Good morning. Not much going on here. I checked tomorrow’s weather report so I can figure out what to wear to church. A low of 40 and high in the 60’s means I have more choices.
I committed to pray for an event in April at my former church. It is a Comedy Date Night including a dessert bar. The cost is ten dollars per person. A Christian comedian has been booked. They hope to genrrate interest in marriage enrichmrnt classes. It sounds good, but I am not sure it will be well attended. Art and I were sent an invitation by mail. I guess I feel that the unchurched would not be intetested in Christian comedy, and the churched already have too many other things going on to engage with this.
I will continue to pray.
Morning! We are set to have two days of lovely warmish weather then the bottom falls out again. Just in time for me to get out the snow shovel again as husband does his last gig up at the camp cabin as caretaker. Hoping for fluffy snow this time! The predictions are all over the place for amounts….anywhere from 2-3 or 10-15 inches….we shall see which meteorologist was correct come Monday!
Janice, who is the comedian? I follow and love three who do a podcast together, Nate Bargatze, Brian Bates, and Aaron Weber. They actually did one episode on Christian comedians and emphasized that calling themselves Christian comedians can be a turn off and much prefer to be known as comedians who are Christians. While their routines are totally clean, they don’t make Christian jokes nor do thy include anything intended to “convert” listeners. All that to say that if correctly advertised, the unchurched might be interested.
Ken Davis is a good comedian. You can find DVDs of his comedy. The first time I met him was through my husband when he was leading a local Youth for Christ organization. The first time I heard his comedy was when he did some for an all-class reunion. He was a neighbor and in the same school as my husband. I love how he takes everyday things and finds the humor.
Comedy by Christians. Laughing is good but so much of the comedy is either hurtful or obscene. That is where comedians who are Christians come in. So those of us who don’t want to be assailed by obscenity or profanity or hurtful but want to laugh together, might find an evening of that entertaining. Not my cup of tea but I would not base it on my preferences as I am rather different.
Good morning all and good night Jo though it is nearly Sunday morning. Will you be attending church?
Here it is Saturday and husband and son are off to a men’s prayer breakfast with a church in town. Then husband is supposed to take twenty to one of her fired worker’s for the weekend and the other two to Lewiston for animal feed. Hopefully, that will give me opportunity to get some more seeds into the ground before tomorrow’s snow arrives. I am planting older seeds so they may or may not come up. But it is always fun to get going.
I am about
My house cleaning duties as they once again got derailed yesterday.
We have too much “stuff” and being married to a pack rat doesn’t help. I am bad enough as it is but when I add him to it- my circuits get really fried. He has paper all over the place.
Then we have a 4 year old with lots and lots of toys and “stuff”.
I admittedly have a “potty mouth”. I talk to the other drivers who I just know God placed on earth to try my patience. The “conversation” in my head isn’t fit for anyone else to hear. Last night I had the artist’s dinner and no less than 3 agents who needed something right now. It all got handled but I now refer to “feeling like a plucked chicken” sometimes. Don’t get me wrong I love my job I just need to be unplugged from it on occasion.
Anyway, all that was to say…. I get offended at the language used in entertainment. We recently watched 1883 which is the pre-quel to Yellowstone. I am pretty sure a southern woman from Tennessee even if she was hearty enough to drive a wagon across Texas and the Great Plains did NOT sprinkle the F- word throughout her conversation. Throughout the entire show they sprinkled in curse words where they didn’t even make sense.
I can remember if my father accidentally said damn or hell in front of a lady he immediately apologized.
Anyway, long story as to why I don’t watch much comedy these days and for what it’s worth the women are worse than the men.
Nightingale and her best friend Stephanie have started a thing where, once a month, one goes to the other’s house and helps do a good cleaning. Today is Nightingale’s turn to have Stephanie come over and help her. Stephanie’s daughter and long-term/live-in boyfriend- and-daughter’s-father are coming over, too. We will be having a late brunch together first, down here, and then they will be doing the cleaning upstairs.
The one thing they will be doing down here is to take down and discard the Christmas tree that has been up for about 15 months. At least I had already taken off the ornaments. 🙂 (It is an old artificial tree, not a formerly live tree.)
It felt so good to sleep after what was a tense week. I went to bed earlier than usual, around 10 or 10:30, was up reading for about an hour at some point, but then slept until 9.
The $15 part to fix my chair is supposed to arrive today.
And I have Monday off for a much needed three-day break.
I haven’t watched 1883 but have watched Yellowstone, the related series w/Kevin Costner, and agree about the language.
Kim did not mention that on our trip a semi truck driver purposefully came toward the passenger (me) side to push her into the other lane. It could have been bad. He was bad. Very bad. (Assuming it was a him.) I think it was not far from Atlanta but Kim would recall better than I. The drivers around here are crazy. Had I been thinking and not so shocked, I would have gotten a photo and called it in.
Panted some more spinach and carrots along with chard and lettuce and kale. I see some of last year’s kale is back up and green for another go.
I am a lousy gardner. Last year when it was so hot with multiple days over one hundred, I let the rabbits out of their hutches so they could find some relief. They are quite friendly and come up to people. Anyway, they killed a number of my apple trees. Because the year before, we lost an apple tree to earwigs, I had removed the tree sleeves and had the two paint the trunks. Bad idea.
The Invisible Hand — I’ve always said God is doing something (always), we don’t always know what (as he often is doing many things through various circumstances).
But I think this piece gets it right when it says humility surely is one thing that should be resulting from this pandemic we’ve all endured (too often complaining, speaking for myself).
