Thankfuls

Where does the time go!! Here we are almost to 2007. Gulp. Anyway, here is my final thankful list for 2006.

• Having the men's year end convention in Georgia, which means we have a houseful of guests!
• Enjoying a wonderful Christmas...the joy of giving gifts, and the joy of receiving gifts. God is good.
• Not having to work this week! Nice to have a week off!
• Finding out that the new love seat we got for the family room fit through the door- with 1/4 inch to spare. (That was a wee bit too close!)
• Having help moving furniture around. Thanks Sa.. A, and St.. A. What a blessing to have friends nearby to help out!
  
• Picking fresh pansies on Christmas day.
• Enjoying standing outside eating ice cream at our favorite local ice cream place...with our good friends Sa..A, and St.. A. What fun. And 3 cheers for the best waffle cones in the world.
• Enjoying the scent of candles. PTL for lovely aroma's.
• The joy of anticipation...new roses bushes that will be coming in a couple of months. (Maybe we will really get a red one this year....)
• A heart full of thankfulness for too many things to mention. God is good.
  

Happy Birthday Jesus

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing."



Amen. You are worthy, Jesus. Thank you for being willing to come...for me.



And, a glorious Christmas day, full of peace and joy to you all.

Merry Christmas

I am so grateful for the message of the angel. "...good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a savior..." We have a Saviour, and that is such wonderful news and brings great joy. PTL for the hope we have and the joy we have. And, He is returning again. What incredible glories wait for us. Thank you Jesus for coming...for me.


My weekly thankfuls also include:

• Max...who loves to sleep under the tree.
• And who also loves to redecorate by taking off ornaments, and placing his toys under the tree instead.
• Working an extra 12 hours this week.
• My 10 hour day on Thursday was an unusually quiet day which was a huge blessing and a wonderful answer to prayer.
• The fun of going shopping with hubby. We were able to find some things we had been wanting and had a great time doing it.
• Christmas cards...so nice to be in touch with friends.
• Making Chrismtas candy.
• Sunshine after rain.
• Hubby making his potato salad again. Yummy.
• My latest great -nephew. Welcome Jackson.

I am Grateful for....

Another week has gone by, and I am grateful for so many things....

• 

Snowmen,


and their wonderful smiling optimisim.

• Warm weather! Temps in the 60's and even low 70's. Course this makes a problem when I insist on wearing Christmas sweaters while doing shopping...I end up using the a/c so I am not too hot.
• Having our extremely busy son take some of his precious free time to pop over and fix hubby's computer. Thanks Brad!
• Enjoying hubby's latest meal...he fixed yummy waffles, and knowing I love fruit on top of them he even bought fresh raspberries! Yum! I have decided I love breakfast for dinner! He had whipped cream for the fruit,pus bacon, and coffee. Three cheers for hubby.
• Working 3 days this week. PTL for the job He has provided for me.
• Getting Cards in the mail from friends.
• Realizing that I know that Jesus in all His incredible glory is returning. What a day that will be.
• Enjoying Christmas lights...and being reminded of the Light of the World.
  
• Very thankful that there is no snow.
• Browsing with hubby in the biggest "western" type store I have ever been in. An incredible array of cowboy boots, hats, saddles, belts, clothes, jewelry, and all sorts of things too inumberable to mention. I loved the smell of leather that permeated the place!
  

In everything give thanks....

Giving thanks...I don't seem to run out of things to be thankful for...that is a blessing in itself. This week I am grateful for so many things:

• Finding my "lost" sunglasses! That is, SA found them when he cleaned out our car a week or so ago. I thought I had lost them on our trip north, and what a blessing to have them back again!
• Enjoying chocolate mint cappachino...with mini marshmallows.
• Being reminded that God is indeed my refuge. What a blessing it is to hide in Him, and be safe from the storms that swirl around and try to rob us of peace.
• Enjoying hubby's latest meal...wonderful bean soup cooked in the crock pot. It smelled so good when I got home from work yesterday! And, it tasted great as well!
• Shopping with hubby-twice this week.
• My work...and only having to work 2 days this week. What a blessing after the marathon of the week before!
• Knowing that God loves me.
• Reading blogs of friends.
• Enjoying my laptop from the comfort of my recliner.
• Christmas tea light holders.
• Christmas cards.
• Making cookies.
  

97

Today my mother turns 97. She is one amazing lady, and I want to honor her today.

• She is an example of cheerfulness in the face of adversity.
• She loves to share. Having goodies around to share to those who come in to visit, or to care for her is a delight to her.
• She loves people.
• She has always wanted me to do what the Lord wanted me to do, even if wasn't easy for her.

• She taught me to love handwork-making things with plastic canvas, knitting, crocheting etc.
• She taught me to love Jesus, and read countless Bible stories to us when we were growing up.
• She has a wonderful sense of humor.
  

Happy Birthday Mama

Giving Thanks

And, once again I come full of thanks. It has been a good week, and I have been busy. Isn't it nice to be busy!!! My thanks for the week include:

• Wearing my Christmas sweater when I did Christmas shopping, even if I had to have the a/c on in the car so I wouldn't be too warm.
• On Wednesday finishing up my stretch of working 7 days out of the previous 8. And, the one day off was Thanksgiving! Over 55 hours....PTL for His Grace and help through the process.
• My sister. Today she is celebrating a milestone birthday. I will not tell you which one it is out of deference to her, but you can probably figure it out. I appreciate her, enjoy her, and am very grateful for all the memories, and what an awesome sister and friend she has been and is. Love you Marge.
• Decorating our home for Christmas. What fun!
• Finding out that one of the perks of working evenings during the holiday season is enjoying the Christmas lights on the drive home. We have some neat displays in the neighborhood.
• Still enjoying the fact that somebody complained to my manager at work that her staff is too happy.
• Going out to dinner with hubby.
• Having books to read.
  

Too Happy...........

Yesterday was a typical busy morning at work. Let me amend that...a busier day than usual. Phones ringing, people standing in line at the counter waiting to be paid attention to, a man there training us on the "new" software update on the main computer program we use ( it was installed in August), and to top of this excitement, there were 3 men wandering in and out of the office testing the fire alarm system. The system main board is right above the copier that gets used constantly which resulted in a certain amount of having to sharing space that was at a premium. And, every few minutes the strobe lights would go off, the alarm sound etc, as they tested each and every alarm station in the building. (This testing went on for well over an hour.)

Anyway, we were dealing with all of this stress in our usual way, which often involves humor, cheerfulness, and a general upbeat attitude. That was when our manager cheerfully informed us that somebody had actually written to her complaining that her staff was too happy.

What????? Too happy????

I think that I am very thankful that I work in a place where somebody observes that we are happy. Says a lot about the group that I am working with. Again, I rejoice in the Lord's wisdom in placing me in that position.

