I saw a post on facebook, which I couldn't find again, of course, about making pickles. Now, it was not bread n butter pickles, but it was pickles. Whereas I 'cook' my cucumbers with onions in the microwave, this showed just cutting up cucumbers and putting in a jar, then making the liquid, heating it up, and pouring over the jar and letting it set. Supposedly, the pickles will be real crisp, since they haven't been 'cooked'. So I thought I'd try it since I had several cucumbers I needed to use up. I did some as spears, some in slices, and added onions to all but the spears. Three jars sealed, one did not. I told hubby that he can try them today and we'll decide if I need to put them in the microwave and go back to my 'normal' way of making bread and butter pickles. Now mind you, if the cucumbers aren't 'cooked', neither are the onions. And who doesn't like crisp onions on their sandwiches? I'll try to remember to write about them tomorrow and will let you know how they turned out. Less vinegar odor in the house, less clean-up, yeah, I could do this. But I do like the other way too. Like I said, "stay tuned".
I received this morning the email that I have been expecting from one of the RV parks. One of the pastors has retired and there are at least 5-6 Sundays they now need to fill. They already have me for 8 Sundays, but were asking if I would be able to take on some of Pastor Kim's (male) open Sundays. I sent them an email back that yes, I would be able to take some on. You know what that means - I'm going to be busy and need to get some messages ahead by starting this summer getting them at least in rough draft form. With God's help, I can do this. As I know I have mentioned before, we love these people. This pastor is/was a Nazarene pastor. One thing I didn't know, and have never heard of - when they decide to retire, they are to turn in their 'credentials' to their main board. The board will have a small ceremony for the retiring pastor, and he will no longer be a pastor. I have never heard of that before. Interesting. The other two-three pastors that speak there are older than I am, so that means they will be giving up their preaching at some point too. And I wonder, how long can I go on preaching? How long will God let me share His Word? Well, I'll do it as long as He will allow me.
Yesterday was an 'ugly' day for me. I was so overwhelmed. My male boss wouldn't answer my questions completely, only giving me part of the answers. I found out YESTERDAY that he is planning this Colorado meeting to be in Fort Collins at the hospital. Which means I need to find a conference room at the hospital. Which means I had to find someone from our office in Colorado to tell me how I could do that. And, found out only one room was available - for 10 people - and there will be 12. I'm thinking, well, bring in two more chairs, but of course my boss says 'you need to find a bigger room'. Ok - where would you like it? UGH! He frustrated me so much yesterday I wrote my favorite boss telling her I was going to retire!! LOL Of course that wouldn't change that I still need to do what needs to be done for next week. I was beyond frustrated with him and his incomplete answers. He doesn't tell me things completely and I have to pull teeth to get all the answers out of him I need to know. And you know what? Next time we have a meeting, I am going to tell him he needs to start giving me complete answers - or he can find another admin. He desperately needs his very own. Can I whine for just a moment? In the midst of getting all his stuff together (which still isn't completed), I was getting meeting requests from 3 of my other bosses; requests for equipment from an employee, requests for availability for my people from yet others.... and I don't even remember what else. I did stop and fix chicken chili (so good) for lunch and actually sat at the kitchen table for 5 minutes and inhaled the soup. I've got to start taking breaks and lunches to keep my sanity! Ok, I'm done.
Tomorrow morning I'm 'supposed' to meet my favorite boss for one of our 'admin meetings' at Wildflower. I'm usually gone until about 11AM, but I'm not sure I can get away tomorrow with this stuff going on with the male boss. But, I'm going to get done today all that I can so that I can go and meet her - and our former CFO from another company. I need to get away from home, from work, and just enjoy being with friends. I'll have to take them pickles and bread .... both love them. Even if I just drive 50 minutes to have a cup of coffee with them, and then drive the 50 minutes back - it's worth it.
I Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV): Rejoice always; pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
That certainly isn't the verse I wanted to hear this morning! Rejoice ALWAYS? Pray without ceasing? (that part is easy). In everything give thanks? Even like yesterday? For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Say what? You are kidding me, right?
How can I rejoice and give thanks, and accept what it is as what God has for me - after a day like yesterday? Some times it just isn't easy to do, but that is what we are called to do. Why? Because of Jesus.
Do you not think that God could change any circumstances if He desired to? That's why we pray! We WANT God to change our circumstances! We want people healed. We want people to move on. We want security. We want our way. We want what we want. But God doesn't always answer with what we want, does He? Yesterday I was doing a lot of "Lord, HELP!" and although I couldn't see His hand in any of the situations I was dealing with, He was there. He got me through each thing I needed to accomplish - yesterday. What I left for today isn't a big deal. I still need to get on them first thing this morning, but once they are completed, I can put this Colorado trip off my plate and let it go. God DID help me; He helped me not throw a temper tantrum. He helped me find out how to reserve the room in Ft. Collins. He has given me a person in Colorado who can help me and who is willing to help me figure all this stuff out. I could not have done it on my own. If God didn't help me, I truly would have failed in what I did get accomplished. And today, I will again be calling out, "Lord, HELP!"
Sunday is Mother's Day and I have been asked to sit on a panel of mothers and 'give advice' to other mothers (along with 4 others) on how to raise children. When they originally asked me about 3 weeks ago, I declined. I wasn't that good of a mother, and I know it. I love(d) my children, don't get me wrong, but I didn't know how to be a mom because I wasn't shown how by my own mother. That's why as mothers and fathers it is important to show our children how to be good moms and dads. I didn't have that example, and I know I could have done a much better job of raising my children than I did. Not that I did so bad with them; I love each one and they have excelled in the areas they have chosen. Yeah, some still need a push to do what I know they can do.... but overall, I have great kids. Not by my power, but by God's grace to me. I have prayed many prayers over each one.
Anyway - back to this panel, Yes, I declined when they asked me to participate. As they tried to convince me to do it, I remembered a letter I had gotten from a granddaughter recently. So I told them that I would be on the panel, but I would speak to grandparents about their role in teaching their grandchildren about Jesus. How I took them to church on Wednesday nights for years. And then read this note of how this granddaughter is taking some of what she saw in me and learned from me (God is so good to me!) and how she is now teaching a class at her church. This letter I got blessed me so much. And it came at a time that I needed it. They were thrilled that I would do that - (so they say) - and it is this Sunday. I still don't WANT to do it, but I will. Not for my glory, but for HIS.
Have you ever looked back over your life and know that it had to be all God? That He rescued you from some things that you should never have allowed in your life? That He has protected you at times that anything could have happened to hurt you? That even when you didn't acknowledge Him as Lord, He was there for you? Oh, I can remember many times - well, let's just say, it is by God's precious grace for me that I am still alive, that I am still here, that I am still free to live life. That's a part of my life I don't like to think about; but I sure have learned from it. And, although that example didn't come from my mother, I wasn't taught otherwise.
So, my friend, pick up your Bible and read what God says you are to do to live life in His will, in His way. I wish I had known to do that many years ago. I am thinking it is about 40 years now since I re-dedicated my life to Jesus. And I am glad I did. He took all that crap I was carrying around with me and laid it at the foot of the cross. He set me free from the bondage I had placed myself in. He covered me in His robes of righteousness, for His name's sake. He made me His. No regrets. Only grateful for His covering grace.
He can do that for you as well. Take a moment and just sit with Jesus and tell Him all that is troubling you right now. Ask for His help; ask for His intervention; ask for Him to be your Lord. His answer is "Yes".
Blessings!
