Good Friday

It was a Good Friday for a yard sale.  My girlfriends and I have one annually in my front yard and for some reason, we always have a pile of stuff.  This year the clothes were literally overwhelming the whole yard.  Between three mommas, we have eight girls so that probably explains it.  The turnover is so constant.  

Anyway, one of my favorite parts of this tradition is the little glimpse into the lives of people I might not otherwise ever meet.  Today, there were all kinds of them.  Of course we saw our usual customers like that cutie patootie with the guitar.  And some yard sale friends in the community who somehow find us every year.... regulars.  Haha.

This year we met...

Three little boys from Pickens Co (twins and a little brother) who had the best southern twang and made me belly laugh.  The little one was beside himself with a stuffed crab of Caroline's.  50 cents.  Score.

This old man from Hartwell who makes cowboy hats out of beer cartons (impressive!) and had on a t-shirt he designed that said, "America Bless God" instead of "God Bless America."  (Interesting.)  I declined his offer to purchase one, but thank you anyway.  He was a kind soul.

There was lots of Grandmas and Grandpas who were on a hunt for certain things for their grandkids.  One Grandma, in particular, shared her story of how she was beating Cancer everyday for her grandkids and she only had three more chemo treatments.  She was a beauty in her sassy ballcap and her fighting spirit made me cry.  I look forward to praying for her.

There was another feisty lady who insisted on getting the brand new $100 flute we were selling for $50 at the ripe ol' price of 20 bucks.  No ma'am, price stands at $50.  She even went to her car to get her iPad and pull up other similar musical instruments on ebay so we could check out what they were going for.  I "loved" her persistence, but she left without a flute.

There was a tall daddy who had on an Auburn sweatshirt.  You don't see many of those in these parts.  It's Clemson Tiger Country over here...so that was a treat.  War Eagle!

And there was a lady who directs an amazing organization in Anderson that pulls young girls off the streets and gives them grace and hope.  I loved hearing her story and passion.

But my favorite moment of the day was a little girl of three with a tiny bit of strawberry blonde hair who plopped down with Rebecca and told her all the colors of the markers in the 25 cent box she found.  Her daddy found a bracelet for her that said "God Keeps His Promises."  I said aloud, "He sure does!"  He then proceeded to share how his three year old had a liver transplant just eight months ago and was doing remarkably well.  He choked up when he talked about how they had been reading about Jesus's death and resurrection just this morning together and how she KNEW that it was God who saved her life and how he believed that God had great purposes for her here on earth.  Turns out she is the currently the poster child for the Ronald McDonald house and you can find her picture on the donation boxes at Walgreens and McDonalds.  Her cute momma is expecting baby #2.  I felt so overwhelmed with joy just getting to know that little miracle.  Her vocabulary was delightful and she made sure she thanked me for giving her the markers...free.  Um...of course.  

Yes, indeed, it was a Good Friday. 

Why?

 


We made "Pinterest" Eggs to celebrate our happy week before Spring Break.  Tomorrow we'll have our annual Multiplication Egg Hunt... a third grade tradition.  I stuffed the eggs today with the candy that their parents sent in which included things like Reeses Cups, Hershey Kisses, Butterfinger Eggs, and Swedish Fish.  Are you kidding me?  

I ate half of it while they weren't looking.  Don't tell.  There was still enough to stuff their eggs....well, sort of.

Anyway, it's also tradition that I share this little "song story" with them.... the Gospel from the perspective of a little girl their age.   Interestingly enough, the Gospel becomes more of a mystery to me the older and "wiser" I get.   I know WHY He died... 

 

...I just can't believe that He did.  For me.

Wow.

