Storms on the Horizon

The storm clouds are gathering...Are you ready? Get ready.

Yum!  I have a crock pot full of vegetable soup simmering away and it smells so good.  I guess you would call it a vegetarian soup as there isn't any meat in it, yet it is full of protein.  I am a meat eater by nature, but I know that I can lose a little wt. at a time with this good soup and not have saturated fats or cholesterol in my diet.  Yesterday when I was at the Doctor's office my B/P was 124/70 which is good for my age.  I do take B/P meds. but this the best it has been for a long while.  Losing weight is good for me!  If I can get some more wt. off I will be very happy.  I even breath better in this heat and humidity.

I went shopping this afternoon...in the heat...and I wasn't huffing and puffing as I was six months ago.  I figured it was time to get some new cloths.  I bought two new blouses and some new PJ's.  I did need them.  Some of my favorite blouses are getting really thin and see through-able.  Can't have that, can we?!

I am jumping around here, in my thoughts and in my deeds. This morning I unscrewed the bottom of the blender and got a small mason jar out.  Into the mason jar I placed a raw egg, 1 tbs. of cottage cheese, onion flakes, salt and pepper to taste(mine) and screwed the bottom of the blander(blades and cap) onto the mason jar.  Turning the jar upside down, I ran it on the blender.  Yum again!  Instant souffle and into a hot pan.  Very quick and easy way to make scrambled eggs. You can make this ahead of time and put it into the 'frige.  So easy to clean up the blades and mason jar afterwards, too.  And you can add to it whatever you like; bacon, ham, your finger...no, leave your finger out of it.

As I said last eve. I want to run to Aldi's and try to stock up on a few things.  I will also stop and pay off the rest of my insureance for the van.  I only need to give State Farm $261.00 as I paid most of it last month.  I think that in August I will be more stabel as I have had a lot of outgo for various obligations.  I spent $230.00 just for meds.  Oh, I forgot.  Obama said we would all be better off with his new health plan. didn't he...like when??

+++

GIVE EAR, LISTEN HUMBLY,

FOR THE LORD SPEAKS.

GIVE GLORY TO THE LORD,

YOUR GOD,

BEFORE IT GROWS DARK;

BEFORE YOUR FEET

STUMBLE

ON DARKENING

MOUNTAINS;

BEFORE THE LIGHT

YOU LOOK FOR

TURNS INTO DARKNESS.

Jeremiah 13: 13-16

You know, we have been seeing a lot of dark days lately with all the violence, meaness, wars and corruption that seems to know no end.  We can only listen to the word of God and gather ourselves in for what ever comes next.  I think the world will get a lot darker and the storm clouds are pileing up.  Are you ready? I think all of us will be tested and probably found wanting. 

END





"Nothing new under the sun"

Well, this has been been a long day for me.  "We" had a picnic in the park for the residents from the nursing home.  My job was to go pick up the chicken and rolls which I did.  So, you see, I didn't do to much.  As the picnic was just getting started I had to leave and go to my Dr.'s appointment to get my meds. renewed.  By the time I got back from the Dr.'s office it was pretty much over and they were loading up the bus to go home.  I had intended to get back in time to help clean up, but the timing was off. Well, I think the residents had a good time and went back to the home tired, but happy.  Tomorrow I get to rest up a little and be lazy.
A couple weeks ago I did some "deep cleaning."  I think I disturbed some spiders and I think they were Brown Recluse spiders.  I got one, but there were others that made it to some safe haven behind or beneath something.  I will have to get busy and go on a spider hunt as they are nasty little arachnids.  I am also sure they have given me a couple of bad bites in the past and also a bad bite recently.  "A huntin' we shall go." Hi Ho the spider-o, a hunting we will go.  Then I will put up a sticky fly paper and hope that the nasties get glued on, never to be free.....to bite me.

I got eggs the other day at $1.59  doz.  A friend told me that over at Aldis's they are ....$00.59 cents a doz. and that canned goods are a lot cheaper there, too.  I hope to zip over on Wed. after mass and get some canned soup.  I can lose wt. on canned veg. soup, be satisfied and healthy. I may get a case if they are cheap enough.

As Sunday and today were long days for me and I plan on being lazy tomorrow, I don't know what I will write about around this time Tuesday eve.  Actually...I never know until I sit down to write. 

+++

A LAMP FROM

THE LORD

IS THE BREATH

OF MAN.

IT SEARCHES

THROUGH ALL

HIS INMOST BEING.