Another Sabbath

Well, here it is another week. And, I am grateful for another Sabbath. Even though this will be a very different one for me. Working in the medical field means having to work occasional Saturdays. Injuries and illness do not take a day of rest.

Meanwhile my heart is still thankful for many things, some of which I will include here:

• Warm weather on Thanksgiving - we had windows open, ate crackers and cheese outside on the patio, and some of us tossed a football around for awhile, while the rest of us watched.
• Family and friends to enjoy Thanksgiving with.
• Our new Vacuum.
• Warm sunshine- such a blessing this time of year.
• The promise of Jesus return. What a glorious day that will be.
• The knowledge that He loves me, and cares for me.
  

Happy Thanksgiving

My heart is indeed full of thanks today. We have so many blessings, and reasons to be grateful. I have a long list which I will not post here, but I do want to go on record that I am indeed thankful.

Some of my list:

1. My family. I am rich. PTL for my wonderful hubby, my daughter and her hubby, and my son and his wife.
   
2. My salvation.
   
3. The aliveness of the Bible, His precious Word to me.
4. The joy of picking fresh pansies on Thanksgiving morning.
5. A Pampered Chef chopper...if you have one, you know what I mean. If you don't, you need one.
6. My mother.
   
7. My job. It is not what I would have picked out for myself, but the Lord knows better than I do what I needed, and he did indeed put me in just the place He wants me. And I am so grateful for my co-workers.
8. Chances to travel this year...to Florida...to New England.
9. The companionship of a friendly cat.
10. All of our needs met for another year. PTL
    

Vacuum Cleaner Update

For those of you anxiously wondering about the status of our unvacuumed floors, I am pleased to announce that the new vac arrived on schedule today, and our carpets have been duly vacuumed. We did have a scare when on Sunday...yes, that is correct, Sunday...I got an e-mail stating that there was going to be a delay, and it might not be coming until December 5th.

But, the delay didn't materialize, and now we have clean floors again. One of the many things on my Thanksgiving List!

Thanksgiving

Another week of Thankfuls. And, with Thanksgiving approaching I am indeed full of so much to be thankful for. God is Good! My thankfuls include:

• a cat that thinks the spray bottle is a game. To deter scratching of furniture we have a bottle that has water, vinegar, and hot sauce. This seemed to deter him for awhile. Now, when we sit in our chairs, he comes, looks at us, and if we don't spray, he will start scratching. We spray, he runs off, licks the liquid off, and returns for another dose.
  
• prospects of a new vacuum cleaner.
• making it through a very busy 10 1/4 hour work day on Thursday. "Dinner" consisted of a granola bar eaten on the fly, and a couple of cheese sandwich crackers.
  
• enjoying making Christmas cards.
  
• knowing that we can trust the Lord to meet our needs, both big and little. And, that He knows our needs better than we do, and that His timing is perfect in meeting those needs.
  
• time (and energy) to reorganize my pantry this week. And thankful that I have a pantry to reorganize.
  
• enjoying fall in the south.
• browsing the grocery store with hubby.
  

Of Vacuum Cleaners......

Vacuum Cleaners do not last forever. This fact is something I am sure I have been aware of in the past. It did come as quite a shock to me though last week when ours stopped working. Hubby had been merrily vacuuming away, and started to realize that nothing seemed to be happening- the dirt just stayed on the carpet and was not being sucked in as it should be. Sure enough, our faithful vac had suffered a fatal illness.

Sigh, we had "just bought" this new not that long ago...whoops- translate-over 15 years ago!!!! It has served us well for many years, and has been a great source of thankfulness. We had struggled with old, rebuilt, canister types, and being able to buy a new, dependable upright was a source of great delight and pleasure. It was purchased at the California State Fair in Sacramento, from a vendor whom I believe must have been delighted to convince us to part with our money. What he didn't know was that we were in the market for one, and had every intention of buying one that day. But, he did do a good sales job, and it lived up to the hype.

So now we were faced with finding a suitable replacement. Great fun. After doing some research on line, having my daughter do some research on line, looking at many local stores for their offerings, we have finally ordered a new one on line. With free shipping, no tax, and a $25 discount as well, it was much cheaper than buying locally. It will be arriving the day before Thanksgiving, if all goes as planned.

Now I am wondering that if it does not show up when it is scheduled, if my Thanksgiving guests will figure out that our carpets have not been cleaned in two weeks???? Just don't tell them, and maybe they won't notice.

Praises

It does not seem possible that another week has gone by...time sure flies by. My heart is full of praises for His goodness. I am so glad we can trust Him, even when things happen that we don't understand, or that don't make sense. He is in control.

I am thankful for:

• Stuffed French toast, with blueberry topping. This delight was enjoyed while eating breakfast at a local eatery, with our son and daughter-in-law, a treat in itself.
  
• Making plans for a family Thanksgiving...with lots of pies!
• Taking time this week to catch up on making cards. What a joy to have that outlet that satisfies my creative juices. And, that I have such a convenient space to work.
• My hubby, who fixed dinner for us on Monday. He does make very good "breakfast" burritoes, that are yummy for dinner.
• Working for over 16 hours this week. PTL that He does indeed supply our needs.
• Having temperatures in the 70's yesterday.
  
• Enjoying a nice time and good food during our monthly fellowship luncheon at church last Sunday. We have some good cooks!!!
• Knowing that God loves me.

Voting

Hmm....a first for me....voting electronically...long lines..large room...not knowing anybody...(except a friendly face who also works in our library..) Very interesting.

Not quite like the small town/paper ballot/everyone knows you/friendly atmosphere we have been used to!

But, the deed is done, my vote is on record.

Have you voted today?????

Yes, I am still thankful for yet another week.

Well, another week has come and gone. And, yes, I can still find lots to be thankful for. Sometimes it is too easy to concentrate on the hard things, and be all taken up with our own needs and concerns and the needs and concerns of those around us, and all that is happening in the world. But, there is such peace and refreshment that comes from taking time to think of His many blessings. So, here is my latest list of thankfuls.

• Hubby and I spending time over coffee one morning this week with a dear friend.
• Working over 25 hours this week...PTL
• Discovering that it is possible to work 10 hour days and survive.
• The beauty of a white rose, that has touches of pink on the leaves.
• The antics of our resident cat...
• Protection driving home from work after dark, in the rain.
• Knowing that my heavenly Father loves me, and that He does things just right. Even if I don't understand.
• Spending a rainy morning curled up with a book, a cat on the back of my chair, and a lovely candle burning.
• Hubby doing the vacuuming for me.
• The fun of shopping with my daughter, playing games with her and enjoying hot drinks together.

