Sure signs of approaching fall

Yes, fall is approaching. Sure signs of that upcoming reality:

• Outside temps are finally falling. Yes, it has cooled down to the 80's now.
  
• Fall decorations are now seen in the stores.
• Christmas things are in the stores. What??? Yes, indeed. Sigh. That is too early, even for me, the person that would start decorating mid-November except for hubby's rule...no Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving.

And, thanks be to the Lord for His blessings of the past week:

• Rain! Lots of wonderful rain. I love the sound of rain falling on the roof our home.
• Going on a "date" with hubby.
• Having hubby feeling back to normal after his tooth removal of a week ago.
• Taking myself out one day and enjoying an orange mocha frappachino. I enjoyed every drop of that delicious beverage.
• Roses. Yes, I know, I say that a lot. But, the fact is, I really am so glad my heavenly Father created roses.
  
• The care and support and prayers of my co-workers as they inquired about my mother and how she is doing.
  
• The willingness of friends to spend some time with my mother and let us know how she is doing every day.
• Music ....and my handy dandy little portable "thing" that lets me listen as I wander around the house or out to the mailbox or out working on the roses etc.
  

Hummingbirds

Okay, I tried again DJ, and here are the results from this mornings attempts, with screen in place. There were three of them doing acrobatic maneuvers all over the yard and occasionally one would stop for refreshment.

Of Rain, Dentists and Stuff

Well, another week has gone by, I am enjoying the blessings of a Sabbath, and His many blessings of this past week. I am thankful for:

• The lovely rain we had last night. I love the sound of rain.
• Hubby finally got to a dentist this week. He and his troublesome tooth parted ways yesterday, so today he is basically horizontal as he recovers from the process. He is taking nourishment in the form of yogurt, and scrambled eggs and the like.
• The course I needed to take for work on Thursday that I thought was going to take 2 hours only took 1/2 an hour - what a nice surprise. And, an added bonus, we were able to visit with my favorite son and his wife before it was time for hubby to drop me off at work.
• The joy of ladies fellowship. We had our monthly women's Bible Study this week, and enjoyed the benefits of digging into His word, and spending time together.
• The convenience of being able to renew books on line that we have checked out from the library.
• Enjoying our roses.
• Having an unexpected gift of a box of chocolates. Yum.
• Knowing that the Lord has my mother in His Hands. And very thankful that Bob and Joy were able to spend some good time with her this week.
• The joy of watching hummingbirds. I never get tired of watching those wonderful little birds fly around, drink from the feeder, try to get nectar from the roses, etc.
  

Baby clothes, Power outages and Other stuff.

Things that have made me happy and thankful this week:

• Shopping for baby clothes for little boys. It was such a delight to find out this week that my little grandbaby is a boy...I had to run out to the local outlet mall, and do the typical Grandma thing. Great fun. And the fact that some of the clearance clothes were marked down even more made it all that more fun.
• We had a "short" power outage this week of over an hour and a half. Made me so thankful for electricity, and the benefits of A/C. And, it also made me realize that my heavenly Father can still take care of me, even if for some reason there is a much longer power outage.
• Having a date night with hubby last evening...and having the leftovers for breakfast this morning. Yum.
• Only having to work one day this week. What a blessing. Course with an upcoming trip north next month I can use some extra hours, but they no doubt will crop up between now and then.
• Meditating on parts of Psalm 16.
• Becoming a night owl. Being the morning person that I am it sure seems strange to be wide awake and alert at midnight.
  
• Having assurance from the Lord that He does not leave us alone, but is with us. And, that He is indeed with my mother at this stage of her life and will carry her safely through all her days.
  

Thankfuls for This Week

I am thankful for:

• Hubby arriving home safely from his 7000 mile journey.
• Watching 3 hummingbirds enjoying the feeder this morning. Well, actually one was feeding, the other 2 wanted to, but the first one didn't want to share.
• Not working yesterday but still getting paid for 2 1/4 hours of work. Thanks to a staff meeting, an interview, and doing an online course at home. Nice.
• Discovering Facebook.
• Air Conditioning.
• Drinking coffee from a mug from Penny's Diner, in Alpine, Texas.
• Having hubby home to talk with. Talking with Max for 4 weeks made for very one-sided conversations.
• Fresh roses to enjoy.
• Having Stampin' Up supplies to enjoy.
• Fresh insights from God's Word. I am so thankful for the treasures to be found. Especially enjoying the Psalms right now.