Proverb 20: 27

I like to read the Proverbs.  It's like reading a "how to" manual, or a "how not to" guide.  There is pretty good stuff; wisdom and advice, to be found in the Proverbs.  Someone must have sat down at some time with his(or her) stone tablet and chiseled it all out for us.  "Written in stone"...so to speak.  And you know, almost all written words for the last few thousand years, have found a beginning in some way, somehow, in the Old Testament.  Yup, read and see.  All modern literature has a basic conflict-resolution, good vs. evil, love vs. hate, structure that was authored in the Bible long before you and I thought about the "next great novel."  And sex?  You will find plenty of that in the OT, as well.  "There is nothing new under the sun."  If you find something new that has never, ever been authored before, let me know.

END

WATCH OVER ME

I am washing cloths.  Now, isn't that exciting.  One of my blouses ran and turned everything pink.  Now, that is aggravating!

Not much going on.  I went to the grocery store.  I spent $20.00.  I spent more on gas than I did on food.  It's a good thing I am back on my diet.

I was going to buy vegetable soup in a can until I saw the price.  What was 77 cents is now $1.17 per can.  I will make my own veggie soup, thank you.  P.S, I am craving something sugary or sweet.

GAS:  When I went to the store gas was $3.19.  Within an hour gas was jacked up to $3.39 per. gallon all over town.  There isn't any competition anymore.  All the brands rise together or fall together.  That tells me that we are being manipulated into the poor house.  What ever happened to Free Enterprise?

 +++

FOR HE SHALL

GIVE HIS ANGELS

CHARGE OVER THEE,

TO KEEP YOU

IN ALL YOUR WAYS. 

THEY SHALL BEAR THEE

UP IN THEIR HANDS

LEST THOU DASH

THY FOOT

AGAINST A STONE.

Psalm 91: 11-12

Yes, I used this psalm just the other day, but you know history repeats itself and so so I.  We are creatures of habit; often bad habits and it's a good thing someone is watching over us.  Do I have bad habits?   Oh, I just might have.

END 

INTERNAL RESURRECTION....?

HOT..HOT..HOT!

Typically August is a very hot month and we are not even into it yet. We are still struggling through the end of July so it makes me wonder what this coming month will be like.

I stayed in for most of the day in other than  going out to tfor noon-time mass and then to the Chinese restaurant.  Yes, it is
just to hot to cook-that's my reasoning, anyway.

I did stop at the Christian Book Store and buy a couple of Cd's.  I haven't listened to them yet, but I will tomorrow.  Nothing else seems to be going on.  Not only am I staying inside, the "bad people" are, too.  There is nothing like 100 degrees days to take the fight out of crime.

+++

I PRAYED TO GOD

HE HEARD MY PRAYER

AND TOOK ME INTO

HIS LOVING CARE

AND WHEN I'M SICK

OR IN SOME PAIN,

HE GIVES ME STRENGTH

AND HEALTH AGAIN.

OH LET ME NOW

HIS GRACE IMPLORE

TO LOVE AND PRAISE

HIM MORE AND MORE 

meb

+++

AND THE PEACE

OF GOD,

WHICH PASSES

ALL UNDERSTANDING

SHALL GUARD YOUR

HEARTS AND MINDS

THROUGH CHRIST

JESUS.

Philippians 4:7

I have asked some friends this question and I will ask my readers to ponder it in their hearts and minds, too, if you will.

What does internal resurrection mean to you?

Have you ever experienced it?

If you did, were you aware of it then or later?

END



WIND AND RAIN

I did what dumb people often do.  I worked outside in the heat.  Not for long.  I just wanted to weed a little bit around the tomatoes and pepper plants in anticipation of rain.  I wanted the plants to get the benefit of any rain; not the weeds.  No, I didn't stay out long.  When the temps are in the upper 90's my good intentions got good and gone.  The sweat just poured from me.  I hope I lost a pound or two.

We did get some rain...just not enough.  The wind was very strong and blew  the storm away before it had a chance to really do it's stuff.  Other places did get rain, but not much here along the Ohio where I hang out in my humble abode.

At least the wind brought a cooling breeze and the temperature dropped from the high 90's to 75 degrees, and that made life more pleasant and sent the mosquitoes sailing off for a while.  Tomorrow it will be a pick up sticks day.  The man across the street was already tossing stuff out into the street for the cars to run over.

