To Camp or Not to Camp

That really is the question.

Happy Sabbath!

Today is a very nice day (very warm, a good breeze, quiet).  I went to church today and tried to sit in the sanctuary with my son but after what he did today, I’ll just have to wait until he is five before I try this again.  He’s the one who thinks he can run all around the church during service and everyone thinks it’s funny and cute, but it’s not to me. 

Life has been quiet for the most part this week.  I did drop the ball on something and dealt with some of satan’s attacks but other than that, it was a good week.  I bought a seedless grape vine to add to my growing apartment garden.  The avocado plants are really taking off.  My majestic palm is still alive, the rubber plant, pothos is doing good and the ginger root has sprouted two more tree like stalks which are well on their way to touching the ceiling.  

Even my son's Nastrium is holding on after re-potting and moving it to another room.  Since living on my own again, I am really able to enjoy God's creation in the comfort of my own home.  It would be more comfortable if they fixed the AC, but I thank the Lord for the breeze because if not for it, we would be baking in here.  I signed a new contract for another year to rent my apartment.  I hope to get a house in 2018 so this is the year I’m saving up. Ugh, my son just told me he wants to go camping.

It’s something I’ve been debating in my mind all week after the last adventurers meeting.  Camping is going to cost more than I thought, but the cost is not the issue.  It’s being a magnet for bees, bugs, spiders and more and not having that adult friend to talk to other than my son for 2-3 days.  The last time I went “camping” with people, I stayed in a cabin with my Mennonite friends for 4-5 days (in August actually).  We went out for a walk on the grounds the first day and found a nice spot on rocks to sit and sing hymns and other songs (one of which we decided to learn together and sing one day back at church).  The cabin was deep in the woods and with the shade, it was cooler and there were few run ins with bees strangely enough.  I remember that day wearing GI-Jo pants carrying a stick and I believe a cast iron skillet to protect myself from bears as we definitely could have run into one of them.  The girls wore skirts every time they stepped outside and someone ended up getting a rash from poison oak or ivy.  I had no problems. 

I’ve been a few places in my life and hope to add to that list.  I’ve been to Italy, Germany, England, the Bahamas, and even Ontario.  I’ve been as far west as Nevada, but no trip compares to that trip to central Pennsylvania with my friends.  We didn’t talk about nonsense, vain things, or watch tv.  I had no reception for my phone and only one person brought a computer on which she looked at photos of friends and family.  Each person went off to a room, a rock, the swinging bench on the porch, or some place to spend time communing with God.  I remember sitting in the living room or going upstairs to read. I tried listening to the radio and only one radio station had a somewhat clear channel and I think they were playing a song from Randy Travis, something real Christian and country-like. 

When visiting my friend’s family home a few miles away, I saw the most beautiful scene, it was like out of a fairytale and we were walking along a glistening bubbling brook in the middle of the woods.  My camera decided it was not going to work that trip and I couldn’t take not one photograph of this beautiful scene. It was where my friend grew up and I’m sad that I have lost contact with her.  She is married to one of the twins and has at least two little girls now (probably 9 and 8 years old now).  We celebrated her birthday on her family’s property (her dad had a logging business there). They also had a vineyard, corn, raspberry patch, blueberries, and other crops that we were able to sample.  We sat around a fire making mountain pies, singing songs, and getting to know one another.

Another day we went swimming in a lake and stopped at the one business to shop for fabric, bobbins and things.

Back at the cabin, the price point for the trip was $10 per person (suggested donation but not required).  We had to just make sure everything was put back the way we found it and cleaned up.  We put $10 on the table, locked up the doors and went back home several hours drive.  It was so simple, but I really enjoyed it.  It was a good time in my life and nice to unplug for a while. 

So now I am faced with a new opportunity in a different state to go camping (in tents, on the ground, in the heat….camping) with a bunch of people I am very cautious around.  I remember the wounds that satan inflicted through people who were supposed to be Christians.  Because of them and my own choices, I have gone through great humiliation and distress and don’t want to make myself a target again. 

So my four year old son wants to go camping.  I need to confirm a pledge of $90 for this trip by next week or tell them I am not going. 

