o no

Today was house cleaning day for me. I am very slow as there are so many other things more fascinating for me to do than clean toilets.

Don't get me wrong, keeping my house neat and clean is a real honor. It is a woman's joy to be a "worker at home."

I am still unpacking and placing my things here and there. This is one of my distractions; I can move a single thing around twenty times before I decide where I want it to be. An hour later I remember that I should be cleaning the bathroom.

Another great distraction when I am home is the computer. I am always going back to check and see if anyone loves me enough to send an e-mail. I am rewarded occassionally and that keeps me coming back for more.

Also I get distracted by wanting to be outside....it is so beautiful. Today was a lovely mixture of cool temps and bright sunshine. I can soak up some rays for a while and not even get hot.

All of this to say this; I was taking the bathroom rugs out back to shake them and let them lay in the sun for a while. As soon as I stepped out of the back door I had quite a start. I saw what you see in the picture above..................

That black snake that I thought was "dead in the middle of the road" was stretched out right to the left of the steps.

I thought, "Now this is the last straw. We will have to move."

Upon closer inspection I found that Bubba had bought a new black hose and had stretched it around back to water his flowers.

Thankfully I recovered enough to shake, shake, shake my rugs and leave them out to sun.

Yesterday as I ate my lunch on the porch, I watched a smallish lizard lay on the rim of a large flowerpot. I didn't take my sandwich and move inside.....I just kept watching him and thinking. I am going to overcome this fear. It is totally irrational.

I was hoping that none of them had found my porch yet, but my hoping was in vain. They have moved in and they are here to stay.

Here is my new lizard mantra....God made them, they won't hurt me, they eat bugs, lizards are good.

I hope this works.....
love you....c

earth & heaven

I love this poem.......I don't know who wrote it. May it bring comfort and hope to you tonight.

O Lord,
I live here as a fish in a vessel of water,
only enough to keep me alive,
but in Heaven I shall swim in the vast ocean.

Here I have a little air to keep me breathing,
but there I shall have sweet and fresh gales:

Here I have a beam of sun to lighten my darkness,
a warm ray to keep me from freezing;
yonder I shall live in light and warmth forever.

My natural desires are corrupt and misguided,
and it is Thy mercy to destroy them;
My spiritual longings are of Thy planting,
and Thou wilt water and increase them;
Quicken my hunger and thrist after the realm above.

Here I can have the world,
there I shall have Thee in Christ.

Here is a life of longing and prayer,
there is assurance without suspicion,
asking without refusal.

Here are gross comforts, more burden than benefit,
there is joy without sorrow,
love without inconstancy,
rest without weariness.

Give me to know that heaven is all love,
where the continual viewing of the beauty keeps the soul in continual transports of delight.

Give me to know that heaven is all peace, where
error
pride
rebellion
passion
raise no head.

Give me to know that heaven is all joy, the end of
believing
fasting
praying
mourning
humbling
watching
fearing
repining;

And lead me to it soon.

Please pray for our children tonight......both families went through some trying ordeals today.
Pray that they would trust God to give them comfort, peace, and confidence in the days ahead. I am amazed and thankful when I observe their maturity and emotional stabilty in some really tough circumstances.

To God be the glory great things He has done.

dead in the middle of the road

I'm sure all of you who read regularly remember the black snake that had coiled himself around the bulrushes in our backyard. Many believe that he was a water moccassin and I concur with that observation.

Ever since that day I have been a little uneasy.......carefully looking where I step when I am outside and even inside. Bubba has regularly gone down to the water's edge to catch a glimpse, but the serpent has never revealed himself to us again.

Yesterday Bubba spotted him....dead in the middle of the road.

Last week they cleared the land one lot over to begin construction on a new home. I think that his home must have been displaced and he was trying to move to a new residence when he was cut down in the prime of his life.

I am so thankful. I just know that he was the only bad snake out here and now he is gone and I don't have to worry anymore.

No more glancing in the toilet before I sit down. No more trepidation while cutting back bushes in the yard. No more fear that he will come slithering by while I'm sitting on the back porch.

Hurray.........all fear is gone.

I did see two lizards playing on the side of the house yesterday that made my blood run cold, but at least the snake is gone.

