...there should be no poor among you...

'That's where we need to be generous!' I said to myself.

I just did a paper on the book of Ruth in my studies. I think the research I did will be going through my head for a very long time to come.

God provided for the poor, the orphans, the widows and the foreigners.(Leviticus 19:9,10) Farmers were not to reap to the very edges of their fields or gather the gleanings of their harvest. "Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the Lord your God." Wow. 'I am the Lord your God'....we would do well to listen. So,the care of the poor depends on our generosity, doesn't it? It bothers me a lot that we live in such a wealthy society and the poor remain in the world, here on our doorstep and far away where we can't see them.

My daughter, bless her soul, challenged me just today. She and her husband are not giving gifts this Christmas and they wish not to receive any either.They have decided to give what they can to an organization that does effective work in Africa in lieu of gifts. Most people will go into debt to buy nice things for others who don't need anything, while so many on this planet don't have the basics to live properly. Time to shake some sense into our heads. I'm one to talk, I know. What am I going to do about this? A serious kick in the pants is needed! Get creative woman! I wrote a cheque for our little girl in Africa and said to myself, 'that's where we need to be generous.'
How do we leave the edges of our fields and the missed and fallen grapes of our bounty for those who really need them? We will have to answer for this some day.

"However, there should be no poor among you"...(Deut. 15:4)... No...kidding.

And...what's with this 'we' business? I...me...that's who's business!

'A'

I think I must have spent a thousand hours on the essay I just handed in today! Footnoting is cruel and unusual punishment. I was starting to cackle and mutter and shout,becoming slowly insane, until finally by about 1:30 in the middle of the night, I finished the confounded footnoting for my essay. There were spots before my eyes already and my stomach was hurting so I drank all the wine that was left in the bottle... and went to sleep. This morning I completed the bibliography, downed some 'breaky', rushed to school and had a great class. My prof is a wonderful teacher. She is so passionate about what she teaches and makes such good sense. I would love to take another course with her next semester instead of doing the next intro course with another professor. I'm going to talk to her about that since she is also my adviser. Good idea.
I got an 'A' on my first three summaries/response assignments! I started to cry. It was a touching moment. I can hardly believe it because all I have right now is a brain ache from all this thinking and studying and writing and footnoting. I'm going to have a restful time this afternoon. I'm not 'hit tin' the books today! My brain is going to think happy thoughts only. So there.

I'm all studied out. I'm all shook up. My head hurts and I had to rest my eyes before. A snore woke me. Is it possible to over study?
I think it may be, because my thoughts are empty right now.

Wednesday, November 7th

Just got back from girl's club. I thought I was done with that, but I can't seem to keep away from it. This year I'm teaching grade 5 girls. They are so much fun! They are so smart and so clever. I'm going to have to pull my socks to make sure they have a challenge or two. Next week is a special night when we can do what ever we want to.
I have to finish my 2500 word essay for school before then. Come Wednesday I'll be all done that so girl's club will be 'happy time' for me. We'll eat of course, play some games, make a graham wafer candy house, they were talking about a talent show...so I've got a few ideas to go on. Google has been very helpful. I found good jokes, tongue twisters and word games which were well received. I plan to look for some more stuff.
They are sweet girls.
Gotta go, I have to send that letter to my darling granddaughter!
It's Wednesday after all!

Don't give up

'I understand that an obedient dog is a joy to have,' I told my dog as he was doing the 'get the leash on' dance. He loves his leash and so does all he can to get a good grip on it before I attach it to him. He dumped the bean juice laden compose, and found it quite tasty. I had to get the tap on and wash the deck down. That done, I resumed the fight to get the darn leash on,finally wrestling him down, knee on chest and loping it on the clasp. Once that was on, he did the 'okay, let's go' dance, got the attached leash in his mouth and commenced taking me for my walk. We headed into the wind. I was surprised at the sudden burst and cold of the wind. A good amount of sleet was suddenly upon us so I abandoned my idea to go into the field behind the railway. Once around the block would suffice,I thought. Next time I will have to dress a little warmer, I thought. Now I'm sitting here dry and warm and wondering why I wasn't a little braver. I smell like dog. I'll have to change my clothes. He did walk nicely once we got to the less windy side of the bay. So if he would consider being good right from the start maybe I would have braved the weather and we should still be cavorting in that lovely field, sleet in our eyes, fur being shaken, but happy...he anyways.

fog horn

I'm getting alarmed at how long it takes me to do my assignments! At this rate, I may have to get up at 4 a.m. each night to study. I really need help to get this studying time thing down!
My son-in-law suggested that having a lot of time available isn't always that great because you tend to fill the time that you have. This is very true isn't it? A time crunch may be good. How do I accomplish that? Maybe I could designate times of no homework or maybe I'll have to get a part time job to force myself not to study. I do sit in perplexity a lot. (That is the far away land of confusion.) Someone, clear the air! Where are the concise thoughts I need?
I feel like a sailor on a big ship. I'm in charge and I don't know how to sail this ship. Maybe if someone would sound a fog horn, I could get my bearing. Where's my sailboard? I'm quite comfortable on that.

fragment sentence

It's November!!
Time is speeding by at an alarming rate!
Today I learned a bit about sentence fragments, run on sentences and misuse of commas. Interesting stuff! There's a fragment! And another! We write the way we talk and it will require effort on my part to make sure that my sentences are complete and proper. Now tell me, oh other scholarly peoples, was that a proper sentence? I'm starting to worry.
School is comfortably wonderful! I may never quit! Last night I figured out how to cut the time I take to summarize 30 pages in half, from 10 hours to 5 hours! I may be on to something! I also discovered that I will have to rewrite the first 2 advent Sunday skits and make them simple scripture readings instead. My sister has spoiled the people who plan Advent! I'm hoping it won't take too long to complete.

'Spell checker, spell checker, take you a seat,
won't it be neat, when you can see,
half of the words that you tell me to write,
don't even come close to ...good.
I'm trying so hard to say
the things that
are hard to say
and mean what
I want someone to
un..der..stand.
so please think harder and come up
with some better suggestions
then I will have
a better chance..at..it.
Spell checker spell checker
sing me a song.....don't let it be long...as this...is.