Now the day is over....

Good Evening Readers!  I was outside early this morning to water and it strangely felt like a Fall morning.  It's been so dry and hot here that the big Elm tree in the backyard has been losing it's leaves.  They were floating to the ground, some landing on my head and shoulders.  I sat down and thought, "What a beautiful moment in time!"

My broken ankle has been hurting like the dickens ... I am hoping that means that it is healing.  I have been faithful to wear my boot during the day and wrapping it at night to keep it stabilized.  Since I am at the little casa without a car, I was excited to have Beverly and Don invite me to go with them to the public library here in town.  I signed up for a library card and made my way up and down the aisles.  I was in total awe of the building itself ... it was like taking a walk back in time to the library in the city where I grew up.  Lupe (our contractor for the little casa) did the wood floors in the library and they are beautiful ... I had to bend over and touch them they were so inviting.  There were big overstuffed wing chairs for readers to relax in while reading ... the whirrrrr of the fans was the only sound other than the turn of the pages of books.  I thank God every day for my eyes ... that I am able to read, see the brightness of colors and celebrate all there is to see in my lifetime!!

My cousin, Barbara, has been reading books written by Gilbert L. Morris.  I decided to look to see what was available at the library and was pleased to see several rows of his works.  I selected four books entitled The Chronicles of the Golden Frontier.  The books cover a time span of about fifty years from the gold rush in California in 1849 until 1899.  I devoured the four books in two days, reading while I cooked, reading while I took a bubble bath...  Mr. Morris is a wonderful Christian writer and told of the struggles of the people during that time.  So many folks left good paying jobs, taking their families west to find riches ... gold and silver.  Oddly enough, those that found riches often lost them as fast as they were found and their families became destitute.  Others that traveled west built solid lives enduring hard times and growing in wisdom.  I have always heard, "If you want to know the future, study the past."  I truly believe that.  I thoroughly enjoyed following the development of the main characters: Jason, Jennifer, Abby, Grant, Abe and Lita ... their triumphs, sorrows, and mostly, the faith they found and lived.  I learned about life in a time when there were no telephones, electricity, travel was by train or horseback and communication was by letter or face to face.  With each page turned I became more curious about life in general.

It seems like my days are longer since I haven't been able to be out and about as much as I would like.  I am glad that I have a love of the written word and am able to travel the globe, meet new friends, and learn through the pages of books, magazines, etc.  Tomorrow, I am going to the PAWS shelter to see what I can do to assist there.  My worry is that I would find another pet or two to bring home ... I am really an old softy in the pet arena!

In my Daily Walk Bible I have been muddling through Jeremiah ... I find it hard to concentrate yet, there is wealth in it's chapters and it has been my goal to read and gain as much wisdom as I can from the message.  I was thinking about sin this morning ... We have become so desensitized in our modern times.  Sins that were, at one time, considered unthinkable are first tolerated, then condoned, and, in the end, openly endorsed.  At the end of my day, I always review my thoughts and actions.  I make a list of my daily lapses and the "little sins" in my life that ought to bother me.  Funny (or not so funny), there are times when I tend to justify my little lapses.  In taking inventory, I keep sensitive to my faults that need addressing.  It is so easy to say ... "Well, so and so thinks this is okay for the Christian ... so and so thinks that times have changed and we must accept modern day thinking."  Well, the Bible tells us to take all thoughts captive listening to God's word.  There is danger in substituting Bible reading for Christian author reading.  Satan has a way of using seemingly Christian writers to endorse his wicked way of thinking.  How do you cook a goose?  Well, you put the goose in a pot of cool water then turn up the heat a little at a time.  The goose will not leave the pot of water if it is heated gradually."  I've learned that I need to be careful of who I am listening to...

My friend Beverly gets quite worked up over the hymns played in the bell tower of the courthouse on the square.  I had asked her if we had a Chamber of Commerce here and she replied, "Are you going to go tell them to stop playing those hymns?  You know, separation of church and state?"  I'm not sure where it came from but I looked up and remembered the verse I had read in Jeremiah 15:19 "...You are to influence them, not let them influence you!"  Without hesitation, I replied, "Well, I happen to love being downtown and hearing the bells play a hymn ... I would tell them to keep on playing!"  She looked at me rather strangely and lowered her eyes.  I need not be judgemental of others; however, I have a responsibility to speak up so that others know where I stand.  If they don't know that about me, I stand for nothing.

Hmmm, I've grown a lot in my 64 years.  Up until a few years ago, I was more mouse-like in sharing my thoughts.  When I came up against someone who had a stronger personality, I often times retreated into a quiet corner.  Not so much now ... I still rub some folks the wrong way but that's okay.  I am more afraid of offending my maker than I am of offending someone of this world.

One of my favorite shows is on TV tonight ... So You Think You Can Dance.  I am in awe at how strong and graceful the dancers are.  I don't have a favorite ... any one of them could win now and I would be happy.  I am sure each of them has put in their 10,000 hours of practice!!

Beverly and I went to Burleson today.  It was so sad to see the sunflower crops burned to a crisp and what was once fields of flowers looking like the grass in midwinter.  We did enjoy the trip though and managed to scarf up some bargains and enjoy a feast of  Tex-Mex.  My two dogren eagerly welcomed me home and made sure I knew it was time to fill their bowls!

It is my hope and prayer that you had a wonderful day today.  Always remember of much you are loved and prayed for!

Now the day is over,
Night is drawing nigh,
Shadows of the evening
Steal across the sky....