Last Friday

 

 

Our Women's Bible study ended for the spring in April. We'd been studying Psalm 23 and reading A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 and The 23rd Psalm: The Lord, Our Shepherd. I usually came late, drank coffee and listened to the women in the group talk about what they'd been gleaning from the study. I'd usually read the book (although I often was off by a chapter or two) but I rarely completed the questions from the booklet. I always meant to do the homework. And get there on time. And participate. But about midway through the study, after beating myself up about it, I made the decision to just be the sheep that is made to lie down in green pastures, to be led beside quiet waters. So, on Friday mornings, we got ready without rushing, we usually arrived more than an hour late, I dropped the girls off in the church nursery and kicked back with my coffee. Usually two cups. And whatever tasty bread treat was brought that day. Never by me. I was resting. I loved that the women never pointed out that I was coasting. I loved that they welcomed me with the same warmth as they would had I arrived on time bearing gifts. They're gracious like that. Loving like that. They came alongside and let me be in that quiet place. When the study began, I was at one of my all-time lowest points. So, so tired from a whole year of moving and adjusting and waiting. I was sad a lot of the time. Tired all of the time. But by mid-March, my energy started to increase noticeably. My creativity was starting to flow again. I was looking up and I was finding hope. The quiet waters were healing me. He is restoring my soul.

As a follow-up to our study, one of the women arranged a field trip to a local farm to observe sheep and their sheeply ways. My understanding is the kids weren't invited initially but one of the moms insisted that the kids would love it. What we couldn't know is that the modern-day shepherdess/farm owner was not nearly as passionate about children as she is about sheep. At least, not children around her sheep. We tended our little lambs closely but we weren't necessarily in on the tour because it was too much to keep the entire group together. I did overhear a story about children from a former group who caused a stampede that wounded one animal (costing $500 in vet bills) and killed another. Yikes. Herd, herd, herd...okay, let's go get lunch!

 

 

After the farm and lunch, I experimented with Abigail napping in the car so we could continue with our plans for the day which included a trip to the mall to buy a baby gift and then over to My Gym. We'd missed out in past outings to My Gym because our moms' group can only reserve the place in the afternoons when the kids are generally home napping. Abigail slept from the car until we were inside the gym and as her eyes opened, her reluctant-to-wake moan turned to shrieks of excitement and surprise. They loved My Gym. The no-nap Friday backfired and Abigail woke up three times that night but it was worth it.