The vegetables have been chopped. The chicken thighs are roasting in the oven. Soon enough I will heat up the stove and begin the process which shall presumedly end in a delightfully yummy chicken and barley soup. For now though, I can sit here and blissfully rest. I say that as if I have been strenuously working all day, which is most certainly not the case. Still yet, I am grateful for this moment. Dani and I had a lovely walk here there and everywhere (a little over 4.5 miles I believe) and oh how wonderful was it to enjoy this early December day in all its shy beauty! The fading evening light washed over us as we walked and it did my soul good to breathe in the wintry air this day. Now I think perhaps a book is about to be opened. Multiple books even. The candle is lit, as is only proper. And soon enough the scents of chicken soup shall waft their way throughout our little home and I shall then – even as I am now – sing praises to my Lord. Too often do I forget that all these things that have been given me come from my God. On that note, I am away. My soul thrills to to read a few words now on Christ and his marvelous work for me. I sit at the foot of the cross and weep for love.
Tag: thanksgiving
Tidbits
A lovely Thanksgiving morning here. Slept in past 630am, which is almost unheard of these days. Showered, got the coffee going. And then although usually I would sit in my cozy corner chair and have my quiet time, could I pass up an early morning Thanksgiving walk when it’s as glorious outside as it is? A beautiful 48 degrees when I stepped outside, coffee mug in hand. Down the street I went and then meandered my way down the MKT trail heartily enjoying the fresh crisp air, breathing deep and feeling gloriously vibrantly alive. I confess I don’t enjoy many things more than an early morning walk in the cold, sipping fresh hot coffee as I go. And there’s something about the early morning walks that bring out the best in people. Usually when I walk this trail, though the people watching is superb, one doesn’t address people as they pass. But early morning times feel special, as if we are all part of a private club that knows these times are the best times to be out and about and walking and that everyone else is missing out, really. So down the trail I walk, exchanging smiles and good mornings with the people I pass. There are many joggers of course, and a few dog-walkers (like the young mom and child that I pass as they let their dog sniff and take his time) but there are also walkers like me, enjoying the excuse to wear a warm hoodie and walk down the trail this lovely Thanksgiving morning. Eventually I reached my usual turning point and I turned around and began walking back home. I was stunned anew by the beauty I saw above and around me, seeing the leftovers of the sunrise strewn across the eastern sky. Homeward now! No less beautiful was this leg of the walk even though now my heart felt full to bursting. Prayers were said and more smiles were exchanged with the walkers that I passed. Soon enough, my legs found their way back inside the house, where somehow the apartment had done such a good job holding its residual heat that I felt I was stepping inside an oven! A 20-degree differential will do that, I suppose.
Now I finish the remnants of my coffee and think it’s time to brew another cup. Soon enough the Dani will wake and then we will begin to think of walk round 2. But for now, I will enjoy the flickering candle on the table, the Tchaikovsky playing in the background and soon a book upon the lap and a hot mug in my hand. I have oh so many things to be thankful for this day.
Sunward
A lovely Thankgiving Eve is at hand! Finally oh finally a cold front approaches and it appears we will have near perfect weather the next few days. Highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s? Yes please. And the sun shines! It very well may be a bit silly how happy such glorious weather makes me, but I will not deny such. Many long walks await!! And now I enjoy sipping on my coffee and preparing for another day of work, knowing that work is good and all that but…also grateful that this is my last full day of work for a good few days. Looking forward to a Thanksgiving holiday here with Dani in which we shall make far too much good food and enjoy wonderful rest and the bountiful gifts we have been given. At times we all over-complicate our lives, do we not? So in this Thanksgiving season, I long to pull back a bit and spend unhurried time on that which truly matters – devoting myself to those whom I hold most dear and luxuriating in quiet times of prayer and praise to the God whom I love so. Praise God from whom all blessings flow indeed.
Communion
What a lovely lovely day. And shall I waste it adding words to the ever growing clouds of data spinning through this world? May it not be so! So briefly….
