we went through fire & water,

& you brought us to a place of abundance- psalm 66:12

looking forward to a song along these lines from friend corrie. this week, we started studying psalm 66 together, & her feeling is that it's best learned by putting it to music. which i'm more than ok with! (other passages she's written songs for are psalms 34 & 46- & she has a voice like jewel, oh man)

the above verse has been sitting on me for a few days. i keep hearing reports of good gospel work in a pain-ravaged haiti; i think about the people i love whose lives are in emotional upheaval- yet they worship Him; i reflect on joseph's "fruitfulness in the land of (his) suffering." it is a marvel. not only am i stunned by His ability to bring joy from sorrow, i'm awestruck at His example of suffering with candor & acceptance ("take this from Me...yet not My will"). sometimes i look around at the ways He's working, & i think, does it have to be this way... couldn't there be "abundance" without the "fire & water"..? but it's a way He has walked & He helps us along. this is such amazing love, my mind can't even start to take it in. it's what author pamela rosewell moore refers to as "safer than a known way."

on another note, it is now spring! & therefore time for play & pimento cheese. hannah's oldest son turns 4 tomorrow...& she's making sandwiches for the park. the pimento sandwiches sound delish yet simple- grated cheddar, cream cheese, mayo, salt/pepper, pimentos, bread- voila!

for all things, awesome Father, make us grateful!