Friday, November 30, 2007

why do we need a savior?

God created the earth and everything in it. He made man and put him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.

"Then God commanded the man saying, 'from any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.' "

Then from the man he fashioned woman to be his "helper suitable." They were then in perfect fellowship with God on a perfect earth.

These two were named Adam and Eve and at this point they did not need a savior because they had not broken God's commandment and thus their felowship with Him.

At some point, probably very soon after they were created, Satan came to Eve in the form of a serpent and he posed this question to her,

"Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"

Notice that God's command was given to Adam, but the serpent came to Eve to plant his seeds of doubt about God in her mind.

And this is how Eve responded to the serpent:

"From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat of it or touch it, lest you die.' "

Notice that Eve added a little something to God's command. God did not say they could not touch the tree, only that they were forbidden to eat from it.

And the serpent responded back to Eve:

"You surely shall not die! For God knows that from the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

This is the point at which sin entered the human race of which we are all descendents and we are all also quilty.

When Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they did indeed die....not a physical death, but a spiritual death......a separation from God who had created them to love Him and enjoy Him forever.

What Adam did in the garden of Eden is accounted to all of us who have lived after him. At this point Adam and Eve needed a savior and everyone who has lived after them including us need a savior, a mediator to reconcile us back to a right relationship with God our creator.

To be continued......

Now back to packing............

Thursday, November 29, 2007

christmas shopping

I do it at other times of the year for birthdays and such. At Christmas it is intensified because there are more people to shop for at one time. It's time to start shopping for Christmas!

I think about each person that I buy for and try to think of something they would like and then I set out on a diligent quest to find just the right thing. It gets very personal with me.

I think that is what makes Christmas so magical, all of the twinkling, sparkling lights and the capacity to make dreams come true. Ever since I was a baby, Christmas has always been a magical time of year.

I literally believed in Santa Claus until I was 10 years old. Even when I found my doll crib in the trunk of the car, I justified in my mind that Santa was just storing it there and would pick it up later on his rounds.

There is so much joy in giving...........thats what it's all about.

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift." Jesus who was born in Bethlehem.
"God and sinners reconciled." Praise be to God for His wonderful gift.

I will switch gears for a minute because Bubba did something incredibly funny this afternoon. I wasn't here, but he told me about it and I laughed all through our dinner.

Bubba talking:

"I was cleaning my things out from under the sink and putting them in a box to take to Savannah. I found my big bottle of listerine and decided to fill up my little travel bottle and throw the big bottle away. When that was done there was a small amount of mouthwash left in the big bottle so I decided to rinse out my mouth with it. I had a good time of swish-swishing and then I spit it out in the box that I had just packed."

I will not comment yea nor nay on this except to say that I had noticed that the house was reeking of listerine when I came home. I didn't say anything, I just thought he had gone wild with the mouthwash.

I just think it is funny. He did too!

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

boxes, boxes everywhere

I left the apartment for a little while and when I returned, dozens and dozens of boxes all put together had appeared. Bubba got busy with the tape gun while I was gone and now they line the walls waiting to be filled.

I feel overwhelmed. If I don't start a project first thing in the morning, it is hard for me to jump in later in the day. If I can just get the first box packed I will go like gangbusters, but I really just don't know where to start. I will get it done by Tuesday......the closer the deadline the faster I work.

The last time I mentioned David's car, it was going to be totaled. I found out last night that they were able to repair it after all and he is picking it up tonight. We are all very thankful that God has provided for him once again.

I have a set of king-sized sheets that I dearly love. They are "Charisma" sheets and they are the softest of the soft. I love the way they feel on my skin.

Well, they are falling apart at the seams. Each washing renders them softer and softer and more and more fragile. Both pillowcases have a two foot slit on one side.

Bubba even suggested this week that I buy a new set and he never suggests that I buy anything. He misses the point completely..........I have two new sets, but they are not like these. It takes years to get them "just right."

I have promised to give them up when we move, but I don't think I can. More than likely they will be on the bed at the condo next week.

"Maybe I'll mend them with a needle and thread.
Probably I"ll keep using them until they start to shred." (poem by cathy)

I love old things the best.

Thought for tonight:

"When in doubt give thanks." Pretty good philosophy, huh?

getting it right

I was up at 5am this morning.....maybe I've slept it all out. I hope so!

I have been thinking about Christmas.....the way we celebrate this holiday. Christmas is synonymous with Christ's birth, but I cannot justify the two in my mind.

