Mon.-"I will arise when He calls my name..." Studied, blogged some back writings from my blog notebook, washed, exercised, etc. Picked up Susan from school. Went to Walmart. Susan made Philip a brownie, butter cream icing cake with lots of candy bars. Food coma. Went to church business meeting in eve. Phil went to neighborhood meeting regarding property adjoining other farm and zoning issues. Philip stayed home to be with Susan. Christi came over. They played Farkle. Susan came up from behind and won as usual. She is willing to take risks and in most cases, it pays off.
I am thankful that the kids and their friends are getting such joy out of fishing.
I am thankful that Christi got to pull a fish out the other night and that her legs were shaking from the rush of the victory after the battle.
I am thankful that God sees us through the light of His countenance.
Tues.-"I wanna be like you....I wanna walk like you..talk like you too." Great day at school. In music, we listened to Handel's 'Pastoral Symphony' and 'Behold, and see, if there be any sorrow, like unto His sorrow.' Read few verses in Is. 53 and talked about how Jesus knew more sorrow than anyone else, but He also experienced more joy than anyone else. Our soul, when expanded with sorrow like a balloon is expanded, is also then expanded to hold more joy. One of the 8th grade boys really got that. His face lit up and he exclaimed something like, "That's a great way of putting it!" Several kids threw up today and I almost joined the one. I must be an auditory learner or at least an auditory sympathizer. Practiced our composer songs for PTF meeting coming up and began working on Christmas songs. Select choir worked on "How great our Joy". Not only were most of them learning a new song, but they learned parts as well. The electric piano kicked into rap mode and we had fun adapting to the new style.
I am thankful that I got back in touch with a grade school/high school friend via facebook. She's got her own business blogsite and writes for architectural magazines. I'm so proud of her. We sang in a sextet together for years.
I am thankful that when I thanked one of the classes for helping me organize and staple Christmas music together, one of the rowdy boys said, "Of course we want to help you. You're the most awesomest teacher ever." I had to discipline him later but he knows I love him. He's always reminded me of Philip at that age.
I am thankful that I didn't hit those deer on 460 last night.
I am thankful for cool nights and warm days.
Wed. "Mozarts 40th Symphony"-drove me crazy all night long. It must stir up my brain and keep me from sleeping. Great day at school. Working on composer songs for PTF and also trying out different Christmas songs. Last week, I missed teaching school due to Alice's funeral so the 3/4th graders were full of backed up news they wanted to tell. Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't just let them talk the whole class period once in awhile. Everyone needs to be heard. Brought Graham L. home with us and took him to Back to School night at Vertical Edge. (youth group) Met with Women's Ministry group to plan dinner/movie night and our fall conference. Bake Sale coming up in Nov. to help support the Dollar Project. Christmas caroling in December. Great time of prayer together. Met Judy at Macado's where she treated me to baked potato skins smothered in cheese and bacon. She ate one. I ate three. Then we both ordered a dessert that 4 people could have shared and I ate my whole sundae right down, which seemed like a good idea at the time. It was wonderful to catch up with Judy and I love watching the favor of God and man increase in her life. Went to back of church to see if I could find Lindsay and the girls but alas, they were not there. Went into the very dark sanctuary to pray until VE dismissed and I could have seriously scared the livin' daylights out of someone who came in with a flashlight. I held still so as not to alarm them but wished later I had growled and snarled a bit. Probably would have gotten a flashlight thrown at me. I recognized the voice-one of them anyway. Dropped Graham off at Pamplin Exxon where his dad met us. Michael's home. Maybe Philip will be able to sleep now. (He was.)
I am thankful for the good conversations I had today with others.
I am thankful that even though the ministry of condemnation brings death, so the ministry of reconciliation brings life.
I am thankful for those who go beyond being friendly to being a friend.
Thurs.-"Busy Little Bethlehem..Won't you let your Savior in..Don't you have a welcome for the King of Kings...Everything you're looking for...is standing here outside your door...but everyone's too busy for the King of Kings." This is the 3rd and 4rth Christmas song. (one of them) I love this song. One of the teachers told a story in our meeting place in the hallway outside their doorways. She said that one of the boys asked,"Who in here's a Christian?" Brenley said, "Caleb, everyone in this school is a Christian!" "Well," said Caleb. "I'm looking for a Christian girl to marry." Brenley and Caleb are six years old. I have permission to tell this story from their mother's who are also their teachers. Taught art today. The same little boy who missed his art teacher the first week of school told me he missed her again today. Last time I said that I missed her too. This time, I tried to be more humble and asked, "What is it that you miss?" And he said he missed making a clay sculpture with feathers, etc. stuck in it. So, we're going to do that real soon. We made pictures today with crayon drawings and then painted over it.
I am thankful that Monk is on all day.
I am thankful that my parents made me practice the piano.
I am thankful that Thurs. is my Friday.
Fri.-"Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Glory to God in the highest.." 5/6 Christmas song. Michael has been promoted in Cutco because he has sold $20,000 worth of knives, kettles, etc. Spent some time out in Appomattox in the afternoon with a young friend. We had ice cream, french fries, went shopping, saw Mrs. D. at her new consignment shop, and read books at Baine's. I was reading "Owl Moon" and a middle age man at Baine's and his wife listened in. He said "Owl Moon" was his favorite children's book. We also read "The Biggest Bear", "Blueberry's For Sal", and "500 hats of Bartholomew C..." His little head started resting on my shoulder near the end of our reading. We went back to school after going through the car wash which he thoroughly enjoyed.
