About Love

This summer the women's ministry memory work was 1 Corinthians 13. It's going to play a large role in our study this year as well. And I still have some bits of the sermons Pastor James preached on the chapter several years ago.

Love is hard. As I've been memorizing it and dealing with people, I've seen how far from truly loving people I still am (although I'm very good at loving myself!).

It's very good to have the verses in my head and heart as I answer emails and have meetings and organize Sunday School and wait on people. I pray a lot to be patient, kind, not arrogant, not easily provoked, not behaving unbecomingly; bear and endure all things and to believe the best of people; to not keep a list of wrongs suffered. 

At the same time, I have to fight my idols: comfort, being in control, having things go my way. That's so not fun, but it helps me see where my heart is wrong and needs to be pulled back into alignment, and where I need to repent.

It has been a lot of heart work, but it's been good. And it hasn't torn me apart nearly as much as the sermons did back when Pastor James preached them. That was painful! I can be encouraged by how far I've come since then. At the same time, I can see how far I have to go.

Love is hard, and I keep praying for more love so that I love others more than I love myself. And God is faithful to keep answering my prayers and conforming me more in the likeness of His Son.

About Books

Things that I like to read: 

• WWII historical fiction about librarians and books shop owners 
• Biographies
• Spy fiction and non fiction, especially Cold War CIA books
• Mysteries (but not the gory type)
• "Found family" stories
• Adventure stories
• WWII nonfiction about librarians
• Theology
• Travel books, fiction and nonfiction
• Various nonfiction books, especially in the social sciences area
• Many, many other books

Things that I don't enjoy reading:

• Romance novels (although I am okay with some romance in a book)
• Dual timeline novels (right now, anyway; I think I just need a break from them)
• Horror and thrillers
• Anything too gory
• Sex scenes, and doubly so when they are unnecessary and interrupt a perfectly good book
• Books that I have decided are too boring or strange
• Poorly written books

Things I am currently getting from the library:

• Books about librarians
• Travel books
• Many, many picture books to read to the bambinos on Wednesday mornings this fall
• Theology
• A novel about families and found families

August

August started off rather rainy and then turned very hot. I prefer cooler weather, but even I had quite enough of the rain this summer!

In August I went to church camp for the first time ever. I had friends going just for Wednesday, so I was there for the afternoon/evening. It was a wet day, of course! I spent the time going from camper to camper, visiting with friends. One dad was baking cookies in his trailer, so I joined them for cookies and coffee. I also had a standing invitation to join another family for dinner and enjoyed time with them. It was talent show evening and I enjoyed watching kids and families (and a couple adults) perform. It was okay; I may go back one day.

I had dinner with friends one day. I'm pretty sure the mom of the family has "feed people" as her love language! She fed us and then fed us more and then sent the leftovers home with us to enjoy the next day. It was good food and good company and a lot of laughter and fun.

Sunday School registration happened a couple weeks ago. It was insane. We ended up with 114 students attending and 10 still on the waitlist. We're having a new class this year, held in the nursery. I'm still sorting that out and preparing for the start in about 3 weeks.

August ended with a wedding. My friend's daughter -- and one of my students from junior church -- is now married. The wedding was lovely and the bride was beautiful. That was the 4th church wedding of the summer (and there were 2 engagements), so I guess we're in that season now. All the children I taught long ago are getting married and starting families. Soon enough I'll be teaching the next generation.

It was a good month. And now we're just into September and life is starting up full tilt again.