PROJECT 365, WK 5

ARE YOU participating in Project365 with Sara and group?

and...

Join in at Mommytography 365 Project

HOPEFULLY, my pics with participate this week...last week they wouldn't let me load them.This first shot is from last week...I didn't want you to miss seeing this sunset (I used my panoramic feature on my camera)

The second shot is also last week's pic...the local STATUE OF LIBERTY advertising for her company's tax service...DO YOU HAVE THESE IN YOUR TOWN? There on almost EVERY corner here.

No shots from Sunday or Monday, but did snap one after grocery shopping on Tuesday...I like to go when there are no crowds, the aisles have plenty of room, I can take my time and really bargain hunt...nice and quiet.

Being busy with birthday stuff and shopping, no more pics until Thursday. The weather was pleasant enough for me to get outside and cook ribs and teriyaki mahi mahi...yummo!! We were celebrating hubbie's birthday this week...

The storm from the West brought freezing rain and sleet late evening January 29 going into the early a.m. hours of the 30th...SATURDAY, I found my back porch table to be covered in ice with some interesting geometric patterns.

Enjoy week 6...

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
Blessings,

FINDING BEAUTY FRIDAY, week 4

JOINING CLAUDIA @ DIPITY ROAD FOR 'FRIDAY-FINDING BEAUTY'...

IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MIRACLE THAT OCCURRED IN HAITI....CLICK BELOW:

MIRACLE IN HAITI !! (1MIN, 2SECS)

and another one...click the below:

HIS beautiful WINTER weather. (1min 15secs)

MIRACLES STILL HAPPEN...KNOW OF ANY OTHERS RECENTLY?

GOT DANGLIES?...i'm just curioius

***UPDATE****

AS NOTED ON THE SIDEBAR...

OUR HERO IS on U.S. soild as of 8:50am today!!!!

THANK YOU, JESUS:

FOR PROTECTING HIM THROUGH THE BATTLES AND EVERYDAY STRUGGLES WHILE SERVING OUR COUNTRY IN IRAQ.

CONTINUE TO BE WITH HE AND HIS MEN AS THEY TRAVEL...UNTIL THEY ARE IN THE ARMS OF THEIR LOVED ONES.

YOUR ARM HAS NOT BEEN TOO SHORT

AND WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR YOUR PROTECTION OVER THESE HEROES.

***AMEN & AMEN***

Today on the way home from having bought hubby's birthday present (which is just a few days away) I was sitting at a large intersection waiting on the light to turn green. [As I sit at redlights I often find myself daydreaming, sometimes singing to whatever music might be playing or deciding my position on whatever topic the talk show host might be discussing.]


Today was one of those daydreaming kind of days but something caught my eyes...those little hangy, down things on other cars' rear view mirrors. There were 6 other cars in the 6 other lanes I could see(each waiting on their light to change). ALL 6 had something hanging from their mirrors, I could make out lanyards with id's, air fresheners and handicapped placard...and some I couldn't tell what they were.

Personally, I don't want ANYTHING hanging down in my line of sight as I'm driving. Distractions are a BIG cause of accidents and these days I don't need anything to help distract me. There are many things people having hanging in their cars...and according to the following video, many things people DO with their 'danglies'e...so much so, Lukens @ Large/Channel 4 even did a piece on them...SEE Below:



SO, how about you...DO YOU HAVE ANY DANGLIES? IF SO, WHAT ARE THEY AND DO YOU DO ANYTHING SPECIAL WITH THEM?

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Blessings,

PROJECT 365...WK FOUR

CLICK THE 'PROJECT 365/A-PICTURE-A-DAY PIC to join us @ Sara's, who kindly posts the Mr. Linky each week.

Let it be known I HATE a certain photograph software...

it begins with a "K"...

it has been a pain ever since I installed in on my computer...

to say I'm frustrated is a GROSS understatement.

I have six pictures saved to my 365 file--I promise you, they are there...and 'something' will NOT let me insert them into today's post. Back and forth I went from file to post...NOTHING...I WILL NEVER buy another K* camera, EVER! NEVER!!

I'll try again next week...I had the following pics that K* shows in my file but WLWriter can't see...(can you see steam coming OUT of my ears??):

• dd doing her OWN laundry...four loads last weekend, I think.
• where BS&K and I had lunch on Wed...black&bleu ZALADs are AWESOME.
• a gorgeous sunset of pinks, blues and purples sparkling through the limbs of my bare river birch tree
• enjoying reading through 1,001 Things A TEEN Should Know Before Leaving Home (or Else They'll Come Back)
• a WET Lady Liberty,on the street corner, holding an "INCOME TAX 678-985-xxxx" sign as she danced, jumped up and down, and shimmied as locals drove by in their cars. Do you have as many of these as we have on our local streets?

