when I'm doing things I enjoy! Here I am in here minding my own business, spending time with God, reading my Bible, writing in my journal, prayer, and I glance at the clock. My time to myself is almost gone! God is worth giving it up for - but it also means I don't have much time to write in here. Not that I have much to say but a bunch of ramblings - but obviously, if you are reading this, you find it amusing or interesting. Curious as to what the topic would be about today? Yeah, I am too.
Yesterday was a good day. We went to the RV park for church and did not rush over to the Salvation Army church after. We are flipping on it. Major Mark is a great teacher, but he isn't a preacher and although the messages are good and informative, it just feels 'dead' there. Let's just say it isn't a place that would draw teenagers or young adults unless they have not been to church before and don't know the difference. The Word spoken is good, don't get me wrong. The people are very friendly. But the Word isn't applied to daily life; it is just explained. Does that make sense? We will go occasionally, but we have spoiled ourselves (thanks to COVID) and enjoy Free Chapel (Jentezen Franklin) on Sunday mornings. Right now he is on 7 and 9AM. IN March it goes back to 6 and 8AM. He preaches the Bible but does it in such a way you know you are learning something. He doesn't mince around with words either. If you do what the Bible says NOT to do, it is a sin - and he will call it out! Right now they are on a love/marriage month of messages. The first week was Jentezen Franklin. Yesterday was Mark Rutland (we haven't watched it yet, and probably will tonight. Next Sunday is Chris Hodges and they plan to have a vow renewal during the service. I'm struggling with that one. Not going to go in to the whys and what fors, but it's just me. On the other hand, hubby is excited about it. We're married, leave it alone. And the last week of February, Jentezen will be back to sum it all up. I'm having to do a lot of praying about the vow renewals. I have a lot of hurt that I need to work through, and only God can help me. I know I will probably give in, just to keep peace in the family and I don't want to hurt anyone. And I'll leave that right there. Will see if I write anymore about it. Lord, help.
It's Monday and I'm back to work. Whoopee. I've done some rough figuring, and I think I will never be able to retire. Sigh. I want to sell this house and move elsewhere. I'm liking it less and less. Hubby loves it cause he doesn't have to do anything. Thank goodness he is saying at the end of this year he will not put his name in to be president of the HOA. He's always complaining - and I'm always complaining to him! I would never live in another HOA area. I want out of here. The house is too small. I have no wall space. I have no room. UGH. I have an 8AM meeting with my favorite boss and an 11AM chiropractor appointment. I must remember to tell him I take Fosamax. Why? Because it is supposed to build up the bones - but the side effect is that a bone may break without anything touching it. If the chiropractor pops my neck or back - would I become paralyzed if it breaks a bone? Scary thought. But I do need to be loosened up in the back and neck. I still say the massage therapist tweaked my neck too much a few years ago and it has resulted in the ocular migraines. No proof, but I will discuss with the chiropractor today.
Time is getting away from me again this morning. I much prefer when I can stay in here as long as I want. Oh wait. I DO stay in here. Sigh. This is also my 'office'. I just don't 'want' to stay in here all day.
The easel and stool arrived this weekend and I went to Michael's yesterday and bought a canvas to put the oil painting on that we got for Christmas. I also bought a table of sorts to put the paints on. It is paint-by-number and may take forever to get it done, but once I get things put together we can get started on it. I say 'we' because it was addressed to both of us. I would not have chosen this photo, nor would I have made it so big (16x20). I told hubby that he could help paint it, and I even handed over a snowman diamond art project that he could do. He actually seemed excited I gave him a project. Rolling my eyes here. He hasn't shown any interest before. He definitely needs to find a hobby - he has never had one. Ever, that I'm aware of. So now I have given him two things he can do. Paint, or work on diamond art. I wonder if once he gets started, if he will stick with it. I did work on a Santa Claus a bit yesterday that I had started before Christmas. I need to get it finished and framed so that I can hang up next Christmas. This one is for me for a Christmas wall-hanging. I definitely won't take to Michaels to get framed. Even at 70% off, cost was very high (Aaron Brothers). My daughter took her diamond art project to Hobby Lobby and it was less than $30. Yeah, Hobby Lobby framing will work for my budget.
Deuteronomy 30:6 (NLT): The Lord your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants so that you will love Him with all your heart and soul and so you may live!
Oh that the Lord will continue to work IN me, so that the heart and soul of my descendants will love the Lord their God as I do. As my ancestors did before me. I still have much to learn about following Jesus. I am always seeking ways to love Him more, to praise Him more. Unfortunately for me, I find other things to distract me - that I don't turn my thoughts to Him. I think that is why I enjoy doing crafts - my thoughts are my thoughts, and I can just 'dive in' and let my brain do its thing. If I don't have distractions, that is. What if we set a goal of thinking about God one minute of every hour? Could we do that? I'd probably have to set a timer to remember to do that. In The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson, I think it is, a man tried to continuously think about God. I can't remember his name - Frank something, I think. But he succeeded to give God so much of his time in a day. Brother Lawrence learned how to live in constant communion with God. Oh to be able to just sit at Jesus' feet and be with Him all the time! Yes, one can still live life and be in communion with God. I long to be that type of person. I still have a lot of emotions and things to let go of, I think. Lord, help me let go. I carry a lot of pain with me of which no one knows about. No, not physical pain, but pain of things of the past that even though I've forgiven, it's hard to let go of. I'm sure you have some of those as well.
So here and now, I ask the Lord my God to change my heart, and the hearts of my descendants, so that we all may live.
Blessings!
