It is a quiet and cloudy Monday morning.  There is a soft rain fall that just seems to keep the ground and the air wet. The small ones are still sleeping and I have just finished enjoying a sweet time of fellowship with Him upon my porch.  I am studying Matthew chapter five.  “Poor in Spirit,” – I have always wondered exactly what that means.  It is the foundation of all the other spiritual graces; it is the first beatitude that Jesus mentions.  I have come to conclude this morning that “Poor in Spirit,” is the opposite of “Self-Esteem.”   For all that we seem to think that this is important in the education of our children, this is not in His Text-Book to teach our children, but rather, the opposite of.  

I am doing much better these last few days – this is good, because it is a busy week.  The event that Rachel has spent much time for all summer has arrived – the 4-H Western Pleasure Horse Competition.   I am very pleased with the 4-H program, and I see a lot of good in it.    Rachel is running ragged, though.  Late nights and early mornings….she had to get up at 4:30 a.m. yesterday, and was in bed just a bit before midnight.  And then this morning, she has to be at the fairgrounds and have her stall cleaned before 8:00 a.m.  I guess this is the part of 4-H that is teaching the virtue of perseverance and strong character.

 The soft rain has now turned into loud thunders. I think we are in for a down pour.  Just the time for me to scoot and get to the fairgrounds….