life is good

Do you have some blogs you visit that you come away and you just feel like writing? One that does that for me is Peacefulady’s (Irene’s) blog Seasons. Just now I read a post of hers where she writes about feeling doused in blessings. And I can relate – even to the extent of feeling vaguely guilty that I’m getting all these blessings when others are swamped in busyness and life-threatening challenges.

She asks:

What do you think? How do you find it? How do you appreciate your blessings? How much do you think about special gifts God seems to send your way? Have you gotten extra blessings in certain seasons of life?

You’re right, Irene. We need to appreciate and celebrate the times of blessing when they come and not let the fact that others may be going through hard times silence us. And yes, I have felt particularly blessed in the season of life I’m in right now, with my kids grown up and my hubby newly retired. Here are some blessings of the last week:

- Ten days of living all alone. Hubby’s away, doing elder-care. Of course I wondered how I’d do this. I haven’t lived alone for more than about two days since before I was married. Other times when E. was gone, I had the kids. Now it’s just me.

Well, I’m loving it. I’ve been eating salad and pizza in front of the TV while I watch the Scott Tournament of Hearts (B.C.’s Kelly Scott ended up first in the round robin!). On Wednesday I worked well into the evening to get a couple of manuscripts into the mail. Last night I came home from choir and felt so light and happy from being immersed in music, first in choir and then from playing my CDs on the way home, I decided to carry on. I lit a candle, put in our new Rita Springer CD “I Have to Believe" that we got for Christmas and just lay on the couch letting the beautiful music wash over me. After Rita Springer was through, Robin Mark started singing. It was wonderful, drifting in and out of sleep, all the while being baptized by this worshipful music.

- Tonight I get to go to Pacific Theater with my friends Mel and Jill. This is part of the package of tickets I won at the end of last year. When I found out E. would be gone for today’s production, I knew I’d have to arrange something because I don’t do the drive into Vancouver at night - especially not by myself. Well it’s worked out perfectly - these favorite friends of mine can come and will do the driving to boot!

- Then just about half an hour ago, I got a call from my band boy. He’s now the drummer for Mongoose, and they’re on a cross-Canada tour. The thought of them driving in a van across Canada in the winter had me saying lots of prayers. This morning he called from Toronto. He was happy because he’d seen Pinball Clements in the lobby of the Royal York, went up to him, shook his hand and said, “I love you, boy.” Pinball answered him, “I love you too baby!” (Ah yes, basking in more reflected glory – but then, isn’t that the only kind?)

Today the sun is shining here and I have whole busy-work list to tackle - a little banking, a little shopping, a little cleaning, maybe the laundry, more curling, more pizza! Life is good.

(But, if you’re reading this, Babe, I do miss you!)