So, I'll be enjoying others' posting on 365 BECAUSE my pics didn't want to come out and play...lazy bums...slumbering like a KoDiAK bear...in their own little 'never-never land'!!!!!!!!

FRIDAY's FINDING BEAUTY...-n- COBWEBS

AFTER MICRO DUSTING AND VACUUMING ALL THE SURFACES TODAY,I was STRUGGLING WITH 'Finding the Beauty' in the chores I do mechanically.

CHORES THAT SEEM trivial, unrewarding, tedious, dirty, and disagreeable...do they make you feed that way?

But, here are some valuable lessons correlating with the spiritual side of my life:

Top To Bottom...Mother taught me to clean a room from the top down (ceiling or the top of whatever surface to the bottom...surfaces should be touched only once; drips can be cleaned once; dusting won't have to be re-done).

You know, THIS ALSO APPLIES TO me WITH CLEANING my SPIRITUAL BODY...wash out those bad-influenced sights/thoughts with the Word of the Lord, starting in the brain...let His Words sink into my synapses...then they can be stored and pondered in my heart.

Secondly...dry cleaning/dusting with a cloth are done before changing to wet cleaning.

Oh, my mind may have cobwebs stubbornly hanging on...then the Holy Spirit convicts my heart, the cleansing tears begin to flow and I can wipe away some of the issues with tissues.

Finally, after my cleaning is completed, I must put my supplies away (where I can quickly retrieve them).

Bible study tools should also be kept ready for my next needy time...for the next SPEED-clean of an attitude, for helping calm a friend, or to help find words for a special prayer request.

His Word cleanses LIKE NO OTHER. I'll try to continue to find the beauty in my housework...even on those days they feel trivial and unrewarding...my mind will be in a better place while I'm 'doing for me and my family'.

What about you?

Ezekiel 44:10

"...From now on they'll do only the menial work in the Sanctuary: guard the gates and help out with the Temple chores..."

Blessings,

THANKFUL THURSDAY #61

WHAT THINGS ARE SPEAKING TO YOU THIS WEEK REGARDING 'THANKFULNESS'?

COME WITH ME...AND ALL THE OTHERS, in JOINING SONYA FOR #61 THANKFUL THURSDAY...

"EVEN THOUGH" :

...IT HURTS LIKE BLUE BLAZES AND FEELS LIKE THEY'RE GONNA POP...IT WAS MAMMOGRAM DAY TODAY,

"Lord: Thank you for providing a way for women to be tested for early breast cancer which helps save lives! (BTW, could you plant seeds in someone's research and development lab to come up with a LEFF PAINFUL SCAN?)"

...THE ROOM WAS VERY WARM AND I WAS HAVING A MAJOR 'PERSONAL TROPICAL VACATION' EARLIER THIS WEEK DURING OUR PRAYER SHAWL MEETING...OUR GATHERING PLACE WAS COZY:

"Lord, thank you for moving the hearts of many women to participate in our church's prayer shawl ministry as their hands create beautiful items to comfort your people in recovery or pain."

...THE CLOUDS WERE DARK AND THEN THE RAIN WAS MAKING TRAFFIC HORRIBLE THROUGHOUT THE CITY THIS MORNING, IT WAS A CHALLENGE TRAVELING 32 MILES TO THE SCANNING CENTER TODAY: "Lord, you provided rain for the birds and plants, and my new azaleas were needing it :)"

...DD HAS TO DRIVE TO ANOTHER CITY TO WORK AT A REHABILITATION CLINIC DD'S 2ND SEMESTER INTERNSHIP HAS BEGUN, "Lord, Thank you for placing her in a place to learn patient care with professionals who are kind and helpful while showing her the ropes."

...THE SEMINAR WE WANTED TO SIGN UP WAS FULL YOUR TIMING IS PERFECT,

"Lord, continue to grow your nurturing in our family's hearts, so we will treasure your creation in each of us...we are nothing without you."

AMEN & AMEN

PROJECT 365 / WK 3

Reiterating WHAT SARA SAID to those in Project 365...

"This is a wonderful community and having done this for one year already, I know encouragement helps in staying with it!"

