a patchwork of my life...

Patch #1:
Jordan dropped by yesterday and heard "Emmanuel" (see post below) for the first time. He really likes it, too. He worked out the chords on the guitar and we agreed that he would sing it and I would do the harmony. This will probably be my last time to sing with him for a long time since he heads for Dallas in the middle of January. Sure will miss him, but I'm very glad that he's following what he believes God wants him to do with his life right now. He's single, so it's a good time to try some new things.

Patch #2:
I was pondering in church this morning and asking myself, "I wonder why I always end up behind a very tall man who blocks my view of the song lyrics on the screen?" LOL! I'm really distractable during the worship portion of the service. In addition to the tall man in front of me, the songs are usually too high for my alto voice (and I suspect for a lot of people) and lots of little peevish thoughts try to introduce themselves as I supposedly "worship". But it's all an exercise in discipline, I guess. I have a little talk with myself, reminding myself to focus on the Lord and not on everything around me. By the end of the worship I'm beginning to get myself tuned in. Corporate worship will never be easy for me because I'm so ADD. I really have to close my eyes just to keep focused.

Patch #3:
As I practice my guitar, my goal is to be able to lead singing in a small home-based worship/prayer gathering. This isn't something my husband and I have really planned to do, I just think it's good to be prepared because I think small groups meeting in homes is how this whole church thing got started and I think it's what Jesus had in mind when he told us not to forsake gathering together. It's hard to really have fellowship with people in a really large group of people. I mean the type of fellowship where you know people and their needs and can support each other in prayer and with practical help. Anyway, that's what I'd like to do someday. When it happens we'll need someone to lead singing, so I'm starting to get ready!

Patch #4:
It's interesting how married couples start out as a team. Us against the world. Then kids come and your life focuses on them. Then when they're all grown you find that it's just the two of you against the world...again! Well, actually, Bob and I never went through that first "team" phase, because he came into the marriage with four big kids, so we're experiencing the two of us for the first time now. We've always had kids to think about before ourselves, so we kind of wondered what we'd do to fill the void when they were gone. It is kind of quiet, but it's also kind of fun to see what it's like to just be "us against the world". We help each other with the firewood gathering and keeping the house warm now that it's getting colder. We're having to trust the Lord day-to-day for finances, but since it's only us it's not as scary as the old days when we had little ones depending on us. We're facing health issues and trusting in the Lord. We love hearing from the kids and having an occasional visit and seeing what's happening in their lives. It's an interesting time in our lives.

Well, that's four patches, which should make a nice square for my "life quilt". I suddenly feel the urge to dig out all the old flannel shirts I've squirreled away and cut them into quilt squares. Just one of many craft projects I have waiting in my loft upstairs. I have a couple of old quilts that could use a new cover, so hopefully I'll get around to that project this winter!

Shalom!