"Road work ahead"

The other day as I was out running errands, delivering school supplies, it seemed that every road I traveled was being worked on. It really began to annoy me a bit...every where I turned...

"road work ahead"..."one lane traffic". I began to become a bit impatient but "talked" myself out of it. Even sat in one place for 15 minutes!

I started to think...that's the way life is...the way we are. We are always "under construction".

We are always being "worked" on and we need to be patient...patient with ourselves AND with others. None of us has "arrived". None of us "has it all together".

But He Who began that good work in us...notice He says He began a GOOD work...that 's a good work in you and in me! He will be faithful to complete it!

"Road work ahead"! Thank goodness He's working on us, bringing us into maturity, changing us from glory to glory!

We just need to cooperate AND be patient!

"Brand new"!

Yep! It's that time of year! A new school year...brand new.

Stores are loaded with school supplies...pencils, notebooks, glue sticks, brightly colored folders...love it!

Love smelling pencils, notebooks, crayons, books! (no I don't go around just picking things up and smelling them). Reminds me of Captain Kangaroo when he did crafts on his show! I can still hear him cutting paper with his scissors and you could almost smell the crayons he used!

Anyone remember those days????

Had my cart loaded with school supplies for the grands and my mind whirring with educational activities I could do with them.

This is a new "season" for me as well. I will be helping with the grands schooling this year.

Have done a little in the past but will be more involved this year and I am so excited! Guess it's the "teacher" in me!

Things will change at the assisted livings for me. I will no longer go weekly to teach but I will go and visit as often as I can. This will be very different for I have been teaching at the assisted living for many, many years. I'll pop over for visits and take the grands to see them, delivering goodies that we will make for them!

Just new! Brand new! New start...a fresh start...just like God's mercies..."New every morning!"

It's a dark and ........

stormy night!

Lots of rain, wind, thunder and lightning!

Decided it was a night that called for candlelight...just in case!

"Suspended"!

Mike and I, for some time now, have been disgusted with most of the television programming.

We don't watch sitcoms, we don't watch the food shows, no prime time movie channels, no TVLand, etc. Actually it would be easier to list what we do watch and most of that is not very often.

So we decided to suspend our DirecTV for four months, to see if we miss our favorites or if we will just do away with it all together.

We have plenty of DVDs and still watch some of our VHS movies. Mike recently got the Ken Burns Civil War DVDs and we've watched a bit of them.

I do believe this will encourage us to read much more than we do. We have tons of books all over our house and so many we haven't even read yet.

Am giving up the old Waltons, Judging Amy, Sue Thomas FBEye (actually have those on DVD so I can still watch her anytime), my two favorite TV Bible teachers, Andrew Wommack and Joseph Prince but I can get them on my computer so really am not missing out at all!

The real deal is that we will be saving a lot of money every month! Just didn't think we were being good stewards of all that money for just a very few programs.

Love a rainy day!

What a wonderful rainy day!

Am loving it!

Turning on some lights and making it oh so cozy inside....ahhhhh.

Think I'll settle down with a good book!

Afternoon musings

My thoughts have been "all over the place" today. This morning I just felt dull; not sure why but my plan of action to alleviate the dullness was to get on the rebounder for a while and to pray.

Visited my friend, Sandi for some Bible study. Always enjoy her company and I came away encouraged and with a delicious iced coffee to boot!

After lunch, reading the paper, and stretching out on the couch, random thoughts invaded my tranquility...thoughts like "why do we think the worst of people"..."why do we take something so small and insignificant and turn it into a "mountain"..."why do I get so caught up in my appearance and the fact that I am "maturing" and hate to look at myself in the mirror some days"..."why do we compare ourselves to others"..."why can't I see people more through my Father's eyes"..."why can't I be satisfied with just pleasing my Father"...

My remedy to all these whirling thoughts was to pray to my Father and throw myself into cleaning bathrooms, dusting, running the vacuum and plotting my next course of action...

immersing myself in the Word, renewing my mind and allowing Him to continue the work He began in me. This of course is an ongoing, day to day, keeping my focus on Him, Who created me and knows me best AND loves me best! (Just as He loves each of His children-we're all His favorites!)

After all, we're the "apple of His eye"...such a perfectly lovely thought! And hey! It's the Truth!

Emma's "new" teeth!

Emma lost her two front teeth awhile back and we made her "new" ones!