Isn’t it amazing that an empty week on the calendar can fill up quickly with many exciting people and events? Hello from just over the hilltop in Norwood where the days are full of activities and the evenings bring some beautiful sunsets. Often they have been soft pink clouds against the darkening horizon of gray. No wonder girls wore gray poodle skirts with pink blouses and scarves back in the fifties. Those two colors are stunning together.
Sharon and I are still meeting on Tuesdays to practice music, her on the keyboard and me on the piano. I have been so blessed and encouraged during our practice sessions. She and her husband had us over for supper last night so I find she is an excellent cook, too! I love finding new recipes for zucchini and her zucchini pie was delicious and I think it might even make an excellent breakfast treat.
Porch guests
On Wednesday our former employee, Emily, came for an afternoon visit on the porch. It was great catching up on her life and her missions travels in the past few years. It had been a while since seeing her and I’m grateful she found time to see us this trip home. I know how hard it is when you have so many family and friends to see in a short amount of time. While she was here a former customer stopped to say hi, and ask if their church group might be able to come by on their progressive evening out and see the Bed and Breakfast. They used to come to Mom’s as part of their night out and still missed us and now want to see what we are doing. So, I offered them the dessert part of the evening as a treat for them and of course, I would love to show them our home and B&B. September is starting to fill up!
Of course, I would love to show them our home and B&B
Friday I went to Maplewood in Canton to sing with friends and as usual I was blessed just watching and listening to the singing of others. I didn’t even mind the hot, muggy room inside. It was just as hot and muggy outside but the pleasure and joy was inside.
Dick has been puttering around here waiting for his next job to begin. He tried to get our lawn mower to work, but it still doesn’t want to stay running. The Schoolhouse will need to be hayed by the time it gets mowed again. Anyway, it’s always nice having him around home.
Helping others
We had an unexpected guest Saturday night and though I wasn’t planning for a guest, it went fine. She was understanding about my preparing for the Writers’ Group picnic and was grateful to not have to travel four hours alone to get back home. She hadn’t planned on coming to Potsdam but her returning senior son couldn’t fit everything in his car. Mom to the rescue! I’m glad we could help her out on such notice and I realized that I can still do more than one thing at a time.
Sometime one never knows when you might just be a good Samaritan
Dick had helped a stranger the night before but in an entirely different situation. This called for a signed deposition from Dick and he was glad to be able to help someone who needed protection and direction. Sometimes one never knows when you might just be a good Samaritan.
After the Writers’ Group picnic Sunday afternoon, we went to visit with Eric and his family. Dick wanted to return Buckwheat (the stuffed bear) to Reagan now that he had sewn on a face with personality. Sunday was definitely a day filled with an unexpected guest, church, picnic, and visiting. I think the beautiful sunset when we got home was the cherry on top!
Great grief
Even though this week was filled with wonderful and exciting activities, a little rain and a hard storm did fall. I’m not talking about the weather, but life itself. Wednesday was also Errin’s birthday on which he would have been forty-two years old and strangely, I only see him in my mind’s eye as a one month old baby. Does heaven have babies or will he be grown? Well, one thing I know, I will recognize him. I did not get to send him his balloon yet so will probably wait until September. That was the little rain that fell and the hard storm was another miscarriage for Kate and Chad.
sorrow is for a night but joy cometh in the morning
How does one reconcile the pain and grief that accompanies the wonder and anticipation of birth with the agony of premature death? Maybe you can’t and that’s when faith kicks in. Some things we may not understand, but our faith holds on to the promise that “sorrow is for a night but joy cometh in the morning.” We just don’t know how long the night may be. During this storm of disappointment, grief, and pain, I pray that joy returns soon to their family. I’m sure little Sam (now nineteen months) will be a comfort in these days ahead.
This week is already filling up and so I need to get ready for guests coming in tomorrow and Thursday for a funeral and then weekend guests for parents bringing their students to college. Whatever your week holds, may it be full and fabulous. Love, Sharon