How to avoid packing!

Sorry to scare you Ieva. I am experimenting with the look of my blog. I don't think I like this one but it will do for a while. I have to come up with a new name and focus if I'm going to keep up the blog when I move to St. Louis. I don't think that life as a divisional secretary will be quite as exciting as the last 3 years have been, so I need some help. I want to keep writing but about what? And, suggestions for new names are welcome. No, Henrik, I'm not going to call it 'Meet me in St. Louis!'

I've been reading 'Stop Pretending' by Luis Palau. It is an excellent study of 2 Corinthians and would be a great small group study, especially for people in ministry/leadership. One of the things he says that really struck me is "When I start my day with a positive, joyful prayer to the Lord as the Apostle Paul prayed (2:14), I can even be with people who are negative without being negative myself." That is not a new thought but I guess it is something the Lord needed to get my attention about. I realized that I more often pray "Lord, this is going to be a hard day, please get me through it." Instead, I want to pray as Paul did "Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph through Jesus Christ." Positive, victorious, hopeful not beaten down before I start. I tried it today and it was one of those days! Well, a mixed up day I guess. The morning was spent trying to sort out some problems with the living arrangements for some of the new captains, not so much the practical stuff as the attitude stuff. Tonight I was supposed to go to see the new Die Hard movie with Marika and Linda, but that didn't work out. When I got home from the training school, I had a frustrating discussion with Ronalds about my toilet which still is not working. I was feeling more defeated than victorious. And what I really needed to do tonight was start packing. The movers come in 10 days! Fortunately Ilona RT caught me on messenger and convinced Ieva and I to come over for fresh baked strawberry cake. Hmm - packing or cake with I. and I.? Packing will eventually get done, spending time with friends is much more valuable these days. And I can always pack tomorrow - unless the sun is shining!

Ieva found some new faces for me in Liepaja: