Happy Friday!

And happy beginning to the Memorial Day Weekend. Today in my classroom we talked about Memorial Day and what it means. One of my students even sported a t-shirt with an American Flag on the front. We studied famous American symbols throughout the day. Our gratitude, thoughts and prayers are with our military forces both currently serving and with the families of those who lost their lives for our freedom.

Hebrews 13:5 “And be content with such things as you have for He has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.”

For the last 40 days I have been on a weight loss program. The weight loss program was very restricted. It was pretty much small amounts of protein, leafy vegetables and a small assortment of fruit; four selections to be exact, no breakfast and lots of water. This program allowed for no dairy (which meant no cheese!), a tablespoon of milk per day was allowed but not required. In 40 days I lost a total of 18 pounds. I was very excited and can tell a difference in my clothes and how they fit. But this was really hard, but for the sake of better health I was willing to endure this for 40 days.

Now I have entered the phase of maintenance. WOW! It is really awesome. I can have pretty much anything I want with the exception of starches and sugar. So today I have eaten cheese and had an iced coffee from Starbucks with 2% milk! These things tasted so wonderful. For 40 days I was content to endure a very limited food plan and now most of the restrictions have been lifted. I look at the 40 days (a very interesting amount of time!) as a time of preparation for living a healthier lifestyle. I prayed a lot during the last 40 days especially when temptations were pretty powerful!

Noah and his family were under a downpour for 40 days. Moses crossed the desert in 40 days. Jesus was in the desert for 40 days. In all three of these time frames, God prepared these men and in the case of Noah for how they were to live once they had completed their 40 days in exile. Noah, his family and all of those animals were in exile as their friends and neighbors died in the flood. Moses had been exiled from Egypt, Jesus had been exiled into the wilderness (outside the walls of Jerusalem) and set apart, alone so that He, just like Noah and Moses could hear God very clearly without distraction. God spent that time teaching these men His purpose for their lives and returned them to where God needed them; Noah to begin life anew with his family, Moses to learn the way of servanthood through the priesthood of the family of Levi and Jesus to begin the walk of salvation to the cross. Even though each of these men seemed alone at the time, God never left them. They may have walked rough roads and experienced loneliness, but the God of love never left them for He has absolute radical, passionate love for those with whom He trusts to further the kingdom.

The next time we feel alone and experience loneliness for whatever reason remember how much the God of love loves us and desires friendship and a close relationship with each of us. This God of love cares so much for each of us that all we have to do is call His name and He will be there never forsaking us.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes, count your blessings and say your prayers. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.