Thursday, August 13, 2009

Today's Graces

So far today I've experienced a lot of grace.

From nine till eleven I had one of my nearly-5th grade art students come over and do a practice run on some art projects. She was itching to get of the house; her mom was itching as well.

Called a friend but she said she was out to breakfast, could she call me back? I was glad to hear she was out to breakfast; she needed the break.

After that I went to the furniture store to buy the botanical print (originally $179 which I got for $17 plus tax!). ANd I didn't have to deal with the designer I let go on Monday. It was an answer to prayer for relief. I hate conflict but I hate avoiding it even more!

Then I dropped off two bags of junk at Goodwill and ventured inside while I was at it. Saw the sign for Midnight Madness (starts at 8pm) and everything is half off. So I will go back for tongiht the things I saw I want: a Degas print (to reframe), an old framed world map, and a leatherlike ottoman for the basement that has a hinged lid, great for storing our plethora of blankets.

While there, I also spotted a lovely leather Giani Bernini purse for 12 bucks. It passed the sniff test just fine, but I kept going back and forth. 'Do I need this or want this? It's a great purse! But I have a bunch of great purses. How about if I buy it tonight?" But I stood in line anyway, convincing myself it's awfully hard to find this great a handbag anywhere for $12. Then, just as the lady ahead of me was finishing her transaction, I stepped out of line, put the purse back and caught the eye of the lady BEHIND me. I looked at her and said, "I don't need another purse. I really.don't.need.another.purse.
She exclaimed, "I'm so proud of you! I really am!' You'd have thought she was my husband's alter-ego the way she carried on. I smiled and said, "That decision just took every last ounce of self-control."

I am also happy to recall that I lost another 1.6 pounds yesterday. That's 19.6 total. My next goal is "22 by 44"- 22 pounds off by my 44th b'day (two weeks from y'day).

I also tried something I've never eaten before: a fish taco. It always sounded gross whenever Paul ordered it. But I was really hungry for Mexican while I was out, so picked up a taco trio from Baja Fresh--one shrimp, one chicken, one fish. I ate the shrimp and the fish and brought the chicken home from Sarah. I must say it was quite good.

What graces have you experienced today? I know mine don't sound superspiritual, but they are: self-control, answered prayer, fresh faith, encouragement. Sometimes they just don't come from Galatians, but from Goodwill.

12 comments:

Laurie said...

Today’s graces:

Green beans from our garden cooked up with just a bit of bacon. Ummm.
Also the grace that helped get the big bunch of beans in the pot were Mike’s helpful hands picking them then standing at the sink snapping them (a lot of them) with me.

A reminder that God loves me through a spiritual hug. (Sounds weird maybe?)
Can this be supported w/ scripture? I’m gonna check it out. Any come to mind?

I talked to my Mom this morning. She is doing some better, but still has little appetite etc. She has a hugely dreaded MRI tomorrow. She went to talk to techs yesterday to reiterate her claustrophobic fear! But she knows she needs to do it so she can find out what's wrong. (That’s the bigger fear.) This may not sound like a grace, but her symptoms are such that she needs to KNOW what’s going on. This is a grace (MRI) but it’s a huge prayer concern as well. She’s a brave lady. Please pray?

Wow! Good Goodwill story! Hmmm. Maybe the lady was hoping you’d put it back so she could buy it! (Nah! Sorry for that!)

I‘m so glad to know someone who has ordered a fish taco! Now I know… but they still sound gross. One of these times I’m going to get brave enough, or be hungry enough, to try one!

My class reunion was last month and I didn't go. I've been contacted through facebook(!) by an old friend who lives in my old hometown and wants to get together. I'm okay with that (nervous, but okay) Anyway I've been contemplating God's grace in calling me to salvation, and out of danger, as I think back to high school. Because He made me a new creation, I'm not who I was on so many levels! Amazing grace!

Thanks for the reminder to consider graces and blessings!
God is gracious indeed!

PS Do I have to keep apologizing for long comments?

Anonymous said...

Making it through the day, was probably my grace today! :)

zz said...

Laurie, I will pray for your mom. And please tell her that I had terrible claustrophobia when I went for an MRI. But I needed it (like her, HAD to find out how serious my problem was anatomically after Joel's birth). I THOUGHT they were just going to scoot me in from the ribs down (head exposed). But being short, in order to view my torso, they had to get the whole Zo in there. I started to have a panic attack, asked them to please give me a few minutes more, and I prayed and cried out to God to deliver me from the fear. Well, they came back in and I was a smidge more hopeful and they asked what station on the radio I wanted to listen to. I said WRBS. Just so happened it was RC Sproul. I love to hear him teach; he's a masterful linguist and funny, too, as well as being one of my favorite expositors. I had to concentrate on his level of sermon to get through, which was 25 minutes falt on my back (a position I hadn't been able to take on doctor's orders for six months. It was 25 minutes of in-your-face tunnel and banging noises. But with each passing moment, my heart rate decreased, my breathing returned to normal, I stopped sweating and I emerged free of claustrophobia. I can now handle elevators, tight quarters, the back seat of a coupe when I have to. That's a testimony of another bondage God set me free from. I pray your mom has a similar experience. I wasn't without tears, I wasn't fine before I went in, but God fought my battle in the tunnel. Please encourage your mom that it can be true for her, too.

