DO YOU HAVE AN EAGLE LURKING OUTSIDE ??

Don't you just love it when God uses ever day things in your life to prove a point when you begin to question things ???

In our church small group study this fall we are going thru a book called "Respectable Sins."
Last night we studied a very thought provoking chapter. It was on anxiety, frustration and worry....basically the opposite of trust in God thru all things that take place in our lives ! It says anxiety is a sin because it is a lack of acceptance of God's providence in our lives. He is orchestrating all events and circumstances in our lives because He loves us and knows what is best for us.

But think about that, do we really act like that when some of our plans change and/or we get bad news about something or someone and we get anxious and worried about the situation. When thing don't go as WE planned! Usually we get all frustrated and worried when something doesn't go right - traffic is tangled so we are late for a very important meeting... or someone in the family is going thru a crisis and we can't understand why God is allowing that!
How could God allow that if He really loves us."
We had a great discussion last night about how God often intervenes in our lives with circumstances when we have no idea He really is controlling the situation (good or bad) because of His love and care for us.

This morning He reinforced that in my life with my sweet kitty and an eagle.
Chester had been in all night and I let him out when I got up as usual. Then noticed a short time later he was at the door wanting back in. So I opened the door...he went to his dish and ate a short time, then headed back to the door and meowed to go out. JUST AS I OPENED the door in the closest huge evergreen tree near our back yard I saw the huge wide spread wings of one of our local eagles that live close by as he landed in the tree. We see them quite often flying over but they usually don't get this close.. He fluttered his wings a bit then settled in on the top branch so he could see over the whole neighborhood.

Now, let me explain, one day awhile back while I was at the animal shelter we had a lady call all shook up because she had just watched an eagle swoop down and grab her kitty right out of her back yard....SO what immediately came to my mind. "Sorry, Kitty you are not going outside while he is sitting up there." The screen door was still closed, so I shut the inside door - much to his dismay. He always goes outside in the morning and is out most of the day.

So he looks up at me with those pitiful big eyes of his as if to say " Well, let me out."
Now I tried to explain to him that it was dangerous out there for him right now and I was keeping him in because I loved him and wanted him safe and it was for his own good......it was not a good thing for him to be out there right now. Do you think that he bought that !!!
No way, I had changed his routine for the day. He immediately began meowing at me. Now he generally has this tiny little meow that you can hardly hear but when he gets upset that soon grows into sort of a howl he drags on and on with. It can be very grating on the nerves... but I was determined he was not going out as long as that eagle was looking for breakfast!

SO for the next 45 minutes I kept trying to keep him on my lap, convince him that his plan right now to go outdoors was not a good idea even though I had changed his plans, upset his whole day and ruined his agenda. HIS idea was not my idea of what was good for him right now !
That's when it hit me. That was exactly what we were talking about last night.
He was frustrated with me because I had changed HIS plans.
Don't we do the same thing with God when He changes our plans. All we see is our point of view not God's overall knowledge of what might be on 'the other side of that door and up in that tree."

So folks, the next time your plans or agenda doesn't go as planned, sit back and think about my kitty just knowing what HE wanted but totally oblivious to what was lurking outside.
We really do need to put our trust in God when things don't "go our way" and be willing to "give up our agenda" and trust Him !

YOU MAY HAVE AN EAGLE LURKING OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR AND GOD IS WANTING TO KEEP YOU SAFE....

You know God really does love us and knows what is best for us in all circumstances whatever the reason we get our noses bent out of shape with anxiety, worry and frustration.

"Cast all your anxiety upon Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

Day By Day Life

OK OK - So I don't blog much anymore. I guess Facebook has sort taken the urgency out of it but there you can't really get much detail into what is going on. But no one ever comments on my blog so I assume I'm just doing it to use as scrapbook journaling which isn't a bad thing either.

