Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Life Back on the Prairie

It is one of those mornings where if I squint just right and look to the right of the outdoor fireplace I can imagine myself viewing mountains and fog and it kind of feels like I am in North Carolina.  Even the clouds are cooperating with the whole scene.  Today is inspection day at the home we are buying.  Tomorrow is appraisal day.  But back here in Rancho De Five a beautiful sunrise is spreading across the sky.

Sunday, in the cool of the evening, Roy and I dead-headed roses.  We had kept up with the side yard roses but not those in the back.   We made a pretty good dent in getting them trimmed but need to go back out and do some touch up trimming.  We went to First on Sunday morning.  The worship music was over the top good and the choir special filled my heart with thanksgiving.  This is the first week I have heard the news series in Ephesians and the emphasis was on prayer and how to pray for one another.  But I kind of laugh with the emphasis of prayer and its importance, yet prayer is used to bring out the table, chair, notes, Bible and lap top for Gregg before the sermon.  You don't see that happening on the web cast, just the field of blue during the prayer.  Doesn't make me mad and I'm not legalistic about it, just kind of ironic.

After church we ate at Goode Company BBQ.  It has been a long time to taste some of the best sauce ever made.  Then we headed over to Barnes and Noble and eureka, I found the current issue of the magazine I love from the Netherlands.  Since subscriptions aren't available in the US yet, it is gold when you find one.  I found issue 5 in Asheville and now have issue 6.  It was a good foreign magazine day because the newest issue of a UK magazine was right there on the second row.  Roy found train and tractor books, so we left the bookstore happy with our purchases.  Then we made a quick run by The Fresh Market and picked up dinners for the coming week.

Yesterday I received an email asking if I could sub this week for one of the core group leaders at CBS and I am delighted to do so.  I have always loved the Tuesday leadership council discussion of the homework.  So thought provoking and love to hear all the answers and insights.  Luke looks to be as good as the Genesis study last year.  They gave us a completely different take on Luke and his orderly and interesting way he wrote this letter to Theophilus.  After that time I ran over to Whole Foods and did a quick look see through World Market.  I got a couple of ideas for the Alex home from the West Elm catalog and wanted to see if anything could be replicated on a more penurious scale.

We received the inspection report, nothing earth shattering or deal breaking.  Whew!  Now we need the wisdom to approach the seller on a few of the things that we feel must be addressed and again, thankfully, they are not huge problems.  We will get the ray-don and well inspections later this week but today is the appraisal.

I keep going back to the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth that we looked into this week in our homework.  This next observation is nothing new but the newness comes in looking at this scripture with new eyes and heart.  By doing a miracle in their lives and taking away the disgrace of not having children for Elizabeth, God blessed them.  But He has a big picture blessing from this kindness He extended to Elizabeth.  Her son prepared the way for His Son and turned the Israelite's hearts to hear and listen.  Of course that kindness to Elizabeth has had ripple effects throughout the centuries and today believers are still reaping the blessing and really non-believers too....they just don't know it yet.  In turn, this summer of seeing God's Kindness  naturally turned to wondering about His kindness' that I have received how will they multiply and bless others,  You can think about that in your own life.

The skies have cleared and the view is truly Rancho De Five.  Love those mountain views but I love the view out here on the prairie as well.


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