Peace I give you...

Umm, I took the day off....literally.  I was tired.  I slept 'til 9:30.  I didn't get dressed until noon.  I usually am not this lazy, but every once in awhile I need to pamper myself or just re-charge.  I think everyone should do the same, if possible.  I know that most can't for one reason or another, but it is soooo good when you can.

This day of non-productiveness was just that; I got nothing done and I'm not even sorry.  Well, I take that back.  I did make a Pasta Salad...does that count?

+++

STRIVE FOR PEACE

WITH ALL MEN,

AND FOR THAT

HOLINESS

WITHOUT WHICH

NO MAN WILL SEE

GOD.

St. James, Ch. 12: 14

END



ZEAL APPEAL-WORK

ALONG THE OHIO

I have been outside off and on trying to get some yard work done in the heat.  Yes,  it is still hot.  It was 93 degrees the last time I looked.  I can only do a little work at a time and then look for shade or come into the A/C and cool down.  Nothing comes easy for me and I put work into work.  Often I have to talk myself into the things that need to be done.  And just as often as not...I talk myself out of that four letter word..."work."   I wish I had the ambition to go with my intentions.

It is said that "work is prayer" or can be thought of that way and offered up as prayer.  If that is the case then I guess I should work a lot more...or pray with more zeal.  I would  get much more done, wouldn't I!   I have  always thought of work as one of those "four letter words" and I try to avoid such vocabulary...hmm.


There is something to be said about  work and the sweat of the brow.  It puts food on the table and a roof over our heads(for most of us) and if we are fortunate...a little change in our pockets for a few of the rewards that may come our way, as "Man does not live on bread alone."

And that reminds me"  I put a jug of honey that had crystallized into sugar, out into the hot, hot sun for a couple of days.  Restored the honey to its liquid form.  If anyone should do this...make sure that the honey has a really tight cap or seal...'cause ants love honey, too.

+++

IN ALL THINGS

WE SUFFER

TRIBULATIONS,

BUT WE ARE NOT

DISTRESSED;

WE ARE SORE

PRESSED,

BUT WE ARE

NOT DESTITUTE

WE ENDURE

PERSECUTION,

BUT WE ARE

NOT FORSAKEN,

WE ARE CAST DOWN,

BUT WE DO

NOT PARISH.

2 Corinthians 4: 8-

The early Christians certainly were in dire straights...Thanks to Paul himself, who did a lot of persecuting and bedeviling of the first followers of the fledgling church.  Fortunately he "saw" the error of his ways when he was blinded on the road to Damascus.  With his new altered "vision" and cure from blindness, he became a new man and set about preaching the gospel as he then saw it in a new light...so to speak.

Today, in this 21 century, suffering and persecution is a rampant state of affairs in many countries around the world.  I see it in this country as well, and it is starting to ramp up. We call it "hate crimes."  We have been too long at war and feed on violence from every turn on our own road to Damascus.  Buy your self a road map or a good compass.  I have one:  It is called a Bible.

END





CHARITY...DO YOU?

I can't believe that a simple spool of thread cost $2.19 cents and was actually marked down from $2.69.  No wonder people don't sew much anymore...it's expensive.  I guess I need to go back to the store in E'ville when I need more than what I can find at Wal-Mart.  Another thing that is irritating about Wal-Mart is that they do not have any security at the entrance anymore...of any kind.  I have a CC permit which many people in this agraculture area have.  That means than anyone could just sail into Wal-Mart cocked loaded.  What are the "brains" of Wal-Mart thinking when they did away with what little security they had?  Even the worst oversight is better than no oversight, I think.  Oh well, it's all about the bottom line, isn't it...that isn't a question: it is the answer.

School starts in KY. on Wed. and the store was full of frustrated mothers and kids of all ages.  I'll bet that a lot of mothers are ever so thankful that the kids will soon be in school.  I will have to remember not to go shopping or out driving from 2:30 to around 3:30 because of all the buses and little ones that are out and about about that time.

Yes, school starts early in the south.  It's a holdover from the times when this and other southern states were mainly an agrarian economy and everyone big..or old enough were expected to help and work in the fields.  It is often the case even now as this is still an accepted need on many of the farms.  Even though school starts up early, it also lets out early in the spring on Mother's day.  So, it pretty well evens out.

It has been a little cooler today.  It got up into the 90's, but that is a lot better than what we have experienced all summer.  If it is "cool" tomorrow I hope to get some outside work done.

So, that is life in the fast lane...or slow lane, for me.  I am in no hurry and I will take it as it comes.

+++

WATCH, STAND FAST

IN THE FAITH,

ACT LIKE MEN,

BE STRONG.

LET ALL

THAT YOU DO

BE DONE IN CHARITY

1 Corinthians 16: 13-14

t

Do you think that Saint Paul just meant that only men should be charitable?  Do you read and take that literaly?  Remember that Paul was writing over two thousand years ago in a male dominated culture.  In a large sense we are still in a male dominated society.  After all, it isn't women that makes war and turn the world upside down for the most part.  It's a co-effort on the part of both man and woman to do and extend charity and hospitality to our fellow travelers.  Do you do this... extend yourself as Paul exhorts?

END

An interesting note:

Most of my readers

continue to come

from other countries.

Why?

Because we are

letting religious freedom

be degraded and taken

from us...the U.S.A.

One slick maneuver

at a time.





