farewell to yet another year

You have been kind to inquire if I was ill.....no, just tired.
I am glad that you read my blog and that you have missed me.

I had lots of guests this year and spent a lot of time preparing meals and things so I had nothing left at the end of the day but a tired mind to fall into bed with.

I have spent the last few days resting and organizing. Organizing relaxes me after a stressful time.

I loved every minute of Christmas. It was a wonderful time. I have lots of pictures to share. I will start back with my blog tomorrow on January 1, 2009. I hope I can accomplish another year.

You all make me write. Your feedback encourages me.

This has been a difficult year to say the least, but your love and concern have seen me through.

To God be the glory great things He has done.

From your friend, Cathy

30 in a 25

I am either too busy or too tired to blog tonight.....I don't know which.

Amanda, Mark, Jake, and Eli are not due in until midnight.....Bubba will be greeting them.

My house is so clean right now after the lovely maid service I had today....wish it could stay this way.

I do have one thing to say.

We finally got stopped by a cop on Berwick tonight coming home from our shopping trip and dinner out. We were going 30 in a 25mph zone. He was gracious to only give us a warning and not a ticket, but please, doesn't he have anything better to do? Thieves are breaking in cars right and left around here.

I think I am finally done with my shopping, and almost done with my wrapping. Tomorrow and Wednesday will be cook....cook....cook.

Now....I need to talk to Bubba about a nice, long vacation.

Well....looks like I blogged anyway.

Have a good night.....it's almost time for Santa.

Love to all, Cathy

running on adrenalin

I know that what I am doing is not healthy for my body.

Every morning I pop awake anywhere between 4:30 and 5:30 am.
My mind starts thinking about all I have to do.
I try to go back to sleep, but usually fail.
So......I get up and hit the ground running.....
racing against the clock to do all I can possibly do before turning out the light at 9:00pm.

I love to read before falling asleep, but I can barely get through one or at the most two pages before my body is shutting down......sleep comes very fast and is deep until.......4:30 to 5:30 the next morning.

One good thing about this is that I get to have wonderful quiet times with the Lord. When I get up I am fully awake and ready to start my day.

This happens to me every Christmas......

I was mortified in church today when my body relaxed and wanted to nod off to sleep. The sermon was engrossing but at one point I caught myself drifting off as my body stayed still and slowly relaxed.

A big blessing came when Bubba agreed to allow a wonderful cleaning lady to come get my house sparkling tomorrow afternoon. This is a real luxury for me and I am thankful.

The first of our guests will arrive tomorrow night. I pray for God to give them all traveling mercy and that everyone will stay well for our Christmas celebration.

One more thing before I go to bed......Today was Estelle's birthday. We had lunch at Rita and Mitch's house. All was lovely. I took lots of pictures. When I went to put them on the computer tonight I realized that the sym card which records the pics was not in my camera.............so, no pictures.

I say that to say this: Watch me. I know from previous experience that there will come a day real soon when I will lose all of my steam and will need to sleep......I hope I have enough adrenalin left for one more week.....

Cathy

test the candles night

Tonight has officially been declared "test the candles night." If you look closely at the picture you will see that one of the candles is not working properly and will need to be attended to. It is a very old candle that I have tried to coax new life into and have failed.

Christmas time is synonymous in my home with "burn a lot of candles."

Looking ahead to Christmas Day, my favorite accuweather forecast has revealed that we will not be having a white Christmas this year. I was still holding out hope, but it just doesn't look like it is going to happen. That is why I burn candles.

It will be too warm even for my poor little fake logs with a house full of people breathing on Christmas Eve, so I will warm up the house with candles.

I discovered tonight during my testing period that so many candles burning at one time make the house oppresively hot.........all of the fans have been turned on and windows and doors are open. Anything for fire burning in the house.

Whoever said that this was to be the coldest winter on record didn't check us out down here in the deep south. People were sunning by the pool yesterday at the beach.

There is an important message in the photo above.

"For unto us a child is born." Jesus, the Son of God was born in Bethlehem.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

The best news that you will ever hear!!!

an evening in the life

Bubba grilling pork chops and baking whole sweet potatos for dinner.

Eating and drinking out of the Christmas dinnerware.

The back door and the front door open wide to let some coolness in.

An 81 degree day in December.

Planning the meals for our guests next week.

Being excited about Harry standing alone for the briefest moment.

A van full of happy people riding around looking at Christmas lights.

Lucy laughing and saying, "That was so much fun!"

Coming home to hot coffee and a fresh jelly roll cake.

My Christmas tree....so beautiful.

Everybody working together to hang my "Merry Christmas" sign.

Going to the beach tomorrow because it's so warm.

Thanking God for all these blessings and so much more..............

The gift of life frrom Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

i love you...........c

fresh cut pine

First of all I would like to say that it is December 17th and our air-conditioner is on.

Bubba was in the kitchen making two rounds of sausage cheese balls and he starting getting really hot. There was nothing else for me to do but try to cool him off because he was doing such a good job and working so hard.

We are having very warm, almost 80 degree days.

Tomorrow night he will make thousands of Swedish meatballs. All of this is for our Christmas Eve party next Wednesday night.

Christmas preparations are always so much fun. I love to decorate the house and get everything looking real Christmasy. Today I was out in the field by our house cutting fresh pine boughs. I brought them in and "decked the halls."

Above is my mantle.........everything is real. I love it.

Amanda was taken to tea at the Williamsburg Inn today. This is very special and it is only done two days a year during the Christmas season. The pastry chef who worked at the White House for many years works at the Inn now.

There were sixty quests and everyone had a gingerbread house to decorate. She won the contest for the best looking house, but didn't get a prize. That's okay.....she said it was one of the most fun things she has ever done.

Our house will be full again next week. This is my joy to be able to gather with family at this very special time of year. It is a time when everyone can relax and enjoy being together.

Thank you Lord for the blessing of Christmas.

tiny crystals

This was twinkling in the shrouded sunlight this morning. It looked like thousands of tiny crystals had been strung together to make a Christmas ornament.....

more about mary

The birth of Jesus was foretold many times in the Old Testament by the prophets of God.
The prophets spoke for God about the things that would happen at a time in the future.
All of the prophecies about the birth of Jesus were fulfilled just as they were written in God's word.

Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign; Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call His name Immanuel (which means God with us)."

I wrote about Mary a couple of days ago. Mary was chosen by God before the earth was formed to be the Mother of His Son Jesus Christ. Indeed she was a virgin, just like Isaiah foretold.

