September Faves

 

It's been a crazy, busy week with family stuff, church stuff and household chores/errands.  I'm ready to slow down a bit this weekend and share FIVE blessings from the past week.  I'm thankful that Susanne continues to host this weekly gratitude exercise.   Join in with us by heading over to her site. 

FIVE FAVES

• SAFE TRAVELS:  My husband left early Saturday morning to arrive in Plymouth Co MA to help out with his mom. He had safe travels to and then from on Monday morning.  Our youngest daughter Claire left early Monday morning to visit with her grandmother and replace Dave and then was back here in her apartment by 9 pm that evening.  I'm so thankful they both were safe on the Mass Pike over the Labor Day weekend. 

wet, muddy trail in the ADK High Peaks region
Saturday 5 Sept

• SOLO MOUNTAIN HIKE:  Everything went wrong.  Yet everything went right. I would love to do an entire post about my solo mountain hike last Saturday.  But for now, let's just say, I started out in drizzle; it stayed dry while I actually climbed this just under 3000' mountain, and the skies opened up to pouring rain on the summit after a young couple snapped my pic. I had left my trekking poles in the car, along with my whistle and didn't have a proper hiking raincoat with me because the weather forecast called for cloudy skies and no rain until late afternoon.  But this was a hike where I felt the Presence of God like no other mountain hike and it was my third time this summer totally hearing from Him regarding some specific issues. I made record time (a personal best) and climbed the 1.6 miles up mostly boulder steps in 57 minutes!  Last time I hiked this (2 Autumns ago) it took just under 2 hours! I had the trail to my self for 1.3 miles of it and I had the summit  to myself for 15 solid minutes. In the rain. While journaling and trying to eat my apple. It was heavenly because God did a work in me showing me that He is my Source of strength.  I might write about this experience in more detail but for now, enjoy some of my fave photos from the day and just know that I am so thankful I was safe, not in pain (until the next day) and that something I had been holding back from releasing to God, was released.  I'm so thankful we serve a Living God who walks beside us. 

these are the "easier" boulder steps on the trail
 towards the beginning of the climb
up Mt Van Hoevenberg 

A hint of Autumn in the trees
 and these boulders were slick!

This is the first "summit"...the overlook
where a lovely young woman took my photo
and after this it's just about 900 yards to the true summit

on the true summit.....just as the rain is coming in 
Mt Van Hoevenberg, Adirondacks High Peaks Region
Just 3 miles down the road, the sun was glorious! 
This is where I hung out and talked to God 

• CONNECT WEEKEND AT CHURCH: I'm thankful all went  well for Connect Weekend at church. This is where people come to the tables in the lobby where those of us who are ministry leaders, small group leaders and class instructors have QR codes and samples of books, info about our groups. I had decided that since I had to drop some SoulSteps hikers from the group for Autumn for failing to make their required Summer hike or for not following guidelines, that I would keep the group to 40 people. I was able to welcome 5 new people in, and have 2 more interviews this weekend making 7 new members.  I now have 11 people on the waiting list.  My Tuesday evening Bible study is full with just 1 more opening and my Monday morning class I'm teaching on Psalms has 1 opening.  I'm thankful for full groups and I'm also thankful I had a conversation with Pastor Rex and he totally confirmed so many things I've been going through lately.  He is a trusted, humble pastor and I give thanks for him and his wife Debbie who also talked with me for  quite a bit during our prayer time. I'm thankful to be a part of a vibrant, growing church with safe friends and leadership. 

surprise package and letter 

• SURPRISE!   On Wednesday, when I got home from running errands, I found a surprise package in our mailbox.  It included a handwritten note from a high school classmate and her husband.  I barely knew these 2 in high school (I graduated in 1978 from a small village in central NYS) so was shocked to read her letter. She stated that she remembered I loved dragonflies and was going through her trunk and found these items she was going to donate to a thrift store but wanted me to have them. The items are way too big on me, so I'm donating the blouse to a homeless shelter, and will keep the sweatshirt for a chilly day at the beach/after kayaking or after a hike when I need something warm as a top layer for the ride home.  I was very touched that she thought of me. I'm thankful for thoughtful people! 

