I wanted to write before Ike overtakes our state completely and we could possibly lose power. Last week, the remnant of Gustav passed over us with wet and breezy weather. Ike is proving to hold together much more and after heavy rains already from a front passing through, the last thing we need is more rain. However, I cannot complain at all as one who is on high ground... especially after watching scenes from the Gulf Coast yesterday. My prayers go out to all of you.

So, I'm sitting here tapping away at what we used to call typewriter keys... now keyboarding... and occasionally sipping coffee with cream and Splenda from an over sized coffee mug. The moisture in the air is battling the sinus passages in my head and the moisture is winning... sniff, sniff. This is definitely a morning for waxing poetic about a hot mug of coffee and the power of steam and caffeine to clear a foggy brain enough for the drive to church.

Both the guys had to work all day yesterday with a big home football game bringing shoppers to the bookstore looking for anything and everything with the team's logo stitched, sealed, imprinted, or painted on it.

While they were in the midst of chaos, Sasha and I enjoyed a very quiet day at home getting caught up on laundry and housework... perusing books purchased at the library sale... and generally putzing around making our home a place where the menfolk will enjoy returning later in the day. Sasha is quite the taskmaster in between naps on the rocking chair and snacking...

I was pondering this week how we can honor God by having a thankful heart, even when life is not perfect. What led me down this particular fork in the road? Well, part of it started as I organized pantry shelves and thanked Him that I could work for two weeks during Book Rush to fill them again... even though our income has dropped dramatically and it was already small.

The thankfulness continued as I was driving home from a nearby town after a book sale with the old car rattling as if it were barely holding together and the sound which comes through the rolled down window (only the right side windows will roll down now) when one's muffler is no longer attached... or has been for a couple of years.

No... instead of complaining I made the decision then and there to thank God for this old car, that it is still running long after our mechanic thought it would give up the ghost. I am pleased to have transportation so I can make my way to a book sale and come home with books costing $1.00... some of which are no longer in print at that.

I am thankful for the "newer older car" that my son-in-law's parents gave us. Such a nice and roomy car which helps me sleep better knowing Christopher is driving to and from school, work, and study in it... especially when arriving home in the early hours of morning... driving on dark country roads.

I was continuing to ponder a thankful heart in the midst of a not-so-perfect world when I pulled up in my driveway, very thankful to have made it safely through fog and rain. I love the way my front porch looks now with the autumn mums (a couple purchased very cheap and two more grown in pots on my deck over the summer) and the different arranging of greenery. I don't look back at the dream house that once was mine. Instead, I am thankful for the miracle of a small-ish house at the corner of a forest... even if it is spooky walking from car to front door at night.

I am thankful that God is teaching me to trust Him as Christopher is out studying until 2:00 in the morning. I am also thankful that he is studying and not breaking his mother's heart... as I have seen in even homeschooling families of late. I hope his schedule is more sane next semester. :)

I am thankful for cell phones to keep in contact with my daughter, even though she is 1,000 miles away. I am thankful when my husband and I lose patience with each other, we can quickly forgive... a must when one is dealing with an illness such as his... and a sinner saved by grace such as myself.

I am thankful we have not had another major terrorist hit since 911, even when we hear from the powers that be that it is not "if" we will have another... but "when". How well I remember that day when I was thankful to find my husband was alive. We now know a terrorist was most likely on the plane he was taking to Chicago. I will post that story again on Monday.

Life is hard at times and never perfect. If we wait for circumstances to fall into place where all is peaceful and calm before we are thankful... we will never come to know a thankful heart... we will never know His peace that passes all understanding. This isn't Heaven, yet.

Today we live in a world where the price of gold is going up due to the uncertainty of the future. Someday we will walk on streets where gold is so common it is used as a construction medium. Now, that is something to ponder.