and it was still a very good and productive day - although I still did not get to this room and clean or straighten it up. I did get the boxes opened and saw what I had purchased. Now to sort things out - perhaps this afternoon - and finish up my wrapping and clean up this room. Will see.
Yesterday I did not go to Needles of Hope, as I had mentioned. Instead - I baked. I needed 'me time' and I did what I love to do. I made two batches of no-bake cookie bars and two batches of peanut butter cookies. Then I worked on my advent puzzle to get caught up (trying to finish it before the 21st as I will need to tear it apart so we can use the table for Christmas dinner). I think hubby slept in his chair for a couple hours while I was baking. I know he did while I was working on the puzzle. He had the TV on so that blocked any noise that would have awakened him. I want to get the salsa made today and perhaps another batch or two of cookies. Then again, I speak up north this morning and sometimes, after lunch, I 'need' to take an afternoon nap - so will see how that goes. But I do need to pull things together and get over to my youngest so that he can take up north to his son and grandson for us. Those gifts are done; just want to make salsa and cookies. This is the grandson that I laugh about - he tells me he needs nothing but 'grandma's salsa'. And I gave each of the grandchildren a towel with the recipe on it a couple years ago - and to my knowledge - NONE of them of have made it. Of course they just tell me they want it and I'll make it for them. LOL Perhaps it is a special treat for them at Christmas? I'm sure my one granddaughter makes her own salsa - and I am pretty sure it is a lot hotter than mine will ever be! I love that she loves to cook and create new recipes.
The USPS has done it again. I don't know what it is about my little sister's address. The last two times - or maybe three - I have sent a package to her, USPS sends it somewhere else. I remember the last time it went to Chicago, then to Florida, before it went back to Chicago, then to Indiana. I checked it yesterday as it was to be delivered (I shipped it Thursday) on Saturday. It had been in Philadelphia, PA since Friday. Just checked, they moved it to yet another Philadelphia PA post office yesterday afternoon at 2:14PM. Guess where it still is. And I sent it EARLY so that it wouldn't get caught up in the mess of Christmas packages. She may - or may not - get it on Monday. And it is in a USPS BOX, not a regular brown amazon box like I have plenty of. I crammed everything in to the USPS box. Sent two loaves of my bread; sure hope it doesn't mold before it gets there! But - it should be delivered tomorrow.... I'm thinking positive. They eventually catch that they 'goofed' and get it sent to the right place. This is what happens when one lives in a small town that is 'out of the way' of the big city. But her packages are the only ones that get sent to other states and are delayed a day or two before she gets them. It does have $100 insurance on it.... but what is in there may have cost less than $50 so I'm not worried about it - all can be replaced. Stay tuned on this one -
I actually quit baking cookies about 4:30PM yesterday to work on my advent puzzle. Hubby offered to turn off the TV and I agreed. I finished another book last night - and I'm still 5 short of my goal of 50. It was a stretch, and I knew that. I need to pause before the end of the year and see if I have neglected to close out a book I did finish. I still don't think I'll make that goal - but I can use it for next year as well. It was adding 15 more from last year - and I did accomplish 10 more books, so I still think I did well. Especially with my limited time of reading. The thought occurred to me that maybe I could find 5 small books to read real quick to meet goal - but that takes the joy out of really finishing a goal - right? Too much to do to worry about it. I may get a book or two closer before the end of the year - will see; I have a couple I'm reading in and they aren't as big as some I have read. I would only be cheating myself if I stretched it out - right?
I think my neck is healing nicely; band-aids will not stay on my neck so have left it open - but found myself reaching up to scratch certain areas throughout the day without thinking. So last night before going to bed I put oil on the scar, and on the irritated areas that I want to scratch, and then a bandage and wrapped the gauze tape around my neck to hold it in place. No one would see it as I was going to bed - and it protected it during the night. Got to somehow fix my hair this morning to hide the stitches and yet look nice. That could be a challenge. Will need to start getting ready soon as we will need to leave here at 8AM. Still have some time currently.
Luke 7:6-10 (NLT): So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, "Lord, don't trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. I am not worthy to even come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say 'Go', and they go, or 'Come' and they come. And if I say to my slaves 'do this'; they do it." When Jesus heard this, He was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following Him, He said, "I have not seen faith like this in all Israel! And when the friends returned to the house, they found the slave completed healed.
How much faith do you have? Sometimes I have a great faith - and other times - it seems to fail me. There was a time that faith was my #1 spiritual gift. Where did it go? It wasn't because of any failure from God.... I think it was more the failure - or lack of faith - in people whom I expected to believe and have great faith. They didn't have faith that God would do what He said He would do. I believed - but they did not - and I can still remember the shock I felt when I realized the pastor 'dissed' my thoughts of trusting God for more. After awhile, I think my #1 gift dropped on down the line. I still believe - don't get me wrong! I know that God can do anything He wants! But somehow, over the years, the faith I had in believing for the impossible has waned. So what do I do about it? I pray often for more faith; that God will increase my faith - because I know that I know that I know - there is nothing that God cannot do. And you know that too. I just feel beaten up over the years - I'm a woman, so people don't always accept what I say. Yeah, one pastor told hubby he couldn't let me speak at his church anymore (years ago) because a man in the church didn't think women should be preachers. (Thanks to Paul's comments that were taken out of context). Yes, even I have been discriminated against. But it is their loss - for God does speak through the messages - it isn't me speaking - it is all Him. And, enough of that.
Do you believe in what God can do? That He can do anything he wants to do? Have there been times when you may have 'wished' something (good) would happen - and it did? Maybe you didn't pray about it, thinking it was a foolish request - but God knows all things and in all things He can work. And He does. I love those times when my eyes are opened and I realize that God worked in a situation that I thought was hopeless. It isn't 'luck' - it is all God.
Praying that you have an amazing day!
Blessings!