I love Christmas....the sights, the sounds, the smells, every aspect of this season excites the fartherest reaches of my soul. I know that one can justify a corallation between the things we do at Christmas and the birth of Christ:

The giving of gifts.....Jesus is a gift from God is just one example.

The holiday of Christmas is now consumer driven. It represents the worst of our materialistic society. It has become "tacky" to say the least.

The coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ into this world is the single most important event in history. This miracle of God is meant to be celebrated by true believers every day that we live.

There is much to be enjoyed in the upcoming season....I am very excited about all of it, but let's make sure we glorify God and His Son Jesus Christ and seek Him in His Word.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

we are nomads

The news came by e-mail just a little while ago. The movers will be here next Tuesday to take our things back to Georgia. I will leave that morning to return to Savannah.....Bubba will leave after the deed is done.

Now we have to put the boxes together and start packing. What goes to Tybee in this box, what goes to storage in that box, and on we go.

The lady at the storage house miraculously called today and said that a big, climate controlled unit had just opened up. I think we now control about 75% of that place. We are nomads.....no doubt about it.

I have gone back into my sleeping mode again. The festivities in Savannah and the trip back home must have done me in. I slept for 11 hours last night and took a two hour nap this afternoon.

I don't understand this sleep depridation thing that goes on with me.....When I catch up I am fine, but until I catch up, forget it. I tried to do a little Christmas shopping today and couldn't hardly put one foot in front of the other. Hope I'm over it tomorrow when the packing starts!!!!!

By Charles Spurgeon:

"O believer, learn to reject pride, seeing that you have no ground for it. Whatever you are, you have nothing to make you proud. The more you have, the more you are in debt to God; and you should not be proud of that which renders you a debtor. Consider your origin; look back to what you were. Consider what you will have been except for divine grace.

Great believer, you would have been a great sinner if God had not made you to differ. O you who are valiant for truth, you would have been as valiant for error if grace had not laid upon you.

Therefore, don't be proud, though you have a large estate - a wide domain of grace, once you did not have a single thing to call your own except sin and misery.

O strange infatuation, that you, who have borrowed everything, should think of exalting yourself."

We are nothing except by the grace of God. Our next breath is a gift from Him. And we would be proud?

For tonight, Cathy

Monday, November 26, 2007

so much foolishness

Darkness was about the face of the earth when I got up this morning. I turned on the coffee and waited for the steaming brew to settle in the pot. I look forward to getting up early and having my coffee while the world is still quiet, anticipating the new day.

After a while I switch on Fox news to make sure nothing unforeseen has happened in the night. After wading through so much foolishness, I came upon this interesting bit of news.........

Someone is trying to ban fires in fireplaces in people's homes. Where else would this insane idea come from but our own San Francisco, CA. They say that the smoke going up the chimney causes pollution in the air.

My heart sank. The epitome of satisfaction during the winter months involves me sitting in front of a warm fire, wrapped in a soft throw, reading a good book.

What if this catches on? Will I have to resort to a lawn chair on the deck in front of a "chimnea" wearing Bubba's fur parka? I am heartsick over this prospect.

The main priority I have if I get another chance to live in a house is to have a fireplace, maybe two or three.......please don't take this pleasure away mr. lawmaker.

No news on the move yet....will keep you posted.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

"i gotta go home"

I have heard so many good things about him. He is one of the reformed pastors that I have listened to on tape so many times. Ligon Duncan preached at our church today.

He preached from Numbers 12: 1-16 and it was done masterfully. His message was as clear a rendering as I have ever heard and I hung on his every word.

When Miriam and Aaron started to grumble against God's servant Moses, God's wrath was kindled and he struck Miriam with leprosy on the spot because of their sin. Her brother Aaron pleaded with Moses on her behalf and Moses cried out to God for Him to heal her.

Moses was a mediator between God and his sister and brother. This is a perfect picture of what Jesus Christ, our mediator, does for us in our sin. He cries out to God on our behalf and God forgives our sin because of Jesus.

What a perfect way to start the Christmas season with a message about the absolute necessity to come to God through Jesus....there is no other way.

The movers come tomorrow at eleven to give us an estimate on how much it will cost to move all of our things back to Savannah.

I am sad to leave. I will miss seeing the skyline of DC out of my windows and I will greatly miss our church, but it is the right thing to do.

"I wanna go home,
I gotta go home'
Let me go home,
I'm just too far
from where you are,
I wanna come home.
I miss you you know."

From "Home" by Michael Bouble'

Friday, November 23, 2007

be still my heart

You should see it.......the moon came up full in the late afternoon and it is shining out over the ocean. The goodness of God in His creation is indescribable. I just look upon it in wonder and thank Him for putting on such a show outside my window.

