Yeah, I'm behind schedule.....

 I did not sleep well last night; not sure why.  I didn't get up until around 5:45a and it was with a really bad headache; bad enough I immediately took Excedrin Migraine before I even took my pills!  The headache has settled down now, but I sure didn't get much of my 'quiet time' done.  I'm so glad that God loves me and understands when I 'miss out' on our time together.  I did still have time to read a devotional, some in my bible, and pray a little.  But I miss my extended time with Him.  Grateful the headache is finally going away that is in my head (a little 'fun' here; hubby is still here).  HAH!

Because hubby has to know all I do and when I'm doing it, I walk in to the kitchen this morning to return my coffee cup and he is already asking me if I'm making a protein shake to leave the blender out because he is going to make one as well.  Ok... I wasn't thinking of breakfast yet... but did go ahead and make a protein shake and have it now to sip on as I type this.  

I did fairly well with my food intake yesterday and switched out 'lunch' for tomatoes and mini cukes!  Last night I thought I was making a better choice when we went out with friends to Chili's.... I chose a house salad with ranch and chicken enchilada soup (I was really thinking tortilla but they don't have that one.  Well, the soup was really creamy (and good)... and although I tried to be good ... my glucose took a jump to 123 this morning!  Note to self; stick with the house salad at Chili's.  Or maybe the fajitas and do without the tortilla.... ugh... I love carbs and giving them up is hard!  But, if I want to lose weight and get lower my BP, it requires sacrifice!  I want to see the scale start moving downward; it hasn't yet.  Sigh. But I tell myself as well that I worked out yesterday and therefore built my muscles up as well, and muscle weighs more than fat does so need to focus on the body changes and not the scale changes, right?

I have two more 'mystery boxes' coming in today.  I have no idea what is in them but am sure I will be sharing with others.  I try to go before noon to pick up, but am not always able to do so.  First thing I need to do today, once I get word the requests are approved, is get two airline and hotel reservations completed for two of the bosses.  I do not like doing airline reservations; I'm always afraid that I will get the wrong ones.  In fact, I created both yesterday and put on 'hold trip' until I got the approvals.... and I noticed I may have either put one name twice or well, I don't know what happened.  May have to delete one hold and start over.  It's going to be 'a day', it feels like. But that's just 'in my head'.  Right?

Hmmm just got a 'call' from Fed Ex (which I didn't answer cause didn't know number) and it is telling me that about an unsuccessful delivery attempt... to visit fedex.com.  So is it real or a scam?  It doesn't give me a telephone number. The call came from Gibsonia, PA.  Never heard of Gibsonia, have you?   Oh well, I may check it out later.  I do have several items on order and it's possible they were shipping by Fed Ex. If they screwed up my address, it's on them.  

I've got to finish up on this first message I'm going to do at the RV park - my first Sunday is November 8 and they will call me THIS Sunday to get title and scripture.  I'm no where near ready; don't even have a draft done.  Need to get focused in the next few days and the one I'm working on currently, make that decision whether or not to use it.  I've actually 'toyed' with the idea of telling them that after this season (November - March) that I won't do it anymore.... but I love the people and I love sharing God's Word and as we are all 'older'... our time on earth is growing smaller and I must do my part in making sure they (and me) are ready for 'the end'. As I am sure you are aware, many people think "Oh, I will think about accepting Jesus as Lord once I get older" or "I have plenty of time, I'm healthy!" and other excuses we make... but we do not know the day nor the hour that God has chosen for us. Our 'job' is to BE READY!  Right?  Each of us must make that decision; it can't be made by our parents or spouse or siblings.  It's a question for each one individually - have you accepted Jesus as Lord?

Hebrews 4:12  (NLT) For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow.  It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

The inner life of a Christian is often a mixture of genuinely spiritual and completely human motivations.  Only a supernaturally discerning agent such as the word of God can sort out what is of the flesh and what is of the spirit. (David Jeremiah ESV)

When you think about it, it's true.  We think spiritual thoughts, and our human tendencies, or motivations, are also within our minds and we can decide which way we will go - either obey God's instructions, or follow our human motivations.  Unfortunately for many of us, we tend to do things 'our way' instead of God's way, and then we kick ourselves for how it turns out - right?

I'm getting all sorts of reminders on my phone this morning!  I have an oil change scheduled at AAA Repair down the street tomorrow morning, so they are reminding me about that.  I've already received two notifications from EFF that my 'mystery box' is ready for pickup today between 8-5p.  Well, I can't go until closer to noon (usually try to go between 10 and noon, depending on what is going on workwise. I have to check the boss's schedules too.  But, I take it as my 'lunch break' and am usually back between 30-45 minutes.

Well, it is after 8a and I am working so need to get on those wonderful travel arrangements.  May you have an amazingly blessed day in all that you do.  No matter what happens, trust God.  It is in HIS TIMING that things work out.  We may be disappointed, we may be frustrated beyond all things..... but God sees you, and loves you, and knows what is best for you.  We don't always like His teachings for us, but they are for our good.  Trust Him.

Blessings!