After Two Whole Years
Have We Humbled Ourselves Yet?
Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you. (1 Peter 5:6)
Two years ago today, the dominoes were falling. We all can tell our own stories of realizing, one announcement after another, that our world seemed to be changing overnight.
As cancelations and lockdowns were sweeping the globe, God was humbling us — and no doubt, a thousand other good purposes besides. But he was humbling us, and no less than that. You and me, Christian — starting with the world’s most developed nations — God was humbling us. A truly global pandemic was, and continues to be, a stunning display of the global reach of his mighty hand (1 Peter 5:6), and his gentle, lovingly permissive fingers (Luke 22:31).
The question isn’t whether his humbling hand descended (and is still descending), but have we acknowledged it? Have we filled our heads with natural explanations? Have we run to news, and reports about science, to explain it in full and calm our anxieties? Have you traced the compounding disruptions, inconveniences, tragedies, divisions, to the sovereign permission and saving providence of God?
He has humbled us. That much is clear. Yet the question remains, Have we humbled ourselves? Have we acknowledged his mighty and merciful hand, and received his humbling in faith, and even welcomed his uncomfortable work? …
… For starters, count with me just a few of the ways a global pandemic has humbled us. First, the threat of death humbled us and fed the initial fear and hysteria. And with it, disruption of normal life humbled us. Even many who may not have feared death lamented the loss of the Final Four, the NBA, and Major League Baseball. And school and office closings changed households overnight.
The lockdowns, and their effects, humbled us. And masks humbled us. Oh did they, and do they still. Put this on your face, or go home. And of course, the vaccine has humbled us, with its attendant risks and uncertainties (one way or the other!) and its personal, practical implications — and then, making decisions for our children. But we have not only been humbled as individuals and families.
Governments have been humbled. Political parties humbled. Schools and businesses humbled. And yes, churches humbled. Overnight, our corporate worship gatherings faced new uncertainties, ushering us into touchy terrain to navigate among our own people (not to mention external hoops and pressures). …
___________________________________________________
Oh you should hear the things I say in the car…well no you should not 😳 I get so frustrated with aggressive or dumb drivers. And every time I just want to smack myself for my bad reactions. We were almost smushed in Kansas City by a garbage truck driver….husband was yelling at me to get over and that bad driver was keeping me from doing so….we ended up missing our exit but got off at the next and turned around….I ended up just crying…..
Ever since I hit the tree and then the deer (totalling two vehicles in two weeks) I have been a much calmer driver. Neither collision was related to being angry or driving aggressively, but it was a wake up call to just be better and more aware. Some days I do get quite frustrated with dumb drivers, too.
Kizzie, I had friends who would spend the weekend at each other’s acreage and do home projects together. Maybe Nightingale’s friends would be open to that and getting some of your home improvements done?
Driving words: never really been a problem with me. In part because I don’t drive all that much though I have driven a lot. But even then, I rarely got miffed with the other drivers. Husband on the other hand….
However, I have forever had the problem of talking bad about myself. Until it was brought to my attention, probably by somebody on here, that I, too, am an image bearer and when I flatten me out with words, I am belittling God. Not that I am God, but I am an image bearer. He made me the way He wanted. He is working on me. I am His work. I have no business calling out my Creator for His work.
I like to leave lots of space in front of me when driving. Because that is all that I can control. So I will tell the other driver, sure take that space and then I slow down and create more space. I am not going to drive all crammed up and unable to get out of a situation. I suppose I just let it go. But I tell the others that that wasn’t very smart.
Here you rarely meet another vehicle. I talk to the bumps in the road as I am rocking back and forth from the rough roads.
I am a more patient driver. If I get stopped by a light, even if I am running late, I tell myself God is sparing me from an accident up ahead or something else. I do drive too fast and I probably tailgate, but I am not aggressive. I don’t switch from lane to land and cut other people off.
I just yell at others for their stupidity.
No the house is not completely clean but it is better than it was this morning. I will finish the rest tomorrow after church.
I have also made an appointment with an interior designer I know to come tell me what colors to paint the inside of the house. It desperately needs it and while I am REALLY good at making decisions and telling other people what to do (ahem, DJ) I am NOT good at doing for myself.
The posts remind me of a reminder on my fridge: Be careful of your thoughts, they may become your words. I actually said it to myself the other day as I was thinking something not so nice about someone, who was irritating me.
Sometimes comediennes who are Christian can also make some pretty funny jokes about the Christian culture, too. I, and the women who sit around me at the Wednesday afternoon music jam, laugh how everyone sits in ‘their’ seat—just like in church. Humans are creatures of habit. I like to shake it up once in a while myself. However, I don’t at the jam, because it would irritate others.
I hate painting and can no longer do the line along the ceiling. My eyes just don’t allow for it. Nice to be able to do that before you put furniture in, Jo.
Nearly witnessed/became part of an accident due to an impatient driver today. Was going into town for an appointment, and the speed limit on the two lane road went down from 80km to 60km. I eased off on the gas to slow down but as I got down to 70km, I looked in my rearview mirror to see a car crowding up on my bumper. I rapidly flicked my brake light to remind them to slow down, but it had the opposite effect. The driver crowded so close, I couldn’t see his/her headlights. We were approaching a four corner intersection, through for our direction, stop signs for the crossroad. I saw the car behind me pull out to pass and then saw a car on the crossroad on my right pull out to turn left. I was far back enough that I was safe for the car turning left, but they would complete the turn just as the car passing me reached the intersection. I hit my horn, hoping one or the other would see what was about to happen. The car turning left was able to turn onto the opposite shoulder, while the impatient driver sped on too fast for me to see the license plate. The area is a well known speed trap, but wouldn’t you know it, the day someone did something really dangerous, there were no cop cars to be seen.
