Love For A Child

As we're driving down the road, Ron glances at the digital clock in the van.  

Ron: I got up twelve hours ago. 

Me: And we're still in the car.

Me: Hours and hours and hours in the car.

Me: And I don't even like to travel!

Me: How did this happen to me?!

Ron: Because you love a child. 

Absolutely true. 

We are home now, after visiting our "child" and her own family. It was worth every single mile of sunshine and fog and sudden rainstorms and smooth sailing and traffic and happy chatter and stiff muscles and coffee stops and commands from "Gertrude" (our GPS). 

"Because you love a child." 

We will endure many things because we love our children. Maybe travel is not a challenge for you, but I am sure that there are other things that you do only out of love. 

And if I am willing to endure personal difficulty for the sake of being with my Kati and her sweet family, how much more am I willing to endure for Jesus, the One who loved me and gave Himself for me? 

When I've gone the last mile of the way, 
I will rest at the close of the day.
And I know there are joys that await me, 
When I've gone the last mile of the way.*

* Hymn by Johnson Oatman, Jr., 1908

Being a Servant

My dear friend Barbara and I are intentional about getting together. Recently, I had invited her to have coffee in our new sunroom. (The sunroom is not quite finished, but I will show it to you when it is!) Barbara knew that it was a very busy week for me and she offered to bring scones so that I would not feel obligated to bake something. She told me that it would satisfy her craving to bake something, but I knew that she was really being thoughtful and gracious to me. Her strawberry scones were amazing! 

Barbara's simple act of grace reminds me of the lyrics to a song that my sister brought to my attention. Linda and I have talked about how it is often it is easier to give help than to receive it, and she shared these words with me. They have gone straight to my heart. 

Will you let me be your servant,

Let me be as Christ to you?

Pray that I may have the grace to 

Let you be my servant too. 

 

Five on Friday

It's time for a another Five on Friday, a gathering of blessings big and small. 

{one}
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Our second grandchild graduates from high school this weekend!

I can hardly believe that Maddie is old enough to graduate. But then, I said that when Gavin graduated too. Hmmm . . . I suppose it's just a fact that the older you get, the faster time flies. I anticipate graduations and other milestones will just keep flying by. 

But regardless, this is Maddie's one and only high school graduation and we are so proud of her! She is a delightful young woman and we know that she will soar! 

Photo by Bekah

{two}

Pineapple House was filled with beautiful music this week as Bekah's piano students (currently four of her nieces and nephews) presented their spring recital. It was Paul's (7) first recital and he did such a great job! Then Peter (11), Nora (13), and Eve (14) played their selections and we were all so impressed! It had been a while since the last recital (pre-pandemic), so it was especially thrilling to see their progress. By request, the teacher also played. 

(After the program, the two tiny girls played a duet. ~smile~)

{three}

We also had our last book club meeting of the school year this week. Even though I "retired" from homeschooling three years ago, I have continued to guide a book club for a group of homeschooled girls. It is a sweet time of book talk and tea and fellowship.

This year, we have had varied themes. One month we read and discussed books that had been translated into English from another language. Another month we read books with talking animals. This month we read books that took place on or near the sea. So much fun! 

{four} 

This is so random . . . 
but I added sweet potato fries to our Mother's Day dinner leftovers and I thought it made a pretty plate! Do you like a pretty plate? Do you enjoy leftovers? (I love them!) 

{five}

Spring on the sideboard: a sweet little picture of a bird on a strawberry vine, picked up on an antiquing outing with Ron, and a couple of wool strawberries on the tea tray. 

Blessed be the Lord, 

Who daily loads us with benefits, 

The God of our salvation! 

Selah.

Psalm 68:19

The Honorable Work of a Mother

At our Mother's Day gathering yesterday, we went around the room and named things that a mother would say . . . or things that our own mothers have said. Of course, there were some like "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it"  and "You're a big girl." 😄) But many of the words spoken by our mothers were words of encouragement and words of eternal truth. "Walk with God." Daily devotions. A "thought for the day" (Bible verse) before school.  

That is the honorable work of a mother: feeding the hearts and minds of her children with eternal truth. 

Weekend Snapshots

Our weekend plans had been in the works since December. Ryan and Sarah were running an adventure race in Spotsylvania, Virginia and they asked us to go along to supervise the kiddos. 

What? Spend the weekend together in an Airbnb with our kids and grandkids? An obvious "yes!" (And we weren't running/canoeing/biking in the adventure race. We had the easy part!)

On Friday, the eight of them (and LucyDog) and the three of us, along with food and port-a-cribs and pillows and luggage and dog supplies piled into two vehicles and set off for the weekend! Three of the grands rode in our van and we had SO much fun . . . talking, laughing, walky-talky communications between the two vans, eating snacks, and playing "The Minister's Cat."

We stayed in a lovely, spacious Airbnb!  

We ate (some carryout, some cooking) . . . 

relaxed . . . 

enjoyed the babies . . . 

watched some shows . . .

and did a little dancing. Some tried to learn to moonwalk! :)

I took time for a soak in this luxurious tub! 

Of course, Ryan and Sarah ran the adventure race! We're so proud of them for working toward and completing that goal! 

On their way . . .

After the race and some quick naps for the babies, we set off to explore some history of the Battle of Fredericksburg on the Sunken Road Walking Trail. 

We were all inspired by the story of Confederate Sergeant Richard Rowland Kirkland, the "Angel of Marye's Heights," whose compassionate heart moved him to bring water and blankets to wounded soldiers, both Confederate and Union. (You can read more about Sgt. Kirkland ~here~.)

And while some of us were traveling and adventuring and sightseeing . . . 

This boy was turning TWO !

Here are a few birthday pics his mama shared with me:

I love these happy faces! 

We FaceTimed with the birthday boy when we got home so that we could sing to him and share some of his excitement! We plan to celebrate both babies' birthdays (Caleb's 2nd and Ellie's 1st) when we visit them. Can't wait!