I'm Still Here

Confession time.  One thing led to another, which led to another, which led me to stop posting.  I have started writing again, though have not posted anything new yet.  Just want to let you know that things are in the works, including putting together all of the lessons from the study I led on Ephesians last year into e-book form.  (Be looking for the chance to get a copy for free)

This is an awkward time of year for me to get motivated to write as the summer schedule of my college professor has never been geared toward knowing what one is doing from one day to the next.  So I plan to just do a hit and miss sort of operation here until the school year begins again.  Lots of changes on the horizon, both of our sons are moving to another state this summer...I wish I could remember what a wise woman from church said once about it not being an empty nest...if anyone does recall her words I think I am ready to hear them now.

I am not immune to ignoring my very sage advice to make a habit of a daily quiet time, to be sure and spend time in the Word.  I do not think I can call what I have been doing these last months anything near what my ideal is...it took some rather harsh words to shake me out of my little self-righteous pity party.  That is one of the drawbacks of being a...choke...gasp...sputter...stubborn woman.  We can all be thankful that we serve a Lord who is never slack in His love for us nor His desire to bring us victory over that which would trip us up along the way.  So while I am a few months behind I am jumping back in with both feet into my daily reading plan and getting back to Philippians. I am not going to try to play catch-up, just opening my Bible to the current days reading and moving on.  As far as the Philippians study is interesting for me to see how my thoughts this week are so different from what I originally wrote.  There is quite the confession to come when I actually get the nerve to hit "publish."  When I think about what "rubbish" I have been holding on to lately rather than letting it go for the sake of the Lord....

It amazes me in the midst of all that has been going through my mind of late that the Lord has been so good to answer my prayers...His mercies are indeed new every morning, even when I am not at my best.  So here is to an end of excuses and getting myself back to work.  

The cemetery at Ft Stanton, NM

In the meantime, happy Independence Day.  I love the following quotes as we consider the heritage we have as citizens of the USA.  Our country may not be all that the Founding Fathers desired, but there is still hope for all of us whose true citizenship lies in the Kingdom of God.

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion.  Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.  It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." -John Adams

"And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of people that these liberties are of the gift of God?  That they are not to be violated but with His wrath?  Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever."
-Thomas Jefferson

"I've lived,sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing the proofs I see of this truth:  That GOd governs in the affairs of men.  If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?  We've been assured in the sacred writings that unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.  I firmly believe this, and I also believe that without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel."-Benjamin Franklin

Blessings,
Deb