Laid back Sunday

So, I was right. Church was a huge blessing. We went early to enjoy the fellowship time prior to the service, and the worship team was practicing the music for the day - FUN! The worship group is great - so dedicated and talented, and today's music was lots of fun stuff to harmonize with. I watched everyone else eating donuts (maplebars, would you believe - complete torture!) and just enjoyed the music and gabbing with friends. No donuts for me! I've fought hard to lose 8 lbs. and don't want to lose my momentum! Have at least 30 more to lose.

Our pastor is on vacation, so we had a guest speaker from another local church (this guy is available on a Sunday morning because his church meets on Saturday evenings). We adore our own pastor, but also love it when this pastor visits. He is so down-to-earth, practical and real. Today he shared about praying for answers to our issues (looking for "signs" - putting out the fleece, knocking on doors, and the like). It was really good stuff. He used Matthew 12:38-40 where the Pharisees tested Jesus by asking him for a miracle to prove he was the Real Deal. Sometimes we kinda do this in a way by asking for "a sign" from God. He pointed out that prayer is really about us pouring our hearts out and sharing our issues with the Father, but acknowledging Him as sovreign and aligning our will with His perfect will and plan (Jer. 29:11). He has no obligation to prove Himself to us. Like I said, good stuff!

After church we had some lunch at our favorite Teriyaki chicken place, and then stopped by one of our favorite liquidator stores to check for the latest bargains. I went in there looking for nutrition bars for my bro-in-law - didn't find them, but did find $51 worth of a lot of other fabulous deals (e.g., to name only a few: Viva paper towels for $.66/roll, gigantic dishwasher soap for $2.99, and humungous liquid laundry detergent for dirt cheap (and it smells soooooooo good - scent tops my list of priorities for certain products, laundry detergent being one of them). I always feel like I've gotten away with something when I find a fantastic bargain. I dearly love the hunt, and living on Social Security makes bargain hunting a necessity - a "sport" I can enjoy regularly and without guilt.

TEXT FOR TODAY: Ps. 145:14-19 (Living Bible) "The Lord lifts the fallen and those bent beneath their loads. The eyes of all mankind look up to you [Lord] for help; you give them their food as they need it. You constantly satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.

"The Lord is fair in everything he does, and full of kindness. He is close to all who call on him sincerely. He fulfills the desires of those who reverence and trust him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them."

XOXO