FLY HIGH WITH THE EAGLES

I wanted to get some things done today, but was cooking on a low, slow burner.  I did get the sewing machine out and altered a blouse.  I don't like"shirt tails" so I got rid of the them and just squared the bottom up and put in a simple hem.  Now I can wear it to church.  It will still be casual, but not "campy."  I have a couple more to alter in the same fashion, but right now I don't have matching thread.  Do you know how much thread cost now?  Really... Something that I don't know to do is to set nice pockets in hand made slacks.  I can make the slacks well enough, but just don't know how to do a nice professional job of setting in pockets.  I'm gonna learn, 'though!

Basically all that I did today is to wash and dry a load of cloths and wash the dishes.  I did take the vacuum cleaner apart and wash all the washable parts of the canister and the filters.  I don't know where all the fine dust comes from, but I have to do a cleaning of the washable parts fairly often.


We did get a little more rain today and may get some more overnight.  Good.  Turn of the faucets up there in the clouds and keep it coming.  We will take it.

There isn't a lot going on to write about, esp. when I stay in as I did today.  So, I will stop here.

+++

THE LORD BLESS THE,

AND KEEP THEE:

THE LORD

MAKES HIS FACE

SHINE UPON THEE,

AND BE GRACIOUS

UNTO THEE.

THE LORD LIFT UP

HIS CONTINENCE

UPON THEE

AND GIVE THEE PEACE.

Numbers 6: 24-26

END

Mother Nature wet herself

RAIN:  Real rain...and lots of it.  Not the hit and miss-spit in your face and be gone rain. There must be about two inches in a container that I had sitting on the back porch.  There is a "promise " of more rain to come but is it is really to late for the crops in the fields or for gardens.  We will be happy to have whatever rain that deems to fall our way, though.

The checks are out.  SS, Disability, pensions, paychecks, the "Dole checks, and whatever else that people can find to spend.  All on a Friday.  That means that the streets and roads are congested and all the crazies will be out tonight, too.

I stopped at Hardie's after church and had a salad as I often do.  Watching out the window I could see the traffic go by, then a fire truck, followed by a Rescue and Salvage, and an ambulance.  Not for me to be out and about today.  I did need to go to the bank, but after that I took myself home and out of the danger zone of Mad Maxes, elderly drivers(me too) and those that only get out and drive once a month.

With the rain of last evening we also got some pretty good wind.  It blew my neighbor's plastic gazebo over and partly onto my fence.  It was like a boat sail in the wind!  Some of my tomatoes were slightly flopped over, but that was easily fixable and done.  I can't complain as today I didn't have to hand water them and the rain did them more good than all the water I carried out to them.

This is my daily journal, boring as it is.  It helps me to collect myself at the end of the day and to appreciate life and liberty and the right to ramble as I wish.

+++

YOU

ARE A GARDEN FOUNTAIN

A WELL OF WATER

FLOWING FRESH

FROM LEBANON

ARISE, NORTH WIND!

COME, SOUTH WIND!

BLOW

UPON MY GARDEN

THAT ITS PERFUMES

SPREAD ABROAD.

Psalm 4: 15-16

And how does your garden grow?

Do you nurture it?

This translation is from the New American Bible.

END

Work...Work...Work

I guess I will sleep well tonight.  There is a full moon in the evening sky, but I don't think it will phase me.  I have been outside working from around 10 AM to about 5:30 PM.  I had a lot of yard work to catch up with and a lot more waiting.  I got a lot done in spite of the heat and humidity.  I did have to stop often and drink a lot of water and just sit for a few minutes and cool off.  Tomorrow I will be out and won't get much done, but that is OK.  It may cool down slightly and we might even get a little rain...well, maybe.

I can tell you that if I were getting payed for the work that I did today I would be a bit richer and would probably buy something extravagant.  I really put is a good day's work.

So, that was my day.  I hardly ate, but drank a lot of plain water.  I should be sloshing around, but I am not. I probably lost more fluids than I took in...and I took in plenty.  And my arm hurts, but all in all, I did a yeoman's or yoewoman's job.  Now I am resting.

+++

THE NAME OF THE LORD

IS A STRONG TOWER:

THE RIGHTEOUS

RUNNETH INTO IT

AND ARE SAFE.

Proverbs 18: 10

END



PAX

I'm kind of tired.  I seem to have been on the run for the past three days.  I had intended to be lazy today, but went to Aldi's instead.  They are cheaper than Sam's, but like all things you need to watch what you buy.  Sugar was 69 cents a bag, eggs were 59 cents a dozen.  I got two doz. and Debbie got four.  I got a lot of stuff for $21.00.  Candy was not a bargain and peanuts were not either.  I will get them at the Dollar store.  The candy is for the residents at the home-not me.  I'm sticking to my diet.

I did have to eat on the run, 'though.  I got a hamburger without the bun, a side salad and water.  Anytime I eat bread products I seem to grow..and grow..sideways.  By the way, the vegetable soup turned out really well and flavorful.

The mass today was a funeral mass.  I stayed for the mass even 'though I don't like funerals.  It was for a lady of 95 and there were not a lot of people of her family there.  I thought one more body(warm one)would be nice for her and the family.  So I stayed.

I guess I won't plan on resting and being lazy for tomorrow.  You just never know what each new day will bring.

Last night a bad storm came through just north of here.  I was hoping that we would get rain from it.  Instead, there was a lot of damage for those in the path of the storm.  The rain fell, but not here.

+++

IF A MAN DOES

NOT KEEP PACE

WITH HIS

COMPANIONS,

PERHAPS

IT IS BECAUSE

HE HEARS

A DIFFERENT

DRUMMER.

LET HIM STEP

TO THE MUSIC

HE HEARS,

HOWEVER

MEASURED

OR FAR AWAY.

by Henry David Thoreau

+++

FOR WITH GOD

NOTHING

SHALL BE

IMPOSSIBLE.

Luke 1: 37

END