On a very high note.....Amanda was surprised this morning by walking into the living room to find little Eli standing by the ottoman. All of a sudden he is coming into his own. Amanda called me very early to tell me the good news. We rejoice in this answered prayer.

The therapist will continue to work on his left hand where most of the weakness exists.

For Mark and Amanda and David and Erika and all of you parents of sons:

"Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart." Prov. 29:17

I think this probably applies to Lucy as well.

explaining my goal

I haven't been able to get the comment yesterday to "see my previously written post" off of my mind. I went to bed with it last night and it was right there this morning when I awoke. By writing I open myself up to scrutiny and that is a good thing.

I would pray that those who are much wiser than I would hold me accountable when I err in the great doctrines of the Bible or when they see me by my words contradicting something that I had previously written. That is what Christians and friends do for one another and for that I am very thankful.

My life is sort of laid bare by my own choosing.....I share because I have been through a lot of hard "stuff" and I want to pass on what I've learned.

I do not see myself as an authority on anything. My desire from post one was to glorify God with my writing. My goal has always been to point others to God's word as the authority......to share my joy in the Scriptures and how it has ministered to me over the years.

The Bible instucts me with these verses:

Titus 2:3-5 "Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sober, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored."

I was trying to share some of the things that help me and those around me when I don't feel so good....that was the reason I wrote the last blog....not to elicit any sympathy or call attention to myself.

Some women (and men) thrive on talking about their maladies and anything else that displeases them. They are desperate to bring attention to themselves in anyway they can. We have all engaged in some of this activity in our lives, but we should strive as Christians to glorify God and to think more highly of others than we do ourselves.

Not giving ourselves over to our emotions is a very difficult thing to learn, but God in His mercy will help us if we cry out to Him.

" A sober minded woman is a woman who thinks before she speaks and reasons before she acts. She knows when she is being drug around by her emotions and she knows how to check them. When difficult circumstances arise she will be striving to keep herself and her emotions under control and not letting her circumstances overwhelm her."

Discreet Women
Nancy Wilson

The above should be a Christian woman's mission in life.....may we all stive to be this woman in all circumstances with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit and God's daily word in our hearts and minds.

a little fever

It keeps hanging on..... a little fever, but just enough to make me feel not so good.

My last two days have gone like this.....do laundry - lay, unpack a box - lay, clean up the kitchen, unpack a box - lay. The worst part is that my spirit gets diminished. I start heading for the pits of gloom.

My antidote to depression is always to sit down and write things I am thankful for, to remind myself of the truth of God's word, and to keep trying to do things. I will start with the first.

Why I like spring...........

extra light in the evening
baby ducklings
flowers in bloom
the greeness of the trees
the brilliant blue skies
warm days
cool evenings
gentle breezes
an overwhelming desire to be outside
catching the scent of flowers on the wind
sitting on the back porch
riding with my sunroof open
the warmth of the sun on my body
open windows in the house

Remind Myself of the Truth of God's Word..............

"Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken." Psalm 55:22

"Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; He is a refuge for us all." Psalm 62:8

"Bless our God, O peoples, and sound His praise abroad, Who keeps us in life, and does not allow our feet to slip." Psalm 66:8

Do something...............

I wrote this blog. Maybe I will put the fine china in the cabinet. But I will problably have to "lay" in between.

I will go to the doctor on Monday morning. I will probably be well by then. I hope so!

david's baby clothes

These children were not into posing

Aunt Ruth holding Harry

Harry in David's baby clothes with David's rattle

Lucy and Harry (one of the few times Lucy would stop for a picture to be taken)


Our trip to Orlando went well. David and Erika had a little respite while we enjoying taking care of Lucy and Harry. I didn't get many pictures because when you have two to care for, you don't have much time for photography.

I'm not feeling 100% right now....had to sleep this afternoon. I have been battling allergies for a few days. Maybe I'll feel more like writing tomorrow.

Until that happens....cathy

she sleeps

Could it be possible that a two year old would be able to use manipulation techniques?

Yes, I think I just saw one in action.

