Pain and Joy

Do you remember that feeling?

It came with youth and inexperience.

Something rocked your world

and it felt like there would never be

anything good in life, again.

God is good.

Life goes on.

We grow up

and learn these things.

Today, 

I am overjoyed to learn

that the doctor who

delivered my son

is recovering well from 

heart surgery.

It didn't go smoothly.

Today, 

I am to meet a treasure,

the daughter of two

young people who are

related to me 

and who are special.

In fact, he is an active duty

Green Beret.

She is a darling

who lost her first fiance 

suddenly

and has gone on 

to find life good.

I have been looking forward

 to this day,

for months.

Today, 

I learned that

the sudden death of a

young acquintance

on Christmas Day

was caused by

the physical abuse

heaped on her by

her husband.

Words are weak.

I have many of them.

None seem right.

Just for a few minutes

I have, again, 

that feeling.

My experience 

and

my faith

tell me that

I will love the baby.

I will find joy 

in the recovery of

the doctor.

I will see beauty.

I will have peace

and it will pass understanding.

It begins.

The joy returns.

The peace starts

to flood my soul.

Remember.

Remember

we are of 

the moment,

but our Father

knows the end

from the beginning.

Safe in the arms of Jesus --

yes, it's true.

 We all are,

no matter how we feel

just now.

Finding Flowers

A few feet from where we parked
these rose bushes bloomed, noticed or not.
Nearby, as can barely be seen in the
background, were daisies
and rushes - cattails, I think.

The daisies are already going by.
I seem to have missed them, this year.

Such beauty!
These are double,
so I wonder if they are
wild, or left from
the farm that was,
before the malls were built.

Love To You

I remember when Valentine's Day
was far from my favorite.

I was not the cute little girl at school
with the desk covered with cards.

I was single and living alone at the age of 30.

I really did not need a holiday to remind me of this.

After 27 years of marriage, a husband who
brought me chocolates, though we're both trying to
lose weight, and enough understanding of
all the love in my life that Valentine's Day is rather
unimportant, I still remember the loneliness I felt.

Maybe you and I can find someone lonely
to share God's love, today.
What do you think?

Grasping Water - a Kitchen Sink Sermon

I was thinking, today,
of my tendency to hang on
to things.

My sense of stewardship.
is not balanced, in some ways.

Now, there are times when
"waste not, want not"
is sensible, and the Western World,
in general, appears to have
left that sense behind, sometimes.

I lean in the other direction.

Last week, inspired by a friend's
post on Facebook, I cleaned out
my toughest cupboard.

It was difficult for me to
throw away some old food.

Some of the things I tossed
are not really food,
even though they
are meant to be consumed.
They were probably still usable.

There was not a lot;
a few packets of
ancient hot cocoa mix,
an outdated can or two...

I think that's what got me thinking
about grasping water.

If I hold my hand open, some water
stays in it.

If I close my hand, trying to protect what
I have, not only will I lose most
of it, no  more can get in.

Now, there are many things
that grasping water can illustrate.

Have you ever felt so smothered
by a relationship you
had to get away?
 Weren't "they"
grasping water?
They felt they needed
something so badly that they
squeezed hard, and lost
most of it.

Well, God has promised
to provide all our needs.
He always has done so,
and then some!

We are rich.

You may not think so.
I may not think so.
I sure hope the
Internal Revenue Service
does not think so,
but
we are.

There is a part of trusting
my Father in Heaven
that is the opposite
of grasping water.
This is what I've
been thinking about,
today.

If you have any thoughts to add,
speak up.  :)
I can probably benefit from them.

Am I a Wookie?

So, what is up with this?  I think I'm turning into a Wookie!  Not only am I getting hairier, but there are these noises emanating from me...

Yes, I am going to go there!  This aging thing is quite interesting and I intend to laugh about it.  Laughing helps keep the sighing and crying down. 

Alright, we remember from general science that matter exists in three forms.  (Just a minute, I am going somewhere with this.)  There are solids, liquids and gases.  Near as I can tell, the physical body which I have occupied for well over half a century, must be converting from the first two forms to the latter one.  My word!  I know there are statistics out there about how many times per day the human body... er... has flatulence.  I think, if I really wanted two, I could call Guinness and contend for the record.  Now that would be a claim to fame!  I guess that is enough.  I don't mean to go on and on... oh, dear!  That wasn't what I meant, but it is kind of apropos.  It's just that, as I have more, uh... release, I am less able to disguise it.  I don't know if a marching band could disguise it!  That's what I mean when I wonder if I am becoming a Wookie.  These noises are worthy of Chewbacca -- in pain!  Whew!   

