First Day of Class

    Our first day of Field Ornithology is accomplished. Stacie, a friend from church, Joy Yoder and I are all taking it. We all enjoyed it. The professor gave us an introduction then took us bird watching. I saw one that I have not seen before, Grasshopper Sparrow, so I was tickled pink. I want to take off and just watch birds, which is not going to happen.
    Our late summer seems to be kicking off at high speed. How to enjoy it when super busy, that is the question. It puzzles my brain.
    Are we too busy when we find ourselves too frazzled with the daily duties and extras, to spend time with Him? I know we can spend time with Him as we work but still.. When we come to the end of the day and have not spent time in quiet, praying and reading His word are we too busy? I do not particularly subscribe to the theory that this has to be done with perfect regularity. I have seen duties ignored for reading and studying. Burdens that ought to have been lifted, instead, ignored for reading and studying. But what I was wondering is, what if whenever we felt hungry for the word of God, whenever we felt a need for a closer walk with Him, whenever we felt burdened to pray...What if we just did it? I think if we would act on these and the gentle promptings of the Spirit, we might be farther ahead. All this guilt and condemnation we walk in does not seem to produce the desired results. Why not walk in freedom, guiltless, doing our duty and when an hungered eat, when burdened pray, when hungry for Jesus spend quality time with Him? I think it would happen a lot more than we think.
    Jesus said, "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me." I think doing His will strengthens us just as meat does. Help us to do His will and walk in freedom not the rules that we put on ourselves. I will modify this statement to some degree. There is nothing wrong with discipline, in fact I am practicing it now with my fast from watching things for a year. When He leads us into this type of thing I think He also gives the grace and strength to accomplish it.

Fail!

    So we hear about this purple martin festival in Richmond. We go. Aaannnd we see nothing! There were supposed to be thousands of them coming to roost in a certain line of trees in Richmond. Sad. We went to the foot bridge to Belle Isle instead and walked across it. When we came back we saw some martins circling high in the sky but not very many. Oh well, I enjoyed eating out with friends and the bridge was nice. There will be wry purple martin comments for some time to come. One very cool thing was at one of the vendors in the area they had a book by one of Jerry's relatives, Victor Stoll. He had the largest colony of martins on his place in Tennessee and wrote a book about it.
    I am now making kefir which is supposed to be good for you. Jerry has decided he will not take any more because of internal combustion. He said the stuff is trying to kill him. I thought it might be good for Chris since he was on antibiotics so long and he can not take probiotics as it sends him into a tailspin with his low blood sugar. I would tell you more about it but you can google it.
    Debi has started making gourmet doctored up iced coffees with the concentrate I made. They look and taste amazing. I have a feeling they are a bit like a bomb health wise but if you want to stay awake and have sugar high there you go.
    Bed calleth. May your night be blessed.

Dark Cloud

    A dark cloud has been hanging over my head. An undefined sadness and depression. I did not identify it as an attack until last night. It still hung over me today. Tonight it is better. Somehow with following several leadings that occurred today and having company tonight for supper as a result, it seemed to break.
     The girls both started college today. I threatened Jolene with a sweet potato when she was loud right by my ear and she said with a snooty accent, "Don't hit me. I'm a college student now." We both dissolved into laughter. I enjoy the girls so much. Sometimes there is drama but mostly I am enjoying them.
      I am holding my breath as far as my foot holding out with all this housecleaning, etc. I am faithfully doing exercises for them, etc. It held up pretty good today but by tonight it went into a spasm when I got up to do something.
      I must go to bed so I will bid you good-night.

Fall Is Calling

    I feel the energy of autumn. It calls my name. Time to  exercise it says, time to study, time to batten down the hatches for winter. The first batch of corn candy is in the house.
    Yesterday I was at the chiropractor to get my tendon lasered and glanced up at the screen that is always spouting health info. It was saying that those who walk two miles are more healthy than those who walk one mile. It did not mention those who resist the temptation to walk. It spurred me to walk last night. I walked about a mile and half. Interesting side note: I was on the phone the whole way.
    I think the iced coffee concentrate I made is going to land in the drain. Nobody is drinking it. I think what Stacie said about Jerry's coffee this morning applies to it. She said it tasted like burnt matches with lady bugs in it.
    Life is full of interesting things right now. I am rather enjoying it.
    Keeping our eyes on Jesus is so important. It was brought home to me again very poignantly by Ken Davis. If we focus on the behavior we do not want in our lives that is what we will surely do. If we focus on Jesus and good behavior we will head toward it and Him. This is put very badly but hopefully you get the gist of it.

