Cold, blustery day, inside and out. Heating system not working. Dressed in double and triple layers and wore the brown hat Mother knit me for most of the day. Unmotivated to do much. It's strange how no heat, or no water, or no electricity, seems to freeze up my ability to work. Read and wrote. Talked with Susan. Read 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' under the covers and ate tortilla chips. I wonder if I am the only one who might gain weight on this Daniel Fast. Took a nap. Played a rousing game of Dutch Blitz with Susan and warmed up. We wore matching pink camouflage sweat shirts. She won. Lindsay said that Gil misses 'The Hertzler Doings' and that she would love if I wrote them again. I'll incorporate thank you gifts at the end of each days writing.
~~~~~~~
Thanksgivings continued:
567. Kara's blog. She's writing thanksgivings too, inspired from Ann's book-'A Thousand Gifts', even as I was.
568. Last night's visit from Dianna, Laurel, and Ivan. Laurel made us baked red peppers filled with quinoa, black beans, spinach, onions, cumin, etc. Delicious. Delightful visit. Ivan entertained for us. He went through his repertoire of tricks; dancing, running his fingers over his lips and going 'brrh, brrh, brrh.." and laughing and clapping after each little show. I haven't laughed that hard for a long time. I hope they come back soon.
569. The beautiful sunrise. I was reading my Bible but felt it would be rude if I looked away for even a second. "Thank you God. I love you, too." And He said, "Thank you." I read today, (not in the Bible) that He says 'Thank you," every time we tell Him we love Him. I'd be surprised if that wasn't true.
570. For the movie afternoon last week with Ilsa and Janelle. We watched 'Higher Ground' and a Jane Austen movie whose name escapes me at the moment. (Jane Eyre) I keep thinking about 'Higher Ground' and I wonder how I portray Jesus and Christianity to others in the faith who are struggling and those outside the faith who might be interested in Jesus if church people weren't so self-righteous. Most people had no problem with Jesus. It was the religious people who thought He wasn't 'Christian' enough. He was far to free to fit into their little God boxes that they had sewn into their spirits. Just a note about 'Higher Ground.' There are a few places that may make you uncomfortable in its content but I was more uncomfortable with her experience in Christendom. Remember that it is a memoir. But for the most part, it is a thought provoking movie that has made me want to be 'real.' People just want 'real' and I think Jesus wants 'real' too.
571. (P.S. Just read this in Brennan Mannings book-"Souvenirs of Solitude"-"There are some real problems with projecting the perfect image. First of all, it's simply not true-we are not always happy, optimistic, in command. Second, projecting the flawless image keeps us from reaching people who feel we just wouldn't understand them. And third, even if we could live a life with no conflict, suffering, or mistake, it would be a shallow existence. The Christian with depth is the person who has failed and learned to live with his failure.")
572. (P.S.S.-Just heard Beth Moore say in her James study-And I cannot quote it exactly-"Every mistake, heartache, things that we hate, etc. leaves in our souls a hollow empty spot that God fills with His grace.)
Between the movie, these writers/teachers, and life, I am thinking alot about the difference between coercion with guilt and the invitation with grace and what brings people to His arms of mercy and keeps them there.
Tues.-Ps. 90:14-17~"Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days! Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, the years in which we have seen evil. Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children. And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands."
Took Susan to homeschool co-op. Biology and Drama readings. She read Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken." I ran errands and visited Ginger. Took Susan to Zumba and then we spent the eve. with Betty and Kelly. I made toasted cheese sandwiches with Ezekiel bread and veggie soy cheese and soy butter. Also homemade cream of tomato soup with almond milk which gave it a unique flavor. I was glad Betty was happy to keep the leftovers. Finished 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame.' Well-written classic but I have no desire to read it again.
573. Thank you for the friend who looks deep in my eyes to see the message written there and calls to check on me.
574. Thank you for the golden offerings from the hens, one so fresh it kept my hand warm as I walked back to the house.
575. Thank you for 60 degree weather after 20 degree weather.
576. Thank you for the sweetness I get from all the clerks at Kroger. "Honey this, Dear that," and one clerk serenades me. He serenades everyone but I take it personally.