Praises for another week

It is a lovely sunny morning, I have a scented candle burning, and my heart is full of praise for my Lord, Who He is, and all He continues to do. I have so much to be thankful for:

• Shopping with my daughter this week and finding long sleeved polo shirts that I need for work. (starting in November we will be wearing "uniforms"- blue polo shirts and khaki skirts/slacks)
• Successfully making it through my 90 day probation period, and getting a good review.
• Picking pansies and enjoy the delicate beauty - what an awesome Creator we have.
• Going out to lunch with hubby.
• Having a cat that loves to curl up and sleep in laps.
• Knowing that God loves me, and wants me close to Him.
• Being able to have phone conversations with my mother. There was time last summer when this was not possible, so I am grateful that she is able to use the phone so that I can keep connected with her nearly every day.
• Friends.
• Fresh delights from His Word.
  

A First For Me

Today I did something I have never done before.

I ate Fried Green Tomatoes.

They were good.

Our Breakfast View

This was what we were looking at
as we ate breakfast yesterday morning.

What a glorious sunrise!

Happy Anniversary to us.

A year ago today we moved into our new home. Happy Anniversary to us.

Thankfuls for this week:

• I only worked 11 1/2 hours this week.
• We got a chance to meet Stan- B & C's newest addition- an 8 week old grey tiger kitten.
• Shopping with my daughter.
  
• Planting some flowers outside to enjoy through the winter.
• Enjoying phone conversations with my mother.
• The blessings of having a ladies Bible Study in my home- what a treasure to have lady friends and to be able to share riches from His Word.
• Finally figuring out how to get the old water filter out of the fridge, finding a new one, and now enjoying better tasting water again. (Thanks to the expertise of hubby)
• Still delighting in hearing trains go by- especially in the night. I am so glad I enjoy that sound!
• The pleasure of scented candles.
  
• Having books to read- and time to read them.
• Enjoying fall in Georgia.
  

To God Be The Glory

One year ago this coming week was a very interesting week for us.

• We arrived in Georgia.
• We signed the papers for our new home.
• We moved into our new home.

It was a very full, fun, challenging, interesting week for us- including traveling many miles with a cat in the car! I have been thinking back with a grateful heart, remembering all the incredible answers to prayer, and the way the Lord opened doors for us and made the week special for us. Including eating the first meal in our home. (Subway Sandwiches, in an empty house, but with our children here to enjoy it with us)
And, I am very thankful for all the incredible answers to prayer there have been in the past year since we moved in. He has provided for our every need, and blessed us.
Indeed---To God Be The Glory.

More Things to be Thankful For

Since I didn't have easy internet access last weekend, this list will cover two weeks of thankfuls. And, if I included everything, this would be a VERY long post. So, what you will get is just the highlights.

• The joy of spending time with my mother, some of it spent just sitting and crocheting, and not really doing much other than enjoying each other's company.
• Taking lunch in for her one day and watching her savor every bite!
• Finding lower gas prices, so that the cost of the gas was way less than we had figured.
• Visiting with friends- and the joy of having friends to visit with.
• Only working one day this week, and finding out that working until 10 in the evening is very interesting- easier than I thought it would be.
  
• My work schedule for the foreseeable future is part time- what a blessing that is.
• Meeting our daughter's new puppy- she is very cute.
• DSL
  
• Having a digital camera to use so I could take lots of pictures while we were away.
• Getting refreshed spiritually-having my soul fed and encouraged.
• Being able to do grocery shopping yesterday morning, and not having to do it in the evening after a full day of work.
• Dunkin Donuts latte's.
• Keeping in touch with family via cell phone.
• Max being very glad to have us back home again.
• Warm sunshine.
  
• My faithful Shepherd, and the continuing green pastures and still waters.

Fall Color

Pictures do not really do justice to the beautiful
colors of the leaves we saw on our trip, but I will at least post a couple. This picture on the right is just one sample of some of the yellows we saw in New Hampshre.















This picture on the left is some of the reds we saw as we drove down part of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. We enjoyed traveling down around 120 miles of the parkway- slow, scenic, and very restful. Was a lovely change of pace from the busy highways! Sometime it would be fun to travel the whole length but we are very grateful that we got to ride a portion of the way.

Safely Home Again

We are safely home after a trip of over 2577 miles. I will write more later, but for now, just thought I would post a picture of the price of gas that we found yesterday in North Carolina. In case you can't read the sign very well, we paid $1.79 a gallon! That was fun!

We are very thankful for the Lord's blessing and protection - more details will follow.

Hide and Pounce

Warning- for those who might ever visit our home. One of our residents likes to play "Hide and Pounce". This is a game this clever little person plays at very unexpected times, night or day. I am not sure if he came up with the idea of the game himself, or was taught it by the other male resident of our home (aka known as hubby)
The idea of the game is to hide behind a wall, bed, couch, fireplace, or any object that will hide you from the unsuspecting person approaching, then at the appropriate time jump out and scare said unsuspecting person. He is not always very clever about the hiding part- he might leave his tail poking out from under the bed for instance. In other words I usually have fair warning that the game is being played so that I can prepare my nerves.
However last evening I was quietly minding my own business, heading into our room from the hall. At this point it was rather late in the day, I was rather tired, and unusually unsuspecting. Next thing I knew this person jumped out from his hiding place, attacked my foot and in general made it known that it was play time. I was amused...after I got over the shock and surprise.
It can be very interesting having a cat that likes to play games. But not always easy for one's nervous system.

Still Thankful

At the end of another week, I find my heart once again full of thankfuls:

• Successfully finishing another week of work- learning more, and becoming more relaxed, and actually enjoying my days.
• Knowing that my next scheduled work is not until October 5th- my part time work really is only part time, even if I have been working full time the last 2 months.
• Finding a new Mexican restaurant and really enjoying the food.
• Still savoring the marvelous truths in the first 3 verses of Psalm 23.
• Having my hubby do the vacuuming, including spot cleaning the carpet where it needs it.
  
• Anticipating a trip to a colder climate in a few days.
• Having the weather cool enough here so that I could actually eat my lunch outside some this week.
• Finding a good heart connection with a co-worker - she really loves the Lord and it shows. We can share verses, and experiences, ....and some great laughter.
• Starting to read "One Clear Call".
• Enjoying some lovely colors in the sky as the sun was rising yesterday morning.
• Really grateful for the falling gas prices. $2.07 was the latest low that we saw!!!!!!

Falling Prices

We are really enjoying watching the price of gas continuing to fall. Today hubby noticed it down to $2.13 a gallon. Wow!

We were wondering what prices were doing around other areas of the country.

Let us know!

Thankfuls From Another Week

I am very thankful for:

• Spending time with friends at dinner last evening and enjoying good food and Christian felowship. That was an unexpeted bonus in our week.
• A hubby that loads and unloads the dishwasher.
• Finding out that I am finally relaxed and enjoying work more, and recognizing that I have a congeniel group of co-workers.
  
