Ponderingly

My sweet friend Tammy is having her fortieth birthday party this evening. It is a masquerade party, and Trever and I have our masks at the ready. What fun. I need to plan my day out carefully though, since it doesn't begin until 8 p.m., which is a time of evening I am usually sporting flannel pajama pants.

I made Andrew an appointment to have his hair cut this afternoon at 1:30. I am accompanying him because, as sweet as he is, in some social situations he is rather clueless. After he asked me for the third time what he was supposed to say to the woman cutting his hair, I simply told him not to worry about it, I'd come with.

Trever is making low country boil tonight, which I am looking forward to. I had never tasted this particular dish- rather, it is an experience, prior to moving into the South, ten years ago. Born and raised on the west coast, when I moved here I didn't even know what it was. Basically, it consists of sausage, corn, potatoes, shrimp and occasionally crab, boiled with seasonings, then generally served by throwing the lot of it across a table laden with newspaper. At least, this is how I have experienced it. It doesn't sound overly fancy, it isn't, but it is delicious.

I know I'll need to plan for a nap this afternoon so I can enjoy all the festivities and fun, plus I am certain I will need to load up on anti-inflammatories.

I started in my Lectio Divinia journal this morning. I already know I love it; it is exactly the way I need to approach the scriptures for this year. I'm still considering my "one word" for the year, but I refuse to be rushed along, even though we are already ten days into January. It will come. Last year I made the mistake of choosing too soon, and then I realized mid-year that the word I chose was all wrong for me and I dropped it entirely. One think I adore about Lectio Divina is the very intentional act of quieting your heart, training your spirit to listen; the art of transformation that comes when you truly encounter the God-breathed words of scripture.

I decided to just go ahead and start off with January first's reading, even though it's the tenth; if I get caught up, fine. And if not, fine. I'm not all that worried about it. Today I read about Jesus' baptism. I was thinking about how John balks, aghast, when Jesus requests his baptismal services out on the good 'ol Jordan river. Jesus explains, "Let it be this way for now. We should do all things that are God's will."

Did you catch that? It was apparently the will of God to use John, a fallen, sinful man. John recognized his unworthiness, and I'm sure Jesus was gently immersed into the waters with shaky hands. It is incredible to think that it is God's very plan to use US, broken and shattered human beings, with all of our sin, faults and failures, to be His hands and feet. While we have a tendency to disqualify ourselves, the One who created our very hearts begs to differ.

It makes me mindful about the things He whispers into my own heart, the things He has created me to do, the things I shrink away from, feeling inadequate for the task. "Let it be this way for now. We should do all things that are God's will."

Worth consideration.

I am finishing up my second cup of coffee and listening to the discontented sound of my dachshund getting her bath. Liberty is speaking soothingly to her without avail. I can picture her awaiting her chance when Libby's head is slightly turned to leap out of the tub and run, dripping and still half shampooed, down the hallway. Trever is playing The Beatles Anthology at a reasonable volume in the living room, and my children are mostly outside, playing football and trash-talking about who will win the Patriots/Ravens game tonight. I have fifteen voice mails I need to listen to; I'm so bad about answering my phone, and prescriptions to pick up.

I know I will need to get at it soonish but for now I'm enjoying the lazy, slow feel of the morning. It lends the perfect atmosphere for my pondering heart.

Ponderingly,
Amy