The point I want to make is that Mary, the favored one of God, was never meant to recieve the glory and honor that has been given to her in the last two thousand years.

Mary was a humble vessel that God chose to carry out His plan of redemption here on this earth.

Mary was completely human, just as we are. Yes she was given an amazing task.......to give birth to the Son of God, but she is not divine in any way.

Riding on that donkey into Bethlehem was painfully uncomfortable. Giving birth in an animal shelter was terrifying........no soft lights and music for her......nothing to ease the horrible pain. The stark reality was that Jesus was delivered on a bed of hay.

But when she held that tiny little baby in her arms that cold dark night, she was overcome with love and amazement and joy just like all of us mothers were at the birth of our children.

She knew her baby was born to die........what sadness she must have felt. When she wrapped Him tenderly in those swaddling cloths she knew their significance. Those were symbolic of the cloths that Jesus would be wrapped in after His death on the cross. (I learned this in the sermon on Sunday by the way).

Now Mary didn't move on from the manger and assume a high and exalted status. She kept on being Jesus' mother. She raised him and his brothers and sisters in her Jewish home with her husband Joseph.

We know almost nothing of Mary until Jesus started His earthly ministry at or around the age of thirty. She would then be the mother of her grown Son and she ministered to Him with the other women who walked the paths Him.

Mary saw her Son's death, burial, and resurrection probably not understanding the full magnitude of what had just happened.......no one would understand until the coming of the Holy Spirit some time later as recorded in the 2nd chapter of Acts.

From the cross Jesus uttered these words......

"When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, he said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son! Then He said to His disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that time the disciple (John) took her to His own home.

Mary was Jesus' mother, but she is not to be worshipped. The humble earthly mother of Jesus would have depised the exaltation that has be given to her. We worship God and His Son Jesus Christ and that is it......

O Worship the King..."

she is fully dressed

It took two weeks, but as of last night my tree is fully dressed. I wanted you to see her in all of her glory.

Aside from the slight lean to the left she looks pretty good.

One afternoon last week we all got together for the great straightening process. The tree was loosed from her holding screws and supposedly realigned from her leaning position.

With the ornaments shaking and falling David asked a perfectly legitimate question, "Aren't you supposed to do this before you decorate it?"

Okay wise guy, yes you are. We thought she was straight the first time, but she wasn't. Bubba was flat on the floor screwing and unscrewing these huge screws from the trunk of this tree while we were all laughing and making merry.

Finally we all agreed and said, "The tree is straight now........we are sure of it."

If you look closely at the picture you will see that she is still leaning slightly to the left. Evidently that is the way she wants it.

Oh Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree.............

Hope you are having a fun holiday, Cathy

thinking about mary

I've been thinking a lot about Mary.....you know, the earthly mother of Jesus.

Mary was a Jew. We know that she was very young at sixteen or seventeen years. She was engaged to be married to Joseph, also a Jew. We know that she was still a virgin.

They, like all young couples in love, were looking to spend the rest of their lives together, so it seems as if this very normal young lady was excitingly planning her future and living her life in the Jewish culture of the day.

If you are a woman, imagine yourself in Mary's place. We can well remember the giddiness and excitement of that time of our lives.

One very ordinary day that turned extrodinary, an angel came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you."

Can you fathom what you would do if that happened to you? The Bible says that Mary was

1. greatly troubled at what the angel had said to her and
2. that she tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be

The angel had very politely greeted her.
He told her that she was favored.
He told her that the Lord was with her.

I know I would be flat on the floor shaking and scared out of my mind. Angels just don't come and speak audibly to us very often.

After the angel greeted Mary, he said, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God."

Amazing! Here was this sinful child getting on with her life and this angel came and told her she had found favor with God. Incredible!

How did she find favor with God? Way back before the foundation of the world was set,God chose Mary to be the vessel through which Jesus would come into this world. She didn't ask God for this honor, she didn't seek it in anyway. God chose Mary and when He got ready to tell her, He did so.

The angel continues to give Mary God's message:

"And behold you will concieve in your womb and bear a son, and you will call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of his father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."

Mary only had one question in reply, "How will this be since I am a virgin?"

She recovered enough from her fear to ask one sensible question. Remember, the angel had told her already that the Lord was with her. The Holy Spirit had come to her and she was prepared to do what God would ask her to do. She just wanted to know how on earth it would happen because she had not "known" Joseph yet.

The angel answered her question:

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy----the Son of God................for nothing will be impossible with God."

You know what Mary said without hesitation?

"Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word."

Instant obedience......no more questions, no let me pray about it and get back to you, no let's wait until after the wedding.....none of that. "I AM YOUR SERVANT."

And the angel departed from her..........

to be continued.

thoroughly delightful it was

Bubba dropped me off at Lenox mall at 9:30 this morning....just me and my purse.

A whole day at my favorite mall....what a delight.
Christmas shopping was only one part of the fun of this day.

Several years ago some of my Atlanta friends introduced me to the Neiman Marcus Cafe.
Now I don't ever "shop" in Neimans's because it is ridiculously expensive and overly haughty.
But their cafe is a different story.

At about 10:30 this morning I started having one of my famous "sinking spells," and I knew I needed to eat soon. I bet you can guess where I went and I was there when they opened.

Noticing right away that they had expanded and redecorated, I surmised there would be new menus. Sure enough what I go there to eat had gone up three dollars.

I was drawn to the she-crab soup and that is what I ordered. Now I have to tell you, that was the most delicious crab soup that has ever made it's way into my mouth. Along with the hot pop-over served with fresh strawberry butter, I felt transported to realms of delight.

As you can see I love to eat and I love even more to stumble on something quite gourmet. Big lumps of fresh crab meat were abundantly floating around in my soup tureen.

Upon leaving I ordered one of their "everything" cookies for my next sinking spell which happens somewhere between two and three.

One of my favorite stores is "Shabby Chic." I just walk in that place and feel like I have come home. It is me, totally me. My other favorites are Bloomindales and Anthropology.

I like Bloomingdales because they have great sales and today was an additional 40% off of already marked down items, and then another 20%, and another 15%. I wish I could tell you what I was able to buy for such ridicoulous prices, but I would ruin someone's Christmas surprise.

We still believes in Santa, you know.....

Bubba found me at 2:30 at the Starbucks in the center of the mall eating my cookie and drinking an eggnog latte surrounded by shopping bags that I could no longer carry. What a nice way to end this fun day. Bubba took all those bags to the car and gave me one more hour to shop.