Went to Dianna's tonight for Dinner and a Movie with 30 other women from church. We made our taco salad supper together from start to finish and also made hot fudge cake and apple and cherry dump cake. We ate our supper and watched the movie, stopping part way to eat our dessert. It was a great time.
I was telling Phil that one of the parents at school were asking me if their child was bad/ disobedient. I told her that there is a difference between rebelliousness and childishness. I told her that her son was an independent thinker, etc. I was prattling happily along as we were getting ready for bed, and Phil sighed and said, "I should have had you for a teacher." That's one of my thankfulnesses for today.
I am also thankful that Phil's first grade teacher looked him up several years ago because she always thought he was such a good student and wanted to know what happened to him. He thought she was old when she taught him but she was in her 80's when she visited us down here. She held Susan's frog in her hands and we could see why she was such a good teacher because she was interested in everything.
I am thankful that someone at the party tonight told me that she enjoys "Hertzler's Doings" the most when she reads my blog and she also likes the blogging of the sermon notes. As weird as it feels to realize that people are actually reading what I write, I think I am secretly glad that they are. I worry sometimes that being a writer puts me in a perspective mode rather than an 'in the moment' mode. Being on the outside looking in can make me feel lonely sometimes. I should work on 'being in the moment' and then write about it later if I get a chance. Sometimes, I am writing in my head when I am in a situation. I "write" headlines for newspapers all the time.
Sat.-Cleaned house. Made some food. Steve and Dianna came to celebrate Phil's birthday. We had a supper of sandwiches and cole slaw, apple/blueberry crisp and vanilla ice cream. Dianna and I walked to the river and to my chapel.
I am thankful for simple birthday suppers.
I am thankful for dear, sweet friends.
I am thankful for the bright moon and how it's brilliance lit our path on the way back home.
Sun.-Happy Birthday to Michael-19-born 9/19/91- and Happy Birthday to Phil-born 9/19/56. When Michael was younger, he said to Phil, "Freeman got your middle name. Philip got your first name. And I got your birthday." (Susan said, after hearing this story from Phil, "And I got your nose." Which is true.) Michael was born after some 30 hours of labor. He was calm and strong and pushed his little newborn body off my chest to get a good look at me. I've enjoyed him from the beginning.
Went to church. Am loving our SS class. Worship words that jumped out at me-"Living flame of love..." Pastor Frank preached from Luke 19-the story of Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus climbed a tree in order to not only see Jesus but to know Him. Zach was a chief tax collector in Jericho. He could add onto the Roman tax whatever he wanted. People hated him. Jesus saw him in the tree and called his name-"Zacchaeus"-which means 'holy' and 'righteous.' "I must be a guest in your house today," Jesus went on to say. Zacchaeus came down immediately and after spending some time with Jesus, his life and those lives around him, were forever transformed. So many things seem urgent in our busy lives, but the real urgency is in Christ's words. Today, is the day of salvation. Today, He wants to come to our house as a guest and transform our life. Religious people would want to put a stop to Jesus coming to the house of a sinner, but that IS why He came.
How do we get back the urgency Jesus has that the lost be saved today?
There are so many other things clamoring for our attention. His number one reason for coming is that none should perish. Why wouldn't that be our number one passion if we want to be like Jesus? We become judgmental, critical, and self-righteous if we lose our passion for the lost. Charles Spurgeon said, "If God does not save a man by truth, He will never save Him by a lie... Anything designed to serve an outward expression by an inward attitude can be dampened by hypocrisy."(Not sure if I have the second part of that quote right and I am not sure that I understand it, but I like it.)
To keep our fire of passion for the lost we must resurrect our prayer life. The words 'availeth much' means 'can change God's mind.' From now on, we are going to filter everything we do here at church through prayer.
How modest are my principles? It's not about me. Am I keeping myself checked by the Word of God? You do not know your own heart, let alone someone else's. "Search me O God, and know my heart."
How honest are my practices? Why does revival tarry? Draw a circle around you and pray for revival within this circle. God forgive us and cleanse us from the arrogant attitude that accompanies the words, "If you don't like it, you can leave."
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Rested in afternoon. Phil read a book on the brain. I went to the river for lunch-the mosquitoes lunch that is. Came back after 30 min. Susan communicated with Makenzie. Freeman stopped in for a bit after being at the Chi Alpha retreat all weekend with Alli. The guys continued with Michael's 3 day birthday bash-Ben S., Erik, Chace, Jordan, Philip, and Michael held a halo party in the man cave. Plank's came over later in the eve. and we had hot dogs, s'mores, chocolate cake and ice cream, cole slaw, chips, baked beans, sauerkraut, etc. Zack, Christi, and Philip went to a Harvest gathering and Dave and Phil stayed by the fire and talked while Shirley and I walked to the river. She has never been there. Michael, Travis, and Jordan were down there trying to build a fire in the dark. Travis had some car trouble on the way to church this morning. It was a very pleasant evening of good sharing and promises to pray for one another.
I am thankful for my wonderful sister-in-law, Naomi. One day, she heard a voice calling, "Naomi, Naomi.." Two weeks later, we knew whose voice it was, for after an encounter with a drunk driver as she was walking on the sidewalk near her home, she was in the bosom of God. September 19, 1986. We remember you, Naomi. I can picture your face so much more clearly since I saw you in my dream.
I am thankful that Michael was born 5 years after that dreadful day and that my brother, who lost his wife, said, "At least something good has happened on this day."
I am thankful for this beautiful place of heaven on earth that God has given to us.
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