A Lazy Wednesday Hodgepodge

 1. "Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability." Sam Keen

Do you feel less guilty relaxing in July than you do in January? Elaborate. 

Not really.  It's my summer break and I have more than enough time to relax and enjoy the stillness of the season.  Also, I never feel guilty about relaxing.  It's important for the human mind.  

2. What's a telltale sign you're upset? 

I shut down.  I don't talk.  I stay to myself.  I cry far too easily.  If I'm upset, you'll know.  

3. July 16th is National AI Day. What are your general thoughts and/or experiences with AI? Have you purposely used it? Does it excite you, scare you, or worry you? What do you see as a benefit? How about something relating to AI you see as a negative? 

I guess AI can have it's benefits but I don't see it as a good idea.  It's making doing life way too easy.  It gives children the opportunity to cheat on school assignments rather than using their brain.  It's giving all of us less need for brain power.  I don't think it's beneficial but it is pretty neat how we've come that far in technology.  

I hear people are using AI to write books and I think that may be in the same category as plagiarism, is it not?  I actually played around with an AI story generator just to see what it was like but I won't use it for my own publications.  The stories we write should come from our own hearts and minds.  AI takes away creativity and self imagination.  

4. You're invited to a summer pot luck and are asked to bring an appetizer, salad/side, or dessert. Which category do you go for and what are you bringing? 

Probably potato salad.  My mother gave me a recipe that everyone seems to love.  Or cookies.  

5. It wouldn't be summer without the blistering heat that makes my skin feel like it's going to melt off my body. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Our air conditioner stopped working last night and it was 90 degrees in the house.  We all suffered with a horrible night's sleep.  We slept with the windows open and fans running.  Today my husband is working from home while the a/c guy came and fixed it.  It's working now but slowly cooling off.  My poor Siberian Husky who naturally has two coats and was not made for this weather.  She's miserable.  

Monday Musings

 Hello on this 83° Monday here in south central Pennsylvania.

I started the day early, woke up while my husband was getting ready for work.  Matthew had already left to go for a morning run.  I took my usual summer morning spot outside with a cup of coffee and the Bible.  

When my daughter, who prefers using these summer mornings to sleep in late, woke up we went to a nearby park where we walked a mile to break in our new trail shoes.  Getting ready for our upcoming trip to West Virginia where we will be hiking.  

Then came home to laundry and housework.  Pulled some weeds and found the first lunchbox pepper of the season is ready.  Isn't she cute?  Brianna ate it and said it was good.  So far there is no success to the bell peppers and I think I'll just continue to grow just the lunchbox ones in the future because they do so well.  Then I can add more tomato plants, which are also growing slowly but surely.  

I will be another heat wave this week.  I guess that's what summer is all about.  I'm drinking as much water as possible.  

Over the weekend we stopped at my parents house.  This is my mom eating ice cream straight from the container.  It wouldn't be like her to do this normally because she was always one who had strict manners but my dad told her to just eat out of it since there was a little left.  She asked for a bowl.  My mom, despite her Alzheimer's, seemed to have a good day.  It's difficult watching her go through it.  

Trusting Through Uncertainty

 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -- Philippians 4:6-7

At last Wednesdays Bible study at church, the pastor gave us a homework assignment of reading all 4 chapters of Philippians and then getting in contact with the group we were put into and describe what we got out of the context.  The point was to show that even though we are reading the same Scriptures, the Holy Spirit can speak to us differently.   Aside from this assignment, I found some things within this book that helped with our current trial through the uncertainty pertaining to Matthew's college.  I don't like uncertainty.  The unknown of what the future will bring gives me anxiety but in just those verses in Phil 4:6-7 I'm reminded to give those feelings to God.  

The book of Philippians was written by Paul while he was in prison.  I can sense the joy and thankfulness of his heart, even while held captive and not knowing the future outcome.  He knew that God was with him through life and in death.  I desperately needed that reminder.  

Today I'm wearing my UVF t-shirt.  One of the things my husband and I both thought about was the money we already spent on all of this college gear.  I'll still wear it, regardless, and even if my son never gets the opportunity to earn a degree here UVF will still hold a special place in our hearts.  

I still remain hopeful, but the more I learn about the college's predicament, the more I'm realizing that there is no easy way out of it.  It's going to take a big miracle.  Like a multi-million dollar miracle, and even that may not be enough.   

He was accepted to another Christian college and they are ready and eager to take him on.  This was his second choice and it's a great school but it's not what he originally wanted.  Sometimes God has a better plan than we do.  Trusting in his provision and guidance.  

Blueberry Hodgepodge And Fasting

 1. What's something you enjoy now that your younger self would never have appreciated? 

Getting up early.  As a child I stayed up late, even if it was laying in bed because of my early bedtime - I was still awake and thinking of how I couldn't wait to be an adult where I can make my own rules and set my own bedtime.  Now I enjoy going to bed early-ish and waking up early.  The morning before the sun comes up offers a gentle quietness that I once took for granted.  

2. What was peaceful about today? 

I woke up early and sat outside with my Bible, prayer journal and spoke intentional prayers to the Lord.  We have found ourselves in a tough situation and today I am joining others in prayer and fasting.  The sounds of the birds chirping as the sun rose from behind where I was sitting and hearing gentle whispers of assurance from the Lord was absolutely peaceful.  

3. It's National Blueberry Day (July 8). Will you celebrate?  You can have one of the following right now-a slice of blueberry pie, a warm blueberry muffin, or a stack of blueberry pancakes...which do you choose?

Oh goodness!  What a wonderful time to be fasting (sarcasm).  Blueberries aren't my most favorite of fruits but I do enjoy a blueberry muffin or blueberry pancakes.  No pie, no thank you.

