Advent::First Sunday::Light

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. ~ Isaiah 9:2

What did you see today?

For most of the years we were raising a family, Louis was a citrus farmer. He delighted in spending many long days outdoors, in orange groves and cypress hammocks and on long and winding country roads. "What did you see today, daddy?" The boys begged to know before Louis could even get out of his boots. They were spellbound by Louis' stories of tractors and backhoes... ...and alligators and wild turkeys and rattlesnakes and bobcats... ...and they lived for the opportunity to "go to work with daddy" and the possibility of experiencing a creature encounter themselves. I miss those days of wonder - of listening to Louis' stories and seeing the world through the eyes of my children and finding joy in the adventures of life. More than once last week, Gavin, who is not quite three, talked about seeing angels. Lots of them. Everywhere. He was serious.

"See the angels?" He pointed Mason toward the cloudless blue sky. "They are all over!"

Maybe I should have been asking the children, "What did you see today?"

"For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.." ~ Psalm 91:11

Lovely days...

...yellow days ...and gray days ...and rainy days He has made everything beautiful in its time... How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. ~ Psalm 84:1-2 It's a beautiful day... for washing feet... for cleaning house with my beautiful daughter ...for eating, studying and praying with our lifegroup ...and for loving on those little boys that call me "mimi"

The gala...

Our fancy-schmancy gala evening last week was perfectly delightful - beautiful music, lovely people, elegant dining and inspiring stories, but I could not wait to get out of my shoes.

The trip from Pollywog Creek to the gala venue was not so delightful. Despite detailed directions from google maps, we got lost in Tampa's rush-hour traffic. We were most grateful to pull into a Doubletree Hotel that not only gave us proper directions, but kindly allowed us to change out of our travel clothes into our fancy-schmancy gala clothes while we were there.

Leaving Tampa for Winter Haven later that evening, we got lost once again. It was a long night with multiple detours and an unexpected visit with my adorable nine day old grandnephew during his late-night fussy time. When all was said and done, it was 2 o'clock in the morning before we could call it a night.

One of the sweetest things about the gala was the opportunity to talk with Rebecca St. James again. We actually ran into her first at the reception before dinner, where we re-introduced ourselves. It had been over three years since our interview with her. After dinner and the program had concluded, we caught up with her again where she graciously recorded a short message of encouragement to the girls in our rural community. I can't wait to share it with the other CPC board members tonight and to see how God is going to use Rebecca's message to encourage and inspire girls to stay sexually pure and strong in their faith.

Rebecca's movie Sarah's Choice will be available on DVD next week. You can watch the trailer here.

Photos: An early evening walk around the pond, Rebecca St. James recording the message, and Rebecca with Emily.

Joy...

Emily and I had a discussion recently about the dichotomy that is our life here on Pollywog Creek - simple, unassuming, ordinary small-town life versus celebrity interviews and gatherings with dignitaries. One afternoon Emily met the vice president, changed her clothes in a grocery store bathroom and raced home to babysit for a friend. And so it goes. Today I wore my holey jeans and the worn out flip-flips I bought two years ago at Target. The same holey jeans and flip-flops I wear three or four days a week. We cleaned toilets and washed feet. Tomorrow we're off to a fancy-schmancy gala.

Is it okay to admit that I'm much more comfortable in my holey jeans in the obscurity that is our rural home?

Saturday I took photos of the sugarcane fields and the mill and refinery as we drove along the southern tip of Lake Okeechobee. It was not a picture-perfect day, but even under the clouds and through the car window, the dark soil, the bright green fields, and the mill smoke stacks were irresistible attractions. Speaking of irresistible. How about that Lion King, Diego and baby skeleton? Are they not just too, too cute? We were in the local drivers license office yesterday when a young man in his twenties came in and requested an ID card. He was obviously surprised and annoyed when the worker behind the counter told him he needed documentation. "I don't know who you are," she told him. "I'm Pedro Rodriquez." Not his real name, but close. "Okay." She stared at him, and he left. I read a sign on the counter:

"Everyone who comes into this office brings joy. Some bring joy when they come in. Some bring joy when they leave."

Not hard to figure out which "joy bringer" was Pedro, but it sure made me think about which one was me.