What a Day!

What a world we live in! I remember finding old letters at my grandma's house. I would sit there and read through a whole shoe box,

Dear Rachel,

I trust this letter finds you well. Things have been rather busy here on the farm. The weather has been warm with intermittent showers and we think that harvest will bring an abundance this year.

Dreamy, simple, and it seems like they always talked about the weather in their letters back then. Now here I am in the 21st century... I'm supposed to be packing but instead I've spent the last hour or so reading my friend's "letters" on their blogs... "catching up" and connecting through their latest thoughts on life. How thankful I am for this cyberspace blogosphere!! You touch me and bless me as miles melt away and you allow me the grace of being able to share in your life.

Okay, so I got sidetracked... where was I... my day... I awoke with a to-do list a mile long. This was my own fault since I've had the last three days to work on this list choosing instead to pour all my efforts into homeschool with little to nothing left emotionally or physically to focus on anything else when I finally had time. So I rolled into this day with the list staring up at me like a bully daring me to a duel.

I was supposed to spend the morning packing the family for our next adventure. But before I knew it, I had to run to Bitburg Base, (a 25-minute drive), to make a last-minute purchase, then drive to Israel's school in time to pick her up, run over to the Rathaus to see about obtaining a German tax ID number, and then run home for a quick bite to eat before driving to the Spangdahlem Base for the homeschool meeting. Time spent with my girlfriends was definitely my high of the day. We talked a little bit of business and then got down to the nitty gritty of sharing our lives... that personal sharing where I get rejuvenated, challenged, blessed, encouraged. We cried together. We laughed together. We grieved together. And we cheered for one another. I cannot even begin to tell you how incredibly blessed I was when I shared a victory in my own life and my girlfriends showered me with the kind of affirmations that only girlfriends can do. Really. My little moment turned into, well, almost an... occasion. The girls... gushed. As only girls can do. And, I have to tell you, it made me really glad to be a girl. The men would've shook hands. Maybe gave a little slap on the back. Gone onto other business. Which is great. But, this feminine affirmation... I felt so... lavishly loved. And I know I don't deserve that. Which makes me all the more in awe of this girlyness and the creative wiring God did to make us this way. I found myself in awe, yet again, of this grace that God gives me. And on a day when I felt like time was of the essence and the tasks were taunting me as I temporarily pushed them aside to bask in these intimate connections. Unfortunately, I had to leave the meeting early so I could get Israel to a long-awaited and even more long-anticipated playdate with her friend from school. (But I left understanding... these girl-connections are a necessity!) Just about an hour to tie up some loose business ends before dashing off to pick up Israel, meet LeRoy at the Base, and join up with friends for dinner at Isola Bella's Italian Pizzeria. Had a fabulous time! But by the time we arrived home I had one of those headaches where I can't move and I can't see anything but stars... the beginnings of one of those times when I wish I could remove my head, set it on a shelf, and pick it up later when it's all done with its pain. I took some medicine and stumbled to the bed where LeRoy covered me up, placed an ice pack across my forehead, and turned out the light. The next couple of hours were a frenzy of packing and getting ready as I lay immobilized... and deeply humbled. My family rose to the occasion. More grace.

Now I sit here thinking back on the whirlwind of the day and reminiscing about the relational aspects. The eternal-ness of those moments. The memories not written on the to-do list. The God-appointed moments filled with so much grace. The girls in my life with all their sass, wit, and charm... their wisdom... and grace. Those intimate connections that don't ever end up on my list of tasks to accomplish in a day -- and yet those are exactly what I get to take into eternity with me.

Yes, this has been quite a day. No, I didn't accomplish most of what was on my list -- only a small handful of the most essential ones. And, yes, I feel the day was a soaring success! Now my headache has subsided. It is 1 AM and from time to time I can hear my family's slumber noises. I can hear the clock ticking and I have three more tasks to accomplish before we set out for more travels when LeRoy's alarm buzzes at 2:30 AM. (We have to be at the airport at 4:30 AM with an hour's drive to get there.) I need to pack my bag, place an order at Amazon, and make sure the two dozen plants a friend blessed us with are in a good place to receive water and light for the seven days we'll be gone, (gardening at 1:30 in the morning! Can't say I've ever done that before! ~smile).

Awed by His grace!

Blessings!