The Ancient One

"...anyone would follow a god who is always good to him, who is always there. But the Ancient One wants men and women who will serve Him when they feel as dry as dust in their hearts, when they've cried out, yet the heavens are silent. Those who feel as alone as is possible for a human being to feel, but after all of that, still love God--they are the followers the Ancient One seeks." (From Heart of a Lion by Gilbert Morris)

I have really enjoyed the 2 books in this series. I wonder if another one is out yet? They are novels about Bible characters. The first one was about Noah and his family, and the second one about Abraham and his family. I s'pose the next one will be about Jacob? The series is following the lineage of Jesus. I have found a few points that I'm not sure I see it that way from Scripture, but they are interesting and have made me think about ideas that perhaps wouldn't have occurred to me otherwise.

And the Shofar Blew

Definitely a page-turner! I have read most of Francine Rivers' books and they are all so good. I could really relate to this one. Here's a quote from the book I thought was especially good:

"[The pastor] had softened his message. He no longer taught the foundational classes. His sermons brushed over the gospel and zeroed in on the good life in Christ. He'd forgotten that God wanted followers to live a godly life. That called for obedience, and sometimes meant suffering and sacrifice. The heart had to change before a life changed, before one experienced the bounteous joy that came from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, an indwelling of the Holy Spirit, a complete soul overhaul."

It is sad, but I see that a lot in "Christian" circles these days...

Soda pop

Turns out I *had* heard of peanuts-and-Coke. My sisters and brothers remember doing it at lunch time at a Christian school we went to. I had totally forgotten about it! I bet I never tried it back then. I was in the 7th grade and probably much too "cool" to do something so childish... I just thought it was one of those weird food combinations that kids come up and claim to like... like mayonnaise-and-peanut-butter sandwiches or chocolate milk on their cereal... or something like that. Anyway, it's not bad... but I'll probably still mostly just drink my Coke with only ice in it and eat my peanuts on the side!

It's kinda interesting the flavor combinations that Coke and Pepsi have come out with lately, though... I worked at a deli/soda fountain, oh, 20 years or so ago. Remember the "New Coke" vs. "Classic Coke"? It was during all that hoopla. And the "Pepsi Challenge"... oh, yeah, and de-caf "Pepsi Free"... We had fun trying different flavor combinations then, too. We would add cherry syrup... or vanilla... or even chocolate syrup. I don't remember if we tried lemon or lime. We thought we were being so "old-fashioned" going back to some of the 1950's soda fountain flavors!

My DH misses "Apple Slice". When Pepsi came out with Slice (their version of Sprite) it was available in lemon-lime, orange, and apple flavors. Maybe others. I don't remember. DH really liked the apple flavor and was disappointed when they stopped making it. I just had a brainstorm, though! I could buy frozen apple juice concentrate and mix it up with seltzer water! I bet it would taste the same! Okay... gotta try that!

I did make boiled peanuts a week or so ago. Hmm... that already sounds good again. I bought enough raw peanuts for more than one batch. B'lieve I'll go boil some more!

Telemarketers!

A telemarketer called the other night and asked to speak to "the female of the household"! I was the one who answered the phone. I wish I would have thought quickly enough to say, "What? Do I sound like a male?" But I didn't. I just hung up on him instead.

The idiot!

Musings...

Seems like I've been reading a lot of "twaddle" lately. I want to find something thought-provoking to read. Not real heavy. Just something that makes me think, KWIM?

For example, I read a book awhile back (don't even remember the name of it...) about a man who unexpectedly came into a lot of money. He was able to go everywhere and do everything he had ever dreamed of. Then one day it occurred to him that no matter how rich he got there would always be certain things he would have to spend time doing... mundane things that there's no getting around... walking down the hall, dressing, bathing, going to the bathroom, waiting at stop lights... even eating and sleeping. Sure, nobody minds doing those things, but then I don't really mind doing the every day household maintenance type things either. I just get tired of doing them over and over, and there are usually other things I'd rather be doing.

Well, I don't know what conclusion can be drawn from all that... just some musings about a concept that made me think.