Loving Creation loves the Creator!

It had been awhile since we'd been able to enjoy the outdoors. Tuesday was a rainy day, and not just rain or drizzle, but RAIN with wind driving the rain sideways. It was miserable. In the morning, Dawn had a doctor's appointment so I went with her to hold the baby and take care of Kasey while she was in with the doctor. Cole is amazing - what a cool, calm baby. He was awake the whole time I held him but was content to just look around and not make a peep. 
  

So after such a long time of being indoors, we took the opportunity on Friday afternoon to get out. It was unbelieveably cold - only 39 degrees with a chilly breeze. But it was so good to get the nature therapy. 

I read Spurgeon's comments on nature and resonated with his statements:  "I like to see my Savior on the hills and by the shores of the sea! I hear my Father's voice in the thunder and listen to the whispers of his love in the cadence of the sunlit waves. These are my Father's works and therefore, I admire them and I seem all the nearer to him when I am among them."

I love the ocean, too, but the woods affect me the same way. Even in the winter, there are many colors and interesting things to take note of: trees tall and majestic or twisted in pleasing and unusual shapes, bird calls, bushes and foliage, and of course, ponds or water of any kind.

Loving creation is loving the Creator!

We went to Black Run Preserve and walked in the woods, an estimated 2 miles.

More of Spurgeon: "Surely everything that comes from the hand of such a Master Artist as God has something of himself in it. The Lord rejoices in his works and shall not his people do so?"

Because of unfit weather, we had been working on another puzzle. It was an extremely difficult one with a lot of black and brown pieces. We got all the pieces in except for the black, when it was obvious that there were about 12 pieces missing. Ugh! Typically, I don't give up on seemingly impossible tasks like this. I just have to gut it out, see it through to the bitter end. But in this case, when I realized there were so many pieces missing, I confess I gathered up the puzzle and threw it in the trash.

Just look at all those black pieces, looking exactly alike. Puzzles are supposed to be brain training and a challenge, but they just produce stress when there are pieces missing. So I'm not even going to feel guilty for junking that one!

What a contrast the weather was on Saturday. The temperature got up to 60 degrees. It was somewhat cloudy, but very mild and warm. So off we went again, this time to Rancocas State Park. There was one part of the trail we hadn't been on, so we took that one. We didn't stay very long, though, because we were both tired.

Ecclesiastes 11:7 - "Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun. For if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all." 

"We can and should rejoice as we live the life God gives us. There is color, light, warmth and beauty in God's world. There are people who say and do kind things. Life brings many delightful moments." (Your Father Loves You by J.I. Packer, August 21 reading)

Speaking of kind things that people do...someone anonymously left Valentine's balloons at our door last Saturday night with an encouraging note. And someone else gave us $75 in Shop Rite gift cards. Delightful moments indeed. Reminders that God is caring for us.

Andy's confusion and memory loss continues. One evening this past week, he came out of the living room, looked at me and asked where Phyllis was. I raised my hand, then he said, "oh, upstairs?" I had to tell him I was Phyllis. These kinds of conversations are occurring constantly. He is even confused in our own house. He asks me where the bathroom is, if there's someone else in the house, who my parents are, etc. Last night, he told me he wanted me to go get Phyllis and bring her back to the house. Sigh!

It's harder for me to think of things to help occupy him. This afternoon we went out and did some yard work together. As long as I am with him, he does ok. But I do have to keep my eye on him! It was nice and warm again, so pleasant to be outside. 

A couple of weeks ago, I made up a list of jobs I wanted to get done around the house and yard. Yesterday Andy helped me move furniture away from the walls as I dusted the baseboards. That was very helpful of him, even though I had to give him directions on how I wanted him to move it. He still has the muscle I don't!

This afternoon I was looking for something when I decided I needed to organize the "kids' drawer" with the crayons and coloring books. As I was sorting through papers, I found a group of cards that had been made by the Lindsays for Andy's birthday several years ago. That was such a fun memory to look at them again.

 Each had been lovingly hand made by the children and C & C (Claire hadn't been born yet). The funniest was a poem created for Andy:
   Who's so handy,
   Can sing so grandly?
   Who thinks his wife's as sweet as candy?
   Whose grandkids are so dandy?
   Who's glad his name's not Randy?
   You guessed it! It's Andy!

From Naomi:
Dear Pop-pop,
Thank you for being nice because you love us. Thank you for wrestling with us and going on vacation with us. Thank you for letting us sleep in your house...Love Naomi


From Grace:
To all the people who like to fix things because they might have to fix this card.
Dear Poppop. Happy birthday! This pop-up card is for you ...I hope you enjoyed it. (She had glued a little spring inside the card that was supposed to pop up when he opened it!)

What sweet memories! Yes, even in our difficult circumstances, God still floods our lives with happiness and joy. 

"The joy of the Lord is my strength." Nehemiah 8:10