We arrived home at 8:00 with our heads full of beautiful Christmas music and very tired bodies, but oh, it was so much fun.

Maybe you can come with me one day.....c

posting from Atlanta

This morning we got up early and headed for our former home, Atlanta, Georgia.
It is always very exciting for me to have the opportunity to head west on I-16 and return.

The rain found us when we hit the outskirts of the city.............and it hasn't stopped since.

Of course the rain doesn't fall inside of Perimeter Mall and it didn't dampen my pleasure at all.
I came up to Christmas shop and that I did. I shopped until I grew tired and couldn't carry my packages anymore. I was going back tonight, but Bubba said I should rest so that I can shop again tomorrow. Nice man, huh?

So here I am writing this blog.

We are staying a Hampton Inn and they have those wonferfully comfy beds so I am looking forward to sleeping tonight.......I look forward to sleeping every night, but this is more fun.

I saw an Einstein bagel shop across the street just now as we were coming back to the hotel. Maybe we can go there for breakfast in the morning. I sure do like their bagels.

Tomorrow Bubba will drop me off at Lenox Mall and he will go to a Christmas party for the office where he worked before retirement........after stretching that out as long as I can, we will head for home.

It is good to get away if only for a couple of days.

I will tell Amanda that I got her gifts today. What a sale I ran into! Much off!!! I know that this will make her day.

Mark and Amanda's church in Lanexa is doing a drive thru nativity this week. It has been very successful and lots of fun.

I am celebrating that Jesus came to this earth as a tiny little baby just like the Bible says. I celebrate the coming of Jesus every day when I thank Him for my salvation. Let's celebrate together!!!!

i love you, c

the christmas goose

I have been trying to come up with my menu for Christmas dinner 2008.
When I looked out back just now I saw that the geese have stopped by again.
They were feasting in the backyard.
Then I had a great idea. I will have "goose" on that day!

What a clever idea.
Bubba will be in charge of the capture and the kill and the dressing of this bird.
In fact, he will have to be in charge of every aspect of this procedure.

I don't know why I hadn't thought of this sooner.

Enjoy your day, Cathy

my treasure Thou art

In the midst of the sufferings of this life I am reminded of God's love and I have hope.

Bubba is ordering me a book by John Calvin on suffering so that I can better understand what God wants me to learn through this trial with my family which is worsening with each passing day.

Suffering is a big part of a true believer's life. I want to do it well. I want to grow from it. May it not be endured in vain.

Help me by praying that God will bring glory to Himself through this situation

"Riches I heed not,
nor men's empty praise -
Thou my inheritence,
now and always;
Thou and Thou only,
first in my heart -
High King of Heaven,
My treasure Thou art."

from the fourth verse of the hymn "Be Thou My Vision."

HIGH KING OF HEAVEN, MY TREASURE THOU ART.

When God is your greatest treasure, you already have everything.

Praise God for letting me know Him....Cathy

lucy turns three

Three years ago Lucy was born.......two days later God, by His grace, gave her to us to love.

Lucy is articulate.......she can carry on quite a conversation with you.

Lucy bubbles over with enthusiasm about life.

Lucy is a reader.

Lucy never forgets to say thank you.

Lucy knows what happens when she is disobedient.

Lucy has two imaginary friends......Uniqua and Austin.

Lucy goes into Aunt Dottie's house and throws down her purse, right where I threw mine down a second earlier.

Lucy likes to eat fruit.......likes to eat at "the gorilla."

Lucy got a two-wheel bike with training wheels for her birthday today.

Lucy mounted the bike in her party dress like a pro.

Lucy's boo-boos disappear with a kiss.

Lucy is a stylish dresser.

Lucy wears Wal-Mart work boots with class and style.

Lucy is a good helper and will be at your side in your time of need.

Lucy is a whirlwind of excitement, kindness, and compassion. She loves her people fiercely.

She is fiercely loved right back.

Lucy is an amazing gift from God.....thank you for Lucy.

love, grammie

decorating the tree

Sorry about missing some days of blogging. I always have the desire to write, but sometimes the lights are turned out in my head due to tiredness.

I've mentioned before that I never know what I am going to write about until I sit down here at my desk and begin the process. When even then it doesn't come I know that it is time to be to rest.

Lucy and I had a day of shopping this morning. I picked her up, she grabbed her purse, and off we went. We didn't do a lot because I get tired of getting her in and out of the carseat. She is sleeping now, I hope...

We did stop at Hester and Zipperers to look for a planter. She and I enjoyed swinging in the big pine swing for a time and then we went inside where she grabbed my hand and said, "Grammie, it makes me so happy to be here with you." God only knows, sweet little child, how much I love being with you.

We searched diligently for the planter and I was about to give up hope, when there in the corner was just what I was looking for. It was upsidedown and filled with cobwebs, old looking in the way I like. I grabbed it up and asked lucy what she thought; "It's perfect grammie, let's get it."

I told the man at the check out that I wanted to buy it, but I didn't know how much it was.....I surmissed that it was very expensive. He looked at it and said, "You want that? I would never sell anything that looks like that! You can have it!" Music to my ears!

I came home with my prize.....very proud, very proud indeed. It will cradle my basil by the kitchen sink.

lots more to say.....cathy

fresh christmas tree

It smells wonderful....it is nine feet tall and it is beautiful to behold. I am so excited to have our tree in the house, in it's stand filled with water ready to be decorated.

Last year I didn't have a Christmas tree. We were moving back to Savannah from DC into the condo at the beach and Bubba said no.........so that makes this year even more exciting.

After it is all dressed up I will take another picture for you to see.

I have a hard time choosing my tree. Bubba kind of hurries me and I have to make my decision quickly. Immediately after I make the final decision I start to doubt myself and to think, "O, if I had just looked a little longer I would have found a better tree than this one."

Now that it is in the house and standing I am sure that it is the best tree I've ever had.

Bubba made sugar water and filled the receptacle that it stands in to the top. I hope it stays fresh and green for the whole month.

There is a little book that I dearly love......."The Life of God in the Soul of Man." It was written by a man named Henry Scougal in 1667. The depth of the knowledge of the truth about what God does in the heart of a true believer contained in this book changed my life.

Think about what Jesus did when he came to this earth and rejoice in this knowledge. Because of Jesus' birth, death, and resurrection, we who believe are given a new heart filled with the Spirit of God. We are made whole again, we are made righteous, we are accepted and adopted by God Himself to spend eternity with Him.