A day of rest, a day of joy. Finally home with my Bethel church family, loving each other and loving God, lifting our voices in worship sweet and listening to the Word expounded. And lunch with friends(chicken curry is always a quality meal, more so when eaten over good chat and sweet communion with my dear friends). Back at my flat and poring over the Word for community group(Colossians 3:15-17…)…And then vacuuming and a quick workout and then out into glorious brilliant afternoon sunshine reading The Silver Chair by the side of the pool…And back inside and now potato is in the oven and I will soon enjoy it hot and freshly buttered along with some plump turkey burgers and green beans but now I sit on this couch and read a bit of Owen’s Communion With God and while I could say that there is nothing more to be said, suffice it to be said that my heart is full this day. Afternoon sweetly passing by, eyes brighten, lips part, heart sigh. A touch of honey on the bread, one last morsel achingly read, truly nothing more to be said.
Tears of Grace
Hello friends!! I write this from Starbucks this happy Saturday afternoon and while I shall not write long, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to put a few words to page. Today has been a somewhat productive day so far(got my car’s oil changed, some errands, etc!) and it will continue once I get back home – need to do some cleaning of my apartment! Fun times eh? Now though, just been reading a bit in preparation for Tuesday night’s study(“Whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord.” How often do I fail at that. How much do I need to be reminded!) and also sending a few emails out. Also a very nice benefit to having internet access here…downloaded a bunch of Dominic’s sermons from SermonAudio and I shall later on burn these to CDs for commute listening. I am very pleased with my many new sermons and the much encouragement and conviction I’m sure they will provide. Again from Colossians – may the Word of Christ richly dwell within us.
Now, I’m off, mostly because I want to get home and start my chores. Also need to start dinner at some point – tonight’s a chicken parm night…just been craving that this morning, so suppose I shall make it(complete with tomato salad *of course*). I have far more I could write about, but for now, just grateful for a day of rest that my God has granted me. May I spend it pondering the goodness and glories of my God and meditating on the beauties and wonders of knowing Christ. I do not want to waste this day or this life thinking about that which does not matter. Peace and love, my friends – hope you have a beautiful day and are as encouraged as I am!
A Prime Year
I am overwhelmed by the goodness of the Lord.
I shall not write long now, as the evening light fades as this day comes to a sweet closing, but I cannot help but write a scant few words. This day I turn twenty-nine, not a momentous day in and of itself, but it is indeed a good time to sit and ponder and recall the glorious wonders of my God and the many bounties He has granted me. And so this day has been a calm one, a normal day of work and a quiet evening now. But all day today, as I received numerous messages of love and encouragement from my friends, I felt myself a bit taken aback by the far too kind words from my friends and family dear. I am most unworthy and I feel that it is only the grace of my God and Father that I am who I am this day. Oh my Father keep me humble and full of love as I walk before You!
And now I am going to have a beautiful and most perfect birthday dinner of lasagna and tomato salad and possibly some chocolate cake!!! And once again, I offer all thanksgiving to my God and Father who has given me much these past twenty-nine years. He has given me abundantly more than all I could ask or imagine. He has forgiven me much. My God has forgiven me everything. And in that great beauty and profound love i rejoice!
Peace, my friends. Peace and love. Always.
Land’s End
Hello friends!! Here at Starbucks just finishing up my coffee and about to head out again pretty soon…needed some internet time(really, mostly just to update my phone apps and write some messages to people that I haven’t talked to in far too long!). Also got some reading time done(Colossians commentary by MacArthur to prepare for next Tuesday community group!) so a most productive coffee place time indeed. I’m feeling a bit weary just now…woke up nice and late(7:30!!) and then went for a run along Buffalo Bayou…didn’t want to run too long since it was getting hot but I got six miles in! I’m going to be feeling it tomorrow though, since I haven’t run in almost two months. Hm. I really need to get back into a routine, but part of the problem is that I prefer to run on Saturday mornings and I’ve unfortunately(or fortunately, depending on your perspective!) been finding myself out of town for many of the past weekends.
Anyways, the rest of today is going to consist of cleaning my place and then cooking a proper dinner(homemade tomato sauce with spicy Italian sausage and peppers and onions, hello!) and having a restful evening. And most possibly reading a good book as well – after an extended break, think it’s high time I get back to reading Owen’s Communion with God. I’m pretty excited. Yes, I’m odd, I realise that! But truly, a relaxing weekend is most needed and I am very grateful that God has given me this time to rest! And some solid time to seek after God and worship Him and enjoy His presence in my life. Truly, to know Christ Jesus my Lord and to understand and immerse myself in His love for me – is there anything greater in this life?? So tonight I mean to meditate on the wonders and glories of Christ my Lord. It shall be beautiful.
