And the winner is.........

Congratulations Jean from Working Momma 24/7!

Thank you for participating in the Fall Y'all bloggy giveaway hosted by Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer.





You have won the Mary Kay Mint Bliss Pedicure Set.
I know your little tootsies are going to loooovve this!!







This was so much fun and I want to thank Shannon for being such a gracious host.

By the way, if you are interested in purchasing a Mint Bliss Pedicure Set for yourself or as a gift, or any other Mary Kay products you may do so by clicking here. The Mint Bliss is available in my "Last Chance" section and I am discounting them 50% while my supplies last!

Get yours NOW!

Fall Y'all bloggy giveway

Shannon from Rocks In My Dryer is once again hosting the "Fall Y'all bloggy giveaway" which started Oct 29th. You can find out all the details here.

After the hustle and bustle of the holiday activities you can enjoy treating your tootsies to some special time when you pamper them with this Private Spa Collection Mint Bliss Pedicure Set from Mary Kay. This would also make a great gift!




This set includes a Mint Bliss energizing lotion, a foot scrub, 10 Mint Bliss Fizzies for Feet, a foot file/brush and a pair of toe separators. Plus a pretty bag with minty green accents.




For your chance to win just leave a comment. This giveaway is open to bloggers and non-bloggers, only please make sure I have a link or an email address to contact you, should you be the blessed winner. Sorry I can only mail in the United States.

Comments will be open until 6:00 pm Sunday, November 4th at which time I will do a random drawing.

Fall, Foliage and Ten Minutes from Normal

Every year I am amazed at the palette of beautiful color that the Lord blesses us with. It's breathtaking!


Yippee! I have finally finished a book!!

I started this book about a year ago. It's not that it wasn't interesting, it's that I had trouble finding the time to read.

"The rule of thumb in any White House is that nobody is indispensable except the president," said The New York Times, "but Karen Hughes has come as close to that description as any recent presidential aide." Karen Hughes has worked beside President George W. Bush since, as she says, "the motorcade was only one car and he was sometimes the one driving it." As counselor to the president, she brought the working mom's perspective to the White House, often asking of President Bush's policies, "What does this mean for the average person?"Yet the move from Texas to Washington was hard on her family, and in a controversial, headline-making decision that reverberated across America, she summoned the courage to say, "Mr. President, I love you, but I need to move my family home to Texas." There, Hughes continues to advise the president, where the kitchen wall calendar marks the State of the Union message side by side with her son's orthodontist appointments."

I wasn't interested in this book because I am not a political person. Rather I was curious about the woman who had strived to acquire such a significant position only to choose a life in Texas, teaching Sunday School, and being with her family.

"Told in Karen Hughes's disarmingly down-to-earth, warm, often funny, and frank voice, the book is a remarkable blend of an ordinary woman's life, with all its compromises and everyday decisions, and a keenly insightful look at American politics and America's forty-third president."

Halloween, Supper, and Hand mixer

Have you ever tried this?



I may be a little behind the times, but I just discovered this product the other day. My husband is not a picky eater and is happy with anything you would fix for him. But he really liked this and I loved it because it is so simple. Any dish that is quick and simple is great in my book!

Everything you need is in this box. I actually took pictures as I was preparing it, however since the sauce was so white and the seasoning too, it didn't exactly show up very well so it didn't it look as appealing as it tasted. If you like Italian food, and fettucine alfredo is one of them, I think you will like this.

Last year I had to throw away a little "avocado" mixer I had gotten for a wedding present back in 1972. I couldn't believe it had lasted this long. So for Christmas this past year I got a new heavy duty mixer. I didn't realize I was going to miss my other mixer that I was able to keep in the drawer in my kitchen for those smaller mixing tasks. So this is what my son got me for my birthday earlier this month.



From this angle I think it looks like something out of "The Jetson's".



Don't you see the ears (beaters), the eyes and look at that dark hair??

I love days off!

It is rather chilly here again this morning (50 degrees when I woke up). It is 9:00 am and is still only 52. Another rainy, cloudy day, although the wind isn't blowing as much as it has been this week. Whew! It's still a great day because I have taken the day off!

I am trying to finish up some things around the house so we can complete our living room project. I was off Wednesday too and painted some baseboard and trim, the stair risers and some exterior doors. I have moved a tall storage cabinet and now I have to put all the items back in it. Of course there is laundry to be done as well. I also want to set up a play room.

There are just plenty of things to be done around here and I'm not going to bore you with all of them. I will let you know which ones I do complete, just so you don't think I sat around watching the tv, eating bon bons!

I got the desk moved out of the new playroom and set up the toys in it. I washed 3 loads of laundry. I emptied out a 4-drawer filing cabinet and got it moved into my office. I've got files to move out of one cabinet and put in it. I got the storage cabinet stuff put back in. I have a table in my office that I use for my Mary Kay skin care classes, etc. and it was piled full of stuff and I got it cleared off.

I also managed to make Jim a pot of pinto beans and some cornbread for lunch.....along with a good onion, some tomato and he was happy!

I thought I would share this video someone had sent to me awhile ago.




I think he did an awesome job! I especially liked the little ones hand holding onto the grownups hand.

Music

As you may know up till a few years ago our family travelled full-time spreading the message of Jesus Christ through country gospel music. So music has been a large part of our lives and we especially enjoy it when we can all get together to sing and play music. I must mention that our normal bass player, Kyle, and his wife, Leslie, who also sings, is not present here because they live in Georgia. So this is the most of our group that you will get together on a moments notice.

Our daughter Lisa has a friend, Regina, who lives in Missouri and has family in Mississippi. She had recently made a trip to Mississippi and was on her way back home and stopped here to visit Lisa and meet the rest of the family. Regina loves to sing, although she prefers more of a jazz style. This time I just sat back and enjoyed the singing.

Seated on the left is my husband Jim, then son Paul, Regina, and Lisa playing bass.

It truly was a night I enjoyed, not all because of the music and fellowship, but meeting Regina too. It was obvious she really loves to sing too!

Danny, Lisa and Flea Markets

Our daughter, Lisa, and her husband, Danny live in a nearby town and are wanting to move here. So we are converting an area of our home into an apartment for them. As some of you know she has had some medical issues that have escalated these past few months, and most recently her migraines have become very severe. Through the course of this she made several visits to the emergency room, and was finally hospitalized. However, if still wasn't until she was back home again that she got some relief from a 35 day+ migraine. Therefore it would be very difficult for her to keep their home "show" ready when you have migraines such as these. This way they can "stage" their home for showings and she will be near those who love and can care for her, if the need arises. She is a housewife, but he works 12 hour days on a swing shift for a steel manufacturer, so this way she will have people near her all the time.

