This Summer has been quite something.  For me, a summer person, I have waited, day after day for the warm weather to present itself.  To be fair, there have been some beauties. Not enough for my liking but on the rare occasion when the sun has shone down from a blue sky, I have drunk deeply of it’s bright warmth.  Call my longing, a need for Vitamin D or just a love of brightness and light.  I don’t need to be outside for every sunny minute.  Even looking from the inside out, lifts my spirit.

Yesterday there was a total eclipse of the sun and thankfully I didn’t notice a dimming of the warmth or a darkening of the sky.  I heard that some people were beside themselves with the scientific wonder of the eclipse and I agree it’s incredible how science happens. But it isn’t by accident or fluke you know.  God decided, for a reason that He alone created, that an eclipse of the sun would be a good thing.

I’m past the middle of my life. I have less years to live than I’ve lived and realized it one day as I was doing some mundane and relatively unimpressive task.  Whoa! It hit me hard and for a minute, well maybe three minutes, I allowed the fact of the instability and fleetness of life to take hold of my heart with an iron grip.  Scared me, people.  I felt the heat of panic begin somewhere deep and it penetrated my innermost and it was sad, for a minute.  I suddenly got it, the reason some people freak out and do dumb stuff, crazy stuff, when they hit middle age.  They want to hold on, be in charge, experience everything, make sure they get their deepest hearts desire before,
well
before their lives are over.

Thankfully I remembered and not a minute too soon
that

I know the One who breathes life into every thing that breathes and He decides which breath will be the last breath.
For a minute or two I chose to think about life
here
as though it is the best and then it’s over and when it’s over it’s the end, but that isn’t right. This life is only the beginning.  It’s full, but it isn’t just about what I can accomplish and when I can accomplish it and what I can become and where I should go and who I should help.  That’s why I stop in the morning and ask God to show me what to do as the day unfolds.  My time here,
you know,
Living
is a big deal because God made me.  Your life is a big deal because He made you.  But the things we do are a response to who He is, what He has done and continues to do.
Papa used to say that everything we do needs to count for eternity. We shouldn’t waste our lives here because after this we are going to spend eternity with Jesus.  Well, everybody who acknowledges that He is God and confesses their sinfulness to Him, will spend eternity with Him.  Isn’t He Good?

There’s a song that says
Every Day with Jesus is Sweeter than the Day Before
It isn’t exactly true.
I have sweet days and I have days that are as sour and bitter as sour and bitter can be.  I bet you know what I’m talking about.  The fact that Jesus IS and that He IS I Am is more than sweet.  It’s strong and full of power and even when my life is bitter, even when your life is bitter,
Jesus IS alive and Loving and Being God.  Knowing that, is Sweet.

My dad would have been 101 a month ago
The young friend who died a week ago of a massive heart attack was 45.  He left a wife and three little children
My father in law is 84
I am 58
another friend, just about my age, went Home a few weeks ago and he leaves behind a wife and three sons
and the list, goes, on.
These are/were very much aware that days are numbered and although human beings have decided that life can easily be ended and we can control that ending on a whim, God will not be overruled.  He’ll have the last word and goodness gracious me, it won’t be spoken gently, softly.

We are speed travelers, The Staleys
Really. When people ask us where we are going and how long we’re going for, they laugh and laugh at the answer. “Oh, we’re going to Iceland for three days”. “We’re going to England for the weekend.” “We’re heading to Israel for four days”. Some would say it’s a waste to go for such a short time but that’s just how it’s done
Staley Style.  The truth is, that’s all the time there is.  That’s the number of days in a row that my husband will/can be away.  We make it work and it works for us.
We attempt to travel with the whole gang when possible and when it isn’t, we go alone or bring one or two.
Yes, we have short attention spans and yes, Rob loves his job and no, we aren’t lingerers so a look at this and a glance at that, a breath of sea air and a taste of Their delicacy, is enough. It fills our tanks and a weekend is as good as a week.
This summer we went to Israel, yes, for four days.  Well technically it was three and a half. From there we spent a day in Athens and three in Bordeaux. That was a looooong trip for us but we were celebrating,
35 years of marriage and that is something to celebrate.
I knew our stop in Israel would be short and sweet. It was, both of those things. Short but very sweet. I wanted to walk on stone floors that Jesus walked on.  I wanted to stand in the Sea of Galilee. I wanted to touch the temple wall.  I wanted to see where Jesus preached the message of the beatitudes.  I wanted to walk the road He walked, on that terrible and wonderful evening, The evening when He gave everything, for me.
I did all of those things and to walk where He walked and stand where He stood and hear the waves that He heard, made a lasting impression.  From the Mount of Olives our guide pointed out the route Jesus took when He was being passed around and tried, on that last night of his pre-crucifixion life.  I could have stood and looked for hours, at every stop, except that it was over 40 degrees celsius and we needed to move on.  It was a visit to my Saviour’s Earthly life and I am grateful to have been able to be there.

In His steps

The temple wall

where Jesus walked and drew fishermen to Himself

This fall I am going to participate in leadership at Community Bible Study.  Not because I have the answers, or want to give instructions, or even, dare I say, like a weekly commitment.  The role is about praying, with people and For people. I have not taken on this commitment because God stood in front of me, looked me in the eye and told me to do it.  No, He looked my way and
I stepped out and took hold of the hem of His garment. I told Him I was willing to be available. I have told Him that I am quite sure it’s time I said Yes, to a stretch, but if He thinks differently I am so cool with that.   Believe me, I will not be letting go of Him.  I mean, I would love for you to believe that I Never let go of Him, but we all know that would be a lie.  I’m holding on tight and more to the point, He’s holding on tighter.

Papa used to say that sometimes we believers, Christ Followers, spend too much time waiting for God to tell us what to do.  There is a time for waiting and there is a time to get out there and do what needs doing, all the while praying that if He would prefer that we sit and wait or take a hike in a different direction, He would make it very very clear.  That’s the instruction manual I draw from when I have a strong sense that God wants me to get up off my behind and move.

Well, the crux, the essence of this post is

I’m getting older every day, whether the sun is hiding or shining. Life matters because God says it does. Everything, everybody walking around has been given life by Him.

One time a few years ago I was sitting by Nano’s hospital bed.  She was awake and recovering from surgery.  It was late at night and a young twenty something man was brought to a room down the hall.   He had some obvious problems that related to lifestyle choices he had made and was clearly in a bad way.  He was sick and broken and frightened and
Nano looked at me (and it still makes me cry)
and sadly
she said
“Just think, He is somebody’s boy.  He was a little guy running around playing, just a few years ago and now, look at him.  Jesus loves him even now.”  Oh dear Nano.  A mother’s heart.
I love to have fun and am full of nonsense, often.  In the fun and the laughter and the hard work and bitter realities of life, whether I am walking where Jesus walked during His life here, or praying for guidance in making choices, whether I’m on my knees begging for God to do what I ask,  when I want Him to do it, or lying in bed worrying about my own boys and girl, whether I am sick or tired or regretful or hopeful or fearful or…
you get it
Life is to be lived and embraced and held loosely and spent thoughtfully listening and paying attention, to God.   Don’t forget!

I read something last week and I think you should know about it.

C.S. Lewis said it (Reflections on the Psalms) and man, I Love it!
“God does not only “demand” praise as the Supremely beautiful and all-satisfying object…It is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men”
I MEAN, WOW! You Must Love this. It’s truth.

In the goings on these past summer months, in the fun and adventures and wanderings,

these have been my contemplations and I share them here, with you.

♥