company comin'

I look forward to the next September days.  My sister from Iowa, whom I haven't seen in over four years, and my daughter who lives mostly in Romania, whom I haven't seen in over two years...are coming to visit.  The weather has been beautiful since the hurricanes passed through, and NC has pre-frost beauty in nature to show.  The very hot days are over until next summer.
I've prayed much about their visit; mostly, I've prayed they would sense the love and joy for Jesus in this house, not that OUR testimony will be highlighted, but that HE would be.
Funny how I find new things to be thankful for, just keeping my eyes and mind open.  This morning I'm thanking God for Paul's beatings.  Because he continued to strive in spite of terrible beatings, 39 flesh wound stripes on his back five times (2 Cor. 11:24)...and more physical discomforts...he cried out to God.  Those cries were captured in print to encourage and edify me, to build up my faith in God, to treasure Christ even more.
Now that I'm writing this, I thank god for David's many troubles.  We're all comforted by his cries for protection and mercy.  When I meditate on those verses, my own faith is deepened.

July flowers in my yard....

NASA auction of space travel items on 9/15

Rare artifacts and trinkets from the history of NASA are going to auction in the upcoming week-long Space & Aviation Autograph and Artifact Auction from RR Auction starting September 15th. The auction will feature a letter from Neil Armstrong about his first words on the moon, Armstrong’s training glove, and other exceptional items from the history of space flight and aviation.

But one of the more unique items up for bid? A full King James Bible that has journeyed all the way to the moon’s surface.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/09/02/faith-in-space-behind-secret-mission-to-land-bible-on-moon/#ixzz1XAvSGE6p
I see one packs differently for travel when one is going to the moon.  I wonder what I would decide to take?

on another note:  summer is about over...went fast!  Raleigh experienced an earthquake and a hurricane in one week...makes me wonder what winter has in store for us.

"The LORD, He is the one who goes before you.  He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you."  Deut. 31:8

A Lovely flower from my backyard....

day-old smoke odor

I put three small potatoes in the microwave oven for 4 minutes yesterday, then left to pick up the gr-kids at school.  Gone maybe 20 min.  Came home to find garage door open, smoke drifting out, fans running.  Either my microwave malfunctioned or I accidently hit 40 minutes instead of 4, but was gone only 20...guess I'll never know which action caused it.  The potatoes and ceramic dish were totally incinerated, the inside of oven was black...and 20 hrs. later, we're still trying to be rid of the odor.
The result was that the microwave died...shorted out?  melted the element?  But, since that and my toaster oven are my main source of cooking, I need to buy a new one today.
Sometimes I get this feeling like my insides are filled with pickle brine...the only way I can define it.  Get that way when I've made a mistake or made an unkind or untruthful comment...occurrences that one can't call back and eliminate.  (does this sound like confession?)  Feeling irresponsible since...probably because I'm a controller, and this was obviously out of control.
 I'm rationalizing the event:
40 minutes?  but only gone for 20 minutes.
microwave malfunction?  can't even remember when I bought it, but it's pretty old.
But the scary part was my husband was home and is legally deaf...couldn't hear the smoke alarm unless he was next to it.  Thank the Lord, my granddaughter was home upstairs and heard the alarm.  She asked his advice and he walked her through controlling the noise, smoke.  About that time I arrived.
So, today I have a new rule for me in my part of the house:  NO COOKING ANYTHING UNLESS I'M HOME...I don't even trust the crockpot now.
Once again, my God protects us.
"This is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death.  Ps. 48:14"

looking in gift horse's mouth

I bake breads, cookies, rolls often.  My husband and I can only eat part of it, so I occasionally offer a loaf of warm bread or pan or rolls to neighbors.  When their gardens are producing, they usually respond with a few tomatoes or cucumbers.  But, one person offered me a can of green beans, assuring me I would love them.  She does.
Well, this is where the gift horse gallops in:  they were absolutely awful!  I opened and drained them, added them to my chicken-potato-cream soup casserole.  The beans were not only flavorless, but they had been canned with stems, bits and large, hard weeds (think little branches here)...oh, awful!  So my husband and I tried to pick out anything green and salvage the rest of the tasty dish.  Photos show our progress.
I'm still grateful for food gifts, but will be discerning in the future.

"They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share...I Tim. 6:18"

He married his sweetheart

While reading a critique of McCullough's biography of Harry Truman, I read:
“Listen, son, I married my sweetheart,” Truman said, “She doesn’t run around on me, and I don’t run around on her. I want that understood."
That sounds exactly like something my own husband would quickly say!
I can only hope all who read this blog can say the same!

I'd like to read the book, but have you seen any of McCullough's tomes?  Would have to give up a portion of life to get through it.

Thankful today for: married almost 50 years to my sweetheart, experiencing the first EARTHQUAKE during my life with surprise and NO injuries.  One never knows what the day holds when one tumbles out of bed in the morning.

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
   his mercies never come to an end;
 they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
  "The LORD is my portion," says my soul,
    "therefore I will hope in him."
   Lamentations 3:22-24

  (WRAL.com photo)

Peak season

There's an abundance of local produce at the markets right now...it will continue for another 3 months...then the citrus and items from other states will be ready.  Food is wunderful!  It often makes me consider Adam and his produce.

Gen. 2:7...God formed man...I've heard that line, "from dust to dust...", well, not that He couldn't, but it seems to me God made Adam from CLAY, not DUST.  I can't imagine forming anything out of dust.  Dust is elusive, not malleable.  But clay, now there is a creative medium.  One could make wonderful forms, if one were creative...and that One, Creator-God was...er,er is.

Gen. 2:8  says God had already planted and established a lovely garden.  What better place to make the home for the first man?  As it turned out, he had food, occupation, nature to observe and great scenery.

When I try to imagine the scene, I haven't settled what age I think Adam was when created, or what he looked like.  Red hair or brown?  Bronze skin or pale?  And what was his age?  Could he have been a teen walking beside his Father learning his trade?

did Adam have to dig?  did he have to invent the shovel, plow or hoe?

Where did he get the first seeds?  Think of the size and quality of his produce.  The leeks, the cucumbers, the garlic...how did the curse of the ground effect his garden?  were there cut worms in the potatoes?  was he and his wife vegetarians?

I'm glad the first farmer began the long tradition of producing produce, grains, seeds...all the items we love to eat.  Mostly, I'm thankful to God for creating the garden and the worker in the very beginning. 

The weather the last few days has been glow-rius!  In the 80's, soft breezes, birds chirping...after 2 weeks of 97-99*...s'posed to go back up soon.  Wish I could bottle it to share.
Below is a photo of an unusual flower on a wild vine in the back yard.  I don't know what kind of flower it is, looks exotic doesn't it?  only lasts a few hours and sprinkles much pollen on surrounding leaves while it labors to stay alive.
Don't ya see, it's doing the exact work God made it for...wonderful plan.  He made it for US to enjoy...He doesn't need it.  Thanks go to Him!

"Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun."
Psalm 74:16