Portrait of a Stranger

OK, here is my "stranger"...little Marq Alexzander Aldrich, born March 21. He was a week old in this picture when I met him for the first time. Bryan and Sarah are enjoying this newest member of their family.
I will admit it took a certain amount of creativity to come up with this challange for photo week..I had decided early on I was not even going to try, but then I met Marq!
And, many kudo's to Liane for instigating this whole thing...it has been so much fun to participate, and to see contributions from others. Thanks Liane.

Inside Looking Out

Max and I were both inside looking out yesterday, enjoying the view. I was delighted to see the Chipping Sparrow on the feeder as it was the first I had seen since we moved. The variety of birds here is not that many yet, so it is fun to add another one to the list.
Max probably had different reasons for enjoying the birds.
And, thanks to my son who explained to me how to tweak pictures on the computer and make it possible to publish them. Now I know.

Black and White

OK, here is my "black and white" offering. My digital camera does not take black and white, and I haven't yet figured out how to change one of my color pictures to black and white using programs on the computer...so, here is a black iron, a white bear, residing on my black kitchen table.
And, FYI...this is my 100 post!!!! Exciting.

Self Portrait

Self portrait that also shows another of my favorite corners.

I wasn't at all convinced that I would post today's topic. But, I decided to be brave.

One of my "corners"....

I am semi participating in Liane's photo challange (see here) This "corner" is a good reminder to do what the picture says.

Of Azalea's, BBQ's and Spring

Our azalea's have been extra lovely this year...course this is only the second year we have seen them....but who is counting. This one that is just outside our kitchen window is a joy to look at.
Other blessings of the week:

• Enjoying grilling again. I haven't done much for several years and it is a delight to get back into it again. (and for the splendid expertise of our daughter who assembled the new grill for us...as well as delivered it to us. Thanks Penny.)
• Besides my usual Thursday stint at work I picked up two more days...or to be more precise half days. And I find that half days of working only 4 and 1/2 hours is much easier than 10 hour days. Hmm....
• Going out to dinner at Cracker Barrel with hubby this week. An unexpected treat.
• Some good telephone chats with my mother...and looking forward to seeing her in April.
• Spending some time enjoying the company of Phoebe...our "granddog".
  
• Reveling in spring. The air smells so good, the birds are singing, it is not too hot or humid yet, the flowers are blooming, there are buds on one of our roses....the list could go on. God is indeed Good.
  

Rejoicing

It is spring...windows are open...birds are singing and there are wonderful scents in the air. This morning we were sitting here at this table in our breakfast nook, enjoying the sunshine, and so thankful for this lovely sunny warm spot.
And, as you can see, Max also enjoys this spot. He does spend quite a bit of time here. Can't blame him.
And, we are so thankful for this stage in our lives. Living semi-retired we actually have time to sit and relax over breakfast. The Lord is indeed Good.
Lest you Northerners get jealous, remember that before long you will be enjoying your warm weather as well, and we will be tightly sealed inside our air conditioned havens trying to escape the humidity.

Spring Blossoms

This just gives you a hint of the beauty of the Bradford pear trees in our area that are in full bloom right now.
Pictures do not do justice to the beautiful white blossoms, and what a delight it is to ride down this particular road that is lined on both sides with these incredible trees.
Take heart, those of you who live in snow country....spring really is coming!

PTL for Blessings

God Is Good! PTL for:

• Two 10 hour days of work...though one turned into nearly 11 hours, with no break. These old bones can't do that very often! But, His Grace is sufficient.
  
• The enjoyment of watching the new growth on our rose bushes.
  
• The blessings of warmer weather, and trying to feel not guilty about it as I think of family and friends "enjoying" the snow in NH.
• The Lord's faithfulness in meeting our needs for another week.
• The delight of listening to the Mocking birds. They sometimes sit on our chimney which makes it sound like they are in the house! Lovely!
• White pansies and petunias in planters in the front of the house.
• Prospects of heading north in April to spend some time with my mother.
• Good co-workers.
• A day to rest.

God is Good!