Yes, it is hot today.

Yes, it is officially hot today. This temp is in the shade, on the north side of the house a few minutes ago, at 3:55 PM
The humidity is what is inside. I am not sure what it is outside, but I do know it is way over 48%.
PTL for A/C.

I am Happy because....

Things that are making me happy today:

• Knowing that hubby will be home in a couple of days.
• Enjoying a bouquet of roses from our back yard.
• Seeing hummingbirds flying around and enjoying the feeder right outside my kitchen window.
• Only having to work one day this past week.
• Air Conditioning.
• Knowing that my loving Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers-in His own perfect timing and way.
• My Bible and the riches there are to be found.
  
• Having cell phones and being able to talk with hubby several times a day, even while he is off having his adventure.
  
  

Of houses and birds and things

Things I am thankful for this week:

• Watching the progress of the house being built on the empty lot in back of us. Not much to see at the moment, but it is fun to look out and see what they are doing each day.
• The variety of birds at our feeders. I am so grateful for the variety of birds and their beauty. Cardinals and Chipping Sparrows and Hummingbirds and House Finches and Mourning Doves etc. God is so good.
• Continued safety for hubby and his father on their western adventure. They are still in California but expect to be heading east in a couple of days.
• Cell phones...so I can keep in touch with the adventurers.
• Having an extra 5 hours of work added to my already full week of work. Sigh. At least I wasn't bored this week.
• Delighting in Psalm 119 with a precious group of ladies at our monthly Women's Bible Study.
• Enjoying Chinese food while hubby is away!
• My son. Happy Birthday Brad.
  

A surprise visitor

I was very delighted this morning to have a surprise visitor at our bird feeder... a beautiful male Cardinal.

We have seen them since moving south, but so far none had found our feeder, which is not a big surprise as there are not many trees around, and places for them to hide.

I got great encouragement from this gift that the Lord sent to me. What a special way to start my day! It brought a much needed boost to my spirits.

Thank the Lord for His encouraging gifts.

Of Adventures, Albums, and Activities

I am thankful for:

1. The current adventures of hubby and his father. They are in the middle of a several week long trek across the country and back so that his father can visit with friends and relatives in California. The Lord is blessing the trip, arranging things for them, and keeping them safe. They are currently in Oakley, California!
   
2. Peace for me while number 1 is happening.
3. The joy of scrapbooking. My current album project is focusing on the 10 day trip my mother, hubby and I took to Washington State in 1999 for the wedding of my niece Jill to her Evan. What fun it is to see the pictures again, remembering all that we packed into those 10 days. I am thankful for pictures.
4. Being able to enjoy the fun of having weird meals at weird times. Corn dogs make a good brunch.
5. Learning to appreciate quiet times of talking with the Lord.
6. Lovely heavy rain yesterday What a delight to watch it come down.
7. Some really strange conversations with our cat. ( Very one sided conversations I will admit, but I do need to talk with somebody occasionally!)
   

Milestones

This week I am passing an important milestone...one year at my job. I am so thankful for the Lord's help through these past 12 months. It is very evident that this job was His choice for me. I would never have chosen it for myself! It has stretched me, challenged me, taught me. And, I am thankful for the flexibility of the hours. It has been just what I needed, and He knew that ahead of time.
I have a steady one day a week time slot which I really enjoy. And, since I fill in for 5 ladies I never know when I will get called in to do extra hours. Between vacations, sick days, and family emergencies I have put in some extra days in the last couple of months, and that has been a blessing.
And, it helps that my review on Thursday went well, and I get a raise! Raises are good.
God is Good, and He is Faithful.
And, on a side note....I am going to be a Grandma. That is another important milestone! Wow! The Lord is indeed Good.

PTL for His Blessings

Once again my heart is full of thankfulness for blessings:

• A lovely time of fellowship and feasting on the Fourth with friends and family.
  
• Telephone calls with my mother. She does not always hear the phone, and does not always hear me when I call, so I am grateful for the times I do get through and actually talk with her.
• 33 years ago tomorrow I met a wonderful person. Our daughter Penny. Happy Birthday a day early. You are a special lady and a good friend.
  