Believing COMMENTS are an important part of this world-sharing adventure, I'd LOVE to hear from you.

Sara went further to pose a challenge to us..."give one piece of advice to those 'just starting' this adventure".

My advice: DON'T over-pressure yourself to take a shot EVERY day...at least one or two a week is sometimes my norm, but it still helps me make some effort toward noting how the week has been, good or bad.

Some HIGHLIGHTS from this week...CLICK EACH PIC TO SEE A LARGER VIEW:

Sunday, 1/10: Our youth group/church said 'see ya later' to one of their Asst. Youth Director mentors...agape gifts for future missions, a completed prayer shawl, a book of youth letters and a send-off prayer while 'laying on hands' ... WE LOVE HER SO MUCH and will work hard to stay in touch as she works in another church many states away from here...sniff, sniff!!

Monday, 1/11 (no pics today)

Tuesday, 1/12:

prepared my outline for our Disciple III class this week...

it does not pay to EVER procrastinate getting this done.

Wednesday, 1/13 & Thursday, 1/14 (no pics)

Friday, 1/15:

While walking through the foyer on my way up with the laundry basket, I noticed a visitor outside my front door.

Can you see him through the sidelite?

He was catching some rays while sheltered from the wind by the bushes on either side of the porch. His fur was all puffed up as he crouched down on all fours.

Saturday, 1/16:

Had a chance to get some bright green kale at the grocery for $1.29/lb

I pounced on that and cooked them down today with some bacon and salt water...yummo!

...and look, on another trip up the stairs with today's load of clothes...

we had ANOTHER little visitor.

He was REALLY little, can you see him behind the iron railing?

The lower pics get you close enough to see him.

The chipmunks love to dig in my cement planters where I currently have purple cabbage plants. They bury nuts there, along with the squirrels.

Hope you have a wonderful WEEK 4 of 2010 :)

Come again...anytime!

FRIDAY FILL-IN & FINDING BEAUTY

JOINING JANET AND GROUP

&

CLAUDIA FOR FRIDAY FILL INS for FRIDAY-

FINDING BEAUTY...
1. The lesson I learned yesterday was: "Grown ups" act like teenagers when they get in line to sign

up for something...the line was more horizontal than perpendicular and it took FOREVER to finally SIGN the sheet to help with SENIOR WEEK.

2. Dreaming of being under the Arbor at our campground in the summertime...where friends

and family meet.

3. All these years of being in my house are adding up to lots of money having to be spent

now on upgrades, repairs and newer items that won't last as long.

4. Having to stand in line so long made me late

to our weekly prayer/share, so I quickly joined in after finding the ladies discussing their week when I arrived.

5. The truth is GOD IS ALWAYS SPEAKING TO US--WE'RE JUST NOT BEING QUIET AND

STILL LONG ENOUGH TO HEAR HIM.

6. 'FOUND BEAUTY IN' REMEMBERING

THE LOOK ON DD'S FACE

YESTERDAY WHILE ANNOUNCING HER ACHIEVING "HONOR GRADUATE"--AND NOT HAVING TO TAKE FINALS IN ANY OF HER CLASSES...PRICELESS...THAT is what I remember most from that day.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to WORKING ON MY KNITTING PROJECT, tomorrow my plans include WRAPPING UP THE PRE-LIT CHRISTMAS TREE AND RETURNING IT TO ITS 'PLACE' IN THE BASEMENT and Sunday, I want to BE IN OUR CONTEMPORARY SERVICE TO HEAR OUR SENIOR PASTOR...I'VE BEEN IN YOUTH THE PAST TWO WEEKS AND IT'S MY TURN TO BE FED!

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
Blessings,

A TIME OF HELPING...

I jumped around yesterday... across some blogs and

read a blog where JIMBO is on mission to help those in need. Beth shares a prayer for everyone and a prayer for her husband...it touched me. I have a friend whose husband is also a "Jim"...he's currently in Haiti and they've not talked with him yet and our hearts are full of hope for quick communication.

MANY blogs are requesting special prayers for ALL the hurt in HAITI-involved missions, citizens and around-the-world family members.

MY GOOD NEWS TODAY...I just FB chatted with our nephew (who's transitioning back toward the USA). He typed a message noting where he is today, general update on what they've been doing, and catching up on mail. It's comforting to KNOW he and his men weren't on a 'frontline' keeping their heads down to avoid enemy fire.They should be on our shores within the next two weeks. Finally, a timeframe I can wrap my brain around, so I'll continue to eagerly wait to hear he's safely landed on U.S. soil.

