Remembering Summer

We are officially at the end of summer 2025 and I didn’t want to let it go without remembering the goodness of the Lord in this season.

I suffered a pinched nerve in my back and slept in a recliner for 8 weeks. I underwent two MRI’s, lots of physical therapy and much prayer. I had never known pain like that. I was unable to escape it, no matter what I did. As the moments of crying out to Jesus in the middle of the night ticked on, I experienced the steady faithfulness of my Lord. He never left me. “Jesus?” I whispered many times into the darkness.” I am here” was His gentle reply. Steady. Faithful. Full of Mercy.

Slowly I got better.

I am deeply grateful. The earth around me also sang of His kindness. The Peonies still bloomed happy thoughts into our front garden and the blueberries budded in promise of a delightful harvest to come. The goodness of the Lord endures. It has been a lesson in gratitude and a lesson in empathy for others who endure long seasons of pain.

The best bounties springing up in our garden are our beautiful grandchildren. We have 5 handsome boys growing stronger everyday. We are so full of pride and joy over them. Everything else pales in comparison to the gift of these boys. Laughter and excitement ring out in our once empty hallways. There is baseball in the yard, rides in the golf cart and joyful splashing in the pool. Their most favorite thing is swinging in the giant disc swing in the oak tree in our front yard. We are deeply blessed. When the blueberries came in, they ate them by the fistful, exploding in between tiny fingers and smearing little cheeks. It was so sweet to see their excitement that blueberries actually grew in Mae Mae and Pop Pop’s yard.

The chickens have also brought much delight in this season. We love the fresh eggs and happy clucks early in the morning. Of course they each have names, mostly from my precious daughter-in-law who loves them all like they are pets. (Which of course they are.)

There is much going on in our world, but I don’t feel pressed to share or talk about that here or really anywhere. I am still endeavoring to count grace, as I learned from my dear friend Ann Voskamp. She led the way in leaning into gratitude, especially when life feels like a bramble of briars and mud. “Gratitude always precedes the miracle.” (she often says.) Thanks Ann for reminding us.

Find your feet in gratitude to the Lord today. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” ~ Romans 15:13