Sorry everybody--I'm a blogging dud lately!

Got a cold right now and the froggy voice to go with it. We need to grocery shop today, so I'm harboring my ambition to get that done. Tomorrow means some serious house-cleaning --cuz it's really gotten away from me these last few days--and pie-baking and cranberry sauce making. You know, essentials like that.

This year will be a smaller crowd at the table than we're used to--just six of us, if Jim makes it on time. But we can still give thanks for our blessings together, and also be thankful for God's loving care of Tom and Annie.

Here we go a-shopping!

Bye.

Currently Murder Must Advertise (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries) By Dorothy L. Sayers see related

It's done--Yay!!!

Actually, all that dread was for naught, because Dean did the lion's share of the work this year, mostly with the leaf blower. Peter and I put in mebbe three hours of work altogether! It looks good out there.

We also took in the dock and stacked three cords of firewood, and Dean took down a few dead trees--small ones. I'm thinking we're pretty much set for winter to come.

Our next-door neighbors, who now own the cabin that used to belong to Dean's brother, are preparing to build a garage. This week they took down a lot of trees, including the two huge basswoods that have been looming over the cabin for half a century. Those trees had to be 100 feet tall, maybe close to 100 years old, though I can't be sure of this. Our area was clear-cut sometime around 1890, so the oldest trees around here are about 120 years old. We have some white and Norway pines that must be nearly that old, though none that large on our property.

We're really enjoying our Wednesday night Bible study, which is on Galatians and titled, "How Do We Live Out the Gospel?" Much food for thought, particularly about the rules we Christians tend to set for ourselves then apply to others with a judgmental eye. What did Jesus answer when asked "How can I have eternal life?" He told the man to sell everything he had, give it to the poor, and follow. Is this literally what He requires of us? IMHO, His point was that everything we have and are belongs to God. It is not about setting certain levels of obedience and attaining them, but about surrendering everything, every day.

Quite a challenge.

I keep looking outside at all the leaves on the ground. . .and shuddering.

Can't evade it much longer--Rake Day is coming.

Yesterday, a nuthatch committed kamikazi on one of our quarter-round windows. Sadness! But actually this year the casualties have been low. We had no mass suicide of yellow-rumped warblers in September, for which I was grateful. In fact, we never saw the warblers at all this year. I wonder if word got around in their flock that our house eats little birdies?

Mimi is sitting on the fleece-topped desk, watching for birds at the feeder. I need to wake Peter up soon and get him started on the day, but it's nice to have these quiet moments in the morning.

I have become addicted to reading my Bible and devotional books on-line each day. It has a different feel, for some reason, and I see things I no longer notice in the actual books. Funny how a different format can do this to my brain.

I read one of Anne Elisabeth's manuscripts in two-page spread last night and saw it as an actual book--that was fun!

Perspective changes things!

Currently The Best Years of Our Lives By Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo see related

Fallen

Well, it's official. Fall in the Northwoods is no longer even "falling." It is now "fallen." There are still some golden leaves in the forest across the street, but most of them are on the ground.

Once things dry out a bit, we start raking. *sigh*

Nice to reach the end of another school week. Pete took his 9-week exam for Lit and Grammar today and got strong A's. Now he's got an algebra test, and then we're done 'til Monday. Yay!

We went to lunch with my in-laws this morning, which brightened up a dreary day for all of us.

I really enjoyed the above movie. It looked to be depressed but ended good.

Also finished reading Bathsheba. I feel privileged to read it LONG before anyone else gets to, so I shall gloat. LOL Trust me--it's really good. Her series keeps getting better and better.

Looking forward to falling back.

Currently Lies Women Believe: And the Truth that Sets Them Free By Nancy Leigh DeMoss see related

Wisdom and Mercy

In my daily Bible reading, I'm in II Samuel, and I'm also reading a manuscript for my dear friend Jill Eileen, titled Bathsheba. Yes, my daily reading is parallel with the events in her book, which is doubling my concentration on the story. This book won't come out until 2011, but I highly recommend it.

In II Sam. 19, which I read today, David is returning to Jerusalem after the death of Absalom. On the way, he meets with various people, some who betrayed him and joined Absalom, others who were faithful to him--or supposedly so. Again and again he must pass judgment on people, some of whose stories conflict with other things he has been told. Again and again he chooses mercy over judgment. Why? Did he make the right choice in each of these situations? Some of these people had been two-faced and treacherous. Others had returned evil for good. Others, like Mephibosheth, claimed to have been faithful all along but slandered and betrayed by his servant.

How was David to know? It wasn't as if God gave him outright guidance or confirmation. Why was he merciful to so many people who did not deserve it?

I believe it was because God had been so incredibly merciful to him, sparing him from death after his adulterous and murderous acts. He was a humbled man.

Was he right to spare these guilty people? Did they appreciate him and reform their ways?

Well, the end of the chapter portrays Israel and Judah bickering again about which of them has most claim on the king, about which of them was most deserving of his time and favor. So, while perhaps some of the individuals he forgave learned mercy from the experience, others quite possibly simply lived to betray and slander another day. And the tribes were just as contentious as ever.

Why does God give us so much freedom to do the wrong thing? Why does He not check us when we wander off the right path and bog ourselves down in sin and stupidity? Even when we beg Him to show us the right path and not let us deceive ourselves?

I wish I knew. For myself, I know that God allows me to hear both good and bad advice and to choose which I will follow. Sadly, I often choose the advice I want to hear. And that way, I end up learning wisdom through long and involved error.

But by God's grace, I do usually end up learning wisdom (and humility with it) in the end. And I am learning, slowly, which people in my life are most likely to advise me well.

A rule of thumb in general:  Suspect advice from anyone who shares my particular weaknesses. When in doubt about something emotional, heed a godly man's advice.