WORDFUL WEDS. & OUTDOOR WEDS.(sawdust savoring)

*Wordful Wednesday with Angie

and Outdoor Wednesday with Susan

is to showcase photo(s)

when we can't keep our mouths shut about them.

If you'd like to play along,

post a photo on your blog, and let the words roll.

HAVE YOU EVER ATTENDED A CAMPMEETING?

Our CAMPMEETING was last week...

Many elderly, middle-aged, married, single, teenager, tweens, kids, toddlers, newborns, puppies, THE HOLY SPIRIT, and a cloud of witnesses came for.....

well,

watch and listen

to see what the Lord provided...

(click on the video, then be sure to click on VIEW HQ VIDEO just above and to the right so you get the higher quality...

WE WERE BLESSED, indeed!!!

p.s.: that altar is a precious place indeed.

(one of my fav pics of dd--she was in 7th grade...youth had stayed up all night under the arbor, singing, playing games and just talking...once all others had gone home and while I cleaned & packed, she fell asleep while lying on the kneeling bench of the altar in front of the lecturn

("sleeping at His feet" is my subtitle

...i think it will always be my favorite :) p.s.: thx for continuing your prayers for Katie.

Out of Surgery

Posted 7 minutes ago

Katie is out of surgery and is in CICU. K*mama and J*daddy are with her now...don't know much more at this time.

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

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

SHOW & TELL ...itty bitty steps...FASHION FRIDAY

(UPDATE: I've "fissed" the link to the sandals...thanks for keeping me straight!)

I must TELL you...what guides my understanding of truth and helps me decide right from wrong. When I’m faced with a decision to do something, participate in an activity, or even form an opinion…I have a yardstick of truth to help measure out my reasoning. Things I was taught years ago by my loving Mother. (My mother used little measures to remind me of right and wrong when I was a toddler--changes in her voice to alert me, picking me up and moving me to another part of the room, or little pops on the tops of my hands to catch my attention when I was independent and not wanting to listen…when I was veering off “her path” of expectation. She always KEPT AN EYE on me.)

What got me thinking of this topic was my newest project…my SHOW for this week. A day or so ago, I finished a pair of “baby, open-toe sandals”…just click on it to go to the crochet patten, thanks Chrystal! These are definitely the tiniest little shoes I've ever made, in fact, the only shoes I've ever made! You can fit both of these little sandals in the palm of your hand...itty bitty!

(Big MaMa is hosting the 59th Edition of FASHION FRIDAY...what preemie wouldn't want to be decked out in these??!!)

I must tell you also, these little shoes will one day be worn by a preemie baby I do not know…so pray over them with me then I'll send them on their path to be given out by the church staff when someone is in need. May His Spirit ride in the souls of these little shoes and bless the little one wearing them. May these little sandals touch the hearts of the mommy and baby to know they are Your children, Lord, and You will keep close as they travel life's path.

My Mom’s guidance down her path of expectations all those years ago during those “don’t touch” moments taught me to look to her, obey her…not in fear but in knowing she was ultimately protecting me from making mistakes, building a pattern in my little brain to know right. Her guidance then and throughout my life as she took us to and from church each week, talked with me about Jesus’ love gradually built a solid base for all of my future decisions to rest on as I started walking my own path.


My Lord’s love for me…the solid cornerstone--will not slip, slide or prove untrue...a true plumb line for hanging each of my decisions up against...causing “bad choices” to swing wide outside the path He has laid down preveniently ahead of me for the taking.



Choosing to seek Him new each day, He awakens His spirit anew, reminding me I am His little child--do not veer--listen when He is “catching my attention” or holding out that plumb line.

Recently our Sunday School class studied Paul Chilcote’s “Praying in the Wesleyan Spirit”, which has many soul-searching, John Wesley prayers as well as many of the hymns he and his brother, Charles, wrote many years ago as the Methodist Church was coming into existence. One of the hymns speaks so sweetly to this topic of “child-like faith”, from Collection 341, Verse 2:

Humble, teachable and mild,
O may I, as a little child.
My lowly Master’s steps pursue!
Be anger to my soul unknown,
Hate, envy, jealousy, be gone!
In love create thou all things new!

