Pretty Pretty Pansies!

Just put these in a pot for the deck table. Will plant the others at the mailbox tomorrow when it's a bit warmer and hopefully not as windy!

Ahhhhhh....a bit of Spring color is so refreshing!

I also feel a stirring deep within to begin SPRING CLEANING!

Guess that's a good thing!

a Pansy-planting day!

The winter is almost over... and the "winter" in me is...Over!
I have Spring in my heart and it becomes more evident each day.

I find myself wanting to get out and work in the yard and in the flower beds.
I want to plant a small garden, put down fresh mulch, etc.... but it is a bit early for that.

But it's the perfect time for those adorable-faced pansies and shortly I'll be off to Home Depot!
Actually I was supposed to clean house today and I'm quite sure some of that will get done!
I have to for we have my in-laws' birthday celebration here on Sunday.

But....the p-u-l-l and t-u-g on my heart to plant something is so much stronger and so I will yield
to its strength and celebrate the Spring in my heart!

You, too?

Come on Spring!

I am chomping at the bits for Spring!

Today I went to my favorite special shop, The Olive Branch, in Indian Trail, NC. For you "natives" it's across from Indian Trail Elementary.

Here is my new Spring flag! It has all my favorite birds and I couldn't resist.

The Olive Branch has the most unique gifts and I love to go there, visit with the owner, Debbie and just take my time looking over her treasures!

I discovered her shop a few years ago and usually do birthday/Mother's Day/Father's Day, etc. shopping there. I get my flags and mailbox covers there for all the seasons! She has the best selection I have found anywhere.

If you ever have a chance, please go and visit her! Tell her Debbie sent you!

Cloudy Tuesday.....

Okay...rainy days and Mondays don't get me down...but Tuesdays...hmmm

Okay today is another dreary day and I am "making sunshine" all over the house, but...

I'm dragging a bit this morning! I knew it the moment I crawled out of bed!
Shower first! I even put on a bit of makeup and I'm staying home today!
Breakfast and quiet time...fighting off drowsiness....

To the outdoors! Walked down the driveway, back to feed the dog, on to feed the birds
and put out the last of the deer corn...

a little bit better...maybe I need a Pepsi One!
Maybe I just need to exercise!

"Rainy days and Mondays ...."

Remember that old song?

"Rainy days and Mondays always get me down"....NOT me!

I actually enjoy rainy days and Mondays!

That probably has to do with the fact that I usually don't have to head out on Mondays
unless I plan to but I don't think they ever got me down, not even when I was teaching.
Mondays were always "new"...beginning a new week...a fresh start...
and rainy days, well they always make me feel cozy! Even if I have to be out in it, I love getting back in the car and especially back home...you know, to all the coziness!
Even a car can be cozy!

I do remember however that rainy days made my Nannan a bit depressed. If I went to see her on a cloudy, rainy day I would come in and turn on lights all over her house.
I told her that on rainy days she needed to make her own sunshine!
I love making my own sunshine here at home on those rainy, cloudy days!
Just makes everything much more COZY!

So...hope you have a very cozy Monday!
[Attitude is everything! :)]

Why is it?

Why is it that coffee or tea always tastes better in a special cup and saucer?

The other day as I was putting away "winter" things and cleaning out a cabinet, I pulled out my spring/summer dishes and an old china breakfast set Mike and I had gotten at our favorite antique shop in Norcross, Georgia.

I had made up my mind to start using these and just enjoy them.
So this morning I pulled out the delicate old timey cup and saucer for my morning coffee and I must say, that has been the best cup of coffee I've had lately!
I have thoroughly enjoyed the nostalgia that has come over me while having coffee this morning!

We bought the set of dishes because they reminded me of my grandmothers...strong yet delicate, lovers of flowers, feminine, hard workers...women I dearly loved and admired...
still love, knowing I will see them again one day.

They are not anything very fancy...just lovely, feminine and when I use them, that's how I feel!

Traditions

Traditions...good, bad, indifferent? They can be!

Tradition- customs, beliefs, etc. handed down from generations to generations.

Three things come to mind: Fiddler On the Roof, The Roast Story, and Mark 7:13.

Sometimes we just do things because that's the way it has always been done.
Sometimes that's good and sometimes it isn't.

Know you are just chomping at the bits to hear the roast story and no, it didn't originate with me, and no, I never did it...I only cooked canned hams in the can...well only once, mind you,
and I would not recommend it! Explosions in your oven is NEVER a good thing!

Okay...the roast story in a nutshell...
A daughter watches her mother get ready to cook a roast and she cuts off each end first, throwing the ends aside and puts the roast in the pot. Daughter asks why and she says because her mother always did it...because the grandmother always did it, etc. Come to find out, the Grandmother only did it because most times the roast wouldn't fit her pot!

It is a good thing to find out why we do the things we do! (God is never "afraid" of our questions!)

We are entering the season of Lent. As far as I know Lent is a man- made traditon.
I don't recall it being mentioned in the Bible.
Now, I'm not saying that it's bad but why do we do it?