Our Thanksgiving has been a blessing.........quiet and very special just as it should be. We have carried on in spite of the loss of our mothers such a short time ago. We used Nana's pots and pans to cook our meal and we remembered when she was the one in the kitchen cooking for her brood.

When Bubba's delicious fried turkey turned out a little charred on the outside we thought about how much my mom would have liked it like that. She always wanted her meat "well-done." Dad chose to stay home and we took him a big plate of food.......he just couldn't do Thanksgiving this year.

We leave tomorrow to go back up I-95 to DC. Unless some miracle takes place we will pack up and head south, back to where our roots are. Like I said before, Savannah is home.

I am calm, I have spent time with people who love me and that is all my heart desires.

As we look toward Christmas, let us be mindful of the advent of our Savior and not be swept away by the madness of this season.

"Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

again, giving thanks

The table is set, the turkeys are waiting patiently to be the center of attention, all is quiet until morning. Very soon the kitchen will come alive with the wonderful aromas of our favorite dishes.

We will gather around our tables and be nourished once again with the bounties of the Lord.

It is a happy day, a day to just stop and enjoy being together for one more Thanksgiving Day.

From the Psalms:

"It is good to give thanks to the Lord."

"I will praise the name of God with song, and shall magnify Him with thanksgiving."

"Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good."

"Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart"

"Give thanks to the Lord; for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting."

"I will give thanks to the Lord according to His righteousnes, and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High."

"I will give thanks to the Lord with all of my heart."

"Sing praise to the Lord, you His godly ones, and give thanks to His holy name."

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift." Jesus Christ

To all I love, you will be missed tomorrow.............

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

give thanks with a grateful heart

"Rejoice always;"
"Pray without ceasing;"
"In everything give thanks for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Amazing.....in our unending quest to find God's will for our lives.....there it is right there in I Thessalonians.

It is God's will for us that we should give thanks in everything.

Look at the verse again.....it does not say give thanks for everything. It says give thanks in everything. It is easy to say, "Thank you God for all of my marvelous blessings , Amen." It's not easy to say,"Thank you God for this suffering I am going through. I know it is from You for my spiritual growth."

Why does God admonish us to "give thanks in all things?" Because it shows the condition of our heart. A heart that is "in Christ" is a changed heart. It no longer seeks its own selfish desires. It is willing to take His good gifts as well as His trials without grumbling and complaining.

If we are "in Christ," we are God's children. We have put our complete faith and trust in Jesus Christ as God's only way to be reconciled unto Himself.

God loves us and wants to fit us for the new earth and our eternal life with Him.

"Giving thanks in all things" shows God that we love Him and appreciate what He has done, and is doing, and will do for us in the future.

Again, "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift."

afternoon delight

There are people swimming in the ocean.......that's what a beautiful day it is here at Tybee Island, GA. I have had to drag out my capris and sandles again.

We have finally made our short term plans for the future. Here they are:

We will return to DC on Saturday
A moving company will come on Tuesday to give us an estimate
We will leave DC sometimes during the first week of December
We will return to Savannah
We will live here at Beachside Colony through the end of February
We will start renting 321 (SBRC) on January 1st, 2008
We will put 236 (Beachside) back on the market on March 1st, 2008
We are buying ourselves some time before making the decision on where to settle permanently.

So there you have it for the time being.

It has taken much time and prayer to come to this conclusion. We are satisfied for now.

Come back later, I'll have a verse or two to share.

Now I have to go sit on the beach and read. Cathy

Monday, November 19, 2007

i like it the best

I think I like Thanksgiving best......

warm days
cool nights
the smell of smoke in the air
the anticipation of being with the ones I love and who love me
getting out the good china
the feel of crystal against my lips
brilliantly colored leaves
planning the feast
counting my blessings
short days hurrying into night
candles, candles, candles
eating with real silver utensils
bright sunlight
A fire in the fireplace
being wrapped up in a soft blanket
eating the meal
walking on the beach after stuffing myself
having dessert with a good cup of coffee
the fun and fellowship of it all

II Corinthians 9:15

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift."

Jesus Christ who makes it all possible.......

top down kind of day

been down one time,
been down two times,
never goin' down again!

David made a CD for me that I like alot. None of them are songs that I would have chosen, but I have grown to love all of them.

There is a catchy little tune on #9 that repeats the above phrase over several times....you may have heard it yourself.

It is a "top down" kind of day at Tybee and I had my sun roof open on my much loved drive to the beach just now. I listened to the words and realized that they describe me to a "t."

