Slopes, Slop, Shepherds and Scripture

The weather has settled down here in the Rancho de Five.  Our little pond that is to the side of the house now looks like a lake.  It will only look like a lake for a day or so and then it will go back to its normal size within the sloping banks.  Ad a P to sloping and you get slop.  That is something entirely different.  We were fortunate not to have lots of lightning and thunder, but there were a few too many lightning flashes that seemed rather close by for my comfort.  Buddy was glued to my side and never left my presence.  We sat there together on the couch while I did my Revelation homework.  The sound of thunder is really such a nice back drop to Revelation 13.  Since Peggy lives only 2.6 miles from us and we being farther west; Peggy called to tell me when she is picking me up for choir and we discussed the weather.  Weather with TV alliteration, Wicked Weather!  Both of us had the coverage of the storm on in the background.  It is really sad to be a reporter and nothing weather wise is happening when the anchors do the check in with you.  The reporter and camera person show drains, flags barley blowing in the wind and maybe a piece of trash that floats along lazily like a summer's day to the storm drain in the curb.  One day we plan to dress up as Mildred and Gertrude and run to where all the crazy rain coverage is and see if we can get interviewed.  We would so look the part.  We might shoot a video to send in and see if it ever makes it on the air. 

I think Buddy has a bit of border cat in her.  Either that or she is a frustrated Shepherd.  In our guest bedroom I have some old wooded boxes and of course they are stacked in an interesting eye catching way.  The top crate is open with the lid back and in it I have put some of my favorite stuffed lambs from my ubiquitous lamb collection that is all over the house.  In the night time when nobody knows about it, Buddy shepherds the sheep.  I wonder if she is familiar with Psalm 23 because she sits some of the sheep around her water bowl and places others around her food bowl.  If it is an especially busy night, she has the sheep spaced at various intervals around the house.  Sometimes she even has them sitting on the couch.  I'm surprised that she is such a gentle shepherd because unlike her stuffed cats and bear, she has not ripped their faces off. 

If there is one thing I'm consistent with and to my disadvantage is; having random, from all kinds of devotionals, or verses posted on Facebook or something biblically that has my interest in researching quiet times.  Today a quote on Twitter got my attention in between breaking news, gentle teasing, cynical observations, sports updates and the like, there was a quote from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.  "Enjoy the tempo of a God-breathed life by letting Me set the pace."  Oh I so needed to read that today and also the accompanying scripture from Hebrews 13:15.  My natural inclination is to set a fast pace and these past couple of years have been an up close lesson from the Lord to slow down, to stop being busy for busy sake, to stay in a moment, to know where I am in the transition process, to listen for His voice, to watch His hand and to choose joy.  Another quote from today's reading; "Sit still in the Light of My Presence and receive My Peace.  These quiet moments with Me transcend time, accomplishing far more than than you can imagine.  Bring Me the sacrifice of your time, and watch to see how abundantly I bless you and your loved ones."  I mean really, who couldn't use God's blessing and who couldn't appreciate especially God's blessing on loved ones.  Most importantly the loved ones who get on your last nerve, you know those loved ones who sometime make it difficult for you to call them a loved one.  And I am so sure that I sometimes, hopefully not too often, can be the one getting on every one's last nerve.  Selah!

The pace of laundry is calling out to me because a pair of jeans that I want to wear to choir tonight need to be dried.  Going early so Peggy can get ready for Chilly Bowl.