Walk Through the Garden

 Happy Sabbath,

I don't have anything super exciting to report but God is good and has kept my family and I for another week so for that I am thankful. I was able to have someone come by this week to fix my heating system.  The piece that creates the spark was bad so I had that replaced.  I am thankful more so because I was expecting to shell out half a grand on repairs but He had it that groupon came to my mind and after looking around on there, I found something that was just enough for the job I needed done.  I never used group on before and I was surprised at how easy it was to use and how much money I saved.  

I also have a groupon for my chimney. I will have that swept at the end of next month.  When it rains as it did yesterday and even today, water gets through a crack along the chimney and runs down on the pipe into my house. I have a bucket below the shoot to catch the water on days like this.  They will need to seal around the base. If they are talking a stupid price, I'll get the ladder out and do it myself.  So I will look around more on Groupon and see what other deals I can find.  

I have been so busy working and not really thinking about taking more time for myself. I saw an email talking about a deadline for those who were requesting additional days around the holiday pay they were going to give us for labor day and realized that I could take off friday. I was about to schedule a meeting on friday but the person I called said they were doing a bunch of things that day so I decided I too would take off. I want to take my son to the beach, a beach we have not been to but should be closer, less crowded and hopefully cheaper.  

I was tired on Tuesday but I decided last minute I would take my son out to the park to ride his bike as he was purposely struggling with his bike on the patio and running into/over scrap metal I had laying in a pile to the side. I didn't have time for him to be impaled so I put his bike in the back of the car and we rode to one park I know that is nice and has great shade because it has been very hot this week.  He was getting better and not needing one of the training wheels so I took it off the second time we went.  I took him again on Thursday afternoon.  I totally forgot that my church was having a meeting online and didn't realize until well after we were at the park.  There is a creek that runs along the back end of the park and there is a little beach area that one can go down to and even launch a boat from.  We climbed down there and as I took photos of him, I just couldn't help but be in awe of the beauty of that space. I watched people on their boats racing up and down the creek and even one came over to where we were and a lady brought charcoal and other things in preparation for a barbecue.  The creek connects to the river which isn't too far off, about 5 minutes drive from us.  Who knows what you can catch in that, I wouldn't swim in that water but anyway, the scene was absolutely beautiful and my son was the most excited as one could ever expect to see.  It's harder for flesh eating bacteria, amoebas and other parasites to do better in salt water so I'd rather take him to the ocean so we can actually get in the water for a bit and build sand castles with better sand.  

I am hoping to do these park trips more regularly even with school season starting up again.  I have to pick up his chrome book from the school Monday and I am hoping that we can go to the park 2-3 times each week if not more.  He plays the Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild so much he needs to see that there is a real and beautiful world that God created and it is out here for him to experience and enjoy. As I walked through the forest and he raced on the bike with the training wheel, I saw beautiful butterflies, deer crossing the path after they were sure we were far enough from them, squirrels, beautiful plants and listened to different bird calls echoing through the woods.  All you need is the song of the ocarina and you are there, you are Link.  I grew up on that game among many others I really shouldn't have been playing. It was just so beautiful out there.  I encourage anyone who has been working from home to take some time out of the week and go to places like this.  Imagine what the garden of Eden must have been like. Fragrant with colorful flowers, fruits ripe and decorating the trees and bushes. Lush foliage, sounds of the bubbling and rushing flow from the Tigris, Pishon, Euphrates, and the G rivers.  The garden lit by the sun the Lord placed in the sky and lit more so than anything, by His presence in that very garden. 

Find time to have a little talk with Jesus and while having that talk, walk with Him through the nature He made just for us to live in and take care of.  I pray that you will be refreshed with your time with Him and visit with Him as often as you can.

Happy Sabbath to you.

Trying Some New Things

 Happy Sabbath,

I have had a good week and there are some new things I am looking into trying.  I want to start a new business. I've taught piano in the past and back in college, I typed people's papers. After college, I did some work for a doctor for a quick $50 bucks.  I quit that government job but still want to have a third stream of income, something I have a little more control over and don't have to answer to a manager or someone else, just the customer.  I came up with a name for the business I want to say earlier this week...Sunday I'll say.  I have an etsy account set up, email, and will need to work on a website and look into another social media platform once I have everything I need.  I have to do something because even though things are flowing pretty well right now, does not mean it will continue.  Much to pray about.

