Brief Update

Hi everyone!

So this is my "holding down the fort while Sarah is away" post. Actually, Sarah just returned from her trip to Franklin Square, but I'm sure she will write her own post full of the details. Welcome back, Sarah!

It's the usual for me: the next homework assignment. But, our Father gives grace sufficient! I am a very task oriented person, and I find that everyday is about the list of tasks and responsibilities I have to perform. I am amazed that I can go a whole day without even thinking about the Sustainer and One to whom all my actions should glorify. It is very troubling, but I know that God created some of us to be task oriented and he knows our weaknesses. In church last Sunday, we sang these words and they really sum up what I have been praying:

Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;
Wean it from earth, through all its pulses move;
Stoop to my weakness, mighty as thou art,
And make me love thee as I ought to love.

Teach me to feel that thou art always nigh;
Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear,
To check the rising doubt,the rebel sigh;
Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.

May the Holy Spirit pour out his grace upon us the rest of this week as we fulfill the callings and roles he has given us.

In Christ,
Lily

For all who may be weary and heavy laden...

Charles Spurgeon is pouring our tea tonight! These are some comforting words. I hope that you will find refreshment and solace in this meditation.

"Casting all your care upon Him; for he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

It is a happy way of soothing sorrow when we feel "He cares for me." Come, cast your burden upon your Lord. You are staggering beneath a weight that your Father would not feel. What seems to you a crushing burden would be to Him but as dust. Oh, child of suffering be patient; God has not passed you over in His providence. He who is the feeder of the sparrows will also furnish you with what you need. Do not sit down in despair; hope on, hope ever. There is One who cares for you. His eye is fixed on you, His heart beats with pity for your woe, and His hand omnipotent will bring you the needed help. He, if you are one of His family, will bind up your wounds and heal your broken heart. Do not doubt His grace because of your tribulation, but believe that He loves you as much in seasons of trouble as in times of happiness. What a serene and quiet life might you lead if you would leave providing to the God of providence! If God cares for you, why should you care, too? Can you trust Him for your soul and not for your body? He has never refused to bear your burdens; He has never fainted under their weight. Come then, soul! Cease fretting, and leave all your concerns in the hand of a gracious God.

~C.H. Spurgeon

Blessings in Christ,
Lily

Summer Highlights

Greetings!

This morning I leave for New York so this is my final blog post until October. My goal was to have a slide show of our summer week together, and with the help of some very patient, dear friends, I think I have mostly figured out the Picasa "thing" and I present to you, our Photo Shoot, Summer 2010:

Enjoy!




I'll share more pictures (lots more) when I get back. I count it a victory to have this much done. Until October...

Blessings to you in Christ Jesus,

Sarah

A Note of Apology

I need to apologize for the lack of posting in the last month (especially after the 2 comments on the previous post).

The exciting news is that I got a digital camera from Mama and Daddy for my graduation gift. Now there will be no more pictures of my creations with my shirt in the background! (I've found it really is amazing what great pictures can be taken when you don't have to stand in front of the computer and hold up the objects you're taking pictures of. A whole new world.) The sad part is, that I don't know how to get my pictures from the picture program that they automatically upload to, to Picasa Web Albums so I can make a slide show of our vacation. Wouldn't it be lovely if I could figure out how to upload them right to Picasa? Does anyone know if there's a way that I would be able to figure out? Emphasis on I.

So, I do have tons of great pictures from our vacation and things I've made and done since our vacation but I'm still trying to figure out how to get them into slide show format. I would appreciate any help I can get on this.

I have also been very busy making 218 wedding invitation for a friend and that has limited my time to work on this picture problem. The invitations are very close to finished and now it's time to get ready to go to New York (in 16 days. I'm sure you are all counting, right?). So, Lord willing, in the next 16 days I will work on this picture problem and leave for New York with fresh posts of our vacation/other happenings.

I do apologize.

Annual Reunion

The time has come!!! Come Thursday, the Blair and Freeman ladies will be reunited for ten days of girl festivities! This has meant a lot to us after being separated about seven years ago. The Freeman family moved to Atlanta, Georgia while the Blair family relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina. We started this "house swap" tradition, and we've kept in close contact ever since. This year, it is the Blair girls' turn to come to the Freemans' house. However, one very significant extension is being added to the normal, seven day visit. Sarah's family is hosting a party in honour of her graduation from high school. So the Freeman ladies will be traveling early to Charlotte to be at the party and to spend the weekend at the Blair house. On Monday, the 26th, begins the seven day vacation at the Freeman house.

...And we have a lot planned! Sarah and I have an outing to Tea Leaves and Thyme, a cute little tea shop in downtown Woodstock, where we will discuss our next book club book. We are hosting a little knitting club and will be joined by several other ladies young and old. Sarah is finally going to meet her email acquaintance, Anna Leigh Page! And on Friday night, we have a sleepover planned with two other sisters coming over...I'm thinking that a sisters vs. sisters game of Taboo is in order. Besides this, we have the exciting change of a new church, Geneva OPC. I know that Sarah is very excited about attending Prayer Meeting on Wednesday night and Worship on Sunday.

So that is the update!

Cheers,
Lily