NEEDLINGS

Does anyone really need their backyard? I guess we have to have a yard because we have three dogs, but they're the only ones who use it. Amy and I rarely sit outside and "enjoy the yard". When you narrow down the days or nights when it's not too hot and the bugs don't outnumber the population of Beijing, there are probably about 4 hours a year our backyard is comfortable enough to use. Checking the schedule I see that day conflicted with something good on TV.

While walking today (on my supposed to be daily but is now turning out to be not quite that frequent walk) around the neighborhood I noticed the people I saw out in their yards. All the people I saw outside were "working" on maintaining their yards. Mowing, weed-eating, etc.... I didn't see any kids actually playing in their yards. I didn't see any families sitting on the neatly arranged lawn furniture or any family picnics. I saw a multitude of elaborate swingsets, all missing one component...kids. The only kids that I saw playing were shooting hoops on a driveway.

It struck me how much effort we put into things we don't really need.
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Amy has returned from Baylor after trying to assist Lisa in making her final preparations for college. Lisa is at that point in life where she's wanting to assert her independence and not quite sure how to go about it. We've been through this before but it's a hard lesson each time. You feel the kids growing "away" not just growing "up". I try to remind Amy that they'll know where we are "when they need us".
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Tiffany drove in unexpectedly last night. She was apparently planning on spending the weekend with Lisa and didn't know Lisa wasn't going to be in town. Tiffany is getting a quick dose of reality now that she's graduated and is living for the next paycheck. I offered to give her money for gas last night and today knowing she could use it, but she is asserting her independence too and refusing to take it.

Before she leaves I'll slip ten bucks in her purse.

Today is one of those days when I know what I need. I need to be needed.


Philippians 4:19

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.