Lots to do - but will I?

 This bedroom is getting pretty cluttered and crowded as gifts come rolling in for Christmas.  Yes, I started buying a long time ago and little by little, tis room is filling up.  I want to start wrapping and labeling and making my list so that I stop buying for some and know what I need to get for others.  I know, I say all this frequently, don't I?  One of these days I'll actually do it. At least we both know it will be done by the end of December, right?  Surely I can get to it when I get the trees up!  Which, by the way, I'm hoping that hubby will 'let' me put up by the 3rd week of November.  That's not too soon, is it?

Today is Sunday and we will be heading to church in a couple hours.  Pastor John has been doing a series on 'Passages' and thus far it has been very good.  I'm sure today will be as well.  I'm tired this morning, for some reason, but will be jumping in to the shower after I finish this and I can get awakened and refreshed. I hope. :-)

Yesterday went well.  After Needles of Hope I stopped by the Michaels at Metro Center. I could not wait to get out of there!  I don't know what has drawn them into the store, nor what is keeping them there, but flies are everywhere.  They would land on my arms, on my face, and yeck!  I actually felt nauseated with them landing on me. I swatted so hard at one my watch went off and asked me if I had fallen and did it need to call emergency!  I don't like bugs to start with - not even flies - and to have them constantly landing on me just creeped me out.  Was able to get part of a Christmas gift completed, but at my sanity cost.

I went on to get my car washed and then stopped at Popeye's to pick up 'linner'.  Or is it 'lunner'. LOL Hubby and I had a major 'discussion' when I got home and I think I finally got the message across to him. I wasn't mad, I was furious and just tired of some things. And I let him know it. I think I shocked him that I finally spoke my mind on this issue. But I said what I said and I mean what I said.  Can you figure that one out? Don't ask - it's not a big deal; but it is an issue to me and I dealt with it. :-)

I really wanted a nap yesterday but wouldn't let myself.  I tried reading for awhile, but my eyes kept closing.  Switched to crochet and then we watched a couple Christmas movies. Yes, I'm already watching them. We have so many on Up Faith and Family, plus Prime Video.  We did watch one we both really like and have seen numerous times.  One Special Night with James Garner and Julie Andrews.  Cute movie.  

Today I really want to bake, but I also know I need to work on the message that I will be sharing next Sunday. The season is actually here - already!  And no, I haven't worked ahead and had some done to draw from.  Thought about it many times, but have not. So, down to one week from today so I will be hopefully finishing one today for next week. Then I'll start on what I need to do next month. I think it's three next month, but two different locations so I can use one twice.  I need to get my mindset on getting these completed. I've gotten extremely lazy this summer.

I Peter 2:1-3 (NIV):  Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted the Lord is good.

Those of us who know, and have known, Jesus, know that we are to rid ourselves of all things of this world that pull us away from Him.  It isn't easy, as you know.  It feels like the more I try to keep my mouth shut about things, the more it opens and spews forth!  Now you may not have that problem, but for some of us, when we let our guard down, our mouth just starts drooling out the things that we know we should keep within and give to God to deal with.  

We are to get rid of all that stuff.  We are to let go of the anger, bitterness, jealous, etc. that plagues the world.  Sometimes we just get too close to the flame and we know we are going to get burned by it. But it doesn't always stop us, does it?  Sometimes I will catch myself in mid-sentence and will stop and not allow myself to say more.  I leave people 'hanging'... but when I say,"I'm sorry, that's gossip, and I need to not say that."  They usually 'get it'.  And some will say, "But that's not gossip, you are 'sharing'.  Yeah, right.  It's NOT always a 'prayer request' - right?  

But talking about other people does not make us a better person.  What is it that Paul says in Ephesians 4:29?

Ephesians 4:29 (NIV):  Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Some people would reflect on those words and think that it is just about gossiping about others, or saying things that were not true. But it is more than that.  We are not to say anything about anyone that does not build them up.  I know, I have failed many times and I have had to ask God's forgiveness many times.  I am usually ashamed of myself that I 'allowed' my mouth to keep spewing things when I knew I should close it and lock it.

There are a lot of things I don't like about myself.  There are things I don't like about hubby. There are things about my children, and some grandchildren, that hurt and drive me crazy.  I know I have spewed things even in here, especially about hubby.  I do try to do it in such a way it isn't helpful, but some things are just too easy to share, right?  Doesn't mean that I am right in doing it.  But then, if I don't share about hubby, I wonder if I would have anything to write about at all? LOL  Just kidding!

I do need to watch my words and speak only truth that will build up and strengthen. And so do you. And many times it isn't the words you (we) use, it is our actions.  My granddaughter has called me out a few times on my 'rolling my eyes' at hubby about different things.  The thing is, when I've done that, it is to show her that I don't always agree with his behavior - and I'll leave that there.  I'm not perfect either, right?

So we are at the beginning of November.  What if we made a pact to try and not say anything 'unwholesome' about anyone for the month of November. Or through the end of the year. Or maybe forever.  But sometimes we have to take baby steps, right? We aren't perfect, and I'm sure I'll forget all about this conversation tomorrow. (Lord, Help!) But it is a goal we all can look to accomplish. Shall we?

And with that - I'm off here.   I have a few minutes before I need to jump in the shower and I want to just be alone and quiet.  Maybe I can get in a 10 minute nap.  

Blessings!