• Coming home last evening to see more progress in the process of weed killing and fixing up our landscaping, thanks to hubby, and DA.
• Enjoying meditating on Psalm 23 and reveling in the fact that my Shepherd does care and leads me to the places He knows I need to be in. And, finding that green pastures and still waters abound, even in the midst of challanging things.
• Two library books to read this weekend.
• A lovely day of rain one day this week. And enjoying the sound of rain on our roof in the middle of the night.
• Having a Sabbath day so that I can relax and get refreshed and renewed.
• Enjoying some wonderful Dark Chocolate one evening after a quick stop at the grocery store for a couple of things we needed. ( I just "happened" to see the chocolate as I was waiting at the checkout.....)
  

The Price of Gas

Last evening hubby and I were doing some errands, and we noticed something startling.

Gas was $2.29!!!!! Amazing! It has been very interesting in recent weeks to see the prices creeping downward. A few short weeks ago we were paying $3.00 a gallon.

May the downward trend continue.

My Thankfuls

• Taking time to enjoy a fresh picked rose from our white rose bush. There was a little pink on the edge of one or two petals, the aroma was delightful, and it was such a joy to me to hold that rose, and marvel on the goodness of my Heavenly Father that created all that beauty, and allowed me to enjoy it. God is Good.
  
• Realizing that there are many aspects of my work that I really enjoy. It is tiring, and can get frustrating, but I am so thankful that the Lord provided what He knew I needed, not what I thought I needed. I was able to have a good talk with my manager this week, and that helped as well. God is Good.
  
• Enjoying Women's Bible Study/Fellowship at our home this past Wednesday evening. I am so thankful for each of the ladies who attended, and the way the Lord blessed the time. God is Good.
• Enjoying seeing the results of hubby's work in the yard. I am impressed. God is Good.
  
• Enjoying an unexpeted visit with friends last evening- they were coming out of the restaurant that we were heading into, so we had a lovely long visit. God is Good.
• Making more firm plans for our upcoming trip to New Hampshire. Yeah! God is Good.
• Enjoying a day of rest. God is Good.
• Wishing that I had taken a picture of the spider that was on the wall last Wednesday. He was not small. Hubby was fast asleep. I was not happy. Hairspray only momentarily stops spiders. Thick paper towels applied with enough pressure over spiders is very effective. Sigh. (yes, God is Good even for giving us spiders)
• Enjoying a wonderous bright full moon on my way to work yesterday morning. Getting to work by 7 AM means I arrive while it is still dark. But, that made it possible for me to enjoy that view of the moon that I would not have been able to enjoy if I had been still at home sleeping! God is Good!
  

Another Week Finished

My Thankfuls for this past week:

• A very stressful week has been completed.
• Actually having two days off in the middle of the week- what luxery! I was fighting a sore throat/cold, so it felt really good to not have to struggle with work for those two days.
• The joy of a cloudy cooler morning so that I could enjoy my Wisteria scented YC - it has been awhile since I burned it - it smells so good!
• Two-yes, two- Krispy Kreme creme filled chocolate iced donuts for breakfast this morning.
  
• Living near a Cracker Barrel restaurant/gift shop.
• Enjoying small portions of Psalms, and meditating on a few verses. Sometimes I tend to take in too much of His Word at once, so it has been a great joy to stay focused on just a phrase or two
  
• Actually having a whole hour for lunch yesterday and having it cool enough to sit in my car, eat lunch, and enjoy reading a book in the peace and quiet.
• Finding out about a marvelous coffee shop and enjoying the same with my daughter. Three cheers for iced mocha latte with raspberry flavor.
• Realizing that it is possible we will be able to go to NH the end of this month. (Even if it will be much colder than I am used to at the moment!)
• Enjoying "color week" on various blogs- so much fun.
• Rejoicing that in spite of what I have read on a couple of other blogs, I have as yet to see a cockroach since we moved south. If I found one in my shoe as somebody I know did, the scream would be heard for many miles I am sure.
  

Friday - White

Well, here is my offering for white/black day. This has been fun finding things to take pictures of around the house. Thanks Liane for giving us color week.

Thursday - Blue

Another one of my mugs from Victoria, BC. One of my favorites!

And, since I couldn't decide which of my blue photos to show, I am including two today. I figured if Liane could post more than one, I could as well.

Actually I am posting this Wednesday evening, as I am leaving for work at 6:35 AM in the morning and don't want to be posting at that time of day.



I love the blues and whites on this shelf. These are collected from various places, including Holland! (Thanks to Penny for that one!)

Wednesday - Red

Happy red Wednesday. This is my favorite mug- which I found in a lovely china shop in Victoria, BC.

Tuesday- Green

My lovely big green plant. Wish you could see it - the picture does not do it justice. Enjoy!

Color Week: Monday-Yellow

I have decided to participate in Liane's Color Week- posting a daily picture of something in my house that shows the color of the day.

Here is my choice for yellow- a color not much found in my house!


Come on over for a cup of tea.

Thankfuls-Again

• Dark Chocolate candy bar for Sabbath treat.
• Enjoying some good southern comfort foood- chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes with white gravy, fresh biscuits, fried apples etc. (Thanks to a lovely local restaurant)
• Hubby buying an edger for our yard and having the energy to use it. And now we are enjoying lovely edged lawn!
• Spying a new pansy plant in my back yard! I pulled the old ones out weeks ago, as they do not do well in the summer heat. What a surprise to find a new healthy looking plant with lovely fresh blooms.
• Picking fresh roses.
• Good Christian fiction at our local library- and being able to put on reserve the ones I want to read.
• Finding the comfort and help I need when I take refuge in the shelter of His Wings.
• Exploring some more local roads on our way home from the library today.
• Thinking about planting some fresh flowers for the fall and winter.
  

Things To Be Thankful For This Week

• Seeing Bluebirds in our back yard a few days ago. (And, no, I did not take this picture! ) It was such a lift to my spirits to see those beautiful birds.
• Visitng with friends from the north on two different evenings. Friends are so encouraging!
• Having hubby help out with cleaning and doing extra things around the house while I am working every day.
• Having the Lord help us to find the solution to what has been causing hubby's cough, and seeing a big improvemnt this week.
• The Lord protecting my mother when she fell again this week.
• Eating lunch outside yesterday at work, and having good fellowship with co-workers.
• Enjoying the lovely fresh paint on my daughter's walls. She did such a great job! I love the stripes she did.
• Knowing that the Lord is in control, and I can trust Him and need have no fear. He is so good, and His timing is perfect.
  

Sunset

Recently I enjoyed looking at a lovely sunset through the glass on our front door. The colors were so special- I am glad I have some pictures to remember the beauty. God is good to give us so many neat colors and shades and beauty around us.

Max

Max wanted to wave to everybody and say hi.