Kim is a good driver. Neither of us had a horrible reaction to that truck driver, but were shocked at it. I miss driving on the expressway because I did get good at it, but I can’t do that now with my eyes taking too long to focus to make quick judgements.
Kim and I enjoyed a special treat at Starbucks as we drove back to Atlanta. I had not been to Starbucks in so long I almost forgot I needed to ask for a Grande for the size. A Black Grande. I am glad I enjoy coffee again 😀
Tomorrow will be a super busy church day. Two out of town pastors are doing a morning and evening service, I plan to be at Sunday school and mid afternoon I have a prayer call with ladies from my other/former church.
I recall my luggage being lost when I went to Idaho. And, way before that, on a weekend stay with my friend’s family on Balboa Island — I wound up with some man’s luggage when I got home. I got neckties, he got my favorite softball and training bras.
I’m a much better driver than I used to be. And that accident that messed up my Jeep Liberty (sniff)? That calmed me down even more, though i was traveling at a slow (reasonable) rate when that happened (the other guy not so much). But I find I watch very carefully now, much more of a “defensive” driver so something doesn’t come flying out of nowhere again.
I drive very little now with no work commute and no weekend jaunts to Hollywood or Glendale or, before that, Downey to see Carol.
Roscuro, that sounds pretty intense, hate it when drivers do that.
It’s cold and windy out, just got back from Sprouts and Office Depot (they’re next door to each other) to pick up just a couple things. We may get a smattering of rain tonight, they’re saying. I sat out on the front porch for a while this afternoon to read, but came in after only about half an hour, it was a little too chilly.
I was surprised how shaken I felt after the past two days with the neighbor on a rampage. That was pretty messed up, as my editor commented when I described it to him. It actually took me a while to come down from it all today still. Nothing like a big truck squealing and lurching back and forth, up and down, peeling out in the driveway just a few feet from your house, running into the concrete walls and the fence.
Kare – That would be a neat idea except for the fact that the things that need to be done need more professional help. There are other renovations and fixes that we will be able to do ourselves eventually, but these two are more involved than what we can do.
I am out on the painting. July is already booked with husband going on the cruise with his folks, camping with daughter, and then the family reunion. My dad and his brothers started it when their dad died and they figured they needed to make a commitment to getting together or would drift apart. That was in sixty two, I believe. Every three years for one full week.
All but my dad and one other original wife have died. But the children and their children and their children are still attending. Started with the seven and their spouses and children. I don’t know what we are up to now.
DJ, that sort of thing will shake you up. One expects the neighbors to be normal. Totally off behavior is upsetting in many ways. Not surprised it takes a while to let it go.
So nice to see Roscuro on here. Though sorry for such a scary experience. For me, that would take a while to feel normal again, after a worry like that. Glad you used your horn.
As I read of your neighbor’s violent behavior I found myself holding my breath..I would be totally unnerved had I seen it first hand. Hoping that boy gets help and that just might take being locked up and forced rehab. His poor Mom…. 😞
Defensive driving is the rule of the day anymore. Cars passing on double yellow lines going 20-30 miles over the limit , near head on collisions happening way too often on our rural hwy…it’s scary out there! Granddaughter refuses to drive out here due to their almost being hit head on with no where to go but a deep ditch!
Then there are those texting while driving and weaving all over the road!
The other day a truck pulled right out in front of me so I just backed off and let him do his thing. A half mile down the road a car came screaming through a stop sign at about 60mph without even hesitating, just missing that truck! Thankful I was not the one that was nearly missed and thankful he escaped being hit!
I can cut in when it comes to painting but you really don’t
Want me
Using a paint roller
Or doing anything else. I get more pain on me than on what I am supposed to be
Painting.
Last night we had a crash out on the Avenue. We heard it at our house half a block away. The whole neighborhood ran outside, we know what that sound is. because they speed down the Avenue.
This time it was a young man, who left in handcuffs by the way for suspected DUI, who clipped a parked SUV, pushed it into the SUV parked in front of said vehicle, flipped over onto the drivers side, slid a bit, and then fell over, and came to rest on it’s roof.
(I tend to run on, don’t I?)
I of course, have pictures, and a short video of them using cables to pull it right side up. Most of my neighbors do too.
Just your average Saturday night here in Pennsyltucky. 🤪
Morning! When I say something about painting my husband moans….I am not great with a roller either!
Aj you made me laugh at the Pennsyltucky! I am from Hamilton a suburb of Cincinnati and we are always referred to as “Hamiltucky”….an endearing term don’t ya know 😊 and the excitement that you experienced seems to be right on par for a great Saturday night where my Mom still lives….only now the bums walk up and down the streets in the middle of the night stealing things from porches and front yards…not the neighborhood I once knew and loved in the 60”s…. 😞
Today’s sermon wasn’t that inspiring to me. It was delivered by a young priest in training. He was scattered through the gospel and has some speech patterns that probably need work but that is why he is in training under two excellent mentors. I am sure they will
give him constructive feedback.
On the other hand the morning’s study of the catechism was excellent and I will try to share it with you later.
