August 29th

1) Good Lessons this morning with Frances, Isabella and Daniel

2) A productive meeting with GMA parents and staff this afternoon

3) Getting to talk with Faith for a little while tonight

3) More delicious study time at the Seminary library tonight reading and writing about Matthew 2. 

August 28th

1) Bonnie bringing A River Runs Through It to Daphne's lesson today. I opened it for five minutes while waiting for a student's lesson later this afternoon and was completely enchanted by the whimsical writing and beautiful turns of phrase in the opening. Here's just two little slices :) 

~~~

As for my father, I never knew whether he believed God was a mathematician but he certainly believed God could count and that only by picking up God's rhythms were we able to regain power and beauty. Unlike many Presbyterians, he often used the word "beautiful."

My father was very sure about certain matters pertaining to the universe. To him, all good things - trout as well as eternal salvation - come by grace and grace comes by art and art does not come easy.

2) A bowl full of star jasmine from our natural arbor.

August 27th

1) A wonderful time of worship this morning

2) Excellent meetings with both Nina and Brett 

3) A helpful and productive time of thinking and prayer and hope over dinner at Baker's Crust 

(Including delicious pizza and coffee that was just right. But not at the same time :)

4) Getting to end the day in the indescribably delicious quiet of the empty seminary library reading and starting the new week in the Gospel of Matthew.

August 26th

My mighty Basil Bush

A happy basket of freshness to use in making a garlic-onion-basil cream sauce for our pasta and lemon breaded pork chops. 

A 20 mile bike ride back and forth from Jamestown to Williamsburg with Melody. The views were stunning with glimpses of marsh and bay and forest and even a few little hills. We had really helpful, formative conversation for the hours that passed in riding and rest here for more talking, prayer and a picnic. 

Then it was back to Melody's house for poetry reading by the fire. We read lots of Hopkins, Shelley, Poe, Shakespeare, Wordsworth, William Cullen Bryant etc and then went to bed the kind of tired one does when both mind and body have wrestled and feasted well. 

August 25th

Flourless mug cakes for a coffee date with my friend Emily Arters. So thankful for her willingness to set aside time in a busy week to talk and pray and be there! 

Speaking of friends taking time to be there and talk, I'm also so grateful for a good long talk with Lindsey today. Lots of good processing and also such a feeling of support that is hard to put into words. 

Also, we discovered a glorious ramble of wild Jasmine growing on our shed and across onto a tall holly bush forming an arbor into a shady spot. We have great plans for a new little reading garden!! :) 

Look at that rich green and pure white glistening in the southern summer sunshine. Mmm it's good for the soul!! Also, just look at that sky...

August 24th

1) A good RSA meeting this morning and getting to see Bonnie and Heidi

 2) Gorgeous flowers from Mum

 3) Cozy reading time by lamplight provided by a migraine.

3) Talking and reading poetry with my Dad

August 20th - 23rd

I've decided that for a while I'm going to try to go back to posting a picture or quote or a few lines of something that was beautiful or helpful every day as a part setting rhythms for my heart...liturgies of worship. I'll start with the last few days.

 1) A super delicious Mocha from Emma

2) A magnolia blossom from the yard of a perfect farmhouse and my compost box. The two of them bring home the thought that even when things that were once beautiful and alive wither and decay they are becoming rich soil for a kind of resurrection...for life to come. 

3) My new Westminster mug for teaching

4) Today was Daddy and I's first Seminary class!! And what a tremendous blessing it was to spend three hours looking into the Gospel of Matthew with men who love Jesus and love the Scriptures!

August 11th - 19th: Galax etc.