Sabbath Thankfuls

• I am so thankful for a day of rest. After a busy week, it is such a blessing to be able to slow down and take it easy. God is good.
• I am thankful for the reality of the truth. Isaiah 41:10 has been so precious to me this week. I need have no fear, and He is with me, strengthening me where I need it. This verse has meant so much to me in the past, and it is so awesome to have it all fresh and new and alive again this week. God is good.
• I am thankful for a cat who loves to sit in my lap and purr his little heart out in his contentment to be with me. And that he puts up with my combing his fur- actually seems to love it! It amazes me how much hair I can get with a few swipes of the comb!
• I am thankful that the one computer program at work that seemed to be stumping my intelligence (or lack thereof), finally clicked this week. (hubby did some extra praying, and the Lord graciously answered)
• I am thankful for some lovely colors in the morning sky yesterday. God is good to give us such incredible colors to enjoy.
• I am thankful for blogs which help me to keep in touch with friends and relatives that I love. I enjoy hearing about escapades on roller coasters, camping trips, whale watching, bowling and all the other wonderful things that appear. (I won't try to give examples from everyone or this would never end! But I do read many blogs!)
  
• I am thankful for a wonderful Christian lady at work - I really enjoy working with her.
• I am thankful for supplies to make cards with - it is a great stress reliever to sit and relax and design some new cards, and then make them.
• I am thankful for the Lord's love and forgiveness and mercy.
  

A New Post

I have been sitting here trying to come up with a wonderful exciting new post, but alas, nothing earth shattering comes to mind, so this will be more of a ramble I guess.
This has been a busy week at work learning some of the 5,670,970 details needed to be learned. ( I might have slightly exaggerated the number....it might be only 4,978,432) I am actually finding out that when I answer the phone at work, I do know some of the answers!
My brain is on overload, but I am so thankful for the weekend and some wonderful down time. Three cheers for the Sabbath.
This morning hubby and I went to the libary, and explored some new roads. It is so neat to find new short cuts, to get out on some back roads, and see new sights. There sure are lots of places to explore. One nice benefit of living in a new area- lots more back roads to explore!
And, I continue to have so many things to be thankful for. God is good, bringing along just the right verse/verses to meet up to date needs. He does hear us when we cry out to Him.
So, Praise the Lord for another successful week....and my first paycheck!

More Thankfuls

• The sound of rain pounding on the skylight of the lobby where I am working.
• My first full week of training finished.
• Knowing that I know much more now about the job than I did at the first of the week, and am feeling much more comfortable answering phones and working on the computer.
  
• The people at work are very patient with me even when I a make mistakes.
  
• Having my hubby take me out for dinner last evening so that I didn't have to cook at the end of a long week.
• Having my hubby help with cleaning. He does a great job vacumming the floors, and even spot cleaning where it is needed.
• The fun of having Max come sit in my lap purring his little heart out after I have been away all day. He really seems to like to have me home.
• Having fun using Firefox and figuring out tabs. I am impressed.
• Having good library books to read.
• Reading blogs and feeling connected with so many friends. I do not comment much, but sure do enjoy every one.
• Our son who celebrated a birthday this week. What a wonderful gift from the Lord he is.
• Picking a fresh white rose to enjoy.
• Last, at least on this list, I am thankful for God's Word, and the aliveness of it each day.
  

First Week at My New Job

They say the first week at a new job is always the hardest. So, I have lived through the first week! I am sure it will get easier, and I will be more relaxed when I go back in on Monday. And, I am amazed at what I have learned already.

Monday was my first day, and was just orientation. A day full of policies, rules, etc. We even had to practice with fire extinguishers! And they carefully went over the dress code. (If you think the dress code at F......... is hard you should see this one! Absolutely no denim at any time is one of the rules!) They did give us lunch brought in from Chick-Fil-A which was yummy and a definate plus for a day that was not very exciting.

Then Tuesday and Thursday I spent at the clinic observing, and doing some simple things, and finding I really love it! It is good to be back doing something in the medical field. And it is such a bonus to not have a long commute to work. The Lord is good.

Thanks for all your prayers.

Mistaken Identity

Yes, this actually happened.
As is true in most subdivisions, many of the houses are quite similar in design, though most of them near us are quite different. Except the one two doors down. It looks exactly like ours at first glance, and more than once we have almost driven into the driveway thinking it was ours. And we have actually driven into the driveway, and wondered why the garage door opener wasn't working. Very embarrassing.
Well, it turns out that we are not the only ones confused.
Last evening the lady who owns the house similar to ours came over with a confession. Seems that she had gone away for 3 days and had asked her mom to come over to feed her cats for her while she was gone. So, last Friday, "Mom" came over, put her key in the door, opened the door and walked in. She was interested to observe that her daughter had rearranged the furniture...had even gotten a new dining room set.....was pleased to find the cat...but when she noticed the sitting area in the master bedroom the lightbulbs began to go off. It was with much embarrassment that she quickly vacated the premises, went to what was really her daughter's house, and fed her cats. She had gone into the wrong house!
Of course our neighbor was very apologetic, and was concerned that her key fit our door. What we think happened was that somehow we had forgotten to lock the front door, which almost never happens. I can remember coming home on Friday and noticing that it was unlocked, and thinking, Well, nothing happened, so the Lord protected us in spite of my neglect. Little did I know!
There, our latest saga. At least we got to meet our neighbor. Maybe we can trade cat sitting. Her black cat is the one that comes over to visit Max periodically. Course one is outside staring in, and one inside staring out, but they seem to enjoy the fellowship.

New Job

Well, praise the Lord, I start work next Monday! I am so grateful that the Lord has provided. He has taught me some lessons on trust, perseverance, waiting etc, and He has faithfully met our needs.
I was wandering through the store getting groceries yesterday when the lady from Human Resources called me to say I had the job, and to set up all the appointments for orientation, filling out paper work, getting my picture taken for my badge- all that fun stuff. I think that I was in a state of shock for several hours after that, and I hope I got all the groceries I was supposed to get!
I will be a Patient Registrar at a local Urgent Care clinic. It is close to home - no freeway driving etc and the job sounds like something I will enjoy doing. It is part time, so that is another bonus.
So, thanks to all who have been praying.

More Thankfuls

• Celebrating the anniversary of the day we first met our daughter. HAPPY BIRTHDAY PENNY! :)
• Playing hide and seek- Max's way.
• Learning more of what it means to perservere.
• Celebrating the fourth with our family and enjoying a delicious BBQ.
• Watching the shuttle being launched successfully.
• More lovely blooms on our white rose.
• The Lord faithfully meeting our needs for another week.
• Enjoying the pleasure of the company of SA for a few hours on Thursday.

