I Remember You

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I'm weighing in late on this Memorial Day.  This day to remember and honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to guarantee freedom in this (still) great nation.  This day to also remember and honor all those who've passed this way before us and left their imprint on us.

Today, I'd like to combine the honoring and the counting of blessings by remembering a few of those, who even though they're gone, continue to influence me.

81.  Pappy....my grandfather, who taught me to laugh no matter how tough life gets and to appreciate antiques.

82.  Nana....my grandmother, who taught me to take the time to appreciate this wonderful world we live in, all I know about plants, and how to cook the old-fashioned, homestyle (but not necessarily healthy) way.

83.  Dad....who taught me to always be nice, always be honest, always do my best and that if I want something to work for it. .

84.  Uncle Cake....who taught me what reliability and gentleness look like and that there are always two sides to a story.

85.  Mom Artis....my mother-in-law, who accepted me unconditionally as one of her own and was my champion and rock in the early days of marriage.

Mixin' It Up on Monday

Here we are in the midst of another Monday.  It's a rather cold and snowy one here, but I'm feeling thankful that the roads are clear.  The road crews were out and on the job bright and early this morning.  Thanks, guys...you are my winter heroes!  Just remember to be out there tomorrow if/when the predicted snow storm hits.  Sounds like it's going to be a mess with some significant accumulation.  And God....if you could time it so that it either doesn't start until the kids are home or hits at the right time to call a cancellation, that would be awesome.



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Still flying high here after a great weekend.  Tim was off on Friday (he's going to be working 4 10-hour days until work picks up) so in between my morning and afternoon bus runs I rode along with him to Home Depot to get some materials he needed at the church and we had an early lunch at Bob Evans.  Saturday Tim went to church with me.  It was the first time in quite a while.  Not only did he enjoy it, he was able to talk to and be friendly with the ones he was so upset with just a short time ago.  I don't know what happened at that breakfast with our pastor's husband and another friend, but Tim has a whole new outlook and attitude.  Thanks and praise to God!  Tim even went with me to the baptism service yesterday, which ended up taking most of the afternoon instead of just the hour or so expected....and again, he enjoyed himself.  He isn't, however, going to be attending Tuesday night Bible study with me like he'd promised.  I'm okay with that, though.....because while he was at church he heard the men talking about their Thursday night class that is starting this week.  It's a class to train men on how to be leaders at home and in the church.  Tim decided he'd rather do that.  I'm thrilled and so proud of him for turning his anger around so completely.


 
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I've been doing a lot of thinking about the blog lately.  I've shared some of it in earlier posts.  I still want to shake up the look, but first I have to decide if I am going to keep the same name or change that, too.  I pitched out a couple of ideas here and to friends.  There wasn't much response to them.  I don't think I put my favorite idea on here....I thought of calling the blog Trailerhood: Tales from a Double-Wide Paradise.  I had cute ideas for each page.  The main blog would be The Front Porch, links to other blogs would be Socializin', archives would be Up On Blocks, Killin' & Grillin' would be about cooking, The Li'berry would be about books....  Well, you get the idea.  It's cute, but a friend and I wondered if it wasn't TOO cute and might be a real turn-off for anyone that didn't already know me.

So, I came up with a few more:

• Baggage Claim
• Notes to Self
• Set This Circus Down
• If I'm Over the Hill, Shouldn't the Pedaling Be Easier? 

Then this weekend on my Saturday Share post I gave the links to two of my former blogs that still exist out there in the blogosphere.  For some reason they didn't get deleted when their time was up.  I just thought they'd be fun to look at.  I ended up getting caught up in the one, though.  It was and still is probably my favorite of all time.  It was after the "church implosion" but I was seeking and growing and basically pretty happy with life.  It showed.  I was stunned as I sat reading to realize how different I am from the woman blogging back in 2006.  All I can say is a LOT of water has gone under the bridge in the last 6 or 7 years.  That blog was called The View From the Porch Swing and in my very first post I wrote this:

**** commented that this blog has a real "Mayberry feel" to it. Being the Mayberry devotee that he is, it doesn't surprise me that he picked up on where I'm hoping to head with this blog.....simple, hometown and friendly. I want it to be like a neighborly visit over the back fence or a hug from the older lady at church that's always glad to see you or a cold slice of watermelon on a summer day. Nothing exciting, just one of the things that makes life nice and puts a smile on your face. 