Sunday evening fire and a mocktail

• SIMPLE PLEASURES:  Sunday evening was perfect weather for a bonfire and we have a lot of brush to burn. Because this has become our tradition (a fire..or two...) during Labor Day weekend, now that we don't camp, go to the beach house, or up to Long Lake to the cottage we rented for 10 years, I decided that even though Dave wasn't back to NYS, I would burn some of the brush. I would have burned more but the rest require a saw to break it down into smaller pieces to fit into the fire pit. I also did some produce shopping at Whole Foods on Wednesday and they were featuring a local farm that had fresh peaches for a very good price. I bought a quart of them and plan on making peach cobbler on Sunday. I'm thankful for simple pleasures in the late summer!

from a local farm

Those are the things that stand out and make me say "Thank You, God".  I also have to include my Star$ date with my very good friend of 21 years, Lynn E.  We hadn't gotten together since April due to life and being involved in different ministries. It was wonderful! We talked for almost 2 hours! 

HAPPY WEEKEND!  Only 2 more weekends until the beginning of Autumn season!

Slowing Down Faves

 

I've had to intentionally slow down this week. Summer was busy. I purposefully left this past week to be just Dave and I for the most part.  What helped was I needed to cancel a SoulSteps Hike I had scheduled for Wednesday. Originally there were 6 people signed up, then it  dropped down to 4 and by  Tuesday evening, it was just 3 of us. I didn't feel bad about cancelling as the humidity levels were over 90% (!!) and the weather forecast was  quite unpredictable. Thunderstorms and rain on and off.  So it's been a much slower week, yet one full of blessings.

I'm participating in Susanne's FFF weekly writing exercise to be intentional about sharing gratitude for the blessings God brings into our lives. Head over to her blog to join in! 

FIVE FAVES 

Totally relaxing!

Dave enjoyed being back in his kayak
Saturday 29 August

Kayaking on Black River  Pond
at Cherry Plain State Park 

• KAYAKING!  We finally had a free Saturday, where neither of us had obligations to other people. So we planned our first kayaking trip in 2 years.  For those of you who have been here awhile, you know I haven't been able to kayak since 2021 without upper back/cervical spine pain and cervicogenic headaches.  We didn't go at all last year, because, although i was starting to overcome some of the things that caused the pain, kayaking was not one of them. So we chose to leave our kayaks under cover all year.  Well, we decided we would try this year and last Saturday was the day. And guess what? All glory to God: I had no upper back pain nor headache at all. I did have some right shoulder pain but part of that was due to lack of paddling  and so although I do some weight workouts, that shoulder was being used in a  way it hadn't been in 2 years. The pain was gone by Monday so I am very thankful this was a great kayaking experience. I'm also thankful that with my Kia Soul, it is easier to get the kayaks on and off the roof rack, unlike Dave's Honda CRV which is taller.  I'm thankful we had a wonderful "Date Day". We followed it up by going out to dinner at one of our favorite local restaurants with a gift card someone had given me for Christmas.  We chose to order The Harwich (fresh grilled haddock on a brioche bun with pickles and their house tartar which was amazingly good).  Because it was a lighter meal, we shared dessert which was a slice of their chocolate mousse cake. I had never had it...it was delicious! I'm thankful that although we have been married for 36 years, we still love our date nights and make them a priority when we can. 

a delicious summer cocktail: peach spritzer
Dave enjoyed a summer craft beer 

• PHONE CALL: A friend of mine called me at the most perfect time on Sunday afternoon when I needed to talk to someone. I'm so grateful for this friend and how she encourages me and prays for me and just listens. 

• MOVIE NIGHT:  Dave and I needed to just totally relax and laugh Sunday evening so he chose this old 1990s movie we've seen probably twice before when the girls were younger. It's currently on Paramount + and he chose it because it's so nostalgic, with funny moments and a good lesson. Plus it's just all around good clean family fun. I'm thankful we had a relaxing evening together laughing and unwinding. 

beautiful sunflowers on the farm across the road from us
I walked past them every day this week. I love them!

at Cherry Hill Farm
across the road from where we live 

• QUIET WALKS:  I've been power walking each morning when it hasn't rained and on Wednesday, once the skies cleared up, I did a little bit longer walk, going 2 miles instead of 1.5. I headed across the road at one point to the other neighborhood that borders the farm across the road from us.  I was so thankful to see God's creation all around me...from the cows to the sunflowers.....it was a lovely power walk and the neighborhood was so quiet! I'm thankful I can get some good cardio workouts in every day in a beautiful setting. 