+++

O LAMB OF GOD

O LAMB BEHOLD

AND MAKE ME

ONE OF JESUS' 

FOLD

AND MAY I

FROM THIS DAY

BEGIN

TO LOVE YOUR

WAYS

AND FLEE

FROM SIN

author unknown

with slight revision

 END



FUNNY FANNY OF MOTHER NATURE

Triple digits, O my!  Mother Nature is intent on breaking records and showing her fanny again...Which isn't funny.  The doors are closed.  The shades are closed. The lights are off.  The A/C is working overtime.  The heat is on...the air from outside has an insidious way of sliding under doors, filtering in from behind closed shades, making all things generally miserable...Blah!

I ate the whole bowl of jello just because it was good and cold and because I could.  Now I need to make some more as it has such a nice cooling effect on the body.  I have not been eating out...or in, for that matter.  One tends to be less hungry when the mercury explodes out the top of the thermo-meter.  My brother used to call a thermometer a thermo-meter when he was small.  Call it what you will; I'll just call it hot!

The old man with the portable O2 seemed to be having some slight problems with the heat today while in church.  I do admire him for coming out in this desert-like environment to attend mass.  And I noticed that there was a major dust storm out in Arizona like onto the days of the Dust Bowl of the '30's. 

I had intended to go shopping after mass, but came home and took a nap instead.  Let everyone else run around and get all sweaty and over heated.  I would rather not.  I would rather be stinky nice than stinky awful, drenched in perspiration.  I will shop another day.

OK.  I made another bowl of Jello...and I went outside to take the trash out for early morning pick-up..now, at 10 PM it is still 89 degrees.

+++

THE BEAST

HAVE ROTTED

IN THEIR DUNG;

THE BARNS

ARE DESTROYED

THE STOREHOUSES

ARE BROKEN DOWN

BECAUSE THE

CORN IS CONFOUNDED.

Joel 1: 17

This is an interesting verse and you may wish to read a little more of it.  There is so much of the Bible that we are unfamiliar with because many passages/books do not lend themselves to preaching or "Bible Thumping." or just doesn't have the rhythm or cadence preachers, teachers and readers expect.  Read it anyway.  You will be more enlightened.  Me too.

END 





MELLOW JELLO AND SNAIL TALES

I "made" some Jello, from a box, of course.  I used to make a lot of jello.  I don't know why I stopped.  It is sooo good and cool on a hot day like this...when the temperature is over 102 and the heat index is 111...yes, 111.  I will make more as it will stay nice and toasty for the rest of the week.  I also made a pasta salad and that is cool, too.

My tomato plants are so hot that the blossoms will not set fruit.  The pepper plants are struggling.  They also have blossoms, but no peppers.  I guess I will have to go to the Farmer's Market to get some veggies as this year looks like a bust.

Early on...in the "spring," there were plenty of Honey Bees for pollination.  Now, there are none.  That too, may be why the blossoms are not setting.  I hope that everyone is stocking up on whatever they can.

Tomorrow I plan to do a little shopping after mass.  Everyone else will probably do the same as the SS checks come out at midnight.  I guess I will tend toward "box" foods or non-perishables that I can squirrel away.

This day I got my little pea shooter out and plan to load it this evening.  It wouldn't be very effective from a relative distance but up close and personal it would sting like a angry Bumble Bee.  I will also start to carry it; I do have a licence for a concealed weapon.  I really hate to do this, but the world has become  a dangerous place and I can not defend myself otherwise.  And I do live in an unsafe neighborhood.  You just do what you have to do these day.  Perhaps these ARE THE END OF DAYS.  Of course, if I were a better Christian I would turn the other cheek or just say shoot me on this side, too. 

GIVE THANKS

TO THE LORD,

FOR HE IS GOOD,

FOR HIS MERCY

ENDURES FOREVER.

Psalm 117: 1

I'm sure that there are many that would argue that God's mercy endures forever or even prevails, especially when so much pain and suffering abounds in the world...or give thanks for the present situations of our culture and economy.  But I do, and I know that I may be an exception in these times and place.  I have said it before:  I have what I need.  I have a roof to cover me, food on the table and a bed to rest in.  I do give thanks for these, and for any mercy bestowed upon me and all those that I care for.  My one regret is that I do live in a violent world and must be prepared for it.  Yet, I know this:  Christ also lived in such a world and died a most violent death.  While society has moved foreword some in the past 2,000 years, we, as a people of God, are just inching along.  A snail crawls along  faster than the human estate:  We move in God's time, not our own.  Call me a snail, but I am trying to get there from here.  How about you?

END

 

Heat Waves are Hot!

We are in our 5th heat wave.  We need rain.  It is too hot to do much outside and the weather is doing nothing to encourage my ambition.  I just stay in.  There is plenty to do inside, but I really can't get myself going at it.  I do what is necessary.  Maybe tomorrow.  Have you heard that before?