Had a fun visit with Jean and Harvey last week who drove up from Louisiana at the end of September to visit Mark and Debi and all the rest of us "northerners." It is always so good to see them. It is such a long trip but they faithfully drive out each fall.

What else is happening.... Life is busy....... but fun. Have been doing some subbing for Weight Watchers so picking up a little extra "mad money." Have gotten season tickets to the Liberty Theatre for this season and also for the Cannon Beach playhouse. We always enjoy them. It keeps us busy but is a lot of fun to attend each of them.

We are still enjoying our new church very much. Have started leading a small group in our home this fall on 'Love and Respect" - marriage related. Has been very good. Really makes you aware how much we take our spouses for granted and the importance of communication.

We have also joined a different group that meets on Sunday evenings studying "Respectable Sins" Wow, I think that is going to be a real eye opener ! Has also been really good fellowship and a great chance to really get to know our associate pastor and his wife as they lead the group. What a great couple - just everything you would expect from a pastor.

What else is happening. Bob had a chance to take a really neat trolley trip which took them all the way out to Tongue Point on the trolley on some old train tracks. He got lots of great pictures. It was just for trolley drivers not the general public.

He is still busy with lots of tours at the Maritime Museum and his regular shift on the Lightship greeting visitors from actually all over the world at times.

I'm still loving kittys weekly at the local animal shelter. Each week there is a new sweet and dear kitty it seems that needs love along with those that have been there awhile. It has slowed down a bit now that school starts. Thru the summer Moms tend to bring kids out "for something to do" with no intention of adopting a kitty. Which is fine but it does get to be a bit busy at times when we are trying to let each kitty have some play and snuggle time with us. My favorite this week was a BIG black boy named Lottie. He came out of his kennel, crawled on my lap and laid there just as long as I sat there. What a dear! Long black soft fur with big eyes that stare right into your heart. Anybody want a kitty ??

Well, enough for today. Nothing very exciting but sometimes that is good too. Life moves on and all is well - what more could we ask for.
God Is Good !! Hugs to anyone that takes time to check in. Love you all !

Slow Down - I Want To Get Off

Well, I don't really really want to get off. But it could slow down a bit.
Life is good but why does it go by so fast.
Here it is fall again (My favorite season of the year) but it came so quickly this year.
I got up this morning early to meet a friend and it was DARK ! Had to come home from my meeting last week after dark too.
But I love the beauty of the fall leaves and the cozyness of being at home after dark as snug as a "bug in a rug.". Just always something special about that for me.

Life has been so busy lately. I guess that is why it is going so fast. All good things happening
but it just seems like the days, weeks and even months just whiz by !!

What are we doing ? I don't really know. Just living daily life but we are totally enjoying it.
Love our new church and our activities there. We will be starting a small group at our home
in three weeks. A marriage seminar and it really looks interesting from our first glance at the material. We are praying for just the right mix of people to really bond and be able to share ideas, problems and solutions while making new acquaintences that we pray will be lasting friendships. Totally enjoyed the church picnic and baptism last Sunday. How inspiring to see 20 or so people step into the waters of baptism from a 7 year just saved at VBS this year to an 85 year old lady who had been a Christian for a long time but had never been baptized. God is so good....and it is so refreshing to see our church reaching out to the community in a way that is so what God commands us to do !

I'm loving my Weight Watcher job. It is so much fun each week...I have been substituting for another leader the last two weeks and have one more week to go SO I have been leading four meetings a week. Wouldn't want to do it on a regular basis but it has been fun to work with different people and get to know the members that attend there. I love my staff - we work so well together and have formed REAL bonds of friendship above and beyond our working relationship.

Haven't really done too much traveling or exciting things this year but it has been a good summer! Had the joy of our oldest grandson, Cameron, propose to the sweetest little gal and we are so excited for them. A new grandaughter !! We love it. Life moves on and it is so fun to see them around each other. Brings back fun memories of when we got engaged. Bob was in the Coast Guard and had been away at ET school in Conneticut. I was in my senior year of high school. He bought my ring with the travel money he got to come home. We had known for a long time we were meant for each other, after all we had gone together for about two years but there is something very special when the ring really comes ! Happy Memories and hard to believe we will have our 50th wedding anniversary next June 18 ! Talk about time flying by - that really confirms it !! Wouldn't trade a day of it for anything !!

