March 29

Sunday:  My first Sunday worshiping without Emma here with me and my heart is sad ... so I asked the Lord to help me focus on Him and give thanks for the day He has given. I studied this morning from 7:30-8:30 and then I noticed ... what? The SUN was shining and there were NO clouds. It had poured rain all night long. I had no idea it would be so beautiful this morning ... so I decided to walk a bit before the church service, LiveStream, was to start. These are my pictures from this morning:

 One of the questions I was studying this morning from 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12 was: "What does it mean that God will be glorified in his holy people?" Good question! I had NO idea. That's what I love about Bible study! I love to learn from God, and as I ask Him and seek Him, He does answer. One of the cross references was in 2 Corinthians 3:18: "And we all with unveiled faces reflect the Lord's glory. We are being transformed into His likenesswith ever-increasing glory which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." Wow. I tried to wrap my brain around that!  and then 4:16-18 AND that our "momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal GLORY that outweighs them all." 

Late in the day yesterday, my heart became so heavy with grief at being away from my family ... all of the "what ifs" crowded in and I really felt a panic coming on! I was so encouraged this morning to read that we are told "not to lose heart" even though we are "outwardly wasting away, we are being inwardly renewed day by day" by God's Spirit. I was so comforted to read all of that. The other cross-reference was Psalm 18.32: "It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." How kind of Him!

 I decided to walk for one hour only. I grabbed my camera and took the back way out of "the park" out onto Chauncey once again. It's hard to go wrong with a stroll down Chauncey Avenue.

 It is .9 miles to IMPERIAL DAM and that was as far as I ventured this morning. I was taking a lot of pictures because it was just so darned beautiful out this morning ...

 I truly love this peaceful, quiet spot ...

 It was right about HERE on Chauncey, heading back to my house, when my phone rang and it was MY BROTHER DAVID, FaceTiming me from Grand Cayman Island. Can you believe it?!?!? Technology really blows me away. We had the nicest talk! I was SO thankful to see his precious face!

 I got home in time to worship LIVE at Calvary, a beautiful service and very encouraging message from Pastor Jim on "Endurance." Perfect timing for this message.

Matey and I have been spending a LOT of time together this week. I've been trying to teach him to talk. "Hello, Matey!" I say this over and over. "Love you!" He has come to trust me more this week I think. I need to seriously TRAIN this darling birdie to come to me when I call him, etc. I'll work on it during these weeks of isolation ... sigh.

I received a wonderful gift today too! My friend, Robin, messaged me and told me she was dropping off my favorite backed chicken dinner from D & W! No way, Jose'!! Robin came and sat in a chair six feet away from me and we visited for an hour without violating the social distancing rules. She was a true blessing to me today. Thank you, Lord, for friends and for family!