I mentioned all that to say this. Because they are bringing very minimal furniture there are a few items Lisa would like to find to use here. They are planning to bring the bed they have in their guest room so they were needing a couple of very inexpensive nightstands. Thus began the flea market search for just that. First of all we found this cabinet for $10. It is in rather good shape except that someone has painted it and there is one spot on the top that the veneer has wrinkled. But it is very solid otherwise and I thought a rather interesting piece. They are going to set a small tv on it in their bedroom area.



Sunday we spent the afternoon shopping in the nearby flea markets. Finally the last one we visited had this. It was a $12 find and perfect for a nightstand.



We're both looking forward to more flea market shopping for a few other pieces that they would like to have.

Since it has started getting a little cooler here, we topped the evening off with a nice bowl of home-made chili!

Trust in the Lord with all Thine Heart.....

Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not on your own understanding.


Today I was mowing on the tractor and I had my 4-1/2 year-old grandson, Ethan, riding with me. He was sitting on my lap and I had my arms wrapped around him so he wouldn't fall or anything. The longer we rode the more relaxed his body become. (Which didn't necessarily make it any easier on his Gannie, but nonetheless he was relaxed). I began to think about how trusting he was of me and how, as adults, we should be as trusting with our heavenly Father. Time after time the Lord shows us how he loves us, protects us, guides us, etc. But some of us have to learn this each and every time.

As he became even more relaxed he began to lean on me more. Do I lean on the Lord like I should?

Finally Ethan collapsed in my arms, laying his head on my chest, and falling asleep. At that moment I thought of how so many times in our life we only collapse in our Saviour' arms after we have exhausted everything we as carnal minds can think of to make our situations better. Again, He has shown us numerous times that He is in control of our lives and we know that His way will far surpass anything we could have imagined. So why can't we Trust in Him with all thine heart, just as he wants us to?

Birthday, mums, kids and giveaways!

I just remembered I needed to change my profile.....another birthday rolled around!

Between all the rain we have had this week and the sun setting earlier I've gotten behind on my mowing. It already looked like I was baling hay earlier this week, and now we have had more rain. I had spent most all of last Saturday mowing and didn't get half-way done. So it looks like I'm going to be spending this Saturday doing the same.

We planted some mums last weekend as a border on the side of our driveway. I had a couple of yellow ones, some beautiful deep burgundy and a couple of gorgeous magenta color. This is basically the beginning of our landscaping since we built this home in 1999. A friend of mine is going to give me some monkey grass early next week. And we had also planted a couple of shrubs on each side of the garage ramp.

We are awaiting the arrival of our almost 5 year-old grandson, Ethan. They grow up so fast.

My youngest son, Kyle called the other day to inform me of what my 2-1/2 year-old granddaughter did at school.

They live in Georgia so we don't get to see her very often. Everytime she is around us she seems so quite and timid, although not necessarily shy. However to hear her parents she is a handful. Actually on the 2nd day of school she got to be the "Happy Helper" of the day. Well the teacher was asking all the children to sit down and this one little boy "Tucker" (who goes to her grandma's daycare) wouldn't sit down. So she goes over and pushes him into his seat. Needless to say she then got to sit in the "Sad Seat".

Well on Wednesday her and this same boy, "Tucker" (who is a little younger than her but much larger) were evidently fighting over a block. He apparently gets her down and is laying on her. Naturally she can't fight him off so she bites him. Enough to draw blood! Once again she got in trouble....Tucker did too. Kyle said he was going to have to talk to her when he got home that night. He wasn't sure just what he was going to do, after all she was using the only defense she could probably muster up, with him laying on her. I haven't heard yet just how that discipling was handled.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month and 5 Minutes for Mom is giving away this Casio Pink EX-Z75 digital camera. You can get all the details here.

Godtube - Lifehouse

A nice weekend.

I had a nice weekend. Friday evening Jim and I picked up our 14 year-old grandson, Cody, for the weekend. First we went to our favorite Mexican restaurant, Cozumel, where I enjoyed cheese dip, chips. refried beans and enchiladas. They both relished the grilled shrimp, along with refried beans, Pico de Gallo and salad fixins.

Then I treated my husband to the movies to see this.



As I've mentioned before, I do not care for westerns. Unfortunately that is my husbands favorite. However, I did enjoy this movie. Naturally Jim had seen the original movie.

Saturday we went to town and bought Jim a new tool box for his truck. I was so frustrated with the other one because it wouldn't stay latched and the lid would constantly come open. I am so glad to be rid of that one.

Then we went to Lowe's to pick up a few items for our project. I haven't mentioned this so far because I had thought we would have been finished by now and could show you pictures. But a few weeks ago I had taken a weeks vacation to redo our foyer/living room/dining room. I will save most of the details for a later post. This weekend though, we removed a VERY HEAVY cast iron wood stove from the living room and installed a fireplace. We had purchased this fireplace 2 or 3 years ago, but decided later not to use it. I am wanting him to build some cabinet/shelves on one wall, so we decided to change out the wood stove (which we never used because all the heat went up the flue) and put in the fireplace instead. Then hopefully he will build around it.

So for now, we're still working on it.

My 100th Post

This is YOUR lucky day! In honor of tradition for the 100th post, you get to learn 100 things about me that you may not want to know!

1. I was born in Rushville, IL in 1954.

2. Once we lived in a small town called Industry. It was so small it was referred to as "Pinhook". However, I have lived in towns even smaller than that.

3. I originally was going to name my oldest son Travis. A couple of weeks before he was born I suddenly changed it to Lonny. I could never figure out where that came from or why I felt the need to change it. To make life more interesting for him I spelled it with a "y' instead of "ie".

4. I am a natural brunette....real black actually. I should say I "was" a brunette. Now my natural color is gray with a little black. Which is why I'm a blonde!

5. I can't handle being in the heat. My head starts to throb, my face turns red and I get sick to my stomach. Needless to say when it starts getting 82+ I am inside, in the air conditioning. It's so frustrating too because I enjoy mowing and working outside.

6. I am married to the love of my life. The "love of my life" I always wanted, but didn't find until 13-1/2 years ago.

7. I realize I may not know 100 things about myself.

8. As a little girl, I just knew I was destined to grow up and be a well-known singer. The joke was on me! LOL Don't get me wrong, I can sing, it just doesn't sound good.