We had done all of the "getting ready for bed" things flawlessly. Jammies were on and Lucy and her puppy were waiting on the sofa for me to read "The Ugly Duckling," her book of choice for this trip. She convinced me to read two more books after that and then it was off to dreamland.

Lucy didn't get her nap today. She fell asleep for fifteen minutes in the van on the way home from our visit with Aunt Ruth. After that no more sleep would come so she and I went shopping for a new pair of shoes (for her of course). Two girls at the mall sharing a chocolate milkshake at the Chick-fil-a.

Well, you would think she would have dropped into the bed exhausted. She did go down happily, but five minutes later she was screaming at the very top of her lungs. She said she wanted her moma, but she really wanted to get back up and read some more.

Her plan didn't work. I told her that we would read again first thing in the morning and believe me she will not forget. I can't tell you how hard it is to read "The Ugly Duckling" at 6:30 am.
She is quiet now with my promise of more fun tomorrow if she gets a good nights sleep.

She obeyed with no further fuss.

I was amazed to see Aunt Ruth today standing outside (on her own) to greet us. She looks at least 10 years younger than her age of ninety three. I don't know what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised. Lucy and Harry were great which was such a blessing. (you never know with babies) It was good to see Diane and Ray and Nancy as well.

My fresh catch tonight for dinner tonight was grilled talipia. It was superb.

We'll be heading for home tomorrow afternoon. This has been a short, sweet visit.

As for those manipulation techniques, I think we learn them very young....thank goodness for parents who nip them in the bud. There's nothing worse than a grown woman pouting, crying, and using whatever method she chooses from her emotional baggage to get her way. And pity the poor man who has to live with her.

As for Lucy......she sleeps. She didn't get her way and she will be better for it one day.

a sticky situation

Orlando, Florida...............we have all arrived. We just got the babies in bed. Harry went out like a light, but Lucy cried and said she was scared. I consoled her and kissed her and told her that I would leave the door cracked so a little light could get in. She snuggled in and has been quiet since.

David and Erika are at another hotel. They are on the 17th floor.

To both of you.......your babies are fine. The only problem, and it must not be much of a problem, was that Harry didn't want his bottle. He just wanted to go night-night. I know how he feels. So rest well and we will see you at breakfast tomorrow.

A little after 5:00 we decided that we were starving and that we would walk until we found a tempting place to eat. Well, we stopped at the first place we came to....Bahama Breeze. The decor was very tropical so we decided to try it and not do any more walking.

Everything was delicious, but just as the meal came I turned over a completely full glass of sweet tea with lemon. Bubba and I both got a lap full. They cleaned it up as best they could, but we were wet and sticky and uncomfortable for the rest of the meal. The children were perfect by the way. Bubba accused me of having never grown up.....that may be true.

I got small blue crab claws in a lemon butter sauce....mouth-watering!

Let me mention a light in my life..........reading to Lucy. She loves it. It was even more fun because these were books I had read over and over again to David and Amanda. I know them by heart.

I am so grateful that God has given me this opportunity to be with these two. Harry is a charmer and Lucy just lights up the room.

night-night.....i'll leave the door cracked.....cathy

tiny balls of fluff

If you look closely at this picture you will see that the disputed geese have produced offspring....little tiny balls of fluff well camouflaged in the grass.

Early this morning I was sitting out back watching the morning take shape and here they came....a big goose, four babies, and another big goose. As they came swimming by I was amazed. God has given them everything they need to survive. His creation is flawless.

Early morning is a time to reflect....to set our minds and hearts on the day before us. It is a time to pray and ask God for guidance and direction for the day. It is the time to search the scriptures for verses that we can apply to our life.

At this moment the day is fading away into shades of night...the water is still. I reflect again on our great God:

Psalm 65:4 "How blessed is the one whom Thou dost choose, and bring near to Thee, to dwell in Thy courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, Thy holy temple."

Mark has taught Jake, who is almost three, this verse:

Matthew 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they will be satisfied."

I wish everyone could hear him say it. There's just something about the word of God in the mouths of babes.

We who know Him are much blessed.....meet Him in the morning, rest with Him at night......never forget to be thankful IN all things.

hard time gettin going

A glance at the clock as I sit down to write tells me that it is 4:15 pm.

