Debra in her happy place

Hospitality & Beauty.  The smile on Debra’s face is priceless.  This photograph reminds me of a photo of Debra as a four-year old. The photograph captures a little girl ecstatic with intense joy—her wide smile, her focused eyes, her clinched fists, convey a feeling that this girl is about to explode with happiness. The picture above captures that same visage of absolute joy.  I’m thankful Kevin Lloyd captured this shot of Debra putting the final touches on our Friendsgiving Feast.  She is truly in her happy place.  Nothing makes my wife happier than when she is able to bless our guests with comfortable hospitality and the beauty of everyday life.  We worship a God of Hospitality & Beauty and any opportunity to share a glimpse of what we imagine eternal life with Him and each other will be like is an opportunity we have to take.  Debra wants to share it so much she’s about to explode.

From the season of hell to the season of heaven

I am grateful for seasons.  As a native Texan I have never experienced the marking of the seasons like we enjoyed in the small towns west for Chicago.  We saw an absolutely beautiful display of color and variety.  Chicagoland enjoys all four seasons-fall, winter, spring and summer.  Texas only has two seasons—heaven and hell.  The season between the end of October into the beginning of April is absolutely heavenly, and makes me understand why so many people want to move here. Unfortunately, this season quickly changes into the hellish time of the Texan summer. Now as we enter the fall-winter-spring of Texas (a.k.a. heaven) I am reminded why I live here.  There is something about that first breath of cool, dry fall air that completely rejuvenates me. Just about the time I think I can’t take the heat any longer, God seems to drop an amuse-bouche on us and we remember there is hope.  This foretaste doesn’t last long, but it’s enough of a break in the heat to help us remember, summer will end and heavenly days are just around the corner.

Grateful for artists

I am grateful for artists.  Today Lazarus House hosted artist Glenn Gauthier, his lovely wife Stacy, and our mutual friends Ben & Emily Padula. They were in town for the annual East Austin Studio Tour —a.k.a. EAST.  We wanted to gauge Glenn’s interest in taking some of the scraps of wallpaper we uncovered as we renovated Lazarus House.  We hope he’s interested because he seems like the perfect artist to capture the history and beauty from the previous life of our home.  Whether he accepts the commission or not, it was wonderful to hang out with Glenn.  On one hand it was good to speak with another fellow human who struggles to make the world a better place.  On the other hand it was a privilege to speak with and honor one of the world’s artists.  How ugly and dull would our world be without artists.  Thank God for people like Glenn who discipline their time to produce their art.  It’s not easy.  It’s not lucrative.  But they do it anyways.  Day in and day out they cut, draw, paint, sing, weld, polish, engaging in all sorts of skills to bring their gift to the world.

Tub Time is back!

Tub time!  The home we left to move into Lazarus House had a wonderful tub and for over two years I have not been able to do my morning studies in the “Liquid Library” I cherished so much. But today Tub Time was back!  We have a wonderful tub that fits me perfectly and has arm rests for Debra.  However, after moving in we have not been able to really enjoy soaking because the water was only luke warm. Yesterday our plumber came out and removed the limiter that was preventing it from getting hot.  After a long soak in water and prayer and being washed with water and the word, I emerged with prunny skin and a long awaited grin.