Saturday, May 30, 2009

SAT. STEPS/FAITH #11 & SPIRITUAL SUN (providence)

JOINING LISA AT "MY PASSIONATE PURSUIT"...












Quiet times have reverberated the word "providence" this week...providence in those things we acknowledge...and in those things we don't acknowledge. Things we don't want to acknowledge because surely God didn't bring them to me.

This past week brought many Job-like moments....asking why this much time to be set apart with physical ailment?...then I remember what I learned when reading Job. He was so steady of mind even though his struggles seemed they would never end. Did you get as frustrated as I did just reading his plight throughout life? Everything was accepted then given back to God because Job loved Him so and knew His ways are the best. Job KNEW God would see him to the other side of suffering.

How could we exercise our "faith muscles" if we never feel the storms of life pulling against them, making them strain, making them slowly breathe through the pain of it all?
"Standing on the promises of Christ, My King.
Through eternal praises, let His praises ring.
"Glory, hallelujah, I will shout and sing",
standing on the promises of God!"
Singing Cokesbury Hymnal songs with my granny...hers a sweet, timid voice...every so often hearing the soft clicking of her false teeth as she sang. It makes me laugh as I remember that...


but it makes me smile KNOWING and APPRECIATING how much she taught me about Jesus (without my knowing it at the time).

Thank you, Lord, for my having a Jesus-loving grandmother...and mother. The two saints in my life who have lived and taught You to me when each "faith muscle" was being exercised and stretched to its full length.
May I be as diligent as my legacy to pass these same understandings on to those I love and have in my life.
"Hang on, trust God, because He wants the best for you
and His plan is unfolding."

Amen & Amen
JOB 5:17-18 "Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal. "

Thursday, May 28, 2009

THANKFUL THURSDAY #28

PARTICIPATING IN THANKFUL THURSDAY...JOIN ALONG with SONYA IF YOU'D LIKE...


GOD,
YOU GAVE US THE LOVE IN OUR VERY BEINGS.
WE WERE CREATED FOR YOUR PRAISE,
WE LIFT OUR HANDS...
SURRENDERING A SACRIFICE OF PRAISE
WHEN WE MAY NOT "feel" LIKE PRAISING
LOVING WITH THE LOVE OF THE LORD,
NOT OURS
YOURS.
AMEN & AMEN



MY FIVE THANKFULS THIS WEEK:
  1. A LORD WHO CHOSE TO HAVE RELATIONSHIP WITH ME THROUGH HIS LOVE.
  2. HIS LOVE SHINING THROUGH THE HANDS AND FEET OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL TEENS BEGINNING THEIR ASSISTANCE PROJECT (REPAIRING THEIR HOUSES, CLEANING YARDS, PAINTING, PLUMBING, ETC.)
  3. OUR YOUTH MAKING IT SAFELY THROUGH ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR...PLEASE, KEEP THEM SAFE OVER THE SUMMER AS WELL.
  4. HEALING HANDS OF MY CHIROPRACTOR...IT'S NOT FUN WHEN YOU CAN'T MOVE
  5. SHARING, KIND BLOGGERS ACROSS THE NET, WHO MOTIVATE, ENCOURAGE, AND PRAY...HERE'S A NEW "SUPER COMMENTS AWARD" FOR MY HIGHEST COMMENTERS :)


Monday, May 25, 2009

i <3 faces...WEEK 20 "SILHOUETTES"


"Be sure to head on over to http://www.iheartfaces.com/ to check out all of the beautiful face entries ...WEEK 20 theme: SILHOUETTE!" 
YOU CAN JOIN, TOO.

This week's challenge is "silhouettes"...
The shot I took during our senior banquet...
(our seniors were sitting at a table with their backs to us as they watched their slideshow while wearing their cruise-ship "mouse" ears).  

This picture brought special emotions 
(the boy on the right was killed in a car accident at the age of 17...
he is still part of this group's heart though and he was in many of the slides).  
I captured his buddy on the left, as his silhouette watched the show.  

It will forever be my favorite because of the lives these two shared for many years, 
and will always share,
 in our hearts.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS & MEMORIAL WEEKEND

Joining Charlotte for SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS' MEMORIAL WEEKEND EDITION...