One of many things I need to pray about. 

The funniest thing is that when I was younger, I used to make a game of stepping on the biggest bees and wasps and never realized the danger or thought I should be afraid.  It was only until I saw my sister stung on the hand and the pain in her face that I decided I would be terrified of bees and other stinging flying insects.  After I saw a cousin scream while I was playing with caterpillars, I became afraid of almost every harmless creature.  Fear has a powerful affect on others and I don’t want my son to be afraid of the same things.  I flinch at a gnat and he is afraid of them.  He is just getting better and able to tolerate flying insects coming near him. 

So I am blessed with a new opportunity and who knows; it may be the best experience I’ve ever had.  If I go, I will be ready.  I’ll look ridiculous and reek of bug spray, but I’ll be ready.  I want another great experience with the Lord.  I hope it can be in August, but I am planning an attempt at the beach ….tomorrow?  I’ll see.

God is good.

Good Week

Happy Sabbath,

I had a good week this week and God is always good.  Monday was my mother’s birthday and she has said many times that she never had a birthday party.  She talked about wanting a cake from this bakery in the city but as the time grew closer, she decided she didn’t want this.  It was actually too late to order a cake as they require you to put down a deposit and give 2 weeks notice. 

Yes, it’s a cake, not an apartment, but anyway.  She told me that she planned on making a strawberry cake and when I stopped by her house during the week to peek in her fridge, I saw no evidence of strawberries or ingredients for a cake.  Who makes a cake for their own birthday?  She decided to go over to her sister’s house who was throwing a big bash for the April babies on Sunday and I decided not to go. 

On Sunday, I went to the store and purchased a bunch of ingredients and decided to make my mother a birthday cake.  I had never baked one ever.  The most I ever baked were cookies and heated pizza or Jamaican turnovers in the oven.  I’m not a baker, but the Lord helped me to make something that was beautiful and fit to be a birthday cake for my mother.  I spent hours baking layers, rolling out fondant, and piping icing and brought it over on Monday in the rain for her birthday.  I made 5 cakes in total (trashed one because the strawberry test didn’t work out).  I made a 4 layer tiered red velvet and white cream cake.  We had a small morning birthday party with sparkler candles for her and I thank God that I was able to see it. 

Tuesday through Friday, Jesus helped me get through the week.  My Friday ended early and I always like that.

Today my son and went to church and the Sabbath school teacher was late so I did a lesson with my son and it went well.  The other children were so interested in what my son is able to do and were asking me so many questions that I was not able to focus on the lesson.  My son has been improving his reading skills and has been reading since age 3.  He is 4 years and 3 months old and able to read and write, do logic games, and other things I guess a child his age is not supposed to be doing?  If it were not for the internet, dollar store, therapists, and pre-school program he is in, he would probably not be able to talk.  I think back to when I was taking that class and learning about infants/children with developmental disabilities and just have to say that God had me in the right place at the right time.  I did not intend to work with children and for my job, I work with the adult ID population, yet I have a special needs child who is benefiting from that one course among many other things the Lord had place upon my path.  He talks and won’t be quiet now.  He speaks in clear and complete sentences and tells me he loves me.  Before, I didn’t imagine he would do this.  I looked over part of his report card and plan to look over it later on before the parent teacher conference on Tuesday.  He is ahead of his class and the teacher and aides continue to tell me how amazed they are when working with him.  He is working along with the teacher to teach the class. 

At this current time, he has a bunch of sheets of paper with small words on them spread on the living room floor.  I wrote on some Bible chapters and phrases that I want him to focus on during Sabbath and the others are basic words that were printed on (and, this, green, walk, them…).  He is reading these and learning every day. 

Tomorrow we are going to the Adventurers meeting and are excited.  The group originally was 5 children and now there are like 12-16 children (from where I don’t know).  There are a lot of children and God has really opened the doors for our church to make this happen.  Ever since first visiting the church, I wanted my son to have a group to be in so he could learn more about God and at first I was unsure about this church.  He should be getting his uniform tomorrow and measured for his sash.  I thank God for this church and for the people I interact with there on a weekly basis. 

