First, I begin with much thanks and praise for your prayers. We are on the mend. My head is still weary and wants to hang down, but I could not rest until I began to share the journey of the past four days.
Last Thursday, Meredith and I were invited to Joanne’s home for lunch and some crafts. So I looked forward to the visit, the new-found friendships, and the craft-time to finish some things I began.
So Meredith (pictured to the left with Joanne’s pumpkin that she grew in her own backyard!) and I found some child care and headed north to Joanne’s home. We drove very near the home, when I realized I forgot the exact road. So I called and Joanne’s husband Toben answered. I smiled when he said turn on the street where the tree is turning colors for fall. What a great beginning!
Joanne is a bright light, which never is snuffed out. She loves life and lives it to the full in a simple and yet rich way. She sat down and began to craft with her knitting. So Meredith and I began to do the same, as if to say, oh this is how you do it! So we sat and crafted and visited for a good while. I found my heart beating fast, for I have always wanted to sit and while away the hour with friends and a craft–just like they used to do in the days of old. Oh, I have a romantic heart, yes I do. So when I read about such things, I think, “I wish I could do that.” And Joanne invited us to the answer: “why not?” It was pure joy for me to live that one out. It won’t be the only time either. (Pictured are me, Meredith and Joanne with Daisy the dog in the backdrop of their beautiful backyard)
We came to the table overlooking Joanne’s beautiful decorated-by-God-for-autumn backyard. I wanted to stay right there and put up my tent. It was a wonderful and restful retreat. Joanne had created a royal lunch for us of chicken salad and croissants. She quoted Anne of Green Gables’ friend Diana Berry in saying how nice it would be to be rich and eat chicken salad and live in fine houses. To which Anne replied that we are rich for we have our friendship and imagination. So we feasted on richness and fatness at Joanne’s. It was such a high and wonderful time.We shared wonderful and scrumptious food–and best of all, we shared ourselves and our stories. It cannot get any better than that my friends!
As if the day could not be any more of a gift, Joanne gifted us with a beautiful basket of goodies…& books. I had already bought and read Joanne’s book Living Simply (You must get it and read it. It will give you much inspiration and add such richness to your life, too!), so Joanne shared that with Meredith. Then I received a book called True-Faced, which I believe is such a powerful book in being who you are with others. It’s a book about freedom in your life and relationships. Who doesn’t need that? It is a must read for those of you who long to be freed up to do what God is dreaming for you to do!May I say that besides all that I have written, the very best part of the day was the love and care for detail that Joanne put into the day? She planned for us and prepared and thought about us…which made the time all the more special. Meredith and I came away as blessed and deeply loved friends with Joanne. I tell you my heart is still so full from that feeling of being made special…just like Jesus does….just like He would do.
Indeed Joanne is a well-balanced Mary and Martha! She prepares and serves, and yet knows the importance of sitting at the feet of Jesus.
So we shall do this again. And I encourage you to find some friends to invite over and plan for…to treat and pamper…to spend time doing something together beyond what you normally do. If you cannot think of someone to invite, do what Joanne did and invite people you don’t know very well. For a stranger may be just the one to bring into your life and add richness and friendship! I think that looks a lot like Jesus, too!
Matthew 22:8-10
Be sure that when you are invited to the wedding that you are dressed appropriately (Matthew 22:1-14). How is that, you ask? Clothe yourself in Christ. He ALONE is enough.
Come dressed and ready! For this is a story-book tale that is real.
And someday, we shall see Him and know Him, even as we are fully seen and known.
Tomorrow, I will tell about Friday, when I flew to Dallas/ Ft. Worth for a Texas-sized offer from Bev.
::blushing::
You, dear Holly, are too, too kind. It just boils down to the fact that I love you and am thankful to have you for my friend!
And, you have no idea how much you and Meredith blessed me last week. It was entirely my pleasure.
And I suppose that the bottom line really is the fact that God has lavished love on us and it just spills over on to others. He is so good!
wow – i can’t wait to read more!!!!!!!
love, Leigh
Holly, you did such a lovely job re-creating the day! It was a blessed day indeed!
Well blogger seems to be up and running again. So now I will once again leave a comment.
I am so glad you had a female day with your girls.
It looked like a lot of fun.
I miss getting together with my girls.
And I love doing little things that make them feel special. Good food and good friends–nothing like it!
Can’t wait to hear about your time with Beth! 🙂
i think i told you that one of the first things i noticed about you was that you reminded me of Matthew 22:14 that you gather around you and invite to your God any one you can find…whether it is a strange woman 20 years your senior calling you on the phone to ask you to come to texas or the sick or the devastated or anyone in need of prayer…you are so there and your God loves that so much…
what a beautiful gesture of genuine hospitality from joanne…it all sounded so intriguing, so inviting…y’all reminded me of I Peter 4:8-11 above all love deeply cause it covers over our multitude of sins and offer hospitality using the gifts you have been given, faithfully giving God’s grace, speaking the very words of God.
we have not heard from our brookie…thank you for praying for her…it has to be a little scary being only 24 in a hospital in bangkok alone for a few days waiting on results of tests/biopsy to come back…but she’s not Alone…but this mom would so love to be by her side…this is her 3rd go-round with cancer in one year for one so young and trusting of her good God… and all 3 scares have ended up benign except this one is already pre-cancer cells that we are asking God to remove…this mom can’t thank you enough for praying for my daughter…i wish she would call and set my mind at ease…
OH how wonderful! It looks like a beautiful day!!
Blessings,
Sue
Sounds like y’all had a fabulous time. Love the book True-Faced…I think I read it about 3 times, then passed it on and didn’t get it back…I’m sure it’s a blessing to whomever’s hands it landed in.
Your posts really are such fun to read.
I just ordered the book. Can’t wait to read it!
Looks like you guys had a wonderful day!