Happy Sunday!!!

Approval

I hate when I sense someone is upset with me. I hate when I sense I hurt someone without ever meaning to do it. I hate when I feel misunderstood. I hate that any of this ever even matters to me!!!

Galations 1:10 ~ For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Guess I need to tape this one to my forehead for the next little while!

Happy 4th of July!!!

Stewardship

I am finding that good stewardship takes lots of patience!

My friend, Rebecca, told me about a book tonight that she thought I would like. She knows that we are kindred spirits when it comes to good books and so when she recommends something I know I will not be disappointed.

Unfortunately we have had to endure some costly repairs lately...4 new tires, new faucet to replace the badly leaking one, other various and sundry household repairs...you get the picture. As a result of these expenses coupled with the never-ending list of baseball expenses we have just spent 6 months forking out, I am trying to be very careful with how we spend our money. We rarely eat out and I am pretty set on school stuff, but I am trying to watch all those little things that add up. For me, books is one of those things that can add up quick!

So in an effort to be a good steward, I took Rebecca's suggestion and went to my online library catalog with it. I searched for the name ~ Unbroken, in case anyone was wondering ~ and was excited to see my library had it. I typed in my number, pressed "request item" and waited. Well, it seems I will be waiting for quite a while because I was number 161 on the waiting list. Given that everyone can check books out for 3 weeks, I should be able to read this book by Fall...2020...if I'm lucky!! LOL!! Of course, by then I may need the large print edition so now I am in a quandary as to which version to reserve!!

I decided to look it up on Amazon...just to see, of course...and it is only $13.99. $13.99 here...$13.99 there...nope, I am not going to let myself do it. In looking at this Amazon page I saw another book that intrigued me and decided it may help me get a good start in passing the next 9 years or so while I wait for the one I really want. I clicked back quickly to my online library catalog and, well, you know the drill...I typed in my number, clicked "request item" and waited. Good news!! I am only #99 on this waiting list!!! Only 6 years wait for that one!! *Rollingeyes*

So now I am wondering, in my never-ending quest to be a good steward, if anyone has any suggestions of books they really liked that no one else would probably want to read? Guess that's not quite what I mean, but at this rate I am going to have a lot of time to read some of the books already piled on my nightstand waiting for their turn...thus the need for better stewardship in this area! *Wink!Wink!*

This whole quest tonight has reminded me that being a good steward has it's additional benefits in allowing you to exercise some of those fruits of the Spirit like patience and self-control!! Funny how one spiritual discipline just leads so well into another. Now I guess I better go remove that book from my Amazon shopping cart before I lose what self-control I have managed to hold on to so far!!

Happy page-turning everyone!

P.S. I just finished a great book called Joy For Beginners. It is by the author of The School of Essential Ingredients which I really, really liked, too! I highly recommend them both...Rebecca! ;O)

P.S.S. I do realize with more than one copy of each book I won't have to wait quite as long as I made it out to be! Still not exactly right around the corner, though! ;O)