Starting a new book...

 surprised?  Probably not, if you really know me.  You know I love to read, and although I do go spells when I do not pick up a book to just 'read', when I get going, it's one right after another at times.  Thanks to my son who got me on Goodreads to track my read books and to challenge myself, I am reaching for a book more often

This is really weird.  I started typing the name of the book, and instead of what I wanted to type, other words were appearing.  I could not type anything without another word appearing - so I finally did a restart and so far so good.  Let me try the title of the book again - that was when it started.  The book that I picked up last night to read is called thirsty for you by Allison Allen.  (every time I had tried to type thirsty, the word 'poetry' would appear.  weird)

You may have heard of her as she is also an actress - I think on film and on Broadway, but don't ask me what - I didn't read that far about her.  It's not about her I want to read about, but this book.  So what is this book about?  It's about being in a desert place ... and when you think you are alone, you are not, for God is with you.  I read about 3 chapters last night and I am intrigued and hope to read a bit more yet this week. (like, in tonight?)

I did run over and visit Ms. Diane about 1PM yesterday and took her some potato soup and some strawberry frozen dessert.  Visited for a little bit, but because I was also working, came back home about 30 minutes later (hey, I am allowed a lunch hour, although I don't usually take it!).  I still need to visit Ms. Vicky before I leave... maybe.  I have potato soup I may take over and more frozen dessert.  That would be the last of both.  Her birthday is Saturday, so I need to pick up something and get to her as well.  I need to quit being so lazy and just sitting on the couch watching movies, crocheting and/or reading and get out to visit my friends more often.

We're down to 2 days before Jailbreak Getaway!  I am so ready.  No, I haven't started to pack yet, but have written down things I don't want to forget, i.e., phone cord, watch cord, medicine, book light, etc. I did not take the entire day off Wednesday but did ask my boss if I could take off at 2PM and of course she said I could leave as early as I want to.  I'm salaried and as long as I work 5 hours, I don't have to take it against my PTO hours.  Makes it nice when I just need to have an hour or two.  Unless I'm extremely busy, I should be able to start packing tomorrow and getting things pulled together.  Need to run to the store as well and pick hubby up tv dinners for his meals.  Can't remember the last time he cooked something.  Oh yes I do.  I had gone somewhere, and he decided to fix bacon.  He laid it on the glass plate in the microwave and set it for 5 minutes (I think).  Long story short, it shattered the glass plate in the microwave, and as much as he wanted it fixed before I got back home, it took a few days and because he had to do it himself, he ended up paying way more than the microwave is worth for someone to replace the plate.  I'll leave it right there.  He said he 'just wasn't thinking'.

Psalm 42:1 (NKJV):  As the deer pants for the water brook, so pants my soul for you, O God.

The above scripture reminds me of one of my favorite choruses...... 'As the deer panteth for the water so my soul longeth after Thee. You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship Thee.  You alone are my strength, my shield, to You alone may my spirit yield.  You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship Thee.'

You may remember that chorus, and it is one of my favorites.  Have you ever 'been there', where you feel your heart is longing for so much more?  Not material things, but just 'more'?  I've been there many times and I have found that the only One who can satisfy that hunger, that longing, that desire, is Jesus. Sometimes I may wonder where He is when things get crazy and chaotic and are not going right..... and I realize I have taken my eyes off Him and onto my troubles.  When I feel the hunger inside of me for more, I realize I need to get my eyes back on Him, for only He can satisfy the hunger within.  Only Jesus can give me what my heart desires.  No human can.  I cannot even do it for myself.  

Sure, this trip is a fun trip with my girls, but I also treasure my time when I wake up and can reach over and grab my Bible and snuggle up with my Jesus.  He truly restores my soul.

And He can restore yours, if you would let Him. He's with you, just waiting on You to ask Him to come near.  Your soul pans for Him by the water.... will you let Him satisfy that hunger within?

Blessings!

Day one... didn't start well.....

 I had a physical scheduled at my doctor's office yesterday.... it was scheduled last year when I had my physical then.  I thought it was pretty cool they schedule it when you finish the current year.  BUT - even after I got the automated reminder over the weekend of the visit, the text to read the attached privacy, hipaa etc stuff.... I got a phone call about 6:50AM.  I missed the call as I was getting dressed in another room from where my phone was.  My appointment was at 8:40AM, so thought I'd leave about 8AM - get there a bit early and hopefully get in quickly.  I saw the phone call, listened to the voicemail.  Seriously?  My appointment was cancelled.  I called the office and the recording said I could schedule online.  I waited for about ten minutes in case someone came on the line, then decided, ok, I'll reschedule online.  Pretty cool, right?  

