Before I left the country, I checked out my garden. I hoped that all of the baby tomatoes would stay green, that they wouldn't all ripen and rot before I got home. I came home and they were still green. I was glad for a second and then started wondering and worrying--what is wrong with these tomatoes? why aren't they red yet? I even looked on the internet to see what could be up. And then a day or two later:
I looked at this tomato, and the multiples that have followed since then, and am reminded daily of what God showed me. How impatient I am even in the midst of him working out exactly what I hoped for--not even something I asked for, but just hoped for as a passing thought. I am also reminded of his abundance and his gifts, even the little ones like little Roma tomatoes fresh off the vine. My son and sister carried in a bowlful this evening. My son was so excited that "we" were going to eat these for dinner. He doesn't eat them of course but that other people who like such things were going to eat them.
This is my daughter last week, eyeing this babies and making plans for when she is a grownup and can have whatever animals she wants without me telling her no.
On Sunday my church voted for the new community minister, who will start mid-August. My interim-ness will end about a month after that. People have asked me if I ready to get done, or if I'm excited about almost being finished. I have enjoyed the work. I have enjoyed working with our volunteers and will continue to do so. They are an amazing group of people. I have loved the chance to continue in their work and make our ministries stronger. I do not choose to do this formally full time, but definitely have not regretted the part time work. It is messy though. There are not many black and white answers, and require constant prayer for guidance and constant listening for answers. Every day is different. Today I spent the morning working with our intern to inventory our storage unit. After a birthday lunch with a friend, I met with a family who needed a place to stay. I had a day's warning and had been praying, and even almost ducked out before they showed up. But God got them there before I left. I often hear people mention how good it makes them feel to help someone. I like the chance to help someone. But I also have enough experience and enough book learning to know and to doubt if I am really helping. This is another reason for the constant prayer and the listening.
After a quick trip to pick up my son, we moved on to a meeting with a new friend to get her advice on a transitional apartment ministry. Again more fact finding and guidance to seek to find the better solutions, with the least pain (and exhaustion) for all involved, including the volunteers who will work with the ministry. We gathered up my intern after this meeting and headed to the former apartment of a neighbor to see if they had any items we could use for the apartment ministry. The social work intern got his first glimpse of what an apartment looks like when a family moves away in a day, when they must fit what they can in their car and leave the rest. It was not pretty and it never is.
We got back to the office in time for the fire alarm. I walked out the building with my keys stuck in the door of my office. Yippee. Thankfully no fire, but everyone going to my house for the birthday party tonight was already there when I finally made it home. It took about 5 minutes for my panicked grumpiness to wear off but everyone helped and we got the party underway. I love my family. Happy birthday mom! This is the dish that I got her in Marrakesh and left on the valet cart and had shipped back to me. Inside the box. It is really pretty and blue and I didn't take a picture.
Speaking of Marrakesh, here are some starter fabrics I have selected for a quilt in honor of my trip:
I chose the top three because the patterns remind me of the tilework there. And the colors remind me of the sky and the landscape. The last fabric was one I bought just because I liked but I noticed when I got home that the colors matched. I don't know if I'll use them together or not.
I also found a rainbow of fat quarters to boost my stash a bit. There was a sale and Grace was helping and well, I now have a lot of options.
And this is the quilt I am currently working on. I started it based on a pattern in a book and hoped to make it for a particular person. This picture is showing a corner. The squares along the edge will be cut on the diagonal to make that edge. As I worked on it though, the colors didn't seem right for her anymore so this may be one to sell. I've had trouble with this one so I may end up switching to another for my July quilt. Or finishing it, another one that would be better for the person in mind, and one I still have stashed and all ready to quilt.
That is just a bit of the little things swirling around in my head and life. Little bits of life to grab my attention and help me grow, push on, learn, and create. There are more but that is enough for now.
This is my daughter last week, eyeing this babies and making plans for when she is a grownup and can have whatever animals she wants without me telling her no.
On Sunday my church voted for the new community minister, who will start mid-August. My interim-ness will end about a month after that. People have asked me if I ready to get done, or if I'm excited about almost being finished. I have enjoyed the work. I have enjoyed working with our volunteers and will continue to do so. They are an amazing group of people. I have loved the chance to continue in their work and make our ministries stronger. I do not choose to do this formally full time, but definitely have not regretted the part time work. It is messy though. There are not many black and white answers, and require constant prayer for guidance and constant listening for answers. Every day is different. Today I spent the morning working with our intern to inventory our storage unit. After a birthday lunch with a friend, I met with a family who needed a place to stay. I had a day's warning and had been praying, and even almost ducked out before they showed up. But God got them there before I left. I often hear people mention how good it makes them feel to help someone. I like the chance to help someone. But I also have enough experience and enough book learning to know and to doubt if I am really helping. This is another reason for the constant prayer and the listening.
After a quick trip to pick up my son, we moved on to a meeting with a new friend to get her advice on a transitional apartment ministry. Again more fact finding and guidance to seek to find the better solutions, with the least pain (and exhaustion) for all involved, including the volunteers who will work with the ministry. We gathered up my intern after this meeting and headed to the former apartment of a neighbor to see if they had any items we could use for the apartment ministry. The social work intern got his first glimpse of what an apartment looks like when a family moves away in a day, when they must fit what they can in their car and leave the rest. It was not pretty and it never is.
We got back to the office in time for the fire alarm. I walked out the building with my keys stuck in the door of my office. Yippee. Thankfully no fire, but everyone going to my house for the birthday party tonight was already there when I finally made it home. It took about 5 minutes for my panicked grumpiness to wear off but everyone helped and we got the party underway. I love my family. Happy birthday mom! This is the dish that I got her in Marrakesh and left on the valet cart and had shipped back to me. Inside the box. It is really pretty and blue and I didn't take a picture.
Speaking of Marrakesh, here are some starter fabrics I have selected for a quilt in honor of my trip:
I also found a rainbow of fat quarters to boost my stash a bit. There was a sale and Grace was helping and well, I now have a lot of options.
And this is the quilt I am currently working on. I started it based on a pattern in a book and hoped to make it for a particular person. This picture is showing a corner. The squares along the edge will be cut on the diagonal to make that edge. As I worked on it though, the colors didn't seem right for her anymore so this may be one to sell. I've had trouble with this one so I may end up switching to another for my July quilt. Or finishing it, another one that would be better for the person in mind, and one I still have stashed and all ready to quilt.
That is just a bit of the little things swirling around in my head and life. Little bits of life to grab my attention and help me grow, push on, learn, and create. There are more but that is enough for now.
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