Well, You Never Know!

Once upon a time...

I think I've told the story, before.

I was helping along with another

 young woman, in one of those

situations where someone 

must be on the spot, but

the regular work was quickly done.

My friend had a new magazine.

From it we took patterns.

She shared her stash with me.

We hand sewed these stars.

Having gotten close, again,

she reminded me...

...so, I made one.

I made a few more!
These were for a woman who
understood I might not be able
to get them done.

In the mean time, I made what
my fancy dictated.  I found it
relaxing, enjoyable and
somewhat addicting.
I sold some in October
and November of last year.

Fast forward a few months.
I thought I'd try it with
patriotic themed stars.
Yup, they sold!
One set was bid up to over
nine times it's starting
price.

I think they all sold, except this set.
So, I re listed it.
Just in case.
Might just as well give it a shot.
Well, there are bids on
this set.
Please note: "bidS"
Well, you never know.

Added this set...

...and this one, today.
One has a bid,
already!
I guess I'll get going
on the Christmas ones before
long.  I could make
more patriotic stars,
but they might not ship in time
for the fourth
of July.
I don't make much on these.
I do get a little
thrill when someone
likes my work enough
to buy it.
Then, when they come
back for more!
Wow!
Just shows ta go ya --
you never know,
'til you try.

What a Week! What a Weekend!

1.  My father is sick.

2. My son is sick.

3. My hand knitted Skipper outfit did not sell on eBay.

4. We went out to supper and a Goodwill store that I don't get to, very often.  It was fun.  I spent money!  I don't regret much of it.  :)

5. Birthday dinner had to be cancelled because the honoree hurt his back.  We got to see him, anyway & had a good short visit.

6.  A doll dress I made sold on eBay.

7.  An outfit I made for dolls got 9 bids, quadrupling the starting price. 

8.  Two of the books I bought at Goodwill do sell on eBay, so they are now listed.  They were half price plus 10% off with my discount card.

Yikes!  I think there was more, but I don't remember, just now. 

None of things are Earth shaking.  I just find it rather amusing.  Several changes of pace and a surprise or two, and I am a little off kilter.  Guess I'm not young, anymore.  :)

What My Candle Means

Someone asked me what Advent is and what I'm doing this candle lighting thing for. 
Here is some of my reply.

  Hope is what Advent represents, to me.

 Wikipedia: Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used in reference to the Second Coming of Christ. For Christians, the season of Advent serves as a reminder both of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting of Christians for Christ's return.

I am enjoying this advent season more than any since Mom died.

I have not done this, before, friend.  On the first Sunday of Advent I lit one candle. I plan to light two, next Sunday and so on. I don't have an advent wreath. This is not a family ritual. I just feel like celebrating hope in a world that sometimes seems to have forgotten that God made the way. I feel like celebrating grace that sheds light into all the darkness of my sin and failing and shows the wonder that Jesus came. I feel like celebrating the joy of the Spirit among all the glitz and rush that masks the fear that does not come from our Father. I feel like remembering that Jesus is coming to reign. I feel like focusing on Him, for a few moments. I feel like... lighting candles!

The Quilting Party

This unattributed 19th century painting is a favorite of mine.  There is so much going on that the artist's depition of every day life keeps my attention.

Well now!

Inspired (?) by Alice Cooper.

What would Mr. Rumsfeld's rock

alter ego be named?

Seeking serenity

Though I know, and have experienced, that my dear Daddy-God has everything under control and our best interests in mind, I still find myself, fists clenched, stomach and brain churning, in need of focusing on something beautiful...









Even if my camera focus isn't so great!! LOL!

Well, what am I?

Am I frustrated?
Am I bored?
Somebody tell me
what my face
is saying!

Grandpa

Grandpa!

I never knew my Grampa Charles.

He dide when my Dad was young.

I like hearing stories about him.

But some stories make me wonder...

I still wish I had known him.

Weather or not

This picture hasn't much to do with the subject.

I was just thinking how weather & other externals

have their impact on my outlook, "weather" I like

to think so, or not.

What ever the weather, there's no question

whether God is in charge, or not. He is good,

all the time.

Someone told me, years ago, that there was an Italian

man in her church, years before that, who said, "God don't

make no meeserable days!" I love that! I love my Daddy-God.

Weddings bring back memories

A couple of old shots from weddings past.

Here comes the Bride

Seems to be the year for weddings!

The shower for a cousin to be was lovely & HOT! The bride to be was surprised. The company was congenial. The gifts were lovely! I'm gladI'm not doing it, again!