That’s it!  I keep hearing so much lately about homemade bread…I’m breaking out my stainless steel bread bowl…the one that’s all pock marked with dents from marbles being whirled around in it back in the ’80s. 

Is there a better fragrance in a home in the fall? 

I love the feel of working with the dough…kneading by hand…

 …gently coaxing wonderful ingredients in, like honey, wheat bran, oat bran, wheat germ…

…and making a simple meal of it while it’s warm and fresh.  A  little butter…generous swirls of Apple Butter… 

  Thank You, Lord.

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At this very moment, there is a critical need for prayer for the safety of our troops in Afghanistan.  Whether or not you feel we should be there is not the issue.  God is waiting for us to cry out to Him for HIS intervention.  He knows what needs to happen and it needs to happen now!   We must turn to Him.  Immediately!  Lives are literally depending on our response.

“God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever.” – Thomas Jefferson 

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He drove our rental van.  My husband sat next to him in the front passenger seat, and I sat in the bucket seat behind hubby.  The photo shows the view beside me. …our son’s carry ons for his deployment to the Middle East.   Looking at it caused my heart to ache beyond words

We were on our way to the base where the rest of his squadron and their loved ones were also gathering to share departing expressions of love, and tears.  I’ve seen similar scenes in news broadcasts but this time we were part of it.   And my life has been different ever since. 

Thank God for technology.  We have been able to hear from him a few times.  Short reports.  But so much better than nothing.  I cannot imagine the agony of sweethearts, wives and mothers who were separated from their beloveds during the Civil War or WW II, and would hear nothing of them for months at a time.  Or years.

 It’s only been nine days.  But already, whenever I check my watch, my mind automatically calculates those nine and a half  hours ahead to the time zone where our son is stationed.   He’s asleep.  He’s awake.  He’s……………  It’s like that now.  All the time.

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If you know me at all, you know that when it comes to things and people I’m excited about, I’m a cheerleader.  I just can’t keep good news to myself.  Why would I want to?  lol  

A week ago,  I was blessed to see and hear  musician, singer, songwriter, David Lunsford.  If you love Praise & Worship you will love this artist.   I’d describe him as a Music Shepherd; he takes us with him, leads us to The Father.   Check out the link and give a listen to the samples.  ”Living Water” is one of my favorites and was a huge hit with the youth and young adults at the conference we attended last weekend. 

http://davidlunsfordmusic.com/

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“Bruchko” – This is one of my all-time, lifetime favorite books.  The true story of what happens when a sold-out-to-God teenage boy – a nerd – heads into the South American jungles to find an elusive and murderous indigenous tribe. 

Author:  Bruce Olson      Publisher: Creation House

You’re welcome.    (I know you’ll like it so I’m just sayin’…)

NOTE added Auguest 1 3, 2009:   I have never heard anything but raves about this book.    See Larry’s comment!   

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Monday – sorting – and washing laundry day .

Tuesday – washing and drying laundry day.

Wednesday – folding-and-putting-away – and more washing – laundry day.

Thursday – hero coming home from out-of-town business trip, thus more laundry, laundry day.

Friday – another sorting, wash/dry/fold and put-away laundry day.

Saturday…

What I want to know is, how did my mother do it with

eight kids

a ringer washing machine

and a bag of clothes pins?

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It feels as if it’s been two years since we’ve had summer.  Last June ushered in devastating floods here in Iowa and the remainder of the summer was swallowed up in coping with crises.  Though Cedar Rapids is far from a full recovery, God has smiled on our area by granting lovely summer weather…perfect for growing corn. 

And perfect for those of us – like me – who savor summer.  I love summer!  The top photo is a shot of one of my favorite roads for walking at sunrise. 

Day’s end is equally captivating, with glittering fireflies and breathtaking sunsets.  

I cannot thank God enough for granting us these lovely days.  Every single one is a gift.  If  I could, I would hug summer.  I’m doing my best by cherishing every moment.  And tenderly touching summer’s beauty.

Oh Lord, thank you for thinking up Hollyhocks!

In a world so fraught with strife and pain, these are the things which center me. 

God is still with us.  He is still Love.  My prayer is that may you see Him today, too.

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A bad education will teach you what to think. 

A good education will teach you how to think. 

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Lately, (meaning the last few months), some disturbing questions have been developing within me.   With increased frequency these questions are making their presence known.  Like pregnancy – it’s as if I’m in labor – and answers are begging to be born.  In no particular order, here are some of them:

1.)  How much time do I spend reading blogs, compared to the amount of time I spend reading the Bible?

2.)  Is there any value to writing a blog?  More specifically, is there any value to my blog? 

3.)  Am I called by God to write a blog, or is it just a time waster  filler?

4.)  Does my life center more on cyber-relationships connections, than on people who are clearly in my path –  i.e. neighbors, friends, relatives, and strangers I run into in daily life – such as store clerks, etc.?

(Please understand…Through blogging, I have “met” people I genuinely care about… people who I wish were my neighbors, relatives and/or fellow church members.  But by doing this, am I overlooking those whom God has put in front of me?)     

5.)  Based on my blog surfing, there appear to be tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of Christians who post on blogs.   Are we (am I ) “fiddling while Rome burns?”

I wonder if anyone else wonders these things.

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