I have felt your prayers and I am strenghthened and encouraged.

God is definitely working in my life in amazing ways. I am trusting Him to see me through.

I have a wonderful Bible verse to share later this evening, so come back. I'll be writing.

I'm going to get a little snack and take a little nap. (and do a little dance)

C

Sunday, November 18, 2007

searching in the trash after dark

I wasn't going to blog tonight because I didn't think I had one in me, but after having a small bowl of ice creme I feel somewhat more like one will work it's way out.

I have offered a chance for Bubba to blog once in a while on my site. I am so surprised that he has agreed to do it. I don't have any idea when he will publish his first epistle. I am sure it will consist of his side of the story of some of the things I have written about him.....or who knows, he may come out with something uniquely his own. We shall all wait with baited breath.

Bubba told me just now that I had done a lot of "stupid" things this weekend. I had to agree with him.

Yesterday I filled up the tank of the van with gasoline and then proceeded to fly down to the beach, pick him up, and fly back into town to make an appointment. After being flagged down by a kind man in a truck at a stoplight, we realized that I had left the lid off of the tank which was dangling down and the little door cover open.

In the course of all that "flying" we lost about a fourth of that tank of gold. $3.05 a gallon. My life moves faster than my mind. Things like this would never happen if Bubba would just get my gas for me.

We use a percolator to make our coffee. This morning as I was cleaning the grounds out of the filter, I dropped that necessary part into the trash because it was so hot. Going on with my work, I left it there. When we left to go into town we bundled up all of the trash and Bub took it down to the recepticle.

Just now I realized that the filter part was missing. I searched and searched and then remembered what I had done.

The man of the house was dispatched to see if he could retrieve it. Now, going through a large trash container in the dark during a football game was not in his lineup for tonight but off he went.

The filter basket was gone.......for some strange reason all of the trash was collected today (Sunday). I just can't figure this one out. Anyway, we have a "Mr. Coffee" to use in the morning.

I say all of this to say that I got blindsided again this afternoon......I never see it coming. Please pray for me....Love, Cathy

Saturday, November 17, 2007

totaled

It was a good and generous gift. Erika's Dad drove it from California and gave it to David to use in his ministry. It was a 1993 GMC Jimmy. The best thing about it was that it was paid for....no car payment necessary.

This past week David was rear-ended and yesterday he got the news that the insurance company was going to render it totaled. He will get a check for $1,500 and have no car. Some things just don't seem fair.

Lots of things in life are not fair, but it's how we deal with these things that form our character.
Inconveinences, hardships, unexpected mishaps to name a few can wreck our lives or make us more like Christ.

He knows what you need, sweet David, and He will provide.

Little baby Harry has slept through the night for the last three nights. Now that is something that can make a weary parent happy. I miss that tiny one......What a blessing.

I have a situation in my life, the one I write about now and then, that is a real challenge. Though it is very hard for me, I try to do what is right and good in the sight of God. If I am faithful then I have hope that God will intervene and do His work of changing a heart.

Ezekiel 11:19

"And I shall give them one heart, and shall put a new spirit within them. And I shall take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh."

Only God can do this, not me....

Thank you for caring...c

Friday, November 16, 2007

it's a man thing

If there is any ball moving on television except a soccer ball, Bubba is watching it. I think it is a man thing. I am SO not interested that I can sit, read, and fully concentrate without being disturbed.

Once in a while I will look up when Bubba gets excited to see what is going on, but I just can't get into it.......my femininity completely rejects all of the ruckus. When someone mentions a standing or statistic I have no idea what they are talking about.

I have absolutely no problem with Bubba doing this.....I will even ask him who won or what quarter it is, but that is as far as I go.

David shares this love of "ball watching" with his Dad and there are many phone calls between them to discuss the latest "game." They really enjoy each other this way and I am glad for them.

Last night after our eleven hour trip we were exhausted. Bubba went to the sofa to relax and I went to bed to read. He found a ball moving and settled in and then he drifted off. In the course of time the ball did something really great and David called his Dad to discuss.

The ring of Bubba's cell phone woke him up. He jettisoned himself upright and off of the sofa in a flash to run down the hall for his phone. Unknown to him his glasses fell off of his face and onto the floor. He stepped on them, messed them all up, and had to spend some time at Lencrafters this afternoon getting them repaired.

The amazing thing is that I didn't hear a thing. As I said earlier, "it's a man thing."

