Pro-activity and Grace. How Sweet It Is.

 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."   ... Philippians 4:13

****

So it's my annual Preparation Time For Winter.  Time for stock-up lists and long, scribbled To Do Lists. And actual work(!)

But time for fun, also. Since I tend to decorate with books (and use some to keep cats out of things) I'm bringing together my dearly loved ones, gathering them by author or series or genre so that I'll easily find them on dark, frigid afternoons.

The Book Game is my favorite one in the entire world of games.

And yesterday I finally, after two years here, placed a lamp inside my upstairs closet. Do you know how incredible it feels to flood a closet with light, to actually see ones clothes without having to grab and whisk them just outside the closet door?

Happy sigh.

I also began carrying out Plan A for Naomi's future visits. Instead of adding that (oh-wouldn't it-be-lovely?) room onto the front of the house (this year, anyway), we'll tweak Tom's room and buy one of those sleeper chairs. You know, a chair like this one, below, so ol' Debra will do no more tossing around in a recliner with leaping cats in the living room:


But 'tweaking Tom's room' sounds ever so much easier than it is in Real Life. This could take weeks. Oh well.

Oh Grace! Of course, I could be concentrating upon the yard or learning photography or planning a vacation (etc.). But no, Grace is here for her annual autumnal visit to help me ready the house (and my head) for Snowy Buffalo Winter #20, and I'm grateful for her help and her 'joy in the doing'... so now is the time for all this preparation. Later will be too late.

At my age? I've found I can do nothing without Grace... and I don't wish to. Being known and respected for your own bright ideas and remarkable stuff done on your own is highly overrated--and I've found--fleeting, forgettable and often regrettable. 

Just give me God's ideas, strength and wisdom every time. That's all I want now--His ways, not mine.




*******
"But He gives us more and more grace. That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace [continually] to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it)."   ... James 4:6

***********


Oh my goodness! Did you see Mandisa's new video, Overcomer, this morning on Good Morning America? Wow, a video which could potentially save thousands of lives in Today's hopeless world.

Go here to be inspired!

(And huge kudos to Good Morning America for playing this God-inspired song for millions to hear!)

*********