Who are your heroes?  
I have a couple in my life at this particular time...
Each for a very different reason
Each are my "NOW" heroes.

The first is a family member serving overseas NOW.
My stomach gets in knots pondering what or who he may be enduring today...
I can't imagine his mother's feelings. 
When a family member is serving, your views become much more tender.

His second tour came quickly (seems like yesterday he explained how he had closed his head wound with super glue to continue his mission).  
He's my NOW hero for serving our country, 
and fighting for oppressed peoples' freedom. 
...living bravely his NOW.


My second "NOW" hero is our 2 1/2yo great niece...
enduring many heart surgeries in her brief time on this earth.
There some times are bad days, physically
yet she'll still have a smile on her face when you enter the room.
She has a love of life, people and time that is so "IN-THE-MOMENT"
God talks to us through her as she walks her tender life road in her NOW.

Dear Jesus, 
Make yourself known in a powerful way while he is serving our Nation's cause through his dedication and convictions.
Keep him safe in his goings and comings, as well as his decisions.
Let him feel the comfort of our prayers and Your Holy Spirit holding him.

Continue to preveniently walk ahead of my niece and her family.  
Grow her little body and her mind to KNOW the plans you have for her.
May she be a witness to what You have done in her life.

Happy Memorial Day, everyone.
I pray you have some NOW heroes in your life, too.

p.s.  if you're looking for a giveaway:
She'll be drawing on Wednesday, May 27, in honor of Parker's 10th birthday!
10 winners with some great prizes
For every comment left in the month of May, your name will be included in the drawing. The 10th person drawn receives the GRAND PRIZE (box of Disney goodies).
Anyone sharing about the giveaway on their blog will get their name entered 10 EXTRA times
Be sure and leave Grammy a comment letting her know you mentioned the giveaway.

Friday, May 22, 2009

BEE 1 SHARE 1 FRIDAY...come join in

HAVE YOU GROWN WEARY OF THE NEWS?

 
I have...
Whether TV, radio or printed medium
Bad news, really bad news, resounds.

Digital visions saying we're not a Christian nation
Printed press implying we've adopted socialism
Even leaders throughout the government upholding "white lies" and "deceit"

How about we re-energize our blogging community?
Let's look for the "blessings" in the world.
Big or little happenings...
Young or old participants
being a blessing as His hands, feet or voice
 or sharing a blessing you've seen or heard throughout your week

Prose is always nice
and pictures are favored as well
Come on, bloggers...
you've got "blessings to tell!"

Will you join me each Friday?
I'll respond as you render
Mr. Linky's help along the way
To His Glory blessings been/shared we'll surrender!

He's already foretold we will be a blessing...
and the poets say it will be our crown...
His blessings as He walked this Earth taught us how...
get one, give one!!

Join me on Fridays to lift up God's hands and feet...

continuing on through you...

continuing on through others you meet.

Genesis 12:2  "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing." 
"Blessings crown the head of the righteous."

Genesis 12:2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will b  less you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

Yiddish Proverb “Prayers go up and blessings come down”





Wednesday, May 20, 2009

WORDFUL WED. & THANKFUL THURS...ALBATROSS ANYONE??



AND 


When I was in high school (no jokes about what century that was, ok?, thank you), we studied the prose of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, a dark romanticist...
and I specifically remember The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

A Mariner who sailed a ship "into a sunny and cheerful sea" and the story progresses into unexpected, darkened experiences-- and an Albatross, normally a good-luck symbol of sailors, wasn't associated with its influence. The captain killed it with his cross bow--the bird brought fog instead of the breeze. Many things continued to get worse and other sailors hung the corpse of the Albatross around his neck, like a cross. That visual reached down into me and has sat in that little niche of my memory all these years.

The many themes that emerged from the depths of this literary work also sat down in my brain...two come to mind:
  1. all God's creations=value them (I felt sorry for the bird...he was just being a bird)
  2. guilt will circle overhead like a vulture until confession is true and professed..then God forgives and heals. (we don't always have control on the paths we go down, but we do have control on how we respond)

Parts of this writing remind me of Paul, from the New Testament, who was concerned for ALL of God' creation, especially the gentiles. I'm thankful for his passion and obedience in spreading God's Word out to the world...where would I be if it hadn't spread past the Jewish community?

