Genesis 18:20-32

***Does anyone else wonder if this conversation could be said about the United States in this day and age?***

[the first reading from mass this weekend]

In those days, the LORD said: “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave, that I must go down and see whether or not their actions fully correspond to the cry against them that comes to me. I mean to find out.”

While Abraham’s visitors walked on farther toward Sodom, the LORD remained standing before Abraham. Then Abraham drew nearer and said: “Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty? Suppose there were fifty innocent people in the city; would you wipe out the place, rather than spare it for the sake of the fifty innocent people within it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to make the innocent die with the guilty so that the innocent and the guilty would be treated alike! Should not the judge of all the world act with justice?”

The LORD replied, “If I find fifty innocent people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

Abraham spoke up again: “See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am but dust and ashes! What if there are five less than fifty innocent people? Will you destroy the whole city because of those five?”

He answered, “I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there.”

But Abraham persisted, saying “What if only forty are found there?”

He replied, “I will forbear doing it for the sake of the forty.”

Then Abraham said, “Let not my Lord grow impatient if I go on. What if only thirty are found there?”

He replied, “I will forbear doing it if I can find but thirty there.”

Still Abraham went on, “Since I have thus dared to speak to my Lord, what if there are no more than twenty?”

The LORD answered, “I will not destroy it, for the sake of the twenty.”

But he still persisted: “Please, let not my Lord grow angry if I speak up this last time. What if there are at least ten there?”

He replied, “For the sake of those ten, I will not destroy it.”

Seven Word Status(es)

Don't live your life for someone else.

Don't let someone else live your life.

Don't expect another to be your happiness.

Don't live thinking you deserve something better.

Don't hold your breath.  It'll kill you.

Migraine

I had a migraine yesterday.  It's the first one I've had in a long time...thankfully!  I woke up yesterday morning feeling battered, tired, and fighting the average headache.  I thought I just didn't sleep well, so I went back to bed.

A couple of hours later, I woke up feeling much the same way.  I was trying to decide if I was coming down with something.  Before coming to any definite solution, I took a nap.

A couple of hours later, I woke up feeling at least as bad as I had all day.  And my headache was getting worse.  It wasn't until late afternoon that I started feeling nauseous.  Then I was convinced that it was a migraine.  I didn't find any relief until I finally started throwing up at 2am.

I normally have the typical migraine symptoms... blind spots, inability to find my words, and then my headache starts, leading to full-on nausea and the worst headache I've ever had.  That didn't happen yesterday.

Normally if I treat my migraines before the head pain starts, I can knock it out before it ever really begins.  Because I didn't have my typical symptoms, I didn't realize I was fighting a migraine.  So I didn't treat it like a migraine until it was much too late to make any real impact.

Lucky for me, I let the symptoms ride out and I was finally sleeping by 3am.  I felt quite hung over this morning and prayed for a power outage so that I wouldn't have to teach my classes today.  But again, I got lucky and felt better and better as the day wore on.

I consider my migraine gone, but I am truly looking forward to getting a good night's sleep tonight.  My head is a little fuzzy and my eyes are really dry and tired.  But I fully expect to be much closer to 100% tomorrow.

Seven Word Status

"I just love scanning for life forms."

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Psalm 24:19 - 21

Callan Weekend

Picture by CB Schaefer.

My grandson spent Saturday and Sunday with me.  I drove to Jasper to get him early Saturday morning and returned him to his mama at the same K-Mart parking lot late Sunday afternoon.  I love weekends with my grandson.

I love the opportunities I get to spend with an infant.  It's been a long time.  I always thought I'd have more kids...until my one-and-only became a somewhat out-of-control teen.  Then I was pretty sure I never wanted another baby.  Not to mention, I've been single since before Jeff was two...there was no way I wanted to be the single parent of more than one!  But I have to say, it's a real joy to get to spend so much time with a baby, tending to their every need, watching their expressions, and being the one to calm them when they're upset.

