Blessings

We had a crazy, wonderful weekend. Our three year old granddaughter and their six month old puppy came in Thursday evening. She and I watched the movie Enchanted, or half of it as she had to go to bed. We watched the rest the next day while we waited for two of her cousins to arrive. They are 22 months and 6 months old. We ate hot dogs and macaroni and cheese. The wagon got a work out as we took walks with the puppy around the big live oak tree. The mile and a half walk is too far for the little ones, but they love riding in the bright, red wagon we bought for walks. The neighbors stopped to talk or waved as they drove by our parade. What a blessing these beautiful children are in our lives. They help us see the world again with a child's innocent wonder. I'm so grateful to have lived long enough to know my children's children. I have learned to see God's blessings most clearly in the everyday, small blessings, like the opportunity to watch a princess movie with my granddaughter. God is good, all the time, and especially good to me, more so than I can ever deserve.

Grace and Peace,
Donna Sue

Acedia

I've been reading Kathleen Norris' latest book, Acedia & Me. She has such a beautiful writing style and her wisdom as always shines through the pages of this book. I like that she has named what she says is a common sin in our time, that sense of apathy and detachment from all that is evil in the world, a sense that is much too strong for the meek word "sloth." It helps to know I'm not the only one who struggles regularly against this ancient demon, which regularly can convince me that what I do doesn't matter anyway, so why bother. I especially like her suggestion for combating this sin, "earnest devotion." I intend to do my best to remember this as an antidote when the weight of all that is wrong in God's good creation leaves me frozen in a state of inaction. I cannot fix all the problems of this world, but I can earnestly devote my attention to the work to which God has called me. Good news indeed.

Grace and Peace,
Donna Sue