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.

Or squatting down just to look at the sparkly mica rocks or scooting water bugs.

O LORD, Your love is kind. Psalm 69:18

 Sometimes in the weariness of life, it seems like His love is a taunting love. Either a “Come and get it way up here on the top of this steep, precarious cliff” sort of thing, or a “No sniveling” sort of bumper sticker.

But no. Let me remind myself of what He tells me about His love, His snuggle-up-on-a-mother’s-breast sort of comfort.

Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in Thee do I trust.

And Heather and Dustin have some stories of Everette up at the mountain cabin this weekend. And the complete and utter delight she enjoys in the coziness and warmth of their presence, by the fireplace reading stories or walking down the road to the waterfall. “I am so, so happy because mom and dad and Everette are all right here.”

Just being. Childlike in His presence.

He is enough.

So, so happy.

I am thankful that I was able to comfort and play games with children in a nearby field all afternoon and distract them for a bit.

I will confess you among the peoples, O LORD; I will sing praise to you among the nations. For Your lovingkindness is greater than the heavens, and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Psalm 57:9–10

My desktop photo is now this line of little Syrian boys in front of the tents of their refuge camp. And my prayer is Luke 18:16, أمّا يَسُوعَ فَدَعا الأطفالَ إلَيهِ وَقالَ: «دَعُوا الأطفالَ يَأتُونَ إلَيَّ، وَلا تَمنَعُوهُمْ عَنِّي، لِأنَّ لِمِثلِ هَؤُلاءِ مَلَكُوتَ اللهِ, let the little ones come unto Me.

And every month we send twenty dollars to a girl who is loving little children in Nepal, and yesterday her email was full of thanks at the goodness of God in the midst of ruin and chaos and pain.

And every day I am reminded that it is not about me, as I learn to love my kiddos well.

And I am wandering through a school in rainy Denver this week, with a notebook and pen, as I watch some wonderful people love children well, with creativity and passion, with a team of equally inspiring teachers.

It is about His honor and glory and His great lovingkindness. His great lovingkindness that I certainly cannot wrap my small human mind around, but that which is declared day after day, night after night by His mercy and His grace.

Particularly in His image-bearers, who fill my heart with tenderness.

Now they were bringing even infants to him that He might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called them to Him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.  Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

Being still does not mean don't move. It means move in peace.

The human mind and heart are a mystery; but God will loose an arrow at them, and suddenly they will be wounded. Psalm 64:7

The pause before the day starts its mad dash. What are my thoughts? Where is my heart? What is hiding behind the big pile of clutter?

Dear LORD GOD, the One who understands. Let loose Your arrows. And in the piercing, the wounding, may I turn to You the Healer. Let your loving-kindness, O LORD, be upon me.

Selah.

Pause, and think of that.