+++

I WILL BOTH

LAY ME DOWN

IN PEACE,

AND SLEEP;

FOR THOU, LORD,

ONLY

MAKES ME DWELL

 IN SAFETY

Psalm 4: 8

END



STOP..TIME OUT

Sometimes I am at loss for something to write about; not an idea or even a tiny inspiration.  That's OK.  It gives my brain a time to rest; a time to contemplate, a mental quiet time.  We all need to have a little retreat from life on occasion.  It is hard to deal with some of the "normal" ups and downs, griefs and sorrows.  Even happiness and joy can be overwhelming at times.   Time out.  Take a breath.  Say a prayer and let the soul of you appreciate a little moment or two of emotional oblivion and just empty out all your cares, worries, anxieties and even anticipations.  Let yourself be.  Just be. I am.  Tomorrow is Sunday.  I am taking the day off from everything other than getting myself to church and back again.

+++

TRUST IN THE LORD

WITH ALL THY HEART

AND LEAN NOT

UNTO THINE

OWN UNDERSTANDING.

IN ALL THY WAYS

ACCKNOWLEDG HIM,

AND HE SHALL

DIRECT THY PATH.

Proverbs 3: 5-6

Take a break and gather yourself in peace

that you may glorify God

END



Culture of Violence

By now most everyone knows that some really bad events happened to innocent people in Colorado.  We live in a culture of violence.  We should live in a culture of prayer.

This country of ours has been in a continuous war somewhere on the globe for the past 11 years.  We train our best and brightest to wage war and the TVs and newspapers continue to glorify the spillage of blood.  TV is a major influence on the youth of today that will kill tomorrow.  Sounds like a generalization, but pick up any newspaper.  We train for the demise of our fellow kind, whether we admit it or not.

Obama said he would bring the troops home.  He can't.  If he did he would have a nation of out-of work  discontent soldiers who know how to use weapons.  He can't.   Our economy now runs on the manufacture and dispensation and sales of weapons of war.  We can't sell houses or new cars, but we sure can sell weapons.

The boy who went haywire probably was a loose cannon before he fired his cannons.  He didn't know that guns are for personal protection not personal vindication.  I believe in the right to own and bear arms for the safety of home and person, not for misuse or abuses.  He was young.  He was stupid.  He was influenced by the wrong values and probably mentally unsound.

Now, you will hear the cry for gun confiscation and gun control...louder than ever.  Don't give up your rights to protect your home and hearth.  We need to maintain a standing military to protect our shores and the contsitsution.  Democracy starts with our own flag and our our own people.  What we don't need to do is hype up "bringing freedom" to semi-slave nations...which is not really very effective, by the way.

We are the only animals on earth that kill for sport or pleasure, not for food and survival.  While it is horrible what happened this day in Colorado,  we must admit that we still have the cowboy mentality.  If you want it, take it.  If you want to do something, do it: to hell with the consequences.

Remember the gentle years of Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, Lucy and Kraft Theater, The Lone Ranger and Dick Tracy?  We need to do a little back-tracking and reappraise our culture.  Tone down the blood and gore on TV and the news, and become a prayerful people again.  When we were a Godly nation we were a powerful nation.  Let it be so again.  Just my opinion, thank you.

+++

SUBMIT YOURSELVES

THEREFORE

TO GOD

RESIST THE DEVIL,

AND HE WILL

FLEE FROM YOU.

James 4: 17

The devil is alive and well

and has found a home

in our country.

He is active and abroad.

END

DHG for everything..no it isn't a drug

I really need to get serious about my diet again.  I went a little crazy after Lent was over and did gain back a couple of pounds.  While that isn't horrible,  I am not really losing more poundage, but my goal is for at least another10 pounds.  I know I can do it if I stay true to my goal.

I don't think there is really most obesity that can't be conquered.  There are, of course, some cases that are caused by hormone or chemical unbalances, but most weight gain is the result of lack of discipline, poor eating habits and being glued to the TV set.  I count myself among the three; DHG..I will call it Discipline, poor Habits and Glue(lack of movement).  Yup, I suffer from all three symptoms of some degree or another.  It is time to vanish these obstacles to good health and optimum
well being.

Dieting Discipline is akin to religion:  You want it or you don't.  Your willing to practice the discipline or maybe sometimes.  You are willing to put in the time and effort that it takes to achieve your better self.  After that wonderful baked potato, I am back at it.  After all yesterday's yummy stuff is now a memory.  Yes, I will and can cheat occasionally, but not too often.  It is OK to give into my baser appetite and purge the urge once in a while, but I will reach my goal.  I must, you know!  Half my cloths don't fit and it's illegal to run around naked!!  What a sight that would be!!

