Could it be?

Could fall be just around the corner? 

With school starting next week, I have the fall itch. 

Hubby must have had it too,

because when I arrived home from giving piano lessons,

he had all of the windows open. 

It was 85* in the trailer -

but the breeze still felt good and it was nice to have some FRESH air.

AAHH, Autumn!

Pumpkins

Macintosh Apples

Scarecrows

Cool mornings

Warm Beverages in the Evening

Colorful Leaves

Just can't wait!

Sweet Thoughts

Proverbs 13:19 

The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul:

There is nothing like "back-to-school" and the new school supplies.

I am putting together hubby's binders for the upcoming semester.

I am thankful today to see the finish line in view.

Last semester and the lightest load yet - 17 1/2 credits!

Multitasking

I have met many men who are amazed at the ability of a woman to multitask.  Laundry, meals, cleaning, while answering email or talking on the phone.  I think it is not as great a task as it is sometimes made out to be - the laundry washes itself, the timer on the oven reminds me not to burn the cookies ... you understand.

I was convicted last night as I went for a walk (it was actually almost comfortable at 7:00 in the evening!) that I could do more.  Hubby has been encouraging me to learn Greek.  Did you know that there are 24 different ways to say "the" which all must be memorized?  Cue the whining and complaining.  So I took the 24 articles and their endings on my walk planning to learn 16 (the minimum that he asked of me).  Do you know how many times you can say 24 one syllable "words" in one hour?  It is a lot!  I came home with all 24 learned and ready for constant review this week in order that they might soon be in long-term memory. 

Yes, maybe as a woman I am multitasking in my job as daughter, employee, wife, and/or mother, but am I really taking advantage of every moment.  Could I do better at verse memory?  I can say a verse many times in a 30 minute walk and then review it in the shower.  Could I find more time for personal interaction with the children?  Could I make my exercise a time to play with them?  Could they be more involved in meal preparations?  Could the meals be more thought out or more promptly on the table?  You get the picture ... Maybe you have it under control ... but I am still a Work-in-Progress.

Tumbling Markets

Psalm 33:16-17, 20-21

There is no king saved by the multitude of an host:

a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.

An horse is a vain thing for safety:

neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

Our soul waiteth for the LORD:

he is our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in him,
because we have trusted in his holy name.


Are you hearing about the stress on the financial markets this week?
*~*~*

The problem?  A vain faith and trust in money, governments, and people

*~*~*

Rest in God today - He will not fail.

Flops!

I will not be posting any recipes today. 

Why? 

Well, I have had a few "Flops" this week. 

In my pursuit of stovetop recipes (instead of the oven),

I hit some real losers this week. 

Bummer. 

I am glad for a hubby who appreciates my efforts and even graciously eats the awful leftovers :)

Maybe it helped that I made him a peach-plum pie this week!

It was a busy day of piano lessons and cleaning.  I had 6 students today and then worked on tidying the trailer and ironing a stack of work shirts.  Now it is nightfall and the Greek lessons are calling my name.  Right now I am working on memorizing the imperfect verb "to be" and articles and lots of noun endings!

Good for a Laugh

Some folks minds are like concrete ...

all mixed up ...

and permanently set.

Air Conditioning

During these Dog-Days of summer, I am thankful for the Air Conditioning in the trailer. 

Glad to hear that some of you are receiving a break from the heat
... still looking for a break in NC!

But what can you expect in AUGUST :)

What's Ailing You?

Do you ever think about why you get sick?  Maybe you are sick from poor eating choices.  Maybe you are sick because of a lack of self-discipline.  Maybe it is worry that makes you sick.  Maybe it is sin (see Psalm 32).  Actually all sickness is a result of sin - remember the perfect world before sin in the garden.  I am not saying that your allergies or your sniffle are a result of personal sin, but they are a part of the curse of the fallen world. 

We've been thinking much about cleaning up our eating again.  It is so easy to slip ... free candy bars when combining coupons and sales ... free soft drink refills at the local filling station ... lunch meat and hot dogs are so easy on these hot days ... you get the picture.  Today I filled my cart with extra fruits and vegetables.  We will be trying some GREEN smoothies this week - just water, fruit, and GREENS. 

Why worry about it?  I might get by with poor choices today (I am not all that old yet!),  but I don't want to be "out of commission" when I need to be doing what God wants me to do today or tomorrow.  I want to have energy and strength to be about His business - whatever and whenever that is.

Watching

Psalm 32:8

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go:

I will guide thee with mine eye.

This verse reminds me of my days in the classroom.  Oh, how I would work that first month of school to establish the respect of each child in the room.  I wanted the children to watch me.  I used signs, I whispered, I tested, I corrected until I knew that I had their attention.  Many parents and visitors were amazed that the children seemingly acted properly without any instruction.  No, it was not a lack of instruction, it was that I could "guide them with my eye."

I am rebuked that I am not always watching my God this closely.  He wants to instruct and teach, but so often I am the student staring off into space, the child finding toys in her desk, the child doodling on my homework paper, or the one distracted by another disobedient classmate.  I need to get my eyes where they belong - on my teacher.

Laboratory



basket of ground cherries in their husks



It was a relatively typical Monday.  Piano lessons to teach in the morning ... trailer to clean in the afternoon ... laundry to catch up from the weekend ... but today also involved some EXPERIMENTATION in the kitchen.



ready to enter a pie



I am not usually an adventurous cook.  While today's cooking did involve some ordinary cooking ... Breakfast burritos for the freezer, two loaves of bread, and a dozen English muffins.  The fun came from a free pack of seeds.  The seeds were for Ground Cherries.  I had never grown them, seen them, or tasted them.  After weeks of harvesting, we finally had enough to make a pie.  It is done, but I probably won't get a taste until ... breakfast?

*Update - the pie was NOT a hit. 

Hubby did not care for it,

and while edible, I don't think that I will follow that old Mennonite recipe again.

Will continue a search for something else to try.*