Saturday's Scribbles

It has been a great week here in our corner of the world.  Temperatures in the high 30's and 40's have melted some of the snow, but high winds have caused more than a few semi's to flip over while traveling Through Iowa.  Sustained winds in the high 30's and gusts to 60 can cause a problem or two.  We plan to walk outside today as winds subside and weather warms once again.  We actually saw a whole flock of robins come through our yard yesterday.  Yay....it gives us hope and joy for Spring.  It is coming!

Hope.  It sustains us, doesn't it.  Joy.  It makes all things new.  Prophetic words spoken over Joel and I this week, daily mile walks, more energy for me, Bible studies packed with wisdom, deep conversations on God's purpose for us in this season of our lives, and the many answered prayers received have filled us with hope and joy.  Praise God!

In the news, Trump ran into conflict with the Pope, the media shared a statement of controversy that the Pope supposedly said, and the drama continues in the political arena.  I often wonder what the world thinks of our election process and the way people rip each other apart in the name of democracy and God.  Speaking of the world and elections, I'm thinking of Uganda where elections are bringing great unrest.  Far across the world our friends Dwight and Linny's daughter and son-in-love are hunkered down with 27 fragile children at The Gem waiting for the Embassy's okay to venture out again.  Please pray for Emma and Josh.  Here in our community a semi fails to stop and a young mom of 4 dies on impact.  Pray for her family.  Friends are suffering from cancer treatments, Lyme, and just plain life.  In the news:  A friend's leukemia is in remission!  A family member came through skin cancer surgery with a positive outcome!  Lives are saved instead of taken.  In the midst of it all, the good and the bad, God is good.

We have been tentatively car shopping this past week as we look into replacing our 2009 mini van with another.  We like vans/SUVs.  It is a process as we look for what we need and balance that with what we want to spend.  We remembered our first car, a 1960 white Ford.  So wide, so big, so low, and no seat belts back then.  Car seats for children did not really exist then.  We happened to be stationed at a base in New Mexico where the commander believed in seat belts, so it was mandatory. Seat belts or be fined.  We installed them in our old car and then soon after bought our first new car, a gold Chevy Nova.  In 1976 we bought an orange/rust mini station wagon.  I loved the color orange back then!!  Ha...And so it goes........so many new and new-to-us cars in 48 years!

Last weekend Joel and I watched on DVD, "Woman in Gold".  It was an excellent movie starring Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds.  We watched a few teachings at Bethel, worshiped at Praise Church on Sunday and Wednesday nights, and visited with some of our family by phone.  We continue to read aloud "Hearing From God" by Barry Bennett and I am reading the book "Spiritual Warfare" by Rick Renner.  Very detailed, but a very ineresting book.  I finished the book, Roots and Sky by Christie Purifoy and will begin again this day to glean from her insights on relationships with each other and God, finding roots, and daily living.  What are you reading?