Sunday Afternoon...Reflection time:

I think this is the most troubling time of year for me. Summers escaping but there's no Thanksgiving or Christmas within sight to get excited about. The days are short but the afternoons alone seem exceedingly long. My heart goes through a sort of jet lag each year as I try and make sense of the climate and month and country I'm living in.

Andrew and Tazara came down with colds this weekend I think because of the rather drastic hot to cold the rain brought on. I took Tazara out yesterday for an hour bike ride just before tea/dinner. It was delightful. I love singing and praying and fellowshipping with the King in the open air. There's so much to pray about. So much to learn about how to parent and be married and live life and glorify our creator. It's both exciting and daunting. Study and parenting and life can very quickly get me overwhelmed...when I'm talking to God about it I'm overcome by a peaceful and delightful feeling of His favor and nearness. I love it!

This week I got to see a beautiful full rainbow! It stretched brightly over our house, the college, the church and Andrew's office. I had to stay out in the rain just to enjoy it and glory in the wonder of God's promises to us. I happened to be studying Noah this week and both the judgement and grace of God shown through this magnificent story. This morning at Church preaching in Samuel 5 Peter said "When God raises his sword it is both for judgement and salvation!" He then showed how this is ultimately seen in the cross.

Here's a Psalm I've been feeding off lately:

PSALM 84
How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
As they go through the Valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength;
each one appears before God in Zion.
O Lord of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob!
Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed!
For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favour and honour.
No good thing does he withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts,
blessed is the one who trust in you!