I'm not sure what to think....

 I left early to get my hair done yesterday.... and although it looked acceptable after he styled it and I came home, once I got home and saw how much he had cut off in the back, I'm not liking it so much.  Yes, I have less hair to deal with, but I'm just not sure I like it.  And I remembered how I didn't like the layered cut a couple cuts ago.  Sigh.  I showed him 4-5 photos of hair styles from Pinterest and I thought he understood what I was looking for.  I'm sure its ok, and I just need to learn how to style it myself, but by last night, I wasn't liking it so much.  This morning hasn't changed that thought much.  But - "it is what it is" and I got what I asked for.... so maybe it is just me.  Maybe it is my wrinkled face that makes it look so out of place on my head.  Sigh.  Nothing I can do about that face!

Once back home I jumped on the work computer since I had taken off early.  I was able to get rid of two very big meetings, for which I am grateful.  I had a response that I needed so I ran with it and luckily my male boss was still working (it was his meeting), and I could tell him someone took the spot I had given to the outside company to meet with them.  I'm happy to say he told me to tell the other meeting organizer to move their meeting so that I could have that spot.  And I did.  I think they have already moved it.  YAY!

My head is hurting this morning so I've already taken an ibuprofen.  I wasn't going to take one for my body aches - lol - those 'booty thrusts' my trainer made me do the other day has caused my 'glutes' to hurt and it's hard to get up and down - but I can push through that.  I think it is the weather that is rolling in for the weekend.  I heard Tucson was to get his pretty bad again last night. Need to check in on the granddaughter later.  

My oldest son and his wife are heading out of state today.  I've already spent time praying over their travel there, the vehicle they will get, the travel to the location they are going to, and even their return flight! And I will continue to pray over them while they are gone.  I don't like any of my children being so far away.  I think I can feel somewhat of that my mother felt when I was the only child who moved out of state.  I won't say I was her favorite, for I wasn't that I know of.  I'll let all the others claim that role.  I knew that mother and I loved each other, and that is all that matters.  I didn't need to be the favorite.  

I argued with myself on the way home from the 'beauty' shop about dinner.  I really didn't want to cook, but then I thought about how often we have gone out lately and told myself we need to cut back.  (Even hubby was complaining yesterday about how much he has been spending going out to eat with his friends!)  We had gone out for pizza the night before.  Thought about picking up a bucket of chicken from El Pollo Loco or KFC... but I drove on home and fixed the chicken I had thawed out earlier in the day and seasoned and put in the airfryer, cooked spaghetti and put marinara sauce on top of it, and heated up a can of progresso split pea soup.  That was our dinner and it was filling.  And it didn't take much preparation either.  I think I have just gotten lazy.  I love to cook. I want to cook. I just need to get my heart wanting to create again.  

I wonder if my granddaughter nearby has made sourdough bread this week.  She gave us a 1/2 loaf (cause that is all I asked for) last week, and I finished it off yesterday.  Her sourdough bread is so good and when you toast it - oh yum.  

I worked on the message for Sunday after dinner last night.  Got it finished. I need to make a decision on the songs now and let Pastor Don know for he has offered to find music to play on his phone via soundbar. Or vice versa.  I try to find the hymns that most will know; luckily I have a couple hymnals that I can flip through.  I've got communion this week as well so I need to pull that together.  It's all good. I do my part and then I step back and let God do His.  It's His service anyway.

I don't know about you, but I am so grateful for a loving, kind, grace-giving, and merciful God who loves me so much, that when I do something bad, or stupid, or just even without thinking about consequences, when I seek His face and ask His forgiveness, He extends grace.  Receiving His grace when I seek forgiveness - sincerely - does not mean that I can sin any time I want to and know that I will receive His grace.  Nor does it mean it for you.

Romans 6:1-2 (NKJV): What shall we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

God's grace is free; all we need to do is ask for forgiveness, and His grace flows over us. You will find the burdens of sin that you carry on your shoulders will completely disappear.  Yes, we have to deal with the consequences of our sin(s), but God is faithful to walk with us through the fire, and not leave us in it.  I am so grateful for His forgiveness, for His love, for His grace.  His wonderful, abiding, faithful, consuming grace.  Hallelujah!

When confronted by people in sin (for example, when the Jews would throw an adulterous woman at Jesus and tell Him she needs to be stoned according to the law), remember what Jesus did that one time? He squatted down and wrote in the dirt.  We don't know what He wrote, but do you think He might have been listing the sins of the men who were pointing their fingers at this woman?  Jesus tells them that 'who is without sin, could cast the first stone'.  He continued to write in the dirt. Eventually he looked up and saw only the woman. He asked her where her accusers were.  They had all left, each without throwing that first stone.  And Jesus tells her, "Go, and sin no more."

And that is what He tells us.  We are forgiven, and we are to 'go and sin no more'.  Let that be in our minds and hearts today, that as we go through this day, our thoughts are on Jesus, and not on the worldly things that convict and tempt us.  Jesus is Lord of ALL.  Seek Him, Find Him, Know Him.  He is Lord.

Blessings!