• Shopping with hubby.
• Really enjoying Psalm 119.
• Only having to work one day this week. Wonderful! And it was a nice quiet day which is an added bonus.
  
• Good music.
• Hubby being able to spend time with his father.
• Rain. We had two really good storms last weekend. What a delight to see all that rain.
  

You know....

You know you are in a Severe Thunder Storm when some of the pictures on your walls fall to the floor.

Things that make me happy today...

• Ceiling fans.
• Finding out that one of my favorite magazines is making a comeback!
• More work hours this week. I ended up working three days instead of one.
• Enjoying the sight and sounds all the bees in the Crepe Myrtle this morning.
  
• Spending time studying Psalm 119.
• Trying out a new restaurant with hubby.
• A lovely new fake ivy plant for our mantel. Not enough light for a real one, but the fake one is fine with me.
• Having hubby do the vacuuming. That is a blessing!
• Flavored coffee beans...Caramel Creme this week.
• Going "the extra mile" for someone at work yesterday, and having them express appreciation.
• My blue and white flowered china mug. And the memories of when I found it in Victoria, BC.
  
• Enjoying our women's monthly Bible Study and fellowship time this week.
  
• Seeing the unexpected ways the Lord uses to meet all of our needs.
• The pleasure of hearing the sounds of trains going by in the distance.
  

Things I am Thankful For Today

Pink Crepe Myrtle.
Fresh picked roses.
Pastries from the local grocery store.
Time with Hubby.
Bringing needs to my Heavenly Father and
Knowing
that He hears, cares, and meets those needs.
Books that make me laugh.
Figuring out, with my daughter's help, how to
download ringtones to my cell phone.

Thankful

Another week of blessings from my Heavenly Father. He is indeed Good. I am grateful for:

• A new CD player for our car. What a blessing to be able to listen to relaxing music on the way home from work after 10 at night.
• Sensing the Lord's special help at work yesterday. Very long, hard, busy day, yet I was so conscious of His help, peace and joy in difficult circumstances.
• Only having to work 3 days this week. And, very grateful that I usually only work one. I can put up with some extra days, knowing it is not permanent.
• Going out to breakfast with hubby.
• A special verse from the Lord that has carried me through this week. What a blessing that the Lord knows ahead of time what we need, and prepares our hearts for it.
  
• Roses.
  
• Hot, humid days. I like the south.
• Being able to upgrade my cell phone- I now have the flip phone style which is a great blessing. No more finding out that I forgot to lock my phone which resulted in the phone doing things I did not want it to do. Which usually involved spending some money. I can even take pictures of my roses and use them for the wallpaper. Fun.
• My mother's delight in a visit from her little great- grandson Jack. He sure made her day. Course he brought is mother with him, which also helped.
  

Happy Anniversary to us.

34 years ago today hubby and I got married. Wow. Where has the time gone. I am so grateful for all the seasons of life we have traveled together, and for the Lord's help through the storms, and for the many blessings He has brought into our lives. And, for bringing us together in the first place.
And, my heart is full of praise for blessings from this past week:

• Once again having the painting team of Katie and Penny and their able assistants work their magic in our home. Now our living and dining room are a lovely pale green. Such a delight! They did a great job. And, it was a huge job to tackle. Thank you!
• Having the Lord's help at work. I realized that out of the last 10 days, I have worked 8, for a total of 60 hours. And, four of those days I only worked 5 hours. Made for some long days.
• Going out to eat at a new place last night...hubby got chicken, I got salmon, and it was wonderful. I even got dessert. Fried cheesecake-cubes of cheesecake, dipped in crushed granola, flash fried, and served in a goblet with strawberry sauce and whipped cream. That was so good.
• Enjoying several rain storms this week. We had a severe thunderstorm one evening that was so incredibly beautiful to watch. Lots of sheet lightning, heavy winds etc. I was thankful I was safe inside my house and didn't have to be out in it.
• Once again the Lord has protected my mother. She fell again yesterday afternoon, but only sprained her ankle. Could have been much worse. She did end up going to the hospital for x-rays, but they found no broken bones so I am very grateful.

Life with God is indeed good.

Of Hawks, Swallows, and 12 hour work days...