I started this post in the afternoon.  It is now evening and we have had two rounds of showers since then.  We will take all we can get.  I will not have to carry water to the tomatoes tomorrow.  They were looking wilted and stressed today.  Natural rain should perk them up.  I am so thankful for the rain as it has broken the heat; down from 101 to 80 degrees now.

+++

WE KNOW

THAT ALL THINGS

WORK TOGETHER

FOR GOOD TO THEM

THAT LOVE GOD,

TO THEM WHO

ARE CALLED

ACCORDING

TO HIS PURPOSE.

Romans 8: 28

END



A little rain would be nice, too!

I made it out to mass in spite of the heat which hit 102.  Lots of thunder and dark clouds, but no rain to dance to locally.  More states have been added to the Fry List of severe droughts.  Like my term...Fry List?  The birds are cooking on the wing.  They have gone through two gallons of water in the birdbath and seemed pretty droopy this evening.  The weather is hard on all God's creatures.

After mass I stopped at Windy's and got a baked potato with everything on it...so good...but not good for my diet.  I have to cheat every once in a while, don't you think?

It is way to to hot to do anything outside other than what is absolutely necessary.  That may sound like an excuse to be lazy, but locally there have been several people to die from the heat and heat related illnesses.  So, I have made friends with the conditioner; we are best buddies, not to be parted anytime soon.

This is a short post because the weather has made me sluggish, like molasses in January...or something of that ilk.

+++

THE LORD

IS MY LIGHT

AND SALVATION;

WHOM SHALL

I FEAR?

THE LORD

IS THE STRENGTH

OF MY LIFE;

OF WHOM

SHALL I BE

AFRAID?

Psalm 27: 1

The truth is that we all live in fear of some kind, if not fear for our physical well being, then in fear of real or imagined stresses and hardships.  We worry about some of the most inconsequential to the really big log in our eyes.  I do, as most of us do.  We are human and anxiety is part of our emotional make up.  We have free will and can chose to rise above all that makes us shudder, shake in our bones, cause sleepless nights and untold misery for ourselves and others.  Have I perfected such courage and strength that I can ignore all my frailties and call myself Captain of my ship or my inner id?  Of course not.  I am so far from perfect that that I  have to laugh at my feeble effort here within.  You can laugh, too.  I give you my permission.



END

Here I am, Lord

Here I am, Lord.  'Though I am very tired.  I was very sick in the night.  I never get sick.  It must have been something I ate or drank.  Usually I have a cast iron stomach, but not last night.  At one point I thought I would pass out if I even  moved and broke out in a cold, clammy sweat.  However, once my stomach emptied out I was OK.  I just refused to give in to my distress and finally went back to bed and slept well.

I have been drinking a lot of water in what is now our fourth heat wave.  There may be something in the water other than Ohio River Shark Fins.  I did not adhere to my own advice and drink purified, bottled water.  Live and learn...or get sick.

After my post of last evening our local news came out  today with information that the Ohio is blooming with algae.  It makes the water green and pretty as the river is slow moving, sluggish and probably full of bacteria even though the water department is using extra charcoal to clean and purify the water.  Also, the Mighty Mississippi is so low that barges are running aground on sand bars.  The Ohio flows into the Mississippi and out to the gulf. And that is where most of us get our "muddy," green drinking water .  YUM!

I stayed in out of the heat, mostly because I put in such a bad night.  I only went out long enough to get four cartons of soda out to the van and to water the tomatoes.  I really didn't want to do that much.  After all, what did people do before they had A/C?  Losing a little weight has helped me in the long run and made breathing in this high humidity a little easier.

So, you see, when I stay in there isn't much to write about.  Tomorrow 'though, I plan to go out to noon-day mass and brave the heat.  There is a man on a portable O2 tank who comes to church most of the time, except when the temperatures were 107.  If he can get there...so can I.

+++

FOR HE SHALL

GIVE HIS ANGLES

CHARGE OVER THEE,

TO KEEP THEE 

IN ALL THY WAYS.

BEAR THEE UP

IN THEIR HANDS,

LEST THOU DASH

THOU FOOT

AGAINST A STONE.

Psalm  91: 11-12

Have you ever had a pebble or a grain of sand or a seed in your shoe?  All of us have, at one time or another.  What do we do, but shake out our shoe and  keep on going, walking and moving.  Last night I had a big grain of sand in my shoe and I shook it out and today it is gone.  Most of us have a lot of pebbles in our shoes as we walk the path of life. Hey, kick up a little sand!