We also got into a discussion of "handerchiefs" this afternoon. He asked me to look him in the eye and swear that I was not throwing his away. Now this came out of the blue. I told him even though I now and always have questioned the sanitation of blowing one's nose into a piece of cloth that I have to deal with at a later time, I have never ever even thought of throwing one away.

The discussion went on and on. I suggested that he use man-sized tissues. I lost.

He said that he needed to buy some new handkerchiefs, but he couldn't find them anymore. To me that proves my point. They need to be outlawed except to offer to a lady when her tears unexpectedly well up. Men should always have one for that special touch.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

funny/serious

I knew it was coming.........I had suspected it for months. Amanda confessed this morning that she likes my funny blogs more than my serious blogs.

I just have to say that all of my blogs cannot be funny....what about the other readers who enjoy the serious blogs more than the funny ones?

Just for the record....sometimes I just don't have any "funny juice" running through me, and believe me, I cannot conjure up "funniness."

Usually when I sit down to write I don't know if any humor will come.....if it does come, it comes naturally. Unnatural humor is not in the least bit funny.

Amanda also gets very upset if my blogs don't come until late. Now late for me has to be before nine o'clock because I go to bed just after that.....I'm just joking Amanda.....I love that you love my blog!

The truth of the matter is that I blog from my heart....what's in there comes out. Sometimes I probably share too much, but it somehow helps me to put thoughts into words. Thank you for reading.

Bubba and I just walked over to the mall to grab a burger at "Johnny Rockets." We have eaten in many of these over all the years of our travels, but the one here in DC, just a hop, skip, and a jump away, has a sign that reads, "Cathy Eats Here." I think it's a "sign." I always have.

I am rested, feeling much better, mentally stable, and tomorrow we leave to go back to Savannah. I pray that I can maintain my condition....one minute at the time.

Amanda will be proud...nothing serious tonight. By the way, what do you prefer??

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

lightening for the rain

Today Georgia's Governor Sonny Perdue was mocked for praying to the God of the universe on the steps of the capitol. What a sad commentary on our times. It has become abhorant for Christians to gather in a public place to pray.

Our God, the one true God, answers prayer. He sends the rain and the hail and the thunder and the snow from His great storehouses in heaven. He alone is able to do this wondrous work.....no created being on this earth could accomplish such a feat. He alone will send the rain when He chooses to do so.

To bow our heads before God and humbly ask Him for rain is the right thing to do.....there is no other hope but God. Read Chapters 17 and 18 in the book of I Kings to see what happened when God's prophet Elijah prayed to God for rain.

God may answer these prayers now or He may choose not to for a while, but we can be sure He knows what He is doing. He is in control of everything.

Job 10:13 "When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth; He makes lightening for the rain, and brings out the wind from His storehouses."

Do we realise what kind of God we serve???

David got rear-ended on his way to work today. A teenager in a huge SUV rammed right into the back of his well used and loved Jimmy, a gift from the Bookmans. Thankfully he was unhurt and the car is still driveable, but there will be hassels ahead.

Sometimes I think we take for granted God's protection as we drive the highways and byways of this land.

I'll be back to the ironing board now......I watch the TV show "House Hunters" when I can. I can get lots done in that 30 minutes.

Until tomorrow, Lord willing................C

Monday, November 12, 2007

yak/nak

It was a part of the prepartion music that we sing before the service begins. I had never sung this song before, so I read the words instead. The fourth verse was noted as one of great magnitude: "God Moves in a Mysterious Way" by William Cowper (1731-1800)

"Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face."

I love this verse! We can never understand the mind of God. We don't have the resourses in our finite selves to do so. But we are told to trust Him as He is presented to us in His word.
This is the part I love best: Even when He is disciplining us (trials and tribulations) He still loves us and smiles His favor down upon us.

What a great God we serve.

Bubba took me to PF Changs tonight.....the only Chinese restaurant he will get anywhere near. We always get the same thing, crispy honey chicken with a side of spicy garlic noodles.

The last time we went I made the mistake of ordering something different that had an authentic Chinese flavor and he swore that he would never go back again. Tonight was a victory....we went back to the "tried and true."

I love to try different things, but for that I have to go by myself or with someone who is equally adventuresome.

Something new that I learned today......a female yak is a nak. I bet you didn't know that either. Most people just call all of them yaks though because with all of their woolly growth no one wants to take the time to distinquish gender. I think that is a wise decision...

It's cold, it's rainy, it's dark.......I'm going to bed to read. Night to all.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

moma's blue sweater

I gave it to her because it was so soft and because it was blue. I knew it would make her eyes sparkle even more than they usually did. She loved to wear it as she always got a compliment.