I feel like I came out of night and into the daylight in this new church. I almost grieve, but mingled with joy, over it all, but God had His reasons for this timing. I did have deepening spiritual friendships with the ladies in my groups at the old church that I would have lost out on had I moved on sooner.
Today we had an excellent saxaphonist to add to the jazz sound, and a young hispanic lady who sang some of the verses in Spanish. The morning Scripture reading and prayer were done in both English and Spanish. The visiting pastor for our day of revival is the Chaplain for Men’s Basketball at the University of Georgia. I will post the service later if anyone wishes to get a taste of down home Georgia.
No church for me again! I don’t want to freak people out with my sniffles and coughing. Maybe next Sunday.
Painting. I. Am. The. Worst. I managed to cut in where the popcorn ceiling meets the paint but not very well. I also tape off everything with two rows of the wide painter’s tape but still get paint on whatever I’m not supposed to be painting. Good to see I’m not alone in that. I think I will paint the baseboards before installing (when that time comes) and then just do the touch ups.
We’re supposed to get freezing rain and wet snow this evening and husband wants to go to our church’s annual meeting. It may not happen.
You’re right, kare, about calling police sooner rather than later.
They are tired of coming out to this address, I know, and sometimes need to be called twice (domestic calls are among their most dreaded calls, I was told by an officer once), but they’re needed when he’s in this kind of a state.
They usually can’t do much other than separate the parties (who can sometimes turn on them), but that’s important. One of them told me the other night that they’re hands are really tied. I think those calls might be among those that could benefit from someone trained in social work and mental illness? But police are still needed for safety.
All’s quiet today, he’s apparently not been let free yet.
Our sermon was from Rev. 11:15-19; reminders that Christ is the ruler of the “kings of the earth,” we are to have compassion for sheep without a shepherd, and our spiritual state manifests itself in our outward words and behavior.
We also went through the Westminster Shorter Catechism (Q 57-62) (Which is the fourth commandment? What is required in the fourth commandment? Which day of seven hath God appointed to be the weekly sabbath? How is the sabbath to be sanctified? What is forbidden in the fourth commandment? What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment?)
At the same time, not much they can do. If the victim wants to press charges, they can go that route but in the current mindset, the individual can be out in twenty minutes. If the perp wants to self hospitalize, they can take them there. But unless he actually hurts somebody….
However, if they come, they can at least provide on site protection.
Kim and Janice have both mentioned God’s timing in delays. That is something I try to remind myself about when I get so frustrated about Nightingale’s procrastination in getting moving on what needs to be done to get those areas in our house fixed. (One thing is that she has to put her bathroom back together so it can pass an inspection for the home loan. I don’t think I’ve mentioned that part before.) I try to keep in mind that maybe the right people we will need, either in getting the loan or in who will do the work, are not available yet. Or some similar situation.
The family did press charges the other day which is how the police were able to pick him up and arrest him (but he would have been out quickly after that had the mom not gone down there to pursue the 72-hour hold option).
Finally got an online donation send off to our denomination’s missionaries in Ukraine for war relief efforts. Not a big donation, but I’ll plan to send another as this situation goes on. Grateful for the ease of online donations these days.
So horrifying what is going on in that country. One of the correspondents today said his fear is that it’s heading back to a WWI-style warfare, in the trenches, street-by-street, hour to house.
__________________________
A hillside house that overlooks one of our major avenues in town has 4 large flags flying from the yard — USA, Ukraine, Mexico and … UCLA? Interesting and diverse grouping of loyalties.
Monday morning here, but it is term break and I will go to school whenever I like. I may bring my aide here to figure out what is going on with the yard man. There is a vine that goes up over a four foot tree trunk and creates a hedge. I think he has been hiding back there instead of working. We may take the vine out today. They ask us here, for security, to not have anywhere in our yard that someone can hide.
It was a good service this evening. So glad my missionary friend could attend and meet the church pastor and visiting pastor. She had connections with people they know. So glad to see her beaming from appreciation of being treated kindly and being invited back.She also was treated very nicely by the people I have been connecting with. You know how wonderful it feels to share God’s blessings? That feeling♡
Kim, if you read this, I think I left my little black coat in your back seat. Please feel free to find it another forever home. I was going to use it this morning and realized, Oh, it must still be in Kim’s back seat😀 I have another black coat that a friend recently gave me so I can use it instead.
Wandering Views 
Good morning. Not much going on here. I checked tomorrow’s weather report so I can figure out what to wear to church. A low of 40 and high in the 60’s means I have more choices.
I committed to pray for an event in April at my former church. It is a Comedy Date Night including a dessert bar. The cost is ten dollars per person. A Christian comedian has been booked. They hope to genrrate interest in marriage enrichmrnt classes. It sounds good, but I am not sure it will be well attended. Art and I were sent an invitation by mail. I guess I feel that the unchurched would not be intetested in Christian comedy, and the churched already have too many other things going on to engage with this.
I will continue to pray.
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Morning! We are set to have two days of lovely warmish weather then the bottom falls out again. Just in time for me to get out the snow shovel again as husband does his last gig up at the camp cabin as caretaker. Hoping for fluffy snow this time! The predictions are all over the place for amounts….anywhere from 2-3 or 10-15 inches….we shall see which meteorologist was correct come Monday!
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Janice, who is the comedian? I follow and love three who do a podcast together, Nate Bargatze, Brian Bates, and Aaron Weber. They actually did one episode on Christian comedians and emphasized that calling themselves Christian comedians can be a turn off and much prefer to be known as comedians who are Christians. While their routines are totally clean, they don’t make Christian jokes nor do thy include anything intended to “convert” listeners. All that to say that if correctly advertised, the unchurched might be interested.