I booked a train ticket to go help my family with the house down home.  That is going to be a long journey, but this time I am planning to use Lyft for my self for the first time so I can leave my car at my house and not at my parent's house. This will be the week of my birthday so I am looking forward to being off and having a change of scenery for a week.  

My son asked and I agreed that I will build a U shaped raised garden bed.  I have a 4.5x4.5' garden bed in the back yard centered in front of my patio.  I want to make that happen for next year and plant more grape vines so we can have more privacy when coming out on the patio.  I want to install tall posts and some fencing along the length of the U so the grape vines can grow up and spread like a Y as they are designed to.  My grape vine that was knocked over by the storm I was able to save it.  I purchased two iron trellises and reshaped the area. The grapes are almost ready and the ones I had yesterday were sweet and tangy and had a gummy like texture on the inside, almost candy like.  I started a new crop of beans and greens that should be ready by the end of October or first weeks in November so I might be able to harvest something useful before the first frost of the season.  

I am getting my heating system fixed. I have lived through 2 years of a busted system and space heaters and I decided enough is enough. Tuesday next week, someone will be over to fix the system. I also will have a chimney sweep in September.  

I will probably add to this list next week but for now these are the things coming to mind.  I wouldn't even be able to think of let alone start any of these things if the Lord did not open doors for them.  I am thankful for the money to try to fix the heating system.  Who knows, I might even get a new central air conditioner.  I will have to see.  Without Him, nothing is possible. With Him, the horizon is endless.  So I am working hard, putting on my big girl clothes and giving what I can't handle or want to try to the Lord.  I'll report back on the good things God has done.  It may be a quiet week.  It may seem like nothing is changing. But God is still on the throne and always so very good to you and me.  Thank Him for inspiration. Thank Him for provision. Thank Him for making the impossible possible.

Limit

 Happy Sabbath

Such a beautiful day thus far.  This week was an interesting week and I made some decisions I didn't plan to make and learned some new things.  We have to make sure we are getting right with God.  There are things I never considered and if I had taken this road or even that road, I'd surely be worse off than I have been.  I watched testimonies from people and actually, I don't know how I came upon this collection of testimonies.  I think I was watching one person I had heard before and turned away from because she was apart of the 2 percenter new age crowd.  She came to the truth about the Sabbath and perhaps after looking at hers, thats where the playlist repopulated and presented people's experiences of coming out of new age spiritualism and into Christianity.  So much we see in day to day as normal we don't realize how strong the ties are to spiritualism.  We need to be vigilant and guard ourselves against it.  I think of the time, about 5 or 6 years ago I took one of my clients to a place that offered free massages.  This was offered to people who have intellectual disabilities or other disabilities and when I met the lady, she said she was a practitioner in different techniques including reiki.  We were offered three options of service for 15-30 minutes at this center and since I was bringing him who qualified, as staff I could mooch and freebies.  He goes to movies, I get in free. He goes to a concert that cost more than $25, I get in free, that sort of thing.  

So at this place, we went and he was having a lot of pain. He had tardive dyskinesia and stiffness that went beyond his limbs but affected his neck so severely his neurologist prescribed botox shots as a last resort.  I had thought that perhaps a massage for his neck would help or he would enjoy one of the auto-massage chairs they had.  I forgot what he got but when she presented the options, I chose a different one, not the reiki.  Something about reiki didn't sound right to me.  She did a facial massage with argan oil and talked to me about having a lot of stress.  The massage did nothing for my stress but I had a nice talk with her, kept her information and in my later career as a social worker, I have connected with her to get funding for other things my clients needed.  I don't know the damage that was done with even the massage she did on me.  Looking back, I wish I never allowed her to put her hands on me.  It's almost like when I went to support a guy I met on the street. He and some youth were out fundraising for their church and me being a new believer and happy to talk to anyone who simply believed in Jesus, was almost immediate in my agreement to come to their church.  I even think I had him come and pick me up.  I've mentioned this before but when I went to that church even on the way there, he spoke enthusiastically about a man, a prophet who would tell me everything I needed to know.  I heard him but I didn't care about no prophet.  I cared to worship the Lord and if something great comes along, awesome, if not, I was thrilled to know God loved me and it was absolutely enough if nothing else happened.  I walked into a demonic space.  People were all there to hear what this "prophet" had to say.  First there was singing which I was okay with.  I then noticed a man come in and he had this darkness about him.  I didn't know about this type of evil so I just observed as he came in and told this person she would come into money and that one that they would be healed.  He came to me and told me I would be able to go to school.  I'm looking and am like whatever.  I was not thinking about going back to school and the words were not relevant to me.  Then he started laying his hands on people and they were falling down and acting like they were being covered by the Holy Spirit whcn in fact it was the opposite.  He approached me and pushed his hand on my forehead suddenly.  I looked at him like, "what did you do that for?"  I then realized that it was expected of me to fall on the floor so not to embarrass the person who brought me or the others around who I didn't even know, I decided to lay down on the ground when he pushed my forehead again.  One lady took my glasses off.  I lay on the floor thinking to myself, this is stupid.  Why am I at this place?  I need to get home.  I lay there for a minute or two and decided to get up and the lady gave me glasses.  People were shouting words of praise and happy about this dude who again, had this dark presence about him, was not smiling or speaking any words of truth.  The person who invited me asked me if I had a good time and found out what I needed to know and I thought again to myself, I didn't come to the church to get an answer.  I came to praise and worship the Lord and to support this person's church.  I never talked to that guy again after I was dropped off.  