I succeeded.  That little blog that only lasted 6 months had that feel.  I felt good writing it and the people who visited it said it made them smile, too.  THAT is what I believe I want to recreate here.  I'm still thinking of names, but the one that is jumping out at me is A Mayberry Soul and there's a reason for that.  Also taken from the old blog:

A Mayberry Soul

Becky Freeman is one of my favorite Christian writers. Her light-hearted thoughts on serious matters so often reflect what's going on in my own head. Take for example her book, A View from the Porch Swing. I picked it up today, prompted by the recent changes in my blog, and started rereading it for the first time in several years. Opening those pages was like meeting up with a good friend I hadn't seen in a while and delighting in getting to know her again. It's too hot to visit on the porch this afternoon so ice-cold tea and the livingroom sofa had to do....

Becky: I was sharing with my mom the other day how I want to know how I can live out the rest of my days with a greater sense of laid-back joy.
Me: Holy cow! Stop the presses! That is exactly what I am looking for in my life. Did your mom offer any insight?
Becky: Well, she said she understood what I meant.
Me: Really?
Becky: Yeah. It surprised me, too. She said she was watching an old rerun of The Andy Griffith Show the other day and there was this scene where Barney and Andy were sitting on the front porch swing, chatting and chuckling and stopping here and there to sigh at the stars. She said something inside of her jumped and she thought, "We aren't doing enough sitting and swinging and shooting the breeze anymore."
Me: Wow. I understand that. It's peaceful. I want peace in my life. What do you want, Becky?
Becky: I want to swing on the porch, glide back and forth in an easy rapport with my husband and kids and friends. I want to prop one leg up, lie back, look at the stars - and shoot the breeze with the One who made them. I want to slow down, simplify - be at home in my own head. What I need is a Mayberry Soul!

A Mayberry Soul. I like that.

Are you tired? Worn out?...Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly. (From Jesus' invitation, Matt. 11:29,The Message)

I've even got ideas for blog design if I run with this.  What do you think?  Would you like to sit on the porch and visit with this Mayberry Soul?  Or is the Trailerhood (or something else entirely) more your style?

Talk to me!



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And last, but not least on this snowy Monday....I've decided to start counting the things I have to be thankful for again this year.  I'm off to a late start and Ann Voskamp isn't doing 1000 Gifts link up on Mondays any more or at least not the same way so I'm just going to do it on my own on Mondays because I think it's a good idea.

1. A funny guinea pig video shared by a daughter.  Made me laugh.
2. A poodle who appears NOT to be in heat after all.  We thought she was yesterday based on how the male dog was acting...not a happy thought because she's already been spayed.  Today everyone is acting "normal."
3. Road crews who get out there at the butt-crack of dawn and clear the snow and salt the roads.
4. Seven people who got baptized yesterday!
5. Wedding soup for lunch.
6. Orders packed up and ready to deliver from my Thirty-One party.  Only thing on back order is mine.
7. Duck Dynasty!
8. Long-johns.....hey it's cold!
9. The promise of mild weather by the end of the week.
10. Cake with sprinkles IN it.

Decisions, Decisions

All this snow and cold has all of us longing for summer vacation...especially since we're going on a real vacation this year.  It's the first time since 2006!  How ridiculously overdue are we?  We are going to the beach...and yes, I know there are beaches other than Assateague Island, VA/MD, but Chincoteague Island is my happy place and that's where the wild ponies are.

Megan has requested a house on the water.  Tim and I are not fans of condos so that limits the choices.  We aren't rich, which limits them more.  And finally, we don't want to be too far away from everything else just to have water in the front/back yard.

This house was our first choice:

See all the pics here.

Unfortunately, the house booked in the last week for the dates we wanted.  Sigh.  So now I am waiting for information on two other houses.

This one:

Click here for more pics and info.

And this one:

Click for pics and info.

Gorgeous, no?  I can't imagine if the other is booked solid for the summer already that either of these will be available.  So, I'm starting to consider Plan B.  Plan B involves giving up a house on the water and finding one in town.  With Plan B we could walk to everything but the beach and marina.  Plan A would have required driving or biking everywhere.

