Status Report - March 2012

With nods to Lisa for her status report format, I'm posting a report to try to get myself blogging again:

Sitting....in the kitchen, trying to formulate a blog post to keep my pitiful little blog alive.

Drinking...Iced tea with lime and Sweet-N-Low. 

Waiting...to see what happens with the weather this afternoon and evening. I confess that after the wild weather Wednesday, I’m a little nervous. On Wednesday, the tornado sirens were going most of the day and it was a wild day - with a tornado even touching down not too far from where we live. It’s creepy when your town gets mentioned on the news. While thinking about how to prepare for the predicted storms today, my son asked if I wanted him to bring some of the tons of MREs we have out in the garage to the basement. I think I’ll have to be pretty hungry to want to eat those nasty things, but my boys think they are treats. Army kids. Go figure. To me, Spring in the Midwest feels more scary than hurricane season when we lived in Florida. At least you can sort of track hurricanes for the days leading up to them and evacuate if necessary. Tornado season is just unpredictable and scary. I don’t know about y’all, but this kind of weather is another reminder to me of the fact that we people are not in control, but we serve the God who is supremely and ultimately sovereign. 

Along those lines...I’ve been thinking about vinegar. I like vinegar. Ever since I discovered you can use it and baking soda and Borax to clean things more naturally than with harsh cleaners, I’ve been pretty excited about it. Have you ever thought about how incredible it is that there are things like vinegar or other natural type things or things we can derive fairly simply that can be used for cleaning or for curing certain ills or what have you? I mean, think about it for a moment. If you believe in evolution, that we’re all basically just accidents of ‘nature’, why is it that anything is beneficial at all? Why is it that vinegar can clean pretty much everything? Why do we even have such things? Why is it that anything works at all? Why is it that we are able to use consistent laws of ‘nature’ and physics and stuff if we’re all just cosmic accidents? Nope. Makes much more sense to believe that we’re created by a very, very intelligent Designer. More than that, as my kids are learning in their catechism, God made me, God made all things, God made me and all things for His own glory, and God loves me and takes care of me. This makes much more sense.

Speaking of catechism....I’ve started something with the kids that I’m pretty excited about. I got each of them, and myself, a folder and each week I write out a scripture passage to memorize, 2-3 catechism questions from this resource, and some suggested ways to pray about what they are memorizing, specifically asking that God to put a genuine love for Him and desire to obey in their hearts, because I know that it is only God who can regenerate our hearts and put that desire for Christ and love for His word in us as we hear and read His word. 

Reading....a book called Trackers by Deon Meyer. Interesting so far, but I’m not very far into it. Actually I’m wondering how interested I really am because I seem to only read a page or two before getting distracted. Hmm. Also reading Defending Your Faith by R.C. Sproul. Also interesting, but also having a hard time reading more than a page at a time before getting distracted. Hmm. Maybe that says more about my distractibility lately than it does about the books I’m reading. 

Feeling...a little depressed lately. Fighting it, but feeling it some. Things are just harder when Drew is not here. And I learned something about a friend the other day that hurt my feelings, but I’m trying not to read it the wrong way and assume the best. Talked it over with Drew to get his more unbiased opinion since that friend didn't choose to talk to me about the situation, and he thinks my attempt at assuming the best is probably the right way to read the situation, but that doesn’t make it easy.  

Wondering....why I find it so hard not to let minor things get my ‘feelings’ all twisted and hurt. I tell you what, not being ruled by emotions and feelings is not easy. Necessary, but not easy. But I also know feelings can lie. Especially in a situation where you don’t have all the information. That’s why it’s wise to assume the best and move on and remember it’s not all about me, and determine to love your neighbor as yourself and ask God to reveal to you areas you need to repent. Get that pride thing under control.

Thankful...that a little medical thing I was concerned about turned out to be normal. One more reminder of my stupidity in seeking the perfect tan every summer as a teenager in Florida. I even knew at the time I'd probably regret that later, but my teenager self was selfish and not very kind to my later adult self. :-) Very thankful for the undeserved mercy of a normal result this time, though.


Also extremely thankful.....that God’s mercies are new every morning. And very thankful that He is saving me and teaching me to live in the light of His word. Very, very thankful that He is Lord, even over my feelings and emotions and His peace surpasses all understanding and He guards my heart in Christ Jesus. 

Ending...this post so I can go exercise. I'm really liking the fact that I've lost 5 pounds. Now if I can just keep it going.....

Not much of interest in this post, I guess. Perhaps that’s why I haven’t done much blogging recently.  Little thing called life takes precedence to sitting in front of the computer blogging sometimes. :-)

Happy March!