A month into 2010 --Thanksgiving to the Lord

Hello Readers,

I haven't posted anything for a long time, but if you still check this blogspot out, I put down a few thoughts.

The Lord has been very good to me, and after having a wonderful visit the last two weeks of 2009 with Valerie, Dennis and girls, I came home to some very big projects already underway after I left.

Matthew so kindly reroofed my house during the week between Christmas and New Years. It was almost done when I got home. What would have been a couple days of work for him, turned into more like a week due to the unprecedented amount of snow and extremely cold temperatures. It is done and now has gutters and guards and is very lovely. Thank you Matthew for such kindness. Thanks to Sarah for keeping the kids all those days.

Immediately after that, Ben, the college student who rents my upstairs, came in with three of his siblings and tore down my livingroom ceiling and put up a new one of drywall and replaced a 4 x 8 area in the wall that needed drywall. They did that in 24 hours. I think they slept maybe 4-5 hours that night. With help from a friend and lots of ups and downs on the ladder, the living room and dining room got painted. The crown molding got put up last week and the new carpet went in the previous week. Furniture, wall hangings and knick-knacks are back. I am very pleased. What makes all this so special is that the Lord orchestrated it all. Various ones showed up just when their help was offered and needed. I thank You, Lord.

I've been enjoying the girls' group that meets here on Tuesday afternoons. They have formed some very good friendships and Lori and Elonie have given excellent teaching. There is good discussion and comaraderie.

This Friday is a "mile marker". I am not up to the speed limit of 65. More and more I get up in the morning realizing that most of the night I have been trying to find a comfortable position to aleviate pain in my lower back and legs. I have been told that these things happen as you "get older" but REALLY, there is someone inside me that thinks she's much younger. I keep fighting her by trying to do all the things I did in the first part of life, but she shackles me and frustrates my attempts to prove "I can still do it". Oh, well, I really have nothing to complain about.

I am looking to the Lord for His will concerning a productive use of my time, "talents" etc.
I do know that some commitment to exercise would be very worthwhile. I do enjoy time I can spend with the grandchildren here in Lincoln. I haven't been able to have them over until Sun. night due to the project. They did come a couple of times last week when the L R was carpeted, but empty of furniture. When they returned on Sun. they were quite disappointed that the BIG room now has furniture. Oh, well. They still love to come.

Anyone interested in Spring? I put out water and food for the birds and have thoroughly enjoyed a vast variety this winter. Just today, I had some grackles that must have returned, and unless I spray my shepherd's staff with PAM, the furry-tailed friends make their way up and climb on the feeder. I love all the pairs of Cardinals. The Downy and Hairy woodpeckers like the suet. The snow has gone down a lot, but the top is crusty and I walk right on top of it (imagine that). I am a little concerned about falling, but so far haven't. GH in Lincoln, saw his shadow today and so I guess 6 more weeks of winter. I looked on the calendar and that comes out to about the first official day of spring. So, what if he hadn't seen his shadow?

Well, we are reminded that we "look not on the things that are seen, but on the things that are unseen, for the things that are seen are temporal, and the things that are unseen are eternal. I was getting all this work done and at the same time aching in my heart for those in Haiti who had little care for new drywall. Their life and hopes were dashed in seconds. I am thankful that there were and are those there that know the Lord, and pray for many left with misery, grief, and suffering that they will hear the gospel and trust the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord

Today I was getting some money out of my wallet to pay for something at a store. In another section of that pocket, the man/clerk noticed the word JOY. He said JOY and I couldn't figure out what he was talking about. Then I realized it was the back side of a pocket calendar for 2010. I gave it to him. He asked if it was like the Romans Road. I explained it to him and he took it. He said, I know if I died today, I would go to be with Him...and I wish I would. Not sure whether to inquire about his despair, I just left him with thoughts about knowing Christ.

Well, sometime, I may be able to put some pictures on this blog. I won't make any excuses that you haven't already heard. (I just don't know how)