Busy-ness

• We have been slightly overbooked.
• Wednesday -- Ash Wednesday services. We picked up the LH at work after a trip to the Mall to "Pica Pica" and the "Hello Kitty" stores. So cute, I was nauseated. Then off to Oglethorpe County via a very slow Burger King, Ash Wednesday service, complete with an almost disaster with the oil. Take LH to pick up his car, home by 11:00. Long day -- 8 hours on the road.
  
• Thursday -- rest for a while, chili and homemade bread for dinner, homeschooling, a bit of sermoning, housework and laundry.
  
• Friday -- a very good trip to the Aquarium the belt testing at Karate. Small amounts of sermoning for Sunday.
• Saturday -- slept late and sore from all the walking at the Aquarium and the long and hard Karate class. Sermoning -- this afternoon is a homeschoolers gathering, but I think I'll be preparing more on my sermon. Then the bulletins.

Sermon so far:

• There are no shortcuts through the wilderness. (joke about shortcuts)
• Sent into the wilderness by the very Spirit of God. (need something here)
• 40 days of Lent - 40 days in the Wilderness. (other experiences of 40 days)
• You have to deal with the desert, no shortcuts. (desert illustrations/ defn of desert)
• You have to deal with temptations, no shortcuts (other gospels -- Matt 4 and Luke 4 text spell them out.)
• You have to deal with the Wild Things, no shortcuts (illustrations about wild beasts; the story about the guy with the tiger in his apartments (need to find) -- what you "love" may end up killing you)
• BUT
• the good news -- you are not alone -- God'sown angels, his messengers will attend you. (you are never alone/ story about Native American boy who was undergoing his "manhood"ritual -- blindfolded, imagining all the wild beasts around him/ his father sitting nearby and watching over.)
• Segue to Communion