In college some of my friends and I would "give up something for Lent". According to tradition,
the season of Lent is a time of fasting and doing penance.
I never really thought about it as doing penance. Penance is "self-punishment"...we give up something we really like to punish ourselves, why? to be more accepted by God???
(Hey...been there and done that...even now I have to make sure I don't read and study the Word to impress God. I read and study for myself..to grow my faith, my love...)

Wrong! If we have accepted Jesus then we are accepted!

I do understand that the season is supposed to make us think about Christ more..what He did for us....but-
we should think about this every day.

It's supposed to be a time to set aside things, activities to spend more time with Him when
we should already be doing that, too.
(If we really have a viable, intimate realtionship we will want to be with Him, spend time with Him, just talk to Him as our dearest Friend-all out of our love for Him. I do understand that we can get busy and then we need to discipline ourselves to stop and be still before Him, but still that's out of love...loving Him, showing Him how grateful we are....)

Sometimes we do things and never really think about what and why we're doing it.

Look up Mark 7. Pay close attention to verses 6-13.
God always looks at our motives....our hearts.
The traditons of man can make the Word of God of no effect.
Think about it.

Proverbs 4:22 tells us that the Word is "life to those who find them and health(medicine) to all their flesh".

I want His Word to be very effective in me and in you too! :)

Packing away the "snow" stuff!

Today I will be putting away snowmen, snowwomen, frosty greenery and taking down the winter wreaths.
I'm really ready to do this!
I have been known to keep it up until a few days before Spring but not anymore.

Ready For Spring?

Me, the "snow" queen, ready for Spring?

You won't believe it but I am!

I'm ready for temps in the 60's. I can hardly believe that I'm "hearing"
those words coming out of my head and mouth!
In the past I've ALWAYS wanted colder weather and snow but today
I found myself desiring warmer weather..."porch-sitting" weather...opened windows weather...

One day and probably sooner than we think!

Why are we here?

Oswald Chambers
My Utmost For His Highest
Feb. 15

I read this the other day and it really grabbed me. I keep reading it and "chewing" on its truth.

These passages have been eye-opening!

"None of us liveth to himself." Romans 14:7
"Has it ever dawned on you that you are responsible for other souls spiritually before God?"

"For instance, if I allow any private deflection from God in my life, everyone about me suffers."
(deflection-turning aside, deviating)

"When once you allow physical selfishness, mental slovenliness, moral obtuseness, spiritual density, everyone belonging to your crowd will suffer."

"God has left us on this earth-for what? To be saved and sanctified?
No, to be at it for Him."

We are here for Him...working for Him. It's not "all about me" but it IS ALL about Him.

When I become lazy in my spiritual life, selfish, dull in moral perception----"de-sensitized",
everyone around me suffers...my family, friends, co-workers.

WHOA! What? Am I my brother's keeper?

Most certainly!

Go to the place where you meet with God. Lay down your pride and allow Him to search you and He will cover you in His unfailing love.
I know...I was just there.

Just a few more snow pics!

Okay, I know .....this is crazy...what am I doing other than taking "snow" pictures????

I'm loving it!!!!

Maybe we should change Christmas to February!

More snow pics

Last night....

Captured this moment last night!

Mike and I bundled up and walked our neighborhood around 9 pm.

It's a winter wonderland!

Our beautiful SNOW!!!

SNOWING!!!!!

The Goldfinches are beginning to change their winter "clothes".

It's SNOWING!!!!!!!

"Stagnant"

This is not a "pretty" word and definitely doesn't paint a "pretty picture" but it's how I've been
feeling of late. (sorry, I'm reading Jane Austen and watching Sense and Sensibility-it sort of determines my vocabulary once in a while!)

AND, like Marianne, "I have formed my plan, and am determined to enter on a course of serious
study."

The holidays starting with our parents' 60th left me worn out and I haven't quite recovered, so it seems.
And I find myself drawn to our new "big screen TV"...wow! (Especially when Mike is out of town and the house is a bit too quiet.) Everything looks so good on it!!!

So, like Marianne, I have seen the error of my ways and am determined to change!




update: am eating healthier but not exercising :(
Know this is why I haven't a lot of energy and also know that too much TV is a LIFE-DRAINER!
(It dulls the brain and makes it fuzzy!!!)
Even if the things I watch are good...no trash, but even too much of a good thing can be too much!

Move over Marianne. I'm joining you!

WOW!!! WINDY!

It has been a very powerful day...wind-wise that is!
It has been a nice day to remain inside as much as possible.

I was out in it quite a bit this morning. When I put gas in my car I felt as though I could be tumbling across the parking lot at any minute! It actually almost took my breath away.
Was so glad to climb back into the car!

And another thing, it has been so LOUD! Sounds as if I have fans running all over the house.

I will be glad when it calms down!

I wonder if it's "sweeping" away something or blowing in something?

I am still awaiting at least one really good SNOW!

Nature...

Nature...............

