Taking the Time

It's been a while since I've blogged but I don't do it unless I feel like I need to share. Also, I need to get something off of my chest...I type from an iPad so the typos are abundant, my spelling and grammar may be incorrect for I haven't written regularly in years, but this is for fun and not a grade! There I said it. I really wrote that for my own self satisfaction. I still hear that that "grammar" police voice in my head and my lit. Teacher who was phenomenal, critiquing my writing. I still care after, umm well 16 years! Onto better stuff!

I was given an opportunity to spend time with a friend yesterday. Most of you know that in the past year and a half I have been designing jewelry out of beads. My friends know to come to me if they need a minor repair or if they want something to be redesigned. Sometimes I do it for love and sometimes I let them pay me. This particular friend is the mother of a couple of women in my church and the grandmother to several children that I know. She played an instrumental part in teaching me in the bible study I was involved in for the past years. She taught that first year and since we've had others come along and instruct. I am so grateful to women who have the gift of speaking in public and sharing God's word so they aren't just black and white letters on a page to me. Like the Lord breathed life into me, these teachers have breathed life into what I once deemed as booring words on a page into words of truth that have changed my life forever. Well, this particular friend had some old Ccechoslovakian glass beads that were her mothers that she wanted to be restrung so she could wear them again. A box of clear crystals was handed to me to string as I wished and I was able to give her new life to her deceased mother's jewels. What a gift to me it was to do this for her because I was friends with her very elderly mother too for she was in my small group study too. She only passed within the past couple of years so I was so happy to do this for my friend.

Well, after having had the beads for all summer, I finally completed the necklace last week and delivered it to her. The kids had a half day of school so my time was somewhat limited for my to do list. Let's face it my to do list isn't always necessary for things that have to get done. More or less it's about being able to stop by Ulta, sans kids, and picking out a new face cream and not picking out the most expensive one because you just need to leave because your little one has to go to the potty! Not necessary, but a little luxury I have now since all of the kids are in school. As I pulled up to her home her car wasn't there. But she popped her head out to let me know she was home and invited me in to come visit with her. Happily I said I'd love to come inside and visit with her. What a rare opportunity to share conversation with this lovely lady. Of course I thought well I need to go to trader joes but Jason had offered to go already if I hadn't made it. We sat down in her warm family room and she shared with me about her new crocheting projects and what she's been reading. This is a woman who dearly loves the Lord and knows his word well. She also was diagnosed with cancer of the brain a year ago shortly around the time she lost her beloved mother. Her short term memory isn't as good since she has been sick so she said she has just been reading the bible without commentaries without outside studies and just allowing the holy spirit to fill her mind. And she is "fine" with this. She is learning to be content in all things, Phillipians 4:12 reminds us of this "...I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation...". Wow, that spoke loudly to me.

My life looks very different to my dear friend's life but I could relate to her in this regard. I don't need to work for our Lord's acceptance. I have had to allow myself to have the freedom this year to just read the bible instead of being in a formal study. I read because my heart yearns for it. Psalm 42:1, "as the deer pants for water so my soul pants for the Lord.". It's a sweet spot to be in with this journey with the Lord. We all reach it at different times, in different seasons, and usually during times of trials.

There's something that gives this peace of mind so much weight coming from one of your elders. The Lord knew I needed to hear this at this time with this friend. I don't know the amount of time my friend has here on this beautiful earth, nor myself for that matter or any of you. I do know that I am so thankful that I took the time to stop and talk. Like the box of loose beads turned into a new creation, so our Lord takes the time to turn you and me into beautiful jewels.