Cardio room at the athletic center

• FREE MEMBERSHIP!  Thanks to my friend Jill, I am now a member, for free, at a local community center/sports complex. She joined in June and told me about last week.  Anyone who lives in our county can join for free. It's only 6 miles from my house and in mid-Autumn they're hoping to have the indoor pool finished. I'm not really a gym person but for the winter months, it sure will be nice to do something different with my cardio workouts. And to be in a warm gym vs power walking on the ice, snow and temps below 25!  I'm thankful for my friend telling me about this and for the free membership! (Apparently it's due to some kind of  grant). 

That wraps up my faves for the week. 

I hope you all have a lovely weekend and can enjoy the beautiful weather that is forecast (for the Northeast anyways!). 

He Sings Over Us!

 

This Scripture. 

God is all about me wanting to meditate on this verse from Zephaniah.  It seems like everywhere I turn, including today's Worship Initiative devotional (the song was Mighty to Save which we've done in church many times), in the Jesus Calling book recently, and in my own devotional time with my Bible. All in a matter of days. 

You think He's trying to tell me something? remind me? teach me? 

I had a rough couple of days. All due to something that was totally triggering and I won't go into it here, but let's just say, the event Dave and I were at  was from 1-6 pm.  I lasted about 15 minutes. I had originally planned on just a quick drop in, and then a quick leave. But Dave was in a conversation with someone so there I was.....I had to get out of there. Thankfully, my husband was ok with that. 

And like typical me fashion, I tried to take control of this thing rather than giving it over to God. I imagined placing a deep, dark cave into my heart.  Why? because the trunk (box) I had there for years, was shattered just a couple weeks ago.  You can read about that experience here if you want the back story. God had done a healing in that part of my heart. 

But this? No way was I going to deal with it.  I vowed I was done. I was done crying about it, I was done talking about it, I was done.  So in went the toxic people, the pain, the betrayal, and the trust;  and I visualized slamming a granite slab over the cave opening so Light couldn't get in and the darkness could stay buried.  This time I was in control. 

This granite pic? That's what I pictured over the mouth of this "cave" in my heart.  Heavy. Impenetrable. Unmoving. No cracks. 

granite trail up Cascade Mt High Peaks ADK

or so I thought. 

It lasted about a day. 

My mind kept coming back to the Scripture shown above. But all of the joy, hope and soul-freedom that flooded by very being the last 2 weeks was also shut up in that cave. And I knew what the root problem was. (TRUST) But I didn't want to think about it or admit it. My mind also went back to my life verse over and over again. 

And yes, I was seeing that Scripture all over the place, too! 

God was pursuing me. Yet again. 

But this time I  wanted no part of it. I completely deadened my soul, emotions, and heart for about a day. And it felt horrible. I could no longer do it. "I did this for years," I was screaming out to God. "Why won't it work now?" and I heard nothing back. Silence. 

And then Tuesday began. I decided I should listen to the Worship Intiative song which happened to be an old hymn my dad used to love. I kept telling myself Be strong. You're a survivor. You can keep them locked away...all that pain....just keep it in the cave and move on with your life." 

 But...this hymn!  It's called Abide With Me.  

Here's the version from one of my fave Christian singers. 

And as the team started singing it and the music is pouring out of my phone, I began to sob, all the while thinking, but wait...I shut up my tears in that cave.   

But then I realized that nothing is impenetrable to God. He is Mighty to Save. (and oh yeah...there's that song for today's daily worship.  My friends..there are no coincidences with God Almighty.). 

There were cracks in that granite slab because God was wanting these things to be released to Him. To trust Him. Again. 

His Light was shining through. Because Light wins. Every.single.time. 

Trust has been so hard for me.  Many of you know the reason why trust has been difficult.  It's still a work in progress and probably always will be. 

But first I had to ask God to forgive me for harboring hatred towards certain people from my past. That was a hard, but necessary prayer. Because as a Christ follower, I want to represent Jesus well....and to do that, I need to love the way Jesus loves. He loved his enemies. It doesn't mean He was close friends with them. There are some relationships that are never going to be restored. 

