Another Rainy Monday

"The Sky is low--the Clouds are mean" here for the fourth consecutive day (Emily Dickinson, #1075). Allen calls this cold, wet, grey, blustery sort of day "London weather," though neither of us has ever been there. Before I even woke this morning (and we wake early around here), a text message of another in a series of hard eucharisteos for a loved one had arrived. Saturday an email brought news of an even harder trust for a friend's child.

Even so, inexplicably except for grace, the word upon my heart today is "glad." This is a day made by the Lord. Nature may be "caught/Without her Diadem," but He is not. God is on His throne; His grace is sure; His love endures forever. Therefore, I can rejoice and be glad.

Warm blankets, hot tea, a snuggle puppy, and Christmas tree lights don't hurt, either.

Sorry for the photo rerun. Minor technical difficulties with the video I intended.

Today I'm also returning thanks to God for the last week of His blessings:
Advent/Christmas carols;
the wise guys men a-wandering about the house;
Allen laughing with me over an old Dick Van Dyke Show episode, even though there were no explosions;
winning a blog giveaway for the first time ever;
our favorite kennel closing unexpectedly, opportunity to look up for guidance again;
lunch with my mother and a friend who is a sister in Christ and in chronic illness;
the fellowship of Christ's suffering;
Allen fetching me frozen yogurt;
another transformative message from Joni Eareckson Tada;
the patience of my First Husband: "Many a time a believer will put himself out of humour with the Lord for some slight turn in providence, but our precious Husband knows our silly hearts too well to take any offence at our ill manners" (Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, "Morning, December 3");
a marriage book I've been wanting, now available in Kindle format;
enjoying a family movie night with much less back discomfort than the last attempt in August;
desire fulfilled to give a pig to a needy family;
no new issues to report from my lupus checkup;
continued resting, waiting, managing chest pain until God decides to take it away;
He didn't drop any stitches when He knit me together, no matter how things appear (Psalm 139:13, HCSB).
(from the gratitude list, #2336-2354)


Giving thanks in community with the others at Ann's...