Offenses

     I got a glimpse yesterday of the damage that an offense can do in a person's life.  An offense is something that hurt you deeply at some point in your life. There might be other definitions but this is the one I am interested in for the moment. The damage can reach all areas of your life. (Did I mention how gruesome slugs are. One is crawling on my screen right now. I had thought we vanquished them all. Sorry my mind wandered.) Usually there is bitterness that goes with it. The enemy uses deep hurts to try and get us to believe lies which if we do not realize the importance of letting go of the offense and forgiving the person that caused it, can permeate into many areas of our life. The lies then start ruling our life instead of truth or Jesus.
     The importance to forgive and let go is so important and sometimes incredibly hard to do. Maybe to emphasize this point, this morning some offenses of my past came at me. Before I realized it, I was mulling over them. Then it hit me what was going on. It takes a laying down of self to let go and forgive yet again, when self is screaming that we have a right to be angry. That it was unjust and not right. "Let us lay aside every weight.." It takes a laying down of self to stop mulling over it.
     The lies that we are tempted to believe and the doubt the enemy tries to plant in our minds need to be rejected out of hand. A thought comes that you know is not of God but you are comfortable with it because you have lived with it so long. It is also something of an excuse. To reject it and believe the truth is going to propel you out of your comfort zone. To be a productive Christian, we MUST believe the truth. We can not be a light in this dark world if we are believing lies.
     The fast continues. Yesterday, I come out of the bedroom and the girls are in gales over some little clip they are watching. I look at it and Stacie realizes it and runs over to put her hands over my eyes. Honestly!
     College starts this week. Quake! The ornithology class I am taking does not start until next week though.
     May your day be full of His glory.
     

Am I An Israelite?

    Was thinking of the Israelites and how they would have awesome victories and then bam! down they would go into unbelief, complaining, etc. I am seeing myself acting this way and not too pleased about it. Shouldn't I believe more easily and more quickly now than before? When my own faults and sins look so monumental I find it hard to believe.
     I will turn my eyes to the only One Who is able to change things. I will put my trust in You. I will lay my complaining, whining self aside and only gaze at You, Lord. I will be quiet and trust. Let quiet faithfulness envelope me, Lord.
     The people did not show up to look at the house. We had a clean house much sooner than we would have had otherwise. I decided my iced coffee is lethal. I drank a glass of it at some point in the afternoon yesterday and it literally kept me awake all night. My eyes are scratchy and sleepiness is overtaking me as I write.
      In September I will no longer be in the food committee at church, so today I took some supplies up to the church and straightened the pantry, etc. It was a good stretching experience but I don't mind handing the responsibility over to someone else. :)
      Bed is calling. Good-night.

Panic!

     The iced coffee is made and very strong. The French press is on the back burner except when Jolene uses it. More syrup is made for Italian sodas. Debi and I are fans of these. Our day proceeds normally and then cabam! A phone call saying someone wants to come see our house tomorrow morning. Panic ensues. Since it is already evening and the house needs cleaning we shift into high gear. There are threats of what will happen if they don't come after all. Most of the house is now on the verge of decency except the kitchen and pantry which will be attacked at early morn. Lord willing.
     I have started reading a book about Hudson Taylor called, Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret. I have only read a little bit and it already ministered to me. I put in an order of books the other day. I wanted some that are true and full of ministry.
     My feet have improved what with using the exerciser. Which is an apparatus that you put your ankles on while lying down, of course, and it shakes you. Also I am going to the chiropractor and having them laser the tendon. Do or die. :)
     If you are wondering, I am still on the fast. It is not as easy as it was before. I am over one third of the way through so it looks a bit lengthy yet. I do not watch anything so it gets a bit tedious. I have been longing to listen to a German singing group that someone had told us about at EBI and that I really like but I am not going to start. I am afraid if I give it an inch it will take a mile. Plus the temptation is stronger right now.
     To God be the glory. Great things He hath done! So loved He the world that He gave us His Son.
     As always He is worthy of all honor, glory, and praise!
   