I am thankful that I don't work 12 hour days very often. I did yesterday. I was filling in for a co-worker who had a family emergency, and was glad to help her out. Even so, I prayed that the day would be an easy one. I am very thankful that it was a quiet, basically uneventful day. Except for the one hour when we had a little excitement. Suffice it to say that there was an ambulance and 2 police cars outside our building for awhile.
Other thankfuls:

• Being outside at just the right moment one evening last week so that I could watch a flock of swallows dive bomb a hawk. This poor, defenseless big hawk was huddled on a fence trying to protect himself from an attacking army of tiny birds. He finally flew away trying to escape but the whole flock followed continuing the attack. Was interesting to watch!
  
• Enjoying our roses.
• Warm weather...um, maybe hot would be a better word to describe it.
• Being one of the Redeemed. I am so grateful for the Lord's mercy and love and forgiveness.
  
• A wonderful series at Church about the faithful work of the dear Holy Spirit. What a blessing and encouragement these lessons have been.
  
• A few rain showers this week.
  
• Protection driving home after 10 at night. Not something I enjoy doing, and I did it twice last week.

A Thankful Heart

Once again, at the end of another week, I am thankful for many things.

• The beauty of our Double Delight rose. I am enjoying the one I picked a couple of days ago.
• The aliveness of God's Word. I am so thankful for the Bible. I started reading another version this week for a change of pace, and it is refreshing to read from a page not all marked up, and to find new insights and blessings from the Lord. (and this new Bible has black text, and Purple notes/headers/etc.-very pleasing to the eye.)
• Being treated to lunch at the office where I filled in Wednesday morning.
• A new floor lamp in our living room.
• Having an overcast day today so that I have an excuse to burn candles. (Not that I need an excuse)
• My craft area where I can leave my current Scrapbooking project out and ready to work on when I have the time/inclination.
• White Chocolate Raspberry Creamer for my coffee.
• Having enough birds at our feeder so that I have to refill it every day.
  
• Having waffles for dinner thanks to hubby.

Sitemeter

Those of my faithful readers who are very observant will have noticed that for the last week or so, my blog has not had sitemeter up and running. When I made some changes on my blog last week, I somehow lost my trusty little counter. Checking out this device lets me know that people do actually read my blog, even if they don't comment.
Well, I really wanted to have it back on my blog, but had no idea how to do that. I thought I would have to ask the advice of my brilliant son.
But, lo and behold, with lots of going back and forth between blogger and sitemeter, (drum roll please) I actually figured out how to do it all by myself! (insert applause here.) Course I had to start a new counter, but that is OK. Now I will know how many people have visited since I set up the new sitemeter.
So satisfying to figure out something new!
You can rejoice with those who rejoice.

Sunny days, grilled chicken and comfy shoes...

My heart is full of things I am thankful for:

• Lovely warm sunny days. Yes, we really need rain, and I trust it will come soon, but meanwhile I am enjoying the sun.
• I like grilling chicken! I like eating grilled chicken. I really enjoyed being outside last evening, using my grill, and having us enjoy the results for dinner. And, grilling extra so we can have grilled chicken quesadilla's for dinner tonight. Yum.
• I realized yesterday that I had not noticed sore feet at all on Thursday, my long work day. How thankful I am that the Lord prompted me to get new shoes for work, and had me go to a shoe store I would not normally go to. Those shoes are such a blessing.
• Hubby's delicious meal that he cooked this week. His version of chili...hot dog chili! Very unique and one meal I hope he does again.
• Good laughter at work this week. I am so thankful for the co-workers that the Lord has given to me.
• Enjoying playing "tag", and learning all sorts of random facts about my friends.
• Delighting in the antics of our mocking bird family.
• Treasuring the beauty of hummingbirds. What a joy it is to see those tiny creatures. I am thankful that the Lord gave us hummingbirds.
• Knowing that I can trust God...He is so faithful and trustworthy.
• Enjoying ladies fellowship this week at our monthly women's Bible Study.

Thank you Father for your many blessings.

Tagged

Thanks to the kindness of my daughter, I have been tagged. Here are the rules. I am to share seven random things/facts about myself and tag seven other people, listing them on my blog, and leaving comments on their blogs to let them know they have been tagged.