I found it last weekend when we were going through her things. I brought it home and have been wearing it all weekend. Bubba complimented and said I looked beautiful in it. It will become my new cuddling-up garb. It reminds me of her and that is good.

I am reading "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer. David said I would like it because it is weather related. Here is what a review says about the book:

"Time collapses as, minute by minute, Krakauer rivetingly and movingly chronicles what ensued, much of which is near agony to read........a brilliantly told story." (Kirkus)

I have been moved to list the highest peaks on each of the seven continents:

Everest 29,028 (Asia)
Aconcagua 22,834 (South America)
McKinley 20,320 (North America)
Kilimanjaro 19,340 (Africa)
Elbrus 18,510 (Europe)
Vinson Massif 16,067 (Antarctica)
Kosciusko 7,316 (Australia)

There are some men who have climbed all "seven summits." I don't enjoy climbing the three flights of stairs at our condo. I don't think this would be something I would enjoy. I would enjoy the view from the "top of the world," but maybe I'll just wait until I get to heaven.

Quote by David Garland:

"The Christian life is not a fast track to glory but a slow, arduous path that takes one through suffering. The suffering so visible in the lives of the apostles is not some tedious detour for an elite volunteer corps, but the main highway for all Christians."

The above is good to keep in mind and remember lest when a time of suffering comes to us we should be overwhelmed by it. We have to remember that we're being prepared for glory. We have no idea what God has for us to do on the new earth, but we are in training for our job in eternity right now while we are still on this earth.

To the new week and the challenges ahead I pray.....God have mercy on us."

Saturday, November 10, 2007

twizzlers

I found them in the Hollinsworth's Halloween candy bowl. They were small so I took three of them to eat on our trip. They whetted my appetite................

On the trip home last Wednesday I wandered inside the gas station and bought a small three pack "just for the trip."

Bubba was appalled when I opened one and ate it in front of him. He gagged and laughed and made a super big deal out of what I was doing.

Thursday when I went to the grocery store I was tempted and succumbed to a large pack of long ones. They are cherry flavored tiny round tubes that are stripped off one by one, coiled up, and popped in the mouth. There are eight tubes of absolute ectasy.

These will be the last that I buy.......I certainly don't need to have a regular diet of these dyed, red things but.................they are so good and the process that I go through to eat them is so much fun. I will eat one per day until they are gone and then no more!

Eli finally succumbed and was taken to the doctor today because he is wheezing.....he will be on breathing treatments for a while. These treatments make babies into screaming monsters while they are being administered.

Jake has continuous diahrrea and his "little huncas" is torn up again.

Mark is sleeping off his pain from his elbow operation.

Mark's mom came into all of this last night for a long planned pleasure trip to see her grandbabies. Little did she know.

Lucy and Harry are better but still not best.

Evidently, this was the week for all babies to get sick. May the Lord bless them with restored health very soon........so that their parents can survive to see a new day.

Quote by Gordon Fee:

"This is an invitation to experience one of those rare, unguarded moments of total honesty, where in the presense of the eternal God one recognizes that everything, ABSOLUTELY EVERTHING, that one "has" is a gift.

Friday, November 9, 2007

hot pepper vs. jalapeno

This afternoon I used the last container of shrimp in the freezer to make shrimp creole. Yesterday while at the grocery store I bought what I thought was a jalapeno pepper to use in the receipe.

Bubba is a fine cutter-upper. He gets it done quickly and he does it with expertise. This afternoon when I got home he was already well into the task of getting onions, celery, and peppers into the pot. Since we weren't sure of the hotness level of the pepper, I advised him to just put a little bit in the mix but..........he proceeded to use the whole thing.

He insisted that the pepper I bought was not a jalapeno but a "hot pepper." Excuse me......I thought the term "hot pepper" would be the generic term for all peppers that are hot. He insisted that "hot peppers" are in a class by themselves and they are hotter than jalapenos would ever hope to be.

The shrimp creole was devastatingly hot......hotter than any I have ever made. We drank half of a pitcher of tea and had to use bread as a buffer.

Questions:
1. Is there such a thing as a "hot pepper" in and of itself?
2. If there is such a thing as a "hot pepper" is it hotter than a jalapeno?
3. Did I spell jalapeno right?

Now, on to more important questions:
1. O Lord, who may abide in Your tent?
2. Who may dwell in Thy holy hill?

1. He who walks with integrity
2. He who works righteousness
3. He who speaks truth in his heart
4. He who does not slander with his tongue
5. He who does no evil to his neighbor
6. He who does not take up a reproach against his friend

He who does these things will never be shaken.

