In our neck of the woods the air quality shifts with the wind.  Last night it was good, there was a vegetation smell similar to cut grass or hay, just a good feeling smell.

This morning we are experiencing air quality that is very unhealthy – for everyone – wind is barely moving the leaves on the trees so not sure whether we will be getting worse or better today.  Wood ash is covering everything.  Even Carla gave up trying to be outside this morning.

As I finish my thoughts tonight, the air quality is a bit better, still not ideal and still a hazard to many of us, but it has improved.  The hills are a bit more visible, even with the smoke still hovering around us.

Last night I was thinking maybe I could have smoked those ribs this weekend – nope!  But, I did the 3-2-1 method in the oven and other than no smoke it tasted pretty good.  However, instead of the meat falling off the bone, the bones fell off the meat.

That surprised me, as I picked the meat up the bones fell out, never had that happen before.

---------------------------------------------

Psalm 139:14-15 KJV “ For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

¹⁴ I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

I look at these verses and I look at myself.  I am fat, I know not ‘politically correct,’ but fat none the less.

I have allergies, false teeth, thinning hair, bad eyesight, some health problems, numerous aches and pains and can be grouchy at times.

How could I have been wonderfully made?  And I am far better off than many of those my same age and of course those that have had disabilities from birth.

So, what is going wrong?

First of all, most of my problems are caused by me – yes some are hereditary, some are because we live in the age we live in, but the bottom line is most of my problems were brought on by my not taking stock earlier in my life – some I can correct.

I wear glasses, I have false teeth that replace, to a degree, my original teeth; I can eat better, exercise more and thus (hopefully) reduce the amount of fat that is in/on my body.

But, God brought me from the womb with a purpose – some of which I fulfilled, others I did not.  That wasn’t HIS fault, it was mine.

No matter our status in life or how we were born, God can use us and in doing so we can communicate the love and affection He has for each of us.

Bad things happen in this world, and good people are not exempt. 

God made a perfect world, the minute man made the decision to listen to satan and disobey God, the world became imperfect.

Through the years man has continued to make wrong choices and condemned those coming after him to deadly perils, diseases and these have been perpetuated by his offspring, right up until now.

In all the inventions, in all the research, in all the desire of mankind he still hasn’t developed anything that compares to what human beings are; oh, computers can almost think for themselves, however they have to be told the information by man.

Robots have been developed to do incredible jobs, but they have yet come to the perfection of the operation of the human – or for that matter – any body that has been created by God.

We really are wonderfully made.

God had a plan for us, even in our mother’s womb.  His Holy Spirit has guided us, has helped our spiritual hunger and led us to the cross from which Jesus died.

He has given us many opportunities to live a holy life and continues trying to help us attain that life. 

When we look at our bodies – the whole body, including mind, spirit and soul – we can see the intricate work God has performed in us.

When we accept that as a gift from Him, we realize that we really do belong to Him and owe Him our love, devotion and obedience above all else.

I need to remind myself that He made me to perform a service; I didn’t make Him to do that for me.

Later, Art (-: