It could be a day of rest.... or not...

 I took today off.  As yesterday progressed, I made the decision to do just that. My boss gave her approval. I do need to check the computer for meeting stuff today, but overall, I have nothing going on.  Workwise, anyway.  There is a lot I want/need to get done today.  Even on a day off work.  But it feels good - here it is 7:13AM - and I do not need to jump up and get on the work computer.  Is this what retirement would look like? :-)

Things I want/need to get done today - blueberries are in and I'd like to drive down and get a few cases.  I probably ought to check the freezer first - I may have enough in there that I don't need to pick any up.  I want to get some baking done today.  I haven't thawed strawberries out yet to make strawberry bread, but I did pull out frozen peaches yesterday and I can make peach bread or peach muffins.  That is the plan, anyway, for that.  Might make some oatmeal raisin cookies too.  Won't keep them here, of course, but they are my trainer's favorite, and my little sister's, and I do need to get her box sent out today since I didn't send it with my son.  Need to work on this bedroom - the bed is loaded down with boxes again. Oh - and of course the real reason I took the day off - I have my follow up appointment with Dr. Mark today at noon.  So will need to leave here around 11AM to get there in time - an hour there, and then another hour to get back - a big chunk of time in the middle of the day - but that's ok.  Makes me get moving and get things done.  But for now, here I sit.

Meeting my boss tomorrow morning for breakfast and need to finish getting her birthday gift put together.  Yeah, that is part of the baking too.  She and I were joking around yesterday - I told her if I got the day off, I'd be baking goodies to give for her birthday.  She was quite agreeable that I take the day off.  

Got my second cup of coffee already.  Reminds me, I need to make a run to the store this morning (or afternoon) to pick up a salad for hubby to take to the group he is meeting for bible study tomorrow.  It's a lunch so I will remain at home and work.  I love buying the salads at Sam's Club as they are already put together and just need to be mixed up.  No work on my part, and the $10 or so I pay for it, is well worth my time of buying it.

My youngest has already txt'd me their route for today.  I'm glad he does that so that I know approximately where they are.  They made it to Salt Lake, Utah yesterday, and hope to get to Buffalo, Wyoming by tonight.  It seems they are driving so fast through the states, and although they may stop and see some things, it is way too fast for me.  I think. But it's what they do. Have already prayed for their safety as they travel. 

I slept deep and hard last night, which is totally unusual.  Then BAM!  at 4AM my forehead exploded with a major headache and woke me up.  It was as if a 2x4 had hit my head.  I didn't move. I laid there and prayed for it to go away, dozing off and on, knowing that I didn't need to get up.  At 5:30AM I finally woke up and made my way to the medicine cabinet where I knew I had some Excedrin and grabbed one pill.  Yep. I took an Excedrin for my headache as I still had it.  I am happy to say that between the Excedrin and my coffee, the headache has finally gone away.  I don't get headaches like that anymore, so was not expecting one to hit me like that.  But it felt good I didn't have to get up and plan to work today.  The headache is now gone, and I will be hitting the shower soon and getting dressed for the doctor's office.  Not sure if I will get any baking done this morning or not. May just focus on clearing off this bed.  Or maybe I'll do the run to Sam's Club - it shouldn't be that crowded this morning. 

Malachi 3:6-7 (NIV): "I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from My decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you." says the Lord Almighty.

Following Jesus does not mean you have to be perfect.  We will never be perfect.  We all fall short of the glory of God.  And following Jesus, and seeking after Him, does not mean your life will be perfect in finances, in health, in friends, in anything.  But following Jesus, and having His Spirit live within you, will give you the strength, the wisdom, and the ability to accomplish far greater things than you can do in your own power.  Running back to Jesus 40+ years ago was the greatest decision I ever made. Even when I didn't know Him, He knew me, and when that invitation came to open my heart to Him, I ran.  Literally.  Falling on my knees, I cried out to the only One who could save me. And I've never looked back.  Greatest and best choice I ever made.

