Thoughts on a slow morning

I woke up to the refreshing aroma of cow manure.  Good morning, Lancaster.

This is not the view from my house. I didn't even take this picture.
But it could be the view from my house.  It's pretty close, in fact. :)

It was a slow morning today. The sky is gray and cloudy.  It rained off and on.  It's cool and breezy and my open windows have now been shut.  It was a good morning to sit and think.  To be still.  To let "life" sink in a little.  Since I got married, I feel like I hit the ground running and haven't slowed down much. Today was good for that.

Here's some of my rambling thoughts from this morning:

• I have a great older brother.  You know how sometimes you can't get your thoughts into words (well, maybe you don't...)?  I have that trouble with theology.  I know what I believe and why I believe it, but sometimes I can't verbalize it.  My older brother, he's great at verbalizing it.  He can take things I only think about and put them into whole, complete, understandable sentences. I love that about him. :)
• Here's a link to his new blog, where he's posting these sorts of things: All of God

• My immediate family is the best.  I get to see them tonight and tomorrow.  I'm pretty excited about that.
• Why do I get to see them?  Because my older sister is getting married to this great guy. And tomorrow we're celebrating in anticipation of that. 

• I'm thankful for the family I married into. 
• I was reading in Titus today - chapter two, first five verses.  It talks about the older women teaching the younger women.  I'm so grateful for both my own mother and my mother-in-law, who do this excellently.  I cannot express what a privilege it is to be trained by these godly women. 

• I'm challenged by both Scripture and Elisabeth Elliot (as I read one of her books). 
• Titus speaks of young women being self-controlled (of sound mind), pure, working at home, being kind, loving her husband, submitting to him...and why do they do all these things? So that the Word of God might be honored. So that my life would adorn (decorate, glorify, make great) the doctrine of God.
• I can know and understand all of theology, but if my actions don't reflect it, don't live it, don't proclaim it, my knowing is worthless. 

• It is so sweet to trust in Jesus. 
• Do I need to write more? He is so faithful, good, sovereign, kind, full of grace and mercy. 
• O for grace to trust Him more...

Sea Legs in Amish Land

It's a different world out here.

Buggies and barefoot Amish children.  Black aprons and white caps. Farms and rolling hills.  Horses and mules and cows and roosters. All across the street from me.

It sometimes feels like I stepped off a shore I knew so well onto a rocking boat, and my world is suddenly tipping beneath my feet. I am glad for this new place and the new sights and sounds (and even the smells - most of the time) that have come with it. But the rocking makes me dizzy sometimes. 

I don't want to get off and I don't want to go back.  I think it will just take some time for me to find my "sea legs".

In the meantime, I am learning to take each day one moment at a time, to savor the good and learn from the hard things.
I am treasuring my old friendships, as I realize how difficult it can be to make such friends.  And I am pursuing new friendships here, eager to make this place "home".
I am learning the power of prayer, and the absolute steadiness of my faithful God.
I am praising the Lord for my husband who treats me with more patience than I deserve and who comes home to me every day.
I am learning to cook and trying to laugh instead of cry when I overcook the corn so badly it's almost crunchy.
I am learning to do laundry and then try again when I wash stains into my husband's shirts instead of out.
I am learning that God is good.  All the time.  And that in His time, everything is made beautiful.
       [Ecclesiastes 3:11a:  "He has made everything beautiful in its time."]


I have been enjoying the song "Home" by Phillip Phillips.  It's not a Christian song, but I think the lyrics are good and it seems appropriate in this time and place.
Go check it out:  "Home"