Another time I met someone when I was working at a university.  He was a middle aged guy who I believe said he was the pastor or elder of a non-denominational church.  I went to his church to see what it was about and the day I went, I had laryngitis.  I wanted badly to sing along with everyone but my voice came out in hoarse croaks that I just had to be there silent pretty much.  That guy was really inviting me because he was looking for a boo-thang and of course I wasn't having that.  I wanted Christ and Christ alone, I was not searching for a husband or even thinking about dating.  People keep playing with spiritualism and have the wrong idea about the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth.  The Holy Spirit will not make us confused, have people running around screaming jibberish, convulsing, or focusing on earthly fleshly things.  

I put a title up above, Limit and I'm kind of getting away from it.  So, yes, I saw some testimonies and learned some things.  I'm glad I didn't go forward with what I was doing, go further because wow, you are really messing yourself up going there.  I am thankful for the dreams I had that pretty much were real warnings and scared me away from the path I was going.  

I have to set limits in my life and really keep them.  Last week I was stressed and tired.  I would take a nap and if it was under a few hours, if I woke up I would feel as if a truck hit me I was so tired.  I was becoming afraid of even taking naps as badly as I need them.  I was hired for a third job on 7/31 to do some work that would be very flexible but still demanding and draining. I didn't expect it but as I got through certain parts of training, more training was expected and I would have to get on a call for several hours.  They wanted me on a conference call and announced it last minute.  That conference call would be 3.5 hours but I have two other jobs.  I can't do last minute scheduling like this.  I told them twice what my availability was and they saw my messages but chose to ignore what I said, then sending me a message saying they "thought" I was going to be on and wondered what happened to me.  I didn't like how things were unorganized from the start and how they were not comprehending clear communications from me.  I was not going to take pto with my main job again to meet up for unexpected work meetings with them that they did not announce or if they did, announced the day or two days before.  I thought about it for 2 days before deciding to give it up.  When I sent that text of resignation, there was no confusion about that, they came and picked up the items I was given and had no questions about why or what I was saying in my statement.  

After doing so, a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.  I hope to still be paid for the training that I did but if I don't, oh well, good riddance.  I still am trying to think of a third side hustle that would work and after listening to one of my fave channels (One Big Happy Life  with Tasha), I decided to give an online business idea a try again.  I have to get my product together. I already created an email and set up an etsy account for the business.  The domain is not owned yet for the name I have so when I get my product together, I hope to get the site and go like how I did with godaddy before for former ventures I made. Working from home for these 5-6 months, I don't want to change this.  I hope my company continues to permit this even after COVID is no longer an issue.  I am able to zoom call, google duo, gotomeetings, and whatsapp my clients.  I can see in their homes and into their lives without putting them or myself at risk and I find I am connecting with people more with these platforms than what I did prior.  I want to continue with my current two jobs but I need a third hustle and who knows, that third hustle could become the main hustle and handle most of my concerns.  I am limiting who has access to me, to my time.  I am limiting the work I have to do as too much is running me into the ground and giving me the greys I am not ready for.  I am setting up healthier boundaries at work, home, with family, with church.  And things are getting better by me doing so.  