9. During my senior year I made the headlines of our school newspaper. In preparation of our "homecoming" it was traditional to have a bonfire. Well anyone knows you can't have a good bonfire without "outhouses". Somehow I was volunteered delegated the driver of the truck as we they stole the outhouse. Someday I'll share the rest of the story.

10. My mom was a red-head, well actually a beautiful auburn, just like Lonny.

11. I am an Independent Beauty Consultant for Mary Kay Cosmetics.

12. My cousin, Judy, and I both slide our feet out of our socks instead of pulling them off.

13. One of the first times I ever went fishing I caught what seemed like a whole "school" of fish. None of them were much more than 4 inches long. I was so proud of all of them I made my mom take them home. I was thoroughly disappointed when she refused to cook them for supper. So instead I cut the eyeballs out of one. I was only 7 or so. I never really understood why, but I think I was more interested in how they were held in place. You would have thought I'd have been a scientist or something.

14. My first job was working the concession stand at the local theater. I took home $6 a week. I would put $3 worth of gas in the car and that lasted until the next week. Gas was only 32.9 cents a gallon.

15. I was always interested in photography.

16. I have dark brown eyes.

17. Growing up I took ballet, tap, toe, baton, acrobatics and piano lessons.

18. When I was about 11 or 12 I taught myself how to type on an old Royal typewriter that looked a lot like this one.
I'm really serious!

19. I'm right-handed.

20. I love to laugh.

21. I can't knit or crochet.

22. Accounting was a subject that came very natural to me, but I was never very good at math! Go figure!! I guess it was the algebra, trigonometry, and geometry that threw me! Oh and fractions...I hated fractions!!

23. After I graduated from high school my jobs have all been accounting/payroll. Except for about 2 months I worked at the Admiral factory making freezers.

24. My favorite sports to play are volleyball, ping pong, badminton and foosball. I probably could still play volleyball, but I might not be able to move the next day.

25. I drove a 1970 yellow camaro in high school.

26. I've never broken a bone.

27. I don't like liver.

28. My dad was a carpenter by trade and a farmer.

29. In the late 50's my parents built a house in "Pinhook"



and my mom painted it pink. No kidding! See!!



Now mind you this wouldn't be all that strange these days, but in the 50's it was strange enough to get in the local paper. Yep! That's my mom for ya!

30. I can't hardly go outside without my sunglasses on.

31. My uncle played steel guitar for Conway Twitty, before he became famous. (Conway Twitty not my uncle).

32. I love to read, but lack the time.

33. I had one brother, no sisters.

34. I went to work the day after I graduated high school at the age of 17. I quit work for a year when my oldest son was born. I took another year off when my youngest was born. After Jim and I got married I didn't work for nine years.

35. I can barely hear out of my left ear.

36. I've only camped in a tent one time. I prefer the Holiday Inn.

37. Growing up, my grandma always took me on her vacations.

38. My dad drove a taxi in Richmond, CA when he met my mom.

39. I love the South.

40. My husband and family traveled and sang country gospel music for over 10 years.

41. I don't like mosquitos.

42. I made lots of mistakes raising my boys. In spite of it they are good, responsible, caring, hard-working men.

43. I've always enjoyed cleaning house and doing laundry.

44. I've found this post to be very hard. I rarely talk about myself.

45. I have tendencies of being a perfectionist. Not as much as I use to, but it's still there. It's kind of mixed in their with some OCD's too.

46. My grandma was a nurse in a doctor's office until she retired.

47. After my parents married, my dad worked in the coal mines for a while.

48. I have a fear of heights. Not elevators and such. Nor stairs if I have a rail to hold on to. If a high-rise building has windows to the floor, I can't go near the windows for the fear.

49. I remember when The Beatles first came to America.

50. I'm only half-way finished?!?!?!?!?

51. My mom couldn't boil water when she got married. Really...my dad had to teach her. She became a great cook though.

52. I'm glad I grew up in the late 50's, early 60's.

53. In grade school I jammed my index finger playing tether ball on the day of my piano recital. My mom says I was mad because the doctor wouldn't put anything on it and I had to go through with my recital. Have you ever played the piano while having to hold your index finger straight?

54. Everytime we hang up the phone or have to leave each other, my husband and I
say "I love you". Whether it's twice a day or 15!

55. My hands look just like my grandma's.

56. My mom was my best friend.

57. Christmas is my favorite holiday.

58. Daffodils are my favorite flower.

59. I miss my grandkids.

60. I prefer love stories.

61. I do not like science fiction.

62. I'm getting close to the end. You've made it this far!

63. I love music.

64. About a year ago I had to throw away my General Electric hand mixer (avocado) that I received as a wedding present in 1972. It still worked, but it started smoking. It was a sad time for my kids. We had a moment of silence in honor.

65. I've only had a manicure/pedicure one time.

66. I have never liked coffee.

67. I don't know how I survived before computers and internet.

68. I love to have my head massaged.

69. When my parents first married they lived in a tiny camper over a train trussel. Yeah, that was fun when the train came through! Hearing them tell stories I always pictured something like this.










70. My dad was from Illinois, my mom Arkansas and they met in California.

71. I'm the only living person from my immediate family.

72. I love the smell of sauteed onions.

73. Will you still respect me when you finish this list?

74. I remember the first time Elvis appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show.

75. I love chocolate!!

76. I'm good at spelling.

77. I really love my husband!

78. A friend of my mom's daughter was named after me.

79. I don't like to be called Shirley.

80. Cheryl is of French origin and means "Beloved".

81. Thank goodness for moms! My dad wanted to name me Thelma Irene!

82. I prefer spring and fall to summer and winter.

83. I never liked to sew.

84. My freshman year in high school my dad took my friend and me to the drive-in to see Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

85. I would rather give than receive.

86. I'm bashful, although others will argue that point. But really I am.

87. I love to see sunrises and sunsets.

88. I was on the cover of our high school yearbook.

89. I would never eat chinese food, collard greens, turnip greens, or mustard greens until 13-1/2 years ago. Now I love them.

90. I can't believe I'm only 10 away!!!

91. My mom's name was Emma Juliah.

92. I would love to go to Tuscany.

93. I've lived in four different states. Illinois, Arkansas, California & Iowa.

94. My grandma' name was Etta Bell. She was 90 years-old when she died.

95. I inherited the love of antiques from my grandma.

96. I love HGTV and watching decorating shows.

97. Anne of Green Gables was my moms favorite book. I never read the book, but saw the movie for the first time about 2 years ago. It was wonderful.