Even though Paul was converted he confessed he continued to struggle...and in his struggles I have found hope on many occasions. Paul noted there were things he didn't want to do, but in his humanness he still did them. Have I been there? Can you say every day?! My comfort comes in knowing that we ALL struggle with our humanness, every day, every night...we wrestle up and down, back and forth with those items, people, situations we don't want to release, or can't release, to God's strong arm.

Paul once remarked about a physical ailment he constantly prayed to be taken from him, yet God did not take it away from him. I greatly associate with Paul here...I've prayed many moments, days, weeks, years for relief from chronic pain...a neck injury in high school is an albatross around my neck yet God has not taken it away yet.

Surgery is not an option, at this point, because the crushed disc is at the base of my skull and there is too much risk with the 7th-nerve region. This "pain albatross" flies quickly into my days, leading me into the misty fog of twitching eyes, shifting shoulders, knives piercing tissue that can't be seen and I moan like the sailors on the ship sailing in the dark abyss, praying for relief and salvation.

"Thank you, Jesus for the gift of memory...for the Word You live in to guide us and have relationship with us.

It is in these times of shouldering the albatross when You send His Word to comfort, remind, calm, and the list goes on...for You are the Great Physician, my solid Rock of salvation, the Light guiding my darkened spirit. My suffering is momentary, Your pain engulfed You for days. 

My suffering can be subsided with medication, You were given defiled water and vinegar. 

My suffering is in the world, You ARE sitting at God's Right Hand sharing my plight and preparing a place for me. 

Thank you, for reminding me this is momentary...You are Eternal and There I will not hurt!

AMEN  &  AMEN

Romans 5:3-5

"...we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Monday, May 18, 2009

MOSAIC MONDAY & PRAYERS

LITTLE RED HOUSE IS HOSTING "MOSAIC MONDAY"


JOIN ME TODAY...

PRAY OVER "BE STILL & KNOW" AND HER FAMILY

HER "DD" IS UNDERGOING MAJOR SURGERY FOR SCOLIOSIS.



LOVE YOU, DD!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

PROJECT 365 & iSing'09

Continuing Project 365 with Sara

Earlier this week

we enjoyed our yearly chorus show...





it was actually Saturday night, 5/9/09, but close enough.


I've been busy with "senior stuff" this week and hadn't had a chance to post it.
(kidding around between numbers)








and dd sang in a trio!


:)











they sang "ONLY HOPE"...
they hit all their hard
harmony sections, woo hoo!!!

I'm so eager to see and hear
the DVD that was professionally recorded.
She also sand/danced during the "junior/senior combined" numbers...





needless to say...they ENJOYED it and so did WE!






sorry the quality isn't so great...


let me know if you can see them...especially those who are friends of the family and don't usually leave me a message ;)







Saturday, May 16, 2009

BEEing a BLESSING

Sometimes you just HAVE to
toot somebody's horn,
shake their hand
pat 'em on the back
share a blessing...

Sassy Granny and her neighbors are a capitalized "BLESSING"!
If you haven't seen it, click it and check it out...you'll be glad you did.
Praise God for how they reached their neighbors and friends :)

So, I think a reminder is in order...
a "BEE-cause" award
"...the Lord takes delight in His people!"
...if she'll have it :)

Friday, May 15, 2009

HAD TO SHARE THIS BLESSING!

I just had to share
Listen to the sweetest "counting-to-20" 2yo I've ever heard...
Prayers have been many for this little sweetie...
My Great-Neice Katie, our little miracle congenital heart patient
May God bless your viewing as much as He did mine...
Posted by Picasa


You keep counting, Katie! Christ has you written in the palm of His hand!

Micah 7:7 "I'm not giving up. I'm sticking around to see what God will do.
I'm waiting for God to make things right. I'm counting on God to listen to me."

