Getting ready for the season

Another track season is upon us. An unofficial race. He's wearing his orange shirt. 

Ending the second lap. 

He ended up with just over five minutes. His fastest time was 4:56. He wasn't too happy,but I loved watching him run. 

Scripture - Galatians 5

This is not the usual scripture that I think about from Galatians 5. Verse 22-23 talk of the fruit of the Spirit. That scripture helped me to understand the many different ways the Spirit chooses to speak to us. I was looking for only one - silly.

But verse 1 is important to me now.

I know what I should be doing, and yet I find myself sliding back into old habits and patterns. 

The whole improving forever, instead of just for a week.

I can be a harsh judge of others. I can become complacent in my scripture reading. I can become casual in my prayers.

I need to constantly remind myself to do what I know I should do. I need to be reminded of what is important. My life seems to go in spurts and lurches. I wish I was more graceful in my application of what I know to true.

Hair

Crazy

This is a message that no mother ever wants to see, ever!

The school that my 12 year attends "is on lockdown. A felony suspect is on foot, last seen near [the school]. The suspect escaped from a bail bonds officer and is believed to be handcuffed. [The city] PD is on scene searching."

How lovely is that?

Boaz was in lockdown for about 45 minutes.

The worst part about the day was he had to watch Sponge Bob.

Not too bad if that was the worst part of the experience. 

Joyce

Poor Joyce has been having a terrible time. She fell and broke her hip before Thanksgiving. She had a hip replacement or some kind of operation on her hip. She was in the rehab center when we stopped by for Thanksgiving. We drove all over trying to find her, and when we did, she had fallen and ripped her knee - about a four inch gash from one side of her knee to the other. We were talking and didn't keep track of how many stiched she had. She so wanted to be home for Thanksgiving. But with the gash on her knee, she had to stay in the rehab center.

We got word that her leg was swollen and bleeding. Her blood pressure was crazy low and they had to stabilize her before they could operate and see what was going on.

Apparently, she was given wrong medication that caused the swelling.

She ended up having her leg amputated.

She lived in a house with 4 or more steps to get in. She does dialysis a couple of times a week. She drove herself. She watched her grandsons after school.

She can do none of that now.

Her life has changed drastically.

When we were there for Thanksgiving, she said that my dad was coming around and visiting her a lot. She was a bit bugged by it. She had a blessing that said she would have the time to finish what she needed to do. But honestly, I don't think she has long left. 

I am grateful that we have reconnected these past two years. But I am still very far away.

Today the boys went with Craig to administer the sacrament to a lady with cancer. They came home and said getting old didn't look like fun. And then Josh attempting to lighten the mood said that Paradise was a nice place. My heart hurts to know she is struggling.

Visitors for New Years

So Devon came to visit with three friends. We have been having fun with them all weekend. 

Derek, Holly, Maddie and Devon

They hadn't seen Once I Was Beehive so we queued it up. 

Devon and Derek kept asking is this what it is really like?

Derek said, "If I had gone to girls camp, I don't think I would like girls."

Cracked me up. 

Totally unaware of the cattiness that goes on. 

Sad. But estrogen can be a hard thing. 

Scripture - Romans 4

Paul gives the example of Abraham to illustrate faith. In this particular example, Paul dicusses his faith in regards to hearing he and Sarah will finally be parents. 

I think about at my age becoming a parent and how hard that would be. I would worry about being there for him when he was growing. For having a financial plan to provide for him and us in our old age. That last worry is more a modern problem. However the idea of chasing after an energetic toddler at 80 is horrifing.

Sarah and Abraham responded with joy and faith.

The idea of not staggering is impressive to me.

Also, I must admit that verse 21 echoed a quote from a movie - Shanghi Noon. Not an uplifting movie or a movie of faith. A bit of the mundane or profane in this post. But the similarity caught my attention. I am happy to know that that bit of wisdom was inspiration of Paul and not wisdom of Hollywood.