Saturday, January 7, 2012

January 7th

Last night I finished Matthew and began reading Mark.

That gospel is kind of cute, because everything happens, like immediately! Right away! Whatever happens to be happening, Jesus is just, on it.

I was curled up on the bed, reading. It was as though I were reading in Jesus' arms, leaning back against Him, His head close to mine as we read together.

"To what shall we liken the Kingdom of God?" Jesus asked, in a musing voice, His eyes alight with the quiet pleasure of the story teller. "Or with what parable shall we picture it?"

"To what?" I asked Him, feeling cozy and happy. "To what shall we compare it, Jesus?"

To a mustard seed, it turns out.

"...which," Jesus said to me, His voice so quietly captivating, "when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds of the earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."

I pondered this lovely image for a bit, and then we read on.

We reached the part about the man of the tombs, who begs to follow Jesus, and Jesus did not permit him.

I was lost in thought at this, thinking that, if that were me, I would have left for home just brokenly sobbing, dejected.

I saw myself stumbling around through the tombs, heading home, unable to see for my tears and wondering about why I could not come with Him.

I did not say that to you, Jesus reminded me, interrupting my thoughts with His loving humor.

Love flowed through me, releasing me from my thoughts. I took a deep breath of relief and yielded back into Jesus' loving presence.

"No," I said happily remembering. "You did not say that to me. You will always be close to me."

I was always close to him, Jesus told me, and delight and wonder filled me again.

"Of course You were!" I agreed, realizing it. "He would have left and found You living in and loving him, right in his heart, all his life."

It is Keith's birthday weekend, and so far today he has had a pizza omelet- yes, I did combine two of his favorite foods- and we have cruised the car lots in the HD. He got several compliments on his truck and almost bought a Jeep.

We had sloppy hamburgers for lunch, and fries with barbecue sauce, and then we went to the off road dealership and then to the store for steak and potatoes and a strawberry ice cream cake.

He received a string of decorative John Deere lights from my parents, and they are now proudly displayed over the fireplace mantel.

Tomorrow we are hitting the ATV trails, and I sincerely hope that the rest of the south does not also have the same plan in mind. Surely not.