“And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. “
~ 1 John 1:4
A blessedly cool breeze on my run
The clink and hum of the coffee shop on a Monday morning
Little neighbor girls playing outside, yelling about mermaids and lollipops
Taking tomatoes to Mrs. Kathy next door, then meeting Papa at the gate with some
Rain and thunder and the front door cracked open at dawn
Enough rain to make the pond spill over, and an evening for skipping around in the creek in the woods, racing sticks
Baking zucchini bread to Adam Young’s soundtracks
Papa Larry coming to dinner with folders of photos of Dad growing up; thumbing through them over coffee
A Sunday afternoon in the city — the green grounds under the Gateway Arch, a barge on the river, lemonade from a stand, marble hotel lobbies, and a view of the fountains from Art Hill
Picking out an old suitcase at Vintage Trader for Janaya’s birthday gift
Jayber Crow, again
Barrett lugging a big basket of tomatoes up from the garden
Church kids and wiffle ball
Dance party in Huddy and Bennett’s room
Mrs. Barb giving me her great-grandfather’s violin, the case lying on her bed waiting for me, and the wrinkled letter from 1950 England that came with it
The familiar road through Arkansas’ blue hills, hazed by August
Meeting Gary, visiting his produce stand, touring his greenhouse, and his kind wife who had a pie in the oven
Vesta Baptist Church and all its dear members who are becoming friends
Morning Bible study, the Valley of Vision prayers, rocking chairs, and a dusky sunrise over the far trees
Shooting an air rifle
Deep dish pizzas with homemade dough
Phase 10
New work pants for beekeeping, and feeling more at home among the hives
A hike and a waterfall and a swim
That heavy feeling after swimming, cold brew coffee, and reading Lord of the Rings aloud
A kid with curly hair named Spurgeon
Jared’s grandmother to me: “Girl, you need to toughen up!”
Bass Pro Shops and trying fishing rods for fun
A brilliantly green dragonfly
Shoveling concrete with Papa Jay down in the creek, then reading the newspaper at the kitchen table to cool off
Nerf war and scooter kickball for Huddy’s birthday
A morning for the farmer’s market, a breakfast sandwich, groceries, and reading 1 John in the car while it rained
Blanching tomatoes for a jar of salsa
Sunday morning worship, and a baptism, and a potluck to celebrate Pastor Bob, and how the local church is a breathing, beautiful thing
bethanyjlincks.com 
Thank you for faithfully sharing these sweet moments, Bethany ❤ I can't tell you how much I enjoy your writing and savor each well strung sentence.
It's also been raining these past few days where I live, and there is something sweeter about the summer rain. I always think of that poem in Little Women where each stanza ends with 'in the falling summer rain', until the last verse which reads –
"When these hidden stores of ours / Lie open to the Father's sight / May they be rich in golden hours, / Deeds whose brave music long shall ring / Like a spirit-stirring strain, / Souls that shall gladly soar and sing / In the long sunshine, after rain." ❤
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ahh, thank you so much for the kind words, emily! it’s such a joy to write and share these things, and i’m very grateful to you for reading.
i had forgotten about that poem and need to revisit it now!
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