Plan B has me looking at this house:

Click here and on the site scroll through the property listings for Poppy's House.

This house:

Click for pics and info.

And this house (which is the one we stayed in last time):

You know the drill to see more pictures.

No matter how it turns out I am just beyond thankful that we get to go when times are hard for so many.  I'm also thankful that one of Tim's sisters and her husband will be going with us.  It's going to be so much fun....and I am going to soak up every precious drop of sunshine I can to make up for these darn Pennsylvania winters!

Finding Joy

Newtown, Connecticut....Sandy Hook Elementary School....6 brave teachers and administrators....20 precious children.  A tragedy that has rocked the nation.  As we seek to understand we ask hard questions:  "Why?"  "How could this happen?"  "Should we take guns away or arm our teachers?"  "Where was God?"  We also seek someone to blame:  the parents and their divorce; medical, social, and school systems that didn't identify the risk or "fix" the shooter; anyone who knew something was "off" and didn't do anything; God.

I join with everyone in weeping for the pain and heartache left behind for the families and friends, but as a believer and follower of Jesus, I rejoice today because I can take comfort in knowing that those 20 precious lives are in Heaven today.  They will never know pain again, only the absolute joy of being near the Father.

There's a poem going around on Facebook that offers comfort to those who believe it....

twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38

when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.

their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.

they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.

they were filled wit

h such joy, they didn't know what to say.

they remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.

"where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.

"this is heaven." declared a small boy. "we're spending Christmas at God's house."

when what to their wondering eyes did appear,

but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.

He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.

then He opened His arms and He called them by name.

and in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring

those children all flew into the arms of their King

and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,

one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.

and as if He could read all the questions she had

He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."

then He looked down on earth, the world far below

He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe

then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,

"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"

"may this country be delivered from the hands of fools"

"I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"

then He and the children stood up without a sound.

"come now my children, let me show you around."

excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.

all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.

and i heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,

"in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."

I know it's hard and our grief is still raw, but I'm asking and reminding everyone to please, please remember the family of Adam (the shooter) in your thoughts and prayers as well.  It is tempting to hate and lay blame, but they have lost two members and they have to not only deal with that, but also the knowledge of what one of their own has done.

Don't let anger and pain turn us into something we're not.  Turn off the news and stop focusing on and rehashing it all over and over.  Do some volunteer work in your community.  Give of yourself and turn your eyes instead to the good things of this world and to the One who gives them.  Let that be your focus as we enter this blessed and joyous season of celebrating Christ's birth.

When A Dream Is More Than a Dream

I very rarely remember my dreams.  It's because I'm a deep sleeper, I guess, and I seem to be getting worse.  Alarm clocks have been waking me up since I was 7 years old, but this summer, for the first time I began shutting off the alarm when it went off for my husband and having no memory of it.  Just a few nights ago I apparently had an entire conversation with my daughter....while sound asleep.  I have no memory of it at all.  So, when I do remember a dream it tends to stand out and the dream is probably a doozy.

We've been learning about God speaking to us through dreams and visions in Tuesday night Bible study.  General consensus is that He chooses to tell us things in dreams because it's the only time we're quiet and still....particularly in this busy age.  In the past I've had a few dreams that Freud would have had a field day with, but I can't say I've ever had a dream that I thought or knew came from God.  Then the other night I had this dream....

I was at an old church...just the little, white, country type and there were a lot of people I didn't know, but some I did.  I was in a small room that was very crowded with people sitting in a circle for I believe, a Sunday school class.  The teacher was across from me and a little to the left.  He was the stereotypical jewish man from television and movies.  It was noisy and everyone was talking, but the teacher said, "Stacy, would you read Psalm 24 for us."  I said I didn't have my Bible and asked to borrow one.  Someone handed me a very, very old Bible, the kind you can picture a monk hunched over, pain-stakingly scripting each letter.  The cover was tattered and the parchment pages delicate.  I turned to Psalms and I kept flipping through the pages, but I couldn't find Psalm 24.  The teacher said, "It's Psalm 24."  I was frantically flipping the pages back and forth.  Finally, I looked and Psalm 25 was there.  I flipped the page and Psalm 23 was there, but no Psalm 24.  I looked at the teacher and said "It's not here.  The page is missing.  It's been torn out or fell out."  At that point, someone handed me a new Bible and I turned to Psalm 24 and asked the teacher, "Psalm 24, right?"  He nodded and I looked down to read and that's when I woke up.