Blessings of Another Week

God is good! I am so thankful for His faithfulness through another week. PTL for:

• Two days of work...even if one of them was way to busy and stressful. His grace made it possible for me to make it through the day.
• Wonderfully warm sunny weather for most of the week. What a delight to be outside soaking in the warm sunshine. It did turn cooler yesterday though...I had to wear a sweater when I was outside doing some work in the yard!
• Watching the progress of the blooming of Bradford Pear trees. They have a beautiful white blossom and it has been great fun during the last week or two to watch the progress of the opening of the buds. Next week they should be in full bloom. What a delight to the eyes!
• Enjoying planting flowers in a nice big pot that is sitting in front of our house. I like gardening in containers!
  
• Enjoying Hubby's dinner last night that was yummy. Raisin pancakes! And decaf coffee! Perfect.
• Having such a convenient craft area where I can work on Scrapbooking and making cards. What a blessing to have all that space and the blessing of having an abundance of supplies to work with.
• Chocolate flavored coffee beans to grind for a special Sabbath morning coffee.
• Being able to talk with my mother on the phone nearly every day.
  
• The joy of anticipating the return of my Lord and King. It won't be long now. What a glorious day that will be. Amen, come Lord Jesus.
  

Of Roses, new hairstyle and storms

I am thankful for many things from this past week. God is Good!

• Our roses are planted....and I have noticed new growth starting on some of them.
• Trying out a new hairstyle, and getting some positive feedback!
• Safety during the wild weather in our area on Thursday. I had to work that day which made it very interesting to say the least. We were under a Tornado watch for most of the time I was at work, but all we got was heavy rain, PTL. And thankfully when I left at 10 that night to come home, even though I got soaked getting to the car, the rain lightened up enough so that I didn't have much of a problem getting home.
  
• From my desk at work I can look out our big front window and enjoy seeing Forsythia blooming!
• Surviving a staff meeting at work this morning, starting at 8. Sigh. But, it was the only time my manager could get us all together to go over some issues. We are open 7 days a week, and usually during staff meetings one or two people are busy up front. But, on Saturdays since we don't open until 10, everyone could be there. At least now I can relax and enjoy the rest of my Sabbath.
• Spending time shopping with my daughter.
• Celebrating my s0n-in-law's birthday at a nice local eatery. Good breakfast and conversation!
• Hubby having a good appointment with his endocrinologist. (IE, his diabetic Dr.)
• Watching a mocking bird enjoy the suet I put out this week. A friend gave me a suet feeder and some suet to see if I could attract more birds. At least the mocking bird is enjoying it!
• Very thankful that the Lord gives us wisdom and direction. So many times this week I cried out for understanding and wisdom to know what to do...in things little as well as big. And He faithfully guided and led, and worked out details and attitudes. He is good.
• Discovering dark chocolate covered Altoids. Oh, my.... yummy.
  

Service Engine Soon

Last Friday when I started our car to head out for work, this warning light stayed lit. Oh, dear. Now what do I do. There really wasn't time to do much at that point, or I would be late to work. But, driving home after 10 at night would not be a good time to have car trouble. So, I prayed. And, the Lord brought peace that it was OK to keep going...after all, it just said "soon"...not immediately. So, off I went, didn't fret about it at work, and got safely home that night.
But then I started imagining all sorts of horrible reasons why that light was on, all involving lots of money, going with out a car for days, etc. At that point the Lord reminded me that it was His car, and He had abundant resources to care for the need. Again, an incredible peace came over my spirit.
Tuesday hubby took the car in to our local friendly auto "fix-it" guy. He hooked the car up to his computer to figure out what the problem was and found.........the gas cap was loose. What??? Yup, the light came on because yours truly had not completely tightened the gas cap the last time she got gas! Oh, my....blush. But at least hubby had a good time visiting with the auto "fix-it" guy, as well as J.. A....... who stopped in at the same time.
Also, there was no charge to dispense this diagnosis. What a blessing!
Note to self: Please tighten gas cap securely ...at least 3 clicks. OK self, will do.

