A sobering and yet good thought!

We'll see if I can express it! Christina had quite the thought yesterday. The armour of our master is sitting on the wall ready to use. It's up to me if I'm going to take it off the wall and put it on each day. I don't know about others but I have an awful time some mornings pulling myself out of bed when He's telling me it's time to get out of bed and pray. The bed is soooo warm and comfy! The thought I really liked was the longer I give into the temptation to stay in bed the longer that armour is not on because at that point I'm ignoring his voice. The human nature is SO strong but my Father is stronger! I KNOW from personal experience that there is strength given even before something happens as well as during an experience, so why would I resist putting on that armour each day??!!

Maybe....maybe not

Sometimes it's so hard to make a decision of what to do. We do something and then regret it but then are unsure of how to get back to where we were before that decision was made. Sometimes there needs to be a growing process, a self realization process before we can go back. Even then it wouldn't be the same but in reality it would seem like there could be so much more unity and love because of what has been taken care of and grown out of. I'm not sure that that makes sense but those are my thoughts! :) Do you go back to what's been left behind? Will things be the same? Nope, people change and grow, hopefully to become much more caring, loving and appreciative. (Well most do, some just don't seem to change but we learn to deal :) ). 

Winter!!!

November 12th and it's sleeting/snowing/raining and windy as all get out.... all at the same time! It doesn't look like much really but we're talking Portland Oregon!!! Saturday I was mowing the grass in almost 60* weather. The last couple of days the east wind gusts were upwards of the 50 mph pulling that nice chilly air in from the east side. Today we're reaping the benefits of the cold air! The wind chill has been around 20* or below for the last couple of days so even though it's not officially freezing (almost there today!) the birds water dish is frozen solid and the cars have freezing rain on them today. So I'm sitting enjoying the first fire of the winter season with the kitties! :) Christina is baking. She's really started baking quite a bit. It IS possible to have really good tasting gluten-free food!!

And now the snow is really starting to pick up! Pretty unreal! I believe our first day of winter precipitation is the same day as Klamath Falls! Odds of that happening aren't very high but we've managed it this year (Talked with Alex this morning)! 

This is what we woke up to this morning- remember-Portland Oregon-November 12th!

Sleet

Sleet and freezing rain

Cozy fire- Kitties are enjoying it too! ;)

Poppy seed muffins with orange and lemon zest- Can't wait!!

The final product!

Productive Saturday!

Wonderfully productive day today! More things gone through, lawn mowed (hopefully for the final time!), Stevia branches cleaned up and washed off (see below), squirrel area taken care of. And to top it off, a wonderful dinner and fellowship with wonderful friends. A very lovely day overall.

I'm going to try using the stevia in my tea this winter, and since we may get our first freezing weather it was time to 'pick' the branches. 

Thankfulness/Sadness

Driving home today from my clients, I had such a feeling of thankfulness for what I have and all that my Father has done for me. Thankfulness that I get to see a cousin in January that I haven't seen in YEARS! And even get to have her stay for a night! Thankfulness for where my business is regardless that I'm back to growing it again (three steps forward, one back). And yet a feeling of sadness to. Sadness that the one I had said for better or worse isn't around, sadness that a loved one felt the need to flee from his family, sadness at the thought of how much pain/sadness/agony he was (is?) going through to do what he did. I know (as I've said before) that in the end it was really what needed to happen for all of us to get to where we are today. But there's still a definite loss/sadness that will be there for a long time to come.

I know there have been some that wondered why I didn't search harder for Dave. I wasn't and nor am about to go looking for someone that was clearly unhappy where he was in life. I really feel that we're better off letting a person figure things out on their own, then to be making it harder for them. Besides that Dave had the opportunity to come back home. I firmly believe that he was in the house while we were gone a few times in the next few months. He chose not to stick around. I'm one to get on with life and make the best of what is thrown at me. And with my Father's help there has been many changes. Changes that will make Dave happy when/if he comes back. He would be absolutely astounded at where Christina is now. Meanwhile we press forward and keep a positive outlook and keep priorities straight.