As I woke up from the dream I told myself it was important and that I must remember it.  I ran over it again in my mind trying to remember each detail.  The most important thing to remember seemed obviously to be Psalm 24, a scripture I've read, but can't say I've ever studied so was not overly familiar with it.  When I got up in the morning I did two things.  I fired off an email to my Bible study teacher whom I trust and to whom God has given a lot of knowledge and understanding.  I wanted her take on my dream.  The second thing I did was read Psalm 24.  In several different translations.  It's a very powerful scripture.  I'd like to share the version found in The Message with you.  While not the most accurate translation language-wise, The Message often gives the best understanding of the feeling of a scripture.  This is one of those times...let your mind picture the scripture as you read.

God claims Earth and everything in it,

God claims the World and all who live on it.

He built it on Ocean foundations,

laid it out on River girders.

Who can climb Mount God?

Who can scale the holy north-face?

Only the clean-handed,

only the pure-hearted;
Men who won't cheat,
women who won't seduce.

God is at their side;
with God's help they make it.
This, Jacob, is what happens
to God-seekers, God-questers.

Wake up, you sleepyheaded city!
Wake up, you sleepyheaded people!
King-Glory is ready to enter.

Who is this King-Glory?
God, armed
and battle ready.

Wake up, you sleepyheaded city!
Wake up, you sleepyheaded people!
King-Glory is ready to enter.

Who is this King-Glory?
God-of-the-Angel-Armies;
he is King-Glory.

My teacher offered some interpretations relating to me personally that have hit me profoundly.  In addition to those, though, as I've continued to study the verses I believe God was telling me something broader, as well, something that is for all believers.  

Think of the imagery of the verses....God is standing at the gate.  He is dressed for battle (the battle for our souls) and he has his armies of angels behind him!  He is ready!  The battle is his, not ours.  But he stands at the gate, not yet entering.  Why??  Because he is waiting for us.  He is giving us time to mature, to be ready for his arrival, to throw open the gates and welcome him.  But....there will come a day when he won't wait any longer.  A day when he will throw open the gate and deal out the wrath of heaven on all that is evil.  So, we need to get busy.  We need to prepare and get ready.  We don't want to be caught unprepared on the day the gates open.

Joining today with Ann and the others in counting blessings...

481.  Much needed rain.

482.  Cooler temperatures.

483.  No recent arguments with the adult child in residence.

484.  An amazing group of women at church.

485.  A Sunday afternoon movie with the husband.

486.  Finding someone to take the puppy in for her surgery this morning.

487.  Two weeks of school behind me and bus schedules finally ironing out.

488.  A fairly well-behaved group of kids this year.

489.  Contentment with life.

490.  A really good new doctor who is on top of things and that the husband likes (so maybe he will listen).

491.  Ankle pain that isn't getting bad enough to keep me from driving (I am getting x-rays today and see the Dr. again next week).

492.  Peach real-fruit popsicles.

493.  Anything and everything pumpkin flavored.

494.  Sunday mornings curled up with my puppy and the paper.

495.  Safe travels for Mom and her husband so far on their vacation.

496.  A very nice new aide on my bus.

497.  Eat 'n' Park's Seafood Bake.  So bad for me, but sooooo yummy!

498.  Mild hot flashes.

499.  A basket of goodies fresh picked in the garden.

500.  Half-way to a goal.

Even For This

Adrift

Sometimes it gets me down and sometimes I want to curse it, this Attention Deficit Disorder that is my way of life.  Seriously curse...

• The antsy feeling that I should be doing "more."  
• The mind-numbing boredom while surrounded by so many, many things to do.  
• The inability to finish a project.  
• The procrastination that leaves me stressing at the last minute and bills paid late.
• The fruitlessness of trying to pay attention to boring stuff.
• The forgetfulness.
• The disorganization.
• The impulsive spending.
• The mood swings.
• The lack of relationships.
• The addictions to food and the computer.
• The sense of purposelessness and feeling like life has been a waste.