98. I don't like to shop.

99. Did I mention I love my husband and family very much.

100. Last but MOST important, I love the Lord and I'm so thankful for His grace and mercy.

How Would You Like To Win.....

this???


an Insignia 37" Flat-panel LCD HDTV




Yes, Susan and Janice over at 5 Minutes For Mom are giving away a TV!!! Can you believe that!!

It is sooo easy to enter. You have to do 3 things....yes just 3 little things!! Click here and find out how.

If you want more information about this tv you can check it out at Best Buy. While you there be sure to thank them for sponsoring this giveaway!!

Get started......who knows, YOU may be the winner!!!

But then again, I'm getting a spot ready just in case it's me!!!!

Thankful Thursday

~ This week I want to acknowledge how thankful I am for our good health. Although my husband appears to be suffering from a tick bite and just discovered his cholesterol is high I am so thankful for our overall health. While this tick bite was an unexpected sickness it may well have been a blessing in disguise. It was because of the bite that he went to the doctor and in the process discovered his cholesterol levels. His overall cholesterol was only 181, but the good cholesterol, HDL, was only 22 and the bad, LDL, was 159. So please be sure you know the distinct numbers when checking your cholesterol. If his doctor would have only looked at the 181 he would not have made the changes in his eating habits that could prevent a heart attack.

~ I thankful for our grandchildren. Although it may be difficult sometimes to keep up with the little ones( 2 and 4-1/2), we enjoy them so much. Our oldest will be 15 in November and is such a nice young man and a true joy to be around.

~ I'm thankful that the past 3 days have been good days for our daughter, Lisa. Lisa constantly suffers from migraines to the degree that most of her days are spent in bed. But she said she has had the best 3 days and has been able to clean and do anything she wanted to. She was so excited. Please keep her in your prayers.

~ Although I don't want to be working I am honestly thankful that I have this job to come to. I work for a wonderful family who are like family to me. Since I am having to work right now at least I enjoy the job I am doing. I am blessed.

~ I am also thankful I have a job inside. I don't know how people who have to work in construction or other outside jobs can handle this heat. Right now the heat index is 99. Ugh!!

~ I am thankful that I had the parents I did. They were good, honest, hard-working people with virtues. I can remember my mother telling me how my brother came to her one day and said "I am so glad that you and dad raised me the way you did". Even though it might have hurt at the time, and it was probably deserving, I too, am glad for the parents and their guidance, that God gave me.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. ~ Colossians 2:6-8

Here's what I've been doin....

I wish I could say that I have been so busy doing exciting things, achieving the many goals I have for the interior of our home, the landscaping, reading all the books I would like to read, exercising, etc., but I haven't. But I will try to bring you up-to-date with what has been going on.

Ethan, our 4 year-old grandson has been here throughout the summer. He was here for 3 weeks, went home for a week, and is now in his last week of another 3 weeks. He will be leaving tomorrow. We have enjoyed him immensely, although I have to admit a little peace and quite sounds rather good right now. But I know I will want to retract that by tomorrow afternoon.

We had purchased a pool for Ethan. As you can see the big guys had to play in it too. That's my husband, Jim and Ethan's brother, Cody, is on the right.



I think Ethan was trying not to get his head near the water, so he stretches his neck like that.

We had a surprise visit of some dear friends from Florida. We met David & Ava when we toured in Central Florida several years ago. Ava sang with a southern gospel group from the local area and we all became great friends instantly.



Jim was real good about sharing one of his favorite treats "banana popsicles" (from Walmart for $1.66 for like 36 pops). I think David and Jim spent most evenings trying to see who could eat the most popsicles.

David & Ava retired about 5 years ago and totally volunteer their time traveling all across the country building churches through MAPS (Mission America Placement Service) RVolunteer.
If you are looking for a mission to support financially this would be a great opportunity to bless this team, and be a part of spreading the gospel. These volunteers are not compensated for their expenses nor are they paid for their labor. They totally volunteer. If you are interested in making a contribution please click here.






Ethan and his Uncle Lonny spent quite awhile hitting golf balls. This boy has always had a love of balls......big ones, little ones, just all kinds of balls.....and golf. Unfortunately most of them go into the pond. But they have fun anyway.




We have always had trouble with our pond seeping at the levee. However, this year it began to leak quite a bit. Jim decided to take a backhoe and try to fix it. As with all jobs involving my brother-in-law,he gets the gravy job. LOL In this case working with the machinery.



We noticed as he continued to dig that he started to lean a little. That happens when you put down the legs on the edge of the water!



I tried to get a shot of the tire sinking into the mud.

Jim gets around there and starts coaching him on what to do to get the weight distributed properly to help lean it away from the water and try to back it out. That helped, but he still couldn't get the traction he needed to back it out.




So Lonny gets the John Deere tractor and is able to pull him out of it.



Oh how I was so thankful. All I could see were dollar signs falling into the water!!

That's a little of what's been going on in my little corner of the world.

A Site Well Worth Mentioning

As I was catching up on my blog reading I came across this site, "Pure Fashion", mentioned on BooMama's blog. I feel so strongly of the importance of this issue that I couldn't pass up the opportunity to feature this on my blog as well.
Finally, a group that promotes fashion, with dignity. It is very difficult for young girls to portray their modesty when so many of their peers are exposing far more. The need to "fit in" is important to them and this site has guidelines to help girls dress "trendy" but appropriate.
Won't you join them in their efforts to help protect the innocence and purity of our youth, by supporting the Pure Fashion Program in your city? And if your daughter, granddaughter, niece, or friend is interested in becoming a Pure Fashion Model in your city's Pure Fashion Show, contact your local representative today! All the information is available on this site.
As their motto says:
"Pure Fashion...Where values and virtues are always in Vogue!"

Prayer Request

My daughter, Lisa, called me this morning to request prayer for a dear friend. My son-in-law' cousin, John' fiancee. They are planning to be married in August. She is in her late 20' and has a rare skin disorder. They have admitted her to ICU and right now the doctors are giving her a 60% survival rate. Lisa says she is a very sweet girl and naturally is rather upset of this news.

But I know the Great Physician and he is still in the miracle business!! Please say a prayer for this young woman and their families as they contend with this situation. We know not the plans the Lord has for her life but anything is possible when the Lord is in it!

I thank you....Lisa thanks you....and these families thank you.

