Counting down to vacation!

5 more days! It's going to be the best kind of vacation, going to stay right at home... sleep in late, watch lots of bad TV plus some better movies, eat lots of ice cream, go to bed even later...

I might even finish painting the living room and start the dining room. The paint job really started in 2003! No flashy colors. Just plain white... at least the paint manufacturer creatively named it Vienna Coffee/egg shell finish.

Guitar

I bought a guitar as a birthday present to myself several years ago, but haven't played it for many months. I was very recently reminded of the song, "As the Deer Pants for the Water," from Psalm 42 and decided to dust off the guitar to play it...


As the Deer Panteth for the Water

As the deer panteth for the water so my soul thirsteth after You
You alone are my hearts desire and I long to worship You

You’re my friend and You are my brother, even though You are a King
I love You more than any other even more than anything

You alone are my strength and shield, to You alone does my spirit yield,
You alone are my hearts desire and I long to worship You


The lyrics and the music are so beautiful. As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs for Jesus! Lord God, consume my thoughts with You alone!

Quote of the Day

What's worth living for is also worth dying for!
-Elisabeth Elliot

Dog days of summer!

I am counting down the days until vacation... three more weeks! This has been a frustratingly discouraging summer! I had intended and counted on the summer months to get some work done in the lab. But, set-backs and failed experiments have thrown kinks left and right. God is teaching me patience this summer, that's for sure!

Not quite certain where vacation will lead me. I was really hoping to get away. But, right now, sitting at home, watching TV, and taking afternoon naps sound real good, too!

Sigh... I do not mean to sound depressing. I just need to remember to keep my eyes on what's important... Jesus!

Here are verses to a new song that has really touched me of late...

Captivate Us (Watermark)

Your face is beautiful
And Your eyes are like the stars
Your gentle hands have healing
There inside the scars
Your loving arms they draw me near
And Your smile it brings me peace
Draw me closer oh my Lord
Draw me closer Lord to Thee

Captivate us, Lord Jesus
Set our eyes on You
Devastate us with Your presence
Falling down
And rushing river, draw us nearer
Holy fountain consume us with You
Captivate us Lord Jesus, with You

Your voice is powerful
And Your words are radiant bright
In Your breath and shadow
I will come close and abide
You whisper love and life divine
And Your fellowship is free
Draw me closer O my Lord
Draw me closer Lord to Thee

Let everything be lost in the shadows
Of the light of Your face
Let every chain be broken from me
As I’m bound in Your grace
For Your yoke is easy, Your burden is light
You’re full of wisdom, power and might
And every eye will see You

Gift

Mom and I were on our way to #1 Chinese grocery store on Saturday when her 1989 wagon stalled on I-95. It was scary at first to be stranded on the side of a major interstate highway. I quickly called AAA to request a tow truck. In God's providence, we pulled over to the side underneath a ramp to be able to wait in the shade, even though it wasn't really hot. The tow truck finally came after a good 45-minute wait. But the best part of this story was really the story of the truck driver he shared when he towed the car and us home. He had a friend who won a medical law suit for 14 million dollars. Out of the blue, this friend decided to use the money, pay off his house, and sell it to this tow truck driver friend for $1. What a nice friend! We could all use a little break every now and then. But it seems like our tow truck driver was desparate for one and seemed to deserve it more than anyone.

As for the wagon, Mom is finally letting it go. We'll probably donate it. It was having the same problem a couple of weeks ago. Mechanics thought they had fixed it. Apparently not...

Summer!

It's been just lovely weather-wise the past few days. I'm savoring every moment of these breezy, lazy summer days. The weathermen have promised hot, hazy, and humid days this week. Doggie loves to look outside to watch the neighborhood kids play and other neighborhood dogs walk by. She secretly wishes that a squirrel might come by for a visit, maybe even a chipmunk or two (she smells a family of them living underneath the deck). This is one of her favorite shady trees. The squirrels know better to scamper up this tree at the sight of Miss Doggie. Doggie would love to get her paws at one of these stinky squirrels, preferrably one that is height-challenged. What would she do if she actually catches one? Last summer, she managed to catch and kill 4 or 5 mice that got into the house. Doggie's definitely got the prey-predator instinct in her. Maybe she just likes the challenge of catching something small and furry.

Thunder and lightening

Doggie is scared to death of loud noises and sudden flashes of light. She runs away from clanging pots and pans and gets startled when dishes are being washed. She is terrified of thunder and lightening. It's kind of cute and all, except when she disturbs my slumber and jumps on my bed in the middle of the night. That's when it's not so cute. If she's by herself during the day when everyone's at work, at the sound of thunder, she'll clear a 4-foot gate and scampers around for help that she will not find. With her keen sense of hearing, she'll hear thunder coming from Pittsburgh (OK... maybe Harrisburg). Fourth of July and New Year's Eve are not on her list of favorite holidays. Firecrakers sound too much like thunder.

Chestnuts

This is our chestnut tree in the back yard (left). These are pictures from last year. Soon, we will see these funny pipe-cleaner-looking blossoms that smell horrible (middle). But, after that, little pods of chestnut fruits will begin to develop (right). Around late September-early October, these pods will have gotten to be about the size of a tennis ball. Inside each of them contains 2-3 big fat chestnuts. When the nuts fully ripen, the pods will crack and fall to the ground. If we beat the squirrels to them, it's delicious chestnut and chicken for dinner! Doggie's hair has detered the stupid squirrels from coming near the bottom of the tree. But, these pesty rodents are smart enough to jump from other trees nearby. If I had my wish, I'd wish for squirrels who are afraid of heights and who hate chestnuts! Can you tell that squirrels and I are not on friendly terms?

Hip replacement

Last Friday, I took a day off and went for a hike through a park. It was just lovely! I was so sore afterwards, felt like I needed a hip replacement. It was nice and relaxing nonetheless, and I love that woodsy smell. These pictures are not of the park I went to last Friday. These were pictures taken almost 2 years ago in Colorado, notice the aspen trees with the white trunks. There are no such aspen trees like these in Pennsylvania, nor huge tall mountains like the Rockies of Colorado.

DONE!

I have graded all my exams and lab reports and submitted all my grades for the semester. I am D-O-N-E!!! I am suprised to be this happy. It has been a long, hard academic year. I am glad it is finished and have already learned SO much, perhaps even more than my students, even more than what they have all learned combined! I look forward to making improvements and build up on the little bit of foundation I had laid.

Summer vacation... yes and no

I have no classes to teach this summer. I can't stay home all summer either. However, I call laboratory research work my play time, which is what this summer will be for me. So, it really will be summer vacation for me!

I am looking forward to taking a couple of days off here and there and spend at least one of them on a personal retreat. It'll just be me and Jesus!