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Ken Davis is a good comedian. You can find DVDs of his comedy. The first time I met him was through my husband when he was leading a local Youth for Christ organization. The first time I heard his comedy was when he did some for an all-class reunion. He was a neighbor and in the same school as my husband. I love how he takes everyday things and finds the humor.
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Comedy by Christians. Laughing is good but so much of the comedy is either hurtful or obscene. That is where comedians who are Christians come in. So those of us who don’t want to be assailed by obscenity or profanity or hurtful but want to laugh together, might find an evening of that entertaining. Not my cup of tea but I would not base it on my preferences as I am rather different.
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Good morning all and good night Jo though it is nearly Sunday morning. Will you be attending church?
Here it is Saturday and husband and son are off to a men’s prayer breakfast with a church in town. Then husband is supposed to take twenty to one of her fired worker’s for the weekend and the other two to Lewiston for animal feed. Hopefully, that will give me opportunity to get some more seeds into the ground before tomorrow’s snow arrives. I am planting older seeds so they may or may not come up. But it is always fun to get going.
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I am about
My house cleaning duties as they once again got derailed yesterday.
We have too much “stuff” and being married to a pack rat doesn’t help. I am bad enough as it is but when I add him to it- my circuits get really fried. He has paper all over the place.
Then we have a 4 year old with lots and lots of toys and “stuff”.
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I can relate.
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Where does four year old shop to get all of that stuff and toys?
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I admittedly have a “potty mouth”. I talk to the other drivers who I just know God placed on earth to try my patience. The “conversation” in my head isn’t fit for anyone else to hear. Last night I had the artist’s dinner and no less than 3 agents who needed something right now. It all got handled but I now refer to “feeling like a plucked chicken” sometimes. Don’t get me wrong I love my job I just need to be unplugged from it on occasion.
Anyway, all that was to say…. I get offended at the language used in entertainment. We recently watched 1883 which is the pre-quel to Yellowstone. I am pretty sure a southern woman from Tennessee even if she was hearty enough to drive a wagon across Texas and the Great Plains did NOT sprinkle the F- word throughout her conversation. Throughout the entire show they sprinkled in curse words where they didn’t even make sense.
I can remember if my father accidentally said damn or hell in front of a lady he immediately apologized.
Anyway, long story as to why I don’t watch much comedy these days and for what it’s worth the women are worse than the men.
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Scott Davis
https://www.scottdavis.com/video-media
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Nightingale and her best friend Stephanie have started a thing where, once a month, one goes to the other’s house and helps do a good cleaning. Today is Nightingale’s turn to have Stephanie come over and help her. Stephanie’s daughter and long-term/live-in boyfriend- and-daughter’s-father are coming over, too. We will be having a late brunch together first, down here, and then they will be doing the cleaning upstairs.
The one thing they will be doing down here is to take down and discard the Christmas tree that has been up for about 15 months. At least I had already taken off the ornaments. 🙂 (It is an old artificial tree, not a formerly live tree.)
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Cute, Janice. Fun to see their joy together.
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4 year old has a Papa.
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It’s all over. Might as well buy a railroad car for toy and stuff storage.
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It felt so good to sleep after what was a tense week. I went to bed earlier than usual, around 10 or 10:30, was up reading for about an hour at some point, but then slept until 9.
The $15 part to fix my chair is supposed to arrive today.
And I have Monday off for a much needed three-day break.
I haven’t watched 1883 but have watched Yellowstone, the related series w/Kevin Costner, and agree about the language.
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Kim did not mention that on our trip a semi truck driver purposefully came toward the passenger (me) side to push her into the other lane. It could have been bad. He was bad. Very bad. (Assuming it was a him.) I think it was not far from Atlanta but Kim would recall better than I. The drivers around here are crazy. Had I been thinking and not so shocked, I would have gotten a photo and called it in.
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Panted some more spinach and carrots along with chard and lettuce and kale. I see some of last year’s kale is back up and green for another go.
I am a lousy gardner. Last year when it was so hot with multiple days over one hundred, I let the rabbits out of their hutches so they could find some relief. They are quite friendly and come up to people. Anyway, they killed a number of my apple trees. Because the year before, we lost an apple tree to earwigs, I had removed the tree sleeves and had the two paint the trunks. Bad idea.
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The Invisible Hand — I’ve always said God is doing something (always), we don’t always know what (as he often is doing many things through various circumstances).
But I think this piece gets it right when it says humility surely is one thing that should be resulting from this pandemic we’ve all endured (too often complaining, speaking for myself).
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/after-two-whole-years
__________________________________________
After Two Whole Years
Have We Humbled Ourselves Yet?
Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you. (1 Peter 5:6)
Two years ago today, the dominoes were falling. We all can tell our own stories of realizing, one announcement after another, that our world seemed to be changing overnight.
As cancelations and lockdowns were sweeping the globe, God was humbling us — and no doubt, a thousand other good purposes besides. But he was humbling us, and no less than that. You and me, Christian — starting with the world’s most developed nations — God was humbling us. A truly global pandemic was, and continues to be, a stunning display of the global reach of his mighty hand (1 Peter 5:6), and his gentle, lovingly permissive fingers (Luke 22:31).
The question isn’t whether his humbling hand descended (and is still descending), but have we acknowledged it? Have we filled our heads with natural explanations? Have we run to news, and reports about science, to explain it in full and calm our anxieties? Have you traced the compounding disruptions, inconveniences, tragedies, divisions, to the sovereign permission and saving providence of God?