The Unpredictable

I don't like to be wearing sandals when it is raining. I don't like the way the water feels on my toes and as it gets in my sandals causing my feet to slip and slide. I don't even like to walk across the yard in sandals if the grass is wet. Yuk!

So the week before last I carried a bag to work that had my umbrella and an extra pair of shoes because the weather man said it was going to rain.....everyday.....all week. Needless to say it didn't.

On Friday I planned to go to Walmart when I got off work. But as the day drug on I had changed my mind. As we were leaving my co-worker, Carolyn, asked me "Are you headed to Walmart?" I said, "No, I think I have talked myself out of it." After all it had started to get dark looking in the clouds north of town like it was fixin to pour down rain, and I hadn't brought my bag of shoes and umbrella. She said, "OK, I was going to show you where something was, cause I am going there."

As I was driving down the road I remembered that my husband was almost out of his favorite BANANA POPS. (That WAS my first thought, but it may have been the Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream that I was wanting that made me change my mind.) So I decided to go on to Walmart. Once I parked the car I looked in the door compartment to see if by chance I had an umbrella there. I didn't. Now I ALWAYS have a large umbrella that I keep under the back seat and WHY I didn't think of it at this particular moment....I don't know....it was a senior moment I guess. Maybe I could hurry and beat it back to the car before it starts.

As I was scurrying around gathering the items I needed I could hear it thundering and knew it was going to start raining soon. Great, I have everything I needed and it still isn't raining.

But as I arrived at the checkouts things didn't look so good. You know how it is when you are in a hurry, everyone around you is moving in slow motion.

I am one of those who uses the self-checkout and the first one I went to the woman in front of me looked like it may have been her first time. She didn't have many items but looked very puzzled about the whole process. So I moved on to another. They had too many items. I even went to a checker and her line was too full. Finally as I got to check mine out I could hear it pouring down rain. Ugghhh!!!

I completed my purchases and made my way to the door. I stood between the two sets of doors, along with 7-8 other women, waiting for it to quit raining. The whole time I am standing there I am having a conversation in my head about how "it is only water Cheryl.....you aren't going to melt.....go ahead make a run for it.....it could rain for an hour before it lets up".

I step just outside the door, rethinking my next move. I'm going to go for it! Off I take, pushing the cart and somewhat running to the car. As I arrive at the car I insert the key to unlock the door. Apparently I didn't turn it far enough cause the door won't open. I re-insert the key. Finally it opens.

I jumped into the car to reach around for the umbrella. The door shuts behind me. As I turn to open the door, I see my cart being blown by the wind and headed down the parking lot aisle. Fortunately there weren't as many cars parked at this time. I start praying that it doesn't head for one of the cars.

Now as I am frantic to get my cart I can't open the door. The door knob has not worked inside my car for several months. So I have to start the car, roll down the window and reach around to the outside handle. I thrush open the door, jump out and run to grab my cart before it does damage to somebody' car. By this time it has rained so hard the water is standing about an inch or so in the parking lot. I reach for the cart, turn it around and head back to my car. Thank you Lord for guiding my cart!! I get the groceries loaded into my car, even pushing my cart to the cart corral. I mean at this point, what's a few more raindrops!!

The weather man hadn't mention rain today!!

I get in the car and look down at myself. My shirt is drenched and my hair is flat against my head, wringing wet. I shut the air conditioning off, turn on the heat and head home.

I so hoped Carolyn wasn't standing at the door watching me run through the rain and chasing my cart!

About a mile down the road it has quit raining!

As I pull down the driveway my husband is just getting home and he comes around to unload the groceries for me. He makes a comment about how wet I am. We go into the house and he says, "Boy it must have rained hard cause these bags have water standing in them!" Da...ya think!!!! (And I made this trip for HIS Banana Pops!!!)

Life, and weather, are so unpredictable!

Mother's Day Giveaway

Jules over at Everyday Mommy is giving away a free Typepad or Blogger design!! What a wonderful Mother's Day gift!! Spring has arrived for almost everyone, summer is around the corner.....what better time for a fresh, new look for your blog!!!

Go on over...you know you want to....and enter!!!

Pray for them.....

My friend, Nita, emails me every morning with a devotion. I wanted to share the one for today, because I am so guilty of not doing this. Why does it seem easier to complain about people who do this to you, rather than pray for them? In reality, complaining doesn't change anything and then we may ruin the day for the person we are complaining to. Maybe this has made me realize more of how much I complain, than about being used.

I was reading the other day about the purple bracelets people are wearing for their commitment to trying not to complain for 21 days straight. And how it takes most people at least 3-4 months to accomplish this. Changing a habit is difficult and 21 days doesn't seem like very long, unless your trying to change a pattern in your life.





Luke 6:28
"Pray for them that despitefully use you."

This verse belongs to the forgotten prayer commands of the Lord Jesus. He taught at length about prayer, but this is one of the very few instances, aside from the Disciples' Prayer (or Lord's prayer, as some call it) where He stressed to His disciples that they should pray for a particular thing.

There is nothing optional about this word of Christ: it is an imperative command. "Pray" He said, "pray for them who despitefully use you." He leaves us no choice and makes no condition. He does not say, "Pray for those who despitefully use you but wait until they say they're sorry."

Every one of us has, at some time or or other, been despitefully used, and probably will be again. But are we really obeying our Lord's command to pray for the people doing it?

From a personal standpoint, I find this one of the most difficult things to pray about, and especially to pray it from the heart. It takes a lot of discipline to get to that point -- not sure I'm there yet, but I'm working on it (rather, God's working on me about it).

It is not for us to whittle down but simply to obey this command. And let it be remembered that in this instance, the Lord Jesus is asking us to do only what He Himself did on a much larger scale. As He suffered on the Cross, He prayed for those who despitefully used Him when He asked His Father to "forgive them, they know not what they do."

Something for all of us to ponder.



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DYSON GIVE AWAY!!

5 Minutes for Mom is giving away a Dyson Vacuum. You can read all about the details here!

Gold, Common Sense and Fur

GOLD, COMMON SENSE AND FUR
by Linda C. Stafford from Chicken Soup from the Soul

My husband and I had been happily (most of the time) married for five years, but hadn't been blessed with a baby. I decided to do some serious praying and promised God that if He would give us a child, I would be a perfect mother, love it with all my heart and raise it with His word as my guide. God answered my prayers and blessed us with a son. The next year God blessed us with another son. The following year, He blessed us with yet another son. The year after that we were blessed with a daughter.

