The Last Supper...

Our minister has been talking about The Last Supper for the past several weeks at church. Last Sunday, He gave us the challenge to think about if we had one meal left to eat... who would we want to spend time with... and to tell them... It was an interesting thought... as my mind thought of friends and family around our community and actually around the world whom I love and hold dear. I spend a lot of time eating with my immediate family. And of course, I would want them there... but my last meal on Earth would really be a celebration of my journey to Heaven. I think I would want dancing and laughter and chatter of friends! My Grandma used to have a photo of an imagined table in heaven... with seats enough for everyone... and a table setting fit for the King of Kings. So the thought of the Last Supper... made me think of that heavenly table and how while I don't really know where you'll be on my last day here... but some day I want to celebrate in heaven with all of you!
Today, our lesson on the Last Supper was about how the Lord called the disciples to His dinner not because they were perfect but because He loved them... Our God is an Awesome God... and I hope you know that you are invited to the most awesome, incredible, amazingly cool party in heaven...with our host the King of Kings and Lord of Lords... I'm so glad that we are incredibly blessed!

Just in case you ever wondered...

This is my first blog and it's been an interesting experience to begin to write it. I started with the title "My Blissful Beautiful life" and wrote quietly about life in general...just because I wanted to try blogging. I wanted to give my readers a couple things to read before I shared it online... My initial title was a quick choice after several attempts to name it were already taken. I liked the blog... but not the title. So I looked for something that fit my life. The idea of a trousseau fits me to a tee! If you aren't aware what a trousseau is it is a description of a single woman's dowry or hope chest and the treasures found within it. I like concept as a blog title because it's both traditional in that women have been making treasures for their own trousseaus for centuries, and by being a blog, it gives a modern twist to an ancient tradition. So this is the beginning of a shared blog... feel free to read the older posts and expect some new ones too. Hope you enjoy reading!

Sunshine and Happiness...

The sun shone brightly today! How good it feels to see some sunshine! Spring is coming after a long winter... We've had more than a month of snowy, snowy, snowy weather! I like snow, but I'm ready for a change in environment. I'm ready for spring flowers and green grass. I'm ready to see robins and bunnies. I love living here... I'm definitely a four seasons kind of girl! It's funny though... because while right now I'm excited about Spring... It's not the season that I love best... (Summer bliss of white sand in between my toes, and lavender and roses blooming...) Nor is it the season... I think of with joy... in spite of winter winds and cold... Winter's beauty is found in Christmas joy. And actually Autumn Days of red and orange are favored in my mind... perhaps because I'm an October girl and I love Applefest... Spring to me is the season of waiting... waiting for the sun to appear, waiting for the slush to go, waiting for the grass to grow, waiting for the flowers to bloom, waiting for the mud and muck to disappear...
I guess I'd rather not have to wait... Which is funny when I truly think about it, because somehow, I feel like my life is in a waiting stage. As a substitute, I wait for a telephone call. As a single chick, I'm still waiting for the Prince. I didn't expect to be such a lady in waiting... but I guess I am... And as I ponder the comparision... I am reminded that snowdrops, peonies, redbuds, and lilacs are springtime's blissful beauty... actually ones that can only be found in the waiting days of Spring. I need to enjoy the days of waiting... to see the beauty within them. I need to find the bliss of a Spring day is just as precious and unique as a dazzling Summer day at the beach. I need to enjoy the days of waiting.

In the Pink...

I love pink! It is the color of happiness for me... all the shades you can think of from the softest palest baby blush... to brilliant almost red... I love it! So the season of Valentine's just makes me happy to see all the pretty pink possibilities! Currently, I've discovered that Valentine's M&Ms are delightful, and there's a pink floral arrangement on our kitchen table that is really just plain lovely! I'm glad that God made so many shades of color, and especially glad He created pink!

That's What Friends Are For...

Last night, I caught up with a dear friend! We used facebook and chatted for over an hour and just had a fun evening... My theme of the day is based on a comment from last night and a memory shared! In seventh grade, I sang that song with a group of friends in our school talent show. I think back on that night and the words in the song...are sung in my heart... "in good times and bad times..." and I think how much life has changed since that night we sang. I know that I thought I understood the song then, but how much more I understand the song now. I grew up in a small town, and have gradually realized how unique it is to have lifelong friends... from preschool, kindergarten, grade school, middle school and high school... (I never thought that it was unusual basically because my parents have friends like that!) But over time, I have realized that it is rather unique.
My mom's family has a set of friends whom our families have had a friendship for over three generations. My age mate in that group of friends was a lifelong friend. We grew up together, played games at picnics, were penpals from elementary school through high school, and celebrated life's events together. She passed away unexpectedly about two years ago. I always wanted to be lifelong friends... but I wanted to grow old together. She is missed on this side of heaven.
I think I have a unique perspective on life. As a relatively young person, I've lost multiple relatives in tragic accidents. Most people think of middle age as your 40s and 50s, but I've played with middle aged eight year olds. (We just didn't realize it at the time.) As a teacher, I think that knowing that you don't know what the future will bring makes me more aware of making school an inviting and comforting place. I think that sometimes people look at things as if there will always be a time for fun later... but the reality is that sometimes there isn't... I think it helps to keep things in perspective. School is important, but the students the school educates are infinitely more important.
I'm not sure how I ended up writing about this today. But I guess it relates to my life right now... Take time for your friends in good times and the bad ones! Don't forget to take time out of the important stuff like cleaning and working for the fun stuff like chatting, gathering, remembering, celebrating, and living. After all... you aren't going to be remembered for the deadlines you met, but by the people you loved! You, my friends, are definitely loved!

In the Bleak Mid-Winter... Groundhogs do appear!

Happy Groundhog's Day! Today... the pine boughs of Christmas are disappearing and we celebrate winter Pennsylvania style! Groundhog's Day is a little bit of fun in the midst of a long winter! It's a moment of choosing to have fun... instead of whining about when will spring arrive! Yes, it's a bit of bliss in an otherwise rather bleak season. Spring is coming but coming slowly in my neck of the woods. The ground is snow covered, but the birds are singing in the bare branches of the bushes. Beneath the white frozen blanket, plants are growing... getting ready to appear... It's a time for hope. We know it's coming... but not yet...

Considering the Lilies...

I may have named this blog "My blissful beautiful life..." but it isn't always... and sometimes I wonder at the adventure my life and career has taken me on... But today I'm remembering that I need not worry, because God has it covered, and he knows exactly where I am and what I'm doing. My career has been a roller coaster, and it's not done yet. But in spite of the craziness of my career, I know that for now, I'm where God wants me to be. I have told my friends and family about my wacky unique career. It isn't what I planned... but it seems to be what God wants for me. Each year, I find myself wondering about the year, and somewhere in the middle of the year... it makes sense why I'm doing this instead of that... (Well, most of the time it's the middle of the year...one year it was probably two years later that I saw the bigger picture.) Today is a bigger picture day... I got to see one of the reasons I'm a sub. This career has helped me see life as an adventure, and just how cool it is to watch how God works to help and comfort those who love Him. God is Amazing! He is Good! All the time!