Off to Oregon we go

We bought our tickets to go see my daughter and son-in-law who are in the Coast Guard. We are leaving October 6 and staying the week. Now we have more responsibilities with our crazy dog and a daughter to make sure are taken care of.

The crazy dog got out of her pen yesterday and was standing in the middle of the road looking for which we went when we left . Thankfully our neighbors who are avid animal lovers took notice and took care of her until we returned. She jumped the fence. She's a Great Pyrenees. Who would have thought she could jump like that? Anyway, they told us she was completely traumatized and wouldn't even drink water until we returned. Then we found her at a dead run running toward us with the hook off the barn and a leash dragging behind her. I think she likes her family. We are going to have to start using the shock collar. It is better than getting run over in the road.

Our counter tops and back splash look beautiful. I will finish the grouting on the last stretch today and this project will be complete.

Last Friday my friend and I went to Franklin, Tennessee for a day of shopping. It's just far enough away to feel like you have gone somewhere but close enough to be convenient. We had a great time. I didn't buy anything. I don't know why, Just didn't see anything I couldn't live without but I had a wonderful day.

Progress?

We think we are moving forward in our projects around the house and something always comes up. We picked up our countertops and I picked up some Italian tumbled tile for a back splash and when I got it home the color was terrible in the house. I was trying to save time on Saturday but that didn't work out. Back to the box store. We picked out another one and Husband decided we needed a new kitchen sink. But he forgot the Baskets (?) for the sink. So we have that figured out. We have gone from putting in new counter tops to adding a new sink, tile back splash, and faucet , (I'm so thankful for that!) and I believe we will have a very pleasurable space to work in. I'm going to do the tiling since I want to learn. I really must learn how to add pictures to this website.

We have one of the most beautiful workdays imaginable today. It makes the minor setbacks bearable. We also picked up a new shop vac today and wow is that thing pleasant to use. I cleaned up the sawdust likidly split. You'd think we would have every tool and gadget available but there are yet more to buy.

I'm feeling sleepy today and I think I need a quick nap. Maybe I will make better sense after the nap.

What a gorgeous day!

Well, the hot weather has finally broken. We got a little rain here yesterday. Still less than the communities around us, but it really feels like fall now. The air is clear and clean and I have the doors open, airing out the house from a long dry summer.
Yesterday I finished the bed in the new retaining wall and it looks good. I need to learn how to post pics to this email site. I'm trying to finish some work and have to measure a big job in Blossomwood that I'm looking forward to working on.
My seminar went very well at Across The Pond on Saturday. The turn out was better than I could have ever hoped for and all seemed to have left with more knowledge. I hear there were requests for more seminars. I think they are fun and I enjoy doing them.
My daughter and son-in-law has lost their pet to antifreeze poisoning this past week and they are are understandably very upset about losing Spike. My heart goes out to them. The next day Mike broke his right hand. But all this stuff is going to stop. We've prayed and declared and things are going to straighten out for them.
I guess this is just a catch up blog since I haven't entered in a while. Things are going well and except that Husband took his mom to Ohio for a visit, not much has been happening.
Oh, our new counter tops will be installed this weekend and I bought a new faucet since the old one was too low and I couldn't get a pitcher under it. Pictures are soon to follow.
The boat is still in pieces but we are making a little progress. We don't want to start any new projects but we have so many old ones it's taking us a while to get them wrapped up.
Thanks for keeping up with me on my blog. I enjoy being part of your life every once in a while!

My Husband the Preacher

My husband has turned into quite a preacher. He has been preaching at our church often lately and I am astounded at how good he is at it. He truly has the leading and the annointing of the Holy Spirit on him and he speaks the truth with both wisdom and passion. I believe his word is changing lives. When I watch him preach I think 'Jesse DuPlantis or Myles Monroe has nothing on him. He truly is good enough to be on television. He is clear, doesn't back down from the truth and is very entertaining. More people should be exposed to his preaching.

My seminar at Across The Pond is this Saturday and I'm getting excited about it. I have to do some research on taking care of different types of grasses for overwintering and I will do that today. Work has also picked up and I am very thankful about that.

Meghan (Husband's daughter) who just came to live with us is getting her braces off today. Big day for her!