Promise of Things to Come

New rose bushes! For Christmas we got 5 new rose bushes. That is, we ordered them, or had them ordered for us, but had to wait two loooooong months for them to arrive.
Well, yesterday they arrived! What fun it was to plant them in the pots we had all ready and waiting for them!
They don't look very special at the moment, but before long these pots will be filled with some marvelous bushes, with lots of gorgeous roses!
Promise of Good Things to Come!
Will keep you posted on the progress!

The strange workings of this female mind....

This morning I decided it was high time to clean my oven. I hadn't done it since we moved in nearly a year and a half ago, and I noticed over the weekend that it was starting to look dirty!

Since it is warm enough outside to have windows open, and since Hubby was going to be gone for awhile and thus would not have to endure the odors that didn't waft out the windows, it seemed like a very appropriate time to get the job over with. So, I went to my files to get the instructions for the stove so that I could figure out which buttons I should push etc. I did realize I could figure this out by myself, but it would be so much easier with clear instructions. But, when I looked in the "S" file for stove, lo and behold, the instruction booklet was not there.

Then I figured that maybe I had filed it with some of the other instructions. I looked under dryer, washer, freezer, refrigerator, dishwasher...no stove appeared. By this time I figured maybe I was losing my sanity. I KNEW I had the instructions when we first moved into this place. So, I started thumbing threw different places in the files...and stumbled accross, in the "G" section, the instructions to my stove! I never would have thought to look there! ( to sort of justify myself, the booklet did say "gas range", so that is why I labeled the folder as such and put it there. But why I thought that was a logical label......I will never know.)

The folder with that booklet is now safely labled as stove, and filed appropriately. Sigh.....And, the oven is being cleaned as I write. And the fresh air coming in the open windows is wonderful.

PTL for.....

• New sandals. I have a hard time finding shoes that fit, so I am really grateful for finding some new sandals that are sooooo comfy.
  
• Extra work hours this week. LOTS of extra work hours. As in 40 hours of work in 4 days. One of my c0-workers was in a car accident Tuesday on her way to work (she is fine, just sore and a few bruises) so I had to fill in for her the rest of the week. Now I am really thankful that I only work one day a week most of the time!
  
• The knowldege that my Heavenly Father hears and answers.
  
• A Sabbath rest after the work week.
• Listening to the meadowlarks. They have such a wonderful song! And what a joy it is to see them up close right underneath our kitchen window!
• Going barefoot outside to fill the bird feeder.
• Flowering cherry trees.
• E-mails from friends.
• Knowing that God cares, and that He is in control.
• Books to read.
  

Of Burritos, Peanut Butter Cups and Coffee Pots

Basically this has been an uneventful week, which is a good thing. My grateful list includes the following:

• Another meal of yummy burritos made by hubby last night. He used Allspice as one of the seasonings, and they were so good. I am planning on having one of the leftover ones for breakfast later this morning.
• A nice supply of mini peanut butter cups from hubby for Valentine's day. He knows my love of chocolate and peanut butter!
• The trauma of breaking my glass coffee carafe, and finding out I did break it when I was washing the inside of it and wondered why there was something sharp against my finger. And when I found the size of the hole, I was really grateful that I only had a small cut on my finger...it could have been much worse. And, because the carafe was a unique size, I "had" to go get a new coffee maker. It is much smaller, easier to clean, takes up less space on the counter, and makes a better cup of coffee. Yeah!
• Finishing my scrapbook of pictures from 2006. I printed up about 100 pictures, so it is a small album, but it was fun to put together, and relive the memories and blessings of the past year.
• Having the energy to work 10 hour days! I only worked one day this week, and it went well. I am so grateful for the Lord's help. And, it is an extra blessing that I get extra money for working evenings!
• The Lord has faithfully met our needs for another week.
• Reminders that I serve a Heavenly Father Who is responsive to my needs. He inclines His ear, listens to my cries, and sends all the help He sees that I need. I am so grateful.
  

Max and Friend

Max, who is an inside cat, occasionally has visits from his neighbors. This was the first time I had seen this one come calling.

His most common visitor is a lovely black cat.

So convenient that the window on the door is just the right height for Max to enjoy the views!

Reflecting on blessings...

