And we are 'off ... well, soon....

 I didn't sleep well last night - not because I am excited about being on vacation - although I am - but because my left hip decided to ache all night - bad enough that I got up and took an excedrin in the middle of the night (didn't want to dig for the ibuprofen in the cabinet), but by then my body was also starting to awaken from my upper and lower body workouts this week.  

The landscapers have arrived this morning and they woke my daughter up, using the leaf blower in the courtyard.  They ARE loud.  And annoying.  

I have barely started to pack; I suppose I need to get on that pretty soon, now that the daughter is up and getting ready to get in the shower.  I'm sure I will forget something.... that's how prepared I am. LOL I'm excited to go, don't get me wrong; just haven't gotten around to packing much just yet.  After I finish this, I will get started.

We took hubby out for dinner last night and was glad the oldest son and wife were able to have dinner with us.  My daughter, and granddaughter and family, also came.  I think we all were disappointed with the food at some point.  I ordered the small bear paws with the mashed potatoes and broccoli and carrots - I couldn't eat the broccoli and carrots - carrots were hard and the broccoli looked like it had seen better days.  Hubby got IHOP gift cards which made him very happy as he goes there on Thursdays to eat when he meets up with his friend.  At least we took him out and he was happy he got attention.  

It's kind of funny, in a way.  My daughter comes home and I haven't seen her since ... January?... don't remember... and we really don't talk much - sometimes not even weekly.... and we didn't really have much to talk about when we had some time alone.  When I meet up with my little sister, we sit up and talk about everything, and we talk fairly often!  Just think it's ironic.  But then, I knew my daughter was tired as it was also a travel day for her.

We don't plan to leave for at least a couple hours yet so we are just taking our time getting around.  I've already done my devotions and had my cup of coffee.  And here I type.  Not that I have much to talk about this morning.  Not sleeping well at all, I'm tired and I just may have to nap on the way up - although we are only going a couple hours or so out of town.  We will stop for breakfast after picking up the granddaughter and great-granddaughter.  We can't check in the airbnb until 4PM - can you believe we got an email that said if we wanted to check in earlier, it would be $50 more?  Naw, we'll wait until 4PM.  We have shopping to do.

I need to pull out a couple board games to take and need to start packing for real.  I got a wooden doll house I had ordered a few weeks ago - it came yesterday.  I plan to take it with us, but I have already told the great-granddaughter it will come back to Oma's house; it isn't going home with her.  That way the other great-granddaughters can play with it as well.  

I'm just being lazy this morning.  Is this what retirement would feel like?  I've pretty much decided I probably won't be retiring, at least any time soon.  It will depend on when they hire to replace Brett, and then replace Sue after she retires.  If I can't make a 'connect' with the new ones, I may go ahead and take retirement and find another job.  I kind of like having money to spend whenever I want to, and not have to ask hubby's 'permission'.  

Daughter just came in to tell me the high today where we are going is 65 degrees.  I will make sure I have a thick sweater. LOL  I just don't do cold.  Although 65 isn't bad.  It's somewhat cool this morning and we have the front door open. Of course I have my thick housecoat around my shoulders.

Ok  guess I need to get off here.  Hubby has stopped his quiet time and is opening the blinds (I'm still on the couch) and my daughter is taking her shower in my bathroom.  I need to pull out the games and get some things pulled together; at least start packing, right?

I plan to take my computer with me and can hopefully keep you alert to all our activities....  not that we do much while away.  We kind of work things around our great-granddaughter.  And shopping. :-)

So - with that - I will stop my boring chatter and sign off for today.  Hope you have an amazing day.

Blessings!

Travel day!

 Yes, today will be a travel day to visit our granddaughter.  Hubby is insisting on driving so I will be taking my 'yarn n go' to keep my eyes busy while in the car.   (in other words, I will be crocheting or knitting so I don't get 'over-anxious' over his driving skills)  His driving really isn't THAT bad... it's just sometimes he drives like an old man. Oh yeah, he IS an old man!  Seriously, he only gets confused once in a while.  But his doctor keeps telling him his mind is great - so I can't argue with his doctor... well, I can, but he neither of them listen to me.

We had a great lunch yesterday with friends and I did go shopping afterwards.  If you want to still call it that.  Sigh.  I went to Home Goods, which is usually a lot of fun to go through and I did get a couple things... but it was crowded and things, I felt, were overpriced.  Didn't stay there long.  From there I went to JoAnn Fabrics... it's day time on Friday, right?  People should be at work!  I walked around, decided against yarn, didn't need fabric, but I did find a couple little things... and when I went tot he line, there were about 15 people ahead of me and only two people working the registers very s-l-o-w-l-y.  I waited 5 minutes and the line didn't move.  So I did.  I walked out of the line, put my things in the 'return' basket, and walked out.  From there (I couldn't go home yet, it was early!) I went to the dollar store (which is now $1.25) and I picked up mainly candy (of course) - got some peeps that I open the packages and let them dry out cause they are so good when they are crunchy!   Then I came home.  I had wasted the entire afternoon... ok - a little over two hours... and really didn't get anything accomplished.  Came home, visited Ms. Diane for about an hour.. came back home, fixed diner, we ate, and then we sat for the rest of the evening.  Yeah, I forgot all about the rec center.  Maybe I can get hubby to stop there on our way out of town... or I'll go down Monday.  Tee Hee.  He told me he has a breakfast at 8AM with an old friend on Monday.  So yay!  I'll have some time alone.  Wonder what I can get in to?

