THE SWEET CIRCLE

We had our July Small Group social last night and it occurred to me while sitting in a circle with my sweet friends that this would be the last time we meet in my Vienna home. I looked around the room and thought of all the stories behind each and every face. We were missing 3 of our members--but for the most part the group was in tact and sharing life.

There were many games we all played as children in circles-holding hands. As long as you were holding hands, your back was always subject to attack, but when you were inside the circle with all the others holding hands around you---you were safe. It was fun to be part of the circle and it was fun to be inside the circle---the one place you did not want to be was alone -outside of the circle.

Our Small Group operates in a like manner. We all form a circle and occasionally a member needs more protection and we all join hands and surround that member to protect them. Small groups are a wonderful blessing. The place that you can put it all out and still not feel judged. We live life side by side with our hands held tight---keeping the circle together and forming a union of one. I can't imagine living my life outside of that precious circle.

BLESS BE THE TIE THAT BINDS &

MAY THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN

CONTINGENCIES

I am buying a house contingent upon me selling this house. This house is being sold contingent upon the buyer selling their house. Life is just full of contingencies. The first business law I studied began with contract law and all of the contingencies that contracts can be filled with.

I began thinking about this and was reminded of the book that Sheila loaned me and I just finished (I PROMISE to return it). A GREAT book, UNBROKEN, is the story of a World War II Bomber who was ditched in the Pacific Ocean-spent weeks on a raft surrounded by sharks in the Pacific-spent an eternity as a Japanese prisoner of war in horrible conditions only to survive and make it back to the states. Then his life was permanently marked by the unbelievable conditions he had lived in and took a downward spiral that you found difficult to believe.

BUT the book is about redemption---except you don't get to the redemption until almost the end of the book. He went to a Billy Graham crusade--and remembered his promise to God and the contingent clause of "If you save me"--- We all are prone to making promises and all with contingent clauses----If you do this---THEN I will. After his conversion, God used him in a mighty way for the remainder of his life and ALL for God's glory.

Yesterday as I was having my quiet time--I was reminded that Heaven is FULL of wonderful treasure. God is just waiting for us to turn to Him and then He will open the door for the flood to rain down. The treasure is not material possessions or human relationships--the treasure is the fruits of the spirit--joy-peace-love---
A treasure beyond compare. If we could just learn to depend upon His perfect plan----allow Him to be our provider---then the treasure will be heaped upon us and our cup will be filled and over flowing----AND we don't have to make any promises---just have faith and seek Him.

BATS IN MY ATTIC!!

No NOT REALLY! There are no bats in my attic. I have started cleaning out the attic in anticipation of a moving garage sale in one week. WHO PUT ALL THAT JUNK UP THERE???? There are enough Christmas decorations to decorate the entire town of Ruston. I must have gone loco every year right after Thanksgiving when I started decorating.

AND THEN---there still seems to be "STUFF" of my children's up there. NOW they have all BEEN grown and BEEN gone. WHAT AM I THE STORAGE UNIT????? I have divided things as I have cleaned out into piles

#1
#2
#3
Stuff to move
Stuff for garage sale
? Stuff

FAIR WARNING CHILDREN----YOU BETTER CLAIM IT!

Smaller House = Less Storage Space

TAKING A HUMBLING!

Well my house is sold ---with one little contingency---but I don't think that will be any problem. I stuck to my guns and dug my feet in, and drew a line in the sand----etc etc etc--over $6300. It was the principle. I was SO proud of my bartering ability. After family advice to just take the lower offer, I would not back down---with my breath held. I struck a deal and now a family with 3 little boys will be in this house that I love and make it a home again--full of noise and laughter and screams and fun.

I made an offer on a house--the very same day----I met my match. The owner stuck to her guns, dug her feet in and drew a line in the sand and would not back down--all over $5000. God is humbling me and teaching me and reminding me---it is not by my might but it is all about Him. He is my Provider. I did rationalize it to help me feel better--that is $500 a year for 10 years. I KNOW I throw away that much money on some obscure - not needed items every year. Now if I can just figure out what those items are!

SOLVING THE PUZZLE

The old axiom, "It's like riding a bicycle" proved to be true yesterday when I went back to work after a number of years. In very short order, I found myself right back in the grove. It's just like putting a giant puzzle together---you work on one piece at a time-sometimes you have to leave a piece and work on another---but sooner or later the puzzle is all put together one piece at a time.

VERY STIMULATING!

LIFE'S CIRCLES

After a 10 year retirement (?)--well from the world of commerce at any rate--I will begin work today. It's a little intimidating, but also very exciting. I continue to be amazed how God has opened door after door.

You do realize that when you reach a certain age---you automatically become a "Consultant"? Well that's just what I will be doing consulting in the accounting world. You know accounting is like riding a bicycle---you don't forget how. Just like with a bicycle there may be some new bells and whistles to make your ride easier, but the basics are the same--you get on and you peddle. So it is with accounting--the premise is still the same-but there may be some new bells and whistles to help you come up with the bottom line, but you just get on and peddle.

I will be doing some forensic accounting---LOVE IT. Basically that's solving a puzzle---and I have always loved puzzles. So today---I pull on that "CPA Suit" and go to work----It seems my life has once again made a circle and I am back where I started. Embrace the new and find joy in all that is placed before you. "Proverbs by Lora".

OUR SHELLS

I recently found a couple of turtles walking around the yard. Their homes on their backs they had lost their way and were, as only turtles can, slowly taking one step after another searching for the trail home.---The first one was trapped in the garage. For the life of him, he could not determine how to get back on his trail in the woods. He had his face to the wall and was plowing forward--only not getting anywhere. The other one was out in the open--and he too was lost---but he was not at a dead end--he had turned and though he was still lost and searching for his trail to the woods--he was making progress because he kept taking the next step.

So it is with we human beings. We have the shell of a building around us that we call home, but the home is not the building---the home is where we are and the building is merely the shell on our backs. We can chose to put our face to the wall and not turn right or left and never find the way back home or we can chose to make that turn and search for the path that is placed before us. Sometimes the path is rocky, long, and lonely--a steep climb back out of the valley, but if we continue to put one foot in front of the other, we will eventually find the sunlight at the top of the mountain.

This beautiful shell I have lived in for 27 years is a house. What made it a home was the family that lived within the walls and the loved ones that floated in and out of the doors. It will be extremely difficult to walk out of that front door for the last time. I take great comfort in the knowledge that a young family with children will once again fill it up. That is how it should be-this house was made for a family and should be filled with the laughter of children and their moms and dads. The house will be glad to be filled once again.

I will move to a new shell and begin to build a new nest and it will be fine. It will take some time, but I will slowly but surely begin to build a home once again. As I dig in the dirt, hang pictures, and laugh with family and friends--it too shall be a home.

So for today, I am full of mixed emotions about this move. Who would not be--we grow accustomed to our shells--they are familiar and full of memories-both good and bad. That's what made them our homes, but the memories are in my heart-not in the shell and they will ever stay with me. I chose to be just like that turtle that was lost-only I will not put my face to the wall--I will turn and keep moving forward-knowing I will once again find my home.