Sunday Sabbath September 13 2015  PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD ALONE

Popcorn time!  That is one of my favorite times.  A big bowl of popcorn, air popped, then smothered with coconut oil and a tiny bit of salt.  Mushroom popcorn is my favorite.  I buy it at an Amish store.  It is a very large kernel corn and pops very large and is shaped like a mushroom.  I sit here typing in the sun room with the bowl on my lap.  Dinner is over.  We ate very light tonight and I just felt the NEED to satisfy my popcorn urge.  I had room in my tummy so I said, “Go for it”.

I think we all need to have these little “vacation moments” periodically.  Sunday is the day I love to do a little vacation time, a little something that differs from what I do the rest of the week.  Today I actually rested a couple of hours.  When I go and go and go and do and do and do I finally get to a day when I need to rest.  That was today.  I rested for two hours by actually watching a couple of one hour programs of a show my son told me to watch.  It is on HGTV and it is called “FIXER UPPER”.  It was very interesting and entertaining.  I think I could get used to this TV watching if I let myself.   Maybe I fear getting used to it and that is why I stay away from TV in general.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  There is another show I would like to watch if I could remember the channel it comes on.  I saw some of the shows at my cousin Joyce’s in California and it was called something like “America from the Air” or close to that name.  Joyce, if you are reading this please email me with the TV call letters, the name of the show, and the day it comes on if you know it.  I would really appreciate it.  Anyone have any other good shows to recommend?

After my rest reprieve I jumped up, raring to go.  It is really difficult for me to sit down or lie down or be still for any length of time.  I would rather be standing, walking, or moving in some other fashion.  My library time in the morning and my blog time in the evening, along with meal times, are about the only moments you will catch me sitting.  I think I had to sit for so many long hours behind computers, working on photos, that it drove me nuts.  Now I am going to have to settle back down to computer time when Dave and I return from our trip.  It will be time to get serious about the compilation and editing of the books I am working on.  I have hours of transcribing to do.  I haven’t found anyone one who can read my writing so I must do the transcribing myself.  Sometimes I can’t even read it.

When Dave and I went out to eat last week the waitress gave me a recipe for a potato and bean soup.  I have so many potatoes from my farm box and they are piling up on me.  Dave rarely eats potatoes because of the high carbs and high glycemic level.  Well, I figured out he can have one cup of soup and stay within his carb count.  The soup is delicious and he is happy to have a cup of soup, some vegetables, and protein for dinner as we both like to eat light dinners.  Our midday meal is our bulkiest meal, all within the right levels of each food group for the diabetic.  He is doing wonderfully with his fasting blood sugar level each morning.  We sat down and figured out that since he began eating differently after he was released from the hospital he has lost on average, one half pound per day.  He has reduced almost 40 pounds since he started eating only the meals I prepare for him.  We did go out the one time last week but the rest of his meals were eaten at home.  He has gone down three pant sizes. 

Well, back to the soup I made.  I have one problem.  I have about 16 cups of soup in two containers in the fridge and I have no more jars to fill for the freezer.  I know I can buy more jars, but the real problem lies in the fact that there is absolutely no more space in the freezers.  I also made another vegetable strata (Dave’s favorite) which fortunately will live in the fridge until it is eaten.  An even bigger situation for me is the fact that I still have one more 9X13 dish size casserole to make and freeze for our trip.  And…a big pot of chili to cook and freeze.  I think we will need to do a little rearranging in order to get it all in.  The good news is, once I take everything with me to Branson there will be more room in the fridge when I return.  I will have two winter delivery boxes coming filled with a plethora of winter vegetables; squashes, a pumpkin, turnips, beets, onions, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbages, daikon radishes, parsnips, and whatever else the farm may be producing this year.  There have been as many as 6 boxes delivered per delivery for the winter share.  It takes me the entire two weeks to work up all the food for drying and freezing and soups and current eating or to give away.  At the end of the two weeks I then get another delivery and must do the same thing again.  We eat out of the freezer for the winter and spring until all the fresh foods start arriving again.  Of course I still must do some shopping for protein foods and fresh salads and fruits.  It’s a nice way to eat in the winter. 

I will publish a photo I took the other day of the lunch I prepared.  This is our largest meal of the day and it is filled with all good things.  I could not eat it all.  What I usually do is save what I am unable to eat and snack on it later.

I guess by now you can tell I do not plan to talk about any world matters or matters of the heart.  My heart is breaking for what I am seeing on the news.  I know I have something brewing in me but I’m just not yet ready to write about it.  I think the emotional toll is too great for me right now.  My heart also goes out to all the families in California who are in the paths of the fires that are burning out of control.  So much pain and tragedy happening every day.  I do pray that all of you will be safe.

PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD ALONE

By Kathleen Martens

September 13, 2015

How can we close our eyes

To the pain of another?

So much tragedy taking place,

For mankind claims no brother.

If all, could but accept

Our differences are not wrong,

That each desires to live life

Singing their own song.

But evil seems to rear its head

Creating tragedy and loss.

Because beliefs so differ,

Many pay a deep cost.

So many slaughtered, pushed aside

As Satan spurs his wrath,

Urging men to kill and maim,

Doing the Devil’s task.

This is just the beginning

Of what must come to be

When tribulation takes its hold

Allowing no one to be free.

Put your hope in God alone

Though you may die for your beliefs,

This world is not your home

But a home in heaven you will receive.

Put your trust in God alone

Believing in your heart

That no matter what man may do

He can never make God depart.

Romans 15:13