2 Samuel 7:11 "I'm keeping my eye on them!

And your royal throne will always be there, rock solid."

Go check out other SHOW & TELL'ers @ THERE's NO PLACE LIKE HOME...

just click on this: Kelli's

How do you keep to His straight path?

THREE-OR-MORE TUESDAY...Mantle Memories

The Gypsy's Corner is sponsoring THREE OR MORE TUESDAY...please visit her and see the various other "THREES"!!

My THREE involves MY GRANNY...My Granny, whose pictures now have a special spot on my mantle...a small, little area holding very dear memories and wanting to know each person IN each picture.

In the front is my granny, who birthed 7 children, all but one was birthed in her home with no anesthesia, wow! She passed into Glory in 1995 and I still long to sit at her feet again. Wisdom doesn't seem a strong enough word when trying to describe her preciousness to me.

Memories of baking teacakes, shucking corn and shelling peas... drying apple slices for friend apple pies...singing gospel songs with Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty.

She was ALWAYS talking to Jesus...whispering her prayers throughout the house as she did her chores...picking up crumbs off the table with her ring finger... as she sipped her coffee from her cup (which always sat in a saucer)....living alone for 32 years after my grandaddy (Buddy) died at 53yo...directing the church choir when she was 85yo...yep, what a blessing to love my strong grandmother...she would have been 99yo this May.

Pawpaw is on the right with the two little girls, my cousin and my sister...I was 2 when he passed...wish I could have known him so I could have heard for myself his stories of practical jokes he played on his guy friends...I heard one involved chocolate Exlax! hhhhmmmm

The large crowd sitting to the left is my Granny's legacy...My grandmother's mother is the teen girl sitting at the far right with the little flower corsage on her blouse and her hair done in a back-combed pompadour (I've always wondered if this was a family shot after her "graduation" in1902 ...my granny was born to her in 1910). Granny's mother died after her son's birth when Granny was 10...and Granny raised him.

What THREE can you share with us today??

1 John 5:6-8
This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

THERE'S HOPE IN THE VOTE...GOT YOUR STICKER?

Cielo at "The House in the Roses" is hosting "Hopeful Friday"...

Hope helps us through many things...
normal things, abnormal things...
comfortable things, uncomfortable things...

I was "hoping" to get done sooner than later...but it ended up being "later"...what presidential voting adventures have you had this year? I've tried to capture a few thoughts about my experience today...

3 1/2 hours!

standing...propping...standing...leaning

Drinking my large, 4-cream, 2-Splenda coffee

Reading THE SCARLET THREAD, Francine Rivers

(Thanx, Beverlydru!)

Hearing moanings about the 40-ish degrees enveloping us

Covering my head with my black-hooded flannel jacket

Shuffling from foot to foot, bending my knees, following the leader

Channel 46 Helicopter hovering, Channel 2 news crews extending antennas

Policemen moving the caution tape, extending the line lanes

Black, white, Hispanic, babies, Mommies, Grandparents, some seem lonely

Lots of coats, hats, closed-toed shoes, flip flops and shorts

Example ballots, back and forth, long yellow sheets

Clip boards, absentee ballot requests, ink pens...any questions?

Finally in the door, no more wind, Thank you, Jesus.

Forms, identification handed over

Electronic card...good as gold...my one vote...my vote counts

Checked my vote, cast my ballot, pulled my card

got my "I VOTED TODAY" sticker

3 1/2 hours!

For more "Hopeful Friday" go to: http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/2008/10/hopeful-friday_23.html

ANTICIPATION...it's keeping me wa-a-a-a-a-itin!

My yard is in the final throws of "last colors of summer"...the next season is soon to be dawning into yellows, oranges and reds of Fall. I'm anticipating this season for its wonderfulness of smells ranging from fading leaves, new pine straw, pumpkin spice coffee, and baking apples with cinnamon and butter.


Next to my garage, my yellow chrysanthemum is on the verge of blooming, reminding me of my Daddy...
there were lots of mums at his funeral in 1990, so it always reminds me of how much he loved the Fall, going to high school football games and yelling at the Falcons on the TV...he was not always timid.
(This is a micro shot...in reality it is about the same size as the end of your little pinky finger) [Family: Asteraceae (ass-ter-AY-see-ee) Genus: chrysanthemum Height:18-24 in.]


