THAWING OUT

It seems the word for today is "thawing".  Yes, we have been in the deep freeze for the past several days....I mean temperatures here in Central Kentucky and the rest of the country have been record lows in the single digits and below. Thankfully, though, we are headed for a heatwave and expect to reach back up to freezing and above today, with the trend heading upward over the next several days.

I have been laying low at home with the four dogs keeping warm and getting the house back to normal after the holidays.  All the decorations, the greenery and white lights, the Christmas tree and decorations and the nativities are all back in their boxes and stashed away in their closet.  Today Mark can push the sofa back against the door until around Thanksgiving and it will all start again.

We've been in close contact with Mark's brothers for the past week.  Dad Libby went into the hospital with chest pains and he's really had a time of it.  They were afraid he might not make it after a procedure to clear some sort of blockage or clot was put on hold, but God must have told Dad that it was not his time, yet.  News from brothers Jeffrey and Scott on Sunday was that Dad came to and sat up swinging his arms and fists like a boxer , ready for his opponent.  Mark was overcome with emotion telling me that his dad was sitting up in bed and eating sherbert.  This was wonderful news after what we had been hearing the past two days. 

And as 2013 came to it's close, I had been struggling with minor health issues and dog problems.  Because I've been willing to take back dogs that didn't work out, there has been the issue of "accidents" appearing behind sofas and under tables.  It's hard to discipline dogs when you aren't 100% sure who the guilty party is, so it continues to be a problem.  This cleaning up after bad dogs has only been compounded by my recent (say, the last six months or so) lower back problems that occur whenever I stoop or bend.  You can see that the combination of bad dogs and bad back pains can make for uncomfortable, to say the least, living conditions.  I realize the cross I bear is light compared to the burdens of others, so I will try not to harp on my complaints.

We are continuing on with our Esther Bible Study that took a back seat when we began having advent studies with our minister's class.  I am so thankful to have loving and forgiving students in my class who pick up the ball and run with it when I drop it by coming in late or missing a class for whatever reason. 

As 2014 marches on, I am reminded that the days are getting longer and it won't be long before we're looking for the signs of Spring.  I am so thankful to know we serve a loving, forgiving, compassionate God who loves us each so very much and is in control of our lives when we are willing to give that control to Him. I hope you are thawing out today and realizing that warmer days are ahead.  Stay safe.  luv, Susan    
       

Starting 2014 Out Right

Happy New Year and a belated Merry Christmas! I hope this 2014 is starting out wonderfully well for you and your family.  Mark and I are looking forward to a great year together.  Last night we were watching Texas A & M doing a really pitiful job against Duke in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.  Finally, at halftime, I decided I'd had enough of seeing Duke score each time they had the ball, so I turned it off and turned in for the year of 2013.  I had wanted to see Johnny Football do his magic against Duke and really send them a packing.  This was in no way how I wanted to celebrate the New Year, watching Duke win a bowl game.  It also was what my 57 year old body was telling me to do, go to sleep.  So, with two hours left in the old year, Mark and I turned in and when our dogs wanted to go out at 12:05, we woke long enough to wish each other a Happy New Year and turned the page to 2014.

I was absolutely surprised when Mark woke me early this morning to inform me that Johnny Football had actually done his magic and Texas A & M had beaten Duke.  Wow, I enjoyed the highlights from SportsCenter and was happy that Duke didn't get to celebrate.  I am a true Kentucky fan after all.

I got caught up in the Christmas and holiday preparations and never got back to blogging after Thanksgiving.  I was also set back some after getting my gall bladder removed, so I'll use that as an excuse as well.  I do hope you had a great Christmas, we did.  I spent a lot of time with family and wouldn't change any of our wonderful holiday times spent together.  Both my sisters do such a great job hosting us in their homes Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  I don't see how they get it all done!!

The only problem I found with the Christmas season was all the commercials on TV promoting all the spending, spending, spending.  It's really hard to concentrate and enjoy the true meaning of Christmas when the world media considers it simply a time to shop and spend.  That's the end of my rant.

On December 26th, my UpperRoom reading talked about the women of Christmas.  I was particularly taken with the verses in Luke about Mary and Joseph taking Jesus to the temple when he turned eight days old.  A man, Simeon, who was described as righteous and devout, had been blessed with the Holy Spirit and it had been revealed to him that he would not die before seeing the Lord's Christ.  When he saw Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple at Jerusalem, he knew this was who had been revealed to him.  He took the baby in his arms and praised God saying, "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.  For my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for the revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people, Israel."  

The current UpperRoom had the cover illustration of Simeon holding the baby Jesus.  I just wanted to share this wonderful insight.  I am so happy to read each day's selected reading and will continue to do so throughout 2014.  My primary resolution each year is to grow closer to God and starting each morning with His word gets each day off on the right foot.

I hope you have a wonderful and safe 2014 starting off with a great first day.  Take care and stay safe.  love, Susan