END

What we are...

Just in case I didn't tell you a million times before...or you just didn't listen, you need to start stocking up, if at all possible.  While going through the sale bills today I noticed that there are hardly any canned vegetables or canned meats on sale.  There is plenty of fresh meat, but people can not hardly afford good cuts of meat anymore.  If you can buy and stock up on meat, then learn to can it or preserve it.  All meat bearing animals depend on corn and grain and the corn crop has failed.  So...if you see good deals on meat between now and fall, which just around the corner, go for it.  Also, if you can get some bottled water for personal use-drinking water-that is on sale, buy it.  As the rivers and wells fall good drinking water may become  scarce because of itsy bitys microbes and bacteria, you will have purified H20 on hand to slake your thirst.

It is hot and humid without a raindrop in sight.  I think if we had a good rain I would go dancing in the rain, but not naked.  I picked one lonely tomato today.  It was stunted; about the size of a golf ball, but ripe.  I did enjoy the two bites as it was flavorful...good.  I want more!

The Chinese are starting to feel the monetary pinch, as we have been doing for the past three years.  If they get cantankerous they will not loan the Bank of Obama any more money and take away his credit card.  That may well be a good thing.  A good kick in the Obama butt might give him a wake-up call and set his alarm clock to buzzing.  He is a guy of words and wrong actions...just my opinion, ya know.

An interesting bit of information that you DON'T know.  The news is not covering it.  There have been two...2...incursions by Soviet Bombers into American airspace off California in two weeks.  Didn't hear about that did ya?  We can guess..or I will.. that Russia is testing our resolve to protect our airspace and country.  They know that we are tied up in Afghanistan, Pakistan and quietly "involved" in Iran.  They know that we have a weak president and therefore a weakened resolve to protect our own boarders.  Yea, Mr. President!  Don't want to take you away from the campaign trail and get you all distracted from what is really important.  Oh, give the guy a break, says I. At lest he is a good father and husband...I think.

+++

LET US THEREFOR
COME BOLDLY
UNTO THE THRONE
OF GRACE,
THAT WE MAY
OBTAIN MERCY
AND FIND GRACE
TO HELP
IN TIME OF NEED.

Hebrews 4: 16

Those old Hebrew fellows  of the Old Testament were pretty inspired guys, don't you think?  The Old Testament laid out the foundation for the coming of Christ right from the start.  Who among us would have thought to write out the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone as in Exodus...let alone expect the generations to live by the precepts.  Most of us...not.  The old men of the Old Testament set mankind on the path of righteousness to make way for the New Covenant...the fulfillment of prophecy and establish a New Kingdom of  God...well, new to us anyway.  Of course, the Old Men of the Bible did have a little help from a high place to give them a "little heads up" directives.  We are all called to be prophets.  Do you think or feel like a prophet?  Well, your supposed to be!  So...what is a prophet, anyway?  It is one who speaks the truth and carries the word of God that has been reveled to him...or her.  Remember the word...(sacred)revelation...reveled.

END



AND THE ANSWER IS...

RAIN.  30 miles from here they go four inches of rain and street flooding.  Here, where I live, we got 0.04 of an inch of rain.  Not nearly enough, but it did help keep the dust down. This coming week we are supposed to get a little more rain.  One can only hope.

This afternoon I went out and got a haircut.  It seems like I just got my hair cut only a couple weeks ago.  One thing you can count on to grow; weeds and my hair.

+++

WE KNOW THAT

ALL THNGS

WORK TOGETHER

FOR GOOD

TO THEM

THAT LOVE GOD

TO THEM

WHO ARE CALLED

ACCORDING

TO HIS PURPOSE.

Romans 8: 28

Do you know that

we are all

called?

How do you,

any of us,

answer?

END

ABIDE IN ME

My computer does strange things; it really does.  All I have to do is breath on it and something will change.  It has more than just memory and a hard drive.  It has a mind of it's own.  I swear that it does.

Again we have been promised rain and again the rain went in another direction.  Now 26 states have been declared drought disaster areas.  Gov. Quint is asking that prayers be said for the state of Illinois.  I thinks the corn crop is about done for and thus not only will you pay more for gas...you will pay more for food.

The grass in the yard is so brittle that it sounds like broken glass beneath my feet.  I am tired of carrying water to the tomato plants, but I will continue to do it.  I want a few red tomatoes.  The birds are also in need of rain.  They get some moisture from the falling plums, but when they are gone they will have to fly away elsewhere.  I can't keep the bird bath full enough.