And yet, I can't, for the One who created me had his reasons.  He makes no mistakes.  He has purpose for me just as I am.  I have worth.  I am good enough right now.  Instead of cursing, I can count...

393.  The daydreams and flights of fancy make me creative.


394.  When I succeed in spite of my "challenges" there is no doubt who made it possible.


395.  Schedules and lists that keep the day on track.


396.  Clocks that are my best friend and keep me from losing the day.


397.  Being okay with things being less than perfect.


398.  The computer can be a good thing.  I've learned to do a lot on my own and I've been able to reach out to a lot of people over the years in friendship and ministry.


399.  I can be spontaneous and know how to fly by the seat of my pants.


400.  I'm okay with being quiet, reflective...listening to Your voice. With my daydreaming tendencies I imagine myself at Your feet, my head resting against Your knee.  You stroke my hair and I listen to Your voice.  My daddy, my Father.


401.  There are a lot of other people out there with ADD or raising kids with ADD.  I know what they're dealing with.


402.  I've learned to learn fast....because I'm not going to sit and study or be lectured to for any great amount of time.  


403.  Words are the things that hold me.  I can lose an entire day in a book or writing.  Writing is a focusing tool.  I write many of my prayers so my mind doesn't wander and I don't fall asleep.


and not ADD related...

404.  Puppy snores coming from under the desk.


405.  Extra work this week.


406.  Tart, juicy, blueberries on my Golden Grahams.


407.  A visit from our son and granddaughter.


408.  Communication with my daughter-in-law.  A start.  A step, maybe, in the right direction.


409.  A pastor who talked with the hubby about needing "balance" in his life.


410.  Unexpected income.


411.  The return of TWO prodigals to church this week.


412.  Much needed rain.


413.  A fender bender that was nothing worse.

414.  A daughter who is already in for the night.


415.  A couple of women at church that surprised me by reaching out in friendship.


416.  My own against-my-nature efforts to be intentional at friendship meeting with success.


417.  The safety and accomplishments of the work crews at the church.


418.  A gifted husband with a strong work ethic that draws the admiration of others.

Do You Know What You Hold?

I run my hands over the cover, smell the earthy scent of its leather....

My soul seems to quiver in anticipation at the familiar bulk in my hands.

source

My fingers run down the side, skimming gold-edged tabs.

Genesis, the beginning; Psalms, the heart cries of kings; the Prophets,

the apostles, the letters of Paul, the Revelation of John.

Inside, smooth, cool pages, many highlighted, underlined, and written on....

(there might even be a smudge of chocolate from the cookie I ate)

my mother and my childhood Sunday School teachers would be shocked,

maybe even horrified at the "desecration." 

source

But you see.....

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning."

~John 1:1-2

Jesus IS the Word.  He was with God in the beginning.

He came to Earth and he spoke it so we could read it.

Every time I pick up my Bible.  

Every. 

Single.


Time.

I am holding Jesus in my hands!

To know him, truly know him...I must read.

I must spend time in the Word.  I must study the Word.

I must make the Word my friend.

For the Word is him!

How great is the God who gave us everything we need

and all we need to know in one book...

one Son...

one Savior?

source

383.  A retreat that refreshed and restored.

384.  Your Word speaking to my heart.

385.  A new cell phone after months without.

386.  A break in the heat.

387.  Christ-sisters who share their hearts.

388.  A ray of sunlight in the early morning, cutting through pines

to shine on the cross.

389.  The big dog, with a yapping poodle pup hanging from his ear,

that shows me what patience should be like.

390.  The prayers of friends that opened my eyes to truth.

391.  The distant roll of thunder that promises rain.

392.  The smile on a daughter's face.

Just a Swingin'

source

I love my neighbor.  Just seeing him makes me smile.  When I turn down our street and ease to a stop at the sign next to his house, my eyes automatically sweep across his yard looking to see if he's there.

Am I contemplating an affair?  Ha, ha....NO!  Mr. P has to be close to 80 years old and truth be told he looks a lot more like a garden gnome than a heart-throb.....a little stooped, bald, browned and wrinkly from the sun.

What Mr. P does have is an inner light, a pure joy in living, that shines bright as any beacon in the night.