It's getting busy around here

We finally had a little rain here and the temperatures are out of the double digits. The serious heat wave is broken. I'm not say saying that it isn't going to still be warm but this stifling over the top heat is gone for this year.

I'm working on my seminar for Across The Pond scheduled for September 8 and I'm enjoying the research. I'm relearning things I had forgotten and checking on questions I have had but have never taken the time to look up. It will be a good seminar.

Also, on September 22 I will be giving a presentation at church to our Women's group about relationships with men. That is what the women wanted to talk about and I have several of the counseling classes in the school of ministry so I'm putting something together and we will have some discussion time, also. We are not necessarily opening it up to the public, but guests are certainly welcome.

My ex sister-in-law has ovarian cancer and this weekend she did not do well. She arrested and the Doctors (and prayer) brought her back but the hospital called all the family in and told them she probably would not make it through the night. But she did and she is doing much better. She is off the respirator early and is attentive. Its been a hard time for everyone.They used to be my family and I love all of them. They are constantly in my prayers.

I had better get started on this busy week. Things are picking up and I am really enjoying that. It's just the beginning. God really does take care of His children.

A New Boat

In the Christian world there is as attitude that I call 'Drop a car into my lap syndrome' that some spirit-filled, faith practicing people practice. What that is in my opinion is 'if I pray for a new car (or whatever I want, but a car is a good example) then God will just drop one in my lap. I don't have to do anything except ask.

I understand that God is faithful and no prayer goes unheard, but I think this attitude is way off base. Yes, I have seen God 'drop something into a lap' but only after staying faithful and being in God's will to allow Him to do such a thing. I have an example:

A few weeks ago Husband prayed for us to have more fun in our lives. I got into agreement with that request and we went on with our lives. Husband was at a job with a family where he had been called back from doing previous work. While working, the couple mentioned that they were moving and had this older but in good shape, speedboat. They didn't know what to do with it. Well husband has wanted a boat for a long time and he said he would be glad to take it off their hands. So they signed over the whole thing with skis, vests and the other things that come with a boat for ...free!

Now we are enjoying working on the boat, cleaning the oxidation and shining it up, replacing the carpeting and adding our special touches including mahogany to the boat that fell into our lap.

But lets look at what it took to get this windfall, for a moment. First we had to have a truck to haul the boat. That was another act of obedience that I won't get into now. In another answer to a prayer we have this house with the garage and all this land in which we can store the boat and work on it. Then Husband had to do have done excellent work in order to be called back to that home. And lastly, he had to be working in order to be at the place of opportunity to receive the boat. So look at the lining up that God had to do to perform this miracle. And look at what we had to do to be able to receive this miracle.

My point is, Heaven doesn't move until Earth does. If we want something from God, we have to do something! Just sitting at home with no education, no job, or no opportunity to get yourself blessed is not having Earth move first. So if we want to be blessed with having a car dropped into our lap, or in this case, a boat, then we better be obedient and attentive, as well as working, in order to be blessed.

I'm sure some of you reading this is thinking, duh, right now as I do, but there are people who believe that just because we ask something from God He is like Santa Claus and just hands stuff out as we ask for it. But relationship is a two way street, especially with God. We are here for His good pleasure and He enjoys interacting with us so ask, but don't let it stop there. Listen to His leading in order to get your miracle. And enjoy all the other miracles He performs in order to get you to that ultimate miracle.

Are you Weather Depressed?

I don't know if it is scientific or not but I can double guarantee that this hot, dry weather is making peoples' personalities change. It's almost a feeling of hopelessness, like things will never get better. Like we are going to dry up and blow away and nothing will ever grow again and we won't ever have water holes or we won't ever be able to stay outside in the middle of the day.

I am a victim of these feelings myself so I know of what I speak. A whole region can be effected by this hopeless feeling. Folks stop spending money, they stop making plans, at least immediate plans and they can get just downright mean. It has been a hard year weather wise around here this year and I really feel that it is effecting peoples attitudes for the negative.
About the only thing that will carry us through this rough patch is to not get wrapped up in our feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. It will rain again. It will be cool again. God has not abandoned us but perhaps He is giving us a wake up call that we should take better care of what He has given us. We can carry that from this experience.

So don't give up hope. Make plans for tomorrow. The whole world is not blowing away, just our little part and just for a little while. Decide what you want to plant this fall and get ready to do it. It will make you feel better.