Out in the front island are two angel trumpets...more than 5 blooms
on this one...only one pod on the plant in the front of the island. [Angel's Trumpet Brugmansia;Height:6-8 ft.attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birdsFlowers are fragrant]

Soon they will pop out to satisfy my eagerness..why am I eager?...because they are the "babies" in my floral array this summer...small as the array is, I appreciate every awakening of color as it bursts out to meet its new home.

Each time I will be looking on these two plants I will think of my dear accountability sister who kindly shared the plants with me...so, their names are Dorothy.




Just behind the trumpet and next to the sitting bench my moments are always smoothed when I take in a whiff of my miniature gardenia...
this is the prettiest bloom I've ever seen on it!

Can you believe I was able to capture it in a portrait so I can return and enjoy it again and again throughout the upcoming winter!
[Gardenia jasminoides...or miniature Gardenia or Cape Jasmine; an evergreen shrub; height & spread, 2 to 6 feet.]

I recently propogated a few branches of this bush for my Mother--she so enjoyed its crisply-sweet smell this past summer when she visited.
The blossom itself reminds me of the STAR of DAVID (5 points; such a sweet smell in the center)...just like Jesus is the SWEETEST SMELL of the line of DAVID! So, I think I'll name this one JESSEE...the line of Jessee!

Thank you, Lord:

for giving me such a beautiful covering of your creation to see,

to smell, to enjoy, to share with my blogging friends and neighbors.

Again, our prayers ask you to especially cover the Texas coast

as they are enduring Hurricane Ike...

put a hedge of protection around them.

Amen

Yungins! Are You Listening?

Jesus was on a “healing-relationships” mission from Heaven for His Creation’s sake, and He often sought time with God in prayer while he was present on Earth. He sought to teach us THE TRUTH, HEAL the sick, FEED the hungry, and often time would run out and he would be drained and tired from all those who "pulled at Him".

It saddens me--on Friday,April 18, we lost a “mentor of selfless servant hood”. Selfishly sad because I will not get to enjoy hugging and talking with one of Jesus' saints any more in this lifetime--Dorothy Pepper opened her eyes one last time, looked to Heaven and was ushered into Eternity. At 99 years young, her eyes still danced like a young woman and her tight-lipped kisses were sought treats by us “yungins” when she was able to sit in the middle section on the second pew in the church, wrapped in her soft sweater. Her lipstick on your lips was a trophy, for sure…you see, when she was sharing her heart with you, she would peck you on the lips! WOW! 1909-2008, I watched how she made her “dash” count; she richly loved and taught her family (and all those around her) about Jesus’ love…in everything she did. He welcomed her with loving arms and she was able to give Him a peck!

Throughout my Mom’s life she has “bent over backwards” to please friends and family around her--cooking, cleaning, sewing, hugging, caring. She is my mentor for “heartfelt” service to those she loves and to those she doesn’t even know, “giving herself and her time away”. How grateful I am to have her legacy of prayer, singing, and teaching. She loves Jesus with her whole heart and made it her job to show that to me, my sister and my Daddy. Her tears still often come as she shares what He has done in her life! That “selflessness” way of life appears to be harder to find these days, and I strive to leave this same thing for my daughter, so His love will be passed on throughout generations. (I'm nowhere as good at it as she is because I often let me get in the way.)

Lord, help me remember: “You will fight for me; I need only to be still” (Exodus 14:13). You are my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). You will lead me when I am blind by ways I have not known, along unfamiliar paths You will guide me; You will turn the darkness into light before me and make the rough places smooth. These are the things You will do; You will not forsake me (Isaiah 42:16).

As my Mommy and Mrs. Pepper taught me,

1. READ His Word
2. Pray constantly … confess often
3. Obediently walk
4. Listen…He’ll make His voice loud and clear!
5. Dwell on His Promises

Jeremiah 33:3

“Call to me and I will answer you; and tell you great and unsearchable things!”