The fact that I love this little baby is just icing on the cake.  I LOVE the young Mr. Callan Frederick.  He's just a durn sweetie!  And really, he's such a good baby.   A little demanding when he's hungry.  But hey, who isn't?  But he's a good eater and a good sleeper.  He's easy to comfort and watches my mouth when I sing to him.  I truly enjoy spending time with him.

BUT...  he exhausts me.  I'm just not in good enough shape to get up and down every time I need to change his diaper or his clothes.  (I just lay him on the floor since I don't have a changing table.)  Getting only 3-4 hours of sleep at a time is hard on this body that doesn't sleep well even without that kind of alarm clock.  I'm not accustomed to carrying all of his things around, let alone a 10 pound baby in a carrier.  And being available to his every beck and call, I put everything else on the back burner.  So I get absolutely nothing else done.

I don't know how I did it when Jeff was an infant!  Well, except that I was 22 years younger than I am now.  That probably had a lot to do with it.  But then, I was active duty and a single parent...both full-time jobs.  Now, I'm wiped out after caring for Callan for just the weekend.  I'm definitely getting old!

But let me be clear... it is well worth it.  I want to know my grandson and I want him to know me.  I LOVE this quality time that we get to spend together.  And I can't wait to do it again!

Seven Word Status

Another beautiful weekend to be a grandmother.

Psalm 66

[the Psalm from mass this weekend]

1 For the leader. A song; a psalm.

I

2 Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;

sing of his glorious name;

give him glorious praise.

3 Say to God: “How awesome your deeds!

Before your great strength your enemies cringe.

4 All the earth falls in worship before you;

they sing of you, sing of your name!”

Selah

II

5 Come and see the works of God,

awesome in deeds before the children of Adam.

6 He changed the sea to dry land;

through the river they passed on foot.

There we rejoiced in him,

7 who rules by his might forever,

His eyes are fixed upon the nations.

Let no rebel rise to challenge!

Selah

8 Bless our God, you peoples;

loudly sound his praise,

9 Who has kept us alive

and not allowed our feet to slip.

10 You tested us, O God,

tried us as silver tried by fire.

11 You led us into a snare;

you bound us at the waist as captives.

12 You let captors set foot on our neck;

we went through fire and water;

then you led us out to freedom.

 

III

13 I will bring burnt offerings to your house;

to you I will fulfill my vows,

14 Which my lips pronounced

and my mouth spoke in my distress.

15 Burnt offerings of fatlings I will offer you

and sacrificial smoke of rams;

I will sacrifice oxen and goats.

Selah

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,

while I recount what has been done for me.

17 I called to him with my mouth;

praise was upon my tongue.

18 Had I cherished evil in my heart,

the Lord would not have heard.

19 But God did hear

and listened to my voice in prayer.

20 Blessed be God, who did not reject my prayer

and refuse his mercy.

 

In the first part (v 1-12), the community praises God for powerful acts for Israel, both in the past (the exodus from Egypt and the entry into the land (v 6) and in the present (deliverance from a recent but unspecified calamity (v 8-12). In the second part (v 12-20), an individual from the rescued community fulfills a vow to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving. As often in thanksgivings, the rescued person steps forward to teach the community what God has done (v 16-20).

Seven Word Status

 

Too lazy today to write more words.

Independence Day!

Cardio AND Strength Training

So I told you the other day that I was back to doing my Rockin' Body series.  Well, I've also picked up the weights again.  One of my favorite workouts, Les Mills Pump.  Weights set to music.  I LOVE IT!

My plan is to do my Cardio workout in the AM and my Strength training in the PM.  So far, I've only done both in the PM.  But as the workouts get longer, that's going to become more and more difficult to make time for.  But I'll work on it...getting that AM workout in during the AM.  Perhaps during my long weekend!

Here's a look at Les Mills Pump...

Working Out Again

 
I said I'd get back to working out after Relay was over.  Well, Relay happened nearly a month ago.  So it's definitely time.

I did two Rockin' Body workouts.  That's where I started out my workouts last year when I decided to get serious.  So I decided to start there again.  40 minutes of dance.  Felt pretty good.

Tomorrow?  More dancing...and weights!

Oh!  And I'm only taking my measurements (including my weight!) once a month.  Once!