I am having a hard time getting going today. All I want to do is lay around and read.

Granted, I have gotten a ton of laundry done, but that's about it.

Our plans for next week have changed somewhat. Instead of driving to Orlando and bringing Lucy and Harry back here, we have decided to stay in Florida. We will still keep the little ones at our hotel, but with the price of gas it would be unwise to do all of that driving back and forth.

So early Monday morning we will motor to the sunshine state with a return planned for Wednesday night. We will visit with Aunt Ruth while we are there.

Amanda arrived home safely just a little while ago. She left before 7:30 am and had no problems. For that we thank and praise God. When they leave it is always a major adjustment for me from baby mode to normal routine. It was a great week with many strides made by Eli. As always, they are the best entertainment.

I have lately in this blog been musing over the knowledge and power of our God. Read these verses and marvel today:

II Corinthians 4:6 "For God, who said, 'Light shall shine out of darkness,' is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."

God has shone light on the darkness of our hearts to reveal to us the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
The true and living God chose to reveal Himself and His son to us out of His goodness, and mercy, and grace.

vs 7 "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves."

We are God's "earthen vessels." Paul calls this knowledge that has shone in our hearts a "treasure." This knowledge is from God alone. He is the only "power" that can change a heart from darkness (unbelief) to light (faith). We have no power in ourselves to change a heart. That power comes only from God.

Draw near to Him.....seek Him diligently. Read His word daily. Infuse yourself with His truth.

Accept no substitute for His word. You will not find the absolute truth anywhere else.

Praise be to God from whom all blessings flow.

the 300th post

Jake and Eli say good-bye to everyone in Savannah in their matching Easter outfits.

disaster area

Jake and I were just in the backyard trimming some bushes. He has a little child sized shopping cart that we filled up several times and dumped on the vacant and overgrown lot next door. He is really a good helper.

Now that he and his baby brother are napping, I thought that I would sit down and write a little. This is so relaxing for me. I presume you have noticed that I don't write "deep thoughts" when my babies are here. I don't always beat them up and the day starts popping immediately upon their awaking. There are mouths to be fed and baths to be given, and all manner of things that are not in my normal routine.

This new house looks like a disaster area right now. Amanda, bless her heart, manages to spread out all over the house during the time she is here. There are bags, empty and full, e-bay merchandise, bottles, clothes, towels, toys, shoes, baby monitors, high chairs, cribs, pak and plays, the new walker, the small shopping cart, medicine, sippy cups, socks, and you name it all over the house. Not one room is spared except Bubba's "man cave" which is upstairs.

I like order, but for this one week, I throw order to the wind and become someone who lets nothing bother her.

The men in our family have been in Louisville this week for the "Together for the Gospel" conference. By all reports it was an outstanding preaching feast. All of our heros were there.

John McArthur

John Piper

Mark Deaver (our pastor in DC)

to name just a few.

Oh how I would have loved to be able to bask in all of that proclamation of God's word.

Amanda is staying until Saturday and we go to Orlando on Monday to pick up Lucy and Harry.

Good health is such a blessing and I thank God for it in these grandparenting years.

Be happy, let someone know you love them, be a blessing to others......most of all don't complain and talk about your ailments and how bad everything is......it's no fun to be around you, that's for sure. Choose to be content in whatever your circumstances happen to be. That is pleasing to God and that is why He created us..............For His Pleasure.

written by cathy at 3:07 pm

playing in the yard

sweet baby sleeping

Amanda is getting her hair cut and highlighted with my sweet Jucinda.....

Bubba has Jake all day.......at this moment they are on jaunt together....

And I? Well I have baby Eli all to myself.

He is the sweetest baby...I love him so much. I just bathed him in my kitchen sink, lotioned him up until he was slick as glass, and put him down for his nap. What an incredible blessing, this time alone with my grandson.

He is making great strides. Yesterday we had the brilliant idea to buy him a walker. He took to it right away. He who had never stood upright has suddenly found his legs. He scoots around everywhere on these hardwood floor.

Eli and I will meet Amanda downtown in a little while for lunch and shopping. It should be a fun day.

I may write more later. We'll see.

what is it?

