being true....

 ...I am thankful that I'm tested in my faith.  I wrote the post with one of my favorite verses in Proverbs, how He has lifted my feet from the miry clay, and set them on a rock.  When you speak in hope, you can be sure that pretty soon trials will come.  I was blindsided by something, couldn't believe how much awfulness I saw in myself, thought...oh dear, I'm a huge hypocrite!  Then I realized that as much as I had seen my awfulness, I was only being tempted.  I was in a swirl of emotion, but we need those situations to see our own sin, and God is good, we can get victory over these things instead of sinking deep, and getting bitter.  

I don't have to get mad at anyone.  By the grace of God, I can cut off those blaming thoughts right as they start, before they take root.  

Anyway.  Being true.  I try very hard to be real here, on the blog.  Online:  are people who they portray themselves to be?  Probably not, but here in the blog world, there are many whom I seriously care about, and whom I count as friends. As with most things, the internet can be used for both evil, and for good.  I think the blogs I read are good.  Genuinely nice people, connecting, being kind, building each other up.  

Sometimes I read news, and there are comments on the articles, people can be SO virtue-signaling, so superior, condescending, downright mean.   Same with some of the large family Facebook posts:  some women ask for advice, and some women are like vultures, ripping them to shreds.  It's too easy, behind a screen. It gives people some sort of thrill, I guess.  I have comment moderation turned on here, I don't get too many mean comments, but I am not here to fight with anyone.  I also don't always think too deeply about what I write, so it's sure to be offensive to someone, somewhere.  I think it's glorious that we're all so different, we can have totally different views on things and still be friends.  It's what makes the world go 'round.  

Yesterday was an adventurous day!  Kathryn picked me up, and off we went to Walmart, she only needed like two things from there. I got some Valentines goodies for grandkids, and some new kid's plates, cups, ect.  (I'm having grandchildren for the weekend, Wulf and Tennyson, and for Saturday, Grant and Ruth too!). Anyway, we also went to Aldi...then for a coffee, then home...by the time I put the groceries away, marinated and froze chicken tender strips in lime juice and jerk seasoning in little baggies, it was time to leave again...

We got all new tires on June 29 of 2022, and one rear tire started wearing really badly...faulty tire?  The other three are fine!   So off to Mavis I went, for a 3:30 appointment.  Well, one of the wheel bearings is bad...the car isn't under warranty, as Mitsubishi has only 36,000 mile warranty.  So:  Friday we bring her back in, and a thousand dollars later, we'll have our car again.  The truck is un-driveable until the fuel line gets fixed on Friday, so Benjamin is so nicely letting use his car so we can drop our vehicles off to be fixed.

Never a dull moment.  I'm thankful we have the money for the fixes, but it's so hard to get ahead...then I think, well I'm 57 years old, Paul is almost 61...we can't take it with us....

I did make a friend in Mavis:  a lady had her eight week old Boston Terrier puppy there, and oh my heart! Never met such a sweet little boy!  I do NOT want another dog, but oh dear, I couldn't say no to one of those!  

This fine morning, I made low carb muffins.  I tweaked an almond flour bread recipe from Allrecipes...they're pretty good, but I think the flaxseed gives them a "healthy" aftertaste.   I don't mind, I actually love them because I don't really like overly sweet things. I'm not saying they're healthy, just a better choice, for me.  And, the house smells amazing!   (I had some apples that were getting a little soft, that's why I made apple muffins. You could use blueberries, and I am going to try with pumpkin...)

Ah well....things to do around here....