Well, the FIRST available appointment for my doctor - I am so serious - was showing April 3, 2023 @ 2:20PM.   I'm thinking, ok, that is if someone is scheduling and doesn't care... but this is my yearly physical so I need to get it done, right?  So I call the office again and this time I chose for them to call me back.  Within ten minutes they called me back.  The lady checks for an open time.  She kept apologizing, and commented that 'that group of doctors do not have anyone to cover for them when they call in'.  What does that mean?  That means they don't 'share' their patients.... their patients can see only them.   And after apologizing again, the lady said the next available appointment for my doctor was April 3, 2023 @ 2:20PM - just like I saw online.  

I told her I knew it wasn't her fault, but this is unacceptable.  I didn't cancel, he did.  They should be able to fit me in somewhere.  They cannot.  So - I told her I will need to find another doctor.  Bless her heart, she really did try.  I thought about it, then decided to go ahead and get back online and schedule the April 3 appointment for now.  And, I will be looking for another doctor when I get back home and can take the time to research - like I did this doctor - and read reviews, etc.  Thank God I do not have anything wrong with me, and other than my simbastatin and levothyroxine, and Fosamax, I don't have any required prescriptions.  I have enough for a couple months yet on those as I just got them filled.  But it is the last fill for them.  Until I can find another doctor, I can still get my prescriptions refilled.

I just remembered that I am still 'enrolled' with the NOAH group that I went to before this doctor.  I never wrote them a letter to forward records because I was only there once (and my doctor left the practice).  I haven't seen any other doctor there.  Something to think about.  As long as they take my insurance, I'm at the point I don't care.  I just want to find a doctor that will take care of me and my needs.  Is that too much to ask?   But they are mainly Honor Health doctors and I work for Banner.  So my doctors have to be Banner doctors to get a good rate so I don't have to pay as much.

We left early on our trip as hubby was hungry and wanted to stop for breakfast.  We stopped at a restaurant nearby, ate, and then we started on our trip.  Traffic was very light and we made decent time.  In fact, got up here a little too early to 'check in' so did our grocery shopping and then stopped at Culvers and had a root beer float (hubby had his chocolate malt) to waste time.  We found our Airbnb, after hubby and I exchanged words over his reading the directions (yes, I drove) and my hitting road bumps that were causing him not to be able to read it right... (not going there).... but we finally got here and it is really nice.  It is up on the side of the mountain, the back actually about 6 ft from the mountain itself.  Our view is beautiful.  They do have a hot tub in the back, but I don't really want to mess with it.  The porch has comfortable chairs that we can sit out on, and there is even a small porch off the master bedroom with chairs.  There are steps leading down to a patio table and chairs if we want to sit outside and eat.  

Funny thing  - the owner is all about bears, elk, birds, lions, tigers, etc....  she has them all over the house in every room.  The furniture is all wood cutouts.  Except for the very soft couch and reclines.  There is a 5 ft HORSE in the front room!  One wall is all windows looking over the side of the mountain.  It's really beautiful.  Oh - there is a 4 ft Indian head made out of medal, setting on a stand here in the front room next to the fireplace too.  It's all very interesting.  I told hubby that if I got up in the middle of the night and walked in here and 'thought' I saw something and yelled, it was probably one of these animals standing around.  LOL  She has an ELK from the shoulders up to the tip of its antlers - hanging between the dining room and the kitchen!  It's beautiful, too beautiful for someone to kill and cut up to hang on the wall.  There is a huge medal lion head that is 3D hanging about the bedroom door.  It isn't creepy, but interesting decor, for sure.

I'm hoping hubby will not want to go to town (for what?) today but will agree to just hang around here.  He doesn't like walking or hiking.  He doesn't like shopping (of all my trips to this area, we have never found a shopping area, but I'm sure there is a Walmart somewhere.  There is nothing we need to pick up.  I'm content to curl up with a good book.  

Which reminds me.... the hostess of this Airbnb wrote a book.  She has one laid out for anyone to read.  She has a note in it that she has copies in the master closet if anyone wanted to buy it.  Curious, I started reading the book, and could not put it down.  It's a different type of book than I usually read.  It isn't a romance novel.  But it is one that keeps your interest.  In fact, I bought the 4 books she had on her shelf and plan to give out for gifts.  I was thinking Christmas, but I think I'll give one to my reader son for his birthday.  I think even he will find some interest in it.  It's interesting, and even I am learning a lot.  It was an Amazon best seller so it is good. :-)

I guess I have rambled on enough this morning about what is going on so will close this off.  I am hoping today will be a totally rest day; perhaps even a nap or two.  Woke up about 1:50AM this morning and just dozed after that so I'm still sleepy.  I will probably really mess up my sleep schedule while I'm here.  It's very quiet.  I am content to just be quiet and read.  

