Absolutely and Especially

 We made time to

walk a local trail yesterday.

 I posted photos on my Facebook page.

"Still you find beauty with foliage and plants 
readying for their Winter naps!" 🍁🍂

a friend commented.

"Absolutely!" I responded.

Looking back on my reply to my friend later,

I wished I'd responded with a DIFFERENT word...

ESPECIALLY!

Yes!

ESPECIALLY I find beauty with foliage 

and plants readying for their Winter naps!

Don't you?!?

I Still Can--#4

I still can walk

(though these days with a little assistance).

Like Jacob, I am limping

because of my hip (Gen 32:31).

Already this morning, I've walked

to the bank and to the post office.

Thankful.

A Remarkable Season

Too beautiful to waste the unexpected sunshine of these February days.

So we walk.

The three of us.

Thankful for nature's supply of Vitamin D.

Sometimes we sit.

To catch our breath.

To take in the view of quiet, Amish countryside.

This is a remarkable season.

I am so thankful for it.

Confessing and Repenting

A view of our newly painted front porch-totally unrelated to this post!

This morning I quit "confessing" and actually REPENTED.
Thirty minutes of walking in circles --
living room to library through eating area and around the kitchen island.

If you click on those words, you'll see they were written in December of 2015.

Now - six months later - I'm repenting again!
For the past sixteen days,
I've returned to a pattern of self-control when it comes to food choices and exercise.
I used to feel guilty about how many times I have "started over"
in this and a few other areas of my life.
But this morning as I walked in circles once again, 
I realized that - based on the definition that follows-
it's realistic to expect I'll need to repent DAILY.
And sometimes several TIMES a day!

Definition:  to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life

"The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works."
"In failing to confess, Lord, I would only hide You from myself, not myself from You."

"If you excuse yourself in confession, you shut up sin within your soul, and shut out pardon“

--these three by St. Augustine

"The want of proper examination, true contrition, and a firm purpose of amendment, is the cause of bad confessions, and of the ruin of souls."  (And ruin of bodies, I might add!)

-St. Benedict Joseph Labre

This quote on Twitter this morning:
Whatever we fail to repent of we are destined to repeat. (Crawford Loritts)
and this:
 Q: How can you recognize repentance? 
A: Action not words.
The prodigal didn't sit with pigs saying "I repent" – he went home! Luke 15:17-24
(James MacDonald)

We Walked in Beauty

 These were the sights along the halls

 as we walked through them

 after visiting a friend in a local hospital this morning.

 It was chilly and wet outdoors

 but doing our 30 minute walk indoors

 was a pleasant experience --

 and colorful, too!

 It felt like a visit to an art gallery,

fitness center

 and botanical garden all rolled into one!

I Lift My Eyes Up....

I look to you, heaven-dwelling God, look up to you for help.  (Psalm 123:1, The Message)

 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?  

My help comes from the Lord,  the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2)

 Spent a little time on the back porch this afternoon

soaking up some sun and doing a few of my exercises holding on to the porch rail.

 I was thankful to be surrounded by early autumn beauty

and sad when the loose pages of directions for some knee rehab exercises

floated off the seat of my walker.

I haven't gotten to the "stairs phase" of rehab yet,

so I tossed a couple of weights on them and will ask my husband to retrieve them later.

I often "toss a couple of weights" on quotations that inspire/instruct/challenge me--

short, concise statements that I don't want to float out of my mind.

I do that by storing them in my hand-written journal*, in the quotes tab of this blog, 

or in my Twitter account.  

They are more easily retrieved than before 

when I wrote them on random pieces of paper that were difficult to re-source....

*Have you noticed how frequently Dr. David Jeremiah encourages 

his congregation and listeners to journal?

God Help Me Git Er Done

A couple of weeks ago, we parked our car next to this pickup truck.

I couldn't help but take a picture of these words!

My hip is healing from hip replacement surgery,

 but the knee on my opposite leg is NOT happy about it!

X-rays earlier this week indicate a knee replacement is in my near future.

Meanwhile (thanks to a cortisone shot), I am doubling my efforts

to get the hip strong and ready to do ITS part when the knee needs it.

Walking.  Walking.  Walking.

God help me git er done!
And no matter what YOU'VE got ahead of you, He'll help YOU git er done, too.

 "God has the power to provide you (me) with more than enough of every kind of grace. 
That way, you (I) will have everything you (I) need always and in everything to provide more than enough for every kind of good work." 2 Corinthians 9:8

Psalm 8

Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory
    in the heavens.

 ² Through the praise of children and infants
    you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
    to silence the foe and the avenger.