This is in our backyard. I really didn't invite him, he just came anyway. My sister Teri said that this is not a Canadian goose. She insists that it is just a duck, that Canadian geese have a white ring around their necks.

So people who know the answer to things like this, please respond so that I can give this critter a name.

Also, whatever this is, it is much too friendly. When I went out back to take this picture, he came strutting right up to where I was. When I didn't feed him he left in a huff.

I think our new house is on a wildlife preserve.

My questions in this matter:

Aren't ducks and geese the same?

Does anyone have a recipe for "Peking" duck?

To our guest last night I have two words......"console" and "Elvis."

Also, "When Elvis disappeared." I love to laugh!!

Hope you got your taxes in////from cathy

roomba

Jake in his moma's crib

Jake in his much loved "Einstein" jammies.

Eli sitting up which is an answer to prayer.

For the first time ever, Eli got into a sitting position by himself yesterday. There was much cheerring and clapping for him each time he accomplished this feat. Thanks for praying. He is making great and exceptional strides.

Amanda was telling me about the "roomba" a vacuum cleaner that is a robot. Her sister-in-law has one and she says that it really works great. You program it and it cleans the floor and then puts itself up.

I was so intrigued that we stopped at Target to look at them. While comparing the two models, one of the boxes fell on my head. My sunglasses were perched there and the falling box pressed them into my scalp causing much pain.

Will decide about the "roomba" later. It sounds too good to be true.

Estelle and Irvin and Rita and Mitch are coming over for dinner tonight to see the boys.

We are bar-b-queing chicken with my famous potato salad and Amanda's exquisite baked beans and derby pie........

This place has turned into "party city."

my babies are back

Eli after bath

Grammy's pantry......a good place to play

Beautiful Amanda

Granddaddy & Eli play

Jake pictures forthcoming......

Hope this gorgeous, windy day has been a delight.

Love, c...............

this one's for you donna

Teri and Cathy.....sisters forever.

Donna, we thought you might like to see what we look like now.

The whole gang is here at out house. It went from quiet and sedate to wild and jumping in just a matter of minutes yesterday afternoon, but it is fun to all be together.

I must go check on Amanda, she is making cup cakes for our lawn party. We are having an O'quinn gathering. My Dad is coming and he hasn't seen my house yet.

We may have to move inside as the wind is kicking up and bad weather may be coming our way.

Jake and Eli are sleeping.....those precious little babies. I love them so...

So like them, have a wonderful, restful Saturday afternoon.

Love, Cathy

asphalt in my knee

The wedding was on Saturday, April 11th at 4:00 in the afternoon.

I was busy doing bride stuff, but I had heard some talk about the "getaway plan."

In Savannah people were known to go to elaborate lengths to whisk their bride away without being followed.

Also, to avoid the finish on the car being destroyed by shoe polish or paint, it was necessary to hide said car until time to leave the church as the newest Mr. & Mrs. in town.

Bubba, his family, and some friends were in on his plan and sworn to secrecy. I really wasn't in on much of this.....just told to "follow me and I will get us safely on the road to Daytona."

Well, the wedding and the reception went very well and soon it was time to leave. This part is sketchy to me. Robbie, Bubba's brother, took us on a wild goose chase in the wrong direction.
When he managed to lose the herd of followers, he took us back to where the car had been hidden in someone's garage.

This would have been the best plan ever except that someone in Bubba's trusted group tipped them off to where car was.

The next thing I remember is Bubba is in his car in the middle of the street and Robbie has me and my train case running for the car. I managed to get one leg in and Bubba took off like a bat out of hell. My right knee was being pulled down the street on the outside of the car.

At some point Bubba stopped, picked up the broken pieces of my trouseau, and got me fully inside.

We went to the hospital emergency room to have the leg treated and bandaged and for me to get a tetnaus shot.

We only made it as far as Brunswick on our wedding night which is about an hour away.

Needless to say this put a crimp in our honeymoon.

We ended up coming home early.

I still have the scar.....black with asphalt. It ground in deep.

To the person who let the cat out of the bag, no hard feelings, there never was :)

I wonder why Bubba was in such a big hurry??

This happened 38 years ago today.....

i remember

This will be a short blog tonight as I am trying to get the guest rooms ready before the guests arrive for their stay tomorrow.

