faith without works?

"Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I'm here inviting outsiders, not insiders-an inviation to a changed life, changed inside and out".

I know that nobody is blogging here these days, so probably not reading- but I'm blogging anyway, that's really who the blog is for anyhow right?

So I've been contemplating for a while, are we really doing what we've been called to do? it seems all our 'ministry' is inward. Now, don't get me wrong, we have to build up the body and of course our children, but it seems we are always only ministering to ourselves, except for a few rare folks that wander in to us or those that minister to others on the job. Are we just playing church? We get in our little groups and live our little lives, not willing to be disturbed too much. Who's agenda are we running? So am I too focused on works? It's easy to think you are doing God's will as long as you are busy. yet, faith without works is dead (james 2:20) in fact, james 2: 14-26
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he have faith and have not works? can faith save him? (hmm works can't save ya either) if a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not htose things which are neeful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea a man may say, thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faithwithout they works and I will show thee my faith BY my works. .... but wilt thou know, O VAIN man, that faith without works is dead?... Ye see then (talking about Abraham offering isaac) how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only....so as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead"

Of course, my first thought is, 'well ministry to my family comes first', and that may well be true, but I think of the verses in the bible that also say to leave the family and pursue Christ and go OUT. Take care of your own house first, but do we put our family before God's will? I'm not sure...I'll have to study that out, but for now, what exactly is works??

Garden

Well it looks like no 6 foot tomatoes or giant cabbage again this year. The tiller broke, and he already fixed it once. He did get two rows in, but the soil does not look too hot, so we'll see how that does. IF the deer don't eat it all.:-P He wants to use commercial fertilizer but I think we need to build some natural stuff back into it. (We use fish guts, manure, etc). I also plan to start a composting bin-that'll be great to incorporate into the garden. We did manage a few tomato plants, some corn, squash and okra, but not a whole lot. So far no deer, but we'll see.

I've tons on my plate the next few weeks, makes me dizzy just thinking of it. District baseball tourny is next week (starting wednesday), I have 3 senior banquet type things in early may, stats final may 5th all my other finales, and a lab test may 10-12. (5 in a three day period). Dr.'s appt that thursday, Then family coming for graduation the next week, with the graduation party that sunday (and all the yard work and cleaning that goes with that), then graduation and then my surgery. Then I'll get a little rest, haha.

Spring Break??

Well, so far it's been crazy and I've gotten almost NO school work done. I've had lost of catching up to do. I thought I would get work done Friday, but I subbed for the coach and there was NO studying going on there, lol. I sub tuesday and wed. but I think it's for a regular teacher so I should get some work done. I've got to finish up my 'senior' project. (It's research and a 20 minute presentation. It's proving to be a lot more work this go around than my 10 minute talk. I'm looking at Senior pictures today (well supposed to she has called me back to confirm), run a few errands, then baseball game tonight. I hope to get the bulk of my project done. Then I sub tues and wed. I hope to get my genetics done and study invert. a little. Plus read my assigned book for genetics. I also have statistics homework to do. Thursday the piano is getting tuned and then I have to go for my mammogram. Friday is grocery day and more baseball. We have a game tomorrow but I'll probably miss that one.

I've decided not to get the satellite. standard install would have been free, but of course with all these trees it's just not that simple. I just can't justify paying several hundred dollars for internet. I found out I can get an antenna to boost my aircard (which is working better btw), so that will have to do. I just ordered it, so I hope it's here soon. One day I'll get it when I don't have so many other needs. Senior year is just plain expensive!

We had a nice shopping day yesterday afternoon. I would have liked to have more time, but that was my own fault. I should have kept my first appt sat and then we could have gone. I guess the game would have kept us home though, even if it was later. Amberly got some square toe boots and new tennis shoes. I got new running shoes and some shirts. Jr. got some jeans and shorts and Blake got new bedding and some shorts. I still have a few things to do, probably on friday. I hope to be able to run at least one day a week. My feet feel ok, so I'm gong to see how it goes.

The sore throat and swollen lymph node are back, but I just feel it's a waste to go to the Dr. It's probably allergies and if I happened to have gotten the mono that's going around, there's not really anything he can do. But we'll see, I might cave.

Dh is taking his BP meds, I was worried he wouldn't be a good patient. I still wish he would try harder to exercise and lose weight, but I can't make him!
Grace has found out she can perch on the back of the couch and peer out the window, that is her new favorite place (besides my lap). Well that's a long enough blog, especially considering no one is on here anymore and it probably won't even get read, lol.

Time to breathe

I've got time to breathe for a little while. I still have plenty to do, but no major tests next week. This is catch up time, and I am looking forward to it. I am happy with my decision not to go to the retreat, because I would not be able to catch up on anything, not even the house -much less get ahead in schoolwork.