Last night I made this Blueberry Cake I found on Pinterest.  

We had some for dessert, as you can see, and it's delicious.  Unfortunately, due to fasting, we won't be enjoying it today.  I'll indulge tomorrow.  

This or that-blueberries or raspberries? blueberries or strawberries? Strawberries

4. Do you need a break? From what? 

I am in the midst of a work break right now, all thanks for being part of a school district and having summers off.  The break is much needed as it gives me that opportunity to wake up when I want and move slowly through the day.  It also gives me quality time with the children.  

5. What has surprised you most about getting older? 

The fact that it's not as thrilling as I thought it would be.  As a child I told my mom I could not wait to grow up and now at 47 years old I realize that adulthood isn't all it's cracked up to be.  I mean, there's so much good in it, yes, but there's also a lot of stress and unpredictability.  

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Today I am joining my son and the staff and students of the University of Valley Forge in a day of prayer and fasting.  My son is enrolled and ready to attend next month.  When he visited months ago he felt the Spirit moving in the place, immediately found a connection with the cross-country team that accepted him, and found the staff to be incredibly kind and filled with wanting to serve God.  He already has many friends, met his roommate, saw his dorm room and a schedule of classes ready to go.  I have been so happy to see him moving in this direction.  But maybe it was all too good to be true?  We have recently found out that due to financial reasons they may be forced to shut down.  As of now they are open and moving towards finding a way through it.  In this time of uncertainty, we are asking for God's provision.  If you are a believer, I ask if you could please say a prayer - even just a quick one.  I believe God is the God of miracles and UVF definitely needs a miracle right now.  

Thank you Joyce for this week's Hodgepodge 

Celebrating 250 Years of America

 I hope you all had a fun and eventful Independence Day but more importantly, I hope you were able to take some time to reflect on how amazing this country is and how lucky we are to have so much freedom.  I thank God for allowing me to be an American every single day.  To be an American is not a right, but a privilege - and a privilege I will never take for granted.  

Sure, she's not perfect and it's easy to get wrapped up in all of the things we hear surrounding us that feel as though we are quickly being divided but it's also easy to focus on the fact that, even in those moments, we are still the best nation around.  We have the freedom to live as we do.  We have the freedom to feel as we do.  This country is what it is because of the men who believed the importance of being one nation under God.  I am grateful.  

Our Independence Day started with the kids doing a 5-mile run.  I'm not sure how they did it but they did.  My son, along with my husband and I, have been fighting a bad cold for over a week now.  Yet, he still insisted on running.  With the sickness and the heat he did not do as well as he knew he could but he still made the top 10.  I'm proud of them both.    

We opted out of having family over for a barbecue this year because, well, three of us have been sick.  But Brianna made us these yummy cookies to celebrate.  

Then she went next door to celebrate with her best friend and family at their party.  We heard the fireworks until 11pm.  I stole this picture from her friend's Instagram because it's too cute.  I'm glad she had a good time.  

While she was next door I suggested we take a drive to Gettysburg to give Matthew something to do.  It was just the three of us and right before making it to the battlefield it started to pour so we took the auto tour.  The storm moved in quickly, causing a lot of down trees and power outages in the area but thankfully, the rain broke the terrible heatwave.  

Then we stopped for some ice cream.  

On Sunday we headed to church to hear our pastor give an awesome patriotic sermon.  Ever year our church puts a lot of emphasis on celebrating our country for Independence Day.  Then we were back for the evening service and a firework show after.  The church's firework display is the best I've ever seen.  Unfortunately, it was raining and storming so we had to wait a bit before they started the show.  The pastor was determined to make it happen, despite the weather.  So we stood in the rain and watched the fireworks.  It was still beautiful.  Grateful to be part of a church that refuses to let the enemy win ... but we do think of the rain as a blessing because we were drying out to the point of a burn ban.  

I wish we could have done more celebrating for the big 250th year but it was enough.  With the three of us fighting something terrible there really wasn't much that could be done.  

Now we are back to Monday and a week ahead that may be filled with more rain.  At least it's a break from the excruciating triple digit heat.  I've always been a summer girl but the older I get the harder it is to be in this heat for a long period of time.  That makes me sad because it was always my favorite time of the year.  

Hello Heatwave

 Happy July!  We are starting it with a triple digit heatwave here in south-central Pennsylvania.   How about where you live?  I'll be staying in the air conditioning fighting what I hope is the end of what has been a terrible cold.  

I forgot to share the strawberry moon from the end of June.  Did you see it?  My hubby captured it with our new Cannon camera.  I love anything that involves space.  

Yesterday, at the start of the heatwave we took a trip to Baltimore.   The Orioles were playing my husband's team, the Chicago White Sox.  It was miserably hot and there were moments I thought about passing out but we survived.  

The Orioles won, though.  

Then we headed to the Towson Mall to walk around.  None of us bought anything except for Auntie Annes, which we've established is a requirement for any and all trips to the mall.  Yummy pretzels and lemonade. 

I'm not sure where my kids get their quirky weirdness from.  

In the Macy's is a small section of Toys R Us.  That store was a huge part of my childhood and my childrens.  It was sad when they closed but also a relief because it caused my dad to stop spoiling them with more toys than we had room for.

And that was our first adventure for July.  The next few days we'll be keeping cool indoors.  Hoping the rain holds off for the weekend of celebration for America's 250th.  

I would also like to ask for prayers for my new friend Tiara.  She's a homeless girl in Baltimore who asked if we could buy her lunch.  She said she had nothing to eat in 4 days.  It's not for me to judge or question her sincerity, especially on a day that was so hot.  She's been in my heart and prayers since.