Hallelujah - it's Saturday!

 Here I am - with a 'do nothing Saturday' - unless I want to!  I have nothing on the agenda.  I think hubby said he scheduled a pedicure about 11:30a.  I didn't want one.  His toenails are ugly and I refuse to cut them (I did try - once - and that was enough!).  He can't reach his toenails; luckily, I can reach mine!  I keep thinking how nice my nails always looked when I had the acrylic nails... but I don't want to pay the cost to have and keep them.  Am I getting 'cheap' or 'tightwad' in my old age?  Might be a good thing, right?

My goal for today is to work in here.  Yes, get these Christmas gifts wrapped (hubby has discovered the few I have put in his office, but didn't seem to mind) today and things cleaned off.  GOAL, right?  I wonder what distractions will pull me away?  I know!  To get into the 'spirit of Christmas', I can pull the little TV in here out of the exercise room and find an old Christmas movie to put me in the mood.  Right?  I love Miracle on 34th Street (the original one), White Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life and so many more!  Then let's not forget the 'romance' ones on Up Faith and Family, let alone on Prime Video.  I love Christmas!  I just wish I was more creative in my decorating.  Which, by the way, I hope to start by next Saturday!  Yes, it is still November, but want to take my time and go through all the decorations and discard those that I no longer want to use.  Otherwise, I just stuff them back into a cabinet for another time.

I slept good last night, after not sleeping much the night before.  I did go to bed at 3a yesterday and slept until 5a, so that was a good thing.  Didn't get a nap in, but was in bed by 9p anyway.  I slept good until 4a when hubby was shuffling down the hallway; as a rule, it wakes me up as my body starts to wake up.  I got up about 4:15a, reminded myself it was Saturday and I could go back to sleep.  I sat in here in the dark for about 30 minutes or so, talking with God, and then decided to turn the light on so that hubby would bring me my coffee.  I just finished my second cup.  Debating on suggesting to hubby let's go to Bobbi's Cafe for breakfast.  But I may just scramble some eggs and let it go at that.  I do need to make a Sam's Club run some time today and pick up a few things.  But that means I need to leave the house.  See - there is a distraction already!  Of course by then I may need to leave to regain my sanity.... although hubby may ask if I mind he goes with me, as he sometimes does.  Sigh.

My sister and I often lament about our spouses always wanting to go with us - anywhere.  We just need a break, ya know?  She said yesterday she decided she was going to the gym. So her hubby asked if she would find out how much it would cost for him to join (he doesn't have silver sneakers and she does).  She didn't want to cause he would say he was going with her. He also talked about going with her so they could go to another store he needed to go to.  So she got in the car and managed to without him, and didn't go to the gym, but drove around for a bit before coming home, she was so frustrated.  She was going to have him call and find out the cost.  She doesn't want him there when she is. And I get that!  I pretty much told hubby the same thing; we are to workout without the other watching.  I don't mind he goes with me, and I've reached the point now I don't even care if he watches Morgan train me.  But keep the mouth shut.  I don't need comments, I don't want corrections.  Right? We women must stick together! I totally get it!  Those few minutes away alone are a precious commodity!

So many times we make our plans and just 'take off'.  I am reminded that in the 'olden days', people would show their dependence on God by saying 'the Lord willing, I shall....'.  Yes, they did.  And remember the saying, 'The good Lord willing and the creek don't rise'?.  Even that shows dependence upon God.  In all our plans, the plans are dependent upon God.  

James 4:13-15   Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carryon on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."

Our plans are nothing, if it isn't in God's will for us.  My son and some of his family is heading to Tucson today to visit his daughter.  I am praying for their travel, that, Lord willing, they will arrive safely and enjoy the day, and have a safe trip back home.  We can make all the plans we want, and things can happen, but in all these things, God is still in control.  Our trip is in His hands.  Clear roads is in His hands. Safety is in His hands.  Are we depending on the Lord and His willingness to do for us?  Things and circumstances change many times when we least expect it. 

We didn't expect our daughter to get leukemia 25 years ago.  But we sought the Lord and He was willing to bring about her healing.  We didn't expect our son to need a liver transplant.  But we are seeking the Lord for his complete and total healing - whether by restoration of his liver by God's hand, or by a transplant.  We don't expect, nor plan, on these things happening.  Sometimes the things happening are not a good thing.  And sometimes they are.

We've gone to churches that we hoped would 'fit us in', meaning, we would feel like it is 'home'.  And they, after we went for awhile, helped us realize we needed to leave.  We are now at a church where we feel 'at home', and yet, at times, I still feel like an 'outsider', but that is because I am not that involved yet.  One step at a time.  I don't have the freedom many people have, and if you know me, you know what I mean.  Plus, I have my job, and my preaching in the winter season.  I am busy elsewhere.  The RV parks always make us feel like 'home', we are loved there.  After 14 years, I'd hope so, right?

Jerry Bridges says that 'Although the expression "Lord willing" undoubtedly became a meaningless cliche' for many people, it's a practice well worth resuming because it forces us back to the realization of our absolute dependence on God. I'm not suggesting we over do it - "I'm going to have cereal for breakfast, Lord willing." But we ought to use the phrase often enough to remind ourselves that we really are dependent on God for our plans, even for such mundane activities as having cereal for breakfast.  All circumstances ae beyond our control. We are absolutely dependent upon God for the carrying out of our plans. The person who lives rightly before God not only acknowledges this but delights to do so."

Lord, if you are willing, help us to make the plans You want us to make.  If we travel, Lord willing, give us clear roads and safe travels.  If we work, Lord willing, give us the mental ability to understand and do all that is required of us.  If we play, Lord willing, let us make special memories to hold on to.

And in all things, we give Thee thanks, for it is Your will, o God, for us to be Yours.

Blessings!