August 31

It is hard to believe that August is already over and everyone will be back to school in a week!

It has been a beautiful, hot summer. I wish it could last forever but I guess that won't happen. August has not been quite as busy for me as June and July (which were both very hectic) I have been getting some things done around the house when it hasn't been terribly hot. I'm contemplating what activities I will be involved with this fall. I'm trying not to rush into new adventures (as is my normal bent) I have not decided about attending or teaching a Bible study. I'm waiting on the Lord to give me specific direction on these things. For now, I plan to be concerned with my husband my family, my church and my work at home. I'm thinking of delving into some kind of study just for myself. I am starting to read a little more than I did earlier this summer. I have completed Gary Chapman's The Love Languages of God, Bill Hybels, Just Walk Across the Room and parts of several others. I'm also reading Max Lucado--a book that has three books in it and I'm just about finished the last one, Next Door Savior. I plan to start a biography soon of John Wesley or one of the other old timers. I try to read a few biographies each year.

If you are reading/enjoying these posts, please let me know and give me feddback as that means a lot to me. Thanks. I trust that your fall "new year" planning is coming along nicely and that you are set for the changes that will come with new beginning, new schedules!

Catching Up?!

Dear Blog--I am so sorry I haven't written in quite some time. It is difficult to cover so many months in a short post. I will try for the highlights. I acted in a show this spring and then directed a children's musical this summer. FUN!! I attended numerous baseball games for three of my grandsons--I didn't miss many varsity games and/or travel baseball. I love watching bb!! We have had a beautiful summer weatherwise but as usual it is getting over way too soon. I watched a football scrimmage this week and will be attending h.s. football and fall baseball games starting now! I'm sure I will be seeing soccer games on Sat ams so that will take a lot of the weekend with football on Fri and bb on Sun.

I attended a women's meeting with Kathy Troccoli and Ellie Lenfro on a very hot August day. It was great though. In between I try to do dishes, laundry, pick up the house, and cook and or freeze veggies from our garden.

We have a baby goat, calf, puppy, 6 kittens--plus momma cat, mother goat, her little girl Annabelle (we sold her twin Billy the Kid) numerous chickens with eggs about to hatch. We have our own petting zoo and everyone enjoys watching all these animals--especially the babies.

I promise I will try to write more frequently now and keep you informed of our doings and my musings!!

Intercession

Mother was a prayer warrior--a real intercessor. She was always praying for so many. She went to many prayer meetings--often in the wee hours of the morning. Lately I have felt like her. There are so many needing prayer. I frequently wake up in the night and pray for all my friends/family that have needs. My very active temperament is finally slowing down enough to intercede for the needs around me. God help us--help me--to continue to pray for others!

Fear and Trust

In our Beth Moore study of Esther, we are learning we must trust God even if the thing we most fear happens--not just trust Him that it will not happen. I've been dealing with worry (fear) and God has been trying to teach me to trust Him. Beth says "We don't just trust Him to let us avoid what we fear most. We determine to trust Him no matter what, even if our worst nightmare befalls us. We have no greater victory and can render Satan no harsher blow." She continues with "as hard as trusting can be, living with constant fears is harder." AMEN to that!!
I appreciate the Bible studies and the reading I am doing but still resort back to those fears. God please help me to learn this lesson!!!

Spring!

My precious son suggested I try to write weekly. I am going to do my best to write more often.

Today is the first day of spring--and we had snow!! We have been enjoying the nice warmer weather which is coming back in a few days.

I've been reading Max Lucado's Come Thirsty. I'm currently in the chapter Worry? You Don't Have To. What a great lesson. I wonder if I will EVER learn this?

"Don't worry about anything: instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:6-7

We sing this song in Sunday School. Don't worry, instead pray. It is based on the scripture above and has all the words of these verses in it. A terrific song!!

Max talks about some of us having postgraduate degress from the University of Anxiety. That is me, for sure. I probably have several postgrad degrees in it!! Worry is irrelevant. It alters nothing. You can't solve anything by worry.

The things we worry about:
40% never happen
30% regard things of the past we can't change
12% focus on the opinions of others that cannot be controlled
10% center on personal health, which worsens as we worry about it
8% concern real problems that we can influence

WOW!! Don't worry!!!!!

Marching into March

I'm sitting here listening to the rain late in the evening. It was 59 today!! My husband and I just returned from a trip to Tennessee. We left the last few days in February and returned early in March to less snow and warmer temperatures. It really looks like spring will be here soon!!!

The ladies and I are enjoying our study of Beth Moore's Esther. What wonderful treasures there. Last week Beth taught on meanness and that meanness always has a history and a perceived threat. Never heard anything like that before!!

I am enjoying the quiet evening and I am very peaceful. I am thankful for all that God has done for me and for all of my family! I am sorry I haven't been blogging--during a time of year that I wasn't so busy. Maybe I didn't have a lot to share. I will try to be better about writing more often. God's blessings on all of you --and please send me comments. I love hearing from you!!

January Thaw

I can hardly believe that January is almost over and I haven't been writing! This has been a very very quiet month--maybe I didn't have anything to say???
Things are going quite well--our Bible study with Elisabeth George just ended and we are in the process of planning what direction is next. We are seriously considering Beth Moore's study on Esther.
I write things down that I find in my reading and here is something recent. I'm sorry but don't remember the source. "God has no problems, only plans. We ought to think not of problems but of purpose. We encounter the obstacle, we make a choice--always with the goal in mind."
"Life is full of things we can't do anything about, but which we are supposed to do something with."