My coffee flavor of the week was Twin Sun Tiramisu from Bones Coffee Company.
Ever since I suggested this company to my youngest son, he's been buying it regularly. I'm not a fan of all the flavors he gets, but I do like a lot of them. My absolute favorites are Salty Siren, Crazelnut, and Crusader's Cup from the Indiana Jones collection that has been discontinued. Fortunately we have one bag left.
Coffee in my little travel cup works well on Sunday mornings because it fits in my Bible bag nicely and doesn't spill.
Sunday was a drizzling rainy sort of day as I drove to church. I prayed that it wouldn't be raining that night because I don't like driving at night, especially in the rain. Thankfully church is only a few miles from my home and it's an easy drive.
Women's Sunday School! Our church offers a women's Sunday school class and an adult class each Sunday morning. During the summer we combine. I just love this class and these women. It's always a good session.
I didn't take any photos during the morning service because I couldn't find a shot that conveyed morning worship without violating people's privacy. If I sat in the back or had gone up to the balcony it may have changed things but I sit in front. In front means I'm not looking at everyone moving around or getting up to go to the bathroom. It means I'm paying attention to the message. At times, I'm easily distracted.
Sundays are easier thanks to being a Crock Pot household. The hubby loves a hearty meal on Sundays especially when it's football season. Last Sunday I made Tuscan Chicken in the cooker because my man has been craving it.
The Chiefs played at 4:25 PM. So I had 85 minutes of football before heading out to evening service for the Lord's Table (Communion). This Sunday I didn't stay for the fellowship meal, though I normally do that. Instead I zipped home. As I was leaving I called hubby to see if the Chiefs won and he said he'd pause the game because it got really good and he wanted me to see the plays. We watched the final minutes of the game together. The photo below shows what we thought would be the final score but the Raiders managed to score another touchdown and get the 2 point conversion. In the end, Chiefs won 30-27. We're 4-0 baby!!
Monday was a day of non-stop housework in the morning. By lunchtime I was done and hubby suggested we log in and play some Guild Wars 2. We always have a great time playing together. Our skillsets are completely different but compliment each other in game when working out strategies to accomplish things.
Tuesday is a day I look forward to right now because the Women's Fall Bible Study group is underway and the focus of our study is the Holy Spirit. We're 2 weeks in and it's been SO good. Also, my dear friend Amy is attending!! We went to the WCF Fall Focus last Saturday and had a wonderful time. I wasn't sure if she'd make it to Bible study this week because she missed church on Sunday due to her health. But as I was getting a cup of tea I saw her in the parking lot and was overjoyed that she was able to make it. I just love her so much and our community of women has embraced her. How could they not? She's a ray of sunshine even though she deals with ongoing health issues every day. She surprised me with a gift from her recent shopping trip.
It's the Trader Joe's tote that everyone is always nuts about when they appear in the store because it's so well made and only $3! And my girl hooked me up with the perfect size tote for Bible study. My gigantic John MacArthur Bible fits in there along with my wallet, phone, keys and a few bits and baubs I drag with me everywhere. The Bible alone weighs in at over 4 lbs. and it was also a gift from friends. It has super large print and is so easy to read. It's been my study Bible for 3 years and it shows. There are so many sticky notes and highlighted sections and the index tabs are so worn. I have a smaller Bible I purchased when I started at Calvary. It's NKJV which is what most folks, including our Pastors and Elders use. It makes it easy for me to follow along during the service.
Then on Monday and Tuesday, I use my study Bible when I rewatch the AM/PM services to take notes. I stopped taking notes during church service a little over a year ago choosing to just soak up the message as it's preached because I found that I was missing key points and moments because I was furiously trying to write notes. At home I can kick back with a cup of tea, turn on the stream (Praise God for streamed messages!!) and hit pause whenever I need in order to write down points, Scripture, or my thoughts as I'm going through the video. It's been a game changer.
Wednesday and Thursday are a blur. My son came home sick from work, which I ended up catching by Thursday morning. We found a flea, then another flea on our little dog and that meant a whirlwind of cleaning. I love my dog but I detest fleas. I cleaned her condo bedding (she sleeps in a fancy "crate"), her beds in our offices and the living room, scrubbed the carpets, bathed the dog, then went over her with a flea comb. By Thursday afternoon I was exhausted and nursing a sore throat. I was done.
That's when the mental downward spiral began...
but God.
When the negative thoughts, or weight of situations hit me, I dive into the Word and I pray. God has never failed me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 comes to me whenever I feel inadequate or feel that I'm not doing enough. It's a constant reminder to rely solely on the Lord for everything. Sometimes, especially this past week, I get hit with feelings of inadequacy and failure. The Holy Spirit reminds me to stop looking back and stay focused on what's in front of me, Jesus Christ.
Today the sun is shining and I've been puttering around the house, reading a few devotionals and making tomato soup for dinner tonight. The medication for our dog will be here shortly. The house has been cleaned, the carpets steamed and I've diligently combed Trinket with a flea comb to the point that she's hiding in hubby's office. I'm sure she'll forgive me when she's no longer scratching herself raw.
And as we move into the weekend, we're celebrating my firstborn's 40th birthday.
Give me a minute while I try to process that for the umpteenth time this week. The one that made me a mama when I was 24. I'd post photos but the internet is what the internet is. He's kind, intelligent, 3 steps ahead of most people in the room, detail oriented, creative and funny. He calls me every week just to shoot the breeze and check up on me even though we see each other regularly because he lives just a mile down the road. He's generous and caring and I'm so very proud of him.
The week started on a high, dropped to a valley and I'm closing it out celebrating the kid God gave me 40 years ago. Through it all, my faith grows, my joy in the Lord makes every day good even when it feels heavy.
Peace,
B
