Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you!  Iowa is finally thawing out with temperatures forecast for the thirties and forties in the days ahead.  Yes!  After snow again last week we are hoping winter has finally let go and is making room for Spring.  I know the Robins will be happy.  I told Joel I thought they came back early because the weather was so bad down south! 

Speaking of the south, relatives just came back from a vacation to Texas and more.  Envy is unbecoming..........sigh.   I took a vacation this week too.  From blogging.  A blogation just seemed necessary. Too bad my surroundings remained the same.  Cold.  Colder.  Snowy.  Snoweeeer?  (Is that a word?)  Two weeks til Spring!

Speaking of Spring, in our church tradition we attended Ash Wednesday services, the beginning of Lent.  I can remember going as a child to worship on Wednesday nights, and 56 years I am still doing the same.  After spending ten years homebound, it is so nice to be sitting in a pew again!

Speaking of Lent, often people give up something during this time, but after watching a teaching on worship I decided I was going to add something!  So, every hour my phone's alarm goes off and I stop for a  minute or two and worship.  I like it!  It brings my focus back where it needs to be.....on our Lord.  Who knew my phone had so many hidden talents.

We still have running water!  yay...Our water angel has been working overtime and the water now is giving us a temperature of 45 degrees so we are giving thanks and sharing with our neighbor "flushing water".  They are blessed to have children living in town so they can shower and eat at their homes.

Joel is off to a Home Show at the Fairgrounds today.  We walked earlier, and  have been walking 45 minutes most days at the church.  I have had a more challenging week, so have rested more as HS works through some inner healing.  Saying yes to God is sometimes difficult but never disappointing.

This past week our oldest had a birthday and I found myself thinking back not only on her birth and where the years have taken her (so proud), but also on where I was at her age.  When I was 44 she was turning 23 and in college.  In fact we had 2 in college and another soon ready to graduate high school.  We were living in a very small town in Minnesota, where Joel was pastor to two congregations, and life was very challenging with Lyme wrecking havoc on my body and the family.  What does not kill us makes us stronger? I certainly was not the person our B. is at 44.   I think I feel younger now than I did then.....I know I am wiser, more joyful and at peace, and closer to God.  Grateful.  So grateful.

I have been baking a bit....still using the Paleo plan for most of our meals.  I still eat 90% PaIeo, but Joel can eat anything and much to his wife's dismay, he often does! (giggle)  I made a Cinnamon swirl yeast free bread which Joel loves, plus a Paleo granola using pecans, walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower kernels and raw honey.  That is sooooo good!  We eat it more as a snack, not breakfast cereal.  I continue to make our Paleo bread and bars along with cooking Paleo...fruits, veggies and meats.  I do not use all the fats or oils they suggest.  Almond and coconut flours are the basis for our baked products.  In fact we just picked up 25# of almond flour from the co-op we belong to....and I spent a bit of time putting it into containers for the freezer.  We still have some maple syrup left from the 4 gallons in the freezer and blueberries too from when we froze close to 60lbs last summer.  They are both so much better than store bought.

I have been watching a lot of teachings on healing and other topics, reading the rest of the Cleo Coyle mystery I started weeks ago, and am still working through The Jesus Book.  I find it too detailed to keep my interest, but during Lent I plan to focus more on Jesus, so I am listening, reading, and worshiping. 

So, how has your week been, and what are you up to?

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

PS.  Thank you Anita and Sharon for your encouraging comments on last week's post.  You are treasures that feed the souls of our cyber world.  Bless you.