Celebrate Christmas? Yes
Enjoy the season? Yes

But......celebrate what Jesus did by coming to this earth every day of your life. It is the only thing that matters when your car runs off the road on a rainy Sunday night and hits a tree and you die instantly like an acquaintance of mine did last night.

Cathy

as we say good-bye to november

I have some very beautiful Christmas music playing in my house.
That music stirs my soul for the sights and sounds of Christmas.

Before we leave November behind I want to touch on thankfulness once again.
I write a portion of the Psalms out every morning (much to my delight) and I am amazed at how many verses are devoted to being thankful. Here is a small sampling..............

"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."

"Open to me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the Lord."

"I shall give thanks to Thee, for Thou hast answered me; and Thou hast become my salvation."

"Thou art my God, and I give thanks to Thee."

"Save us O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, to give thanks to Thy holy name."

"Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness, and for His wonders to the sons of men!"

When we examine in God's word who He is and what He has done for us, our response should be to fall down and worship Him and give thanks to His holy name every day for the whole of our lives.

Being faithful to give thanks in all things brings the good blessing of joy and peace in our hearts & minds.

My nap today was a three hour one. I finally crashed hard after all of the festivities of the holiday.

The boat parade last night was awesome. It was raining a little, but that didn't matter. After the parade there were fireworks, but they fizzled in the rain. Next year we want to decorate Frankie's boat and be in the parade. What do you think?

goodbye.....c

the day after the day after thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving Day was perfect.

After praying early that all would go well, we got off to a fast start and didn't stop until we fell into bed that evening.

We think that this was the best turkey we have ever fried. Bubba dropped her into the boiling vat of peanut oil at about 8:00am and she was golden done by 9:30 am.

The best part of the morning was when Frankie came to drop his turkey into the vat. At the same time Bubba got my skewers and started dropping lengths of fresh sausage into the oil to fry. When Frankie's turkey was done he invited everyone out to do a "turkey picking."

If you have never dug into a turkey straight out of the vat, you have really missed something.
The crispies are the best part to me. The sausage was amazing cooked that way.

Let me explain....Frankie is my brother. He and his family were not at our gathering this year, but he wanted to take advantage of our oil to fry him a turkey to take home and eat as leftovers.
He was kind enough to let us partake and he named his turkey the pre-bird.

Of course all of us who partook of the pre-bird and the fried sausage were not as hungry when it came time to have the dinner, but that's okay, it was so worth it. And the leftovers have been so good.

We all lingered over dinner, laughed a lot, and then had coffee and desert. The festivities didn't end until almost five o'clock and our dinner was at one.

Things I'm thankful for right now:

God in my heart
my family
raindrops
good food
Rita's rum cake (we finished the last of it at lunch today)
looking forward to Christmas
a nap that I am getting ready to take
a warm day

We are going to the other side of the river tonight to see the boats parade on the water all decorated for Christmas with lights and sparkly things. They have closed part of Broughton Street and have made an ice skating area. I can't wait to see all of this.

Because the frying party was so much fun, Bubba wants to have a gathering where we get the oil really hot and start frying what we want....maybe chicken, chicken wings, sausage, bacon, (mitch said that bacon was delicious done this way) shrimp, and on you could go. We'll have to see.

Blessings everyone from me....

what happens when we're not thankful?

God, through His inspired writers, has a lot to say about being thankful in His word.

He says to "be thankful in all things."
He doesn't just suggest the above, He commands it.

Why?

Because God knows that the Christian life will be difficult and that we need all the help we can get. To be thankful is to be content in Him.....to agree with Him about His will for us.

The opposite of being thankful in all things is to grumble and complain about what God is doing in our lives.

Being unthankful makes us bitter, it makes us forget to show love to those around us, it makes us ugly inside and out. Being unthankful drives people away.

I am going through the most difficult time in my life right now, but I am thankful in it. I know that God is working in my life and in the lives of those involved. Every morning before I start my day I must read God's word and pray................

Psalm 16:8 "I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand I will not be shaken."

Without this I fail......I literally have to stop dead still in my day and remind myself of this verse.

Things not going your way? Stop and be thankful for all of your blessings instead of fighting against God. I have heard someone say many times, "Where is God? Where is God in this?" He is right there but you can't see Him because you won't accept His way in Your life.

Never be too busy to be an encourager.....you never know who needs you.....c

thanksgiving in savannah

In the grand Thanksgiving tradition of the deep south, there will be blue and white hydrangeas on the formal table in the main dining room. Sitting on a white linen tablecloth surrounded by ivory bone china, crystal goblets, and sterling silver utensils, the flowers will be the centerpiece around which all else entails.

The casual dining room will be set around an antique green pot of scented rosemary, a favorite of the hostess. The festive colors of fall will be evident in the rustic pottery plates, serving pieces, and napkins that adorn this table. Pictured is my new Thanksgiving tablecloth which is sure to be a favorite of the younger set.

(I love this I guess you can tell.)

The appetizer will be a baked apple, raspberry, walnut brie served with french rounds.

The big turkey that I mentioned in an earlier posting will be dressed and seasoned by the host with a secret recipe of herbs and spices and fine white wine. Accompanying the turkey will be:

Broccoli salad

Cranberry salad with orange sauce

Cornbread dressing

Green beans

Sweet potato casserole

Hash brown casserole

Squash casserole

Fresh dinner rolls

Coconut cake and Rita's yummy rum cake will be served with coffee as the afternoon evolves.

We will start gathering at 12:30 and dinner will be served about 1:00 or after the appetizer has been enjoyed by all.

Very thankful, cathy

lucy in amanda's dress

She spent the night with us last night.
She and I sat in the big chair under a blanket and watched Winnie the Pooh.
She moved her chair close to mine so we could eat breakfast together. (literally)
She took her bath in grammie's big tub this morning.
She wore amanda's dress to church. (Amanda wore this dress when she was little)
I had to chase her to get this picture.
Thank you God for this precious child to love.

Getting ready for a large feast in one's home involves a lot of preparation.

While in Wal Mart on Friday I made an impulse buy....a Shark steam-cleaner for the floor. Erika put that thing together and steam-cleaned all of the hardwood floors for me yesterday. She also vacumned the stairs going up to the "man cave." What a nice thing to do! I am thankful for you.

Tonight I have poured over my recipes for all of the things that go with a Thanksgiving feast.
Bubba, who does most of the grocery shopping nowadays will bring home the things I have written down. He also chops onion and celery like a pro. On top of that he will fry up the big turkey and cook up a big pot of turnip greens and ribs. All of this will be done on outside cookers.