 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

Romans 5:7-9

Believe the Unbelievable

^{After reading some part of God's Word, I often tell my students something like this:}

^{"Now, we all know that this crazy man, Noah, didn't really build an Ark where animals just marched themselves on to it.  And it could not possibly have rained for forty days and forty nights and flooded the entire earth.  That's absurd."}

^{"And there ain't no way the Red Sea just parted in half for all those Isrealites to just walk on through.  That MUST just be a story."}

^{To which, of course, they look at me with a horrified look and say,}

^{"Oh yes, Mrs. Lamb!  That really did happen!"}

^{To which I reply,}

^{"You're absolutely right, 'Little Children'....} 

^{Believe the Unbelievable."}

 It seems I've imagined Him all of my life
As the wisest of all of mankind
But if God's Holy wisdom is foolish to men
He must have seemed out of His mind

For even His family said He was mad
And the priest said a demon's to blame
But God in the form of this angry young man
Could not have seemed perfectly sane

When we in our foolishness thought we were wise
He played the fool and He opened our eyes
When we in our weakness believed we were strong
He became helpless to show we were wrong

So we follow God's own Fool
For only the foolish can tell
Believe the unbelievable
Come be a fool as well

Come lose your life for a carpenter's son
For a madman who died for a dream
Then you'll have the faith His first followers had
And you'll feel the weight of the beam

So surrender the hunger to say you must know
Have the courage to say, "I believe"
For the power of paradox opens your eyes
And blinds those who say they can see

So we follow God's own Fool
For only the foolish can tell
Believe the unbelievable
Come be a fool as well

(Michael Card- Another one of my favorites!)

Let no man deceive himself. 

If any man among you 

seemeth to be wise in this world, 

let him become a fool, 

that he may be wise.

1Corinthians 3:18 

I Am

Elbow Healer

Superhero

Heartache Healer

Secret Keeper

Best Friend

Shepherd

Savior

Pasture-maker

Creator

Maker

 Life-sustainer

Comforter

Healer

My Redeemer

Lord and King

Beginning and the End

I Am 

 

This is one of my favorites.  A great way to spend a few minutes of your time this week.  

So thankful for a Gracious, Heavenly Father who has demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.   Amazing Grace. 

(Romans 5:8)

Happy Holy Week!

Happy Rhythm Weekend

Sometimes life just clicks along in happy rhythm.  Other times the beat gets all out of whack.  This weekend was a "Happy Rhythm" kind of weekend. 

 

On Friday evening, the girls went to hang out with friends, eat pizza, and play foosball, ping pong, etc.  After they left, Andy pulled in to grab a drink and still had to finish up two more jobs.  Since I was home alone, he asked if I would like to join him and was surprised when I responded with a "Sure!"  

(It was kind of romantic watching him work.)

On Saturday, we left around three for a little family outing in Greenville which included the fabric store, a pawn shop, Trader Joes, and some Starbucks... among other things.  We especially loved the "Onion Ring Tower" we had with some burgers for dinner.

 Afterwards we all "copped a squat" in the B&N with some magazines 

before we headed home.

 After some "fellowship with the saints" today, we fried up some bacon-wrapped quail for lunch and enjoyed each others company at the dining room table.   Andy and I finished up a little series we've been watching (So sweet...I cried!) and then he and Caroline headed to the woods to hunt for hogs...blech.

  And in the midst of all that I found time to cut and sew some patchwork!  (Delight.)

Thankful for weekends that click along in happy rhythm.

Quilt Day

It was a glorious day of quilting!

 There was some cuttin'...

 And some ironing...

 And a super cute avacado Kenmore!

And there was some stitchin'... lots of stitchin'!

Lots and lots of stitchin'.

 And there was a buttery yellow "Brother".  (Be still my heart.)

And there was lots of happy conversation and laughter.

 

 And there was some concentration...

 And celebration!

And there was the necessary chocolate.

 

 And some scraps.... happy scraps.

I didn't want it to end!

Tune my Heart

Everyday they ask the same question.  "Do we have to write our answers in cursive???"  And everyday they get the same answer... "Yes." 

Today, he got through #2 and said, "Oh No!  I forgot to write in cursive."  I then said, "It's okay.  How about no cursive on this one."  Thrilling for him.  Not so much for a classmate.

"Ugh!"  she said.  "I've already done two in CURSIVE!"

I decided to use it as a "teachable moment" about a lesson I have been learning personally.

(They braced themselves for ANOTHER little "Mrs. Lamb Sermonette".)

Ya know.  Sometimes God throws little irritations our way to strengthen our "reaction skills."  It's kind of like He says, "Let's see how she reacts to this?"  When you are young, the irritations are small, like having to write (or not write!) your answers in cursive.  But when you get to be a grown up, those irritations get bigger and harder.  So, these years are kind of like the training ground for being a grown up.  If you can get really good at responding well now to your third grade "trials" and frustrations, you'll be good and ready for the "grown up" trials and frustrations.  He is "tuning your hearts" even now for whatever the future holds.  And, thankfully, He knows what it holds.