Mr. P was completely devoted to his wife.  She had a lot of health problems and couldn't get around much for years before her death a couple of years ago.  Still, Mr. P would get her out to the swing he'd hung from the frame of an old metal swing set.  She would sit there while he worked in the yard or the garden.  Neighbors and grandkids would gather round to visit and Mr. P would stop and sit with her for a while every now and then.  In the evenings the two of them would sit on the porch watching people out on their nightly walks and call out greetings to them.  Some would stop to visit for a while.

For a while there, as Mrs. P's health got worse and worse, we didn't see much of Mr. P.  He was dedicated to caring for his wife which meant, as she grew unable to get outside, that he remained inside close to her.  When she died, a lot of people thought Mr. P would quickly follow.  It was thought that he'd be broken-hearted, lost, adrift....clueless as to how to go on without his life's companion.  A lot of people were wrong.  Mr. P has not only gone on living...he's enjoying it...and he's sharing it.

Two of our other neighbors are women, maybe a few years younger than Mr. P, but they, too, have lost their  spouses.  One's husband has been gone for a very long time...maybe 25 years.  He had a heart attack and left her alone in middle age and alone is how she has stayed all these years, always seeming so sad and lonely.  The other lost her husband just three years ago this month.  He had grown more and more depressed following the death of their youngest son in a car accident and had turned to alcohol for solace.  A quiet Sunday afternoon in the neighborhood was shattered when he walked into the house, lay down on the bed and put a pistol to his head.  That neighbor had to endure not only the pain of her husband's choice, but the violent anger of her remaining son at his father, and a daughter, who with ugly, hateful words blamed her in front of all the gathered friends and relatives.

After Mrs. P passed on, a funny thing happened.  I'd see Mr. P sitting in the yard talking to the one or sitting on the porch in the evening with the other.  There's no romance there.  Just people finding comfort in the company of someone else who's experienced the same kind of loss.  Mr. P has drawn the lonely woman out and I'll see her talking more with the other neighbors now.  As for the second woman, I'll drive by and see her smiling and laughing and looking happy...something she hadn't been in years.

And Mr. P?  I like it best when I see him alone, sitting on the swing where he'd spent so many hours with his wife.  You see when he's on that swing I'm pretty sure he's getting a peek at heaven.  His legs swing back and forth pumping the swing in wide arcs and his face is tilted to the sky and that smile.....he literally shines with joy.

I want to be like Mr. P.  I want to climb on that swing in the garden, throw back my head, pump my legs, and fly fearlessly into the sky, letting the joy wash over me like the cool evening breeze.

"For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord;

I sing for joy at the works of your hands."

~Psalm 92:4

373.  Contentment and peace woven into the minutes of the weekend.

374.  Answered prayers, both big and small.

375.  Little puppy noses buried in the grass with bright teasing eyes

peering up and saying, "Play with me!"

376.  Blueberry season.

377.  Lunch with an aunt and seldom seen cousin.

378.  The garden at night...lightning bugs flickering in the shadows,

the splash of water in the fish pond, the cackle of a neighbor's

chickens, and this week...the boom of fireworks in the sky.

379.  That when I am tempted to bemoan my condition, You

show me clearly that I have it so very good compared to

most of Your children in this world and even those close to home.

380.  The patience You show me when I fail the same way

over and over again, despite knowing better.

381.  For giving me the right Word when I need it.

382.  Husbands who deny even liking "ugly little sissy dogs"

but go to the pet store with you and pick out PINK crates

for the little sissy dog they're too often caught holding. 

Thanks Is All I Have

I've been wracking my brain all morning trying to come up with some fabulous words of wisdom to share, but am drawing a blank today.  I'm just going to list the things I am grateful for....and that's okay.  Sometimes life is just good, the blessings just flow, and we feel blessed with no reason other than we belong to God.

So, here is my list.  I hope you find your blessings today in the Father's abundance so freely given.

Thankful for:


354.  The green beauty of this area I live in.  The mountains and the valleys.  The sparkling springs, creeks, rivers, and lakes.  The still forests.  The rolling farmland.


355.  The drama of nature played out in the backyard as he and I watched two robins defend their nest from a large raven.