FILL-IN FRIDAY #124 & BEAUTIFUL LIFE

Joining Janet @ Friday Fill Ins She chose quotes having to do with spring...feel free to fill-in whatever you'd like!
I've filled in the blanks with red lettering...



.





...and joining Melissa, seeing the beautiful life in simplicity


1. If we had no winter... the southern mosquitoes would never die, grow extremely large, pick us up and carry each of us away to an unknown wetland .

2.
When I go to the planetarium and gaze at the constellations in the evening skies, I find myself in perpetual astonishment.











3. If I had my life to live over
I would spend more time talking with my Daddy,
letting him know I "did" need to listen to his opinion and experience.



4. Sitting at the Lord's feet daily seeing His myriad of colors and smelling His created fragrances, inside of four and twenty hours.











5. If you've never been thrilled
by squirrels playing in a tree or kitties chasing a bug, then come sit with me in the backyard.












6. To be interested in the changing seasons reminds me of God's providence in the past, present and future.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to finishing a graduation project, tomorrow my plans include planting two new angel trumpet bushes I was given and Sunday, I want to get a nap in before working with the youth group!


Thursday, May 14, 2009

THANKFUL THURS.#26, & SOUTHERN-GROWN HAPPINESS



COME SEE OTHERS' CONTRIBUTIONS


JOIN ALONG...click on: TRUTH4THEJOURNEY FOR NUMBER 26
WE'RE SHARING OUR PRAISES...



LAST NIGHT I ENJOYED...
CREAKY HARDWOOD FLOORS
COTTON COUNTRY CRAFTS

YUMMY YEARNINGS AND CALORIE-RICH MENUS
SMELLING SOUTHERN-FRIED, COUNTRY STEAK and
EATING SLOWLY-COOKED VEGETABLES

HEARING TOE-TAPPING MUSIC
AND POLITE, YES-MA'AM SERVERS

SPENDING TIME WITH GOD-GIVEN, TREASURED FRIENDS
SWEET TALK AND SHARED HAPPENINGS

YOUNG, TEEN-AGED, FIRST-CRUSH FEELINGS
SOFT, HAND-HELD BLESSINGS TO OUR LORD

YES,CABBAGE, PINTO BEANS
THEN PEPPER-SAUCED COLLARD GREENS
ALONGSIDE SLOWLY-STEWED TOMATOES
WITH POTLIQUOR-DRENCHED CORNBREAD

EACH NOTE PICKED,
VIBRATING INTO THE EVENING'S SHADOWS

EACH COMMENT SAVORED,
BATHED IN SLOW, SWEET CONVERSATION

EACH FILLING BITE WASHED GINGERLY DOWN
WITH "SPLENDA'd" ICE TEA

THANKFUL FOR HARVESTED FOOD
THANKFUL FOR HARVESTED FRIENDS
THANKFUL FOR HARVESTED, SOUTHERN-GROWN HAPPINESS!
("CLICK THE PIC" & SEE THE OUTDOOR SCENE MORE CLEARLY)



Tuesday, May 12, 2009

DUST CARES, ANYONE?

King John's Castle over the River Shannon.
KING JOHN'S CASTLE OVER THE RIVER SHANNON
"County Limerick, Ireland"
in honor of LIMERICK DAY, May 12

...just playing along with MOCHA WITH LINDA.
I wrote this earlier today...
it kind of goes with the Irish-castle feel from the photo above.
If you'd like to play, leave your limerick IN Linda's COMMENTS.
Here's mine:

"DUST CARES, QUEENIE?"

Blogging Queen typing away in her chair

While seeing the dust covering her royal furniture’s glare

“One should get up and wipe dust.”

Queenie tissues her nose, then adjusts…

“Should I stop blogging?” she revives…then "sneezes away" her dust cares!”


Monday, May 11, 2009

1 <3 FACES...OFF THEY GO!


"Be sure to head on over to http://www.iheartfaces.com/ to check out all of the beautiful face entries ...WEEK 18 theme: LAUGHTER!" YOU CAN JOIN, TOO--IT'S A GREAT PHOTO CONTEST.

THREE FAVORITE SENIORS
GRADUATING SOON...VERY SOON!

