not gonna happen

I'm still here, still exercising, still studying ...

But I'm also trying to get a week's worth of work done in two days.

So, while I'm not giving up on this thing, I hereby suspend it until next Tuesday.

Enjoy the sun, I know I am!
Trinka

dependability issues ...

My scale, I mean. This morning, it says I lost 4 pounds. In one day. While I LIKE this, I'm not fully convinced. :) It did, however, make me thankful I resisted that temptation to order Chinese food last night!

Only walking that got done yesterday was the quick mile before work, but I did do pilates last night. Prayer meeting is such a blessing - it's worth missing a night's exercise.

Was talking with a friend about Weight Watchers last night. I've always resisted it because
#1 - that's another evening comitted to something - hence making it harder to exercise
#2 - it's an artificial system of eating & exercise ... would I have to stay with it my whole life to keep weight off? I'm interested in something that's easy to maintain, and will allow eating & exercise to be as natural as possible.

Thinking about it though - it's done wonders for her, and for a couple others at church.

I was reading further about Abraham's servant going to bring back Rebekah. It's interesting to me that the account is repeated twice - once as it happened, and then directly afterwards, as the servant tells Rebekah's brother. I know nothing in Scripture is done without purpose, and so I'm puzzling over why it's repeated in this instance. There are other occasions where something will happen, and then later, it will just say, "and he told him all". So that's what I'm puzzling over today.

Will be cat-sitting for my friend T. this weekend. Mr. Muggins is such a sweet little fellow - I love watching him. Plus T. has a scanner that will do negatives, and I'm thinking of getting all my pictures onto my hard drive. I can't say I ever look at my photo albums, but I'm always pulling up pics on the computer. It's supposed to rain all weekend anyhow, so this would be some pleasant productivity!

OK - time to get that bulletin typed!
Trinka

In the way

I was reading in Ge 24

And noticed verse 27 - And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.

This is in the midst of the story where Abraham's servant goes back to seek out a wife for Isaac, and the Lord leads him to Rebekah.

I know I'm stealing this thought from someone, but I can't remember who, so please give credit to "unknown" ...

I love the way that the wording of this in KJV allows for two different meanings. The servant was in the way (on the road ... in the right spot), so God led him. But then you could also read it, "I was in the way / stumbling around and getting in the way and the Lord led me". I know that's not the original meaning, but it IS fitting to my experience. How often am I stumbling around, and He just sticks me in exactly the spot where He wants to use me? I'm thankful for a God who can use me not only because I'm "in the way" (in the "right place at the right time" sense) but also despite me being "in the way" (in the "what a clutz" sense).

Got to the gym last night, and a quick walk before work this morning.

I planted a little tomato out on my patio last night ... he was looking pretty droopy this morning, but I hope he gets a second wind. It's such a delight to watch things grow!

Trinka

running ... can you believe it?

I've started jogging for short stretches of my walk. It seems to keep it from getting boring, and if I don't go too far, I don't get that horrible pain-in-the-side I remember from Mr. Nixon's nightmare gym classes.

Yesterday, I passed an elderly lady who was also out walking, and she said, "it's so nice to be able to run." Oh ... my ... I guess I have something for which to be thankful in the physical-activity area. That's always good to remember. Pilates also got done last night.

I was finishing up last night reading the account of Abraham & Isaac. In vs. 11 & 12, the parallel switches, and you see the Lord Jesus in the ram, rather than Isaac.

• Isaac begins to look more like us - with a substitute saving him/us from death at the hands of a Father who loves us and longs for another way.
• The ram was caught by its horns, its strength was what trapped it. It was the Lord Jesus' love for us that led Him to His cross.
• Thorns & thickets appeared on earth as a result of the curse. They're here because of Adam & Eve's sin ... and that's what ensnared the ram. Our sins were laid on Him.

OK - back to work for me. Got to get the bills paid, and hopefully do some work on D.'s project ... since I haven't touched it yet. (sorry friend!)

Trinka

OK ... but was it REALLY ice cream?

Went to the condo meeting Saturday, and dutifully turned down the ice cream. But then, she said, "well, this is sugar free." OK. OK. If I MUST.

Note to self ... while Splenda does NOT make me fat, it DOES make me sick.
So quit trying to eat it.

Got to the gym on Friday & Sunday, and had a long walk Saturday, so at least the exercise thing is staying on track.

Went with T. to an offroad derby Saturday - about 80 old cars racing 5 at a time around a muddy oval track with hills. They crashed into each other, and slid around - very fun to watch.

There was a fellow selling rides on a mechanical bull, and I gave it a try. It was great fun. It was also another experience doing something vaguely athletic in public ... I'm hoping eventually it will feel natural. (if nothing else, it was a better use of $5 than buying fair food.)

I'm reading in Genesis 22, v. 2 God says "take your only son Isaac." That's interesting wording. Because there was another son - Ishmael. But in God's plan, there was just the one ... Isaac was the one God had a plan for.

I've been specifically looking at the parallels between Abraham & Isaac, and the Lord Jesus.

