An update . . .

Monday, Monday (Ba da, ba da da da)
So good to me (Ba da, ba da da da)
Monday morning, it was all I hoped it would be
Oh, Monday morning, Monday morning couldn't guarantee (Ba da, ba da da da da)
That Monday evening you would still be here with me.

Pardon me if I wax poetic . . . but a morning appointment just cancelled, and I have some time to write a bit, then catch up on my Lenten Devotional readings for the week.

So . . . an update of sorts . . . catching people up with things . . .

I was given a copy of Today: The Family Altar, which is a daily devotional published by the Christian Reformed Church of North America. My copy is the March/April 2009 edition. Each month is written by one person, and laid out with a specific theme. For more info, click here.

After two months of some pretty bad lower back pain, I find that I am walking straighter and feeling much better these days. Anyone needing a good chiropractor in the Grapevine area cannot go wrong by giving Dr. Curtis Ratliff a call. For more info, click here.

Turns out the problem wasn't my back . . . it was my right knee. It was out of alignment.

I honestly didn't know such a thing was even possible!

I have lived for the past 7 years wearing a heal lift inside my right shoe . . . and it turns out, I didn't need the heal lift . . . but wearing it in my shoe was throwing me off-balance (out-of-alighnment) . Now, it seems to me, I am standing more erect . . . and can walk something which now resembles a straight line.

I am working to get back on my diet and a regular pattern of exercise. Two months of back pain will slow even the most die-hard exerciser down a bit. And, a die-hard exerciser I am not! I find that I am missing going on walks and hikes. Walking is indeed a "slow" form of travel in a world where speed is everything. Seems "getting somewhere" is the goal. I am slowly moving back into a mode where "the journey itself" is the reason for going somewhere. I am looking into getting a new mid-sized day pack . . . with the water so low . . . the shore of Lake Grapevine is beckoning to be walked.

I walked from the Goodyear place here in town to my church office earlier this morning. My car needed an oil change and lube . . . so I dropped it off and walked the 3-4 blocks to the church. Saw a "For-Sale" sign on a house I had not seen before . . . was waved at by several church members driving to or from volunteer duties and the church . . . and noticed a sign advertising the lunch special at a nearby restaurant. I heard a Cardinal (in Texas we call them "Red Birds") but couldn't see where is was. And of course, my binoculars where in the back seat of my card at the Goodyear place.

But . . . the point is . . . by walking . . . I noticed so much more about the 3-4 blocks between the Goodyear store and the church. Can't wait to walk back!

Yesterday was the 2nd Sunday in Lent. I have come to the point in my life where I truly appreciate the season of Lent. Probably because there is such a pinpoint focus to this particular Christian season . . . getting ourselves physically, spiritually, emotionally and relationally ready for Easter.

Not an easy thing to do. The biggest problem, for me, is working to get my bad habits out of the way. More on this later.

The First Church String Band will be having a spring benefit concert in either April or May. A date is not set-in-stone yet, although the "Executive Committee" of the band will meet for lunch this Thursday to make plans. Our rules for who is on the "Executive Committee" are pretty stringent . . . if you can make it for lunch, then you are on the committee!

I have the fishing bug so bad right now . . . and it won't go away until I make the time to go fishing some this spring. Hoping Thomas continues to heal from knee surgery, so he and Jim and I can get out on Lake Grapevine for some fast and furious white bass fishing. Last time out, we caught close to 100 fish in about two hours. That was a very, very fun outing, both in the excitement of catching fish, but also the good company of friends.

The problem with having the fishing bug, is my wanting to go to Academy, or Bass Pro Shops, or Cabelas to look at, touch, covet . . . and purchase new fishing lures. The thing is . . . I don't need any new lures . . . I have dozens I have purchased and never used yet. This is something I surely ought to get some counseling about.

The past week . . . I have been working on my yard . . . especially killing weeds. We have a lot of Texas native perinneals in our back yard . . . so spraying or spreading weed killer was out of the question. So, we adopted a basic approach. First . . . mow the grass and weeds really short to the ground. Then, we filled some sprayers with 20% vinegar, and individually begain spraying the weeds. I was amazed at the result when I looked out of the back window this morning. You can tell where we treated the yard . . . and can clearly see what section needs next to be treated. 20% vinegar is oranic, and there will be no residue in a week, or sooner if it rains this week as is forcast.

Spiritually . . . I am feeling close to God these days . . . I realized a week ago that I was not so much "tired / burned out" as I thought I was . . . but was rather in need of a new adventure or some sort of change professionally . . . based on my personal mission statement. Clarity is coming slowly . . . and with clarity . . . comes reduced stress about things I needn't have worried about in the first place.

God's grace still amazes me . . . ><>