Slip sliding away...

Even though there was a blinding snow storm that followed an ice storm, Bettina's flight out of Fort Wayne was not canceled.  Driving to the airport was nerve-wracking, but driving home alone was a tad worse.  I called someone and had her chat with me as I crawled home.  I am fairly certain nearly every other driver out on the roads yesterday was certifiable, for they were speeding around me as if there were not inches of ice and snow and slush on the roads.

My time with Bettina was simply blissful.  My, does she make a good bum!  We did not go anywhere but church and hardly played games compared to our usual cramming in of all things competitive.  She did have the gall to beat me at Skipbo. That is my game!  We watched TV and a movie and cleaned up after Amos (he is not all that intelligent about where to do his business).  My beloved Bettina also carted upstairs all my laundry and let me watch NASCAR on Sunday (as well as a few naps during all those laps around the track).  Bettina trimmed my hair, not snickering when I told her only 1/32 of an inch, and she helped me trim Amos' around his eyes so that he could see better.  She built truly spectacular fires and did not chide me for being absolutely ridiculous about eating what I definitely should not be consuming.

I simply couldn't resist.

I am still regretting that choice...though the memory of tasty food...despite the agony of my innards...is still tempting.  Someone should put a lock on my refrigerator!  Though...I was good today and had only Activia and eggs.

Amos has started attempting the stairs.  On the main staircase, he gets to the landing and then whines for a rescue.  On the servants' staircase, he makes it to the fourth step before panic sets in and he grows distressed.  If...and I stress if...his momma remembers to take him outside regularly, all is well.  If his momma forgets, he has no problem taking care of business either right by the front door or on the other side of the dining room table.

Oh, my, and when he is ready for a nap, he becomes a very, very disobedient puppy who believes he should bite everything, including any pants legs that might be hanging down in his view and any reading glasses that might be lying about on the coffee table (antique trunk).  What kind of dog wants to chew on reading glasses?  Ah...but, when he is not overly tired, he is such a lovely lump of snuggly puppydog.

I will say that, having broken the cardinal rule of puppydom, I have not had a single nightmare since Amos started sleeping with me.  The strange thing is that he does not wake me up.  The first few nights, he slept on a pile of pillows near my head, but now he curls up at my back.  A tiny lump of warmth that is remarkably comforting.

Kashi, my beloved buttercup, took to the crate immediately and stayed in it for nearly three years.  Even before I had Amos sleep with me, he has objected to his puppy cave and most assuredly does not find it safe.  When he is stressed, accidents happen.  So, it is good that the new washing machine was delivered.

Amos' new favorite pastime is staring at himself in the vanity mirror that is resting on the floor awaiting a proper hanging.  He even gives himself kisses!

So, all things Amos and Bettina are still on my mind.  That...and a new book a pastor sent me:  Just Words.  It is on the sweet, sweet Gospel.  He is hoping it might help me better understand that which is elusive to me, so twisted is my understanding between errant teaching and my past.

I asked him to pray for a situation I am facing, pray for God's will, but to hope with me that what I long for might be the path He has for me.  The pastor responded that he has learned to pray specifically for the things we believe we need, but to not only pray for God's will, but also the strength to accept His will and the ability to follow where He leads.  "Indeed it is a faith question again and here we can see it is definitely not a faith that we create but we really need Him to give us the faith to trust Him."

Here I am supposed to be helping him with his mission and he's the one who ends up doing the helping!


Lord, I believe.  Help my unbelief!