Sabbath, February 16, 7:22 am   (Day 34)

The sun is barely touching the tops of the trees as I overlook Lake of the Ozarks from the Lakeview Lodge at Camp Heritage.  And is it cold!  With no leaves on the trees, I can see what is normally hidden by the luxurious leaves on the maples, oaks, sycamores, and even some birch and elm….the CONTOUR of the land.  The hills slope down precipitously to the water’s edge.  Across the ravine I watch as the sun creeps ever lower.  Soon it will shine here and hopefully warm us and my feet!

Yesterday, I left John in the good care of the nurses at Barnes Jewish.  He will miss his own private duty nurse, however and will appreciate my return….I came home to Rolla, unpacked, repacked, grabbed some lunch, petted Rosy a bit and pretty much dashed out the door before an hour had elapsed.  Because I miss the hugs and the love of the children at Stepping Stones, I got there early and had some time to hug both them and the staff, who greeted me warmly.  

Bev and I left about 3, traveling the beautiful ridge road that is Highway 7 off Route 44 and all the way to Camp Heritage here on the Lake.  There are about 15 women here to enjoy fellowship.  There are few who understand me as well as others who are married to pastors. 

Taking a brisk walk together on the trail, Bev and I scurried and hurried to keep warm.  The sun was nearly gone and our clothes were not adequate.  Yet the fresh air and exercise were invigorating and pleasant.  Supper was delightful:  an avocado salad in the skin, with radishes and oranges and lime juice, crusty herb bread, and celery soup and minestrone soup, all beautifully served and deliciously satisfying.  Bev and I led out in the music and she presented her topic all about relationship, not even knowing that our topic was “Friends”.

Straight to bed and sleep for us and as usual I was awake near 4 with too many fearful thoughts that could not be quelled.  Sometimes I can distract my mind and other times it just goes.  At 5:30 I got up and dressed and came here to the Lodge for hot mint tea, time in the prayer room, and focusing on the friendship quotes that add to the décor.

This one I found on Facebook recently:  “Friends are like the walls of a house.  Sometimes they hold you up.  Sometimes you lean on them.  But sometimes, it’s enough to know they are just standing by.”  Here’s a new one:  “We need old friends to help us grow old and new friends to helps us stay young.”  And this one makes me cry:  “Friends are needed both for joy and for sorrow.”  I’ve had way too much sorrow lately; there is much to grieve and I think we are grieving what we have lost.  Many are praying for full recovery and we can hope for that.   Only God knows our path for the future.  As long as I live in the moment and do not think too much about what lies ahead, I can cope.

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else.”  This one makes me cry, too, because so many of my friends have worked hard to lighten my burdens this past month.  

Now the sun has crept up the lawn in front and is beginning to pour into our chapel windows….lovely!

Peggy Wagley just came by and told me she had seen pictures on fb of our family.  She marveled at John’s “hair” from years ago.  When I met him, he was already bold, but combed his hair OVER his head.  In fact, my favorite wedding picture is us by a birch tree by a pond. He doesn’t like it though because the wind had blown his "combed over strands" off his head…..ugh!

Anyway, I had to explain to Peggy that his hair was a hair piece which he wore for a while….could tell you the whole story of the first day he went to work without it (maybe someday!).  She shared that one of her songs shaves his head.  So I had to share my two favorite hair quotes:

“You don’t put marble tops of cheap furniture.”

“God made some heads perfect; the others he put hair on.”

Now the sun is fully on the lake and the reflections are beautiful.  I always love flying over Lake of the Ozarks.  It is unmistakable with the little white dots EVERYWHERE…the boat docks!  

This is Linda Kennedy who used to work for Lifestyle Centers of America and for Full Plate Diet.  I claim dibs on her!  I invited her to our retreat three years ago and we've had her ever since!  She does beautiful food, delicious food, healthy food; and all with a wonderful smile.  Her daughter, Jessica, helps her with this big job.

Eat your heart's out....check our breakfast! Fruit, granola, scrambled tofu and crepes....it's about time.

Talk to you later....