How To Continue

     Tonight a prayer:
     Lord, help me to let go of wanting people's approval. Let me shake off offenses as Paul shook off the snake. My eyes so often leave You and focus on other things and people. Oh, for a singleness of mind, a heart that pants after you, seeking only to do your will.
     My heart feels like lead. Again I see the feebleness of my efforts. How frail and puny they are! Help me love as You love, care as You care. Help me to do the duty that lies before me. Help me to see things as You see them, not judging by what I see and feel but having an ear to You.
     You know me better than I do. You know my selfishness, my pride, my tendency to laziness, etc. You know my frame and my weakness. Yet I will worship for You are worthy. So worthy.
      I will praise You for all the wonders You have done. Great is Your faithfulness. You have heard our cry and met us wondrously. You poured out Your Spirit in a mighty way. You healed wounds and restored souls. You gave the oil of joy for the spirit of heaviness. You speak and we can listen and act on it. You routed the enemy and set the captives free. How great and mighty are Your works! Blessed is Your Name and Your ways past finding out. Jesus, blessed Redeemer!

Frustration

    Maybe writing in the morning will work better. Evenings are not working so well.
    My foot is worse lately and my other foot is not feeling so good. Discouragement wants to plague me as well as anger. I did not realize until right now that there is an element of anger in this. Frustration at it getting worse for no apparent reason; then trying to figure out what I am doing wrong. Maybe I should quit trying to keep it at bay, maybe trying to find reasons is useless, maybe always blaming myself for doing something wrong is stupid. MAYBE I should cast all that aside and pray. Cry out to God for help, for mercy and healing.
     On another note, I have been trying to glean some healthy and trimming information from a very fat diet book. I have tried a few recipes and liked them. I just don't like wading through a mountain of unnecessary words to get to the info I want. I decided to use Jerry's illustration of just doing what you are capable of, as far as new resolutions go. Applying this to dieting makes me breathe easier and is much less condemning.
     The fast continues, with good results. I continue with some trepidation and circumspectness. (I know, I know. It is not a word.) There is a sense of danger coming from the fact that the battle we were in, has lessened greatly. Thank-you Jesus and praise your holy name! What happens is that you relax your guard to some degree. The reaction is to let caution fly to the winds and "just max and relax." Anyway, this is what I do not want to do but I feel it knocking, that kick back feeling. What goes with that feeling is to let go of fasting and just chill. Lord help me to walk with a view to the seriousness of the race we are in and not relax my guard. Rest, yes, but not without a soberness and awareness of danger and the evil that wants to beset us.
     I used to think we were not on the front lines in this country but I see it quite differently now. There is so much of the occult intertwined and interwoven even in legitimate things in out country and it is affecting people a lot more than is thought. My sister, who is a nurse, said how the computer calendar for the hospital's medical group now has witch's holidays on it. How we have fallen! This country with its great revivals and Christianity has sunken pretty far. It must be grievous in God's eyes. May God help us to be ready to lose our lives for the sake of the gospel. Help us to stand for truth and right!
   

Warning Dreams

    Stacie and I each dreamed that I started watching things again. I decided to take it as a warning not to drop my guard. I was very relieved when I woke up and realized it was not true. I also take dreams like these as an opportunity to pray about a particular situation and ask for God's protection.
     It continues being a good thing for me and for my family as well. It makes me so much more available.
     Debi and I biked another section of the trail last Saturday morning. It was very enjoyable. Jerry took us to the Rice entry and we biked back to River Road going over High Bridge in the process. We stopped on High Bridge to enjoy the view, so beautiful.
     Last night we had a discussion on discipline. Jolene asked Jerry if discipline is good. He said, "Yes. It is beneficial." And she said, "What if you have no will power?" He said, "Then you just do what you are capable of. For instance, if you want to get up early, just do one day a week." He said it also helps to have a set time time like a month, etc. that you will do your discipline. I decided to apply this to losing weight.
    In regards to the French press coffee, it is a hit with Debi, Stacie, Jolene and I. I grind my own coffee and it tastes great! The problem is the French press must have been of the cheaper variety as it is already broken, usable, but probably not for long.
     I will soon be working every morning from Tuesday through Thursday. The girls will be helping me whenever they can. I have gotten two new jobs and upped my price and they did not blink so if more come in, the other ladies are going to have to pay more to keep me. :) It was encouraging that my reputation as a good cleaner got me the one job. I feel a bit apprehensive how busy it is going to get around here once college starts but hopefully it will be a fairly smooth transition.
     We have put our place up for sale. We have been getting more and more disgusted with the amount of money we spend on upkeep so we will see. Jerry has other land where we could build and I especially like the one spot or site. There will be no fence or pool or field. Happy sigh...