FAVORITE MEMORY--
SENIOR-HI WINTER RETREAT/DECEMBER...
FINISHING A CLASSMATES' GROUP SHOT:

"COWABUNGA!"...
PILING ON EACH OTHER!

GONNA MISS
"MINESLEY", "CARO___", AND "DISH"
SO, SO MUCH

Saturday, May 9, 2009

PROJECT 365, Wk 19


JOINING SARA AGAIN...HARD TO BELIEVE IT'S THE 19TH WEEK ALREADY :)







LAST SUNDAY NIGHT
WE SAID 'GOODBYE' TO OUR SENIORS...
SINCE THERE'S NO CRUISE THIS YEAR
THE JUNIORS GAVE THEM A PRETEND CRUISE...
IT WAS ADORABLY CREATIVE (THEY MADE OUR FAMILY CENTER INTO A CRUISE SHIP, DRESSED AS BOAT STEWARDS, MADE 'POSING BACKGROUNDS' & SENIORS POSED FOR PICTURES AS THEY 'BOARDED THE SHIP!

SENIORS GOT TO EAT DINNER AT THE TABLE WITH 'CAPTAIN BOB!
DD HELPED READ THE PARENTS' LETTERS TO "THEIR SENIORS"...


**HAD TO PUSH AWAY FROM THE MYRIAD OF DELICACIES
ESPECIALLY DESSERTS...this was my neighbor's plate...really!

THE SENIORS were sweet, TOO
showed their appreciation to the staff and to the
Juniors!
MONDAY, MONDAY...I'll wash that day!!
WHAT USUALLY TAKES A DAY...TOOK MULTIPLE DAYS
LAUNDRY, LAUNDRY, LAUNDRY!














WEDNESDAY
GREAT NIECE, 2-YO KATIE (CONGENITAL HEART DEFECT)
ENDURED MAJOR CATH LABS & HEART CHARTING
UPCOMING FONTAN HEART SURGERY IN JUNE

SHE'S MY HERO!
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HER LIFE, SHE ASKED FOR FOOD (AND SHE ATE IT AND WANTED MORE...THANK YOU, JESUS!)

FRIDAY
AFTER THE RAINS, I CAPTURED MY BACKYARD BIRDS SINGING
**TURN YOUR VOLUME UP**
(also, "disregard the man behind the curtain" and his inability to get the videos to splice in portrait format) but the birds sound nice :)


HAVE A GREAT 20TH WEEK, EVERYONE!



LIFE's SPEEDING ALONG...

Life's speeding along...
"weaving in and out" on the highway heading toward tomorrow...
making me nervous as it changes lanes.  

My discomfort comes with the "speed of the changes"...

You know, like when a 17-year-old overtakes a lane without a blinker, suddenly causing the passengers to slide up against the door abruptly, now realizing they're in a new lane.  

(Thank goodness people keep their hair cut short because that move would normally cause people to pull their hair out!...Finding they hadn't hit anyone, they would catch their breath and reprimand said 17 year old's actions
 as their teeth became firmly embedded in their lower lip!)

Speedy changes taking a straight route--Did Christmas crash in on you like it did me??...like an accelerating, run-away grocery cart!  Surely there was a glitch in time--Christmas was here and done quicker than any previous years!  

Zooming through and passed the holidays, then my surprise 50th birthday party slammed into me and wouldn't let me avoid the "getting older" road signs.

Goodness, I've never seen such a huge, 
written-in-icing "50"  on my cake.  
It was"delish" by the way!
(love you, BeStill&Know!)

Even this year's Spring Break came and went 
like a teen heading for a "*bucks" for a grande
skinny, mocha chip frappucino...fast, fast, fast! 
Yep, they were fast, like:
  • a brisk walk @5.5 feet/second....no, like:
  • an Olympic sprinter@22 mph...no, more like:
  • a Boeing 747's cruising speed@650 mph...no, even more like:
  • a space shuttle  re-entering the atmosphere@17,500 mph...no, exactly like;
  • the average orbital speed of Earth@66,623 mph--yep, that's how fast! (These are actual speeds of things per Wikipedia)

  • Then, there's the "laser-esque" changes being made by leaders in Washington...some days it takes my breath away--like that 17yo, lane-change thing again!