I have ironed the table linens and dusted the furniture and have cleaned the bathrooms so that all guests will think I keep my house this clean and orderly all of the time.

Wednesday I will cook all day and have my casseroles ready to slip in the oven on Thursday morning.

I think Thanksgiving is a labor of love and I am thankful to be back with my family in Savannah in a house that will accomodate anyone who would like to come.

It is our joy to open our home....may God bless all who enter to share our fellowship and blessings.

Thanking God in everything.....Cathy

"baby it's cold outside"

What is this? Do we live at the North Pole? The wind is freezing. We were going to the beach this afternoon, but we decided to cancel.

This will be a short blog.....I just had to tell my exciting news. Erika found an article this morning in the Savannah paper online that said PF Changs is coming to Savannh. Can you believe our good fortune?

A large residential and commercial venture is being built downtown on the river and Changs as well as William Sonoma have already signed leases to build there.

It is so true, "Good things come to those who wait."

love, c

she's a big one

We bought our turkey to fry today. She weighed in at twenty-two pounds and counting.
She is a big, bouncing Butterball. My taste buds are already craving the taste.

I am starting to plan and prepare for this Thanksgiving. The number of guests keep changing, but that is okay. There will be plenty of food for everyone. If fact, if you don't have a place to go, come eat with us.

Yesterday I went to Jacksonville, Florida with David, Erika, and Lucy. Bubba stayed home and kept Harry. We went to shop and to eat at PF Changs. The truth is that their are some of us who can only go so long before we have to have their food. We have all been PFC deprived since we moved back to Savannah.

We ate outside and went ahead and ordered everything we love:

crab wontons with plum sauce
spring rolls
crispy fried noodles with sweet and sour sauce
garlic noodles
kung fu shrimp
spicy chicken
brown rice
and yes, the fortune cookies

Here is mine....."every person is the architect of his or her own fortune." This is not true as God is the one who ordains and orchestrates our lives. Fortune cookies are fun, but rarely reliable.

Oh my goodness, it was so good. I will not want it again for a while, but when I do it is only 2 1/2 hours away.

The shopping area was wonderful. On the way home Lucy conked out and when she woke up we sang nursery rhymes all the way back to Savannah.

I want everyone to be working on their thankful list all the way up to Thanksgiving. Of course we should do this every day of our lives, but Thanksgiving is a special time to start a list.

And if you will, let me know what you are thankful for...........

Give thanks with a grateful heart. Everything we have comes from God.

Cathy

a fire in the fireplace

One of the loves of my life is a fire in the fireplace. I made that desire come true tonight.

This house has no natural gas coming to it so the fireplace has sat empty since we moved in last March. Now that it has gotten so cold and dark, I have been longing for the warmth of a cozy fire.

Today I started thinking seriously about what I could do to make that happen. Suddenly I thought, fireplace logs. Hooray!

I got myself over to the nearest Wal Mart and purchased a whole box of three. After dinner I got one out and read the instructions, but not before I had ripped open the packaging and handled the greasy mess that it was.

Then I read the instructions that said I was to put the log on the grate in the package and light the seam. Oh well.....too late for that piece of info to do me any good. I did rewrap the log and light the seam which soon resulted in the glorious picture that you see above.

There it is in all of its glory;

giving off its soft glow
flickering on the wall
offering warmth on a very cold night

Okay...I know it is not the real thing.

But I will say this, It is better than nothing.

I've looked ahead to see that this Thanksgiving will be cold and you can know for sure that several of these will be burned on that wonderful day. Family, good food, and a fire to gather around. It doesn't get any better than that.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Very thankful, Cathy

first freeze

I cut these Gerbers just a little while ago. They will be the last of the season.
Bubba bungeed a box (how about that alliteration?) on top of them but we will see if they survive.

Tonight it is predicted to be 24 degrees......too cold - too soon.

We arrived home from Virginia at about 4:00 yesterday afternoon. We stopped at our favorite Maurice's Bar-b-que and picked up a pound of ribs to have for dinner last night. They were yummy good as is everything else they serve.

I am receiving lots of e-mails telling me to be careful "out there." They say that crime is getting worse and that we are "not safe anywhere."

I refuse to live with that kind of mentality.

This world that we live in is and has always been ruled by Satan himself. All of the evil that has ever transpired has been a result of sin. Murder and robbery and the such is as old as mankind and has always existed.

We must be wise.....vigilant to pay attention to what goes on around us. We must be careful where we go and when we go to certain places. We must continue to take all of the precautions we have always taken to keep ourselves and those we love safe.

But to live in fear is against the principals of the Bible:

I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8

The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe. Proverbs 29:25

It looks like Mark and Amanda will recoup almost everything they lost Friday night because they have renter's insurance and the things that were stolen were deemed to be household items.

David and Erika will not get their navigation system replaced.

It is amazing at times like these how thankful we become that the things that were lost were just things. It is frustrating, it is a violation against your self when someone goes into your vehicle or your home and is among your possessions, but we can overcome by thinking God's thoughts about the situation.

Amanda's Bible was in the bag with her computer and was stolen. That very night she prayed that the robbers would somehow be convicted to read God's word and that it would cause a change in their hearts.

She also told me that it was so good that she and Mark were at a biblical counseling conference with about twelve other people from their church. Such an amazing opportunity to act rightly in a very tough situation!

No one can take away from us that which is most important and that would be our future life with Christ in heaven.

See to your eternal soul today "while it is still day." Cathy

somewhere.......

Somewhere beyond the sea,
Somewhere waiting for me,
My lover stands on golden sands
And watches the ships that go sailing......

Its far beyond the stars,
Its near beyond the moon,
I know beyond a doubt,
My heart will lead me there soon.

Yesterday, on one of our car rides, Jake, in the backseat started belting out this song in the clearest, sweetest voice I have ever heard.

I turned around in amazement and he asked me to join him in song. I told him that I didn't know all of the lyrics. Today I looked them up so that we can sing together.

This is a fitting song for a grammie and her grandson to sing together because we both love the beach and the night sky so much.

Jake and Eli have the stars and the moon on their ceiling that we ouh and ah over every night at bedtime.

The magic is seeing it all again through the eyes of a child. I wouldn't miss this for the world!!!

grammie

Hi Lucy and Harry................I miss you!

sleep little baby.......

We took the boys over to Newport News this morning to go to Sam's. It was about forty-five minutes from Lanexa. I told Bubba that Eli would probably fall asleep on the way home.