So this week I am thankful to have made it to today. I am thankful that I could take a step back and make the right decision, the decision to give up a job that threatened my work life balance.  I am thankful for the videos, the testimonies I watched, reminders of why I need to stay on this path and what I need to be vigilant of and keep out to remain healthy and happy in Christ.  This was a good week, a productive week, a busy week and important one for me.  I hope there are things you can pull out of this week for your lives and give God the thanks and praise for.  

God is good :)

Unplanned Vacation

 Happy Sabbath

This week was definitely unplanned.  Sunday I did yard work and did some online training for my third job.  Monday I jumped into work and thought to do the rest of my training on Tuesday.  Monday I had the energy and time but decided it best to wait till Tuesday so I relaxed and did what I do on Mondays before heading off to job number two.  Tuesday came and as soon as I finished a zoom meeting, my power went off in the house due to the tropical storm Isaias. I pressed on and did the rest of my work over my phone and tablet with data from my phone service.  Wednesday came and still no power. I tethered internet to my computer so I could finish the trainings that were due for my third job. I called my parents and they said they were setting up their generator.  I started getting weird alerts from my energy company telling me I might not get power until Friday so I went into the shed and pulled out the smaller generator and attempted but failed to start it. I called my dad over who helped me instead pull out the larger generator and he started it up right away.  I went through the house plugging up cords to the fridge and everything else I needed.  I told my supervisor that I was out of power since Tuesday and despite trying to get the internet box power, it appeared the internet lines were affected by the storm so I would not be able to get that working.  She told me to take 8 hours of pto but I had already worked the first hour and needed to get some other things done.  I took 7 hours on Wednesday and 7 hours on Thursday. I expected the power to still be out so I took 8 hours on friday off.  The power was restored Thursday afternoon but I was so exhausted that I decided to keep the 8 hours.  I got help to lug the generator back to the shed and out of all this, stocked up on batteries, back up emergency lights, electrical cords, and other things for emergencies like this.  I was pretty prepared to start and am thankful that I had the items before things got bad.  

Friday was a good day.  I closed myself off from the usual stuff and thought to go to Home depot or Lowes to get an arbor or some trelli for my garden.  The storm broke my arbor I bought on Amazon.  First I had two wooden trelli I attached to the garden bed I built from scratch.  The wooden one started bending inward not able to bear the weight of the grapevines so I purchased a metal arched arbor thinking that would be a long term solution.  But I'm cheap so I got one fit for a wedding, not for long term garden use and that storm pretty much took that one out of here.  I watched the very moment my grapevine laid down on the ground.  I left it like that since Tuesday and friday I thought I could bring my son to my parent's home for an hour or two while I go out to find a replacement arbor.  The day before,my dad came to help me also lift up the grapevine.  He used a few 2x4's the broken wooden trellis that was still intact (I had taken the other one apart), and the metal frame of the broken arbor plus some coat wire.  The result looked crazy. That is NOT how I wanted my garden to look.  I called  their house and discovered my parents were on their way to the Carolinas and a few states away already that morning.  I didn't realize they were going or really even believe they were going. I didn't know when they were going but they went so I ended up taking my son to the store with me and found two thick iron trelli from Lowes that fit the bill.  I was able to take that mess apart that my dad set up and fix my grapevines.  Some of the grapes were turning red and finally developing their sugars so that is exciting.  If I left it on the ground any longer, the squirrels would have got the bunches and I'd have nothing left.  

I am thankful I could fix the grapevines.  I am thankful for the extra days I could be home and really get rest and do a reset.  I could have lost all my food but it was not so. I could have had more damage in my yard and many more problems.  I thank the Lord for keeping us and providing for us.  My little sister's birthday is tomorrow and since my parents went away to work on the vacation home, she will be staying over Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday nights until they return.  I have to do what I can to keep from being scheduled with my third job until they return (I hope the week after next).  I am supposed to do a 3.5 hour phone conference/training but they have not given me a date/time that works yet.  I will get paid for the trainings I have done so far so that is good. 

Since it is my sister's 31st, I made her a cake and my son and I bought her an air plant (a tillandsia).  Its the least I can do since she is spending her birthday morning hours babysitting.  I am doing my best to make my home as welcoming and comfortable as possible for her.  

As unplanned as everything has been, I am thankful that I have the things I need.  God knew what was going to happen and made sure we were taken care of.  An unplanned vacation, but much needed indeed.

