School Daze (for me???)

What in the world was I thinking????? I have spent the last few days attending classes in an attempt to get a license to sell life insurance as part of my job. The classes were from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM. If that wasn't bad enough, now I have to go to a place and take an exam (and pass it) to get my license. I'm way too old for this nonsense!!

To make matters worse, I was supposed to go take my exam this afternoon, but due to our snowstorm that is going on, I'm going to have to re-schedule. So I call a number that was given to me, and they tell me that I have to wait until tomorrow to attempt to re-schedule, and then it may very well be several days after that before I can actually take the test. In the meantime, what little information that I remembered from the school is slowly leaking from my brain. AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

Todays' Upper Room scripture is sure appropriate for me today. It says "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand". -Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) I sure can use all the upholding that God will give me as I wait to get this over with!!

Oh well, as I say in my daily prayer, "Lord, you are in charge of everything that is going to happen to me today, both good and bad". I'll be thankful in spite of the disruptions and stresses. After all, if God is in charge, I'm taken care of!!

De Colores

Forgive Myself?

The November 18 reading of the Upper Room posed a very interesting and relevant question for me. How do we forgive ourselves? We ask God to forgive us, we ask God to help us forgive others, but how about forgiving ourselves?

There have been several times in my life that I have done things that I am not proud of, and sin oftentimes was involved to some extent. I know I have asked God for forgiveness in these instances, and know in my heart that God has forgiven me, but I still have a hard time of releasing my sense of guilt when I think about those times. God promises us that when we ask for forgiveness, these sins are "remembered no more". As I work on forgiving myself and "letting go" of those instances, it is a freeing experience. If God, who knows me far better than anyone else can forgive me, then surely I can forgive myself and move on.

In the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6: 9-15), Jesus commands us to forgive others. I truly believe this also means that He commands us to forgive ourselves. When we can truly do that, we can experience a more joyful life.

De Colores

Deer me!!!

Each year, the hunters turn out in droves in search of the wiley and elusive whitetail deer. All they have to do is come to my house!! This picture is of a decent buck that was right below us in some trees. I actually got out of my truck and snapped off several pictures from about 30 yards, and he was so preoccupied with the doe in the foreground that he literally ignored me!! Must have had something else on it's mind.....