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I am sorry for the delay in writing another blog post. Quite often "Blog Post" was written in my Planner and just as often, it had to be put off for another day. Sometimes I was too tired while other weeks took me away from home more than I had planned.
I now understand how many of my favorite bloggers could seem to fall off the face of the earth after a long time blogging. It is far easier than I would have thought when there is a change in circumstances.
My son-in-law reminded me at Thanksgiving, when I told my family that it was time for me to stop blogging regularly, that I always said I would stop blogging when I no longer had anything to say. In addition to further fatigue, that is what happened more and more. The words that so often circled my thinking during the week were not there as often.
It was time to slow down although I never intended to stop popping in to say hello more often than I have. I have mentioned that I spent New Year's Day in the emergency room but I was quite ill for a few months after that as my blood sugar was no longer stabilized. I not only could not write, I found it too difficult to sit at my desk for at least two of those months. However, I began to have more good days than bad days over time.
I have learned all over again how to appreciate the small things of life. Those gifts that I know are from God such as noticing the deer when they are in the backyard. Since I no longer have a garden, I can enjoy their beauty instead of worrying about them eating my vegetables.
I don't know what it is about the greens growing up around our back fence but the deer find it absolutely delicious. There is a look on their face similar to mine when a lovely meal has been set before me. They usually do not know how to get out of my yard and back into the forest but it seems a small price to pay for their salad.
Last week, I was driving one of the roads just inside the city limits when I had to stop as a mother duck and numerous baby ducks lined up behind her in a straight row crossed the road. Such a gift from God to be there at that very moment and when there were few cars so the ducks were safe.
Although, sometimes I do not always appreciate the nature that comes calling. I heard a sound on the porch after midnight recently and when I turned on the porch light, there were two of the cutest baby raccoons looking up at me from Mouse's bed on the porch bench. (Mouse was not amused.)
As I opened the front door, I saw that they were not twins but triplets. Their mother was no where to be seen and these babies were not at all afraid of humans. I went back inside and knocked on the window until they finally ran under the hedges to probably the side of the house.
I did thank God for letting me see them for I doubt I have ever noticed such cute faces in all of nature as those baby raccoons. But they became a thorn in my flesh in the next few days as they seemed to be watching for when I put out Mouse's kibble and water.
Our battle was made worse when I fell off the porch when trying to pick up the kibble bowl they had somehow moved until it was on the ground. I fell into the long row of hedges to the side of the porch. My husband thought I was seriously injured because I didn't move but as I told him later, I was trying to figure out how to undo myself from the hedges without doing further damage to them or to me.
Thankfully, I ended up with scrapes and I was quite stiff for a couple of days. When I messaged the kids for prayer, they insisted on having pizza and sandwiches delivered to us for dinner so I could rest. I had already decided fixing dinner was not a possibility. When I told them the dinner was delicious and almost worth falling off of the porch, my daughter-in-law requested that I just tell them I want pizza next time. I promised I would...
So, while my world is even smaller than usual right now. It certainly has periods of excitement. My favorite time is in the morning, sitting in the rocking chair and enjoying the porch flower garden, the singing of the birds, and sometimes a breeze. On one morning when it was rather windy, I was reminded of the Holy Spirit coming as a mighty wind and felt His presence and the peace it brought there on the porch.
God was not surprised by my further struggles with the two immune system diseases. Instead of a healing, they became more of a struggle. However, I also know He was with me. Last Christmas, I had set aside part of a cash Christmas gift to purchase flowers in late April or early May... according to the Spring temperatures.
I am so glad I did for the price of flowers, as with everything else, had gone up a great deal at our local nursery. By saving part of that gift, I could have flowers on the porch and a few on the deck outside of my kitchen window. God prepared me ahead of time for a blessing.
As the world grows darker, I think we must do what we can to purposely create beauty in our surroundings. I love the vintage items in my kitchen, almost all of them found at thrift stores and antique malls (and not the expensive stalls, either). Although collected over decades, they work together to make the house cozy.
This is already long enough but I will share a few books I have enjoyed recently, two on the Kindle and one a coffee table book with font big enough to read. I will list them below and highly recommend all three.
I hope to be back soon on one of my good days. I do thank everyone who sent emails!
Books Recently Read
Teatime Discipleship by Sally Clarkson... here. I pre-ordered this book months before it was published. It is a beautiful book with Sally's stories regarding tea time with family and friends, photos of her home, and recipes for tea time. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I keep it out on the coffee table in my family room to peruse from time to time.
Rembrandt is in the Wind: Learning to Love Art through the Eyes of Faith by Russ Ramsey... here. I had heard many good things about this book but when my daughter recommended it, I knew I had to read it. Russ Ramsey shares the stories behind great works of art in such a way that I have a renewed love for it.
Both of my children have been to the great art museums of Europe. (They get their love of travel from their father.) When allowed, they would share photos of the art on display... as well as photos of delicious meals. Ramsey's book makes me want to stand in front of those amazing works of art, too.
Fire In His Bones:A Collection of the Fifty Most Powerful Sermons of David Wilkerson... here. This is the book that I am reading on my Kindle Paperwhite, which I keep in my purse. It is easy to read one sermon at a time when I am waiting at a doctor's office.
I found out about this book before it was published because I still receive monthly newsletters from the ministry. Sometimes they are written by Gary Wilkerson (David's son) and sometimes they are repeats of one of David's newsletters. Most of the newsletters were taken from his sermons at his church, Time Square Church in New York.
Some call him a modern day prophet because he saw back in the 1970s exactly what is happening today. He always declined that mantle, saying instead he was a "watchman on the wall" and much like the true prophet, Jeremiah, people did not like what he had to say. However, these sermons remind us that God knew what was coming, He is watching over us, and that He really is in control.
I love all three of these very different from each other books.
Image: Shady Patio (Don't you want to sit there and drink in the beauty?)
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