This week went "swimmingly"...

As you might expect, the middle of July was plenty warm.  It was perfect for some swimming.  Anyone who knows me well, will know that I love to swim.  The water, being in the water, being by the water, listening to the water, walking by the water, is my happy place.  It was an incredible blessing for me when Gwen and Tim got a swimming pool.  I have been able to swim more than any other summer.  Now that their kids are older, it is especially fun for me.  This past week, Gwen and Lia were off at the National  Youth Gathering from their church.  Tim was home for this one, so I was just needed during one day to be with the younger three kids.  While the day started off raining and storming, the sun came out in the afternoon and we had a wonderful couple hours in the pool. These kids swim like fish and they spend a lot of time underwater! I managed to snap one picture while they were (mostly) above the water!

During my regular time with Grace and Jimmy, I set up their small "splash pad/pool" in the backyard.  This is the perfect size for Jimmy since you can walk right into it (a wading pool has to be "stepped" into and most times little ones fall or step on the sides and let the water out).  

As you can see, Grace brought over her small slide and it made a perfect splashdown in the small collection of water in the middle of this splash pad.  Needless to say, it provided lots of cooling fun for Grace and even kept Jimmy mostly occupied for over an hour.  I put my feet in the water spray and enjoyed just sitting in a chair, watching them splash around.  

Another way this week went so well, was an unexpected email I received.  During the month of July, I am doing a 31 day intensive focused prayer program.  Part of the program includes spending time each day praying for countries around the world.  I began the program praying for any county that I had a personal connection to.  As I have blogged in the past, I met and befriended a very special Kenyan woman named Lucy in 2004 when I visited Kenya on a Mission Trip.  I lost touch with her somewhere around 2013 when her ministry really expanded.  She is a radio host, founder and leader of a large Ministry, has an orphanage that she founded and oversees.  I have continued to follow her (from the internet) by watching some of the weekly Facebook events that she posts.  Most of the time, they are not in English so I don't understand much of what is said.  But for me, it is so good to see just how far the Lord has taken her and her family.  After just a week of praying for Lucy, I got an exciting email.  Lucy was trying to connect with me and had lost my contact phone number.  We have exchanged emails over the last week and I am certain I will be speaking with her soon.  Isn't prayer amazing?  Jesus can really do seemingly impossible things for us, if we just ask.  So for me, this 31 day prayer program has taken on a whole new feeling.  I am much more connected to my prayers, to Jesus and my faith has grown.  I am believing to see many miracles from this 31 days!  I am sure you will hear more about it in the weeks to come.  

Spending this July swimming, being with the grandkids, helping out my kids, being outside in the sunshine, and concentrating on prayer, has made this a truly wonderful summer.  I have been working on my 2019 scrapbooking.  As of now, I have only printed pictures up to Easter.  It has been sort of bittersweet to actually "see" from the photos, how Ken's illness was progressing.  Hindsight  tells me I should have been more aware, but I also know that we were just praying for his health to settle down.  I am just so thankful for all of the photos I have as well as all of the places and people we visited.  My encouragement to everyone is to stop the busyness and see those friends.  Go to those places on your bucket lists.  Plan those trips, in spite of the gas prices.  Take the time and GO SWIMMING!

Jesus, thank you for the sunshine and the warm weather.  Holy Spirit, remind us that people are more important than things.  Keep our focus on you, Jesus.  Remind us to pray when we lose sight of your plan.  Give us all the ability to have fun.   Remind us to live each moment knowing your provision for us, and your plan for our life.  Thank you Jesus for summer days filled with laughter.  Amen