My days fill up with other things and now I am really heading to the wire. My problem is that there is always one more thing to take care of away from here.

Tomorrow is our 38th wedding anniversary. We will celebrate by being with our family. Maybe one day we will get to take that cruise around Italy, but for now I am happy and content to be at home.

Later I will tell how our getaway from the church on our wedding day went awry.

"The best laid plans of mice and men."

I spent time with my sister Teri today. We had lunch at Basils and we talked and talked as we usually do. Our reunions are always sweet. I am thirteen years older than she but we have so much in common. Saturday she and Amanda want to go to some of my favorite shopping places in Savannah.......I suppose I shall be happy to oblige them.

For some reason tonight I am tired and weary...........sometimes I want to lose heart, but then

"I remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember Your wonders of old. I will ponder all Your work, and meditate on Your wondrous deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known Your might among the peoples." Psalm 77: 11-14

I remember that I am loved and that I love and am am okay again.

Until tomorrow..................c

a few updates

The people in our condo wanted to extend and stay until tomorrow. They very graciously agreed to move into another unit.

All of our things were stacked neatly and as far as Bubba could tell, everything was there.

We did have the locks changed today and now we can finish the work. We will be a few days behind schedule but that's okay.

Teri arrived this afternoon, but she is staying with Daddy until Friday and then she will come here. Amanda, Jake, and Eli will arrive Friday afternoon as well so we have a few more days to work.

Eli is making good progress. He is sitting now and teaching himself to pull up on the stairs. The new therapist is pleased and has said that he is not that far behind. Please continue to pray that God will strengthen his little arm and hand.

Jake really wanted to talk to his grammy on the telephone this morning, but when I greeted him he was silent. He was waiting for his rice and he was hungry. He craves rice-a-roni for every meal.

Amanda and Mark are loving their new church and have settled in very well.

We heard a couple of nights ago that Erika had taken Lucy upstairs and was explaining to her why she couldn't stand up to go to the bathroom.

Harry looks good after his latest lazer, but none of us really notice the stain anymore anyway.

In a couple of weeks we will be keeping Lucy and Harry for a few days while mom and dad attend a conference in Orlando.

Bubba put the 34 year old David and Amanda crib up just now engraved with their teeth marks on all sides. Those must have been some hungry children.

The best news of all I saved until last......David and Erika along with Lucy and Harry are moving to Savannah in the very near future. That, my friends, is an answer to many years of prayer.

They will be planting a new church as God leads and directs.

I am so happy and thankful to our God and our savior Jesus Christ for this unexpected blessing...

from Cathy at 8:00 pm........

funny thing about life

The renters extended their stay until tomorrow.
There is nothing we can do but wait for their departure.
The lady at the desk said they were overwhelmed with guests on Sunday night.
Very strange as this has never happened before.
The locks will be changed at twelve noon tomorrow.
Hopefully the things that I purchased will still be there.

My teeth are clean and sparkling.
I have to get two crowns, but I can wait a little while.
I need to see how much the insurance will pay.

Funny thing about life......it keeps coming at you fast.

the perils of renting...

I've mentioned several times in my blog about re-doing our condo and putting it in the hands of a new rental company.

We have had continual trouble with the present management company and figured enough is enough.

At the end of last week Bubba broke the news to them that we were going with a new company. He was greeted with the threat..."You'll be sorry."

Bubba told them to remove all renters that had been assigned to our condo thus freeing us and our workers to come and go freely.

To us that meant that we would have no more renters until April 13th when we sign in under the new mangagement.

I have had to buy new bed covers and plates and things to replace all of the things that have been lost and stolen. All of this was taken down to the condo on Friday and left scattered about. The beds were covered with boxes and bags and the new dishes filled the dishwasher. It was very obvious that there was work going on.

Well, lo and behold on Sunday night they rented it out until today at 11:00.

Now if you had rented that apartment wouldn't you think, "Something's going on here. I need to get them to put me in another condo?"

Not a word. We only found out about this yesterday when the carpet cleaners showed up to shampoo the carpets and the girl at the front desk called.