This is a dreaded happening because it ruins the much coveted, long, afternoon nap that most babies take. This two hour span gives the adult in charge time to catch a breath before they wake up and it starts all over again.

Well, Eli did exactly what I predicted......he drifted off to dreamland. There is nothing one can do to stop this from happening. You can sing, and clap, and stand on your head saying nursery rhymns, but in the split of a second they are out like a light.

We made a quick plan (this never works) but we made it anyway. " Bubba, you gently extract him from his carseat and I will unlock the door. You take him upstairs and lay him ever so carefully in his crib without removing his shoes or his sweater." And then you hope like there's no tomorrow that the plan will work.

It doesn't.

He stays happily in his bed for a short while and then starts crying to "GET UP." Bubba appears, takes him downstairs, and tells me to rest.

Things finally quiet down after about 30 minutes. Bubba has gotten him to lie down on the sofa by him and he is finally drifting off......HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN!

About that time it sounds like the back of the house is being beaten down. It is the UPS man delivering about 100 boxes for the church which is closed on Friday afternoon.

Bubba, who is also just drifting off comes off of that sofa like a shot and Eli is wide awake again.

I go get the little fella who is fit to be tied, put him back in his crib, but no sleep comes. Finally, I bring him to my bed, cover him with a down feather comfoter put my hand on his back, and watch him fall asleep.

What a joy to witness those big blue eyes get heavy and close. I love him so....

Amanda just called from Pennsylvania......someone broke into their van while they were in a session and stole everything they had....both computers, the boys two DVD players, and bags full of merchandise from Macys that Amanda had bought for her E-bay business. Every picture she has ever taken of Eli was on that computer and they are all gone. David had called earlier to tell us that someone had stolen their GPS system.

It makes one angry and sad.

just a little bit

We have survived our first day.
"Finding Nemo" has been silenced.
Eli has been given penicillin, advil, and eardrops.
Jake took his eight-minute breathing treatment.
I forgot to brush their teeth.
Bubba has collaspsed on the sofa.
And I have come to my blog.

I need to write "just a little bit."
I always feel that I disappoint my readers if I go for days without posting.

Jake is learning the children's catechism.
Hearing these in a child's voice warms my heart:

Jake, who made you? God made me.
What else did God make? God made everything.
Why did God make you and everything else? God made me and everything for His own glory.

That's the beginning of wisdom, folks.

I love you.....c

brilliant blue

Good morning to all who read......I pray this will be a wonderful day for everyone.

We are going back to Virginia today to keep Jake and Eli while Amanda and Mark go to a conference.

I leave you with the colors of fall in the picture above. God does wonders, doesn't He?

Adios.....cathy

It hurts....it really hurts

The situation with my family is so sad.

My insides have literally hurt for the last few hours. I usually do so well with controlling my thoughts, (in Christ of course) but sometimes I lose my battle. You would have found me today on the floor begging God to have mercy on my sinful self for my thoughts of despair.

The sermons of the last few months have been life-saving for me. Listen to this:

"I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I will not be shaken. Psalm 16:8

If I set the Lord continually before my face with scripture and prayer and good books and meditation on the promises of God, I do well. My thoughts are stayed on Christ and in Him there is no despairing. I stand firm trusting that God is fully in control of this situation with my family and will deal with it in his way and timing.

But if I ever let my thoughts on the subject take over I am doomed. Satan takes His opportunity to fill my head with his kind of thinking.

I know now to go straight to my knees to beg for mercy. I cannot wait and give the thoughts time to fester. I, in my own strength, cannot win this battle. God's power in me is what sees me through.

There is a promise in the next verse:

"Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope." (vs. 9)

In the gravest of circumstances we must always have hope. Without hope we shrivel up and die.

If we set the Lord always before us, we will rest in hope. I can lay my head on my pillow tonight and go to sleep with hope that one day all of this will be over. It is a nightmare, but I can sleep with hope.

It may not be over until I get to heaven, but I KNOW then it will be over.

I would ask for prayer tonight for my family.

thanks, cathy

this is the 450th time i have posted

Before the thunderstorm a month or so ago this was a thriving oak tree. It was outside of Nana's house in Savannah.

This is what is left of that tree. Lightening struck it and split it down the middle. This week the rest of the tree will be disassembled and the stump will be taken out of the ground. It will be as if it were never there lending shade and comfort to the area.

I always feel bad when a tree comes down. They are so majestic and so beautiful. They grow for a such long time. I love how you can know the age of a tree by counting its rings. A tree is God's creation. No man can make a tree.

At Nana's old house there was a tree that supposedly was a resting place for Sherman's army as he made his way through our lovely town.

One day a giant limb from that tree came through the roof and right down into the living room of her house.

Savannah, Georgia, is known for her oak trees. They are legendary in this city. They grow profusely and they get quite large. Moss grows in them and hangs down to give the town that old southern charm. They make canopies over our streets, they make the ground sparkle when the sun shines down through their leaves. In the parks and squares downtown they are proudly on display.

Trees have inspired poems. Lovers have carved their initials on trees as they pledge their love beneath their swaying branches. Many a picnic lunch has been consumed under the cool shade of their leaves.

Farewell, sweet oak, we will sadly miss you.

cathy

happy birthday aunt louise

The party was today.

We've been looking forward to it for quite a while.

We all turned out to celebrate Lousie Futrelle's 88th year and the year that all of us girls turned sixty.

Lou and I brought our granddaughters to the celebration.

Anna took great care of little Lucy and Lucy gladly let her.

What a wonderful time we all had.

Aunt Louise has been in my life since my childhood. She is grace and dignity personified. She is still tall and beautiful and she appreciates a good meal and good fellowship with those who love her. She was the best friend to my mom and my mom loved her so much.

Thank you Loucinda and Wally for hosting us and for being so kind. Anna, I am so glad to finally meet you.

The reunion was wonderful. Let's do it again soon. Time is precious now....isn't it.

I Love you all, Cathy

a mystery waiting to be written

I found this very interesting tombstone at a tiny little cemetary at Tybee today.

All three of these souls are buried in the same grave. Were they male or female?

They all had the same last name so probably they were related.

What happened to cause their death?

How old were they when they died? Everything about these Rotureaus is a mystery.

All we know about them is that they were alive and they washed ashore on Tybee Island in 1876.

Someone cared enough to give them a proper burial and put their names on a tombstone so that my imagination could be sparked.

I think I have found the material for my first novel.

c

off to the beach

Lucy sitting high up in a tree.

It's been a hard week for a lot of us, so we are going to the beach for a picnic, bike riding, beach walking, and playground time.

