Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been harvesting. Gathering in. Not really harvesting in the gardening sense, because my vegetable garden was a little slim this year (alas), but figuratively.

I’ve been gathering in family, including my new daughter-in-law’s and my son’s recently-discovered birth family. (My heart is so full.) I’ve been gathering in memories, opportunities, experiences, friend time, music, writing, readings, musings, travel. I’ve been pulling the edges of the quilt a little more snugly around my shoulders. I can hardly bear listening to the news. I want to block it out because it all seems so disgusting and mortifying.

So I’m giving myself some space to “gather in” rather than pontificate on the meaning of things.

When Baby Jesus was born, Mary “treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Luke 2:19. Those Mary things, gathering in, treasuring up, and pondering…are doing my heart good.

I hope your heart is full.