He has humbled us. That much is clear. Yet the question remains, Have we humbled ourselves? Have we acknowledged his mighty and merciful hand, and received his humbling in faith, and even welcomed his uncomfortable work? …
… For starters, count with me just a few of the ways a global pandemic has humbled us. First, the threat of death humbled us and fed the initial fear and hysteria. And with it, disruption of normal life humbled us. Even many who may not have feared death lamented the loss of the Final Four, the NBA, and Major League Baseball. And school and office closings changed households overnight.
The lockdowns, and their effects, humbled us. And masks humbled us. Oh did they, and do they still. Put this on your face, or go home. And of course, the vaccine has humbled us, with its attendant risks and uncertainties (one way or the other!) and its personal, practical implications — and then, making decisions for our children. But we have not only been humbled as individuals and families.
Governments have been humbled. Political parties humbled. Schools and businesses humbled. And yes, churches humbled. Overnight, our corporate worship gatherings faced new uncertainties, ushering us into touchy terrain to navigate among our own people (not to mention external hoops and pressures). …
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I feel Kim’s pain.
Many of us struggle with that while driving. 🤬
I have a pastor friend I shared my struggle with. He told me most of the sinning in his life happens while he is behind the wheel. 😳
It’s a cross many of us carry. 🙂
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Oh you should hear the things I say in the car…well no you should not 😳 I get so frustrated with aggressive or dumb drivers. And every time I just want to smack myself for my bad reactions. We were almost smushed in Kansas City by a garbage truck driver….husband was yelling at me to get over and that bad driver was keeping me from doing so….we ended up missing our exit but got off at the next and turned around….I ended up just crying…..
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Ever since I hit the tree and then the deer (totalling two vehicles in two weeks) I have been a much calmer driver. Neither collision was related to being angry or driving aggressively, but it was a wake up call to just be better and more aware. Some days I do get quite frustrated with dumb drivers, too.
Kizzie, I had friends who would spend the weekend at each other’s acreage and do home projects together. Maybe Nightingale’s friends would be open to that and getting some of your home improvements done?
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Driving words: never really been a problem with me. In part because I don’t drive all that much though I have driven a lot. But even then, I rarely got miffed with the other drivers. Husband on the other hand….
However, I have forever had the problem of talking bad about myself. Until it was brought to my attention, probably by somebody on here, that I, too, am an image bearer and when I flatten me out with words, I am belittling God. Not that I am God, but I am an image bearer. He made me the way He wanted. He is working on me. I am His work. I have no business calling out my Creator for His work.
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I like that idea, Kare.
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I like to leave lots of space in front of me when driving. Because that is all that I can control. So I will tell the other driver, sure take that space and then I slow down and create more space. I am not going to drive all crammed up and unable to get out of a situation. I suppose I just let it go. But I tell the others that that wasn’t very smart.
Here you rarely meet another vehicle. I talk to the bumps in the road as I am rocking back and forth from the rough roads.
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I am a more patient driver. If I get stopped by a light, even if I am running late, I tell myself God is sparing me from an accident up ahead or something else. I do drive too fast and I probably tailgate, but I am not aggressive. I don’t switch from lane to land and cut other people off.
I just yell at others for their stupidity.
No the house is not completely clean but it is better than it was this morning. I will finish the rest tomorrow after church.
I have also made an appointment with an interior designer I know to come tell me what colors to paint the inside of the house. It desperately needs it and while I am REALLY good at making decisions and telling other people what to do (ahem, DJ) I am NOT good at doing for myself.
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So, who is going to come in July and tell me and/or help me paint the inside of my house. Before it has any furniture.
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The posts remind me of a reminder on my fridge: Be careful of your thoughts, they may become your words. I actually said it to myself the other day as I was thinking something not so nice about someone, who was irritating me.
Sometimes comediennes who are Christian can also make some pretty funny jokes about the Christian culture, too. I, and the women who sit around me at the Wednesday afternoon music jam, laugh how everyone sits in ‘their’ seat—just like in church. Humans are creatures of habit. I like to shake it up once in a while myself. However, I don’t at the jam, because it would irritate others.
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I hate painting and can no longer do the line along the ceiling. My eyes just don’t allow for it. Nice to be able to do that before you put furniture in, Jo.
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Nearly witnessed/became part of an accident due to an impatient driver today. Was going into town for an appointment, and the speed limit on the two lane road went down from 80km to 60km. I eased off on the gas to slow down but as I got down to 70km, I looked in my rearview mirror to see a car crowding up on my bumper. I rapidly flicked my brake light to remind them to slow down, but it had the opposite effect. The driver crowded so close, I couldn’t see his/her headlights. We were approaching a four corner intersection, through for our direction, stop signs for the crossroad. I saw the car behind me pull out to pass and then saw a car on the crossroad on my right pull out to turn left. I was far back enough that I was safe for the car turning left, but they would complete the turn just as the car passing me reached the intersection. I hit my horn, hoping one or the other would see what was about to happen. The car turning left was able to turn onto the opposite shoulder, while the impatient driver sped on too fast for me to see the license plate. The area is a well known speed trap, but wouldn’t you know it, the day someone did something really dangerous, there were no cop cars to be seen.
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Kim is a good driver. Neither of us had a horrible reaction to that truck driver, but were shocked at it. I miss driving on the expressway because I did get good at it, but I can’t do that now with my eyes taking too long to focus to make quick judgements.