Never need to apologize for long comments on my blog. Never.



Danielle--amen! I believe that was my sentiment from the time my kids were born through age 3, and then again from age 9 to ...the present?

Laurie said...

Thank you for praying. Thank you.

The MRI is rather freaky! I had a similar MRI experience...several actually, but my first one was helped by prayer... and valium!
I was so scared of the tight quarters! But knowing I could exit was a relief!
Claustrophobia!! I got "stuck" in a dress one time in a dressing room! It was a quaint thrift shop. There was a vintage dress I had to try! It was a dress with a zipper on the side...not one down the back. Do you know the old stlye dresses w/ zippers on the side? What in the world for??? Barely useful. Anyway I pulled it up over my head to try to get it off, it formed a sort of straight jacket effect up aound my shoulders with my arms up over my head (a prone type position!) and I kinda panicked. (I'm embarrassed even telling the story!) Anyway the nice older clerk lady helped me out... Traumatically embarrassing!
My mom says that even as a little tyke I used to panic getting in/out of certain tops! Craziness! I'm a little better now...Well actually I only wear clothes that button down the front! (not really).
So another long comment!
No apologies!
Blessings,
Laurie

Amy said...

beautiful, Zo--all of them beautiful graces.

Amy said...

except, p.s., I hate fish tacos. we tried them on our honeymoon at the place that was supposed to have the best fish tacos in Maui. conclusion: I love fish and I love tacos, but they do NOT belong together. :)

Jessi said...

Wow...it sounds like your Goodwill is much better than ours!

My grace was God's keeping our crazy lab from getting hit. Seriously, I was down my two older kids yesterday, and had an extra little one, and I honestly don't know what on earth I would have done with her if she had gotten hit. As exasperated as I get with her, we do love her, and I don't REALLY want anything to happen to her. Soooo....though it didn't feel particularly like a grace-filled day as I chased her up and down the road in the rain, it actually could have been much, MUCH worse.

Another grace...after my youngest getting bit in the face by a little dog 2 weeks ago (that required a trip to the ER for a stitch), we were at another friends' house last night who also have little dogs, but much more tolerant/friendly ones. His cousin, also 4, who is terrified of dogs (as Lukey was before we got Maggie) asked him, as she cowered on the chair, if they would bite her. He reassuringly said "No! Dogs never bite!" Though his information was inaccurate, and I'm not sure he's learned much, I am thankful that his fear hasn't returned!

Thanks for the reminder to take the time to actually SEE and be grateful for God's grace in the everyday.

zz said...

I had totally forgotten about the tight clothing claustrophobia. Yes, even when I think "Well, it went ON fine," I panic if it doesn't come off easily. Good for you for being humble enough to ask for help. NOt me.

Rachel Anne said...

I was looking for the "rest of the story" with your designer...and I gather you let her go on Monday? I wondered.

Botanical print for 17 bucks..what a delightful purchase. And passing up a purse? You are to be commended.

My daily grace: a quiet house, a few days alone before hubby and son arrive back.

zz said...

Rachel Anne-yes, I called her Monday and she was full of one excuse after another and had kept asking me to do one more step of what I would call HER job (pick properly sized pieces, put tape on floor to see for sure they'd work, take pictures of items from the store 1/2 hour away....) and when I finally said,"It sounds like you don't want to work too hard for your commission, she said, "Well you are WRONG! and I am not on commission. "

Those two sentences together sealed (or rather unsealsed) the deal. She was going to get her same salaray regardless whether she or I did all the legwork. And since I don't want the manager to get the sale from our large ticket purchases (because she did the overselling and has yet to call and ask about the problem), Paul and I felt just fine about cutting ties with them. The upside is, the situation has motivated me to spread my creative wings a little farther.

Th purse was gone when I went back at 8. If buyer's remorse is being sorry you bought something, what is it called when you're sorry the better deal wasn't there when you wanted it?

Laurie said...

I'm not sure what's it's called, but I've experienced it!
"Procrastinater's Remorse" is Mike's 2 cents.

Laurie said...

Or "Procrastinator's Lament"?