It is a glorious day here in the hill country of central Texas. There is a lovely soft breeze, low humidity (which is key to comfort in the southern heat) and lots and lots of shade from many trees and tall hedges across our property. Shade is nature’s antithesis to the Texas sun. it is amazing how much of a temperature variance there is from sun to shade! It feels like a 20 degree drop between sun to shade and is pure pleasure!

We have been outside this morning enjoying this stretch of mild weather in the middle of July. (Mild, meaning 94 degrees by late afternoon) but again, dry and breezy. Al has his smoker cooking up some ribs and trout while I am watering some newer plantings that have been stressed by the midsummer heat! I can hear the cicadas clattering in the distance and birds are flittering around, occasionally dipping into the fountains and bird baths available to them. My heart is full.

As I look around our property and as I water my plants, my mind wanders and I find myself remembering times in our early marriage when we had very little in the way of material goods. I also remember times when we had a whole lot more than we could ever have imagined possible.. Due to Al’s career moves, we have moved a lot and have lived in many types and styles of homes…Nine in all! We have lived in small, medium and large homes, each one serving the perfect purpose for that time and that place. For the last 23 years we have been settled into a modest, one story home which was exactly what we wanted all those years ago and it still feels just right. We wanted an “empty nest” home where the kids could come and visit, but where we did not feel overwhelmed with too much unused, wasted space in between their visits. It was a good call!

We love and enjoy our property because we have invested a LOT of time and physical effort in pulling it together. I saw it all in my minds eye all those years ago and through the years the vision grew into reality! It has been so rewarding for us to create and my hands show the wear and tear! But, you know what? I don’t care a bit! It must be the pioneer blood running in my veins that urges me to dig and plant. I always feel close to God when I am out here and I often tell God that I sure hope a garden shed full of tools comes with my mansion in the sky! I will not be serving tea to my heavenly guests, UNLESS, it is served in my ever evolving garden! Amen to that!

These are such crazy times…political unrest like none I have ever witnessed before! I just hate the nasty vitriolic discourse between the political parties and how that has infected our relationships! It saddens me to see protests hijacked into riots, and the covid 19 pandemic that has forced us to stay home and socially isolate for 4 months and counting! Who wouldn’t feel crazy by now?

Fortunately, we are holding our own! We have our very private property which sits inside private hedges where we can wander around in our nightshirts if we should so choose, because no one can see us anyway. This morning, I told Al that I almost feel like we have been gifted a very expensive retreat where we can lounge around in our pajamas, read countless books, watch endless movies, splash about in the spa, plant, water and barbecue to our hearts content. Devotions and prayer are in the mornings over coffee, and fortunately we enjoy each other’s companionship.

I am not so sure how we will feel if we are still in lockdown at Thanksgiving which will then total 8 months, but will have to take each day as it comes. No point in worrying about any of it!

Today is the day which the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

God is good all the time. All the time, God is good!

Thy will be done!

Amen

jjb/7/15/2020