Happy Independence Day

Blessings on you all as we celebrate our Freedoms. What a privilege it is to live in this country and to be able to enjoy the freedoms we have, and to be remembering the sacrifices that have been made, and are being made so that we can still have those freedoms.
And it is fun to be wearing red white and blue, and to be anticipating a BBQ with family later in the day. God is good.

Laptops

I have discovered something better than getting a new laptop. It is getting my old laptop back after not being able to use it for two months. The poor thing has been sickly, and under the tender services of Dr. Brad, and while it is not completely back to normal, the patient is doing much better than it was. And a new part is being ordered that will make it as good as new- or better.
So, I now have it back to use, and what a blessing.
I mean, just think of it, my hubby and I had to SHARE one computer!
I will say that he has been very gracious in sharing, and it really has worked out fine, with no problem. And, we could continue on doing that for quite some time quite contentedly. But, I am very, very grateful that we are now back enjoying the richness of his and hers computers.
So, three cheers for the return of my laptop!
And, many thanks to Dr. Brad for all his efforts and expertise. No wonder that he is my favorite son.

Many Blessings

Some of my thankfuls for the past week:

• My mother is doing a little better and that I was able to talk with her on the telephone yesterday.
• I had a good job interview on Monday
• They called me back yesterday to fill out paper work for the next step in the hiring process. And gave me more paperwork to fill out in case I make it to the next level.
• The new job would be part time, less than 15 minutes from home.
• Going for rides with my hubby, exploring new roads, and stopping to get an ice cream cone. (no, not as good as Kimball's but a very close second.)
• Enjoying rainbows in my kitchen again.
• Playing fetch with Max. ( he doesn't realize he is a cat and is not supposed to do that)
• Going clothes shopping and enjoying the process for a change.
• Some nice rain earlier in the week.
• Living close enough to my daughter so that we are in the same phone exchange - no toll calls!
• Fresh juicy watermelon.

Customer Service-or the lack thereof

Many times I have experienced good customer service when dealing with things on the phone. However, this week it wasn't quite as good. Let me explain.
We decided to make some changes in our phone service, which would mean that we could have the luxury of caller ID. That way, we will know who is calling, who has called etc. and can even screen our calls if we want to.
Well, on Thursday I called our local phone company and talked with this charming gentleman. I explained that we wanted Caller ID, we went through the propper steps etc, and he assured me that it would be all set and in place before midnight. Ah, the joy of the anticipation. I kept checking my phones, even resorted to calling my number from my cell phone part way through the afternoon. Nothing. I did keep hearing this strange beeping before the dial tone though, and I couldn't quite understand that.
Well, yesterday I was away from home for several hours, so couldn't call to find out what this beeping was all about, and why the Caller ID had not kicked in. I did call home though and got this message that I had reached my number, and would I like to leave a message. Now, why would that be on my phone.......lights began dawning. Had he somehow set us up with Voice Mail instead of caller ID????
Yup, that is exactly what happened. When I finally got home and called the phone company again, this lovely lady assured me that is what he had done. (I can see how easy it would be to make that mistake....Caller ID, and Voice Mail sound so much alike.......)
She switched it over for me, and sure enough soon the caller ID was in place. I even called our number so I could see it in action. Impressive. But....I was still getting this annoying beeping. So, I finally called the phone company--- again. That beeping was just letting me know I had some voice mail waiting!!! OK, why didn't somebody explain that to me sooner, and why didn't you tell me on Thursday how to access said Voice Mail!!! The kind gentleman this morning assured me it takes awhile for things to be processed and that eventually this beeping would go away. I then politely asked if there was someway to get rid of it sooner.. Well, if you really want to....just punch in these 3 numbers and you can delete the messages, and that will stop the beeping. He seemed to think it would be quite normal and acceptable for the next several days to listen to about 15 beeps before the dial tone started, and I could make a phone call. Hmmmmm.

Ah, well, it is all fine now, and is all working the way it is supposed to work. And all three were really just trying to help me- I think. And, three cheers for all the wonderful Customer Service Representatives there are out there...somewhere. I just happened to run into 3 this week that were probably all having a bad day. I will be praying for them.

The Lost is Found

For several years we have enjoyed a lovely prism hanging in our kitchen window. We have had the pleasure of enjoying many rainbows splashed all over the walls etc, and it has been a source of much joy. The fact that said prism was a gift from an illustrious FBI grad of several years past made it even more special.

Well, about a week ago, Max decided that he needed it in his business. I came out one morning to find that it was no longer hanging at the end of it's lovely purple ribbon, up on one of our bay windows. I found the ribbon, the pin that was holding the prism, but alas, no prism. It was with great sadness that I relegated the ribbon, the suction cup etc to a drawer, thinking that maybe someday in the far, far distant future it might show up again. But, knowing how much Max loves to bat things around, carry them to other parts of the house etc, my faith was not too great at that point. So, no more rainbows, no more visible reminders of said grad.

Imagine my delight when I opened the pantry a day or so ago, and lo, there was our lovely prism! So, it is now back up on our kitchen bay window, catching the sun, and ready to send forth more rainbows. And, hopefully I have affixed it in a such a way that Max will not be able to reach it, or to separate it from the cord that it is hanging on.

So, three cheers for the lost that was found! (And the never ending delights and unexpeted problems connected with living with a cat who loves to play with things)

Some Blessings of the Past Week

• Celebrating 33 years of marriage to my wonderful God given husband.
• The lovely sweet/spicy scent left on my hands after cutting off the old blossoms of our purple rose. And enjoying seeing that the rose bushes are now looking much better since I fed them in the right proportions.
• Reading blogs of friends.
• The sight of the beautiful morning sun coming up and looking forward to a new day wondering what new blessings from the Lord will be unfolding.
• Fresh food for the soul from the Psalms.
• The fun of watching Max hide behind things and then jump out to attack us when we walk by.
• Knowing that the Lord has a job for me to do, even if it hasn't shown up yet.
• Our Crepe Myrtles are almost in bloom.
• Helping with a garage sale for the local PRC- being held at my daughter's home, thus having the delight of spending extra time with her, and other friends.
• Being able to talk on the phone to my mother almost every day.
• There are still some blossoms left from the flower arrangement we brought home from Jeff and Fritha's wedding. What a joy to be still enjoying them, and remembering the day.
• Krispy Kreme chocolate iced Kreme filled donuts.

Following directions

We planted a couple of rose bushes several months ago, and have been enjoying the blossoms, but noticed that they were not really very healthy looking. I have been faithfully applying a powerful, (and expensive) 3 in l plant food/insect control/disease control product, so I wasn't sure why they continued to be not very healthy, and why the Japanese Beetles were enjoying them as their primary food source.
Well, this morning when I went out to feed them, I figured maybe I better reread the directions. Sigh....I had been using 2 Tablespoons per 1 gallon of water- the directions said 4 Tablespoons per 1 quart of water. I was undertreating the poor babies! How humbling. Now, I am sure I read those directions way back months ago, and thought I was doing the right thing. Guess it is important to keep rereading the directions and make sure I am doing what I need to do.