+++

IF YOU ABIDE IN ME

AND IF MY WORDS

ABIDE IN YOU,

ASK WHATEVER

YOU WILL

AND IT SHALL

BE DONE TO YOU.

John 15: 7

Do you believe?



A summer without rain is the new normal?

Are you stocking up yet?

Or are you a grasshopper?

A whole lot of nothing.  No rain 'though it has been promised and is around in other areas.  This area and several other counties have been declared severe drought disaster areas.  Yeah, like...we didn't know that.  At least that makes the farmers eligible for "low interest loans."  Yes, there will be some price hikes in the grocery stores.  Are you prepared and ready?

I went out to the store this afternoon and started to leave without my bags.  I was distracted, but probably seemed to be senile...LOL's...maybe I am!  At least I knew who I was and where I was going, correct age and address! I think I was deep in thought as to where I was going next.

I went out and did some quick mowing around the tomato patch.  The only thing growing are the weeds.  They are hardy and determined.  First the weeds and then the sneeze

I may go out and about tomorrow if it doesn't rain.  Rain...did I say rain?   Not only am I getting senile I think I am getting delusional.  So this day went that away.  Gone.

+++

AND AS THE RAIN

AND THE SNOW

COME DOWN

FROM THE HEAVEN

AND RETURN

NO MORE THITHER,

BUT SOAK THE EARTH

AND WATER IT,

AND MAKE IT

TO SPRING,

AND GIVE SEED

TO THE SOWER

AND BREAD

TO THE EATER,

SO SHALL

MY WORD BE

WHICH SHALL

GO FORTH

FROM MY MOUTH:

Isaas 55: 10-11

You know, you can find every situation, event, or human condition written about in the Bible, either in the O.T. the N.T. or in the parables or the psalms.  Just look and you will find.

END

VANAGAIN

Ok.  I have my van back.  Now the windows work.  I'm happy to have my transportation back.

This afternoon I cleaned of the back porch.  I used a shovel to clean up all the plums that have fallen.  The wind has been blowing them off the limbs.  Some are ripe and some are still half green.  I can't use them because the ants have gotten into them.  The birds have been feasting on them, too.
Next I have to clean up all the pears that were blown down from the wind.  I see that on both the plum and the pear  tree there are also broken branches.  I can start out with a bumper crop of fruit....and along come Mother Nature spoil the harvest. 

The temperatures have dropped from the 100's to the 90's.  It is still hot and the humidity is high.  The weatherman says that's a good thing as it should bring about rain.  We do need rain.

Not much to mention unless you are interested in the mummified mouse I found while going through a box of stuff to get rid of.  Want a mummified mouse, anyone?  No?

+++

THE ETERNAL

IS THE JUDGE

OF ALL THINGS

WITHOUT EXCEPTION;

THE LORD ALONE

IS JUST.

WHOM HAS HE MADE

EQUAL,

TO DESCRIBING

HIS WORKS

AND WHO CAN PROB

HIS MIGHTY DEEDS?

Sirach 18:1-2

I am curious.  As we are co-creators with God...of a lesser degree, but because He has given us the ability to fashion, create and bring into being many marvelous things and works....Who can make a soul/spirit other than God Himself?  Some things are reserved for the Eternal Maker and mankind just can't duplicate.

END

A slow day without wheels

This weed is edible and grow everywhere!

Today is Tuesday.  I have been without my van for two whole days and it looks like I will be without it tomorrow, as well. I would really like to go to noon-time mass tomorrow, but don't know what is happening with my van.  I took it in to get the window fixed; first they dropped and broke a piece and then they put in a wrong switch.  Now they have to order the correct switch.   Really.  Men are such Dodos.

The heat wave has broken.  It was only in 90's today. The humidity has slacked off a bit, too.  That makes the 90's bearable.  Even  'though we got some rain it wasn't nearly enough.  More rain, please.

As the mid-west is in a serious drought you can expect the price of food to increase and your wallets to get thinner.  If you can stock up with canned corn or veggies, do so.  You will need them.

I am still still watering my tomatoes.  The pepper plants look like they may finally do something.  Also, I put coffee grounds, tea leaves and egg shells through the blender this afternoon and poured the concoction on the plants.  I am also thinking of planting some late radishes and maybe some late lettuce in a protected area.  I just want some more green stuff.

I took fat from my steaks  out to the birds.  They like the fat the meat residue left on bones.  Just don't hit the bones with a mower!

Because I don't have transportation and can't get out and about, I can't spend money.  That is a good thing.  Just wait 'til I get the bill for the van window!!

