Who am I & who I am 

What a challenging month this month of  September has been!

But, as someone has said, "Don't you worry darlin', we have pie." So yes, there are compensations & September offers one of the best comfort foods there is.

equals:

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It was a very dry winter & also a very dry summer & the 

was seemingly incessant day & night & EXTREMELY blustery! 

Also the heat was relentless day after day which I haven't seen in South Dakota in the forty-five years we've lived here. Though I watered my flowers sometimes twice a day, some of the foliage was burned to a crisp. Gardens suffered & the produce has been much less in our local farmer's markets. The peaches that we usually get have been very dry & the pears were non-existent so there was no canning this year which was a great disappoint. The thirsty land looked gold & tannish brown & ponds for livestock went dry. Miraculously, through much prayer, there have not been that many fires because the land & trees are a tinder box. However, we did have a fire on the mountain across from where we live in which we had to evacuate our home. Again, much prayer averted it's path & winds came to a standstill at times. Slurry bombers came & dropped their fire-retarding chemicals enabling fire rescue to do their jobs. However, for several days there were outcroppings of hot spots of flames & smoke, but the firemen came out & babysat these areas constantly. Finally, the long-awaited thirst quenching rains came & not only put out the fires for good, it caused vegetation to flourish again. The grass is such a lustrous green & soft enough to go bare-footed. It also ushered in some wonderfully cool weather & even the boisterous winds have been still & the last days of this month have been serene & restful. So, we said goodbye to the long, hot & challenging Summer of 2026 & 'Welcome' to the first  day of Autumn, both in September. 

& because of so many changes that have come into my life in these past  months, there's another 'face' to add to the multi-faceted "Who am I" that I am right now, which  are the following,

A Grandmother. (One of my favorites!)
The above picture is a long ago picture of two of my grandsons, brothers. This is one of my defined 'who I am'.

This also defines me. A cook, baker, meal maker! A lot of good things happen in this domain!! Oven lovin'!

Two ( The youngest of seven. Also many years ago...) of my children that define me as  'Mom'. (Also a 'Mom to a plethora of various kinds of animals over 45 years!)

I am also a follower of Jesus, daughter, sister, aunt, granddaughter, niece, & friend. Those are the noun identities. Now come the descriptive & action identities. I am a homemaker ( that has its' own magnitude of 'direct objects'!) , a minister of music, seamstress, party planner (& giver), decorator, gardener, & writer.  These are all in the here & now.

Now to add to my repertoire of 'Who am I's' & 'Who I am's' is 'Who I am becoming'. Although I have known & even memorized the following scriptures of the Bible, it doesn't follow that I have always been a good student or steward of practicing them in my everyday life. But because of a recent & very personal loss in my life, I asked the Lord how I was supposed to respond to it. It was very grieving & hard. This is what He immediately brought to my mind.

"I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives in me. & the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me & gave Himself for me."  

Galatians 2:20 

So, the Lord is calling me to a new step up level of  the "Who I am" to be lived as a daily lifestyle.

"If you then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth for you are dead & your live is hidden with Christ in God." 

Colossians 3: 1-3

So, the two new "Who I am's" is, I am crucified with Christ & I am risen with Christ. I know that this will definitely take grace & help of the Holy Spirit to incorporate into my brain & heart thus transforming my life. Knowing & memorizing these truths is not enough. They have to be obeyed. But Jesus said that His commandments were not burdensome to keep when we love Him. So the more we love Him, the more we want to do those things that are pleasing in His sight. & the more of His identity or 'Who He is' will be realized into 'Who I am'. I love that.

"For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh."

2 Corinthians 4:11

& with Jesus help, that is the "Who am I" I am becoming. 

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Raintree Perk of the Day:

"I am ( one of those easy 'Who I am's!) my Beloveds..."

Song of Solomon 2:16

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