Palm Sunday...Senior Sunday

 It is a beautiful Palm Sunday here in East Texas.  We are stepping into Holy Week.  So gentle...so sacred...and needed.  

I'm not going to lie...these past few days have been exhausting.  More especially for Sam.  Life has a way of piling things on us all at once, doesn't it?  But somehow, even in the tired, there's still grace tucked in the corners. I am so thankful for this grace.

Today is Senior Sunday, and if you've followed me for very long, you know I always like to tuck these moments away in my memory book.  

Our sweet Mylee will graduate on May 16th.  How in the world did we get here so fast?

As I sat thinking about her today, one thing kept coming to mind...HER BLANKET!

Since the day she was born, she has loved that blanket.  A dear friend of mine gave it to her...and at one time it was the prettiest blanket, pink and yellow, with delicate stitching around the edges.  Over the years, it's been loved well...worn soft by time, travel, and tiny hands that never quite would let it go. 

This blanket has been everywhere....Costa Rica, Guatemala, Colorado, California, and lastly to Ireland.  I suppose we could call it "the Traveling Blanket."  It's real name is:

Pink Bwank Bwank!!!  A name Mylee gave it when she was first learning to talk.  

And if you know Mylee, you know this...she may love you dearly, but that blanket?  Well...not just anyone gets the privilege of holding it. We've had more laughs over that little blanket than I can count.  

But...Isn't it something how love can settle itself into the simplest of things?   A blanket, a gift, a thread of kindness that never really unravels. 

I couldn't help but think of my sweet blogging friend Connie over at Far side of Fifty.  She spends a lot of her time crocheting beautiful baby blankets...one after another.  And I wonder if she fully knows how something made with HER hands might become someone's everything. A comfort, a memory, a piece of home they carry through life.  

This is what Mylee's blanket is to her.  .......

Love isn't always loud.  Sometimes it is stitched quietly into the fabric of everyday life.  Sometimes it does look like a worn out blanket that's been held a thousand times.  

This Palm Sunday, in the middle of our tired hearts and our very full days, I am extremely thankful for the small steady reminders of love. 

The Three Marys...

 Lately, I've been reading "The Women of Easter" by Liz Curtis Higgs, and this book has gently stirred my heart is such a sweet way.  

It has made me think about the women who stood near Jesus in His final days....(Mary of Bethany, Mary Magdalene, and Mary of ..the mother of Jesus). Women who didn't always understand what was unfolding, but they stayed anyway.  They showed up.  They watched and they wept..THEY LOVED! 

I dare not compare myself to them, however, sometimes, I don't fully understand what God is doing either.

Sometimes I'm standing in moments that feel uncertain, or heavy, or even heartbreaking. But like those women, I'm learning that faith isn't always about having answers. 

Mary of Bethany...She was the one who sat at His feet when others were busy. She was the one who poured out expensive perfume, not even caring what anyone thought.  Her love was bold, unashamed, and deeply personal.  She reminds me that worship isn't about perfection...it is about presence. 

Mary Magdalene....She was a woman with a past.  A story that could have defined her, but didn't. Jesus changed her life and Mary never forgot it.  Her life whispers to me that no matter where I have been, redemption writes a new story.  

Mary, the mother of Jesus....I honestly can not imagine what she felt in her heart.  She carried Him, she raised Him, and she watched Him suffer.  Mary was a mother whose love stood face to face with unimaginable pain. Her quiet strength speaks volumes. 

This is a very good book and perfect for this Easter Season.  

 🌷🌸🌷🌸🌷   

Sam has treatment today which means I will be away from my computer until after lunch.  We still have not heard from the CT Scan...It will most likely be next Wednesday when we see his oncologist. 

Happy Friday...Sending you happy vibes with a little sparkle today!

               

A Grateful Heart.

 Thankful Thursday:

There are moments when gratitude doesn't come from big, life-changing events....but from the quiet beauty that surrounds us every day. Yesterday, my heart felt especially full as I spent some time reflecting on the simple gift of spring and the breathtaking blooms along the Azalea Trail, located about 10 miles from our home.  

Walking among those flowers, I was reminded of how faithful God is in every season. After the stillness of winter, the earth awakens.  The trail this year was stunning and had the biggest blooms that I've ever seen on azaleas.  

My walk felt so good as I could feel the warmth of the sun as well as a slight hush of a breeze.  There was also a sweet fragrance swirling around me.  I did not feel rushed and I actually enjoyed getting in a few extra steps as I viewed the gardens. 

So today, I am very thankful for the beauty of new beginnings, for the quiet moments that restores my soul, and for the Creator who fills the world with color, details and purpose.  

I am also thankful for a peace that doesn't rush....and a grace that meets us right where we are.  

With a Grateful Heart...

Shug...💛

Joining Michelle

here

No change..Big Lesson

 
* Note:  I did not explain the Irish pudding very well in yesterday's post.  I actually called it by the wrong name. NOT Chocolate pudding.....it is "Black Pudding!"  Black Pudding is made out of Pigs blood, barley, seasonings and sometimes mountain oysters.  Not at all anything I would eat.  

When "No change" turns into a Big Lesson....💛💛

We all make mistakes.  Little ones....big ones...and then there are those moments that leave us sitting there thinking....well...what just happened.

Sunday evening, Sam and I went into town to grab a bite to eat.  Nothing fancy...just one of those easy, comfortable meals where the conversation is good and the atmosphere is LOUD. (The Loud was definitely NOT planned)  We honestly did not know that the restaurant was going to be as loud as it was.  

We had the sweetest young lady waiting on us.  She was very attentive, kind and just one of those people who checked on us several times throughout the meal. She made sure we had everything we needed, and she kept our iced tea glasses full throughout the meal.    

As we were finishing up, Sam stepped away to the restroom, and I stayed at the table waiting on the ticket.  I had a $100 dollar bill in my hand and, when the waitress came back, I asked her: 

"Do you have change for a hundred?"

Well....

What she heard was:

"NO CHANGE"

She paused....looked at me...and her eyes got big.

"Oh my goodness," she said, "thank you!!! This is such a sweet blessing...y0u have no idea how much I needed this."

"👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀"

Y'all...I just sat there.  

FROZEN.....

STUNNED...

Somewhere between wanting to clarify and not wanting to crush that beautiful moment for her, my brain completely short-circuited. I didn't know what to say...so..I said nothing. 

And just like that, our $36.21 dollar meal turned into a $36.21 plus a VERY NICE TIP meal.  ($63.79 tip)

I met Sam out at the car and I told him what had happened...I'm sure I still had that "Did that just happen" look on my face.  

With a smile and his calm wisdom that he carries so well, he said...

"God sure has ways of putting us on the spot when He plans to bless others."

Well....that will preach, won't it?

I'm thankful for the beauty in our blunders!!  Sometimes our awkward moments become God's perfect timing and sometimes....what feels like "oh no" turns into "oh wow."

Sometimes, God uses our mistakes to make something meaningful.  

Shug...💛💛💛

** Lesson Learned:  Do Not Dine in Loud Places!!