I'm not sure how much they got out of that, but I got a whole mess of stuff.  Mainly, that He is still working on my "reaction skills" and He keeps giving me ample opportunities to practice.  

(Tune my heart to sing Thy praise.)

Stormy Love

It was this very day, 20 years ago, that I met him.  

He was a "vision"... as I recently posted.

And it was a day that goes down in history as the "Winter Storm of the Century".

In these 20 years of courtship and marriage, we have faced quite a few storms... icy storms!  Storms that shut the power off and leave us in the dark for a few hours, sometimes days.  But His grace eventually melts it all away and brings us back to a place of warmth and sunshine.  (And I might just be speaking metaphorically.)

I'm thankful for that day that has gone down in history... 

and for all the storms that have followed.

(Even the Winter won't last forever.)

In Every Season

On this day, six months ago, my dear friend kissed her boy for the last time as the angels ushered him into heaven.  I have posted about her several times, but it never ceases to amaze me that anyone could doubt the hand of a loving God.... and His truly amazing grace.  As she stood leading worship this morning with hands lifted high and sang "It is Well With My Soul", I was reminded once again of the sweetness of a life hid with Christ in God.  There is no other way to face the trials of this life...no other way.  My dear friend is a beautiful testimony of that.

Our six months without you, Samuel Cutliff, have been heartbreaking.  We miss you dearly!  Your life here on earth still impacts us every single day.  Today, we celebrate the 1/2 year anniversary of your homegoing. 

 And we look forward to joining you there.

 "All of my life, in every season, I have a reason to worship."

 

Opportunities

 

They had to get up at 6am on a day that they could sleep in and stand in the freezing cold.  They smiled and greeted a pile of people, and handed out shirts and numbers. They spent another 2 hours serving coffee, juice, and pancakes to them, cleaning it all up, filling the sugar containers, and rolling the silverware.  Then they all plopped in the car with gigantic smiles and said,

"That was the most fun!"

Oh Monday, Monday

Mondays are a bit crazy.  

From school, I raced to the bank, ran home, ate some lunch (yes... at 3:15), ran the girls to Bible Study, met a friend at my house for a "quick help" with her little sewing project, got the mail, raced to the bank again, grabbed one girl from her Bible Study, raced home to walk with one friend and her babies and another friend and her mother-in-law (it was a fun little pile of us walking the neighborhood!), raced to get one girl from the YMCA, enjoyed sweet talk in the car with her and raced home.  Now the "Publix Apron Meal" Pork Chili is bubbling on the stove and 

I am enjoying a little pre-meal appetizer, 

a new favorite read (I love memoirs!),

and some time in my favorite seat with some tiny squares and some tiny stitches.

Thankful for all the Monday reasons to race.

Joy Hides in Gratitude

I could blog today about all the things that are hard in my world, or aren't quite working out, or are worrying me...but that's really no fun.  I think I'll just share how sweet it is that when my girls hear the teapot whistle, they yell, "I want some!"

And when they set the table for lunch, they stick a swirly paper straw in our waters, because it just makes lunch more fun.

And how I walked around Hancock for an hour, looking for fabric for our "Quilt Day" project...only to come home and find that I already had the perfect stack. 

(We really need a modern little quilt store in town!)

 And how she folds for me with a fairly happy heart.

I woke this morning, brewed the coffee and "perched" in my favorite spot.  There was a fluttering just outside the window and I peeked.  The shrubs were filled with a reminder of how much He values me...

"Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?"  Matthew 6:26

I picked up my little "list", my life's story in freeze frames of thanks, and I wrote the next number...

• Laughing with Andy before sleep.
• How he wakes happy regardless of circumstances.
• 8th grade girls playing dress-up.
• Only 20% chance of rain today.
• My own unkind words that make my heart hurt and long for restoration and forgiveness.
• Forgiveness.
  

 (And I read some wisdom from page 83 of one of my favorite books.)
 

The numbering leaves traces of our days... the counting of blessings unlocks the mystery of joy.  It just might be the "gigantic secret of the Christian" 
(Philippians 4:11)... 

JOY hiding in gratitude.