Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, Kentucky
After Jacob came from Paddan Aram (that’s the region where he lived with Laban), he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan and camped within sight of the city. For a hundred pieces of silver, he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the plot of ground where he pitched his tent. There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel (which means God the God of Israel – Jacob’s new name). ~ Genesis 33:18-20 So Jacob has moved just a hop, skip and a jump from Succor, on his journey towards home. I’m unclear as to why he purchased property here, but he is now just about in the center of the boundaries of the future Promised Land.
After setting up camp, the first thing Jacob/Israel does, is make an altar to the Lord, and acknowledges his new name and thus his intimate connection with the Father. Most of us don’t build actual altars these days, but how – and when – do you worship? Is worshiping and praising God the first, or last thing on your mind? Does he sit at the top of your ‘To Do’ list every day? Or do you put Him on there, and then skip over Him as you cross off everything else, and move Him to your ‘tomorrow’ list? Does ‘tomorrow’ ever come? Have you ever taken notice as to how your attitude and outlook on life changes when you spend time with the Father, as opposed to not?
We went for an approximately nine-mile bike ride today, but I’m not gonna tell you about how cold it was when we started out this afternoon. Oh come on, how cold was it? Fine. It was so cold that we were both wearing layers of coats, gloves and hats, jeans and cold-weather hiking socks. It was 46⁰. But it was sunny. But it was also breezy, and we were riding on bikes. I’m not gonna tell you that about 20 minutes in, I was huffing and puffing on even the smallest hills, and had removed my gloves and unzipped both my jackets. I’m not gonna tell you about how bright the sun was, and that I didn’t wear a hat because I needed my headband, or that this ended up being a form of strenuous exercise rather than fun for me, or that my pre-arthritic thumbs were aching a bit from shifting gears so often, or that my shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees and seat were competing for who could complain the most, or how embarrassed I was whenever someone would pass us because I appeared to be in sorry physical condition, or how guilty I felt because Blaine had to practically walk his bike beside me most of the time. I can’t tell you all these things because Blaine would consider it complaining, rather than the fact stating that it actually is.
But what I will tell you is that the Fall trees were gorgeous! And that my husband is so wonderful that even though I encouraged him to ride on ahead because I knew the way back, he refused because he said his purpose was to spend time with me.
I think maybe he was afraid to let me go home alone because he suspected I might poison his dinner . . . . .
Weird seeing Christmas lights already!