My Lovely Dwelling Place

Waiting So, I’m trying to slow down.  Instead of working all the time – professionally, for ministries, for homeschoolers, for whatever - I want to do less.  Instead of saying yes to everything, I hear myself say, “No!”, “Let me think about it…”, “I’ll need to pray about that one…” waiting for God to move in situations instead of hauling earth myself.  Watching the flowers grow, playing with my grandbaby, and being available should my adult children want to grace me with their presence.  Enjoying this moment in time, and the stages my dependent children are in right now instead of wondering where the time went. This is a big change for me.  I’m always thinking I should be doing something.  I could pick up more hours at work, develop professionally, and take some classes.  I could teach a class for that homeschool group, go on more field trips, and participate in another educational activity.  I could serve on that committee, work with that ministry, and help lead that women’s

Parlez-vous français?  About a month ago I was in France, driving around the idyllic Normandy countryside.  My companions were my twenty-two year old son and my sweet, but feisty eighty-five year old aunt.  Blue skies, rolling hills, little humidity, temperatures ranging from the upper seventies to the lower eighties, abundant farm fields and pastureland, cows – lots of cows, and no mosquitoes – that’s right, NO mosquitoes – Normandy is awesome!  For me, it’s pretty much what heaven will be like.             For two weeks my aunt fed us – simple and delicious French fare – cheese, cream and baguettes.  I didn’t want to exhaust my aunt or bore my son, so we would have these little road trip excursions seeing the sights of Normandy.  Normally, I like driving.  Imagine being in a rental car driving stick on narrow, winding, hilly roads with aggressive European drivers.  Now imagine a twenty-two year old navigating in English using a cell phone that only works some of the time