 For me? God revealed to my heart something while I was driving yesterday afternoon. I pulled over to write it down in my notes app. And I emailed it to my friend J who had talked with me on the phone earlier  and knew what was going on. 

Here's what God was impressing on my heart (after I asked Him "why would I want to create another space in my heart like this cave?"):

Because you want to take control and you want to hang on to that last bit of betrayal.  Because to do so, means YOU have the power.  You feel like if you release them to Me, they win.  But they don't win. YOU win when you let My Love heal your brokenness.  You've done this before. Give me that betrayal. You asked Me to forgive you for your hatred.  You don't need to be friends with these people from your past. Like driftwood, they WILL fade over time. Let them. Come to My Son Jesus every single morning and tell Him  to take them.  He can carry that burden. You cannot. I want to love you with an everlasting Love. You are safe, you are loved, you will survive but your survival is in surrendering completely to Me. Every day. Trust the people I have put in your life now. Trust Me. 

And then of course the Zephaniah verse came back into my mind. 

Zephaniah had told the people in his time to be silent before God. (Zeph 1:7) That God wouldn't tolerate wickedness, complacency or idolatry. The betrayal I was holding on to was in some ways like an idol. I was placing it before God. I wasn't trusting Jesus with it! And He  knows better than any of us what betrayal feels like. 

And at times, we also need to be silent. We need to stop our activity...slow down our minds.....and stand in silence before God. It is then that we will be able to hear Him.  To hear what He has to say to our souls. 

And when we do this?  When we turn over the fears, the hurt, the pain...and choose to trust Him...even if it takes daily mantras of "Today I choose to trust God and give Jesus my burdens (or whatever word you want to use)" ......then?

He rejoices over us with singing.....He delights in us. 

He sings over us!  It's an intimate picture of a compassionate, loving God. He quiets our hearts.

Do you hear Him singing over you? 

 

Wednesday's HodgePodge

 

Algonquin Lake 2019
southern ADK

I'm participating in the Wednesday Hodgepodge meme while I wait for time to leave for a hike in the southern Adirondacks. To particpate in the HodgePodge, head over to Joyce's site. 

1. What's something you wanted to do this summer that you never got around to doing? 

I wanted to swim and kayak at Algonquin Lake, one of my fave southern Adirondack lakes.  But....today, I will be hiking in that area, so maybe after the hike, we will pop in for a quick swim. After all, it's Summer until Sept 22nd! 

2. Were you the student who sat in the front row or hid in the back of the class? If you could go back and take one high school class again just for fun, which would it be? 

It depended on the class. in High School, I almost always chose the back unless it was Musical Theater, Music Theory, or Drama Literature. Then I sat in the front. Actually, for Drama Lit, there were just 4 of us so we sat in a circle around our drama teacher. In college, I tended to sit in the front for most classes.  

If I could go back to high school (EW!) and repeat a class? It would be Musical Theatre. 

3. What characteristics do you think are essential in a good teacher (this can be applied to anyone who teaches, not just classroom teachers)? 

Well, I am a retired Special Education PreK teacher (my area of expertise was abused and emotionally disturbed children)so this is easy for me to answer:  flexibility, spontaneity, patience, organizational skills, creativity, compassion, honesty, integrity, and a good communicator (listening and verbal skills).  

4.  September 2nd is National Grits Day. Have you ever eaten grits? Are you a fan? If so how do you like yours? Would people describe you as 'having grit'? 

nope. Never had them. I honestly don't think I've ever seen them on a menu here in NYS or MA. 

Yes...I have a LOT of grit. According to almost everyone who knows me. 

5. What's something you're never too old or too young to enjoy? 

Reading good books or being outdoors in nature/God's creation. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

historic suspension bridge
on the Northville-Placid Trail
at Whitehouse/Wells
Southern ADK 

I really hope it doesn't rain on our hike today. This historic suspension bridge is our destination, about 2.5 miles in from the trailhead and over the NPT.  We will be about 12 miles in from the nearest village. It's supposed to be cloudy with thunderstorms moving in by late afternoon but we should be done by then. 

HAPPY WEDNESDAY, EVERYONE!