Five Thoughts

This post is going to be a bit of everything. My brain is zipping around with information this morning. I'm not saying any of it will be useful, or even entertaining, but it's there and it must come out. This is the best place for that to happen. Poor Bruce can only take so much, you know what I mean?

First, "Rendition" was a decent movie. Good, even. Violent though. And it had some distinct political undertones that left me wondering if it wasn't just one more Hollywood attempt to diss our current president. But other than that, there was one point in the movie, near the end, that Bruce and I both sat up straighter, glanced at each other and went, "Whoa! What just happened here?" And he and I both appreciate a movie when that happens. If you watch it, though, pay attention from the get-go. There are a bunch of characters to follow.

Second topic, my grandpa. He seems to be getting better. My dad says the coughing from the pneumonia is calming, finally. Grandpa is allowed to drink straight water again, and not strictly that thickened version that he detests. His appetite seems to be improving because he's asking my dad to smuggle him in some beans and 'taters. Still, he continues to belligerently ask to go home. I asked Dad to get grandpa a phone hook-up so that maybe he'll calm down a bit about being there. He can't see to watch the TV, and he can't have his radio in his room because he has to listen to it so loudly to hear it that he'd disrupt everyone's day. A phone seems like a good distraction. Plus, I'll be able to call him again everyday.

The one area that seems to be a problem right now is that grandpa is very weak, and he has tremendous pain in his knee from arthritis, so he's not doing his physical therapy. And if he doesn't do that, he won't be on his feet any time soon, which means he won't go home. He's getting a cortisone shot today, so hopefully that will help.

Third, I'm very excited about the new Beth Moore Bible study, "Stepping Up: a Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent." I'm going to lead it this summer at our church. I have not delved greatly into the Psalms, and I'm making myself wait to look over the material until closer to the date we start. Otherwise, I might spend a whole day doing nothing but that study, and my family needs to eat sometime.

Plus, I need to prepare for Vacation Bible School first. It's the week before the Beth Moore study starts. It's best that I pace myself.

Fourth, since I've already plugged one of my favorite Christian women, I'll do the same for another. Karen Kingsbury. I just finished her latest book, "Someday". Super, as always. I can't say enough good things about this author. Her books are so realistic, the characters become your friends (but not in the strange way that you might actually talk to them when nobody is watching. I do think about them for days after finishing a book though.). Kingsbury puts in the perfect dose of faith. It's realistic and inspiring without being preachy. If you haven't read any of her books, start with the first book in the Redemption series, which is called "Redemption".

Fifth, right now I'm reading "THR3E" by Ted Dekker. Bruce said, "That doesn't seem like your typical read." And he's right. I actually bought the book for him, but he's too busy right now with school reading to read for pleasure. I like to shake myself up a bit on occasion, and this author was recommended by some of my favorite authors. I'm thinking this will be more like a Frank Peretti book, but I'm not far enough into it to tell yet. (When I was a new Christian, I read several books by Peretti and they are eye opening in regards to spiritual warfare.)

Okay, there's still more stuff floating around up there in my head, but it's time to get this day started, so it's off the computer I go.