356.  A friend, who though broken-hearted, is following God's lead in her life.


357.  Parents safely home from their trip to the cancer clinic in Florida with a good report....two years cancer free!


358.  All the extra dogs gone home and just our two curled on my feet as I type.


359.  A long visit with a friend while out walking the dog.


360.  A God who is faithful and always there.


361.  The big dog so gentle with the puppy...playing, loving, teaching as if he was the parent.


362.  The world through the eyes of the puppy as she chases butterflies, attacks the heavy drooping heads of flowers, and jumps in surprise when a branch heavy with dew showers her.


363.  A boyfriend's new Harley that has only one seat so a daughter can't ride with him.


364.  Rich, creamy soft-serve dripping with caramel.


365.  A seldom-seen aunt in town for a visit.


366.  Ripe, juicy bing cherries.


367.  Memories.


368.  A weed-free garden!


369.  That we always manage even when it seems impossible.


370.  Standing under a big umbrella in the rain at dawn.


371.  Two cardinals, he and she, sitting on the rail of the pool deck.


372.  Him taking the puppy on Sunday morning and letting me go back to sleep.

What a Wonderful World

It's one of those days.

You know the kind....

....maybe not as often as you should (I don't) but you know them.

Those days when your eyes spring open and from the first 

deep breath of dawn spreading in your lungs

 you know the day is different.  

There's no particular reason for it that you can put your finger on, 

but you know.....because you feel it in your heart.

The sky is a little bluer.

Your toils are easier.

Smiles are more precious.

Goodwill spills from your heart,

so full it cannot be contained.

It is, simply, a great day to be alive.

Oh, friends....every day should be like that.

Every day can be like that

if we walk closely with the Lord 

and let his Holy Spirit fill us

with the joy of heaven promised.

The Psalmist knew this feeling when he wrote:

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love

endures forever; his faithfulness

continues through all the generations.

~ Psalm 100

Relationship with the Lord is the key.  It's not enough

to know about him, we must know him.  Intimately.

Like Adam and Eve walking with him in the garden.

Talk to God.  That's all prayer is.  A conversation.

Get to know him.  Tell him your concerns.

Listen to what he has to say.  Don't be afraid

to share it all with him....he already knows it.

And most importantly....

THANK HIM FOR EVERYTHING.

Literally.

Everything.

344.  Thieves who stole only a 12 ft. section of copper pipe when they 

broke into the church and ignored the thousands of dollars

worth of tools laying all over the place and did no damage.

345.   A goodbye hug from Mom that actually felt....okay and not 

extremely awkward and uncomfortable.  Progress.

346.  A good first day at my summer job.  The camp staff is very nice 

and the kids are great.

347.  A 72-passenger bus filled with kids singing Bible verses.

348.  A cloudy sky that is keeping a cap on the heat for one more day.

349.  A puppy that sleeps through the night and does (most of)

her business outside.

350.  Early, cool mornings in the mountains of Pennsylvania.

351.  A pool that is finally cleaned and ready to go.

352.  Marshmallows toasted in a backyard bonfire.

353.  A granddaughter on the phone, excitedly yelling "IT'S NANNY!"

Angels Among Us

They are messengers, protectors, and warriors.  Definitely important beings in the heavenly realm and in our world.  They appear sometimes in all their glory, but most often we entertain them unaware.

What they are not, is God.  They are created by God.  We do not become angels when we die.  They are not perfect.  Like us they can choose.  Like us they can fall.  Remember that Satan is an angel and he convinced a third of the angels to go against God.

Resist the temptation of this world to idolize and worship them as so many do.  When you give thanks for their actions, give it to whom it belongs...God the Father.

Giving Thanks for Angels in my life:

336.  The elderly man who knocked on my car window at a busy 

intersection to tell me my tire was nearly flat.

337.  The ladies who worked at the drug store and stayed open and 

took care of me when a big snow storm hit during a 

school day and my parents weren't able to get to town to 

pick me up until hours after the fact.

338.  The unseen hand that pushed my pastor's truck back onto the road 

when a failed trailer hitch and loose trailer tried to throw it over 

the side of a bridge...a sight that would have been witnessed by 

his wife, daughter, and the entire youth group.

339.  The "force" that stopped my car from hitting a pole when hit from

behind by a big delivery truck.....and as the rear end crumpled

stopped it just behind the backseat where my children sat.

340.  The grandfatherly business man who helped me with my luggage 

and bought me a soda when I flew alone with an infant.

