How nice to sink into my feather pillow tonight. My throat still hurts when I swallow but I'm hoping it will be better in the morning. It is early & everyone's in bed. Much progress on extra clothes closet today & the kids mostly happy with the day though the fifth or sixth day of rain. I'm exhausted from battling with control over children all day. But direct interaction with all of them. I am learning to love them each. Lord, please bless us with enough health to go to church tomorrow. And perhaps Mallie's trip to Brazil will be a blessing in getting even closer to & getting more help from the kids. Lord, if her trip pleases You, make it also please Craig Lyon.

Cal was in Scotland for six weeks of doctoral research. Our home was still being remodeled by our friend, Jon, and Mallie, a student at Covenant College, who was to stay with me while Cal was gone, had a chance, last minute, to return to her family in Brazil.

Seems like as soon as I spoke of the joyfulness of life I've been tried and tested. My throat much worse with pain in my ear. Went to Dr. Newton who is checking for strep. Got on antibiotic. AJ & Grace sick & crabby. Grace crying herself to sleep tonight to the misery of everyone. I don't know how I can endure this long time without Cal to actively, practically head this family. Lord, grant us grace. I know it isn't right for me to burden Cal at this distance with my weakness, spiritual & physical. He must be free to accomplish his work. Lord, help me to see my help to him in this. Help me to help him & not to be a weight to him. Help me to turn to You, to know that You are my all, Give me grace not just to survive these days, but to bless my children, Mallie, the church, while loving them to the fullest for You & in You. And if it please You, dear Father, please heal & strengthen me physically. Or give me grace to live well for your sake in spite of my weakness.

Just found a hymn of Annie Johnson Flint & a wonderful melody to go with it.

He giveth more grace when the burden grows greater;
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase.
To added affliction He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

His love has no limit,
His grace has no measure;
His pow'r has no boundary known unto men.
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again!

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father's full giving is only begun.

(Annie Johnson Flint 1866-1932)

How wonderfully God fills our days with joy. I think of the black daybook here on the floor beside me--what a bare skeleton that it is! I know the week ahead will probably bring Bed Baxter& roommates for dinner, our first week without Jon Cordes [our carpenter who was remodeling our "historic district" house with great skill] in a month, schoolwork, lawn mowing, & perhaps the Rutledges & Arnolds for supper on Saturday. But all the little spaces & many graces abounding in His love & joy & mercy. And now I've forgotten just what made me start out this way.

It's been a wonderful day in many ways. The best was probably this: At lunch with Duhms, Lili, Sisi, Mallie & Craig, Craig asked if I would to to St. Barnabas with her to visit Frances Byrd. We left after a game of "Family" with everyone--David Duhm reading to the little ones on the couch, Lili helping the girls with dinner dishes. I took Grace with us & a few marigold blossoms (again). Craig & I had good conversations there and back. Mrs. Byrd looked much better and was more alert than she was when I saw her a month ago. She was clearly delighted with our visit. At one point I carried Grace over to the desk in Mrs. Byrd's room to show her some other flowers. Then my eye was drawn to a pair of sunglasses. Mrs. Byrd's. Perhaps too large for little Mrs. Byrd. Why, they look like my ones for which I've been praying for weeks to find! I tried them on after looking at them more closely & fairly jumped around the room praising God, sharing the story of them with Craig & Frances. Thank you, Lord, for keeping me praying so faithfully for them. I feel now that you were encouraging me all along to believe you'd restore them to me.