God Bless Our Troops

Monday, September 22, 2008

Today begins the first official day of autumn. At 11:44 this morning, summer will be a thing of the past. I love each season in its time. I am ready for fall with its crisp air and the scent of burning leaves. If I have time tonight, I will haul up the autumn decorations. The corn shocks are not yet dry enough to cut, but soon- soon.
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Yesterday we received our first stocking orders from the Country Sampler ad. Thirteen of them. This is the earliest we have ever started our stocking season. I hope this is an indication of what is to come.
We didn't have Family Dinner yesterday so I spent yesterday finishing stockings (10 of them - 3 more to go) and watching "The Waltons." Next to hanging out with the family, that is one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon. It's fun to imagine what Christmas will be like for these families. Last year, 2 families sent me copies of their Christmas picture with their stockings. Good stuff!
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Today is Monday and that means laundry, bills, and filing. The laundry is going to be a challenge because when I filled the washer, the water was rusty. I'm am hoping that it is just residue from the softener regenerating. I put in a load of towels and just checked the rinse water and it seems to be clear. Let's hope.
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The retirement countdown continues with 88 days. I sent the papers back for a third time and I am hoping that they are correct. It's funny because I didn't want to retire yet, but now that the decision has been made, I am looking forward to it. More time with Clay and Claire, more time to quilt (haven't quilted in weeks), more time to make soap, candles, and potpourri, and then there are some classes at the sewing shop that I would like to investigate. It would be nice to actually read a book again. It's ironic that when I started working in a library, my reading went out the window. I won't be completely retired - I'm not old enough - I will still be working at the church. I will be able to do more in the area of art and environment - for me that means hauling stuff up from the rectory basement because my gift is not art and environment.
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Today's workout is going to be outside because it is absolutely gorgeous out there this morning.

My stats for today:

Type: Walk/jog
Route: Deadend/loop/back
Time: 36 minutes
Average heart rate: 121
Maximum heart rate:
135
Up .4 from last Monday
Activity points earned: 3

Great walk today!
On that walk I mulled over an incident from church yesterday. I will not give the exact circumstances because they are not germain to my point. This was the reason I was given for not doing something that we are supposed to be doing. "I looked around . . . and no one else is doing it." I doubt that "no one else" is doing it because I know better. Ironically enough there are other things we are not doing that everyone else IS doing. So now this is the criteria for doing or not doing things that we are supposed to do. I was stunned because this person is in a position of leadership. What message does this give to our youth? Don't bother getting married - just live together. Everyone else is doing it. Go ahead and cheat on your exam - everyone else is doing it. Go ahead and copy that CD, the artist has enough money - besides, everyone else is doing it. Grrrrrrrrr!

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Word of the day:
Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel
Lk 8:16-18

Jesus said to the crowd:
“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away.”

Thoughts from the cornfield:
In reading today's Gospel passage, these words jump out at me. '"he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.'" It occurs to me that if one has a lamp and sets it under a bed, not only is he depriving others of the benefit of the light, but he is also depriving himself. God has given us the light of truth in his Word - it is that light which draws others. Our gifts from God are unique in that if we do not share them, we also deny ourselves.



God bless the troops!

2 comments:

Jennifer [To PIN/share a Post, Click the 3 dots or the Red SAVE Button] said...

Love reading on your blog! Keep up the wonderful work for the Lord. :-)

Sugar Bush Primitives said...

Thanks, Jennifer
My blog keeps me grounded. :)