1. I worked 4 hours this morning, all tucked away quietly in a nice private office. Lovely.

2. I just bought a new plant today, planted it in a fresh pot, and it is now residing on my mantel.

3. I have been 1n 48 states.

4. I learned to spell Massachusetts when I was in 6th grade.

5. My grandmother was blind.

6. My father was born in Jerusalem.

7. I love the color purple.

I now tag Kimberly, Kim K, Mary A, Elaine, Fritha, Brandon, and Rachel A

And, I echo Penny's disclaimer...if you really don't like to do these things that is OK...I will still like you.

Thankful for ....

I am so thankful that the Lord gives us the ability to enjoy things...especially His incredible creation. I have been getting such joy watching birds this week. Those tiny little hummers...this morning one was just sitting on the feeder for the longest time and I got so much blessing just taking time to watch him.
And, our little mockingbird family...we found out there are actually 3 babies, not 2. I feel quite honored that the mama feels safe enough in our back yard that she is bringing her family to enjoy it. She is acting like a typical frazzled overworked mother as she tries to watch them, feed them suet, catch worms for them, and in general training them in the way they should go.
And then there are the house finches, the gold finches, the meadowlarks, the red-winged blackbirds...what joy there is in seeing these all these birds. He is indeed Good.
Other thankfuls:

• Successfully doing nearly 30 hours of work this week, in 3 days. The Lord really helped and answered prayer as Wednesday looked big to me. I worked until 10 PM both Monday and Tuesday, and then needed to be at work by 8:30 AM on Wednesday. I prayed, He heard and answered, and really blessed the day for me so that it went much better than it could have.
  
• Finding some neat candlesticks for our mantel, painting them, and now enjoying the look, and enjoying the candles burning for awhile this morning.
• Lovely weather...not too hot or humid this past week. Perfect weather for being outside.
• Using my new grass clippers. It was actually fun to get out and do some trimming that needed to be done.
  
• Enjoying our healthy looking rose bushes. I am thankful the Lord created roses! We are still learning how to take care of them in a different climate but it is sure a fun project to be working on. Worth all the effort.
• Finding chocolate creme horns on sale at the store this week. I didn't even know they had the chocolate ones!
  
• Continually being reminded that I can indeed trust my Heavenly Father. I don't have to understand, or like what is going on, but I can trust Him. I am safe in the shelter of His wings, and He is lovingly watching out for - and meeting - my every need.
  

Things that make me happy...

l. Watching hummingbirds at our feeder. And finding out that this feeder is by far the easiest one to clean that I have ever had.

2. Watching a Mama Mockingbird and her two half grown children enjoying life right outside our kitchen window. And having the fun of seeing her feeding them suet. This is one of the children.

3. Spending time today shopping with hubby.

4. Living where we can hear trains, and see them fairly often.

5. "Warm Spiced Apple" scented candles.

Things to be Thankful for...

• Enjoying an inner chuckle when someone asked me this week if New Hampshire was up there near Maryland.
• Three days of work this week.
• Being tired. That means I had things to do, and was busy, and now it is OK to be tired and to have a lovely chance to rest.
• Getting new shoes for work. I figured that coming home from work with very sore feet, and having them ache for a good part of the night afterwards was just the way things were. Then, I got new shoes. Expensive new shoes. Comfortable new shoes. My goodness. What a difference. Thank you Lord for Merrill shoes.
• Coming home from work on Wednesday to discover that hubby and Penny had hung my new mirror over the fireplace. I will have to confess it took me awhile to notice it, but what a fun surprise.
• Agreeing to work for a few hours at another facility for the company I work for. I do not do well in new circumstances, but this place is between receptionists, and the manager was feeling overwhelmed. So, as a favor to my boss I agreed to do it. And, I ended up doing computer work in a nice quiet office by myself, and it was wonderful. Thank you Lord for helping me to step out and do something out of my comfort zone. (Again)
• Having hubby pick me up at work the last two nights and being willing to wait as we closed late both nights. And the nice conversations we had on the way home sharing our days experiences.
• Hubby fixing dinner for me on Wednesday....by taking me out to eat.
• Knowing that the Lord hears our cries and that He answers. I am so grateful for the answers He has brought this past week.
  

Of Pelican's and Gardenia's

We met this interesting resident during our recent visit to Tybee Island. Pelican's are sure interesting creatures.
Thankfuls for this week:

• A multitude of blossoms on my gardenia plant. What fun to live where I can have one in my yard.
• Working four days this week. Three days I only worked 9-2, and found I loved working those hours. Five hours a day somehow seems easier than 10. Hmmm.... But, the Lord gives energy for the 10 hour days as well.
  