.

MAY OUR LORD HEAR THE PRAYERS WE LIFT TO HIM DURING THESE DIFFICULT SITUATIONS.

Isaiah42:1

Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.

Blessings,

RANDOM DOZEN…my first of 2010

JOINING LIDDIE

FOR THE “2ND” RANDOM DOZEN OF THE YEAR…

1. When was the last time you craved a food--what was it, and did you cave?

My last craving was the beef tenderloin prepared by the chef at our ‘Chritmas @ the beach’ house…it was awesome and I wonderfully caved, enjoyed every bite.

Proverbs 10:3
The LORD will not allow the righteous to hunger,But He will reject the craving of the wicked.

2. M & M's or SkittleS?

SKITTLES, their fruitiness makes my mouth happy

Hebrews 12:11
All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

3. Have you ever read the Bible completely through?

NOT ENTIRELY, but 70% of it…during Disciple I Bible study. All four of their 36-week studies are very detailed…if you’ve not done them, I highly recommend them. They CHANGED my relationship with Christ and my community.

4. How long does it take you to really wake up in the morning?

Probably about 15 minutes…once I’ve brushed my teeth, I’m good to go straight for my one cup of joe….

Proverbs 27:14
If you wake your friend in the early morning by shouting "Rise and shine!" It will sound to him more like a curse than a blessing.

5. Have you ever been on a cruise? If not, would you like to?

Our honeymoon was our first and only cruise, so far. Tampa/Cozumel/Cancun…it was that ship’s last public voyage--aGreek tycoon was buying it for his personal use.

Funny thing though…it caught fire in the engine room the night before we were disembark for Cancun…they put us on emergency government boats about 2 miles out from Playa del Carmen; we had to find rides to Cancun! What a day…

We’re hoping to go to Alaska and visit Sarah one day soon :)

6. Who is your favorite actress?

Ingrid Bergman’s old movies intrigue me, she’s witty, mysterious and gorgeous all wrapped up in one.

7. ______ is something that I will just never understand.

‘WEARING YOUR PANTS BELOW YOUR BOHUNKUS, stretched across your thighs having to waddle as you try to walk’, that’s what I WILL NEVER understand.

Proverbs 30:18
[ Four Mysteries ] Three things amaze me, no, four things I'll never understand— how an eagle flies so high in the sky, how a snake glides over a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, why adolescents act the way they do.

8. How much of a technology junkie are you?

Technology always excites me, so I jump in and learn how to work the various contraptions…but I don’t HAVE to go out and buy them right away. I like for a lot of their bugs to get worked out and then buy them once the general population has grown bored with them, then I can afford them :)

9. Do you enjoy selecting greeting cards for people, or is it more of a cultural "have to" for you?

You can often find me standing in the greeting card section of the grocery store, drug store, dollar store, WOWmart…I love the originality of cards--like to find the JUST RIGHT card for THE occasion.

1 Corinthians 16:20
All the friends here say hello. Pass the greetings around with holy embraces!

10. When was the last time you got a new style/haircut?

AFTER MY “H” and enduring all my ‘mones being blown to oblivion, as my personal tropical vacations became my norm…the hair had TO GO; with my face shape an angle cut supposedly would help break up the ROUNDNESS…and the lack of long locks has helped my head, at least, be a little cooler.

1 Peter 3:1
What matters is not your outer appearance—the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes—but your inner disposition.

11. What do you enjoy shopping for most?

Shopping is a sport for me…I like to find bargains (goal) and it doesn’t matter what it is…cologne, makeup, shoes, used furniture/household items. I can come home with nothing…still would have enjoyed the day LOOKING.

Psalm 4:6-8 (The Message)

“Why is everyone hungry for more? "More, more," they say. "More, more." I have God's more-than-enough, more joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees.”

12. What's the last thing you think of before you leave the house?

There have been many bottles of water left on my kitchen counter, some days I actually remember to pick it up and take it with me.

Exodus 12:21
”Moses assembled all the elders of Israel… No one is to leave the house until morning. God will pass through to strike Egypt down.”

PROJECT 365, WK 2

WEEK 2...Joining Sara with this week's fun in pictures...

I didn't get any the first couple of days of this week but the rest of the week made up for it...

After Disciple class, BS&K and I decided in the parking lot to go get some chili...to help warm our bones from the cold...

***click each pic to get a larger view :) ***

>

...then it was home to do laundry and 'feed my sour dough starter'...