Kim and I enjoyed a special treat at Starbucks as we drove back to Atlanta. I had not been to Starbucks in so long I almost forgot I needed to ask for a Grande for the size. A Black Grande. I am glad I enjoy coffee again 😀
Tomorrow will be a super busy church day. Two out of town pastors are doing a morning and evening service, I plan to be at Sunday school and mid afternoon I have a prayer call with ladies from my other/former church.
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Home after a fun almost-three days in Phoenix and Tucson.
My luggage–which was “ala carte,” so not stuffed in with the big baggage and thus free–got lost on the way home.
Very odd.
Even American Airlines thought so.
But, I’m home, so I’ll manage. It’s far worse when your luggage gets lost going on your trip!
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I recall my luggage being lost when I went to Idaho. And, way before that, on a weekend stay with my friend’s family on Balboa Island — I wound up with some man’s luggage when I got home. I got neckties, he got my favorite softball and training bras.
I’m a much better driver than I used to be. And that accident that messed up my Jeep Liberty (sniff)? That calmed me down even more, though i was traveling at a slow (reasonable) rate when that happened (the other guy not so much). But I find I watch very carefully now, much more of a “defensive” driver so something doesn’t come flying out of nowhere again.
I drive very little now with no work commute and no weekend jaunts to Hollywood or Glendale or, before that, Downey to see Carol.
Roscuro, that sounds pretty intense, hate it when drivers do that.
It’s cold and windy out, just got back from Sprouts and Office Depot (they’re next door to each other) to pick up just a couple things. We may get a smattering of rain tonight, they’re saying. I sat out on the front porch for a while this afternoon to read, but came in after only about half an hour, it was a little too chilly.
I was surprised how shaken I felt after the past two days with the neighbor on a rampage. That was pretty messed up, as my editor commented when I described it to him. It actually took me a while to come down from it all today still. Nothing like a big truck squealing and lurching back and forth, up and down, peeling out in the driveway just a few feet from your house, running into the concrete walls and the fence.
I hope there’s not a repeat once he gets home.
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Kare – That would be a neat idea except for the fact that the things that need to be done need more professional help. There are other renovations and fixes that we will be able to do ourselves eventually, but these two are more involved than what we can do.
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I am out on the painting. July is already booked with husband going on the cruise with his folks, camping with daughter, and then the family reunion. My dad and his brothers started it when their dad died and they figured they needed to make a commitment to getting together or would drift apart. That was in sixty two, I believe. Every three years for one full week.
All but my dad and one other original wife have died. But the children and their children and their children are still attending. Started with the seven and their spouses and children. I don’t know what we are up to now.
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DJ, that sort of thing will shake you up. One expects the neighbors to be normal. Totally off behavior is upsetting in many ways. Not surprised it takes a while to let it go.
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So nice to see Roscuro on here. Though sorry for such a scary experience. For me, that would take a while to feel normal again, after a worry like that. Glad you used your horn.
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Yes, happy to see Roscuro came through unscathed though probably a bit shaken.
Other drivers is one of the reasons I don’t drive much.
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As I read of your neighbor’s violent behavior I found myself holding my breath..I would be totally unnerved had I seen it first hand. Hoping that boy gets help and that just might take being locked up and forced rehab. His poor Mom…. 😞
Defensive driving is the rule of the day anymore. Cars passing on double yellow lines going 20-30 miles over the limit , near head on collisions happening way too often on our rural hwy…it’s scary out there! Granddaughter refuses to drive out here due to their almost being hit head on with no where to go but a deep ditch!
Then there are those texting while driving and weaving all over the road!
The other day a truck pulled right out in front of me so I just backed off and let him do his thing. A half mile down the road a car came screaming through a stop sign at about 60mph without even hesitating, just missing that truck! Thankful I was not the one that was nearly missed and thankful he escaped being hit!
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Glad to see Roscuro here again. Prayers for safety and good health, and for family who may not be well.
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I can cut in when it comes to painting but you really don’t
Want me
Using a paint roller
Or doing anything else. I get more pain on me than on what I am supposed to be
Painting.
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Last night we had a crash out on the Avenue. We heard it at our house half a block away. The whole neighborhood ran outside, we know what that sound is. because they speed down the Avenue.
This time it was a young man, who left in handcuffs by the way for suspected DUI, who clipped a parked SUV, pushed it into the SUV parked in front of said vehicle, flipped over onto the drivers side, slid a bit, and then fell over, and came to rest on it’s roof.
(I tend to run on, don’t I?)
I of course, have pictures, and a short video of them using cables to pull it right side up. Most of my neighbors do too.
Just your average Saturday night here in Pennsyltucky. 🤪
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Morning! When I say something about painting my husband moans….I am not great with a roller either!
Aj you made me laugh at the Pennsyltucky! I am from Hamilton a suburb of Cincinnati and we are always referred to as “Hamiltucky”….an endearing term don’t ya know 😊 and the excitement that you experienced seems to be right on par for a great Saturday night where my Mom still lives….only now the bums walk up and down the streets in the middle of the night stealing things from porches and front yards…not the neighborhood I once knew and loved in the 60”s…. 😞
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Good morning, all, and good night Jo, though it is nearly Monday morning.
Church is over and soon be heading off to church here.
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Prayers for those involved in that accident and their families and loved ones.
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Today’s sermon wasn’t that inspiring to me. It was delivered by a young priest in training. He was scattered through the gospel and has some speech patterns that probably need work but that is why he is in training under two excellent mentors. I am sure they will
give him constructive feedback.
