Mon-Wed.-Spent these wonderful days at the Outer Banks with Susan, Philip, Chace, Erik, Jordan, and Tommy. Enjoyed photographing a beautiful pink sunrise with Tommy and Susan. Celebrated Philip's 25th on the 11th. The day before served up a birthday treat for lunch. Waffle bowl banana splits outside on the picnic table. They came out of the pool and drip-dried while eating and then went into a food comma and watched movies and took naps. We'd go out on the beach from mid morning to a bit after noon. They played in the waves and tried their hand at the surf boards. They played round circle volleyball and a Frisbee game with cylinder plastic baskets. It was a great three days of really relaxing. Weather was perfect, friendships were sweet, food was great. It's hard to sum up in a few words what heaven is like on earth.
Susan and I drove home Wed. eve. We stopped at an ice cream cone drive through and ordered large. We ate about a foot of ice cream. Each. I've never had a cone like that before in my life! I won't need ice cream for a long time which is a good thing since we're jumping back into our clean eating today.
Thank you Philip, for sharing your raffle draw winning of this beautiful beach house for these days. Enjoy the rest of your week.
Thurs.-It's hard to get back to work after being on vacation. But we did. Washed, unpacked, and made 7 quarts of salsa.I listened to Zig Ziglar's Goal Setting CD's while working. So good! Susan went out to volleyball practice and their team almost won in the eve. I was too busy making salsa and catching up to go. We now have beef in the freezer so I made hamburgers for Phil and I for supper and he went bear hunting while I finished up some jobs. Davi has been so excited to see me that she has tripped me up numerous times today and my foot is really hurting and my hip is out. Trying to be patient and remember that she just wants me to play with her. Phil and Freeman working at R's this week finishing up a chicken house. Michael headed down to the beach house after school and got there before 10. Lindsay's blog award came in the mail today-a door organizer. She had asked what we would do with one if we had one and I think I was the only one who responded so I won. I said that I'd use the pockets to organize the stuff on my desk. But the real prize was the photos of Lindsay and the girls. 5 of them. So precious to me.
Fri.-Susan found a baby piglet today. She brought him into the house and we wrapped him in warm towels and fed him milk replacer with a dropper until Susan went to the vet with Davi to get her shots and brought back a little bottle. Meanwhile, Janelle and Micah stopped by to pick up the turtle shell Phil had found for Micah. He enjoyed feeding the little piglet and we got in some cuddle time and I don't think he even realized it. I made some chocolate chip gluten free pancakes that were amazing and Janelle went from having a bite of mine to having 1 1/2 of her own. Made gluten free soft pretzels in the eve. They had much room for improvement and the chickens ate more of them than we did.
Sat.-Did some wash and then decided to can vegetable soup instead of canning tomato juice and making the soup later, I just cooked the tomatoes, strained them, and made the soup right away and I've been making it all day. We had some to eat and we'll have some tomorrow too so I think, all told, we would have 28 quarts worth. I browned 8 pounds of ground beef and added 4 packs of our corn, plus green beans, limas, soybeans, turnips, celery, carrots, onions, potatoes, garlic, a pepper, and peas. Plus a quart of frozen yellow tomatoes. And 3 cans of beans-black, white, and kidney. Delicious. I'll be up late. Have another batch of 7 quarts to do and 4 more to do another day.
Piglet died in the night. Kind of sad but kind of a relief. Full time job to feed a baby piglet. Davi wanted it to come out and be her chew toy. But now we don't have to protect the little piggy anymore. Philip got home this afternoon some time. We have yet to see Michael. He's hanging with the guys and probably going to see someone special. Phil's been working on the farm since he got back from Suffolk. Had a work day at a hunting camp that he and Susan joined. Susan weed whacked today, got in her winter clothes and washed them, did other wash, helped me with the soup and cleaning the house, etc. She loved the beach but is happy to be home.
Sun.-Canned soup until 11:30 last eve. and slept in until 8:30. Really good morning at church. Pastor Bill spoke on relationships. His sermon series has been on The Rocks in our lives, as in Solid Rocks on which to build a foundation. First week was on Hearing God's voice and obeying it. Second week was on making the most of our time. (I missed this as I was making the most of our time at the beach.)
This week was on Relationships-Loving God and loving each other. It's important to bridge the gaps in our lives between God and one another. Seek to understand each other and to find out each others' interests.
1-Be quick to listen. Slow to speak. Slow to become angry.
2-Keep your word-do what you say. Builds trust. Underpromise and overdeliver!!!!
3-Honor one another. Respect each other's property and time. Be humble. Think of other's as better than yourselves.
4-Offer encouragement. ''What she didn't see in me, she began to praise in me, and it became part of my life." PBill regarding Jenny, his wife. 'Encouragement is the oxygen of the soul.' To encourage means to be pour courage into. When you see and verbalize greatness in others, it raises their value, in your eyes and theirs. Ralph Waldo Emerson said that 'our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be the one we want to be.' Andrew Carnegie-steel industry-"Go into the mine looking for gold. Don't look for the dirt-look for the gold." The people who are the happiest are those who find gold in others." (Faith at work.)
5-Give and ask for forgiveness. Give the person the benefit of the doubt. Let it go. 'I don't need to win this fight.' "Forgive the inexcusable in others because God has forgive the inexcusable in you." C.S. Lewis. (Unless otherwise noted, all comments were written down in my sermon book as quotes from Pastor Bill.)
Came home after visiting and watched 'Emma' and rested and went back in the eve. for church business meeting with Phil. Susan was still sleeping when we left. She slept until 8.
Four points of focus Pastor Bill shared in regard to the direction of New Life.
1-Connect-with God and each other.Matt.22:37-39
2-Grow-in relationship with God and each other; become more Christ-like. Eph. 4:15
3-Serve-provide opportunities to use gifts and talents for the Lord.
Everyone involved in ministry- 1 Pet. 4:10,11
4-Go-missions minded. Locally. Globally. Matt. 28:19,20
I think the emotion that best describes how I feel right now is the word written vertically on a beautiful painting as I walked into the ladies' restroom. HOPE. I feel hopeful. And I am thankful.
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