Up, up, up....up

Saturday John Frank and I went on our first hike together in Alabama!  We started hiking in Colorado and absolutely loved it so we're giving it a full-time effort.  We hiked the Blue Trail at Oak Mountain State Park, 3.5 miles of it at least (for a total of 7).  We chose the Blue Trail because it was the shortest of the trails and the most challenging, which I didn't realize when we started.  It was so much fun and a real workout!  My legs are still sore today. 

About 3.5 miles up the mountain we saw some protruding rocks, off the trail, that we climbed to for our mid-morning snack and a little rest.  It has a beautiful view of the lake and Eagle Point (I think) but we forgot the camera, of course!!  Here is the best picture I could get with my cell phone.  On the mountain I realized for the first time this season that the leaves were starting to change.  Its sad how we can get so wrapped up in our lives that we forget about the the important things, the beauty of the world around us and all of the natural things it offers.  We're going again next Saturday and I already have the camera hanging on the front door as a reminder.  I hope to get several pictures next week.

Some things in life ARE free!

As of 4:40 today I am the proud owner of a new Library card!  This card can be used at any of the public libraries in the county in which I live, I think there are 4 or 5 or so, and it feels great!  We walked in, went to the desk and whispered, "I need a library card please".  I filled out a form and he handed over a card.  I just knew I was going to check out 5 books and I would be able to take them all home to read at my leisure (within 14 days, of course) without handing over one red cent, right?  Wrong!  Everything I looked up was either out of stock or in stock at another location, wa waa waaa.  Oh how I wanted a yellow paged book that smelled of must with a shiny plastic protective sleeve over a faded dust jacket.  Maybe next time.  Of course my husband found 2 books and had read a chapter of one in the first 5 seconds he owned the card, turdbird.  And he's just confirmed that he's read 77 pages, thanks John.  He's mighty handsome though.  Lemme show you :)

Craft Fair

I have committed to selling my bags and other homemade items in a craft fair on November 10th.  I had such big plans when I enrolled myself and I have all of ZERO things made to sell in the fair!!  I have a plan though.  If I make one "craft" per day until then I will have enough to fill up a 6' folding table, hooray!  I seriously doubt I can accomplish this but I am going to make it a challenge (french accent) to myself and use this blog to hold myself accountable, cross your fingers. 

By the grace of God, I am what I am

Today, while on the internet researching random things, I came across a couple of verses that I can't stop thinking about.

For I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle… But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
- 1 Corinthians 15:9-10

and

Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
- 2 Corinthians 3:5-6

After a couple of days of some unsuccessful sewing (my main hobby lately) I've realized that I compare myself to others, a lot!  Not just comparison of sewing skills but lots of things.  Even little things like my handwriting.  Granted, I usually (always) lean towards the- 'Im lesser than and can't do things a well as'- but comparison, in and of itself, is no good, no matter if its greater or lesser.  Most of the time I don't even notice Im doing it...thanks to my husband I am now well informed :)  Its wonderful to have someone that can help me better realize and understand how I operate.  And its wonderful to have a Father who has written the words to remind me that I do not operate because I am adequate; He is adequate.