Fourteenth Monday

858.  Sunrise service with birdsong chorus
859.  Bountiful breakfast spread
860.  Acapella singing, so rich and beautiful - I feel the sense of corporate worship so sweetly when we do this!
861.  Words of gravity and joy at both services

864.  Jesus's willingness to bear the crushing weight of my sin and the agony of separation from God.
865.  The power of God, that raised Him, proving the sufficiency of the sacrifice
866.  The hope of that resurrection - He lives.  I too, can live in light of that triumph over sin and death.

867.  Friends, around the table, on the porch, in the sunshine on the deck sharing roasted chicken, lamb, sweet potatoes, Natalia's special salad, grape salad, orange ginger asparagus, and more.  Mmmmm!
868.  Sermon round robin discussion with young and old
869.  Games in the afternoon
869.  Porch sitting in the evening
870.  A house full!
871.  Many hands to help

So tired tonight, after the excitement of the wedding trip to Arkansas (more to come on that), a visit from my in-laws right after we got home, the boys (and friends) home from college for the weekend, and a house full of folks on Sunday.  It was, as they say, all good...but now I'm tired. 

I didn't go through the last few days always in a spirit of thankfulness and joy.  I find it so easy to grumble on the inside about "all I have to do."  I was grumbling a bit on Saturday with "so much to do"  to get ready for Sunday.  I was even grumbling a wee bit Sunday morning as I rose earlier than I really wanted to, to finish my offering for the breakfast potluck buffet.  Oh, how easy it is to complain as I focus on me, my work, my cares, my tasks.

Gratitude - that day and this - is the key that unlocks the joy in a heart bound up in the chains of care.  It releases this sometimes overburdened heart to rest in knowledge of God's overflowing goodness.  Slowing down to reflect on the gifts He gives takes my eyes off of me and the often quite full list of responsibilities and commitments, to the One who gives the privilege and the strength to do and give and serve.