If you know me, you know I still make mistakes.  You know that I still misjudge people.  You know that I am not wealthy, I am not (always) wise, I do not have everything I want.  But I love Jesus with every fiber of my being and my heart is in His hands.  My life is as well.  He can do with me whatever He wants.  Why do I say that?  

Because He loves me more than anyone else could.  If my life is snuffed out, I pray that it will draw others to Him.  I am surrendered to Him, completely.  It doesn't mean I'm any smarter, for I'm not, but if I check with Him first, He will help me make better decisions.

Life is all about Jesus.  What is your life about? What are you putting before Him?  Money? Pride? Pleasure? .... What are you going to do about Jesus?  Is He going to walk with you daily, or just be a side note for whenever you want Him?  What are you going to do about Jesus?

Maybe that gives you something to think about.  The Lord does not change His mind.  The Bible is the Word of the Lord.  Read it. Come to know Him who loves you more than you could ever love anyone. How I wish I could / would memorize every scripture in it!  But as I read it, it infiltrates my mind and God will bring to mind those words that I need to remember.  Or that I need to share.  Many times I will sit here and ask Him what should I share in scripture today.  And, sometimes, He will give me a Word and yes, I go to Bible Gateway and look up the scriptures applying to that Word, so that I can give you the right scripture.

This morning I was reminded that the Lord does not change His mind.  Sin is sin, and what it is will never change.  Our culture has accepted so many things that are evil.  But God has not changed His mind about those things.  What He called sin, called evil, in biblical times, is still evil and is still sin in today's culture.  Just because we prefer to 'overlook' some things does not make it right in God's eyes. We are to love everyone, regardless of who or what they are.  We are to hate evil, and love good. Love Jesus or love the world.  In other words......

Hate the sin, love the sinner.  Pray for those who love sin, that their eyes will be opened and that their hearts will be healed with the love of Jesus.  Some people can only be rescued with prayer.  Who are you praying for?  Words to them may only bring strife.... but words to our Heavenly Father may bring peace.  Which do you choose to speak?

Blessings!

All is good.... I think....

 Well, my doctor appointment went well, I think, and I even got my flu shot.  I hate shots.  But, again, it is mandatory to have a flu shot every year to continue working.  At least it's done for another year.  The visit itself went fairly well.  I knew in advance I would have to give up some of my stubbornness and pride in not taking additional medication.  And I'm right... got a pill to take weekly, and a very low dose of a cholesterol med.  I do have to go back in 30 days for more labs for him to check the cholesterol, and then I have an appointment (already!) in December for him to review the blood tests with me and adjust medication.  Before the evening was over I received a text from Pharmacy that my meds were ready for pick up.  I will need to drive over today and pick them up.  Even with having to take these meds, I like my doctor in that he agrees with me that overall I am healthy.  Some things you just inherit, such as the tendency to high high cholesterol.  My blood pressure was a little higher than last time but he said it wasn't enough to worry about.  It goes back down when I'm not stressed anyway.   So now I can quit talking about my health; those that need to know how I'm doing, know.  Oh - and I am to walk 30 minutes a day for exercise.  Yeah, right.  I feel better when I do.  Think I will see about re-arranging the back room to bring my treadmill inside.  It's still too hot in the garage - it's not 'outside', but at least I can walk.

Volunteered to take my niece for the weekend to give my daughter and granddaughter a break.  Sure wish the younger son would get his home straightened out.  It isn't fair - nor healthy - to my granddaughter to be shuffled off to others so he can have peace with his wife.  Since the granddaughter will be working this weekend as well, she won't be here much, but we will need to transport her back and forth - and that's ok.  Even hubby was willing to help with her.  She is always good when she is with us.  I had to laugh, though.  When I asked her if she would like to come stay with us for the weekend, she says, "Yeah, I like watching movies with you."  Obviously we don't do much else, although the last time she stayed we played a game and made cookies.  And of course I won't watch movies with a lot of language nor with a lot of fighting in them.  Which is why I love 'Up Faith & Family' movies.  Especially their 'romance' ones.  They are just clean, fun, and entertaining movies.  But I think we have about watched all of them now that are listed.  Hubby commented last night that I have ruined him.  He watched a romance movie while I was gone.  

