Friday, August 23, 2013

Double the Love!

We had a really delightful time with Dustin, Bethany, Katelyn and Madison last night at my brother & sister in law's house. I took many pictures but have these handy at this time, I'm still editing some. Syd took them with his phone camera, so some had to be lightened, etc.

Katelyn Olivia and Madison Nicole
Born Tues. August 13, 2013
Aren't they sweet?! They had eaten, been changed and swaddled up to take their sleep. We had fun passing them around, watching their facial expressions and of course, kissing them.

Great grammy Dotty gives little Katelyn a smooch
I wish I had some of the other photos ready. Uncle Syd and Katelyn were both looking to the right, neither of them smiling, in the first photo, then they looked over toward me and smiled. It was so funny!

We're a little fuzzy here, but happy!
Daddy's pretty good with that bottle. See how tiny Madison looks?
Aunt Cyndy got a turn too...actually, lots of turns (:

Aunt Cyndy and Madison, color-coordinated!
We were happy to spend this time, as tonight is the shower and I have a feeling we won't get to hold them as much - everyone will want to!!

When the family left, they came upon a bad accident down the road. A car, with a young driver in it, had gone off the road, through the wall and INTO someone's living room! They said the car was just sitting like it was parked in the middle of the room. Evidently the young person (people?) was o.k. The woman who lives in the house had just gotten up to go to the kitchen for something to drink! I do hope that she knows how absolutely fortunate she is, and that the Lord got her out of there at just the right moment! This is a perfect opportunity to be a witness to her. Please pray for the testimony of us and the other Christians here, and that she'll have an open heart toward the Lord Jesus.

Glad you stopped by to gawk at these new babies. It's really special to meet twins this young - my first time!
Take care.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Late Summer Senses

Today was one of those hot, humid but breezy August days. These thoughts came to my mind as I see Summer coming to an end.

Gossamer mountains, there in the distance;
barely able to make out their shape and whether covered with the low hanging clouds~
or do they simply disappear between nothingness and sky?
The color drains from once-vibrant trees. Ah, late August.
All of September we will watch as one after another,
the leaves turn the corner to their end of life.
A little brown dog pounces on hopping prey.
Crickets and grasshoppers seldom escape his watchful eye and deft movements.
I'm sorry for the insect when he lingers between agility and the ability to stand any longer.
There he's left to die a slow death while the hunter moves on to livelier game.
         Such are the end-of-summer sights.

The familiar voices are gone.
Once echoing, gleeful cries of children and the sharp bark of small dogs;
they had covered the hill in past months.
At evening the quiet talk around a campfire,
slowly hushed as one by one we would leave to take our sleep.
Back and forth goes the lonely porch swing now;
my feet 'pumping' in time while a gentle and regular
squeak of the chain drones overhead.
No longer is heard the hiss of the locust
but steady breezes whisper across the treetops
       ~the sounds of summer's end.

This day is heavy with dew that presses against my skin
and squeezes as one would a sponge.
Likely it will be one of the last of its kind.
We'll welcome the drier and cooler period
when we feel the soft fingers of
       the touch of late summer.

I reach into the tomato patch to pluck little red balls of goodness.
The leaves brush across my arms and the bitter-sweet odor rises;
      the summer garden scents, soon to be put to sleep.

-Cyndy Veysey

At Liberty, and Choosing Joy

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." James 1:2-4

I just noticed that it has been two weeks since I visited my page and wrote you all a note! At the time of the last post I had no idea the turn of events that would come. Not that it is of any consequence to any of you (and I won't bore you with it for long), but a situation has been dropped in my lap that I would never have chosen. The above verse is the one that I have been hanging on to and trusting God to perform in me. As our pastor went through the book of James years ago, he brought to my attention that, "when ye fall into diverse temptations" means "when you find yourself in the midst of a testing that is 'all around you'".  At this time, without my choosing, I am working full time (five and 1/2 days per week) at my post office job, which is a testing that is suddenly "all around me", and there is nothing I can do about it except choose to count it all joy! I keep being reminded that a neighboring PO clerk only took her position in another office for a two month period (this decision directly affected two other offices). For me that seems like a long time, but I know that it is not. 

Today the Lord used the chapter that constantly reminds me to choose God's precepts. 
Psalm 119:41-48 "...for I trust in thy word. And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgements. So shall I keep thy law continually forever and ever. And I will walk at liberty; for I seek thy precepts." 
I understand 'at liberty' here to mean 'in a wide place'! The Lord brought to my mind that as long as I am walking with Him, claiming His Word and obeying it, I am at perfect liberty even if feeling hemmed in and 'bound' by my circumstances. What joy, that a Christian who is walking by faith is walking in a wide place with their Lord. I am thankful to the Lord that I have this freedom in Jesus Christ. 

I'm glad that you walked by Darling Hill and hope that you have a good day.

Tomorrow evening, Lord willing, we will be going to see the new babies. Our nephew and his wife had their twins: Madison and Katelyn were born on Tuesday the 12th. Thank you to those who prayed (as it's listed as one of the requests here). I will post a picture or two when I finally get to see them!

Choose Joy even amongst unchosen circumstances!