Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday morning friends.  It is a perfect day here in our corner of the world.  The sun is shining and the temperature will reach close to 80 with little wind or humidity......Again, my kind of weather!

It is also a perfect day for an outdoor wedding and we are heading to one today just over the border into Minnesota.  My brother Todd is marrying his fiancé Jeannie this afternoon.  Joel will be officiating and I will be sitting in my lawn chair watching as two families are joined by a man and a woman uniting in marriage with God and each other.  May God bless them.

I have been walking a mile every day this week and Joel has been biking again.  Last Saturday we went to a nearby town where Joel biked around the lake while I enjoyed the view, walked a bit on the road through the woods, and rested in the van. Sunday we went to an outdoor service and to Cabin Coffee again.  Fun.  I went clothes shopping on Monday.  For nine years I seldom went anywhere except to see those who wear the white coats, but things have changed for the better and a person needs more than comfy knit clothes when going out in public!  I was excited to purchase $268.00 worth of clothes for only $95.00 ~ summer clearances.  And all at one store.  Yay!

On a side note, does it give you pause that even when something is 70% off the retail price the store is still making money? 

On our walks this week we saw a few wild turkeys with their chicks, and some very cute dogs!  The fawns and their moms must have moved on to another area.  Twice we crossed paths with women who were in the mid to late 70's.  One woman who looked to be around 78-80 passed us on her bike, legs strong and muscular, back straight, and eyes bright as she breezed by with a cheerful morning greeting.  The other woman we saw was around 75-78 and jogging.  J.o.g.g.i.n.g.  Inspiring! 

Recently we made the lower room that held storage into a bedroom and moved the futon into the famly room in the basement.  We also began purging the family room toy area.  The grandkids are aging, and often grace us with their presence here only once a year, so certainly there are other kids who would use the toys more.  Joel and I seem to be on a quest to rid ourselves of those things we don't use, need, or like anymore.  It is time to downsize.  We are feeling lighter with each object we move into the "Goodwill pile".  Do you know anyone who needs a recumbent stationary bike?  This "object" we would like to sell!  Maybe Craig's List. 

On another side note, wouldn't be great it if was as easy to let go of the things people do that hurt us as it is to purge the old from our homes?  If forgiveness had a "Goodwill pile" we could toss past hurts into, how much lighter we would feel!  How much healthier relationships would be!  A close family friend told me she keeps a snicker bar in her window sill to remind her to bless the people in her life who have hurt her or are difficult to be with.  When she looks at the candy bar she then asks God to bless the person, using their name.  "God bless you _________."  Her pastor presented each member of the congregation with a candy bar using this illustration in his sermon.  She said it has helped bring her peace as she blesses others.  God is good that way!  We went out and bought a Snickers right away (which when I ate chocolate and sugar was my favorite) and it is in our kitchen window sill as a reminder.  Our words have power.....so what better way to use them than to bless others! 

Speaking of blessing others, Joel will be preaching this Sunday at a Lutheran church in a nearby town.  He is filling in for a colleague.  He misses preaching and teaching a great deal, and I expect he will take another Interim position if one becomes available in our area. He is still working on his book about healing.

Speaking of healing, we have been reading Pastor Paul Teske's book, 'Healing For Today" out loud to each other.  It is powerful and we identify so much with this Lutheran pastor who was healed from sickness.  He now has his own healing ministry in obedience to God, and travels around the world while still serving his church in CT.  I wrote a post this week about how God worked with us concerning this book during the past few days.

I hope you had a good week!  What have you been up to?  Any good books to recommend?

Until next time................