Today is a beautiful day. There are soft billowy clouds painted against a beautiful baby blue sky. It's not too hot, not too cold. Just picture perfect. It's a wonderful day to go to the park.  Did I mention that today is our park day!?! 

We LOVE park day! We go to the local park and the kids play and I go for my walk. I enjoy getting out in the sunshine and just walking and enjoying the beautiful scenery. The trees and the birds chirping are such a delight.

I enjoy going for a long walk while we're at the park. It's refreshing and invigorating. I also find that I can talk to the Lord during my walk and enjoy His Presence while I'm exercising. What an awesome way to spend time with Him...........right in the midst of His creation.

Recently I was on the phone, trying to take care of some business. I waited patiently through a list of option from an automated answering service. I carefully chose the correct selection and entered my selection by pressing a button on the phone. Suddenly a voice came on the line..........another automated voice..........."Thank you for calling. We appreciate your business!" and then a sudden click. I was disconnected! How rude!

Now, I can certainly understand how a company would want to save money by using automated systems. I truly do understand the need to save money.

However, I do NOT understand why this particular company did not have the automated system set up to catch any answers that "fell through the crack", so to speak. They just simply disconnected you. That, to me, is unacceptable and highly offensive. I suppose as a single customer, they will not listen to my reasoning or complaint. This is yet another way our society has declined. We've gone from talking to people to talking to machines.

Praise God for His provisions! I was able to go to the eye dr. and get my eyes examined yesterday. I've put this off for a couple of years. You must understand my reasoning in this. My glasses generally run around $350-$450 dollars. I generally do not buy name brand frames, but this time I have opted to. I rarely indulge this way, but the name brand frames do last longer and seem to need fewer repairs.

My new glasses should be here in a week or so. I'm anxious to get them as I will be able to do my fine needlework without having to take my glasses off. I will also be able to read and focus on the computer screen, without squinting. How wonderful that will be!?!

Tonight is my date night! My husband and I go out on a date on Friday nights. We have such a wonderful time, visiting over steaming cups of coffee and a meal prepared by someone other than us! lol My husband is an excellent cook and we both cook meals at our home, but it is oh so wonderful to have someone else cook a meal for us. I enjoy that immensely!

While I was out and about yesterday, I happened to stop at a wonderful Christian bookstore. I stepped in and the aromas and sights were so welcoming. The smell of seasonal candles burning beckoned me to come in a little further and explore the wonderful books and knick-knacks carefully displayed throughout the store.

Oh, the aroma was so scrumptious! I could almost eat the candles. YUM! The smell of pumpkin, apple and spices filled the air. You could almost smell pumpkin pie baking in an oven.

I weaved my way through the beautiful displays and found my purchases: a Bible study on pleasing the Lord and a crisp new journal, just waiting for me to fill its' pages with tales of His goodness and grace and mercy. I long to spend time filling the pages with my thoughts and my journey to the center of His Heart. I love journaling. It allows me the ability to put all of my thoughts on paper, seeing where I struggle and excel................where I need help and where I'm doing great. It allows me to evaluate my life and see where I need to make changes.

I received in the mail today a correspondence Bible study. A sweet lady from church offered to let me "in" on her study. She receives these studies and then sends them in or answers them online. As she answers them, they send her more studies.

Since I've had such a rough time with keeping up my Bible time (which I consider completely different than my quiet time with the Lord), I thought perhaps studying the Word this way would help me to stay accountable in studying His Word. It's a simple study and does not require a large block of time. I appreciate that, as my time is often eaten up by other things.

Have you ever noticed that when you're trying to prioritize your life, the enemy comes up with any and all distractions to draw you away? I've noticed as I attempt to put my life in proper perspective that the enemy is constantly putting good, not necessarily the right, things in my path.

If the Lord wants me to put homeschooling first, the enemy will show me a beautiful cross-stitch pattern to work on. If I am trying to concentrate on cleaning my home, he will remind me of a website I was recommended for homeschooling.  He is very slick in the way he does things. I know that it is him when the Lord has impressed on me to be doing something else. My husband calls these "dangerous distractions".  They are dangerous because they lead us down a road other than what He would have us to be on. I am learning not to go down as many of these roads as I trust in Him and heed His Voice.

Well, I've come to the close of yet another incredibly wonderful blog. The Lord has blessed me with the ability to write and type and hopefully, to encourage others. I love it when He writes through me.

I hope this blog is a blessing to you. I hope, more importantly, that He is glorified through it. My prayers for you are peace and His Spirit to rest upon you.

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