A missed day

Yes, I know.  I missed writing in here yesterday.  I usually write early in the mornings, usually around 6AM - but yesterday.... yesterday was Sunday and I was to speak at the RV park.  I wasn't comfortable with the way the message was going.  I didn't feel I was connected with it, so I needed to spend time going over it.  And I did.  I deleted several paragraphs and wrote stuff in to it.  I didn't even take time to reprint what all I had changed. And, I have to say, it was all God.  I prayed that even just one person 'heard' the message and responded or commented, then I would know it was good enough.  I had two people that spoke to me afterwards and said they needed to hear it. What was the topic?  Don't let other people's opinions of you matter; only God's opinion of you is of value.  God made you, He created you, He breathed life into you.  Only His opinion matters.  We are who He says we are.  We are not defined by other's opinions, only by God's.  Amen?  I did have a good laugh though.  This was our first Sunday for this season at the RV park, and several people commented on my hair and the fact I had it cut and colored.  I found it amusing!  Did my long gray hair - which I could do nothing with - define me?

After we got home from church and had lunch, I thought I might write in it.  I even got brave enough to bring out the computer to the living room so hubby wouldn't question why I came back into my room.  But, as I got started checking messages first, I decided I just didn't want to be questioned.  Took a quick nap and then headed out for a granddaughter's baby shower.  Hubby debated on going with me, but I we are of the age group where it was only women that went to baby showers.   But I had another reason for not encouraging him to go.  I didn't discourage him, it was his choice.  He stayed home and I got a couple hours away. Win Win, right?

After coming home, since I brought pizza home for hubby, I didn't need to fix dinner.  (Yay me)  We ended up watching three Christmas movies last night - two were duds but we watched to the end.  One we never did figure out what was going on.  Or even why the movie was created.  The only reason it was classified as Christmas was that relatives came over and put the tree up and decorations on the house (none of which were even shown in the movie).  Main jest of the entire movie was this guy getting this girl.  B-o-r-i-n-g movie. 

Cleaning people will be here about 8AM this morning.  Usually they come later in the week, we were not going to be here part of the time so we told them no. Finally agreed on 8AM this morning. I heard hubby alittle bit ago putting things away. We always do that. I pick up all my 'stuff' on the couch and put them away, this room is off limits for another month at least.  My bathroom counter is already cleaned off as is my dresser.  We just put things away.  I do have some diamond art out on the dining room table.... may need to put that away yet so he can dust the table.  I love the way the house smells when it gets cleaned.  And once they are gone... at least by the weekend, I can start decorating for Christmas!  Once I get the trees up, then I get these gifts in here on the floor and bed wrapped and under them, it will clear out some of the clutter in here.  It's a lot of work for me, yes, but I love every minute of it.  I am not like some people who wait until Christmas Eve before wrapping gifts.  I have to do it as I go along - one, I get the item written down as to who it is for and what it is so I can stop buying for that person.  I'm really trying hard NOT to overdo this year.  But when I hear someone likes something, I want to get it for them!  I have to rein myself in on that.  Ironically, I have some that are very difficult t o buy for and struggle with a gift that they would like.  Not going to 'worry' about it today!  Got too much to do!

Daggone it - my male boss sent me a text last night that he would be back to work on Thursday this week.  Sigh. 'It is what it is' - but at least he also told me to block him out on Wednesday before Thanksgiving.  I can be 'thankful' for that, right?  LOL  

Job 37:5-6 (NIV):  God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow 'Fall upon the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.'

God speaks, and all things obey His Word.  When you read the Bible and read His Words, do you obey? We don't always, do we?  I put myself in that question.  Sometimes I read things and I'm going "NO WAY!"  And  then I may read that say scripture another time and I can only say, "Yes, Lord."   I can reference back to Ephesians 5 - I've read it numerous times and shut the Bible and moved on.  But a few months ago, I just felt God was telling me I needed to do something.  I did, and although it was painful for me to 'let it go' and do what the Bible said, (at least as far as I was willing to go at that time), I know it was worth it to be obedient.  I still have a long ways to go in my desire for complete obedience and absolute surrender to God.  Self keeps getting in the way.  Attitude gets in the way. My own desires keep getting in the way.  But when I let go of all that, and I really do want to, I will be totally set free.

And so would you.  How are you doing in the obedience to God area?  He's not a dictator to where He says you stop this or do that - He leaves that up to our free will.  But life is so much better when we are submitted to God's authority, and not choose our own way.  And I'll leave that there.  For now.

Today is a work day, of course.  But first, I need to make sure 'my part' of the straightening up process is completed this morning, and empty my trash cans in the various rooms.  Yeah, we don't have to do that, they will do it, but I prefer doing it myself.  Looking forward to a clean house.  I need to move some appliances to the garage so that they can clean the cabinets good.  Not a biggie.  

I know I have some preparation work to do for the board meeting that is the 19th.  Hubby has an appointment with his kidney doctor on Wednesday afternoon that I have to go with him to. It should be a breeze since all the numbers are back where they should be.  I think that is all he has this week as far as doctor appointments.  