• Abraham went "early the next morning" ... no matter how hard it was, he didn't put it off. Christ came "in the fulness of time" - at just the right moment
• v. 2- it was to be a burnt offering / Christ consumed the fire of God's wrath on the cross
• v. 3 - it was not done in secret, Abraham took two servants / the Lord was made a public spectacle
• The location was most likely the same mountain - Mt. Moriah
• v. 4 - It happened on the third day ... if you think that Isaac was "as good as dead" when the decision was made ... then maybe the fact that this happened on the third day would make his being spared by God's provision of a ram a picture of the resurrection (was THAT ever a convoluted sentance!)
• v. 5 - this was "worship" / God was glorified by the Lord's sacrifice for sin, His justice was satisfied
• v. 6 - Isaac carries the burnt-offering wood on his shoulders / the Lord Jesus carried His cross on his shoulders
• v. 6 - Abraham and Isaac went on together / God and Christ were united in this
• v. 9 - Isaac was bound / Christ was nailed to the cross
• Both of them could have stopped it - Isaac was a young man in his prime, and his father was aged. Christ was obedient unto death, even death on a cross

More tomorrow on this, I think. I've just reached the spot where God provided the ram for the burnt offering to take Isaac's place. I'll be pondering that today & tonight.

A lady from church just called and asked if I would team teach a Sunday School session with her on "Marriage and Singleness". She's doing the marriage part (obviously).

I'm looking forward to it, though it is a little nervous-making. I love to write, but I find it harder to capture people's interest when speaking - I try to rush too much. At least I've got some time - it's not until July 24.

Trinka

What do athletic-types DO?

My intention was to go to the gym last night. It really was.

But a friend called, and wanted to visit. By the time I left, it was 9:00.

So there's the dilemma - do I want to feel like a failure for not exercising, or feel like a failure for not making a friend a priority when she wants to talk?

How do naturally-athletic types manage this particular situation? I have NO idea. But I do know that this kind of thing snowballs in my life, and after a few days of it, I'm back to spending all my free time with a book and a bag of oreos!

I was reading in Genesis 21 this morning -- where Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael away. There was so much pain in this fellow's life -- living for God is not always an easy road! But he also had the Lord's promise that Ishmael would be blessed (earlier, and repeated here).

This incident would be almost a dress rehearsal for when the Lord would later ask him to be willing to sacrifice Isaac. Would he trust God with what was dearest to him?

What are today's trials preparing us for? If I face them with Him, and trust Him, I'll be ready.

Looking forward to a pleasant weekend - might go to an open house for a young fellow from church, an ice cream social at the condos (NO ice cream eating allowed ... I'll report back Monday!), and an offroad derby tomorrow night, if the weather is good. Don't know exactly what an offroad derby IS ... but I like demo derbies, and I hope it's similar.

Have a great weekend everyone!
Trinka

titles are always the hardest part

So sometimes it just pays to skip them ...

Got a couple walks in yesterday and pilates after prayer meeting. yeah! Wednesdays are always the hardest.

Today I'm picking up my friend D's cat from the vet. (Her overbearing employer decreed at closing time last night that she has to stay until 7:00 tonight). Hunter's the sweetest (and most enormous) cat. I'm thankful she's having the vet put him in his box. I have never stuffed a cat into a box, but it sounds like a task that would demand that blood be spilled.

I was reading this morning in Genesis, and thinking about how the Lord honored two of Abraham's prayers, even though he prayed for the wrong thing, and in the wrong spirit. In Genesis 17:20, just after the Lord promises Abraham a son through Sarah, Abe laughs, and essentially says, "use Ishmael, OK?" Despite Abraham's unbelief, God still gives Ishamael a blessing, before reiterating, "I actually meant what I said, thankyou." (all paraphrases uninspired!) Then it happens again in ch. 18 when Abraham is negotiating in prayer for Sodom's deliverance. God wasn't going to spare the city, but He DID honor Abraham's request by pulling Lot & his family out (despite their reluctance!)

I've got to say ... every time it's mentioned that my tax dollars are buying laptop computers for 6th graders, I want to protest. So ... internet ... hear this. I do NOT want to buy laptops for sixth graders. And I intend to vote "no" on every millage proposed from now until the day I die as long as we're spending money in this ridiculous fashion. Thank you for listening.

OK ... got to get the bulletin typed. Though we're getting a lovely rain that makes curling up with a book and a pot of tea much more appealing.

Trinka

gym-timidation

I was thinking ... the conversations at the gym (almost a year now!) have been quite pleasant - who would have thought? Nobody has yet slung anything heavy at my head and yelled "think fast". I like that.

I was reading last night in Gen. 16:7-13 -- Hagar had run away from Sarah's harsh treatment, and was in the wilderness, not knowing what to do. The Lord met with her, and told her she had to go back, and then that she was pregnant, and that her son was going to be a not-so-nice fellow. At the end of the conversation, Hagar called the Lord "the God who sees me." Even when His words are hard to hear, the fact that they're from Him, and that He's met with us, makes them sweet.

In addition to the gym last night, time afforded a bonus walk this morning. Nice way to start the day, but now work calls ... I'd best answer!

Trinka

In an effort to develop discipline ....

and keep in touch with family & friends afar off, this blog begins.

I'm trying to cultivate two daily disciplines -- exercise and Bible study.

So these are the goals -
20-45 minutes of exercise daily
having something to share from the Scriptures every day ... even if it's not a lot!

So hold me to it, OK? :)

Trinka