sheila dougal- a woman found: We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.- C.S. Lewis

I hate playing catch up here.

As I've said, I process life better in the second-living of it- i.e. writing. Or talking it out with God, which is what I do for the life I can't second-live in public writings.

I took up early-morning walking with my black lab Bailey a week or so ago, when it started getting cool in the mornings. I take her down to the local park on-leash and then release her to chase rabbits to her hearts content in the empty park. While she lives the Labrador Retriever dream of chasing a fast-moving small animal, I walk and talk to my unseen Lord.

I watch His sun rise on the just and the unjust, and breathe in deep the air He keeps filling my lungs with, and pour out my complaints to Him. I usually stop my self after a few thoughts and take notice of blazing fireball bursting over the eastern horizon and realize I have more reason to give thanks than to complain. I begin thanking Him for His promises and the everyday blessings and ask for the wisdom to live in relation to situations my heart is heavy with. The park becomes better than coffee. Walking and praying is very invigorating. People come to mind and there's no radio or email or list to make to distract me. I picture myself bringing these people, some by the hand, some in my arms, to my Father in heaven. I am so privileged to get to be apart of what He's doing in their lives.

When I was a teenager I wanted to be a female Indiana Jones. I wanted to be an archeologist. I wanted to go dig up ancient treasures out of the dirt. In a way, I feel a little like a female Indiana Jones of the Bible.

For the last month I've been digging thru ancient writings of the Bible, searching for treasured and timeless truth, preparing to deliver a Bible study. I feel like I hit a vein of gold, or uncovered the corner of an enormous buried treasure!

The nature of the God of the Bible is the same from beginning to end. He loves humility and hates haughtiness. He is sovereign and dangerously all-powerful and good! He cares for barren and widowed women and fatherless children and those who are oppressed. He is faithful to His promises even when those He has entered into a promise with act wickedly. He deals with wickedness and has mercy and compassion on whom He wills. He wills to show that mercy and compassion on ANY who will humble themselves before Him. He is faithful. He alone has the right to condemn and He alone is the one who can save. He is passionate. He sees me. He cares for me. He is patient with me... with everyone. He is the same God to Tamar and to the woman caught in adultery at the feet of the Savior in the New Testament and to me. He is my hope all day long!

The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.- Psalm 19:9-10

I made a really yummy gluten-free margherita pizza tonight. I used Pamela's Gluten-Free Bread Dough Mix and sprinkled the bottom of the pan with flax-seed meal for some extra goodness and texture. I topped it with Barilla's tomato and basil sauce, fresh basil leaves picked from my school's sensory garden, and whole-milk mozzerrella. Buon appetito!

Tomorrow I'll be talking with the kinder and first grade class at Pathway about how God fed the people of Israel with "What is it?" (manna) in the desert. I pray these kids will know the Greater-Than-Moses who has delivered them from the slavery of sin. I pray they will taste the goodness of God and feed on His Word in their sojourning... even when they don't understand and ask, "What is it? What is this all about?"