I will be very surprised if any of the newly bought goodies still in packages will be there this afternoon when Bubba checks.

I'll let you know.

I'm going to the dentist......Cathy

a business venture

Bubba wants a white paneled truck with J&L enterprises painted on the side.

J&L stands for Jake and Lucy. Harry and Eli came along after he had his business cards made up.

We are brainstorming ideas to start a business based around this truck.

We have some ideas already, but I want you readers to add to our growing pool of thoughts...

Keeping in mind that we are not "spring chickens" anymore and that we don't want to work "too" hard.......

E-mail or post your ideas.

Don't miss my first post this morning & have a really good day. Cathy

what happened to them?

Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus left this earth and ascended into heaven. That is where he is right now, seated at the right hand of God always making intercession (praying) for us.

He told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the power (Holy Spirit) to come and then they were to go out into all of the world and spread the good news (gospel) about Jesus.

Acts 2: 1-4 "And when the day of Pentecost had come they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent, rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit."

After this the disciples were no longer timid and afraid and powerless. The coming of the Holy Spirit changed everything for them and for us. They understood the gospel and they were empowered to go and do what Jesus had commissioned them to do.

We know they were successful because we know the gospel that they took out into the world.

Ever wonder what happened to them?

John died of extreme old age in Ephesus.
Peter was crucified, head downward, during the persecutions by Nero.
Andrew died on a cross at Patras, in Acchia, a Greek colony.
James, the elder son of Zebede, was beheaded in Jerusalem.
Thomas, the doubter, was run through with a lance at Coromandel, in the East Indies.
Phillip was hanged against a pillar at Neropolic, a city of Phrygia in Asia Minor.
Matthew was slain by the sword in Ethiopia (Abyssinia).
Thaddeus was shot to death with arrows.
Simon died on a cross in Persia (now Iran).
Judus Iscariot, after betraying the Lord, hanged himself. (author not named)

Obviously the disciples obeyed.

what's left of my chocolate easter bunny

I started in on him the day after Easter....that was two weeks ago. As you can see, I have nibbled away all twelve inches of his ears. He has been a special treat every afternoon between three and four when I feel the urge for a pick me up.

This is the really sad part of my annual chocolate Easter bunny splurge......I feel guilty for eating it. He is so cute with his tall ears and his little bow tie. This afternoon the bow came off. It just seems so cruel and heartless of me.

Oh well, I do manage to persevere and get him down. There is just something about the taste of that Palmer's chocolate.

II Corinthians 2:14 "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place."

Through the years as I have grown closer to our dear Lord God Almighty, I have found that I see Him in everything.

I see Him in the
ocean
trees
flowers
birds
animals
seasons
sunlight
storms
situations that arise in life
and so much more.

He becomes to a believer the center of our universe. He is sovereign over everything down to the tiniest detail. This drawing near to our Source is natural and normal. We have to know Him. We have to know more about Him. With Him at the center of our life we know that everything will be okay.......we are asuured of that.

I love the way this verse puts it;

"He manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place."

I don't think I've ever paid attention to that verse before this morning.

I love the thought of believers being the "sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him" to others.

spend time with Him

It is early Saturday morning......

I have the promise of the whole day ahead of me..........I also know it will be gone just like that.

I have so much to do to get ready for the coming week. My sister Teri is coming on Wednesday and Amanda, Jake, and Eli will arrive on Friday. I haven't gotten the guest rooms done yet as we have had to deal with the condos all week.

Added to the mix I have a hole in a crown that is beginning to hurt.....I will go to the dentist on Tuesday afternoon. Everybody knows what that means.

But in spite of all that I sat down with the Lord this morning. I had a wonderful time in His word and in prayer. I say that not to boast but to encourage you in this busy world not neglect your soul.

My whole purpose in writing this blog from the very beginning (June 2007) was to point to the necessity of God's word being infused into our heart on a daily basis. If I don't keep that as my focus everything else is just idle chatter.

The best is right outside my window.....the skies are dark and gloomy and I expect a storm is coming. One more mighty display of God's power.

After I've done a little more study, I will write about our all-powerful God again---omniscient---I love the word. It speaks of the mighty power of God. The sound of the word, the way it looks, the thought it connotes..... a wonderful word to convey a mighty truth.