My husband thought we'd been blessed right into poverty. We now had four children, and the oldest was only four years old. I learned never to ask God for anything unless I meant it. As a minister once told me, "If you pray for rain, make sure you carry an umbrella."

I began reading a few verses of the Bible to the children each day as they lay in their cribs. I was off to a good start. God had entrusted me with four children and I didn't want to disappoint Him.

I tried to be patient the day the children smashed two dozen eggs on the kitchen floor searching for baby chicks. I tried to be understanding when they started a hotel for homeless frogs in the spare bedroom, although it took me nearly two hours to catch all twenty-three frogs.

When my daughter poured ketchup all over herself and rolled up in a blanket to see how it felt to be a hot dog, I tried to see the humor rather than the mess.

In spite of changing over twenty-five thousand diapers, never eating a hot meal and never sleeping for more than thirty minutes at a time, I still thank God daily for my children.

While I couldn't keep my promise to be a perfect mother. I didn't even come close. I did keep my promise to raise them in the Word of God.

I knew I was missing the mark just a little when I told my daughter we were going to church to worship God, and she wanted to bring a bar of soap along to "wash up" Jesus, too.

Something was lost in the translation when I explained that God gave us everlasting life, and my son thought it was generous of God to give us his "last wife."

My proudest moment came during the children's Christmas pageant. My daughter was playing Mary, two of my sons were shepherds and my youngest son was a wise man. This was their moment to shine. My five-year-old shepherd had practiced his line, "We found the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes." But he was nervous and said, "The baby was wrapped in wrinkled clothes."

My four-year-old "Mary" said, "That's not 'wrinkled clothes,' silly. That's dirty, rotten clothes." A wrestling match broke out between Mary and the shepherd and was stopped by an angel, who bent her halo and lost her left wing.

I slouched a little lower in my seat when Mary dropped the doll representing Baby Jesus, and it bounced down the aisle crying, "Mama, Mama." Mary grabbed the doll, wrapped it back up and held it tightly as the wise men arrived. My other son stepped forward wearing a bathrobe and a paper crown, knelt at the manger and announced, "We are the three wise men, and we are bringing gifts of gold, common sense and fur."

The congregation dissolved into laughter, and the pageant got a standing ovation. "I've never enjoyed a Christmas program as much as this one," Pastor Brian laughed, wiping tears from his eyes. "For the rest of my life, I'll never hear the Christmas story without thinking of gold, common sense and fur."

"My children are my pride and my joy and my greatest blessing," I said as I dug through my purse for an aspirin.

~~~~~

Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master.
Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher.
Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer.
Had no army, yet kings feared Him.
He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world.
He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him.
He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.
Feel honored to serve such a Leader who loves us.

Yummo!

The other day I got brave and had my blog critiqued over at Critique My Blog and this is my review!


~~~~~~
Yummo!

http://lifeismadeof.blogspot.com/
SO here it is. Cheryl submitted her blog for review and as I was reading through it I was thinking to myself...this is a good blog about the bloggers life, her thoughts and ideas. It is pretty much along the lines of alot of other blogs that I come across, until I came across the post entitled Breakfast Time. Now, mt background is in pest control and I often catch exactly what was on the menu this particular breakfast time, and being from the east coast we often stick to Egg McMuffins or something along those lines. This is exactly why I love the blogosphere so much, you can see how other people's customs are different from your own. Great blog Cheryl! Keep up the good work.

Posted by blogger at 3/22/2007 0 comments
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Well that didn't hurt too bad!

I'm So Excited!!!

About a month ago I registered for a Women's Conference that is being held at a church in a nearby town. I wanted to attend this conference because the guest speaker is LISA WHELCHEL!!




I have been reading Lisa's "Coffee Talk" journal for several years and I never dreamed I would one day be able to hear her speak.

Many of you will remember her from the Facts of Life show.

I admire what she has accomplished over the years as a wife, mother, speaker and author. Every week she openly shares her thoughts, frustrations, ideas, love, etc. for all to see. She just seems so down-to-earth and has truly been an inspiration to me.

I'm also excited because......

I not only get to hear Lisa Whelchel speak, but my daughter, Lisa P., is going to attend this with me. I expect it to be a weekend full of laughter, tears and growth in spirit!

I've been looking forward to this so much and it is fast approaching!


If your interested in learning more about Lisa Whelchel you can go here, or if you want to see if she is visiting a city near you check here

Woodside Bible Church

I just had to share this with you.

THE HOMEMAKING MEME

I was visiting Barb over at A Chelsea Morning and decided to participate in her Homemaking Meme.




Aprons - Y/N? I have a couple of them. One is dark maroon that was my son's when he worked in a grocer. I use it on occassion.

Baking - Favorite thing to bake? I don't know that I have a favorite! If I'm baking I'm usually happy. I bake pies, cakes, bread pudding, cookies, cobblers...

Clothesline - Y/N? I don't have a clothesline per se, but I do love the smell of sheets and bed coverings that have dried outside. I like the towels too, but they end up stiff. But yesterday I draped a table skirt over a lawn chair cause I wanted to dry it outside.

Donuts - Ever made them? I have made them a couple of times from biscuit dough.

Everyday - One homemaking thing you do everyday? We make our bed every morning, without fail.

Freezer - Do you have a separate deep freezer? Yes, it's a small one though.

Garbage Disposal - Y/N? No.

Handbook - Y/N? The Bible is my only handbook.

Ironing - Love it or hate it? I don't love or hate it. If I have a TV or some company I enjoy it more. But I definitely like the way things look when ironed. I iron my husband's work shirts, not the t-shirts, just the button down ones as well as mine.

Junk Drawer - Where is it? What actually constitutes a junk drawer? The drawers in my kitchen all pertain to kitchen stuff, so it wouldn't be in there. I have a rather messy drawer in my husband's night stand but it is mostly medicine (i.e. sinus medicine, aspirin, throat lozenges, cold/flu). Maybe the closest thing to a junk drawer would be at my desk as it has more of a variety of items in it.

Kitchen - Design and decorating? I like the Tuscany style but mine doesn't look like that. I guess I just like it clean and the counters not cluttered.

Love - What is your favorite part of homemaking? I really enjoy taking care of my home and family (husband). It was just more enjoyable when I wasn't working though.

Mop - Y/N? Yes definitely.

Nylons - Wash them by hand or in the washer? I can't even remember when I wore any last!
But when I did I washed them in the washer.

Oven - Do you use the window or open it to check? Open it.

Pizza - What do you put on yours? I haven't made pizza since my kids were in junior high, but I like mine cheese, with extra cheese, or onions and bell-peppers, or spinach or Greek specialty pizza.