I would like to spend the entire day cleaning, but I know what ever school work I want to get done, I better do it today and tomorrow. I'll do some light cleaning, but major cleaning is better done saturday. I do have to run a few errands, go see the tax lady so we can finish up, do the boy's taxes, go close accounts at Wells Fargo (we have moved to milway), and pick up some liver (to catch a "Planarian" out of the pond. I've got to pay bills also. I need to pick up my running shoes and go get a therapeutic massage for my neck, put in my graduation form for my associates and get some scholarship forms for Jr., but I don't like going to town on my day off and waste that time, but then I never seem to find the time when I am already there *sigh*.

I'm really enjoy my laptop and camera. I think I have the best pictures in the whole class. It is such a blessing!

I've got tons of stuff to do for class, read & outline the next few invertebrate chapters (oh and there were 7 chapters on the last test, not 6, I just forgot to read it!), two assignments for statistics (got a B on the test so I need to do more hw this time), read and study the chapter in biotech, boy were several of us lost monday! Those that have already had cell biology are at and advantage. We are starting labs for a while, which is going to be fun. I'm collecting those Planarians and whatever else I can find in the ponds, in the ground, whatever it takes to get ahead on critters also. It would be nice for warmer weather to do it in, sure would have been nice to do it last weekend!

sleepless in seattle?

UGH, the dog has kept me up for two nights barking. She has her days and nights mixed up. Otherwise she is doing well. I guess you might be wondering what dog? We 'adopted' Nikki rain's pomearnian. Blake has been asking for one and I thought that might make up to Blake for losing Freckles. She's working out pretty well. She's fairly well potty trained, not complete, but close. She is really cute and sweet. I di'nt like he rat first, she is just not Freckles, but she grows on you. Blake named her Grace.

So I sat at school for four hours in between classes yesterday, but I was too tired to really get anything done. Then my night class lasted like 10 minutes, which was great. But I wish I had tried harder bcause I have a mountain of laundry that apparantly only I can fold, lol. I have a dr.'s appt at 10:30, then I have to go to the testing center and take my statistics test, go to the lab and print of some stuff, hopefully have some time to study for my test tomorrow, go to my class at 2:45, then come home and go straight to the pagaent practice. I thought I'd fold clothes this morning, but I tink I better use what little time I have to study and fold the clotes tonight because studying at night just does not work for me. It's a good thing I don't need full alterness for statistics. I could take it tomorrow, but it would be late wednesday and I know I'll be tired then. I think I made an A on the lab test, but the lecture test I don't think I'll get an A on. I just haven't had enough time to study it all, but it really depends on which direction he goes. Some of it I know from the lab stuff. I'm praying he picks to the two essay question that I am guessing. Oh well, I better get with it! OH BTW, I assume NO ONE is blogging because I have no updates except for cakes?

breathe in breathe out

Well, the 'beginning of semester freak-out' is upon me, I am starting to calm down though. I think I will be stuck at home studying a lot more this semester. I was panicking monday, thinking I would have to drop a class. Invertebrate is a handful and so is genetics. I'm on day 3 of studying for my invert lab test(monday) and then the lecture test (wednesday). I also have a statistics test (tues) and a quiz in biotech (monday night). Then next week I'll have a test in Genetics (which is all problem solving yuck) and in biotech (probably both monday , but hopefully genetics will be wenesday. I should be ready for a break when the ladies meeting comes around! That's really good timing, so unless something comes up, I should be able to go. I really hope it works the same for the You and your girl conference. It looks like I should just be finishing round two of testing. That would be awesome. A friend of mine wrote a book called "My soul does sing", it's very small, but I don't see it getting read for a while with all this school work!

Tonight we are going to dinner and a movie with the Bate's and the kids are going to a movie. They have to bring chaperones of course, the more --the better, lol. Blake is stuck at home babysitting Amberly. Monday will be Jr.'s turn unless she goes to work with Dad.

Well, I better get busy so I can go to church and not wait until 5:00 to leave for the date tonight!

ACK

Ok, it's freak out time now. SOOO much to do. Invertebrate is going to be a very busy class. I picked up a new camera and a mini laptop which will help me out at school. Getting those last pic's was a nightmare, my old camera just didn't want to cooperate. It's going to be a busy week. I've got to start studying for invertebrate, it's going to be a lot of work to keep up with this class. PLEASE if you find any invertebrates (in water or on land) keep them for me. I need a total of 100 for a test grade and they are hard to find. Praying for the weather to warm back up.

We had lunch with Dennis and Rachel yesterday. She was looking pretty good, but definetly still tired. We didn't stay very long, I could tell she just wasn't up to chatting and was ready to chill. Please keep her in your prayers.

I did manage to get my haircut friday. I would have turned around and went to the hospital if I had known I wouldn't be in Dennis's way, lol. I woke up this morning thinking it was sunday. I hate missing church on Sunday, but I was at the hospital most of the weekend and had to catch up and I wanted to have lunch with the Bates since they couldn't make it to church. I better get busy, I'll blog more later. I need to read a whole cahpter this morning and do my devotion and exercise, all by 9:30 (not to mention shower and make my lunch)..... have a blessed day!