On the other hand the morning’s study of the catechism was excellent and I will try to share it with you later.
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World has an article on the Castle twins and their family:
https://wng.org/articles/a-double-portion-1646709598
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I feel like I came out of night and into the daylight in this new church. I almost grieve, but mingled with joy, over it all, but God had His reasons for this timing. I did have deepening spiritual friendships with the ladies in my groups at the old church that I would have lost out on had I moved on sooner.
Today we had an excellent saxaphonist to add to the jazz sound, and a young hispanic lady who sang some of the verses in Spanish. The morning Scripture reading and prayer were done in both English and Spanish. The visiting pastor for our day of revival is the Chaplain for Men’s Basketball at the University of Georgia. I will post the service later if anyone wishes to get a taste of down home Georgia.
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No church for me again! I don’t want to freak people out with my sniffles and coughing. Maybe next Sunday.
Painting. I. Am. The. Worst. I managed to cut in where the popcorn ceiling meets the paint but not very well. I also tape off everything with two rows of the wide painter’s tape but still get paint on whatever I’m not supposed to be painting. Good to see I’m not alone in that. I think I will paint the baseboards before installing (when that time comes) and then just do the touch ups.
We’re supposed to get freezing rain and wet snow this evening and husband wants to go to our church’s annual meeting. It may not happen.
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I can only post the service link to the Facebook recording at this point.
https://fb.watch/bT8TAycxQL/
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Church message on persecution…sobering
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DJ, it might be advisable for you to call 911 right away if it happens again. The family may be unable to do so quickly.
I would be very unsettled. Praying for you.
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You’re right, kare, about calling police sooner rather than later.
They are tired of coming out to this address, I know, and sometimes need to be called twice (domestic calls are among their most dreaded calls, I was told by an officer once), but they’re needed when he’s in this kind of a state.
They usually can’t do much other than separate the parties (who can sometimes turn on them), but that’s important. One of them told me the other night that they’re hands are really tied. I think those calls might be among those that could benefit from someone trained in social work and mental illness? But police are still needed for safety.
All’s quiet today, he’s apparently not been let free yet.
Our sermon was from Rev. 11:15-19; reminders that Christ is the ruler of the “kings of the earth,” we are to have compassion for sheep without a shepherd, and our spiritual state manifests itself in our outward words and behavior.
We also went through the Westminster Shorter Catechism (Q 57-62) (Which is the fourth commandment? What is required in the fourth commandment? Which day of seven hath God appointed to be the weekly sabbath? How is the sabbath to be sanctified? What is forbidden in the fourth commandment? What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment?)
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*their hands
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At the same time, not much they can do. If the victim wants to press charges, they can go that route but in the current mindset, the individual can be out in twenty minutes. If the perp wants to self hospitalize, they can take them there. But unless he actually hurts somebody….
However, if they come, they can at least provide on site protection.
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Oh, hi, Dj, Note to self: refresh.
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I remember the chill that ran up my spine when I heard Nightingale scream that night that X attacked her.
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And I believe that was fifty seven.
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Kim and Janice have both mentioned God’s timing in delays. That is something I try to remind myself about when I get so frustrated about Nightingale’s procrastination in getting moving on what needs to be done to get those areas in our house fixed. (One thing is that she has to put her bathroom back together so it can pass an inspection for the home loan. I don’t think I’ve mentioned that part before.) I try to keep in mind that maybe the right people we will need, either in getting the loan or in who will do the work, are not available yet. Or some similar situation.
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And I believe that was fifty seven.
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but I repeat myself.
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mu mumsee, that’s OK.
The family did press charges the other day which is how the police were able to pick him up and arrest him (but he would have been out quickly after that had the mom not gone down there to pursue the 72-hour hold option).
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Finally got an online donation send off to our denomination’s missionaries in Ukraine for war relief efforts. Not a big donation, but I’ll plan to send another as this situation goes on. Grateful for the ease of online donations these days.
So horrifying what is going on in that country. One of the correspondents today said his fear is that it’s heading back to a WWI-style warfare, in the trenches, street-by-street, hour to house.
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A hillside house that overlooks one of our major avenues in town has 4 large flags flying from the yard — USA, Ukraine, Mexico and … UCLA? Interesting and diverse grouping of loyalties.
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Sorry, I wasn’t wearing my reading glasses when I was typing that.
Is that a Chas excuse?
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Monday morning here, but it is term break and I will go to school whenever I like. I may bring my aide here to figure out what is going on with the yard man. There is a vine that goes up over a four foot tree trunk and creates a hedge. I think he has been hiding back there instead of working. We may take the vine out today. They ask us here, for security, to not have anywhere in our yard that someone can hide.
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Alum are everywhere.
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mumsee, sorry to hear some of your apple trees were destroyed.
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It happens. We are working on vegetative propagation of the budding limbs of several of them to see if we can get some new starts.
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It was a good service this evening. So glad my missionary friend could attend and meet the church pastor and visiting pastor. She had connections with people they know. So glad to see her beaming from appreciation of being treated kindly and being invited back.She also was treated very nicely by the people I have been connecting with. You know how wonderful it feels to share God’s blessings? That feeling♡
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Kim, if you read this, I think I left my little black coat in your back seat. Please feel free to find it another forever home. I was going to use it this morning and realized, Oh, it must still be in Kim’s back seat😀 I have another black coat that a friend recently gave me so I can use it instead.
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