How many times does He whisper to me, New every morning, great is My faithfulness?

Show me Your marvelous loving-kindness, O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right hand from those who rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me under the shadow of Your wings. Psalm 17:7-8

So I was talking to someone a couple of days ago about His lovingkindness. And is it the sort of thing of seeing, really seeing His face, His marvelous light, regardless of circumstances, and tucking up under a sweeping wing of shelter against the storm of life?

And someone could even accuse the small counting game as distracting or minimalizing His glory.

·       A hug from swim team Laura because my day was going to be hard.

·       Marco telling my student that even though the connection for Skype interview about Collective Efficacy for Diabetes Management was terrible that Alicia felt supercool. That made a big difference in her rather discouraged life. And she is really worried about her nana with diabetes who has to take insulin shots every day now.

·       That Eliseo had a great interview with the director for his project that he is doing with Herite on how to increase students doing homework. And Josephine King from Doolen said that she would do anything for me, even answer an interview from Herite. And last year Eliseo hated refugees.

·       And actually Levi Pratt who was a student of mine a long, long time ago because now he is in graduate school said he would do an expert interview as well, on how to build a hovercraft out of plywood because that is what he did in eighth grade. Along time ago. And I found him on Facebook.

·       For Facebook invitations and all of the people that I love who are coming to the Adam birthday party tonight and who have pressed the green accept checkmark.

·       Once again for Panchita and Judy. The house is nice and clean and smells just like Pinosol.

·       For Jack Voelkel and Pippen bringing over the just-read newspaper every single morning to remind me of what faithfulness looks like every single morning.

·       That for some crazy reason the kids love to take out the black garbage bags and recycles with me every day after lunch, out to the smelly, stinky alley. And all of the construction workers say hello.

·       For the very cool awards Alan made for the Robotics Club.

·       For getting to decorate a Christmas tree with Everette this morning.

·       That really I LIKE shopping at Fry’s. Which is a good thing since I go there about four times a week. But it is one of the few things that I know that I do really, really well. That and doing dishes. And I am going as soon as I finish this quiet time.

·       For brand-new goggles for free that do not leak, and I get to write an Amazon review for them for Austin, who thinks that my Masters swim team has some of the nicest people.

·       That I swim on such a nice Masters team.

·       That the wall is providing work for Rogelio and Carlos and that it is going to be beautiful.

·       That I get to introduce Manuel to the wonders of thrift stores today as we try and find some pants for him for the Winter Dance tonight. Maybe at Buffalo Exchange.

·       Wow. For Buffalo Exchange. Wow. I have spent so many hours there, pleasant hours since a long time ago when it opened when I was in high school. And I bought my clothes there. And the baby clothes there. And the little girl clothes. And the big high school girl clothes. And now I am going with Manuel this morning.

·       For the backside of envelopes that I get to pull out of the trash and write down all of these TO DO lists. That I get to draw lines through tasks completed. And yes, I am one of those people who sometimes writes down tasks completed, like Christmas Gifts Drawing and then crossing it off because it is done. And I am also going to try and visit Uncle Jim with my momma as well.

·       For these off-white knit blankets that wash up so nicely and warmly wrap around every single morning.

·       For the Mexico Outreach jacket that I somehow “won” when they drew names, and who ever wins things that way? But now I have it to remind me every single day of one of the happiest places in my life.

·       For my wonderful fireplace and all of the firewood stacked up out front and I am going to empty the ashes this morning too.

·       That the term Loving-kindness (or "lovingkindness") was coined by Myles Coverdale in his Coverdale Bible of 1533, as an English translation of the Hebrew word chesed  (which appears in the Latin Vulgate as “misericordia” in that text it is spelled "louinge kyndnesse.”

But my list is a reminder, again and again, that His glorious lovingkindness is everywhere, revealed everywhere, as He works His good purpose.

And right now I have some problems seeing His face when I listen to CBS nightly news. That part of the mirror seems really blurry to me now.

But I can look at my feet poking out from underneath the off-white knit blanket.

·       For the black Tom’s boots from Heather that I wear every day now. And I want to thank You one more time for my thoughtful, wise daughters.

Thank you for once again opening my eyes that I might see the wonders of Your love.

Lovingkindness.

I like it better as one word, even though spellcheck doesn’t.

Amen.