³ When I consider your heavens,
    the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
    which you have set in place,

⁴ what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?

 ⁵ You have made them a little lower than the angels
    and crowned them with glory and honor.

⁶ You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
    you put everything under their feet:

⁷ all flocks and herds,
    and the animals of the wild,

⁸ the birds in the sky,
    and the fish in the sea,
    all that swim the paths of the seas.

 ⁹ Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth! 

Our walk in nearby Grabill IN took us along the path through the prairie grasses and wetlands.

It was quiet except for the rustling of grasshoppers that welcomed our company.

Butterflies flew silently around us.  The sound of breezes through the leaves
of shrubs and small trees were the only other sounds except for our conversation.

What a perfect ending to a strange day...

Rest--the Proper Remedy

Yesterday I read of an old-fashioned  missionary who found herself "without means, among a heathen people, far away from any source of supplies."  She was also in poor health, but she claimed the promise of God to supply her need.  Soon came several large boxes of oatmeal.  She had some cans of condensed milk so was able to sustain life for four long weeks on the oatmeal.  By the time the four weeks had passed, her health had returned!  When relating this experience later in the presence of a doctor, he asked her the nature of her former illness.  The doctor said, "The Lord heard your prayer and supplied your need more truly than you realize.  For the sickness from which you were suffering, we doctors prescribe a four weeks' diet of nothing but oatmeal gruel for our patients.  The Lord prescribed it for you, and saw to it that that was all you took.  It was the proper remedy."

Yesterday I was a little irritated because both of the appointments I had scheduled for the morning were canceled.    Something UNexpected happened in the afternoon though.  Donna called and wanted me to suggest a place to walk (it was such a pleasant day in these parts).  I suggested a place and asked if she wanted company.

So it was that we enjoyed walking a portion of the RiverGreenway (one trailhead entrance pictured above).
It was the Proper Remedy for my irritation!  I'm happy to report that - though I hadn't walked that distance for a long time - I experienced no extra knee pain upon awakening this morning!

"Be all at rest"--so shalt thou be an answer

to those who question "Who is God and where?"

For God is REST, and where He dwells is stillness,

and they who dwell in Him that rest shall share.

(Freda H. Allen)

I wish I had not been so irritated about the cancellations!  It's so much better to relax, be still, and dwell in Him in spite of interruptions, cancellations, or ANYthing that comes our way!

Sunday Evening

Last night, a casual evening walk around the perimeter of Island Park brought us to the base of the largest tree on the island.  The bottom photo of wildflower (or weed) was taken for identification purposes.  It was unfamiliar to my sister-in-law who is quite knowledgeable about the local flora.

We augmented this short walk by two others - one down the airstrip after viewing our nephew's plane in the hanger, and another in a hillside cemetery. 

Reflect, Refresh, Rejuvenate!

This is what I did today!

You can read a more about the labyrinth here at the Victory Noll Center website.  As I walked, I repeated the verse engraved on the plaque above.  The Center, located about 45 miles from our home, is currently opening its facilities at no cost on Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  After walking the grounds and the labyrinth, my husband and I enjoyed a cup of coffee and some time in the soothing atmosphere of the library.  We hope to return next Thursday.

Do YOU have a favorite place to visit for reflection and refreshment?

THIS IS MY FATHER'S WORLD!

"Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them--the Lord, who remains faithful forever" (Psalm 146:5-6).

Yesterday we took advantage of the beautiful sunlight and drove about twenty miles north to find a place to walk.  There was more snow on the ground in Kendallville IN than around our home.

 Canada geese (click on pictures for close-ups) were basking in sunlight.  Fishermen were trying to get in just a few more hours of ice fishing!

My heart and mind sang their own wordless praises to the Creator as all my senses took in the beauty around me.  My body, too, responded.  Some of the pain (sinus?) I've been experiencing lately seemed to melt in the presence of sunshine and fresh air.  

Let EVERYTHING that has breath praise the Lord!

Sunday Surprise

We decided to spend our 30 minute walk exploring the Indiana Purdue University Campus in nearby Fort Wayne. Our immediate destination was this bridge that was constructed recently over the St. Joseph River.

We discovered a path that followed the river. We were pleasantly surprised to find signs identiifying the trees along the path. These were a few that caught my eye.

The tree above is a sassafras tree!   The sign noted its beautiful autumn coloring as well as the fact that root beer is made from the roots of this tree.

This was the largest of the trees - a red oak.

I felt like Wanda when I discovered this hole on the other side of the tree!
We had an enjoyable and educational experience.  It's always good to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.