Wed.-Ps. 91:14-16-"Because you have set your love upon Me, therefore I will deliver you; I will set you on high because you have known my name. You shall call upon Me, and I will answer you; I will be with you in trouble; I will deliver you and honor you. With long life I will satisfy you, and show you My salvation."
Met Judy at Dr. F's and exchanged Christmas gifts finally and hugs and kisses, too. Went over to pick up a large package at the Post Office and the gentleman behind the counter came around the back with the package and said, "Lead on, O woman of God" and followed me to the car. I wanted to ask him "What did you just say?," but I was afraid maybe I had heard wrong and I wanted to believe that I had heard correctly. And now I keep hearing those words like a song in my soul. My eyebrows are still curly from when I singed them on Monday after I carelessly opened the outdoor furnace but no one but Susan and I seem to notice.
Thinking of the risks and sorrows that come with farm life and that's all I can say about that for now.
577. Thank you for children who love each other.
578. Thank you that I don't have to fix things and that I can just say, "I'm so sorry that happened" and sit in sorrowed silence with the griever, like Mary did with Jesus. She let Him be sad.
579. Thank you that Jessica Z. from our church back in Pa. got to experience some American Idol and a friend of Buddy's from Appomattox will be participating in the competition. Wish we had TV after all.
Thurs.-Ps. 57:1-3~"Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by. I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me. He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. God shall send forth His mercy and His truth."
Didn't do much today. Wrote as guest blogger for Lindsay on enjoying our children. Watched a movie with Susan. Cleaned a bit and made some supper. Alli's bridesmaid dress was sent to our place and she was relieved when she found out. Stopped here on the way home and modeled it for us.
580. Thankful for my record of words for 2011-Themes in my life for last year grouped in their own little months of learning-obedience, humility, simplicity, community; and love, grace, truth, perseverance; and humility, gratitude, and wholeness.
581. 2012's themes so far? Strength and grace.
Friday-1 Sam. 17:45,46-"Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
Went to Lynchburg with Alli to get my car looked at and to drop off her sewing machine to get worked on. Shopped at Joanne Fabrics, Lifeway, Walmart, Kroger, and Five Guys. Stopped at Appomattox and got my tires rotated on the way home. Watched a movie with Susan and Alli after we made some homemade soap. The cherry-almond fragrance reminded Alli of her grandmother and I of my mother. Jergens hand lotion memories.
582. I am thankful for Freeman's words to Alli as we got in the car in the morning, "Buy whatever you want."
583. I am also thankful for her words she said back to him, "I don't want anything.
Generosity and contentment go hand in hand.
584. Freeman built me a beautiful shelf for the living room wall while we were gone.
585. I am thankful for a 14 year old daughter who almost daily says, "Let's sit down and talk."
Sat.-1 Sam. 18:12-"Now Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, but had departed from Saul."
It was nice to have Michael home today. We made some twice baked potatoes with Philip's help. Michael spent some time with Chase after admitting the freezing rain made splitting wood difficult. Susan worked on feeling better-some sort of respiratory thing going on, and cleaning her room. She accompanied Phil into town to pick up a tractor piece for Philip's project. Philip's busy with farm work today. I did some writing, cleaning, washing, de-cluttering, and catching up with Janelle and Rosalee on the phone.
586. For the classics just waiting to be read on my book shelf. Finished "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" by Victor Hugo and have started "Great Expectations" by Dickens. As sober as Dickens write, he has much dry humor scattered throughout his depiction of life at that time. It would be a good book to read aloud but it is rather thick.
Sun.-Mark 7:37-"And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak." Light snow with individual six-sided flakes visible. Went to church and then out to Appomattox for lunch and visited with Jerry and Sheila. Phone rang alot today. Watched a movie with Susan and Phil and went to bed.
587. Stability, grace, truth, and depth. Prayers I trust He will answer.
588. The first snow fall.
589. Hugs and "I love you's."
590. For His defense of me.
No comments:
Post a Comment