Lessons and Happy Things

Update on the car situation:
The Camero needed too many repairs to be worth it.  Our trusty mechanic advised against the purchase.
Hubby looked at another car last night (at the moment I don't remember what it is).  It's a 1993 but in better shape than the Camero, has been owned by an adult who took it to the same mechanic we go to for repairs, and it only needs tires and brake pads instead of a kajillion other repairs.  (Well, the Camero didn't need that much, but it was close.)  So: chances are better that this will be the car.  Plus it won't wake the neighbors with the unholy racket that the Camero makes!  And I think it's prettier and more sensible-looking. :)

I am proud of my husband.  He spent most of his day "off" yesterday figuring out car stuff, plus he cleaned up the living room so it looks waaay better than it has in weeks, and he made the bed.  I forgot how nice it is to crawl into a bed that hasn't had the covers balled up all day.  In my free time yesterday I finally- FINALLY- mopped the kitchen floor and cleaned most of the bathroom.  Our house now feels sanitary again.  It's fantastic.

We had friends over (Ruth and Joe) for supper--I made nachos.  Or taco salad, depending on the ratio of lettuce to everything else.  It's one of my favorite meals ever, and it was SO. GOOD.  And then Ruth made chocolate chip cookies.  It was a great evening.

This whole car business is really teaching me trust (again) and patience (even more).  I was chatting with a classmate yesterday, a lovely young lady with a chronic disease (I don't know much about it except that it causes her a lot of pain and makes her very tired).  She's undergoing blood transfusions to combat it.  Yesterday she explained to me that there's a chance she could go into remission, but she'll be fighting the disease for the rest of her life.  One might expect such a sick person to be reclusive, depressed, angry, or bitter.  Emma is none of these things.  She's cheerful, happy, encouraging, sweet, joyful, and has a fantastic boyfriend and lots of supportive friends.  She told me that God has been teaching her how to trust him through this ordeal, and that he's faithful always, even in the midst of the pain.  She is such an example to me, and to so many others.

My mom sent me an email this morning that included these passages from Scripture:

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is
right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if
anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things...And
the God of peace will be with you...And my God will meet all your
needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.  To our God and
Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen."  Philippians 4: 8-9, 19-20

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in
every good work...Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for
food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge
the harvest of your righteousness.  You will be made rich in every way
so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your
generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."  2 Corinthians 9: 8, 10-11
I am so thankful for my husband, my family, my friends and acquaintances; our home, our health, our jobs, our education.  I am thankful for the ways that God constantly blesses us, for the ways he continually expresses his love for us, for the grace he daily bestows on us.