I usually update this on Monday mornings, but I got a bit sidetracked yesterday. My husband is a teacher and yesterday was a holiday from summer school due to the Fourth of July. He rented a splitter to split the huge pieces of wood we had in our yard. They were what was left from when our trees blew down in the "winds from hell" we had a few years ago.

The back part of our yard turned into a storage area of sorts when we dragged the branches and stumps back there. More stuff began collecting and it was looking pretty tacky. Lately my husband has been taking loads of junk to the dump. He's been chipping up smaller pieces of lumber and branches to spread around the back half of our back yard for ground cover. So, yesterday he decided to split the huge pieces into firewood sized chunks.

I was out there for a few hours in the morning. I just can't do the work I used to. My sons went out and helped him finish the job. It only took them five more hours!

I am sore today. I'm not the spring chicken I used to be. The yard looks a lot better! A load or two to the dump, stack the firewood, chip up the rest of the scrap wood, and we will have the back half of our yard back!

I had a nice visit with my mom last week. I hadn't been able to go visit her in a long time! I was able to get almost everything done on the list she had made and still had time left to just visit with her! I hope I can get out to see her on at least a monthly basis. It's hard because of my schedule.

Today I need to do all the things in the house that I wanted to do yesterday. A lot of things piled up while I was at my mom's. My mom sent some stuff home with me that needs to be put away. She sorted through her Christmas decorations and got rid of a bunch she didn't need. I enjoy decorating at Christmas, so I took them all. Of course, it's not quite time to decorate yet, so I've got to stick them up in the attic.

I heard a saying one time, "A woman's work is never done....or appreciated, or acknowledged, or commended, or....." Most of the time it feels that way. God knows everything I do. He appreciates every single thing that I do that pleases Him. Colossians 3:17 tells us, " And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." If we do that it doesn't matter who else notices or appreciates what we do!

Link to the 7/5/99 Bible study.

Oh, my goodness, have we been getting some unusual weather! It has been hot and humid, which is not normal for July around here. I wonder what August will bring since this weather we are having now is August-style weather. This sure makes it hard to work outside for any length of time! Actually, it even makes it hard to work inside.

Wait, I'm coming up with a solution.....don't work at all! HA HA HA HA

Well, we almost have all the firewood stacked and the trash thrown away in the bottom of our back yard. I'm not very good at estimation of size, but if a cord of wood is 4' x 4' x 8' then we must have well over 15 cord of wood. Oh, my aching back!

Did you ever have a "blankie" or a favorite toy that you used to carry around when you were a child? Do you remember what it was that gave you comfort? I remember sucking my middle two fingers. I don't know why, but I imagine there was some kind of comfort in it.

This morning I was feeling the Lord's presence and just basking in it. I was just enjoying being loved by Him. Whenever I slow down long enough to think about it, I can feel the love He has for me. He loves me like that all the time. It is always there. I can feel it any time I want. It is way better than a security blanket or sucking your thumb. We only have to sit back and enjoy it. Ahhhhhh, heaven!

I neglected to save the 7/12/99 Bible study. Oops!

I got started working in the yard this morning and it was downhill from there. I never got back to working on this week's Bible study! I figured there are only three things I need to make my life a whole bunch easier: a cook, a maid, and a gardener. That's all!

I had another lesson in faith on Sunday. My husband and I were asked (at the last minute) to share our testimony with our church. Rather than panic and start planning what I would say, I asked the Lord to speak through me. I didn't think about it at all.

When I was speaking I wasn't nervous (which I usually am when speaking in front of a group of people) and I got to look into the people's faces (which I normally wouldn't do because it makes me more nervous and might make me lose my train of thought). It was marvelous! Some of the things I said tied right in with the sermon and with the special music. God is good!

I am, once again, finding myself spending less and less time with the Lord. Why is that? I enjoy spending time with Him and I am blessed abundantly when I do.

I find that worldly things are pulling on me. I intend to spend time with Him and the day is gone by the time I turn around. It is a certainty that satan wants me to spend as little time with the Lord and possible.

I must set worldly cares and concerns and necessities aside and make a point of fellowshipping with the Lord! Maybe I should put a lock on my closet door.....

Link to the 7/19/99 Bible study.

I was working on some volunteer stuff this morning. I think I am volunteering myself to death. I was tied up most of the day Saturday with football Booster Club stuff and then I was working on band Booster Club stuff this morning.

I run a fund raiser for the band that ties me up almost all day Tuesday and on Thursday evenings and Friday mornings. The good thing about it all is that I am in contact with a lot of people. This gives me quite a few opportunities to witness to them about the Lord. If I am walking with the Lord then they can see Him in me without me having to say a word! Glory!

My house is a total disaster. We have a vacation coming up and I am trying to plan the menu and make a list of items I need to buy. My compost piles need turning and my garden needs weeding. Most importantly, my soul needs refreshing and nourishment. I have to spend time with my Father in Heaven. That's where I'm headed as soon as I get this updated.

I don't know if I told you or not, but I'm going to be a member of the praise team at our new church. I used to be on the praise team at the church I used to attend. I wasn't going to ask to be in this group. God knew my desire and He prompted them to ask me right out of the blue!! Isn't He wonderful? Marvelous?? Awesome???

I neglected to save the 7/26/99 Bible study. Oops!  Where was my head?