Sometimes it is so easy when reflecting back on a week to remember the hard things- they are always there! But, the Lord does richly bless us in so many ways, it brings fresh courage when we take extra time to reflect on the good things.

My list for this week:

• Hubby's delicious vegetable soup that he made for dinner last night. He is such a good cook! It is so much fun to see what he comes up with each week.
• Sunshine today after rain yesterday.
• Three days of work. And going through the roller coaster of emotions on Monday when I was informed in the morning that because of reducing the hours that the clinic was open I would no longer be needed for my usual 10 hours on Thursdays. But, then in the afternoon, we were told that the hours were going back to the old schedule , and that I would still be needed on Thursdays!
• Dark chocolate M & M's
• Having it warm enough on Wednesday to sit outside to eat my lunch and read for awhile. What refreshment that brought! I loved listening to the birds and enjoying the fresh smells in the air. Spring is coming.
• Pretty pink blossoms on our flowering cherry tree.
• Special encouragement at church last Sunday to "Sail On". In other words, don't quit, keep on going on. I have been blessed all week long as I have reflected on that message, and finding blessing in going on.
  
• Enjoying hot drinks yesterday as it turned colder again.
  
• Knowing that despite the differences in temperatures outside, whether it is hot or cold, the Lord stays the same, constant and loving and in control. I am so grateful for His steady faithfulness.
  

Of birthdays, frozen pipes and candles....

PTL for:

• Several days of celebrating hubby's birthday...including eating out 3 times!!!!! That doesn't happen very often! I know he appreciated all the prayers and love sent his direction.
• Only minor excitement on Monday when we woke up to 17 degree temps, and remembered that we had forgotten to turn off the water to our outside faucets. One was frozen, but with a few minutes of heat applied from my hair dryer, the water started flowing again. At least now the water is turned off to both faucets!!!
• No ice or sleet or snow from the latest storm that hit our area on Thursday.
• Flocks of mourning doves and meadowlarks enjoying our back yard. I love to hear the meadowlarks!
• Where I am working now closes at 9 instead of 10 at night. Course that means an hour less of work each week, but I like the earlier hour! Except that this week we didn't really leave until 9:40 as we still had patients to see!
  
• Enjoying the scents of Yankee Candles. Specifically "Fresh Cut Roses" and "Spring Blossoms". Both are wonderful! (and no, I do not have both burning at the same time! They are actually in two different rooms!!)
• The Lord's continued protection for my mother, who fell again this week, but is fine. ( getting a call from the nursing home at 7 am in the morning is one way to get the adrenaline moving. I do not recommend it for starting out a new day.)
  
• Having the Lord meet our needs for another week. What peace it brings to fully trust in Him, knowing that He is in control, managing all the details of our lives.
  

Of bluebirds, pancakes and paint....

Praise the Lord for:

• Seeing a bluebird this week. We don't get a big variety of birds in our yard, but one day last week I took a little extra time and looked closer at some of the birds that were flying around, and sitting on branches and fences. To my delight I spied a bluebird! (Lesson...take time to look around at the blessings the Lord has right there!)
  
• Hubby's latest meal. Breakfast for dinner! He makes the best raisin, apple, pecan pancakes in the world! What a treat to come home from work to find that delicious meal waiting for me yesterday!
• I had the fun of painting the patch on our living room wall. Looks much better now!
• Finding out on Thursday that they needed me to work Friday, so I had an extra 5 hours of work this week.
• Rose scented candles.
• Remembering the life of one of the Lord's Worthy Women. Eunice Jewell was such a special lady.
• The joy of hearing trains go by. I still love hearing the whistles, and the sounds the train makes going over the tracks. Nice to live close enough to hear them, but far enough away they are not a problem!
• Knowing that my loving heavenly Father is in control, and that He orchestrates things perfectly.
  