Different

Happy Sabbath,

It has been an interesting week for me.  It started out very challenging, I would have to say with my son.  You never know where you are going to end up by week's end and I just feel...different.  I thank the Lord for bringing me through.  The beginning of the week was really a battle with the enemy through my son.  That situation needs serious prayer.

I see the Lord's hand in my life and want to acknowledge, mention, share the good that happened this week. 

I was scheduled for orientation with my third employer.  I had applied for this job sometime last year with the same desperation I had for my second job.  Wait, I don't think I mentioned that thing about the second job so let me start there first. 

I was in the store, minding my own business, purchasing some food stuffs and things for my son to do some crafting.  It was a pit stop I made while I was on my way home to finish my work for my full time when a man got in line behind me and was chatting up the cashier.  I forget at what point he turned his attention to me as I waited for the cashier to take care of the person in front of me but he looked at my things I had ready for purchase and asked if I was a teacher and I told him no, not really wanting to make conversation and really wanting to hurry on up and get out of there so I could get home and do my work.  He gave a question as if I worked there and I told him, I didn't work there and he said he felt like I did or should consider working at that specific store.  I then told him that I had applied months ago but did not get a reply back.  He recommended I speak to the general manager who just happened to be walking around the area as we were talking about this.  He called the general manager over who gave me advice about how to reapply and who to speak to.  I followed his advice and still didn't feel like I was going to get anywhere but then perhaps 4 months or so later I received a random call for an interview. 

The man said he thought I worked there.  Now I work there and I enjoy it.  Now on to this third.  I received calls from this government agency and wasn't really taking it seriously.  I still don't know how far I will go with this.  I ignored the calls when finally one day they called at the right time and I answered.  I did the phone interview and I just did orientation yesterday.  I am officially an employee of this agency as of yesterday and I will be paid for 5 hours of training.  I have much more training to complete which I will work on tomorrow. 

In preparation for the orientation, I knew I had to bring my identification and was not certain but chose to pack a check book, pen, gloves, extra mask, and other items to bring with me.  I came and what I brought was perfect.  Some people were not properly informed so they had to leave and come back. 

The night before, I wanted to make sure I would get up early so I could get my full time work done and deal with the trash and the lawn.  I set my alarm clock for 5am to wake me up certain I would run into no issues.  I was tired from working a long day on thursday and clocked out aiming to take care of the other things early in the morning. 

The next morning, I woke up with a serious urge to use the bathroom.  I got up and went and returned and typically I will not look at my phone when I return but I decided to look because I noticed my phone back screen lit up but there was no notice on the phone.  It usually does that if there is a text message and I'm wondering why I would get any message so early int he morning. I looked at the phone to realize that the alarm was on silent.  It lit up but didn't show that the alarm clock was going off.  It was strange.  The alarm I selected had no sound and the time on my clock was 5:05am which means I got up exactly at 5am for the bathroom and my alarm did not wake me up.

God did.

If the phone did not have a brighter appearance at that moment, I would have gone to sleep, missed my time for my main job and likely almost slept through to run late for my orientation. 

I was given an iphone at orientation and the people said I was set. But I decided to look over at an app on the phone and ran into an issue with my password.  If I didn't mess with the app then, I would likely have more problems down the road.  IT came and trouble shooted and fixed the device so I could go.  I never had to use an iphone before so this is taking some getting used to. 

My macbook died on Tuesday.  I logged in for what reason, I forgot and then immediately the keys that I had used plus several more seized up and stopped working.  I didn't think to attempt to disable the password. My immediately thought was to use a usb drive and save 8000 plus images/videos I've collected over the years of my son and I.  I was able to get about 5k before I was officially locked out.  I left the room and didn't touch the computer for a little longer than I had planned and the lock screen showed up.  Now I have to find someone to fix it or it will never work again. Those images of my son as an infant and toddler and now on this computer I am typing on.  The computer I said was so much better than my first only lasted from 2012 to 2020.  It was a late model mac.  Amazingly enough, I was able to turn on and find usable the first laptop I purchased back in 2005.  It had a password on it and although I had not used it since 2012, I knew what the password was and went in straight away.  I cannot get the internet to work on it but everything else is good.  I should go get that fixed as well. 

A service is going on at church right now but I want to listen to the sermon recorded for last week.  That is what I am going to do.  See what if anything I missed from that message, what else i can pull out and apply.  I feel different. I don't know why, I just do.  I'm on here at an hour I never am.  Is it because I'm short on time, running out of time?  I think so.  Please pray for me.