To you I say.......I understand.....c

putting on the green

It happens every year about this time. The bare winter branches of the trees start to put on their finery. I watch for it every day, and then all of a sudden they are ready.

Their glorious green leaves up against the brilliant blue sky of April put on a show.

Someone just sent me this in an e-mail:

"God sends us flowers every spring." What a lovely thought. The beauty of God's nature is so amazing.

I spent the morning at the hair salon. When all was said and done I had lowlights put in and two inches taken off and out. My hair is so thick it takes forever for my dear Jucinda to cut it. She also straightens it for me for a whole new look. She is truly a rare find, plus....she makes me laugh and that is tops in my book. I hadn't been since before Christmas so I was long overdue.

Somehow while I was out today I got chilled to the bone. It was rainy and the temp never got up. I had to come home and wrap myself in a "soft & warm" "hede haun" to warm up....that is what David, my son, used to call his baby blanket. Bubba cooked dinner for me and that is always so appreciated.

I like the simple gestures in life....the unexpected things that people do to make life a little easier and to bring a smile to your face.

I am warm now, and nourished, and it's off to bed to read. My current book is "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn." I love the narrative of this book....it is beautifully written.

My problem is that I get sleepy very quickly....but that is a good thing. Blessed sleep for a tired body.

night, night, c

three hours in the car shop

I think this flower is a Cherokee Rose. It grows wild in the forest across from our house.

There are many thorns on these vines that grow high up in the trees.

I think it is beautiful..............God made so many varied and interesting things when he created the earth. I just love looking for His "handiwork" all around me.

I like to keep my camera in the car with me in hopes of finding things for my blog. That is how I came to have the picture of the blown out tire.

That little "dalliance" this morning cost us $269.00. Thank goodness I bought insurance for my tires last April when they were installed or it would have been much more.

By the time the tires were realigned and balanced and the rear brakelight was replaced and the oil was changed among other things I had spent my allowance for the month of April. (just kidding about the allowance)

Bubba had mercy on me and came in from the beach to take me to Lenny's for lunch. They make a good sub if you get a hankering.

I can't complain....it was my fault for not keeping my consentration. It could have been much worse.

I just want to say that I love writing this blog every day. I am always sad when I am done. I appreciate so much you taking the time to read and share your thoughtful comments.

Cathy

It blew to smithereens

I can't see how it could have done this much damage.

I had reached for something in the seat besides me when I heard a loud noise.

Being in denial, I continued to drive.

The car started to shudder and shake.

When I finally accepted the truth, I decided to pull over and see what was wrong.

This ugly sight is what I found.

I called our trusty AAA and told them I thought my tire was flat.

They were there within 20 minutes.

Now instead of going to the beach to meet with our rental agent, I will spend the morning at Savannah Tire and Rubber.

Oh, and while all this was going on Amanda called very upset and gagging over the fact that Eli had just poo-pooed in her kitchen sink during his bath.

I feel like my life is a funny farm.......but it makes for a good blog!

why doesn't it just go ahead and rain?

It gets dark all around, but the sun is still shining.

There is thunder in the far distance but no lightening.

I feel the thrill inside that only appears when a storm is on the way, but it won't rain.

We need the rain for the grass to turn green and for the flowers to grow.

These are busy days for us. We both wonder what we would do if we had jobs. Much of what we do is helping others and that is a good thing. Bubba knows how to get things done and He has taught me how to follow. (it's the military influence)

Even though there are still a lot of boxes to unpack here, we are working this week down at the beach. 236 is getting a mini-facelift to go with a new rental agency.

All I could do for a while this aftenoon was sit on the deck and stare at the beauty. It always affects me like that.

We have gotten rave reviews on 321......the little vintage condo with the great view. It has bookings galore and we are glad. I just hope they are taking good care of my white sofa. I wanted to take it out, but Bubba said we couldn't get it out. It would look so good in my new house.

I was just walking around outside taking some photos and the breeze felt like silk flowing over my skin. How blessed we are to be able to experience the beauty of God's world in a gentle breeze.

The storm seems to have passed on by...............there's another chance tomorrow.

Love from me to you.....