I know we are loving Spain, but I didn’t mean to send five copies of my photos! My apologies, as they say, “Perdon!” And, “Perdon” in advance if it happens again. Still figuring out the time, the sleeping, and the i-pad.
A memorable birthday so far–fresh churros and chocolate , a morning at the Prado Museum of Art, and a siesta. Now for the bullfight! May God bring you joy and peace and new friends this day, whichever day it is, Amen.
Self-pity is one pit towards which friends can push us more than pull. Maybe you’ve been on the push/pull side. A good friend feels badly; you commiserate (isn’t that love?) Your sympathetic noises might be just what pushes her off the edge. I can be guilty of shoving-more than-pulling out–of a pity pit, in the name of “friendship.”
Chambers wrote:
“What does it matter if external circumstances are hard? Why should they not be! If we give way to self-pity and indulge in the luxury of misery, we banish God’s riches from our own lives and hinder others from entering into His provision. No sin is worse than the sin of self-pity, because it obliterates God and puts self-interest upon the throne. It opens our mouths to spit out murmurings and our lives become craving spiritual sponges, there is nothing lovely or generous about them.” — My Utmost for His Highest, May 16
I don’t want to obliterate God! I don’t want to be a craving spiritual sponge! (I’m not sure what that is, but I don’t want to be one.)
I do want to be lovely and generous for God.
My Utmost copy serves as a spiritual journal – see margin. A good year, 1987. Still working on that lovely/generous part.
We love our new best friends, Pilar and Alicia. Pilar said: “Do you want a cooking lesson?”
I couldn’t stop grinning. We made a typical dish of Madrid, garbanzo stew, hearty and delicious.
We finished with almond chocolate flan. What’s not to love? No wonder we need siestas.
I plan to eat my way through Spain. Ciao. I’m being paged for next cooking lesson…potato omeletes!
Mark insists carry-on’s are all we need. I tell him checked-bags are free on international flights. We want to travel light; our view of “light” differs. He wears plaid, period. I pack for all exigencies, plus room for Italian dinnerware and boots. Right? Of course.
Anthropoligie sent some great ideas. If I went with them, I couldn’t afford to eat. Nice, though.
I bought 12 pairs of shoes: returned 9, no, 8. It’s been a stress, all this prep. I need to leave so I can relax.
We all need carry-on’s – as in “God, carry me (on), I can’t do it anymore.” I prayed that today. We sang it Sunday during communion: “Carried to the Table.” God invites, but we can’t move without His help.
Our Host invites, provides the feast, AND the transportation. Thank You, Lord.
To bless your morning, listen in:
We should do all right, once we’re at His table. Traveling light, the ultimate carry-on.
The man in plaid knows it’s good to get away for a bit.
When Hyatt and Anne left for a two-year stint in Guatemala with Wycliffe Bible Translators, they prayed: “God, please give us a great first impression of our new home.”
They drove across the border from Mexico and into the land of lush and verdant mountains –beauty everywhere. They’ll never forget it. They prayed to see, and God opened their eyes–great trip preparation.
I’m crazy preparing for our two week trip – not exactly the same, but I want God to give me eyes to see. I don’t want to miss a thing. Sleep will not be a priority, and may not happen anyway. I catch myself smiling these days. I plan to enjoy each day–no matter what. I plan to be flexible (can you plan to be flexible?) I plan to go with the flow, and walk just a little further, and slow down just a bit more.
If I plan on these things, they will more likely happen. I can plan on joy–like Andy Smith’s legacy– joy takes discipline. We count on God, so we have joy. We ask God to fill us with His Spirit and submit to His will. That’s a plan. A good one.
Some other trip preparations:
Family trip to Costco–Bethany and Mary pick out favorite frozen foodstuffs. They won’t starve, Mary makes killer omelets.
I sold items on Craig’s List from our furniture graveyard (garage) — enough to buy a mini-ipad.
I will try to post blogs when Wi-fi is available and I’m not too jet lagged. If you don’t hear anything for two weeks, I’ll catch up with you in June. Ciao! and pray the girls remember to feed Sunny–dogs can’t live on bread alone.
“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.” That’s how you know.
Doing vs. Devotion– does it have to be a “versus?”
I grew up on: “Serve God with your whole life.”
Now, I hear: “Be with God with your whole life.”
Is it that different? Is one more desirable–more pleasing to the One in question?
If I serve God without His help–my heart grows cold, my passion feeble. If I spend time with God and never get out of my green chair, devotion counterfeits disobedience.
God loves a dependent heart and life. I surrender because I’m desperate. Pastor Tim reminded us:
“Cast yourself on Jesus alone. He’s your only and best hope.”
I can live with that, serve from that, be with that.
Which is hardest for you:
–to tell God you will do anything He asks?
Or,
–to sit long enough with Him to know what He’s asking?