If you choose to think about it, a romance movie is a lot like our God.  He loves us so much that He would do anything for us - even letting us have our own way and doing things we shouldn't be doing.  He gives us freedom of choice - and will rarely interfere in our choices.  I'm sure He does try to steer us in the right direction always, but sometimes we get pretty stubborn and want to do it our way.  Think about your own life - isn't most everything you do your own choice?

In romance movies people will do special things for each other because they love each other.  That's what God does for us.  He brings special people in our lives.  He brings about special things that will benefit us.  He blesses us in so many ways.  But what do we do with those blessings?  Do we become scrooges and hang on to them and not share?  Or do we give to others as God has freely given to us?  Do we treat others with the same kindness that we like to receive?  God is so good to us.... and He gives us so many things... He helps us in the rough places of our lives.  What do we do for Him?  Do we even remember to thank Him for removing us from bad situations?  Do we thank Him when He brings us good things?  Do we ever pause to just thank Him for loving us, for loving our family so much that He watches over us; that His angels will stand with us and guard us?

Can you think of a situation you have been in that it should not have ended up the way it did?  That everything bad that could happen, didn't?  I know in my own personal life I have been rescued many, many times from situations that by my own choices could have been costly financially or by losing friends.  Sometimes pride will take over and I have to fight 'my rights' against what 'is right in God's eyes'.  Sometimes He puts things in our way to get us to 'step away'.  How the circumstances will turn out, depends on how we respond to those things that create havoc or pain in our lives.

One week from today and we will be finishing up our packing to head back to the midwest.  I'm tired already.  I believe it will be a good trip, and I'm glad we are going, even for an extended time.  I don't know when - or if - we will get back there again.  This may be the last time we see some of our relatives.  Or it may be the last time they see one of us.  I truly hope we all get along and things go well and we can make good memories.  I miss my siblings, but I'm really just as glad we live apart.  Why do I say that?  Because I think if we lived closer, we wouldn't see each other any more than we do now.  At least now we have an excuse.  It would be nice if my little sister and I lived closer, but then, I'm still working and she isn't so we still would have difficulty seeing each other.

Thinking about that ... my one boss who is still back east on vacation... and I text'd some yesterday as she was working for the day.  She made the comment that she was ready to retire; she was enjoying having no schedule (she just took that last 10 days totally off work) and relaxing and doing things, visiting friends back east.  But, she also admitted that even though they could afford for her retire, she did like the income she makes and it allows her to do extended vacations like this.  I get it.  Only if I retired, my home would probably become my prison in a sense.  So with her comment yesterday, I went online and looked within my company to see what jobs were in my current area.  I found one that I think will be less stressful and only about 15 minutes away.  It is very tempting to apply for it, since my stress level for where I am now is exceeding way beyond all I could imagine with the latest new boss.  But I've only had her for a week so I need to give her a chance and understand how she likes things done.  Currently it frustrates me a lot.  My favorite boss and I will meet up when she returns - and I return - from vacation.  I just may have this discussion with her.  If she retires, I will definitely consider finding a job out here.  Working from home and taken the joy of working away.  If I find something here, and have to work in an office, I will be getting out and making new friends, and living life again, in a sense.  Yes, I enjoy the fact I don't have to drive 20-50+ miles away for work.  But I feel I have withdrawn so much from socialization, and I miss that.

So what are you feeling - and doing - about this tough year?  Still working from home?  How is that working for you?  Are you ok with it still?  Do you need to get out and socialize with people more?  Perhaps you are able to.  I hope so.  I miss that, although we do see people at church.  But I miss being able to sit down and have a real conversation.

Where do you think your life is heading?  Is it in the right direction?  Why don't you ask God if what you are doing - is where He wants you?  It's something I'm checking in with Him on.

Have a great day!