"Nature to a saint is sacramental. If we are children of God, we have a tremendous treasure in Nature. In every wind that blows, in every night and day of the year, in every sign of the sky,
in every blossoming and in every withering of the earth, there is a real coming of God to us if we will simply use our starved imagination to realize it."

Oswald Chambers
My Utmost For His Highest

This is so me! This is where I live. Heaven and Nature is always singing, always speaking,
always declaring His glory and majesty!
I see Him in every bird, every creature, every sunrise, every sunset, every tree, plant and flower....
He is everywhere and all around us, encompassing us in His love.

"Open" your eyes and see Him. He, Himself is more real than the blessings He has given us.
Use your "starved imagination"!

Look for Him today! Expect to see Him! You won't be disappointed!

That's It!!!!!

Thanks Bonnie and April!
You solved the mystery for me!
NOW I know!!!
NOW I understand!

Help????

Hello fellow bloggers!

I have a question. I have only been blogging a little over a year now but my status
says I've been doing it since 2007.
I've tried to change this but to no avail. Does anyone out there know how?

Maybe it has to do with CYBERSPACE....of which I no nothing about!

Oh well.....

Good Advice!

A word of wisdom from Will Rogers:

The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket.

AND....

Never miss a good chance to shut up.

I actually need to work on both areas! :)
Always room for improvement, don'tcha think????

Me and Anna...our true selves??????

Well....here I am with our "last-born"! To be honest, we don't really look like this ...anymore!
We shaved, had a nose job and trimmed the brows!

One thing I can say...I ALWAYS loved being with our kids! Oh, we had some tough times like
everyone else but I was never ready for vacations to be over and the kids to be back in school!

They were precious blessings!

They still are!

Sorry...

The web address I posted isn't working.
I copied it as it was.

Go to Onenewsnow.com

The article is "Taxpayers fund abortions but not school vouchers" by Dr. Paul Kengor

"I noted that the Obama administration and Democratic Congress 'rejected funding for school vouchers for poor children in Washington, DC, but supported funding for abortions for the mothers of those children.' "

It's a good article.

INCREDIBLE!!!!!!

Sending out the link to read this article.

Perspective: Death of a Nation's Conscience
http://onenewsnow.com/Perspective/Default.aspx?id=883588

"Want to send your child to a better school? Sorry.

Need money to abort your child? No problem.

It's obvious we're losing our mind as a nation!"

This is almost too hard to believe.

We can't help poorer children get a better education but we will give their mothers money for abortions!

HOW SICK IS THIS???????

One More Time for now...

Tonight is book club night and we will be discussing The Scent of Water.
Could be a really good discussion!

Now for one last quote...at least for the time being.

"Appleshaw even more than most country places has the scent of water in its air."
"The scent of water?" asked Mary.
"I don't mean that literally. 'For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout
again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.' There's one thing blindness did for me, gave me a braille Bible.
...If I'd kept my sight I'd never read the Bible as I have,..."
"What is the scent of water?"
"Renewal. The goodness of God coming down like dew."

This quote about the tree comes from the book of Job.

I have an example of this very quote right outside our window. We had a Bradford pear tree cut down because it got damaged in a storm. The stump is there and also..."boughs like a plant".

Life coming out of death...
Jesus dying on the cross and raising from the dead unto LIFE so that we could live...
We were dead in our trespasses but when we accepted Him, were made alive...
"Living water!" Renewal...new life...

This is the scent of water.

Thought For The Day

"The idea is not that we do work for God,
but that we are so loyal to Him that He
can do His work through us."

Oswald Chambers

The Kid in Me!

Meet Jo-Jo! Jo-Jo is my "pet" monkey. As a little girl I always said that I was going to Africa

and be a missionary and have a pet monkey!

When I was in High School, my parents gave me my first Jo-Jo for Christmas. He was the cutest little fella ...white tennis shoes, all soft and cuddly and he was holding my birthstone ring.

Jo-Jo was much loved but somehow after many years he disappeared. (Don't tell Woody and Buzz or Jessie)

I always remembered him and told the Grands that I was going to get another one at Build-a-Bear.

Well, Mike took me for my 50th birthday and thank goodness it was near closing and there weren't that many people because the lady made me do all the crazy things the kids have to do!

Then I chose his clothes...tee shirt, jeans, tennis shoes and a hat...and brought him home!

He is extremely well-behaved and loves sitting in his rocking chair and he is much loved

by the Grands...me too...I've always had a soft spot for stuffed animals!

Oh yeah, he's visited the Treasures on several occassions and they love him!

Anyway....this is Jo-Jo...up close and personal!

The Scent of Water

I have finished reading the book...
but the book isn't finished with me.

It has stirred so many emotions, evoked so many thoughts that go to the very depths of my being...into my soul.

I'm finding it very difficult to put it down for I want to pick it up and read it all over again.

It stirs me...it soothes me...it wraps around me bringing me to a place of security,
actually to THE place of security which is Christ.

One can identify with most of the characters for there are parts of them in each of us.
How utterly satisfying to see so many of them come to and grow into the reality of God
and His precious love for each of them....for us.

How beautiful....