"I have set the Lord continually before me:
because He is at my right hand I will not be shaken,
Therefore my heart is glad."

I am getting better. Lots of rest and lots of striving to keep the Lord "continually before me."
This is something I have to do and it is hard work.

from cathy on a dark, rainy, cold night with lots of warm thoughts.......

Thursday, November 8, 2007

medical and surgical report

It feels like a bandaid does when it's being pulled from the skin. Baby Harry experienced his first laser treatment this afternoon for the port wine stain and he didn't enjoy it one bit. The one good thing is that once it is done there is no lingering pain. His next treatment will be in January. Ours prayers are with you little guy.

Lucy is very sick with an upper respiratory ailment that has made her miserable.

Mark had surgery on his elbow this morning. Amanda had gone to get his pain medicene filled when I called. The surgery went well and quickly and now he has recuperation ahead of him. We pray that his long ordeal with this situation will soon be over and that he will have full use of his elbow again.

Jake is getting better from his unknown illness that relagated him to the sofa and constant showings of the video "Nemo."

Eli's only problem is that the time change has thrown him for a complete loop. He takes after his grammy in this regard. I feel the need to go to bed at 8:00 every evening.

I will close with a qoute:

"Always tell the truth.....then you won't have to remember what you said." Mark Twain

good frosty morning

The trip took thirteen hours. We arrived at the Warwick House just before 9:00 pm. I can't say that it was a bad trip......we talked alot and the time went by quickly.

Our foray into the town of Goldsboro, NC, added a couple of hours onto our trip. I was excited to stop because I figured there would be tons of antique stores for me to browse while Bubba was attending to his "business."

"Historic downtown Goldsboro" was touted on all of the signs. I thought I had arrived at "hog heaven." On further inspection my hopes were dashed as there was not even one good shop to explore. The best I could do was a thrift shop filled with every awful thing that you see at the worst of the worst of garage sales.

I did enjoy my walk and I was amazed to see so many "thai" and "sushi" restaurants. What exactly is going on in "historic downtown Goldsboro?"

Bubba will talley the exact milage of our circuitous trip and I will report that later. It was such an amazing journey until I got to Savannah. I'm praying that one day that situation will be resolved if only in my mind. Maybe at a later time I will be able to write about what so frequently "lays me low," but not now." I do appreciate all of your prayers.

All grandbabies except for Eli have fallen ill in the last few days. All mommies are homebound and going "stir crazy." I remember those days so well. My only advice is to enjoy their "stillness" and hold them close. When they are well they never slow down or stop talking........this too will pass.

Harry has his first laser treatment today....please pray for the precious little guy.

Bubba just passed through and asked if I would blog again today......I told him I didn't know if anything would happen that would be "blogworthy." I guess we'll just have to see.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

a time for everything

"Meet me at Peppino's at 11:45," Bubba said as I pulled away from the driveway. "I will be there," I answered.

I went on to do some errands, looked at the clock, and realised that I was getting ready to be late which Bubba cannot tolerate. So I speeded up and made it right on time.

I went in, ordered my drink, got my chips and salsa and began to wait. Fifteen minutes later, still no Bubba. I decided to call to see where he was and in the course of the conversation I made the discovery that I had arrived an hour early.

I got to the restarant at 10:45 instead of 11:45. He came on and we ate an early lunch. He told me that I had to accept and abide with the time change. The problem wasn't that I hadn't "accepted" the change, it was that the clock in the van was still on DST.

I take a lot of flack about my inability to function in the face of time changes.

We will complete our journey back to DC tomorrow. It will be a long day as we have to stop in NC for Bubba to do some business. We left two weeks ago today.

I am afraid we are going back into cooler weather. These days at Tybee are absolutely perfect.....the ocean is caressing the sandy shore with it's gentle waves. The sun is at it's brightest, and it's slant casts beautiful shadows. It is just cool enough at night to cuddle up under a quilt......I love, love, love being at the beach in the fall.

May all who read this blog be blessed with the knowledge of the love of God and His son Jesus Christ. We need no more..............

Monday, November 5, 2007

24/7 with cc

I am guilty of: eating good food to gain comfort

The food I could eat every day: ice-cream

I'm thinking about: YOU

If I could be totally wild, I would: Move to Italy, live in the Tuscan Hills in a restored villa, walk to the village every day to buy bread, grow my own veggies, and tour the whole peninsular in a Mazda Miata with my hair blowing wild in the wind.