Thursday the news was constantly telling us how much it was going to snow that evening, so I made sure I hit the grocery store before the 'going home from work' crowd that ALWAYS has to stop and get bread and milk when snow's coming...

the first few flakes were TINY, TINY

DD brought home a bowl she had painted and fired for a friend who is moving away on Sunday...she's going to be missed so much by my girl...it makes me sad to know she is losing such an awesome mentor

By Thursday evening we had a good little covering of snow...

In the morning I was able to traipse outside and take some shots (a little kitty had been walking and shaking his paws, making double pawprints on the front sidewalk...my little garden angel had an apronful of snow...my front steps made some beautiful pictures with the strange angles and curves...and I loved the color contrast of the cabbages with their overlay of snow.)

Saturday afternoon we took the junior/senior high youth students to the Georgia Gym Dogs (2009's NCAA National Champions, by the way)...they had a meet in Athens against Stanford...their routines were awesome and the Dogs won .

There was a 'pro-cheer' exhibition as well as some 'tiny' tumblers who showed us their stuff. It was great having some extra time with the kids and we ran into several of our freshmen, who met us at the Coliseum for the meet.

We stopped for burger, fries and frosted oranges on the way home...it was frigid getting to and from ... our High today was 22* and tonight should be around 16* (bbbbrrrrrr)

>>>>8<<<< Even the snowmen are cold!!>

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
Blessings,

THANKFUL THURSDAY...thankful indeed!

Joining Sonya and group for the 59th Thankful Thursday...

Today is especially thankful for our family...and we're THANKFUL INDEED...

My hubby's nephew completed his LAST Combat Patrol Sunday!! wooo hooo!!!! (We celebrate with his mom and dad in knowing they're done and out of harm's way, per se)

Thank you, bloggers, for keeping him in your prayers to our Lord Jesus, who has been and will continue to protect he and his platoon...they've been working together since last April.

Please continue special prayers for the four men and their families who sacrificed EVERYTHING during their time fighting for the continued freedom of the people in that region and in our country's participation for growing their independence. They will be forever missed and forever remembered!

His dedication to freedom was intentional and voluntary.

This past Sunday his commander awarded him a 'Bronze Star Medal' for Meritorious Service and his 'Gold Spurs' for leading a Cav Scout Platoon in combat! May God continue to bless him and his platoon until they're ALL back home safely.

We're eager for your feet to hit American soil, Lieutenant!

PROJECT 365 '10...WEEK ONE

SARA is kindly continuing to host Project 365...

I'm going to try and do better this year.

However, I'm starting a week behind because I left my camera at BS&K's on Friday :/

Oh, well...maybe you won't mind...I thought you'd enjoy the pictures anyway :)

We enjoyed our trip to Carolina Beach for an entire week...wow! I love the beach in cold weather...I was finally cool and not sweltering. Here's our first sunset of the week...from the back balcony over the inter-coastal waterway...

We went shopping and none of the KIDS would sit on Santa's lap for my photo op...so I did it myself. He was nice and kind to this old woman :)

If you've never visited Wilmington, NC's Cotton Exchange...you must go there sometime because there is SO much to do, shops, eateries, museums, and across the way is one of the battleship tours.

I was pretty proud of catching this guy guarding the battleship...he never moved and didn't give me any lip about having HIS picture made

My sister-in-law had arranged our accommodations and had decorated the 4-story condo (which had an elevator for my mother in law)...our colors were lime green and turquoise...so we called it our Dr. Seuss vacation...such fun.

Walks on the beach were surrounded in brisk winds and the waters were choppy but it made for GREAT pics...this little guy was very busy catching his dinner.

These pelicans were not scared at all with the surfers so close by...they went about their scooping up little fishies just feet away from the wet-suited guys we watched.

The surfer dudes caught many GOOD waves with the sea being so choppy... I can't imagine how cold that water was...

it was 38* on the shore with 10-12 mph wind gusts...BBBBRRRR!

MY charlie-horse bit me in my calf again while walking on the beach, so hubs and sister-in-law walked on while I took pictures...I snapped this just before sunset

CHRISTMAS MORNING brought calmer seas but a gorgeous sunrise...it was freezing outside and this is from behind the sea-salt riddled sliding glass door :)

I believe this is pyracantha in the back with the red berries...and then a cactus in front...doncha just love the purple blooms on the cactus?

I'll post some New Year's pictures when I get my camera back :)

Jer. 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

Blessings,