I just made potato salad and we will get chicken fingers from Spankys.

The weather is gorgeous......absolutely breathtaking.

We will be looking for more treasures on the beach.

That is what keeps me going....."something new and exciting to look forward to every day."

God provides the "good things." They are there for us to partake of if we will.

Check back tonight and I will tell you how it went.

c

not knowing what He ordaineth

The future has always been unknown to us. God ordained human life to be that way.

He gives grace for today only. He wants us to trust Him for what lies ahead.

I know that there were millions of people praying for a different outcome to this election. God in His wisdom chose not to answer in the way that seemed right to us.

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Proverbs 14:12

God's plan from the foundation of the world is continuing on as it has from the beginning. What happened on Tuesday is part of His unfolding of the future leading to the time when Jesus will return and set all things right again.

"He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand." Daniel 4:35

God is sovereign over all things. That means that God is God in fact, as well as in name, that He is on the throne of the universe, directing all things, working all things, "after the counsel of His own will." Ephesians 1:11

This, dear friends, is what we believe about God and therefore we rest in Him. We don't worry about the future because we are in His watchful care as members of His family through the shed blood of Jesus Christ His Son and our Savior.

What are we to do? We are to pray.

"First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior." I Timothy 2: 1-3

We must pray without ceasing for President-elect Obama, his family, his cabinet, and all who will surround him. Why? Because that is what God commands us to do.

This is still my prayer:

"Save us for the sake of your name, O God, that You might make your power known." Psalm 106:8

I pray that He will bring about a mighty reawakening in the hearts and minds of the people of this nation and that this will happen because we have been obedient to trust God and to pray.

It's going to be migthy interesting to see what the Lord is going to do!!!!!

two bad days.........

I have been trying to get a colonoscopy done for years. Every time, as the calendar inched closer to the set date, I would call the office and cancel.

Once I turned sixty, the doctors started hounding me....."Cathy, you need to get this done." I even tried to cancel the one set for today, but they wouldn't let me. So I said to myself, You, silly girl, can do this.

Yesterday was my preparation day and it was also election day. We were at the polls before seven and waited in line for two hours to vote. By the time we got home it was time to "drink the juice" and become good friends with the "potty chair."

I was a good girl too. All I had in the way of nourishment was some orange Gatorade.

Last night when it became evident that McCain was not going to win I told Bubba, " I am going to bed. I am too hungry and miserable to be awake. These election results are depressing." So off I went.

I got up at 4:00 AM this morning, came to my computer, and saw the results.....not good.

I was at my appointment ahead of time
They called me back
They did their prep work
They rolled me back
They put me out like a light

When I came to I was out in recovery being told that they were not able to do the procedure. They tried twice, but my heart rate dropped dangerously low.

So...............I went through everything and didn't get my colonoscopy done. I've been sleeping it off all afternoon.

They want me to go to the hospital in a couple of weeks and drink two ounces of castor oil and have an x-ray made. Just between you and me, I can't see that ever happening. Notice the change in the amount of castor oil. I heard 2 cups in my la la land state.

All of this and our man didn't win.

Two bad days.......but getting better. Murmuring and grumbling and complaining doesn't help a bit. I have things to do and places to be.....

God is still in control and that is all that matters!

Don't let this keep you from getting "the test."

Cathy

to think about

Tomorrow is Election Day for those of us who are honored and blessed to be citizens of this the United States of America.

We have all partook of the goodness of the Lord to have lived our lives in this nation, to be free from oppression......to have the opportunity to live our lives as we choose, to be as successful as our own circumstances will let us be.

From the beginning our country has been guided and governed by the principles set forth in the word of God. We have been free to worship God as we choose with no fear of death or disaster in doing so.

Everything has been good and easy and in this ease we have been lulled to complacency. We have come to take all that we have for granted.....we have developed a certain smugness in our self-satisfied condition, and in the meantime, things have changed.

We are face to face today with the reality that tomorrow everything that we have worked for and fought for, and taken for granted, and believed in could be taken away.

The passive and subtle removal of God from every venue in our land is almost complete. Even the churches are dead and dying because men who preach God's word are afraid they may offend.

Truth is avoided at all cost as the "LIE" flourishes.

We must as believers be prepared for what lies ahead. I have prayed diligently that the Lord will have mercy on this land, but God will not contend with us forever.

This is my prayer for tomorrow:

"Save us for the sake of your name, that You might make Your power known."Psalm 106:8

I pray for a mighty display of the glory of the Lord and His power tomorrow. Praise His holy name!!

writer's block

This is one of the photos we took while Amanda was here. We were on our way to church in the picture above. Jake and Eli did not want to be corralled into a session and would not look at the camera. So much for family portraits......

This early darkness has taken away my ability to put two sentences together that make sense. In view of this fact, I am going to quit trying for the moment.

I am just tired and I think I will go to bed to read.

I will, God willing, pull it together again soon.....tomorrow is another day.

Cathyc

a puppy and a kitty

Lucy and I spent some time sitting on the front stoop to give out candy to Halloween trick or treaters. None came so we closed up shop and came inside to get ready for bed......Harry was long gone. I let her have one of the blow pops while we were waiting. You can see by the picture how happy that made her.

Lucy and I watched "Finding Nemo" after supper......such a good movie.

I am very tired tonight......going to bed now......at 8:00. Just wanted to say Happy Halloween with these pictures.

cathy

"God laughs"

Psalm 2: 1 -4

Why are the nations in an uproar, and the peoples devising a vain thing?
The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed;
"Let us tear their fetters apart, and cast away their cords from us!"
He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them.

In the big scheme of things, God finds what is going on in our nation very amusing. The Bible tells us that God laughs as the nations rage.

God is in ultimate control of everything that happens on this earth...............Satan rules, but God is in control. His laughter is a righteous anger and derision, it is Him ridiculing those who would be so bold as to set themselves up as gods with great power and authority over Him.

In the coming days we should make our ways to the polls to cast our vote for the next president of the United States. We as Christians are duty bound to be discerning as we exercise this privilege. Scripture commands us to "be subject to the governing authorities."

Romans 13:1 "Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God."

We must decide who would be the best leader of our country.
A lot of important, weighty matters hinge on this election.

Dig deep
Search for the truth
Vote wisely
As Jake says while pointing to his head, "Think! Think! Think!"

In view of all of this my vote will go to Senator McCain.

mickey mouse and the horse

It's Halloween again and I will reveal the costumes chosen for a certain few little ones that are dear to my heart.

