Two of my grandsons are coming today to help do Camp Kreitzer cleanup. The yard is littered with hundreds of pine cones and sticks, even thick branches that winter winds have dislodged from our numerous pine trees. And oh-my-goodness the pine needles! I rake them up occasionally and put heaps of them in the chicken yard and the coop and on the garden. It cuts down on the cost of pine chips for the coop and mulch for the garden. But no matter how much yard work I do, it always seems like drop in the bucket...or in the pool...or in the ocean. To put a spiritual outlook on it, working on my sins and faults is just like that. No matter how much I try to cultivate the garden of my soul, there is always more to do. And so often it seems I am raking up the same old same old. As I work with the boys today putting yard litter on the fire pit, I will beg God to help me make real progress this Lent placing all my sins and faults on the altar of reconciliation and begging that they be "burned and consumed in the fire of [God's] love." [Imitation of Christ]Checked the bees this week. Hard at work!
- My annual physical is scheduled for later this afternoon. I'm preparing myself for the lecture. I'm overweight, my A1c has inched up into the diabetic range. My cholesterol is high. The doctor will, no doubt want to put me on statin drugs and diabetic meds. And he's been urging me to get the shingles shot at every visit. I'll be 78 in days and something is going to kill me. Guaranteed! Few people die of old age. Most of us die of heart disease, stroke, or cancer. My parents both died of cancer so that's my bet. Besides, all of the medical guidelines have been lowered over the years. What used to be considered normal blood pressure is now high, the same with A1c and cholesterol. So I will probably just say no to more meds.
- One of my big challenges this Lent is to be a more cheerful giver. How am I doing? So-so. But I haven't given up and I get plenty of opportunities to practice. God is good.
- Spring is finally coming. I saw honeybees on winter jasmine yesterday near the post office. What a welcome sight! My daffodils are up but not in bloom and most of the trees are only just beginning to swell their buds. But it's coming!
- I saw the lunar eclipse last night when I couldn't sleep. I woke up to a full moon and a bright landscape. After an hour it was much darker and the moon was more than half reduced. I wondered how man people had the patience to actually watch the slow eclipse to full dark. I didn't. It would have been nice to see the penumbra, but I went back to bed.
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