Freedom in Christ: the past two weeks

when Jesus promised the "full life, I didn't realize that he meant a life of constant ups and downs and twists and turns. But with every twist and turn, there is something marvelous around every corner.

The past two weeks were full. So full, in fact, that I know that I am not even going to touch the surface of everything that happened. Relatives came to visit. My cousin John and his wife Sasha, their two boys..my aunt and uncle from Mississippi.
John taught Cade how to cook. Sasha loaned me a book.
I sat on a hammock with my aunt and it collapsed. I fell flat on my back and got the wind knocked out of my lungs.
My copy of Les Miserables came in the mail.
I got stung by a wasp. MY first time to be stung by any living creature..EVER. It hurt worse than I could've imagined.
My mom and boys drove to see my sister and her family in North Carolina. We slept late everyday. My sister took me to eat Ethiopian food. I marveled at how we weren't given utensils. Instead, we used a spongy delectable bread to pick up our food.
I took Cade for a drive to the state of Virginia. It was more beautiful than I imagined. There were rocks and crags and quarries and I truly felt as if I were driving in another place and time.
We found ourselves at a vineyard peering at wooden crates for storing wine and then we ate dinner at a house built in 1776.
a part of me felt overindulged and on the way home, I decided that I am going to cut back on eating out. But through all of the swordfish and steak and ethiopian cuisine..through the sleeping late, and the wasp sting, through the hurting back from falling out of hammocks, through everything..I could still feel the beauty of God's Grace.
Some days I am aware that I truly don't deserve all of the love that Christ lavishes upon me. I have learned to find beauty and solace in the simple things. For that, I am grateful.
I am grateful that I am able to appreciate the adventure of life.
Christ gives us that. There was once a time when I was so lost in depression and my life unraveled by drama, that weeks like the last two, probably would've gone unnoticed.
I am grateful that I can see and appreciate every blessing and every raindrop. Every turn and every crag.

On another note, I am sad. I went to the nursing home to visit my friend Rick and I was told that he passed away. He was suffering from cancer, but he actually fell and hit his head. He died from a fall.
But I am thankful that I knew him. I am thankful that God placed him in my life if only for a moment.
I am sad, but I can only embrace the thought that one day I will see him in Glory and in Paradise.

On another note, I've been rather ill. It started with a cold..then it turned into a stomach virus, and now..I just feel horrible. But, I still give thanks. God is good.
Life is full. This is the full life. The life of twists and turns. The life of victory over death and triumph over tragedy.

Here is my life in pictures over the last two weeks. yes, the first picture is upside down. I tried to adjust it, and it didn't work. another example of how, in this life, there are failures..things can sometimes be "upside down, but still beautiful to look at.

sarah and her friend, Christy Wilson at the Ethiopian restaurant

Ethiopian Cuisine. This was so good. there is lamb in the center, lentils with curry, and an assortment of goodness

My angel, Cade..on an ethnic excursion

My niece Ruth managed to get into my mascara. She also took a bite of my deodorant..haha

Olivia!

I managed to have a birthday also. Cade made this for me! I love that boy!

Atlanta. I hate driving thru Atlanta, but we managed to stop and have lunch with Dave's mom. We went to TGI Fridays. It was a wonderful visit!

Cade, sitting in the house turned restaurant from 1776. We took these photos with a gas station camera. I can't explain the dot in the center of Cade's head, other than the fact that the camera was defective. We had a great time. Cade ordered the swordfish. I ate steak. It wasa day that I will always remember.