Quiet - What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment? Let's see....quiet time...hmmmm. I guess it would depend on if I thought it was going to last for only a moment or an hour or two. If it was only momentarily I would probably just lay on the bed watching HGTV and just relax.

Recipe card box - Y/N? Well I have about 3 or 4, although they aren't necessarily full. One of them was my moms and one my grandmas. Several years ago I decided to put all my favorite recipes into a binder and I could type them several to a page rather than hand-write on a card, that way I didn't have to search through several different books looking for the recipe I used. So I use it regularly. The others are for when I'm looking for something different to cook.

Style of house - It's a 10,000+ sq ft home in a "Gone With the Wind" plantation style.

Tablecloths and napkins - Y/N? I have both, but usually use paper towels.

Under the kitchen sink - Cleaning products.

Vacuum - How many times a week? I vacumned yesterday so that's once this week. But I still have to do the upstairs.

Wash - How many loads do you do a week? I guess a normal week would be about 5 or 6.

X'es - Do you keep a list of things to do and cross them off? Are you kidding, at my age if I don't write it down I will NOT remember!!! But I love crossing them off.

Yard - Who does what? As I've mentioned before we mow several acres, so the mowing is shared between my oldest son and me. Although Jim helps out on occassion.

ZZZ's - What is your last homemaking task for the day? I like my kitchen to be cleaned because the last thing I want facing me first in the morning is a sink full of dirty dishes and cluttered counter tops.

If you decide to participate please leave a comment and I will read yours.

February 14th, Valentines Day!!!

Need an inexpensive idea for a romantic Valentine's Day?

Shalee has set up Mr. Linky for you to check out numerous ideas for a romantic Valentine's Day! After reading mine go on over and find one that will work for you!

Although my husband and I are in our mid 50's and our children are grown, we still enjoy any time we can have together away from the stress and pressures of our jobs and activities. If we are needing time away and our budget is limited we get in our truck and head to Wendy's.

Well first of all who doesn't like their Frosty's!!

We go to the drive-thru and order a regular Jr. hamburger, regular fries, I get a sodie (that's soda to some of you), and then two large Frosty's. All this for less than $9.00! The Wendy's we go to is joining a grocery store parking lot on a hillside. We find a parking spot away from the other cars and sit and enjoy our meal. What we like about this is that we aren't as distracted from the goings on in the restaurant so we really LISTEN to each other and enjoy the conversation. It just seems more relaxing and "young" I guess. We can laugh and stuff and people aren't looking at you wondering if we're laughing at them.

Sometimes in the summer we do this 2-3 times a week. Well it may be more for the Frosty after the 2nd time!!

For more great ideas go here.

Thanks Shalee for this great way of sharing ideas!

How would you like to WIN this beautiful necklace?

All you need to do is visit 5 Minutes For Mom and follow
the instructions! It's simple!






Even if you don't win you can still purchase one at Alli's Originals.

Or maybe you would be interested in one these. What a great gift for someone you know who is a new mom!

She even has something for pet lovers!!

So check it out at Alli's Originals.

Your bound to find something you just gotta have!

God knows how...

I wanted to share this devotion that was sent to me today.


"God knows how to save those who serve Him..." 2 Peter 2:9

I stand a few feet from a mirror and see the face of one who has failed my Maker -- again. I promised I wouldn't, but I did.

I drove past that corner and ignored the one saying he would work for food....

I let pass that opportunity to speak to one about their soul...

I spent more time today on myself than on others....

I was quiet when I should have spoken up....

I took a seat when I should have taken a stand....

If this were the first time, it would be different. But it isn't. How many times can I fall and expect to be caught?

My eyes look in the mirror and see a sinner, a failure, a promise-breaker. But by faith I look into the mirror and see a robed prodigal bearing the ring of grace on my finger and the kiss of the Father on my face...

My eyes see my faults, my faith sees my Savior.

My eyes see my guilt, my faith sees His blood.

Something to ponder today.

The Old Paths

A friend sent this to me and I thought I would share it with you.




THE OLD PATHS

I liked the old paths, when
Moms were at home.
Dads were at work.
Brothers went into the army.
And sisters got married BEFORE having children!

Crime did not pay;
Hard work did;
And people knew the difference.

Moms could cook;
Dads would work;
Children would behave..

Husbands were loving;
Wives were supportive;
And children were polite.

Women wore the jewelry;
And Men wore the pants.
Women looked like ladies;
Men looked like gentlemen;
And children looked decent.

People loved the truth,
And hated a lie;
They came to church to get IN,
Not to get OUT!

Hymns sounded Godly;
Sermons sounded helpful;
Rejoicing sounded normal;
And crying sounded sincere.

Cursing was wicked;
Drinking was evil;
and divorce was unthinkable.

The flag was honored;
America was beautiful;
And God was welcome!

We read the Bible in public;
Prayed in school;
And preached from house to house
To be called an American was worth dying for;
To be called a Christian was worth living for;
To be called a traitor was a shame!

Sex was a personal word.
Homosexual was an unheard of word,
And abortion was an illegal word.

Preachers preached because they had a message;
And Christians rejoiced because they had the VICTORY!
Preachers preached from the Bible;
Singers sang from the heart;
And sinners turned to the Lord to be SAVED!

A new birth meant a new life;
Salvation meant a changed life;
Following Christ led to eternal life.

Being a preacher meant you proclaimed the word of God;
Being a deacon meant you would serve the Lord;
Being a Christian meant you would live for Jesus;
And being a sinner meant someone was praying for you!

Laws were based on the Bible;
Homes read the Bible;
And churches taught the Bible.

Preachers were more interested in new converts,
Than new clothes and new cars.
God was worshiped;
Christ was exalted;
and the Holy Spirit was respected.

Church was where you found Christians
on the Lord's day, rather than in the garden,
on the creek bank, on the golf course,
or being entertained somewhere else.

I still like the old paths the best !



"The Old Paths" was written by a retired minister who lives
in Tennessee

Breakfast Time

The other day Jim hit a squirrel (he really doesn't do it intentionally), so he stopped and picked it up, cleaned it and put it in the fridge.

This morning I cooked it for breakfast.




Along with ....


Chocolate Gravy

and....

Biscuits. Yummmmm.


Well if you have never had Chocolate Gravy let me tell you.... Well the first time Jim mentioned it to me all I could imagine was making white gravy and adding some cocoa to it, which, even though I looooovvvvve chocolate, didn't remotely sound appetizing. But that isn't the way you make it at all. It is delicious...if you like chocolate.