341.  The angels that protect my husband at work, through falls from third 

story roofs and through second story walls, bulldozers rolling over 

his legs, chemical spills, falling rock in mines, wrecks, and

dangers I am not even aware of.

342.  The staff at a car dealership who spent over half an hour freeing

the exhaust pipe from my car's axle after it came loose and 

wrapped around it, stranding me before Christmas with a 

small child.....and doing it free of charge!

343.  The ones who protected me even before I was saved from all the stupid, 

dangerous situations I put myself in....riding with drunk drivers, walking 

across campus late at night...alone, ending up left in a frat

 house without my friends, and on and on.

Thank you, God, for each angel you have sent.  The ones I am aware of and the countless others working out of sight.  I thank you for the comfort of knowing they battle daily for us and protect us from harm.

Meeting Miss Daisy

Into every life some rain must fall, but eventually the sun returns.

My heart broke back in February when my poodle and constant companion, Scooby, died very suddenly.  He was only 10...much too young for his fate.  It was the first time any of us had suffered the loss of a long-time pet and it's been rough.  Right up through last week I'd still have moments when I'd be driving and out of the blue a memory would hit and the tears would fall.

Saturday, out of the blue, the clouds parted and the sun shone through.

Meet Daisy Mae.  She's a 10-week old toy poodle.  I found her at, of all places, a garage sale (and oddly enough, she isn't my first garage sale dog).  I think she will change to a lighter color as she gets older, but for now she is the spitting image of Scooby when he came to live with us.  She is ornery and fearless and has captured our hearts.  Well, maybe not Elvis's heart, but he is tolerating her well enough.  The liking will probably come when she quits thinking his tail is the best toy in the house.

Beyond poodles, it was a good weekend.

Storms and tornadoes rolled through the area Friday evening.  We got lots of rain and wind, but the tornadoes and micro bursts missed us.  One tornado plowed through the neighborhood the bus garage is in. Had it been a normal working day I would probably have had to drive through the storms to get home.  I drove through heavy downpours as it was, but was safely home before the worst of the weather.  The good news is that no lives were lost and I don't believe anyone was even hurt.  Just property damage and you know, stuff is just stuff....you can't take it with you.

Someone set our town's playground on fire sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning.  It was one of those big, elaborate wooden deals that Robert Leathers designs and gets built entirely by donation and volunteers.  They've ruled that it was arson and there is over $50,000 in damage.  To what end?  I do not understand people.

I went to a community-wide garage/yard sale with friends on Saturday.  It was fun and I found a few things:  a big golf umbrella (they tend to disappear so why pay full price at the store?), a couple of books, a cow figurine for Megan, a Christmas brooch....and then I found the puppy and my budget was blown.  I walked around a little longer but ended up leaving early so I could shop for the things a puppy needs.

We went to church Saturday night and took Tim's aunt with us and.....Megan went too!  Friends wanted to meet us for dinner afterward and they asked Megan to come.  She said yes, then found out she'd have to go to church with us.  She wasn't thrilled, but she went.  We were happy.  Any time she can hear the message is a good thing.  Everyone came back to the house after dinner and we had a nice visit.  Our friends' daughter and her baby spent the night.  Another good thing.  Her boyfriend (and the father of her children) left her on Friday (considered a good thing by most) and hanging out with Megan helped keep her mind off that.

Yesterday Tim and I hit a couple more garage sales (all I bought was a couple of candy molds), had lunch at a little cafe, and drove around seeing the storm damage.

321.  Sweet puppy kisses and cuddles.

322.  Storms that passed by.

323.  Patient older dogs.

324.  A "child" in church.

325.  The robins' song first thing in the morning.

326.  God's power and majesty displayed in a storm.

327.  The reactions of children to a puppy.

328.  The way a puppy brings out the joy even in the grumpiest of people.

329.  Roadside barbecue chicken stands open for the summer season.

330.  Fresh, ripe strawberries bursting with flavor not found in the store-bought kind.

331.  The promise of a huge blueberry crop.

332.  Garden plants taking root and growing nearly before our eyes.

333.  The fun of hunting for bargains and treasures at garage sales.

334.  The first lightning bugs of the summer.

335.  Another school year nearly done.