Have a good day

Blessings!

What if.... I wonder....

As I sat here and pondered upon what I would write today, the thought occurred to me "what if I didn't write anything".  Would it matter?  Probably not much, because most of my writings are ramblings of things going on in my life, or in my mind, anyway.  And yet, perhaps, God will give me one small thing that I should happen to write about.... and it hits home.  Is that my calling in this life... to share one word that will turn your heart to Jesus?  I pray it is so.

So I will continue to think of things to write about - some boring and uninteresting, I'm sure - and yet, hopefully, things that will make you think and begin to tenderize your heart and mind toward those you love, and towards the One who loves you more than you can ever imagine.

Do you remember the story in the Bible of the fall of Jericho?  Remember, God had the Israelites march around the city walls one time every day for six days without saying a word.  The seven priests leading sounded the trumpets, but the people remained silent.  On the seventh day, they walked around it seven times and on that final trip around, the word was given to shout - and shout they did!  And the walls came tumbling down!  There is even a song about it!   Look up the lyrics to 'Joshua fought the battle of Jericho' by Cedarmont Kids.  It's a cool song.

What made me think of Jericho this morning is that I got a new book (imagine that).  You know how it is when you are looking at things on Amazon and it will bring up things at the bottom that 'because you were interested in that, you may be interested in this.....'  and I made the mistake of looking.  There was a small book there entitled 'The Jericho Fast.  How to Break through Walls with Prayer and Fasting'.  You know from previous pasts that I do fast and pray throughout the year or whenever God lays something on my heart.  I don't always post about it, because I am actually very private about fasting.  I don't even want to let hubby know when I'm fasting something.  Why?  Well, it's a long story, and I'm not going in to it toady.  I don't do it as often as I would like to; or even as often as I used to.  Which does make me sad.  And which is why this book caught my attention.  What in the world is the Jericho Fast?  Not talking?  Walking around buildings and praying and see if they fall down?  I honestly have no idea.  But my copy of the book arrived yesterday and I did get started on it last night, but only the introduction part.  I hope I have time to read some yet this morning.  It's a small book, which is in my favor, but I hope it is packed with the information my heart and mind is seeking.

Fasting and prayng isn't 'fun' as some people may think.  It's work.  Giving up food, or something that I love to do or enjoy doing, isn't fun.  Giving up food for even one meal is sometimes difficult and if not doing it very consciously and purposefully, one can forget and eat.  I know.  It's happened to me, and then I beat myself up because I 'had to have that cracker'.   The devil is sly and will do anything to keep one from fasting and praying.

What am I hoping to learn from this book?  I'm not sure.  Curiosity is what caused me to buy it.  I long for the closeness I get when I do seriously and consciously pray and fast unto the Lord.  I love to sit quietly before Him and let Him speak to me.  I don't hear Him every time, but many times I have.  I want to push through the things that keep my mind too busy to be with Him.  Stay tuned.  If I don't forget, I'll share what I learn from this.  I've already been thinking if I have time to focus the next seven days.  I do know for the next couple of weeks we will be eating a lot more than usual... after all we have my birthday and our anniversary that we will be celebrating.  Hubby definitely would not like it if I told him he could not take me out to dinner for either one because I was fasting.  Naw... probably would not be a good thing to do.  That's how he likes to 'show me love' is by taking me out to eat.  He does love to eat out.

Fasting is God's secret weapon against the enemy's strongholds.  Jesus even said that some evil spirits cannot be cast out except by prayer and fasting. (remember that story?)  That should tell us a lot about the power of fasting - it's what we can call God's nuclear option.  By wisdom and biblical truth we can overcome lies used by the enemy in erecting walls in our lives.

"And the walls came falling down!"  You have read about some of my walls I have built up over the years, and I'm sure you have built up as well.  I want the walls to fall, and by the grace of God, and His help, the walls will fall.  Perhaps not immediately, but they will fall.  And yours will too, when you lean into Jesus and ask for His help in getting through each day.  Go ahead, try it.  He will lead you.

What is your Jericho?  What wall in your life do you need to knock down?  

"Wall, fall down, in the mighty name of Jesus!"   May it be so, O Lord, may it be so.

Blessings!