Of leaks fixed, work hours, and low gas prices

I am thankful for:

• Our leak is fixed! The walls are patched, and now I need to paint. Dilemma-do I just paint the small 2 foot square patch with the same boring blah color that is on the living room/dining room walls, or do I paint both rooms with a lovely light green. Course keep in mind the fact that there is an 11 foot ceiling in this BIG room, and that there is no way I could do this by myself. Hmm.....maybe I should invite all our Friends over for a painting party.......
• My "normal" work hours have now been doubled. Instead of being on the schedule to work 5 hours a week, I am on for 10 hours a week! That is a step in the right direction.
  
• Hubby bought gas for $1.99 earlier this week. Three cheers for lower gas prices! I even saw it down to $1.93 yesterday when I was out.
• Hubby fixing dinner yesterday. He makes really yummy burritos!
• The fun of trying new recipes. I have been so tired of the same old menus...so have challenged myself to try one new recipe a week. I am not sure how long this challenge will last, but am having fun for awhile anyway.
  
• Sunshine after rain.
• Remembering my heavenly Fathers many blessings. We were encouraged in church last Sunday to remember where He has met our needs. I was blessed by hearing where He had met others, and encouraged by remembering my "Ebeneezer's" of the past. And, finding out that He is still meeting our needs...such as getting water leaks fixed with minimal damage, getting more hours at work etc. And, bringing fresh courage and peace when it is needed.
• Enjoying reading blogs.
• Having a great time using my new stamping supplies. It is so much fun to create new cards, and to have some new stamps to work with. And, to have such a marvelous space to work in...I can leave projects part way done, and come back to them when I have time. Thank the Lord for alcove additions to bedrooms!!!
  

Water Leaks

On the left....wet spot.....in the living room...more wet spots were found in the garage, laundry room and back hall...

not a good thing to find.....














Notice the nail in the sheet rock......











Notice the stream of water coming from the pipe. When the sheet rock is nailed on, and a nail hits a pipe, this is what will eventually happen.

Please note....putting nails into pipes that carry water is not a good thing.


And, thank the Lord for willing hands belonging to Joe A as he fixes this problem for us!

My Weekly Thankfuls

My heart is full of thankfuls again this week:

• Actually working 2 days this week! It was good to get back into the routine again.
• Coming home from work yesterday to find a lovely large box that had just arrived, full of new stamping supplies. I am savoring having an abundance of new stamps and paper to work with. My mind is full of ideas, which will keep me busy for weeks to come! (Those of you who enjoy stamping will understand what I mean...those of you who do not might not fully understand my joy!)
  
• Treasuring the truth of Psalm 32:8. "I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go." He is so faithful to instruct and teach.
  
• Having a library system that has an abundant supply of good Christian writing- and being able to reserve books on line!
• Taking pictures with my digital camera.
• Enjoying a lovely birthday celebration for Z last weekend. His mom is a wonderful cook!
• Another pleasant thing to come home to yesterday...hubby had vacummed the floors and spent quite awhile organizing the bookshelves upstairs!
  
• Trying out a new recipe for Tex-Mex Lasagne. Very yummy.
• Enjoying starting a new year of reading the Bible through. This year I am reading some from the Old Testament and some from the New Testament each day and finding His Word speaking to my heart in fresh ways. I appreciate my Bible.
• Having able and willing help in yard work this week. Thanks Z and St.....!!!!
  

Of rainbows, cherry trees and mockingbirds

I have many things to be thankful for from this past week.

• Seeing a wonderful rainbow yesterday. We were out in a rainstorm doing errands, there was a break in the rain, the sun poked out, along with a beautifil half rainbow. God is good.
• Getting another tree for our back yard. This time we are trying a flowering cherry tree. Should be beautiful!
• Enjoy the fact that the mocking birds have found our feeder...and realizing that they are very territorial. Was quite amusing to watch one attack a poor innocent meadowlark that ventured too close to the feeder....
• Playing some great games of Uno with a marvelous group of ladies last weekend.
• Enjoying a visit from Dan and Ellen and five of their children. They were able to come for lunch on Thursday- so nice to have friends!
• Not having to work again this past week!
• Enjoying scrap booking. I am getting pictures from last year put in an album. Great fun.
• Seeing a flock of robins.
• Knowing that I can trust the Lord to meet our needs.
• Finding Him to be a very safe refuge.
  

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!