Now my friends, I am off into this wondrously bright Houston afternoon. Be well. Peace and love!
Sweet Chariot
Hello friends!! Posting a quick pre-work entry here before everything gets hectic busy. Of course, things aren’t that busy of late here…mostly with the oil industry being semi-catatonic and all. Layoffs are still happening(two more engineers got let go from my office yesterday..) and everyone is in a bit of a grim mood. Anyways! Cheery intro, eh? I’m enjoying my cup of coffee this Wednesday morning and slowly waking up. I’ve felt like I’ve been on the verge of getting sick for the past week or so…and I’m a bit tired of being tired all the time. Oh so weary! I would like to have my proper energy back, please! Alas. Tonight should be a restful night at home and then tomorrow night going out to hang with Chase and Sarah! That will be good times, no doubt. Last night was a beautiful small group meeting…despite my tiredness, God indeed gave grace(as always!) and we had a pretty sweet discussion of the gospel of God. What is the beauty of the gospel?? That was my ending question last night, and as I begin to dive into work this morning, I want to be pondering and meditating on the everlasting mercies of my God. Peace and love, dear friends.
Far Too Beautiful
Good morning, dear friends!! It’s a beautifully cold morning here in Houston and it’s about time for work to begin – but thought I’d pop on to the dusty world of livejournal and say hello. I’ve had an interesting few days(I’m terrible I know…no time to share the details!) and while it can at times be easy to moan and fret about the things that go not the way I’d prefer, I really can’t stomach the thought of complaining when I know the God I belong to. And on this morning that I’ve been constantly reminded of the rich and endless love that has been granted me, I leave you with these words from one of my favorite songs lately…
And heaven knows
I’m prone to leave
the only God
I should have loved,
and yet You’re far too beautiful to leave me.
Behold the Day
Hi friends!! Happy Christmas Eve!!! I’m posting a quick entry from Tampa home! I have been meaning to write more this break(I’ve been here for five days now!), but alas, an abundance of good times with family and friends has prevented me. Alas indeed. But no complaints whatsoever! And now I find myself faced with the problem of too much to write about. Well, suppose we shall bounce back to Friday night, shall we? One of my favorite nights of this whole past year, I can confidently assert! Went with a group of friends(had fourteen of us!) to see Handel’s Messiah at Jones Hall in downtown Houston. It was a grand evening with simply wonderful friends. We were pretty snazzily dressed up(if I do say so myself!!) and after we finished our dinner at Bombay’s Pizza, we made our way to the hall and then enjoyed a marvelous few hours hearing and seeing the Houston Symphony perform the Messiah. I may have said this before, so pardon the repetition, but this is my favorite piece of music ever, and every time I hear it…it delights my soul. And hearing it live – oh joy!!! I really wish I could properly convey the feeling at being there, but my skill with words is not sufficient to the task. But hearing God be praised via the words of the Scripture(Isaiah! Malachi! Psalms! Luke! and more!) by so many beautiful voices…oh gorgeous. Just a little piece of heaven. And again, hearing that with some of my dear friends, thinking on the deep and wonderful mysteries of God Almighty, Saviour of my soul…I cannot express my heart. ’tis wonderful.
And now I feel I can’t really get back to writing about the rest of this week…but it’s been an amazing time with the family – Dad, Mom, Laura, Maryanne, Caisson…eating so much delicious food, watching fun movies(Jurassic World – Maryanne’s choice! Alice Adams, a classic Katherine Hepburn movie – Mom’s choice! Star Wars: The Force Awakens – All of our choice!! And if I took time to write a review of that movie now…in all its space-rollicking-adventure glory splashed across the cinema screen…this would be far too long of an entry!). And now it is Christmas Eve, and Dad is resting on the couch, Maryanne’s making her oven-roasted potatoes(lots of them!), and Laura and Caisson are shortly going to be cooking the steak and asparagus…while I laze about and type on this keyboard. And oft-times, I feel so unworthy of all these blessings…my thoughts and emotions whirl about within me in frantic currents and I doubt my place…yet then I think back on what God my Father has given me, and who He is. My Father, my God. My Love. And I rest in His loving arms and I fear no more. All glory be unto Him, forever and ever. Amen and Amen.
Now, time for me to contribute to this Christmas Eve dinner in some fashion. Maybe I’ll do some of the dishes here. Peace, my friends. Peace and love, forever and always.
Something Weird 