http://mommadebg.blogspot.com/

So Jody made this new blog site for me.  It is confusing deciding a name for the different blanks to be filled.  Somehow I've ended up posting as Deb41 (previously explained that the 41 means "for Him" - four fingers then the index finger pointed upward) but the site name is "momma deb g" without the spaces, of course.  Anyway, if you want to read what I'm up to this will be the new form I use for updating.  If you want to read good posts, read the blogs that I read once in awhile.  There are some amazing writers out there.  There are some amazing young people searching for His will in their lives, some amazing people sharing His glory in their lives and there are some amazing people - period!  He only creates amazing people:).

Okay, I don't know how to make the above web address a link and don't have time to figure it out right now.  You will have to cut and paste if you want to keep track of me.  Am I worth it?

What???  I wasn't looking for them.  I found them somewhat lower than they were previously located and that isn't good either!!  I don't understand how it happened and I'm upset about it.  I had intentionally LOST a few pounds and was feeling a little smug about it.  Then one morning while tugging my newly washed jeans on, I discovered the pounds had been found only they were now succombing to the effects of aging and gravity.  I won't be defeated though.  I've lost my mind so I can lose those pounds and more again.  I have now completed 5 workouts of Tai Bo Boxing (I don't know how you spell it....).  Believe me, it is the simpliest of the workouts and I am not ready for anyone to witness me attempting to kick and box.  I am getting better at it and it is a short enough workout that I add several stretches and core exercises afterwards.  Then this morning, the TV had some informercial about a Latin Core workout that I tried to keep up for 30 seconds....nope, not going there.  I'll stick with my geriatric kick boxing. 

Hard to believe it has been six years since my dad died.  Even harder to think it was 26 years ago that my mom died.  I'm so young still to be without parents.  Yes, for those of you under 24, I think 52 is still young.  I know how it looks to you.  I've been on that side too.  Now I'm realizing how stinking young 70 can be.  If I can't be young at 70, then I don't want to get there. 

These pictures are from the restuarant my kids remember their Grandad taking them to when we would go visit.  I didn't eat there growing up because we had our own cattle and no one cooked as good as my mom anyway.  However, going there with my daddy, I remember wanting to steal a bottle of their homemade salad dressing!  Yes, I was an adult at the time.  It was some type of garlic Thousand Island looking dressing in a generic squeeze bottle.  It would have fit in my purse!!!  It had enough garlic in it to ward off evil spirits for months.  Alas, I never did take a bottle though.  Anyway, my sweet sister in-law went there to buy my kids some t-shirts so I could send them a surprise at school. The fries you see in the picture on the right also have a hamburger buried under them with brown gravy all over the top.  Messy, probably unhealthy but hmmmmm, good!!!

The following is from My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers - some paraphrased, mostly copied:)

If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a number of experiences.  They are designed to make you useful in His hands and enable you to understand what takes place in the lives of others.  When it comes to suffering it is part of our Christian culture to want to know God's purpose beforehand.  God's way is always the way of suffering - the way of the "long road home".  Are we partakers of Christ's sufferings?  Are we prepared for God to stamp out our personal ambitions?  Are we prepared for God to destroy our individual decisions by supernaturally transforming them?  It will mean not knowing why God is taking us that way, because knowing would make us spiritually proud.  We never realize at the time what God is putting us through - we go through it more or less without understanding.  Then suddenly we come to a place of enlightenment, and realize "God has strengthened me and I didn't even know it."

I'm beginning to see that the "fighter" in me isn't necessarily bad - it is what gives me the strength to persevere, to overcome, the courage to survive - but as with all other attributes, it must be held in check according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  If the "fighter" is too dominate, it can get in the ring ahead of God's timing and complicate the process of achieving His purpose for the bout.  (okay, I thought using fight lingo would add a little flavor to my post but you know, I'm just not as skilled with the 'punches' as other blog writers:))

I'm going to get a flu shot this year.  I don't want to.  But I've had a little virus or something that keeps coming back and I don't like feeling this way - no energy and achy.  It has at least made me decide I don't want to deal with a full blown episode of the flu either.  I'm suppose to go tomorrow to the Red Cross for the shot - someone may have to ask me if I did what I said I was going to do or not. 

Do you have an extra $10?  Pray about sending it to your local food pantry.  We've decided since gasoline prices have fallen - for however long that lasts - we would try to contribute that "extra" to the food pantry.  Of course, we budgeted on $4.00/gallon when Ralph took his new job.  Most people were budgeted on $2.00 a gallon and it went up drastically on them.  Basically I'm just saying is there something you can cut out or adjust that would allow you to meet a need somewhere in your circle of influence.  My Jody girl has me really thinking about what we are doing as a church to reach others needs.  You might enjoy reading her blog entry on Bondage:  seekingrecklessabandon.wordpress.com

The sun was shining and is now threatening to hide behind dreary clouds, the wind has picked up, my body is loosing temperature as I type....time for a hot lunch and the hope I can get back to work...strong possibility I'll crawl under a fuzzy blanket and emerge with the next full sunny day.