I use this recipe that I found a few years ago in Guideposts.

3/4 cup sugar
3 tblspns all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 tblspns cocoa
pinch of salt
2 tblspns butter

Sift dry ingredients together in a saucepan, mix in milk slowly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and smooth (I let it just begin to boil). Add butter and vanilla. Serve over hot biscuits. Hmmmmmm!

I make this because it tastes good and because it is easy. So to make it even easier I don't bother to sift my ingredients.

Let me know if you try this and what you thought of it.

We're Having A Party!!!

This is soooo exciting!

It's not just any party!

This party is hosted by Janice and Susan over at 5 Minutes For Mom!

It's a WEEK-LONG party!!!

And there will be PRIZES!! PRIZES!! Did. you. hear. me....PRIZES!!

For all the details of hosting your party check it out here .

There's No Other Word Than Amazing

I can't begin to express the feelings that I have experienced since yesterday morning watching the results of donations received on behalf of Kelli.

Not only did BooMama host this wonderful event in "BooMama fashion" but anyone, anywhere, had the opportunity to contribute to such a worthy cause.

But what has amazed me and blessed my heart so deeply is that everyone who donated did so in an unselfish manner.

Whether you were able to contribute a $1.50 or $100, maybe $1,000, you did so expecting nothing in return personally.

I say this because over the years we have done numerous benefits for children and cancer patients, to our annual Toys of Love benefit. These benefits may have been a success but in every case those donors received something in return....hearing gospel music, food, etc. Even blood donors get a t-shirt. But yesterday ya'll gave expecting nothing but a brighter tomorrow for Kelli and her family. You didn't even receive a sticky smiley face for your shirt, or a symbol pin, a t-shirt...nothing.

I don't know about you but I do know that I receive so much more. It wasn't tangible, but it was felt deep in my heart. Well there is just no better way to say it than "ya'll just blessed my inner soul".

I am so thankful to BooMama for allowing me to be a part of this and I'm very grateful to have received this blessing. You may never know how much I needed it.

If I'm feeling this overwhelmed myself I can only imagine how Kelli and her family feel right now being on the receiving end of such a blessing as you have provided.

I know God's people are loving, caring people but when you see it in action, "there's no other word than amazing".

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

My God shall supply all your needs.... Phillipians 4:19

Mississippi Mud Cookies

Last night I made these Mississippi Mud cookies. These are Jim's favorite cookie.
If you are from the North you may have never had these. In the 25+ years I lived in Illinois I had never had one so I'm thinking it may be a "south'rn" thing....hence "Mississippi".

I don't know what it is exactly that a person does wrong when making these, but sometimes they don't set up like they should so they remain rather gooey. Well Jim prefers these gooey. All the relatives know if they make a batch of these and they turn out gooey, call Jim.



They are real simple to make and very good. I doubt this batch will survive till tomorrow evening. If your interested, here is the recipe.

1 stick of butter
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups of sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
2-1/2 - 3 cups instant oakts
1 tsp vanilla

Melt margarine in a large saucepan; add cocoa, sugar, salt and milk. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat; add peanut butter and stir until smooth. Stir in oats and vanilla. Drop by tablespoons onto waxed paper. Refrigerate until firm - about 1 hour.

Prayer Request

First I would like to ask prayer for a friend of mine. Her 19 year-old son and his girlfriend had a beautiful baby boy, Tyler, about a week ago. However, he had walked out on this girl about a week before Christmas and wasn't there for the delivery. She was rather upset, but mostly hurt. He did go see him the 2nd day and has some since then. My friend feels that he may be using drugs, and is partying and putting those things in front of the family situation. Please remember them all in your prayers as they each have a burden in this situation. This precious baby deserves so much more.

I know a great Healer of all things and that He can turn this completely around at any given moment.





Ethan, our grandson, is 4 years-old today!!



He is in Alabama and they are having a party for him on Saturday. He loves balloons so PawPaw and Gannie had bunches of birthday balloons delivered to him today. He was so excited when he called. It is always a rather one-sided conversation. He talks, rambling from one subject to another, not waiting to hear your answer or ask him a question. He is so funny. I love seeing him so excited.

I Can't Believe It Is Happening Again

I just can't believe it is happening again! I wrote in this earlier post that to me the worst movie I ever saw was Texas Chainshaw Massacre. I was totally disgusted by it. And now there are making a prequel to it!!

I know there have been many gruesome movies produced since then. But for some reason this one has stuck in my mind all these years. I really think it was the final one that I vowed never to watch another horror movie again.

I just choose not to watch such horrific movies where people are deliberately tormenting or killing others. I am not one of those people who are squimish about blood or anything, but horror movies makes me physically sick to my stomach. Actually it is making me somewhat sick just talking about all this.

I think a horror movie can be produced without all the blood and guts. Just some suspense, but not the detailed graphics.

I really don't like the fact that I have given any space here to even mention this movie, except that I have such a strong distaste for it that I needed to vent it.

Thank you for allowing me to do so.

Answer

Now look closer. Did you answer correctly?

It always blesses us when the cranes (or geese) land in our pond.

Look What We're Gettin'

I posted this picture of our front yard and pond a few months ago. Actually you are looking more to the right of our house. It is rather green and pretty. Take a note of where the water is in connection with the large shrub in the left side of the picture.



Here is another view looking left of our porch, towards the driveway.



Now your probably wondering why I am pointing all this out to you. Well unless you live in Arkansas or the borders thereof, you probably don't notice much about the weather here. We have already had so much rain the last few weeks and now it has been raining for the past 2 days and will continue through tomorrow. The average rainfall in January is 3.29 inches. They were calling for 7 inches this weekend.




So this is what our front yard looks like this afternoon. Notice the large shrub and the water surrounding it.





The pond again, as well as all the water standing in the yard by our porch.




There's a driveway on the other side of our pond. It runs right next to that big tree on the left, and then you can see what looks like another pond. Well that collection of water is not normally there. It is flooded right now though.










Did you notice amidst all this rain and flooding, the gift that the Lord gave us?

Sometimes we dwell on the trials and hardships we are facing and can not see what the Lord has done for us. Oh I am so guilty of this. Once I can give it to the Lord I can step back, become relaxed knowing He is in charge, and then I can see He was there all the time, working things out, caring for me, blessing me and I find comfort in Him.

If you didn't see it, look again!

Leave your answer in the comments.


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