Milestones

October is a month of celebration in our family because my son and mom both have birthdays. 

I've been telling people that I'm now the proud owner of an adult since my son just turned 18. He's at that age where he'd rather be with his friends, but I was so happy he allowed me to treat him to lunch that day. <3 He seems very responsible. He even went to vote early because he is in school all day on election day. This week he's going to complete his application to the US Air Force Academy and in about 5 months, we will know where he will be studying next year!

My mom turned 75, so we had lunch out with some of the family. My dad told the waitress that mom was almost 100. That cracked me up! We had a meal, cake and sat around talking. No one was a in a big hurry to leave, except the 18-year-old who had already made other plans. ;) Mom is doing great! She takes good care of herself and dad. 

I'm so happy we got to celebrate both of these milestone birthdays! So for our October babies...

Psalm 20:4 May He grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans!

Sick, Bummer

I had been on the road so much this month, pushing as hard as I could, until my body said, "Really?" On Tuesday (while in Athens) the sneezing began. Just a little at first, it grew to sneezing fits by the evening. I couldn't really stay out of work, but I ended up leaving early on Wednesday. The Kleenex box was my constant companion and I wondered if I had enough hand sanitizer to make it to mid-afternoon. Needless to say, I skipped Backpack Love that evening and headed home to rest. 

My son got home at 8 p.m. for one last study session, getting ready for a calculus test. By 9, he released me from tutor duty and I was able to hit the hay. By the next morning, I was feeling better. By Friday, I was almost back to normal. So thankful it wasn't a lingering virus. 

Proverbs 18:14 The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit? 

It's good to know that our physical sicknesses are only temporary and we can push through most of them. However, the important thing is to build up our spiritual health. Just like exercise and good food for our bodies, we need to give our spirit daily Bible reading and prayer.

Travel

Does traveling throw off your schedule like it does mine? I'm in the midst of the busiest work-travel period I've ever had. From October 3rd through the 16th, I'm away from home for 9 days. I've had an overnight in Macon and 4 nights in Savannah. I'm leaving by 6:30 in the morning for Macon again, then I'll be in Athens on Tuesday. It's like I'm doing a tour of the state of Georgia. :D

And while I was away, Hurricane Michael made landfall in Florida; an unbelievable category 4 hurricane. I was in Savannah at the time and was contacted by multiple people as to whether I would return home early. I looked at the estimated path and determined that leaving early would actually place me in the path of the storm. So I didn't change my plans as overnight the tropical storm passed between my location and home. In fact, as a left the following morning for home, the roads were clear and I had the safest, fastest ride I've ever experienced returning from Savannah.

It made me think about how we react to impending storms. We rush in and try to prevent them from happening or somehow try to lessen their severity. Sometimes just waiting for God to lead us would be like me waiting for the storm to pass. I sometimes jump into the fray of a problem and get overwhelmed when perhaps I should just wait for God to show me the best way to pass through.

Psalm 107:23-31 Those who go down to the sea in ships,...they see His wonders in thee deep. For He commands and raised the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea. They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul melts because of trouble...and are at their wits' end. Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm,...so He guides them to their desired haven.