I have my gym training with Morgan at 4:30PM tonight; hubby has 5PM.  Wednesday is going to be painful.  Morgan's grandmother passed away this weekend and she has moved our schedules all around as the funeral is Wednesday.  I tried to get her to skip my 2nd one and work me in for a third one next week, but she said she needed the money this week (she only gets paid if she trains).  When is my time on Wednesday?  6:30AM.  Yeah, that's early to move my body - and I'm scheduled for HIIT, unless she decides to do it tonight and we do upper body on Wednesday morning. 

I awoke this morning with my left thigh feeling like the bone is on fire.  This has happened since I was bit a year ago by the scorpion or whatever it was that attacked the inside of my leg.  I told Dr. Mark about it, but without all the particulars = he suggested it may be bursitis in the hip bone causing the extreme pain.  The pain never lasts more than maybe 30 minutes and it goes away for weeks at a time.  Maybe it is because I sleep on my left side and that is why the left thigh burns like it is on fire? It's not my hip; it's the thigh bone.  We will discuss it again in February, when I see him again.  I can get a bone density scan next year after September.  They only 'allow' one ever two years; 'they' being the insurance company.  As long as it is infrequent, I guess I can deal with it.

And, with all my rambling this morning, I'm going to shut up and get off here.  My next speaking engagement is the first Sunday in December.  Yeah, I'm not going to put it off until the week before like I did this one.  Just getting back into the groove of preparation and speaking again, I need to give it my full focus.  Especially since I have 3 in the month of December this year!  I need to be putting things together.  

And I still want to run away by myself for a few days and just be alone - away from the busyness of the life and the world.  Actually, I think I just need to get the world out of me and get my focus totally upon Jesus.  After all, He is the author and perfector of my faith.  I need to dive into His Word and listen to what He has to say to me.  And then I need to obey.

How is that working for you?

Blessings!

There is a verse...

 in the Bible that a friend had paraphrased many years ago and that paraphrase had stuck with me for many years.  I often pray that prayer, cause I don't know what to do.  This morning, as I pondered on what to write, the words came back to my mind.

"Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I trust in You."

So this morning, once again, I go looking for the actual verse.  I may have even been saying it wrong for years from what was paraphrased, but some times things just stick in your mind.  I am always praying for direction, for help in making the right choices.  Sometimes I choose rightly, other times, well, I have God's grace for my mistakes.

Psalm 143:8 (NKJV):  "Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You."

Have you gotten up some mornings and you had no clue what you would be doing, or how your day would be going  - once it started going?  There is nothing on the agenda for you to do; there are no plans.  I find that if I pray this verse, it is amazing what God will do in my life that day.  My prayer then changes to 'let me be aware of what You are doing in me and through me today, Lord."

Yesterday was a good day.  I had a wonderful breakfast with my son.  It did my heart good to sit with him for a spell and hear what is going on in his life and in his family's life.  He shared he buys dill pickle juice for leg cramps - I got excited!  I didn't know you could buy just the juice - and when he sent the link - yep - I bought a gallon!  We drink tonic water for leg cramp prevention - but I love dill pickle juice, so yeah, think I'm switching.  Hubby can drink the tonic water!  The dill pickle juice could help my salt cravings too, I imagine.

Coming home, I found baby wrapping paper in a cabinet in the garage (yay!) so got things wrapped up for the granddaughter's shower.  We went over there and I am grateful a few of her friends came as well as an Army family contact person.  It was a nice shower and she got some nice things.  The baby won't wear out any of the oneies as there were about 20 I think and they are all small!  

Sigh.  One of her brothers came down to go to a concert last night... and he was already '10 sheets to the wind'.  He staggered around the room and was loud and obnoxious.  I tried to talk with him and got lots of 'yes ma'am'... but I knew he wasn't listening... in the mental state he was in, he wasn't hearing anyone. I was so disappointed he arrived that way.  He couldn't even keep his eyes open.  I can only trust he made it back to the hotel last night.  Lord, please hear my prayers for this child.  Rescue him from himself.

We plan to go to church this morning and when I get home, I plan to make taco soup and take some over to Ms. Diane.  I found out yesterday that Ms. Amy did get admitted to the hospital.  Probably at her daughter's insistence, versus having the need.  I still can't get over how the daughter behaved - she was in a tizzy - and I don't understand why ... but it isn't for me to judge.  Perhaps the doctors/hospital needed the demand for her to be admitted to 'find out what is wrong'.  My thought was she had a stroke a week ago; she got an implant (pacemaker?) put in her chest while she was there... give her body time to respond and heal... she will be weak.  Right?  I'll call the daughter later today to find out what is going on.  She was nearly a 'Karen' with her demands!  LOL

So what are your plans for today?  Rest?  Reading?  Relaxation?   Why not take a few moments and start your day off right and pray with me the verse above?  

"Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You."

That is my prayer... God loves each of us so much that He wants us to trust Him for whatever comes at us today.  We need His help to get through each day.  When we wait on Him, He will surely guide us. 

I Peter 5:6-7 (NKJV):  "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

II Peter 3:18 (NKJV):  "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; to Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen."

What do you know about Jesus?  If your child or grandchild asked you about Jesus, could you give an answer that would help them to know Jesus?  Do you know about Jesus that you could share with those you love His wonderful Word?  Something to think about.

Blessings!