It must work...

 We have slept two nights now without the fan on over the bed, and turned down the thermostat.  We went to bed around 8:30PM last night (as usual most nights) and although I did awaken a couple times during the night, thanks to all the water I drink, I could not believe when I opened my eyes this morning that it was 5:55AM.  Yes - almost 6AM!  Usually that only happens when I stay up much later than normal.  So - what do you think?  Is it no fan and cooler temps helping us sleep later?  Why don't you try it and let me know how it works for you?  Yes, hubby turned it back up when he got up - and it's been off for over an hour now, trying to reach the new temperature reset.  Interesting, huh?  We won't have a ceiling fan at the hotel so that could be a test as well - although we will have a different mattress and pillow - and those do also make a difference.

Speaking of our hotel, I looked it up again last night and the one I chose shows it does have an enclosed patio.  It's only one-story so that was a given.  But to have a little patio to go out and sit in (hopefully not a lot of smoke (there is fire north of that area) and mosquitos) and enjoy.  I think it is called 'deluxe king'.  The 'luxury king' has a 2-person jacuzzi.  Yeah, we are past that stage. LOL

I think I have become my mother.  I know I did this a few years ago and laughed about it. And now I have done it again.  The sun has burned some of my plants and I am tired of buying plants to have them burn up within a very short time.  You know where I am going with this, don't you!  Yes, I went to Michael's yesterday and I bought artificial vines/flowers to put in three of my pots.  Dang! Those artificial plants are expensive!  I had a few more, but when I looked at the price, I shut that thought down real quick!  This one that I really like - I had picked up two of them, thinking it would look great in the pot by the garage - it was $19.99 EACH!!  I only got one cause I had a 30% off coupon but only for one.  I spread it out and it looks fine.  The other two pots just got a 'vine' of sorts and after spreading them out, they look fine. I'm done with trying to do real plants there.  I'm about to he point of ripping everything out and just putting artificial plants in - it sure would save on my time watering, right?  Just replace them every six months with seasonal flowers.  Mother planted artificial plants a lot.  

We are going to church this morning and then will come home and start thinking what we want to take on the trip.  We went to Sam's Club yesterday to pick up a few snacks to take.  NEVER go to Sam's Club to pick up snacks.  $200+ later, we walked out.  No meat. No cereal. Nothing really but snacks, water, and protein.  And then we went to Denny's for dinner.

I was hungry, I thought, so we went to Denny's and I got the Mama's fried chicken salad my son had told me about.  It really is worth getting it.  I filled up fast and could only eat half of it and since I hadn't put dressing on all of it, brought it home to finish up for lunch today.  It was good.  Not like my mama's fried chicken, but it did have flavor and was tasty.  I would give that a 10 for effort. And I would order it again. Protein and veggies - all good.  I don't need 'foo-foo' stuff thrown in a salad. Just give me the basics - and fried chicken - and I'm good to go.

Have you ever had life roll along smoothly and you feel like you have it all together and then boom!  You do something you knew your shouldn't do, and yet, you did it anyway?  Yeah... not going into details; it's between God and I.  But, I have prayed a prayer this morning that is scary.  I wonder if you have ever felt this way and knew you needed to break a bad habit or you needed to change a behavior and found you can not do it on your own.  You need help in getting it behind you.  Ever been there?  Well, as I read this morning, the thought has come to me, first of all, that fasting will help with 'besetting sins' (as they are called) but one more thing is needed.  Desperation.  

How badly do you want to be free of what is dragging you down in life?  A besetting sin. Or an irritation. Or a bad habit. Or even an outright sin.  What do you want out of your life to make you a better person?  Ponder that for a moment.  Unfortunately, I can think of a few things I need to carve out of my attitude, behavior, and life, but I can only deal with one at a time.  But in doing that, I am desperate to change.  I want to be a better person. I want to be more God-centered and less self-centered.  Does that make sense?  And that has caused me to pray this morning,....

"Lord, make me desperate for You."

It's a scary thing to pray, for you don't know what God will allow to make that happen.  But I want to change.  I want to be more Christ-like and less me-like.  I want Christ living in me to be seen wherever I am - not just as church.  Does that make sense?  So I am praying that God will make me desperate for Him, for when I am desperate for Him, my thoughts are on Him, my prayers are frequent, my life is open to whatever He wants to do with it.  Break habits I have formed.  Break from me bad attitudes.  

"Break my heart for what breaks Yours."

And I know my tears fall as I pray that prayer.  Even unknowing situations, tears will fall, knowing that His heart is breaking for His children as well.  His heart breaks for you.  I pray for my children daily and more frequently than that!  But when was the last time I prayed for them and cried over them?  I admit, it has been awhile.  I have gotten complacent.  And I wonder why life is as it is.  

Why don't you think about taking this journey into God with me.... would you pray that He would make you desperate for Him?  Would you ask Him to break your heart for what breaks His? 

I guarantee you, if you will pray even one of those prayers, you will change.  You will look at things differently.  You will find yourself whispering prayers for others. The walls we have built up around us to protect us from feeling.... will come falling down.  And that is a good thing.

I'm excited to see what God will do with me while we are gone.  I do want to hit some antique shops while out of town, but I am also ready to be open and spent upon Jesus during my times with Him. No distractions, just Jesus.  And that is why I pray for desperation.  I want to be like Jesus.

Blessings!