First of all there is Eli, disguised as the ever famous Mickey Mouse. Eli loves Mickey and sleeps with him every night. He also is a faithful watcher of the Mickey Mouse show.

What else for him to appear as this year but Mickey Mouse himself.

He begs to wear this costume and preens when he is in it.....standing at the mirror and gazing at himself for long periods of time. The perfect Halloween costume.

Jake, on the other hand, loathes his costume and the picture above proves it. Amanda and I found the horse costume at Target and could not bear to leave it in the store.

When we arrived home and showed it to Jake he started crying and refusing to put it on. We finally convinced him with lots of neighing and galloping around the house, but he was never happy.

We did get him in it, but he refused to hold onto the reigns making the horse's head hang limply at it's side.

It went off with them in the van this morning in a bag. Jake told his momma on the trip that he was sure his daddy would say he didn't have to wear it. We'll see what happens.

I kind of see it as an "albatross" around his neck. Amanda sees it differently......she says the costumes are for our amusement. If that is the case it sure worked. We belly laughed for quite a while.

lol....cac

some pictures from the farm

I am tired and sad tonight. My little boys and Amanda are going home tomorrow.

Jake just told me he loved me and said, "I'll see you in the morning."

I love being around Amanda because she keeps me in stiches of laughter all the time.

Eli is so amazing as he is learning to communicate. He makes my heart so glad.

Just one question:

Why do the people I love have to live so far away???? I guess it just makes the time we do have together so much more precious.

c

a special birthday

Yesterday we were entertained at the First City Club in honor of the 80th birthday of Mr. Irvin Deal. Irvin is Estelle's husband in case you didn't know. Mitch and Rita were our gracious hosts.

In a lovely setting next to Johnson Square in beautiful downtown Savannah, we dined on a delicious array of southern comfort food. Fried chicken and ham, macaroni and cheese, collard greens and biscuits with southern jelly, and a tossed salad completed our entree.

Sweet tea with lemon and steaming mugs of hot coffee and a large birthday cake rounded out an afternoon of fun, fellowship, and good food.

The guest of honor and his lovely wife were dressed in matching colors, but said they did not coordinate on purpose. As you can see in the photo above, they looked mighty spiffy.

Many turned out to offer well wishes to Mr. Irvin who seemed to be enjoying the festivities immensely. We were all most impressed that he blew out his large "80" candle on the first try.

Birthdays are special celebrations. We were all glad to be a part of this one.

Thanks to Amanda for staying home and babysitting our four grandchildren.

Again....many more Irvin!

Cathy

in the bushes

This is our newest game. After we eat supper, we go out back and play "in the bushes." Grammy has to be a part of this game.

Lucy and Jake run and hide in the bushes by our house and I have to go and find them. They are always very obvious, but I have to pretend that I don't see their sweet faces grinning from ear to ear. They become ecstatic when I finally spot them. This game goes on and on until I drop from exhaustion.

The evening meal for Jake is always spaghetti. The first day he arrives, granddaddy makes a big pot of this tasty dish. He eats it every night he is here without fail. He never tires of it and he downs it in a flash. The clean-up of him, his clothes, his seat, the table, and the floor is extensive. Then he asks for a sippy cup of chocolate milk. What a mixture.

Bedtime is 8:00 sharp. There is a routine of potty chairing, teeth brushing, medicine taking, bath and hair washing, in a tub filled with bubbles and lots of various kind of fish. Then he gets read to. Right now it is the book "At the Beach" that has caught his fancy. It must be read two or three times at least.

After the prayer and the last kiss goodnight and his sweet "I love you" grammy and granddaddy, we turn out the light and do a little jig.

My body groans with tiredness. It begs for relaxation....I'm in bed before nine and sound asleep soon thereafter. What is amazing, though, is that in the morning I am ready to start it all over again.

All you have to say is "I love you" and I am yours forever.

Sweet dreams little man, I love you too.......grammy

after the storms

I spent some time on the beach today while Lucy, and Jake, and Bubba were napping.

Much to my surprise I found that the beach was in the process of being renourished.

Every year the storms take a toll on the beach and wash much of the sand out to sea. Huge machinery comes and sets up shop on the beach to funnel this sand back up onto the shore.

All of the entrances to the beach from our condo were blocked off and I had to lug my chair and my book a long distance just to find a place to set up camp. Soon I found myself walking on the little bit of beach that was left because of high tide.

Much to my delight each mammoth wave was delivering up beautiful, whole conch shells, star fish, and other interesting items. In one of the pictures above you can see a sampling of my treasures.

Lucy is spending the night with Jake tonight. We spent a good bit on time after dinner skipping stones into the pond behind our house. Both of them have a right fair pitching arm.

Several thoughts on Jake's "Royal Potty." It plays music when a deposit is made. It goes everywhere we go. Sometimes it plays music when no one is near it. Lucy has taken a liking to it. Granddaddy is the one who ends up carrying it.................they love it and they use it. That's what counts.

Grammy is tired tonight.....very tired. I'm going to bed right now. I'll clean up the toys in the morning.

night, night......g

fall is finally in savannah

I put it off as long as I could but I can put it off any longer. Fall has finally come to Savannah.

With lows in the forties and highs in the mid-seventies it is as delightful as can be.

Genesis 1:14 "Then God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years."

How can anyone deny the existence of God when they look at the order of His creation? I praise Him tonight for the beauty of His handiwork...

the fall flowers

the beautiful changing colors of the leaves on the trees

the brilliant blue sky

the angle and brightness of the sun

the crispness of the air

He, the Lord God who made the Universe, is too awesome for us to comprehend. All we can do is fall down in amazement before Him.

We took a walk just now.....Erika and I with three babies in a wagon. Two spilled out and then there was one left riding.....Harry, who kept wanting to ride standing up. I marvel at the work of God these little ones are. They are sponges for knowledge. They soak up everything they hear and see. What a privilege it is for me to walk through this life with them.

Jake is spending the week with us. Tomorrow we are picking up Lucy and heading for the beach. We will play in the sand and on the playground for hours on end. Warm sand and sun and a heated swimming pool. Should be a nice day.

May your sweet fall days be blessed as well.

God wants us to enjoy these lives that we have in Christ.

By the way, does anyone know when we "fall back?"

Cathy

ps This is a lovely little country church that we passed somewhere in NC. It was tastefully decorated for fall. Bubba stopped so that I could snap a few pics. I have lots of pictures of churches in my home.

You know.....steeples give glory to God as they point toward heaven.