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

I SHALL NOT WANT.............

from the 23 Psalm

Not all Bibles are the same

in numbering.

.

END

Tommy Toes want water

I got up early so that I could go to the store before the heat of the day, for the few groceries that I needed.  Even at 9 A.M. the temperature was in the low 90's.  I got what I needed and came right back to the A/C.  On the way I saw the mail carrier.  Poor fellow looked like slowly melting wax on a hot day.  It was the humidity.  I wonder how he made out for the rest of the day as it was only 9:30.  Our high temperature was 105 for the day, but with the humidity it was very uncomfortable.

I watered the tomatoes with one gallon of water and the heat sucked the moisture right out of the ground.  I went back later and watered the plants again.  The tomatoes plants have lots of blossoms and a couple of Tommy Toes.  The pepper plants are trying to do something; I don't know what.  I think they are trying to grow legs and walk to the river.

The birds are all desperate for water, too.  They are even sharing the bird bath with other species...not for long, but long enough to get a drink and splash a little.

The heat wave is supposed to end this eve. or overnight.  I hope so.  I can't even buy candy for the residents because it is melting into globs of chocolate..mush.    I guess I should be happy that I don't live in Europe where there is severe flooding and drownings.  I am thankful for that, but I wish we could just have a little bit of rain.  The fields are dry and the crops are not doing well for our local farmers

There isn't much going on here in "Downtown Kentucky" other than that they are racing the horses in this incredible heat, over at the park.   If that isn't animal abuse...I don't know what is.

So...that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

+++

THIS IS MY COMMANDMENT:

THAT YOU SHOULD LOVE

ONE ANOTHER.

John 15: 12

END

Even a little rain is welcome

Time flies and wings away:  Where did the past few days go?  Here it is Wed. already.  Well, I do know where some of the time went as I have been doing some serious cleaning and some tossing out of stuff.  I have one garbage bag full of old papers, old books, old mail and just plain old...old accumulated junk or unwanted items.  No one else would want any of it either.  However, on the bright side I did find a few things that I had forgotten about or just plain misplaced.

Tomorrow I intend to take a few things in a box to the Salvation Army or the Goodwill Store.  I can only carry so much at a time so it won't be a lot that goes per trip.  But...out it goes.  I don't want people to think I am some kind of hoarder...although I am inclined be.  I always think that I can use something later or fix an item, but never get around to it.  The other day I took a gigantic bag full of plastic bags to the S. A.  They can use the bags and I can only use so many and after that they are just more accumulation to add to the accumulation.  No accumulation needed.

It has been hot and humid all day and it finally rained a little after the temp. hit 104 this afternoon.  It wasn't a lot of rain here, but other places in the area did get some good rain.  Of course, it came right after I had hand watered my tomatoes and sweat bullets in doing so.  Gotta love Ol' Mother Nature.

No fireworks locally even if we did get a little moisture.  It is just too dry.  At least I will not find any spent fireworks in the yard and on the roof.  That always did worry me.

Otherwise, there isn't much going on.  I went to the Chinese Restaurant last eve. with some compatriots and we enjoyed someone else's cooking.  It is just to hot to cook.

Hopefully I will have enough ambition to take the van in and get the window fixed.  It rolls down well, but doesn't want to roll up.  It has been that way for several months now and I am tired of it.  Past time to get it taken care of.

+++

IF THE WORLD

HATES YOU,

KNOW THAT

IT HAS HATED

ME BEFORE

YOU.

IF YOU WERE

OF THE WORLD

THE WORLD

WOULD LOVE

WHAT IS

IT'S OWN.

BUT BECAUSE

YOU ARE NOT

OF THE WORLD,

BUT I HAVE

CHOSEN YOU

OUT OF THE WORLD,

THEREFORE

THE WORLD HATES

YOU.

John 5: 18-19

Anyone with a few random brain cells knows that the Church is under attack from our own government. All churches.  It seems as if the battle for your fidelity to your religion and faith has speeded up  and new and sneaky little edicts are being imposed in all kinds of ways that you are not even aware of...yet.  You will be.  This country was founded on freedom of speech and religion.  Do you still free to say what you wish without being censored?  Is your religion-faith being mocked in various ways?  Well, read between the lines, if you will.  The way to control a people is to control the media-free speech-and undermine religion. So, what comes next, I wonder...but not too loudly.

END 

Finished

Here is the bookcase that I have been working on.  Yes, it has taken me a long time.  You can enlarge it to see it better.  I hope you can not see all the little flaws and errors.  I am not quite done, but it is usable.  It was "work" trying to reach and stain the highest places.

Fineto