off to a good start.

New Year's Day was a slow and relaxing day.  The earlier hours were spent playing a heart thumping game of Monopoly, where I got the pants beat off of me, by my 16 year old son!  Seriously, in all the years of playing, I have never lost that bad.  He had every single $500.00 bill in his stash of funds and by the end, every property I owned was mortgaged and I still had an IOU out for him.  It was a blast!!

After lunch, I had a chance to play with my brand new toy.  Some ladies ask for diamonds at Christmas, not me.  I ask for practical things ... such as a cordless tree limb trimmer!  On 10 acres, you need tools and equipment and I was over the moon when I received my trimmer!!  I was able to clean up several ornamental pear trees, plus a couple of meddlesome branches from a favorite oak tree, that have poked just about everyone in the eye at least once.  Not any more!  Those are now safely nestled in a small burn pile.

Today is the perfect day to get caught up on grading Biology, Geometry, and Grammar.  It is cold outside (thank the good Lord), finally, so I may also have a chance to work a little bit more on my sewing room.  It is slowly coming along and I can't wait to show you the finish.  I have some touch ups to do with paint and a couple of memory boards to finish.  Oh ya, and the big project is getting my table and chairs painted.  Ok.  So don't hold your breath.  ha ha ha.

What has been keeping my night stand warm is the classic account of Corrie Ten Boom, in The Hiding Place.  This story itself is not new to me, but reading her account is.  How something so horrible could have taken place amongst so many to this day still runs a cold chill up my spine.  I am to chapter 5, and if you have not read this book, I suggest you do.  It is real.  It is candid.  It is truth.  And I never want it to happen again.  However, to have the faith and genuine love of the Lord abiding and very obviously tested, brings me to a humble place in prayer.  Lord, help me to be closer to You, help me execute Your grace and mercy to others.
So though it is a "sad" story, it is serving as a place of self examination for me.  There is no better place to make those adjustments, than at the beginning of the year.  Stepping off into a new year, with a humble heart, and confidence in my sweet Lord who promises to complete what He has begun in each of us that are called His!