What are you most vain about: My clothes

One thing I never want to do again: Go inside a nursing home

I'd like to learn to: use my computer and my digital camera in the most proficient manner possible.

Something most people don't know about me: I was in the "Miss Geechee" pagent when I was a freshman at Armstrong. (I didn't win)

Words I live by: The Bible

My favorite body part: My heart

My family: cherished and loved

My work: Making our home the most beautiful and comfortable place in the world.

My passion: The Lord Jesus Christ

My hometown: Savannah, Ga

I found these questions in the "Skirt" magazine published in Savannah.
I want all of my readers to email their answers to these questions back to me. PLEASE

Sunday, November 4, 2007

the grand total

It was everywhere......in drawers, in pockets, wound up in tissues. Moma left little surprises for us all over the place. When we added it all up we had found more than one hundred dollars. We left it all on the counter......for later.

The task was completed about 4:00 this afternoon. It wasn't easy, but it was necessary. We saw lots of memories in her clothes, some dating back to childhood. Moma loved to dress stylishly, even in the nursing home.

I am unable to process my situation right now. I am better....but feel kind of numb inside. Of course I can't say alot, but things are not good. The stress level in my body is causing great pain and suffering. Only God can work this all out and I am trusting in Him.

The beauty is my assurance that God is in control of these circumstances and He will not allow more than I can bear. This is meant for my good and my spiritual growth. I only hope that I can be faithful and that can only be accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit working through me.

In the meantime:
"But thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore my beloved brethren, be
steadfast,
immovable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord."
I Corinthians 15: 16-17

The fact that you are praying is such a blessing to me....Love, Cathy

Saturday, November 3, 2007

peace that passes all understanding

God has granted peace for me. Thank you for your prayers.

This is and has always been the pattern of my life. It is very familar but always unexpected if that makes any sense.

I cannot say alot, only that it is and always has been the reason for my suffering.

It is also the reason why I cling to God's word. It is absolute truth in a world that doesn't make any sense. It is stability in a world of chaos.

I thank God for the progress I have made and continue to make in my journey of life. I cherish those who love me and embrace every good thing that comes my way. As I've said before, I am above all most richly blessed.

Teri and I have made some progress in cleaning out moma's things. We have found a little money(she always tucked it away and never went back for it.) We have all three agreed to be honest and report everything we find.

Look what verse was in line for me to read this morning:

Psalm 18:6 "In my distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried to my God for help.
He heard my voice out of His temple,
And my cry for help before Him
came into His ears."

Isn't God good?......He heard my prayer (and yours) and gave me peace.

To God be the glory forever and ever!

Friday, November 2, 2007

"a restless evil"

The comment on yesterday's blog summed up my situation exactly. I have never been able to put it into words like that.

Tonight I write because I am totally beat down. Bubba even brought me over here to blog because he said it would be good for me. Please don't ask me to call any names.....I won't do that. God's grace sees me through. This is not new. It has been going on for most of my life.

James 3:
vs.5 "So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. Behold, how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire."

vs.6 "And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set upon our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell."

vs.7 "For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by the human race."

vs,8 "But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison."

The tongue destroys,
God's word gives life........my soul is only revived by thinking and believing His truth.

I have been given another dose of poison....
I will survive because no one can destroy my soul.

Thursday, November 1, 2007

summer again

After spending the last week in the frozen north it is good to be back to warm weather. The doors and windows at the condo are open and the gentle breezes are billowing through the rooms. I so long for the beach when I am away from it for a while....it calms my soul.

The days are darker but that's okay....candles were made for this.....to light up the night. I have a candle chandelier that I hang on the porch and a hurricane lantern on the table. These provide a warm glow inside and a welcome sight to ships passing by in the night.

Sometimes when I get up in the wee hours of the morning I will see a huge, brightly lighted ship passing silently in front of the window. It "takes my breath away."

It takes a while for the sun to get up in the morning. I have my coffee in the dark waiting for the first subtle rays of the sun.....the same sun that will be so bright by the afternoon that you are almost blinded.

When I sit down to write this blog I never know what will come out....sometimes I worry that I won't have anything to say. I wanted to write something from the Bible tonight, but I forgot to bring it with me. (we are over at Beachside checking our e-mail.)

I was blinded-sided by someone's tonque again today and it made me very sad. Next time I will write about the power of that little devilish member that spews forth it's wrath on whoever it pleases.

Lots to be done in the next few days.....I don't know if I will get to write. This means so much to me and I look forward to this time. I hope you are blessed as well.....c

ummer again

after spending a week in the frozen