• The joy of picking fresh roses to put around the house.
• Shopping with hubby two days this week.
• Really enjoying our purple kitchen. I catch myself giggling when I walk into that room now. Having color on walls is so much fun.
  
• My daughter's willingness to offer to paint rooms for us. Thanks again Penny.
• Appreciating the many ways the Lord shows His love and care.
  
• Rain.
• Chocolate Velvet flavored coffee.
• Warm sunshine.
  

Roses Again

Our roses are now blooming, and this gives you a little idea of what they look like now. It is such a delight to go pick fresh roses when I want to and to have vases of roses all around the house.

And, again, the picture does not do them justice...so, you must come to see them in person. Come on over, enjoy the roses with us.

From front to back, you are seeing Double Delight, Veteran's Honor, Gemini, Peace, Aromatherapy, and Blue Moon.

Of Purple Paint

Our kitchen is now two shades of purple. For my birthday my incredible, wonderful, talented daughter offered to paint some rooms in our home. This is the result of her efforts yesterday, along with the very capable assistance of Katie. What fun to actually have some color on our walls, and not plain generic white or off white. They did the kitchen and back hall, plus a little in the Master Bath. Thank you Penny and Katie!
And, for your info, the pictures do not do the colors justice. You really need to come and see it in person! So, come on and see it for yourself.

Savannah and Yard Sales

This past week hubby and I enjoyed a visit to Savannah. We stayed a couple of days,
and one of the spots we liked was this swing. We sat here for quite awhile, and relaxed as we looked out at the ocean. What a restful, peaceful spot.
So, number one on my Thankful List would be Savannah, and Tybee Island.

• What a blessing to have 3 days to relax, sit by the water, read, enjoy watching pelicans and sea gulls, and cormorants and enjoying the ocean.
• Enjoying yard sales yesterday, and finding a mirror for over our fireplace. That was an extra bonus from the Lord. It will be nice to have that bare spot finally filled.
• Having an abundance of fresh roses to pick, and more coming. What fun. At the moment I have a white one, a red one and a purple one in vases around the house.
• Enjoying Women's Bible Study Wednesday evening and being reminded that we serve a loving Father who is responsive to our heart cries. He does hear us when we call to Him.
• Enjoying another birthday and feeling loved, appreciated, and cared for. The Lord brought many extra blessings into the day for me and I am grateful.
  
• Getting an unexpected extra day of work on Wednesday and the neat way that the Lord arranged to take care of all the things I had planned to get done that day.
• Constant reminders that God Is Good, that He loves me, and that He cares for me.
  

Of roses and things

My thankfuls for this past week include this lovely rose. I missed seeing our first rose of the season bloom as I was up in the snowy, flooding north, but this was waiting for me when I got home. So lovely.
Other thankfuls for the last week or two:

• Learning that it is wise to listen when the Lord prompts you to weigh your suitcase before heading to the airport. That saves the embarrassment of having them tell you your suitcase is 5 pounds overweight after you get to the airport. (I ended up having to carry that extra 5 pounds around in my carry on stuff. Ugh)
• Enjoying warmer temps now that I am home.
• Grateful for the Lord's protection in the snow and flooding while I was north.
• Enjoying the CD player in my rental car last weekend. Kristi's first CD was a big blessing from the airport to Fairwood, and her second CD from Fairwood to the airport. The joy of music. (And "traveling with Kristi". Thanks Kristi for being such a good travel companion.)
  
• Having hubby go grocery shopping with me this week.
• Enjoying looking at all the pictures that I took last weekend. What a special group of ladies.
  
• Enjoying a lovely view from the plane of Washington DC. Was so neat to see the White House, the Washington monument, the museums, the capitol, and of course the train station.
• Knowing that my friend Dorothy is safely home with her Lord Jesus.
• Learning in more specific ways that I can indeed fully trust my Heavenly Father.
  

Home Again

I just spent a few days in lovely New England, visiting with my mother and attending a wonderful Women's Retreat. You will notice from the picture that I was able to have the pleasure of "enjoying" snow. Yes, this is what it looked like outside on Sunday afternoon.

