Summer Recap

Well, I have not been on here much this summer in the way of writing.  Life kept me pretty busy.  After finishing a 10 day Chemistry course, I left on a 24 hour drive for S. Cali with a friend the day I took my final. I pulled my A! :-) Southern Cali is gorgeous!  I couldn't live there (too many people), but it was a ton of fun!  I loved the ocean!

I wasn't planning on swimming because everyone had warned me that it was cold so I wore jeans and waded.  A wave caught me though so I was soaked!  After I got used to the water, it wasn't bad at all. 

While I was in Cali, I also got to see some family that lives there and my cousins and Aunt and Uncle who were visiting the family.  I was really happy to see all of them!  My cousins had grown so much since Christmas!

Then I got on a plane for the southern plains of the US.  We were there most of the summer.  It was over 100 degrees for the majority of the time we were there and super humid.  Biking at 7 in the morning was even a bit of a stretch as far as temperature goes.  I caught up on all of the books that I hadn't had time to read with being in school. 

We also got to go home for a week and a half and help Grandpa on the farm.  We loaded up a lot of scrap metal for the junk yard!  Temperatures were much nicer!  The sunsets were amazing, as usual.  So were the stars, but I don't have a good enough camera to take pictures of the stars.  Usually, I can see clear to the Milky Way.  It stretches across the whole sky.

We also got to go to the lake with some of my old friends that are getting married this fall!  Snow melt makes for nice cool water.  Several hotdogs apiece with s'mores and many bottles of tea later we headed for home...oh, and one now-dead rattlesnake that was in the path. It had 6 rattles, but it wasn't very big.  I don't have any pictures because it was dark at that point and I had forgotten my camera.

All in all, a good summer.  School starts next week and I don't know if I'm ready to buckle back down to it, but the energy to conquer will come with each assignment.  God will provide the energy needed.  I am definitely ready to be finished with school though so I am really thankful that I only have one year left.

Storms of Life— Where is the Peace?

Thunderstorms.

Tornadoes. 

People dying.  

But miracle stories of survivors in the rubble.

More storms to come this season. 

People learning to care for their neighbors.

Helping people they rarely talk to. 

Sacrifices made.

Searching for peace tonight.

The Lord will take care of His people.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
   where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.

 He will not let your foot slip—
   he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.

 The LORD watches over you—
   the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
   nor the moon by night.

 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
   he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
   both now and forevermore. 

~Psalm 121~

Spring Break Adventures

Spring break was good and very, very needed. I was sick the week before break along with taking most of my mid-terms so I was super-tired at the beginning of break. I think I slept 1/2 way to where we went! Ok, not quite...Tommy has been tired of driving my car because it doesn't have cruise control so I drove most of the way there and then he drove for the last hour or so.  It was good that he drove then because it was after midnight and I am not a night owl.  I don't usually study after about 10:30 at night because my brain tends to turn off about that time.  I saw a coyote while I was driving and Tommy saw lots of deer and a cougar after he took over.  I don't remember the deer or cougar because I was asleep then.  Bummer!

I drove tractor for Tommy's dad and harrowed his pastures to get them smoothed out.  I have the radio memorized again now. :-)  One evening I even listened to Adventures in Odyssey...it had been a long time since I listened to that show on the radio.  I really enjoyed it.  I also helped out at the airport and cleaned spray nozzles for the planes and helped take the airplanes apart for the annual inspections.

Since Tommy's dad has cows, I got to ride along for morning chores and help.  Tommy was nice enough to do most of the work with feeding bales so I could take pictures.  That was a lot of fun!  The cows did not really know what to do think of me because I was getting pretty close to take some of these pictures.  While we were feeding one morning, a cow calved...I didn't have my camera that day unfortunately.  The calf was so funny trying to walk around because he didn't know how to walk yet. 

The day we left Tommy and I stopped at a neighbor's place because they had a foal born several days earlier.  He was really cute and so curious!  Since the mare was really gentle, we could get into the pen with them.  We were feeding cubes to the mare so we could get close to him and he thought that he wanted some cubes too, but he didn't know what they were.  The colt wasn't sure if he liked us touching him either.  It was pretty funny!  He'd get close and then he'd spook and move away, but he would be back soon for more.  I want to go back during our next school break and see how much he has grown.

While we were seeing the colt some of the calves in the next pen over became curious to see what was happening so they came over.  One of them was a little bolder than the others (not much), but bold enough that we could hand-feed him. (Most cows/calves aren't)  It has been a long time since I hand-fed a calf!  He wasn't sure that he wanted to be that close to us, but he sure wanted those cubes!

And today I am thankful for:

Curious calves

 Long tongues and courage to take the cubes.

Foal: just 3 days old

Long whiskers and curiosity.

God's painting

Soft muzzles nuzzling hands

Funny newborn calves

Easily fixed hydraulic hoses (yes, there is a story, but not today.  I will suffice to say that it wasn't my fault)

You can see the pictures larger if you click on them, then just click on the back button to come back to the blog. :-)

Thankful for Fleas?!

My fingers itch for the screen with the words flowing through them into the pages...but they know not what to write.  ~Several days ago

I have found the words to flow across the screen now...I hope that these thoughts will help you. 

I have been trying lately to bring eucharisteo from my head into my skin.  Some days I fail horribly.  Others are better.  This thankfulness habit can be hard sometimes.  When tests are looming in front of me waiting to be conquered.  When the papers need to be written, but the supper also needs to be made and dishes cleaned after.  My expectations not being met.  But expectations destroy the relationships I am trying to build.