Sort of like continuing to reread the directions my Heavenly Father gives to me and to not proudly assume that I remember what it said several months ago.

Weddings and Such

We just returned from attending the incredible wedding celebration for Jeff and Fritha Turner. It was on the water and so lovely...and HOT! One of the special things for me was the gorgeous flower arrangements on the tables at the reception. They were so much fun to look at, enjoy and drink in the beauty! Each table had one of two different displays, both of which you see here. And, I was able to bring home one of the ones like the one at the left. I am enjoying looking at it as it resides in all of its elegance on my coffee table and remembering all the great things about the day. The friends, the yummy food, the water, the joy of seeing Jeff and Fritha, having fun parasol's to use to keep the sun from making us too hot....fun day!

Congratulations to the happy couple!

The Marvelous Sounds of Trains

Now, I understand that not all will agree with that title. But, I was realizing recently how very much I am enjoying the Marvelous Sounds of Trains. (Seriously)
We live less than a mile from a very heavily used mainline. I am guessing there must be between 50 and 100 trains that most likely use it during a 24 hour period. And, I love to hear them! I love the sounds of the engine, the cars rattling over the tracks, the whistle that blows, especially in the middle of the night! Nights are the best time to hear all the sounds, and it is so comforting to hear that wonderful whistle.
Maybe it is because of the train trips we have been on, and I associate all the sounds with what we heard when we were riding the trains. Maybe it is because of the influence of a certain somebody in my life who has expressed a casual interest in trains one or two times in the past. I don't really know the reason. But, I just want it to be known, I really like the sound of trains!
And, I think that it was wonderful of the Lord to put us in a house where we can hear them so clearly, all day long! So, PTL for the Marvelous Sounds of Trains.

More Sabbath Day Praises

• A wonderful daughter-in-law, who celebrates her birthday today. Happy Birthday Claire.
• Head colds do not last forever.
• The job interview that didn't take place last week, might next week.
• The freezer is now running again, and partly stocked again.
• My talented hubby who fixed the sqeaks on our garage door, so it no longer sounds like a dying animal when it is being opened and closed.
• When my mother fell last week-twice- she didn't injure herself too badly. She is sore, but mending.
• With Mother's Day coming, I am reminded to be very grateful for my mother and her Godly wisdom and example to me through the years.
• Hearing of a young lady who found Jesus as her saviour this week. PTL
• A beautiful moon last night, seen through one of our half circle windows, which made the sight even better.
• Keeping up with friends via blogging.
• The fun of watching Max enjoy faucets...and ice makers.

Ah, yes, another busy Monday. My Monday's are usually busy with doing laundry, shopping and all the other things needed to keep things going. Today is no different, other than we are having company in for dinner, which we are looking forward to, but does involve a little extra thought and effort.

So, after carefully planning out my day, enlisting my hubby's help by having him doing the vacuuming, etc. all things seemed to be going smoothly. As I was getting things ready for breakfast I meandered out to the garage to get some things out of the chest freezer that I needed for dinner. That is when I made some observations which I would like to share with you.

• When the GFI outlet that the freezer is plugged into pops off, that means there is no power to make the freezer keep running.
• When a freezer is not running, it no longers keeps things frozen, or cold.
• When the frozen lasagne is no longer frozen, or cold, it is probably not wise to serve it for company.
• When ice cream is no longer cold, the above mentioned rule also applies.
• Rotten hamberger does not smell very good.
• There are benefits to putting off stocking one's freezer- less to throw away when the power is off for a couple of days.
• When most of one's menu for company dinner was residing in said freezer, it now becomes important to add a few more things to the grocery list.
• There is value in having an abundance of room in the side by side freezer/fridge that resides in the kitchen.
• There is always time in one's busy day to clean out a smelly freezer, even if one does not think so.

End of observations.

Sabbath Day Praises

• Mocking birds that sit on our chiminey, singing their hearts out. It sounds like they are right in our living room and such a delight to hear.
• A lovely new flowering dogwood planted in our back yard.
• Learning a new card game this week, and playing the game all afternoon with my husband, at our breakfast nook table, and enjoying all the birds at the feeder while we were playing.
• The probability of a good job interview next week.
• Pepperidge Farm turnovers.
• A cute little chipping sparrow enjoying the fallen seeds on the ground under our bird feeder.
• The beautiful soft muted colors of the mourning dove, and enjoying watching them resting underneath the new dogwood tree.
• Homemade chicken alfredo pizza.
• Spending time with my daughter.
• The charming southern custom that has me being called "Miss Ellie".

Three Cheers for the birds

One of the first things we did when we moved in was to install the bird feeder that you see here. I knew it would take a few days for the birds to find it, so waited....and waited....and waited. It was literally months, and I was about to give away my bird food, thinking the birds would not arrive, when lo and behold they started coming!

Of course it was just cow birds for awhile, but we did enjoy seeing them. At least they were birds! And, little by little we are getting more. There are not many trees close by which probably is the reason we don't get more. But, house finches, mourning doves, red winged blackbirds, and meadow larks are frequent visitors in our back yard. And, of course mocking birds, and lots of swallows. Yesterday morning while we were eating breakfast it was great fun to look out the window and watch the cute little house finches enjoy their breakfast. The feeder is placed so that it is right outside the bay window breakfast nook in our kitchen.

So, waiting patiently and not giving up has its rewards!

Kick It Up a Notch

Interesting anecdote from Friday. My hubby went in for his quarterly pacemaker check, and remarked that he had been experiencing lightheadedness on exercise.

No problem for the tech. Using a few keystrokes on his computer the tech changed some settings from "low" to "high" on the pacemaker, and now he should be all set. Weird. My bionic hubby.

Our New Red Rose

For Valentine's day, I bought my husband an Olympiad rose. It is a beautiful red rose, with a lovely smell, and makes a good rose to pick and enjoy in the house. Our friend Stephen planted it for us, and we have been eagerly awaiting the first red rose of the season.

On the right you will see a picture taken this morning of our first red rose......

Somehow methinks that the label on the rose bush was not exactly telling the truth.....

Our first rose of the season

This rose, called Blue Moon, is our first rose in Georgia. It has been great fun watching the bush grow, start buds, and now bloom. Little by little we are getting our rose garden going here in our new home.

We have a second bush, that I plan to get a picture of and post as soon as the bud opens up a little bit more. But, meanwhile, you can enjoy this one with us. There are at least 6 more buds coming on this bush. Yeah! God's creation is so wonderful!

Coloring Eggs

We had such a lovely Easter celebrating the Lord's resurection, and enjoying family. As noted on Claire's blog we had fun coloring eggs, as you can see. The first picture shows the place where all the fun took place, then a closer picture of the ones I did. A great time was had by all.