Don't know what hubby's problem was last night - probably his shoulder was aching - but he woke me up at 2:15AM with his tossing and turning... and finally I got up a little after 4AM. I tried to go back to sleep in here, but that was a lost effort.  He got up about 5AM I think, and brought me my coffee.  We both need to pack yet - but for just overnight, don't need to pack much.  I've already thrown my phone and watch chargers in the bag so that I don't forget them.  Will need to remind hubby - his are different than mine so we can't share.

Our friends yesterday gave us a jar of corn salsa that they brought from Wisconsin when they flew out.  I was apprehensive, I will admit.  But last night I opened the jar and tasted it - and it is really good!  I'm thinking that I will need to do some experimenting and see if I can come close to duplicating it.  It is a little sweet, but it has a good taste to it.  It isn't hot, but it does have jalapenos in it for flavor.  I did look it up online and saw several corn salsa recipes, but none like this one.  When I told her that I was going to try and make the salsa... she started calling me 'Suzy Homemaker'.  LOL  What a hoot.  Haven't heard that term in years!

I read I and II Thessalonians and I Timothy in my Bible this morning.  I love it when I have ample time to read more than just a few chapters.  And these are fairly short books.  In I Timothy, Paul is talking about how the atmosphere is everything.  By that he means whether it is a natural or physical atmosphere, or a spiritual atmosphere.  We live in both.  The spiritual atmosphere cannot be seen with natural eyes, and yet, there is a real spirit world beyond what our eyes can see.  God made us human beings that are sensitive to atmospheres. That's why we'll pay money to go to a nice restaurant even though we could cook the same food in our own kitchen for three times less. You pay for atmosphere because we were created to respond to atmosphere.  

God is responsive to atmospheres. God is everywhere, but He doesn't manifest His presence everywhere. There's a difference between God being everywhere and His manifest presence. The thing that causes God to manifest His presence is the right atmosphere. In church, there are times when the preacher preaches and the presence of God comes at that moment.  There are principalities, powers, and different ranks and authority that demons have. We cannot fight the spirit world with natural ability, education, money - or any of man's resources. You have to fight these evil spirits with the Holy Spirit.

All spirits seek expression of their will in time and space. No evil spirit can manifest his will into time and space without somebody providing him that opportunity.  Demonic spirits are very real and are not the same; they have different assignments and ranks and levels.

One the Bible calls 'vexing spirits'. These are the demonic spirits that oppose you and come against you as a child of God. A vexing spirit is when you are down and oppressed all the time. You are discouraged and in a state of hopelessness.  You even think about hurting yourself.  If you want to change this - start praising God - it will cause these vexing spirits to leave!

There is also the doctrines of devils or demons.  The doctrines of the devil are the teachings or thought patterns that come in to the mind to control the way people think.  That is what happens to an atheist. They are under the doctrine that says there is no God.  That thought process begins to dominate the mind and it is Satan. People like this are in hate groups like white supremacists.

And, there are territorial demonic strongholds, spirits, and principalities.  These are high level demonic powers who take control over certain geographical areas.  Over nations. Over cities.  We may think that is what has happened to Washington DC - or even the entire United States! We have to come together as the body of Christ to pray against the demonic activity that is trying to establish itself and settle itself over our nation.  Pray for the United States!

Are you tired of that oppression? Are you tired of that atmosphere of anger and hatred in your home? Are you tired of giving place to the devil?  Then don't. There is freedom for you and power to fight in the spirit realm.

Pray this:  "I take authority over every vexing spirit. I displace them in Jesus' name. I take authority over doctrines of devils that have tormented minds with false doctrines, false religions, thought patterns. I take authority over that in Jesus' name. I take authority over principalities and powers in the name of Jesus."

Change the atmosphere in your home, in your work, wherever you are.  You have the authority in Jesus' name to cause the devil to flee and to take his spirits with him.  Never think you don't have that power.

James 4:7 (NKJV):  "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

John 20:31 (NIV):  "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name."

I don't know about you, but I choose to believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that He came to earth as a baby, born of a virgin.  At age 30 he began to preach and teach and taught the people about the love of God, that they may be saved, and be baptized as He was, and look forward to a life of wholeness, living for the One who rescues us from despair and hopelessness.  He was unfairly sentenced, and died on the cross for us, taking every thing we ever did - every sin, every bad thing, every lie, every anger, every thing that was wrong.... and it was nailed to the cross.

Why?  So that we can be forgiven as He is our everlasting sacrifice, and we can live, giving glory to our Father, Jesus His Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Blessing!