    This is NOT the first time in history a leader has addressed CHANGE.  

    There was once a President who welcomed change...but he was concerned about speed in a different way--a much, different way.  

    Read his inaugural address snippet below and see if you get out of what I did--sounds like he thought about "pulling over into the emergency lane" and stopping to ponder the options...not like some who have knee-jerking reactions for the sake of CHANGE.  

    March 14, 1861
    A "snippet" of President Lincoln's Inauguration Address 
    Nothing valuable can be lost by taking time.  If there be an object to hurry any of you in hot haste to a step which you would never take deliberately, that object will be frustrated by taking time; but no good object can be frustrated by it. 

    Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity, and a firm reliance on Him, who has never yet forsaken this favored land, are still competent to adjust in the best way all our present difficulty.


    President Lincoln's Bible was used for the inauguration ceremony this past January--wonder if Abe's speech was read by this year's speech writers.   

    Friday, May 8, 2009

    OH, SUCH A FRIEND...


    FOR MORE PHOTOSTORY FRIDAY, visit the Hostesses Cecily and MamaGeek
    (Dedicated to: Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Friends)
    OH, SUCH A FRIEND
    I have a friend
    oh, such a friend
    Who listens as I am struggling...
    whether I'm loudly spouting or softly sobbing...
    stopping her moment to be "inside my moment"
    A moment seeing my fear while I'm trying to avoid it
    Holding my hand, whispering His Word to fend off dark arrows
    Love wins the battle, overflowing and trickling down each cheek
    He promises His yoke, yes taking all concern, all surrendered
    Souls, each one; souls, each won!
    Oh, such a friend
    Have I!

    Posted by Picasa

    Thursday, May 7, 2009

    PRAYING THROUGHOUT THE DAY...

    www.prayitsayit.net
    *p.m. Update: I drove home tonight from a meeting while listening to 91.5fm -- listening to prayer after prayer after prayer uplifting our nation, its leaders and its citizens to return to Jesus' throne of grace for His forgiveness, healing and guidance ... it was AWESOME!  
    Praying you, too, had an uplifting, prayer-filled day!

    Lord, You are the true and living God, forgive us for ignoring You.
    You rule over all things visible and invisible, forgive us when we forget You're in control.

    There is nothing that catches You by surprise, forgive us for not trusting Your presence.
    There is nothing beyond Your reach, forgive us for thinking your arm is too short.You know our rising up and our sitting down, forgive us for not seeking Your input at the beginning of our day and at the closing of our day.

    Lord Jesus, You are the prince of Peace to OUR NATION...may we claim it, right now.We ask Your presence would be more real than our fears. We rebuke fear and anxiety, for we know they are not from You.  We cancel the fallen angel's schemes to tear down faith and hinder destiny.

    Lord, Your word says, "The righteous cry out, and You hear them and deliver them from all their troubles." We claim your promise this day and KNOW You will provide.

    Thank you for delivering OUR NATION and we cast all our cares upon You.Fill us with Your Holy Spirit...empower us to fight fear with unwavering faith in You.
    in Jesus' mighty name,
    Amen & Amen! 

    Wednesday, May 6, 2009

    WORDLESS WED, 5MINs4MOM Giv'away & 30x5Challengettes


    FOR MORE WORDLESS WEDNESDAY, CLICK ON THE PICTURE
    "KINDA Wordless Wednesday"
    Any guesses what I'm doing ALL day today??
    Look what I found in DD's closet...hhhhhhhmmmmm.


    L: LITTLE ladies springing up overnight, becoming young ladies
    A:
    ALWAYS seeking the best fit
    U: UBER-excited planning a look
    N:
    NOW understanding classic over cute
    D:
    DRESSING quickly for school
    R: RUMMAGING through hangers
    Y: YES,no…Hang it back up? maybe.



    HELPING CELEBRATE MOMS...CLICK ON THE PICTURE :)

    AND...

    For my "30x5" Challengettes...
    click on the following for 5 Shortcuts to Sculpt Your Body Fast

    Posted using ShareThis