Rattlesnake Ridge Hike

We'd been looking forward to a hike in the mountains around Seattle and the beautiful, sunny weather on Memorial Day weekend provided just the excuse.  We stopped by Trader Joe's to grab cheese and summer sausage and then headed for a 2 mile hike up Rattlesnake Ridge to the lookout point.  Elevation gain on the hike: 1100+ feet.

Enjoying the view at a rest break along the way.

We had a fun hike, but we weren't the only ones who thought it would be a fun hike...

The crowds at the 2 mile lookout point.

 Once you got past the people, the views were beautiful!

 We hiked another quarter mile and found another lookout spot with fewer people.  Enjoyed lunch there and beautiful scenery.

The earth is the Lord's

and the fullness thereof;

The world, and all who dwell therein.

Psalm 24:1

He is Good

I say: the Lord is my portion; therefore, I will put my hope in Him.  The Lord is good to those who wait on Him, to the soul who seeks Him.  It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentations 3:24-26

Snow for Christmas

We actually traveled "home" for Christmas this year.  Yes, we celebrated Christmas at our real address.  We had fellowship and Christmas carols last night with Mr. Amazing's sister and her family.  Lots of fun playing with the nieces and getting up-ended as they "knocked you over!"  Christmas Day has been quiet with Mr. Amazing, Mom and Dad B. and the new book they got me for Christmas.

Thanks for praying for my tooth.  By the grace of God, a wonderful dentist in Dallas, an amazing staff at Pratt Family Practice, and great friends at my local pharmacy, I was able to pick up antibiotics before we left for Atlanta!  That's kept things from getting any worse and then I have an apt on Monday.

My verse for Christmas this year has been in Isaiah 7.  "Behold, the Lord Himself shall give you a sign.  Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

It's been a season about believing the Lord.  Ahaz, to whom this promise was given, was a prime example of NOT believing God, even after God had promised.  Yet God was still faithful to His promises.  God's been teaching me and enabling me to believe His promises too. :)

To top off the Christmas fun, guess what?!?  It's snowing!!!  Yep, this Kansas girl came to Georgia for Christmas and they're treating me to gorgeous snowfall!  Thanks, Georgia!

(eating snowflakes)

Time to Focus

We've got a big week that we're starting here at our house -- lots of ministry decisions that we're believing God to direct us in, a two month road trip starting next week, and a myriad of details as we prep for doing missions mobilizations at colleges in Jan/Feb.  To help myself focus and watch my time this week, I'm signing off Facebook and my blog reader.  (Honestly, it's easier to sign off FB than the blogs I read, but both can be time distractions.)  I may drop a blog post myself here or there with praises or prayer requests, but if you have anything urgent that needs to be communicated to me, email me.  (My yahoo address is at the side if you don't have my other address.)  Will you pray for us?  Pray for spiritual protection for us, for time to spend seeking the Lord, and for rest.  We've been having trouble sleeping recently for no discernible reason.  Thanks!

Praise for today: Praise God for a local business that let us use their printer to print out our December newsletter!  Finding a printer has been a matter of prayer for some days, but now we are thankful for the stack of newsletters on my table waiting to be printed!

Encouraging verses for today from Psalm 9:
But the Lord abides for ever... He is a stronghold in times of trouble.  And those who know Thy name will put their trust in Thee.  For Thou, O Lord, hast not forsaken those who seek Thee!

Directed Steps

About two weeks ago, I put on my Outlook calendar for Wednesday the 21st, Invite C-Family to Supper???. My schedule was busy and I never got around to inviting them or working out the details of how it would happen. So Tuesday morning, I deleted the appointment. Tuesday evening, Mrs. C approached me at prayer and asked how I was. Short conversation later, I had invited her and the family to help me clean my rental house and have supper with me on Wednesday.

So...Mrs. C helped me finish packing up the kitchen and then we had supper - praise God for the crockpot and rice cooker. We didn't have time to mint-stick the brownies, but we did have ice cream on the WARM brownies. YUM, YUM! (Yes, Gen, there are leftovers and yes, you can eat them!)

I could tell that Mrs. C and the girls were tired, but they still came back to the house and helped me clean for another hour. Now the dusting is done, the master bathroom is done, the secondary bathroom is done, the boxes are all taped and labeled and in the garage, my car is loaded for the next trip to Johnsons, and my spirits are lifted.

Mrs. C had been reading Proverbs recently and shared with me from Prov 20:24 the promise that our steps are directed by the Lord. We really felt that tonight was a living example.

I don't think I've ever had a better time scrubbing a tub than I did tonight as Mrs. C was exulting over the things the Lord was showing her through the book Heaven by Randy Alcorn.

I praise God for you guys!

Moving the Righteous

A friend came over last night to help me pack up the kitchen for tomorrow's big move and we talked about the fact that I'm starting my 7th year at GFA and starting my 7th address. She wrote me this morning: "I came across this verse this morning and thought of you with your 6 moves and another one coming up! 'I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.' Genesis 28:15."

Thinking of scripture and moving made me go back and dig out the scripture I was given at our New Year's Eve service. Yep, I was right. It did have to do with moving. Psalm 55:22b says, "He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."

Does that mean I need to work on my righteousness?