God is good J

Happy Resurrection Day Weekend

Happy Sabbath and Resurrection day weekend!

" Jesus went to the cross and died for us on Friday, rested in the grave on Sabbath,  and rose the first day of the week, early Sunday morning.

He died so that we could live. Let's celebrate His life and stay connected to Jesus, allowing Him to live through us and our lives to take on the greater purpose He offers us. A life with God is life indeed."

Last year I said this and I want to make sure that people remember why we celebrate. The celebration does not and should not include pagan traditions like egg hunts, rabbits of fertility, or other items done in celebration of the false god Eostre (Easter as its pronounced).  People have confused the two events as they both occur around the same time of year. Lets be children of the true and most high God and keep focus on what is important and do what is right.

Now for my week and testimony:

This week was a good week. My mother learned MONDAY that she had diabetic retinopathy but by Thursday also learned that it was caught early enough so she will not go blind. Praise God.

I don't know if I mentioned this the other week but I received a call back from my doctor telling me my thyroid was functioning properly after some bloodwork. My extra blubber is from not moving as much and eating too much. So I decided to not do a YMCA or gym membership, but commit to visiting my parents house for at least an hour multiple times per week to exercise like what I used to do at the YMCA.

I praise the Lord that my son and I were able to attend our first Little Lambs  (Adventurers) meeting and he already knows the introduction song.

Today I went to church to find myself teaching Sabbath school for the pre-k. I thank the Lord that not only was the classroom door unlocked, but that I was provided creative vision to give a lesson, lead song service, and guide the children in an arts and crafts activity that connected to the story and it actually looked good. My son was more focused on the craft and stayed in the room for the entire time.

I learned later that everything was ok with the primary Sabbath school teacher. She is in Florida spending time with family and here I thought she and her family were either sick at home with the bug other people were picking up or at anorher area church.

I am in a tighter financial bind than i realized, but God is good. I am committing to my goal of paying off my credit card as well as saving for the other big moves i want to do in my life. I have talked with at least two other people this year about home ownership and really want to see my son and I in a nice 3 bedroom 2.5 bath capecod or victorian with a garage, fence all around with a deciduous tree here or there that has easy rake-able leaves. The town I grew up in has cape cods, colonials (my parents home was a larger show model type for our park), and ranchers. They are very affordable but I really like the style of homes in another nearby town. Both places are on typical 6500 sq ft land plots but I want more space from my neighbors.

I thank the Lord for what i am able to do for now. He has not let me down and is still covering my son and I. I have a workable plan to pay off my debt and my salary can stretch for everything if I remain careful and committed.

God is good!

Renewed Confidence

Happy Sabbath,

I will keep this post short but my testimony is that I was able to take part in a communion service today with my son by my side.  We actually sat in the sanctuary and he was quiet and better behaved.  For the foot washing, I washed his feet and he did mine as well. 

I only did communion two times since stopping going to an Adventist church 4 years ago (first at a non-denominational church and second at a catholic church when accompanying two other people for work purposes). The church I was baptized in, I don’t remember doing communion there, but I did it often at the second Adventist church I visited and changed membership.  My membership is still there as I am feeling out this place where I am now.

I am very glad to have the opportunity to do it again.

I also have my car back and it runs like a dream. I was so angry with my mechanic for telling me each week the car would be ready in 2 more days and 2 more days turned into 2 more weeks.  On Friday about an hour before last Sabbath, he texted me to let me know the car would be ready for pick up, but of course I didn’t take the money out of the bank and was not going to pick it up on Sabbath so I had to wait until Monday afternoon to get it. 

Despite some of the nonsense I saw this week at work, I had a good week on the job and was able to accomplish a lot.  The Lord saw me through one of my toughest challenges at work and now that I have gone through this, I have more confidence in staying on and doing much more.  I can do anything through Christ.  I can count on Him to get through any challenge. 

For each devastating event where I could not see a way through, the Lord already created a path to victory.  I don’t want to go through some of these things, but even if I do, I know that He is there and give me the strength and courage to endure.

God is good so praise Him today!