Course by Monday morning it was all melted, and I just had to deal with rain...lots of rain....and more rain...which made for flooded roads. For awhile I wondered if I might be stuck for days at the nursing home where my mother lives. But, the Lord is faithful, and I did manage to find that the roads were passable, even if I did have to drive through water a couple of times and make a detour along the way. Made for something interesting to talk about anyway.

And, I am thankful that I can still trust the Lord...even when the weather is not perfect. He sent grace and peace and help so that I was able to accomplish all that I needed to while I was north. I was able to spend some good long hours with my mother, and to get refreshed and encouraged with all the good fellowship and meetings at the Retreat. So, the Lord's timing was perfect for the trip, even with the weather. I made it safely there, and safely home again. God is good.

Hummingbirds

Last year was our first summer here and for various reasons I did not put up a humming bird feeder. This year figured I would give it a try. So, for several weeks I have been faithfully putting fresh sugar water in my new feeder every few days and keeping it clean. I have enjoyed seeing it hang there outside the window...but so far no sightings.....until tonight.

We had just sat down to eat dinner and hubby announced "hummingbird". Sure enough! There he was, that wonderful tiny bundle of beauty gratefully drinking sweet water from his new found supply. Wow. My response was, "Thank You Father".

Then, as we continued to eat our dinner, we enjoyed some mocking birds, a pair of mourning doves (have you ever really looked at the incredible colors on those birds???), and of course a meadowlark. All right outside our window.

God is good...and I am so thankful that I can enjoy His incredible creation. And for the variety of birds he brings to our window.

Happy Easter

A glorious Easter to everyone. What a joy to celebrate His Resurrection...He is alive.

Once again Penny, Claire and I did eggs. For another picture, check out this.

We enjoyed a BBQ for dinner...yes, it is cold here in Georgia. I actually had to wear a sweater when I was out grilling. Sigh.

And, again, what joy comes from serving a risen Savior, Lord and Redeemer. Thank you Jesus.

He is Alive, and other blessings.

Thank you Father for the following blessings:

• I serve a risen Lord. He is alive. The tomb is empty. What joy to my soul.
• He hears and answers my heart cries to Him.
• He brings peace to my heart.
• A pair of mocking birds that are enjoying our feeder.
• Our lawn got mowed this week. Thanks Stephen....
• Hubby's meal last night of hamburg, corn and bean burritos. Come on over for dinner and he will fix them for you. They are yummy.
• An extra 5 hours of work this week.
• Things at work much quieter this week...I even got a lunch break part way through my 10 hour day on Thursday. Wow.
• Anticipating time with my mother next weekend.
• Having our needs met for another week. What a blessing that is.
• Having friends from the north pop in for visits last Sunday.
• Enjoying semi-retirement with hubby.
• Indulging in Krispy Kreme creme filled chocolate frosted donuts. Something I don't dare do too often. And, no, they are not fresh off the line, but it is amazing what 10 seconds in the microwave will do.
  

More Thankfuls....

Once again as I look back on my week, my heart is filled with "Thankfuls". My list includes:

• This tree that I saw at church last Sunday. I took several pics, and this one has been my wallpaper for the week. Such a joy to delight in His beautiful creation.
• Our Blue Moon rose bush has at least 29 buds on it. This is the second year for this bush, and I am waiting for them to burst open with color.. a lovely purple.
  
• Participating in Liane's photo week.
• Grilling chicken on Tuesday and having it come out so moist and tender. What fun.
• Enjoying hubby's dinner last night: chocolate chip, raisin, pecan, cinnamon pancakes. Yummy.
• Making it through an 11 and 1/2 hour work day on Thursday. It was my only day this week, but it sure was a long one. I had to go in early, and of course we had to stay late. Usually we leave at 10, and the last hour or two is nice and quiet. Not that night. I clocked out at 10:38. Sigh. But, the Lord is good, I am thankful for the job, and that He gives grace and energy to these "mature" bones.
• Making reservations to fly north in a couple of weeks to see my mother, and also fit in time at the Women's Retreat.
• Knowing that my Heavenly Father loves me, and hears my every heart cry.
  
• Finding out that the geranium I planted in my "Jan Garden" last spring did not die from the frost this winter as I had originally thought. I found some new leaves poking up out of the pine straw when I was watering on Wednesday. What a bright spot in my day.
  

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.