As most of you are aware, Carla knits, a lot.  She has knitted countless socks, mittens, among other things.  It keeps her hands busy while she is watching TV or doing something that requires she place her attention on something (still babysits for the same church for well in excess of 35 years – maybe even 40 – the only one she does and more for history than anything else.)  But she can knit without worrying about it, almost automatic, and still get her tasks done. 

She keeps it up because she enjoys it, enjoys giving them away AND because it helps keep her fingers limber so arthritis does get too bad.

She has exhausted all the different yarns at JoAnns.  So we went on line to find her some different colors and different styles.  We ordered them from two sources.  She is waiting for those and we are checking the shipping daily – she is out of yarn and doesn’t want to purchase any since these are coming.

A day or two after we placed her order, I ordered some barbecue things for birthday presents.

She asked me to check on the tracking this morning, and as I started, up the driveway came a FedEx truck.  I told she had a package.

She went to the door and signed for a package.

She then gleefully brought it in.  She grabbed a knife to cut the tape, opened the box only to find it wasn’t her order, but mine that was delivered.

It was like watching a six year old opening a present, only to find it was a piece of clothing. 

I am still laughing.

We did check the status on her orders and it shows that one is in town.  Sometimes they deliver to the Post Office (we have a PO Box) rather than the house.

She has gone down to see if that is the case.

I hope so, the couch is uncomfortable to sleep on.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18   Rejoice evermore.

¹⁷ Pray without ceasing.

¹⁸ In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Praying is something that is important to do, daily and as we grow closer to God we find that when something occurs, either as a tragedy or a blessing the first thing we think of is God and either ask for His guidance, or protection for those being impacted, or thanking Him.

I can and should become a part of our existence, as important to us as breathing.

Sometimes, though, when we dedicate time to pray we find our minds wandering, something is grabbing at us from the background and before we know it our focus is gone.

It is easier if we are praying for a specific thing, or person, but even there we can find ourselves adrift.

When we pray and rejoice in our salvation we want to focus on God.  Many of us have a verse of the day that comes to us – sometimes it resonates, and sometime it doesn’t.

Anytime we read a scripture we can ask God to help us apply it to our relationship with Him but sometimes we just lose that edge.

I believe it was Martin Luther that suggested that when we get to those points where we are struggling that we focus on one of three great writings – or all three – and apply their truths to our lives.

They three are the Apostles’ Creed, The Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments – all important works the help define our faith in God.  I have copied them and included them in this e-mail.

One other means that is simple to read – people will ask what book should I read to help, what verses – the Proverbs give a lot of wisdom and I can almost state that each time I read them I learn or realize I need to apply something else to my life.

A friend recommends that we read each chapter on the day of the month – chapter one on the first, chapter 10 on the 10^th, etc.  the value of this is you never wonder what to read on any given day, if you miss a day or two – as happens to most of us in the Bible Reading Plans – we know exactly where to pick it up.

And finally, you will read through most of the Book of Proverbs, with its wisdom and guidance, every month.

Later, Art :-)

Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Catholic (Christian) Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer Mathew 6:9-13

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

¹⁰ Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread.

¹² And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

¹³ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Ten Commandments Exodus 20:2-17

 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

³ Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

⁴ Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

⁵ Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

⁶ And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

⁷ Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

⁸ Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

⁹ Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

¹⁰ But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

¹¹ For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

¹² Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

¹³ Thou shalt not kill.

¹⁴ Thou shalt not commit adultery.

¹⁵ Thou shalt not steal.

¹⁶ Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

¹⁷ Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s.