LIFE IS GOOD -

Garage Sale Fun

Just finished up two weekends of sales in our garage. The first just a normal old 2 day garage sale with assorted items and odds and ends...the second focusing on craft/scrapbook supplies. We just left all our tables set up after the first one was over and set up again for just a one day sale. Had a blast at both. We just enjoy seeing and talking to all of the people that come to shop.

Like:
* The Bike Man - He stopped by because he needed a blanket. (yes, he found one) He said he had had a heart attack awhile back and decided he needed some exercise so he was riding his bike all the way down the coast. Interesting man !

* The Alligator Man - He stopped just to see if we had any type of alligator (stuffed, statues, etc)
He had some throat surgery awhile back and said he sort of sounded like an alligator when he tried to talk after his surgery and got sort of interested in alligators and had started collecting them! (Sorry, no alligators)

*The Cat Lady - Came looking for cat items. She has a refuge home for cats (think she said she currently had 18) Not a cat "hoarder" like we hear of sometimes though. She has a regular little house her husband built for them full of toys, climbing things etc and loves and pets spends time with them regularly.

*The Joke Man - Came in with his wife and while she was looking around, he came up and started talking. Then shared a silly little joke with us and when we sort of chuckled, he was encouraged and told us another one. (Don't laugh, if you don't want another joke : )
His wife finally came, bought some items and rescued us ! )

We really do enjoy seeing and talking to everyone that comes. We have one most every year and now are getting a regular following of people that know we put out good stuff and come regularly when they see our ads and signs. We have the ideal place at our house as we catch not only the newspaper ad people but bring in gobs of people who are just shopping at Costco and Freddy's on weekends. We have big yellow signs that are all alike and have big arrows that are easy to follow. Lots of people comment on our good signage....

BUT it is good to have them done this year.... Had a good year money wise too. People are looking for bargains....

Take 2 - Got some pictures !

Got some pictures in but they aren't in the order I wanted them in. Will have to work on that I guess. #1 The first one is all the "loot" he got. We had people bring 70 of whatever item they wanted. Ranged from 70 pennies from a friend to 70 chocolate kisses from me : )
People were very creative with their ideas.
#2 Then we have the whole gang outside after the party.



#3 is Bob's entrance at the party with everyone hiding off to the side.
#4 is the fantastic poster Ken had made up.
#5 his cake. HE BLEW OUT ALL 70 CANDLES WITH ONE BREATH !

WHAT A RELIEF !

What a relief is right. The kids actually pulled off Bob's 70th Birthday Party without a hitch!

It was a total surprise to him. We had 43 people in attendance at the Warrenton Community Center on the day after his birthday.... We had gone out to dinner on his birthday with friends so he wouldn't think we weren't celebrating and be suspicious. It was a blast. From friends we hadn't seen in ages to very new friends from our new church.

One will never know how many slips there were before that could have led him to know that something was up but they all seem to go right over his head never expecting anything like this.
The kids brought it up months ago and we set the date, reserved the room etc and then tried to keep him at home and not doing anything that day to pull it off.

I know it was a lot of work for the kids but it meant so much to Bob just to know they would take the time, effort and travel to honor him in this way.
THANKS KIDS FOR EVERYTHING.... IT WAS VERY SPECIAL !

So sorry -- I had pictures to add to this and for some reason, it won't load pictures. Will try later..

I'm Coming, I'm Coming

I am so far behind in blogging I can't believe it
Haven't shared Bob's birthday party or a zillion other ideas I have had.
But things are still busy, busy, busy !
I will be back -
don't give up