However, the only way to form a habit is to keep on trying, keep on finding ways to be thankful.

The pastor at the church we attended last weekend (we are on break, so not our usual church) spoke on Philippians 4:4-7.  It seems that everywhere I turn, I am finding eucharisteo more and more.  This has blessed me.  I have found, with the help of eucharisteo--giving thanks, that peace.  The peace mentioned in the above verses which surpasses all understanding.  Still not all the time, but much more often.

Also, the pastor mentioned this on Sunday, and I have found it to be true...long before I knew anything about eucharisteo.  Worry steals the joy that we have.  However, when I worry, I dis-trust God's ability to care for the situations which have entered into my life.  He is able and will take care of my life.  But isn't it wrong of me to question His ability to do so?  All things work together for good.  These situations may not come together as I want them to, but God is not planning my life around my wants.  God made me, us, people to give Him glory!  To thank Him for the things and circumstances He has placed in our lives.  Good or bad.  And even the bad circumstances simply give us an opportunity to praise Him in all things...not just when our life is going fairly well.

In the "Hiding Place," Corrie Ten Boom talks about her and Betsy (Her sister)'s time in the Auschwitz concentration camp.  They were reading the Bible they had managed to smuggle into the camp and came across 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22.

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  Do not quench the Spirit.  do not despise prophecies.  Test all things; hold fast what is good.  Abstain from every form of evil."

They were then thanking God for their circumstances.  Food, togetherness, crammed quarters for warmth, etc...but Betsy thanked God for the fleas.  Corrie was horrified.  Fleas?!  Really?  Why be thankful for fleas?!  However, they were talking with another inmate several weeks later and were curious why they had not been bothered by the lecherous male guards.  The other inmate disclosed that it was because of the fleas!  So yes, even in the most unlikely circumstances, I should be thanking God for the bad things as well.  Good can always come out of the darkest circumstances.

I can also be thankful for the work.  Dirty dishes, laundry, normal household chores, homework, school in general.  "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Cor 10:31) Have I been thinking of my dishes sitting in the sink like this?  Can thanking God for the opportunity to bless my husband by simply cleaning the dishes give God glory?  Have I been doing these things to the utmost of my abilities?  These questions have been coming up in my mind lately as I have thought about that verse.  I should be working on being thankful as I go about these daily tasks which seem to be such drudgery sometimes.

Eucharisteo comes full circle.  Grace from the Father--Thankfulness and Praise to our Father--Joy and Peace

~ Philippians 4:4-7* ~
"Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again I will say, rejoice!  Let your graciousness be known to all men.  The Lord is at hand.  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

*Italics are mine

Gift

Time is a gift.  I need to learn how to slow down and enjoy every moment I have.  Life is such a haze of deadlines, classes, tests, and homework right now.  I still need to slow down and wake up and see what God has given to me every day and thank Him for giving me this life to live.  I want to have lived well...not rushed through life as though it were a race.

So thank you, God, for giving me this life and time to live and enjoy this world that You created!

And tonight I am thankful for:

72) Time

73) Tommy doing dishes so I could do my homework

74) Large living room windows

75) My pansies blooming!

76) Stories of other people who are willing to share

77) Listening

Homesick

This is my temporary Home
It's not where I belong
Windows and rooms that I'm passin' through
This was just a stop on the way To where I'm going
I'm not afraid because I know this is
My temporary home.

~Carrie Underwood

Beautiful

Don't know how it is you looked at me

And saw the person that i could be

Awakening my heart

Breaking through the dark

Suddenly Your grace

 

Now there's a joy inside i can't contain

But even perfect days can end in rain

And though it's pourin' down

I see You through the clouds

Shining on my face

 

I have come undone  
But i have just begun  
Changing by Your grace

 

Like sunlight burning at midnight  
Making my life something so

Beautiful, Beautiful

Mercy reaching to save me

All that I need

You are so

Beautiful, Beautiful

Beautiful, Beautiful

~Francesca Battistelli~

Some (emphasis on the some) of the leafs here are finally changing colors.  Most of the leaves here in TX turn brown and stay on the tree until next spring when the new leaves finally push them off the branches.  (It doesn't get cold enough for all of the trees to change colors or for the leaves to fall off.)  However, a very few trees do turn colors.  I think that there are about 5 very small trees between here and school that are a brilliant red.  God truly did a wonder when he created leaves and their colors...even though I would much rather be in the middle of the plains without a tree in sight.  I'm looking forward to the next time we go to OK when I finally get to see a good sunset without all of these trees in the way.  I miss those.

It was a good day today. It seems to me that when I can feel God with me everything is sooo much more vibrant and beautiful.  Maybe it's just that I need an attitude adjustment and need to stop thinking about me so much!!  Whichever.  This song just reminded me of that tonight.  Some days I feel like I could just explode with the joy and wonder of God and His creation!!!

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! 

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the LORD, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.    

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.  
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;
His mercy is everlasting,  
And His truth endures to all generations.

~Psalm 100~

Psalm 139 and thoughts....

O Lord, You have searched me and known me. you know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a work on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall uphold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” even the night shall be light about me; indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.

For you formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed, and in your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! how great is the sum of them! if I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.

Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

~God knows everything we do. He knows when we are scared to give our 'all' for His kingdom. I need to learn how to submit my will to His will for me. I need to learn to trust Him, even when I'm scared because I do not know what all the future holds for my life. I want to know my God and Father more. That is my hope and prayer for my life currently~