Thank the Lord for such a marvelous family, and fun times together.
 

He Lives

"He is not here, for He is risen"

Praise the Lord for an empty tomb.

Six Months Ago

It is hard to believe, but it has been six months to the day since we moved into our home. It has been a busy time-settling in, developing new routines, new friends, experiencing good times, and hard to understand times, but, God is good.

We continue to enjoy this lovely home that the Lord gave to us- all the space, the conveniences, the quiet, the time to get refreshed. And it is a great source of joy to see more and more birds- we saw a pair of bluebirds this morning while we were eating breakfast!

So, happy house anniversary to us!  

Fire Ants

1. Fire Ants Exist.
2. Fire Ants Exist in Georgia.
3. Fire Ants Exist in my back yard.
4. Fire Ants bite.
5. Fire Ants leave ugly pimple like swellings at every place they bite.
6. Three guesses how I know all of the above are true.

Pretty Flowers

Our azalea's are gorgeous- this picture does not do them justice, but it gives you a little idea of what we are enjoying. We have quite a few of these along the side and back of our home and they bring great joy. Cheer up those of you who live in the north- your spring is coming!

Meanwhile you can enjoy this spot of color and be encouraged while you wait.

New Neighbors

Some new neighbors are moving in behind us! Construction has started on several homes in the fields in back of us, and we have of course been wondering what our new neighbors would be like.

Well, there is a nice couple moving into the home that is being built right in back of us- I haven't met them personally but from watching them it would seem they would be very congenial.

The interesting thing is that the home is still under construction, so this couple has decided to do their own decorating and building on the side- literally.

This new couple is Mr. and Mrs. Phoebe, and they are happily building a nest on the side of the new home under construction, inside a hooded vent! It has been extremely interesting to watch the progress- and the patience they demonstrate as they take one stick at a time into the vent. They enjoy sitting on the branches of the dead tree currently taking up space in our back yard. They will sit there and preen and sing and just plain enjoy life and the sunshine around them.

I have been encouraged and blessed watching them fly around, and doing all the things that phoebe's do. After going several months without noticing many birds in our area, it is a huge blessing to be noticing new ones each day- now I just trust the construction workers don't notice this little bit of nest building going on in the home they are building!

Max, I might add, really enjoys sitting on his perch watching all his feathered friends flying around. He would love to interact with them on a more personal basis, but since he is an inside cat, he has to be content to just observe.

My Overflowing Jam Jar

After reading a friend's (aka niece's) blog this morning about the abundance of her jam jar, I was greatly encouraged to take a better look at the state of my own chipped jam jar.

I was sort of thinking that my poor old chipped jar was way less than half full and leaking out at a very rapid rate- my husband has not felt well this week, I have had no phone call back from my job interview, I only had cow birds at my feeder, etc, etc. etc. whine, whine, whine.

Then I started thinking about things a little differently, and realized that my own chipped jam jar is so full it is overflowing.

• I had the joy this morning of planting some creeping phlox in my "Jan Garden"
• There were two mourning doves feeding on the ground outside my bay window in the breakfast nook- enjoying the seeds that those stupid cow birds knocked off, so maybe they aren't so bad after all. It was such a pretty sight to enjoy watching them as they poked around beside azelea's and pansies that are blooming so profusely at the moment.
• We had wonderful freinds from NH pop in for a visit this morning. Yeah!
• We had dinner last evening with my father in law, my daughter in law, and my son outside on the wonderful and nicely decorated deck of my daughter's home.
• It is now warm enough so that I can enjoy eating lunch out on our patio.
• There was a red-winged blackbird on mybird feeder this morning.
• We have lots of meadowlarks on our back lawn several times a day. What a lovely bird to see up close.
• And the list goes on and on. My heart is full of thanksgiving for His wonderful goodness. Thanks Lori for reminding me to count my blessings. They are truly abundant.

Yard Sales and Gardens and Jan

Today the neighborhood where we live had a yard sale - there were around 26 homes participating, so there was lots of traffic going through. It was fun to participate, meet new neighbors and sell things I don't really need anymore. (It even surprised me that I had things to get rid of since we had gotten rid of so much when we moved last year. )

As I was preparing for the sale this week, and then selling things today, I had many good memories of going yard saling with Jan. Her enthusiasm for bargain hunting was contagious. I had fun remembering our annual treks to Maine with a van load of ladies, leaving at 4 AM, watching Jan mark out the sale locations on her map, and then her good navigation skills as she guided us around the city. We all ended up with lovely bargains, had good laughs and friendly competition as we would race to see who could get out of the van first and grab all the good bargains.

I was debating what to do with the proceeds of my sale today, until I thought of Jan, and the yard sale memories, and her love for plants and gardens. So, I thought, Aha! The funds are going towards plants to put in a garden area in our front lawn. It looks pretty generic at the moment, and needs lots of color so it will be a joy to put lots of colorful perennials in that will remind me of Jan. I can look at it and be reminded of so many good memories.

And, I can look out at my "Jan Garden", and be reminded of that glorious time in the future when we all will be enjoying our heavenly mansions, and there will be tears no more. She is in that enviable spot now but we all will be joining her before long. What a grand day that will be

Thanks Jan, for the memories.

My Friend

"But let those who love Him be like the sun

When it comes out in full strength."

Judges 5:31

The sun is warm and bright and shining. My friend Jan loved Him, and she was warm and bright and shining. I will miss her but she now is shining up with Him.

You fought the good fight Jan. What a testimony for all of us.

My prayers are with her family and friends.

The Job Interview

I did something today I haven't done for quite some time. I actually went on a job interview.

Nearly a month ago I applied on line for a part time job here in McD. It sounded perfect for me, but so much time has gone by I figured they must have found somebody else, so I have been continuing to look, passing out resumes, eagerly seraching all the want ads etc.

So far, not one response, call back, or any other kind of acknowledgment that anybody received my information,let alone read any of it. If these people only knew what a wonderful prospective employee they were ignoring!

So imagine my surprise when I got a call this morning to go in for an interview to the place I had applied to a month ago! And, could I please come in an hour??? Sure,...um... no problem... I will be there. The first thing I had to do was scrub all the red dirt off my hands - I had been happily weeding away in the back yard, and was nicely covered with lovely red dirt/clay.

I pulled out my "interview outfit", breathed a thankful prayer to the Lord that on Monday I had actually on the spur of the moment bought a pair of dressy black shoes, and hustled out the door. I arrived at my destination in less than 15 minutes, made it through the interview, and am more convinced that the job would be perfect for me. She promised she would call, so now I continue to wait and trust that the Lord will open it up for me, if that is what He wants.

One never know what will come into the day!

Updates to follow!!!