tybee lighthouse....

.....during the storm last night.

eerily beautiful I think.

When I go to the beach

 I always have a hard time coming back home.

If I could live there all the time,

I would.

If I ever get the chance to again,

I will.

I don't know why I love it so much,

but I do.

"How was it

that the early Christians,

who were but a handful of people,

had such a profound impact

on the pagan world

 in which they

lived?

It was because they were what they were.

It was not their organization,

it was the

 quality of their life,

it was the power they possessed

because they were

truly Christian.

That is how Christianity conquered the ancient world,

and I am more and more convinced

that it is the only way in which

Christianity

can truly influence the modern world."

Ephesians 1

Martin L. Jones

picture by....

Belle Eden Studio

a refuge in the storm

Whatever you read,

read

the Bible first.

Beware of bad books,

there are plenty in this day.

Take heed what you read."

jcryle

This quote was written over a hundred years ago.

So good to be back at church today.

I was in the nursery this morning with 14 children,

five years old and under.

What a joy to share Christ with them.

The tornado warning siren went off this afternoon.

Rushed out into the street.

 Confered with a neighbor about the impending doom.

Decided where we would hide

from the storm if need be.

Then came back upstairs to go about normal life.

Never even felt a blow of wind.

At least now we have decided on

"our safe place in the storm."

".....For You have been a refuge in the storm....."

Isaiah 25:4

parting shots

Back home!

How merciful and kind

God is to not give us what we deserve.

Think about that statement.

Mull over it in light of what you know about Scripture.

It will make you eternally grateful.....

down on your knees grateful

to Him who gives us our next breath.

"Delight yourself also in the Lord,

and He shall give you

the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord,

trust also in Him,

and He shall bring it to pass."

Psalm 37: 4 & 5

Waiting to see my babies

for the first time in over a week.....

view from the chair

A Day at the Beach

Wake up to see the sunrise

out on the horizon

with my head still on the pillow.

Quiet time out on the deck

as the sun gets higher in the sky.

Down to the beach

for an early morning walk

and dip in the waves.

Settle into the beach chair to read

 and watch the people at play.

Up to the pool for a cool dip

and aerobics (ha-ha).

Shower and lunch are next.

Today,

Bubba and I head out to 

 look at nurseries for white crown of thorns.

He loves this plant.

 There are some growing here at this condo.

Back down to the beach for the afternoon,

Pretty much just reading,

enjoying the breeze,

 and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore.

Up for another shower

and then supper preparation.

Back to the beach for a late walk

and some bird feeding.

In bed at 9:00.

Exhausted.

Asleep by 9:15.

No better sleep than at the beach!!

Tomorrow we go home.

Vacation is over.

Back to the real world that is nothing like the beach.

Sad to leave,

but more good memories to tuck away in my heart.

It has been a great week.

beach flowers

"Live in the Sunshine,

Swim the Sea.

Drink the Wild Air...."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

The above wise saying is my motto for the week

.

One of my dear friends,

who is having a birthday in August,

will recieve the card on which I found this quote

in my favorite little shop here on the beach.

Going down to the beach at 8:00

to feed the stale bread to the birds.......

and maybe snap a few.

Lucy,

wish you were here to help me feed these

hungry seagulls.

love, love, love the salt life.

dinner by the ocean

Bubba fried fresh shrimp.

I made potato salad.

We sat on the terrace looking out over the ocean

drinking sweet tea with lots of lemon.

The ocean has a calming influence on me.

The waves are so loud here

I hear them at night with the doors closed.

Every bit of tension that I brought here is slowly ebbing away.

What is it?

The ocean is so vast.

It is endless movement...

in and out

twice every day.

It exemplifies God in so many ways.

Who else could command it's waves to come

"this far and no further."

Here we sit so close, believing that promise.

At this moment, night is falling .

The ocean is gray and rolling.

There are clouds hanging low out there....

we are hoping for a good lightning show tonight.

Thank you God for the vast,

unlimited love 

 that You give to those who belong to you.

Thank you for the

 breathtaking 

beauty that is set before me

and Your love

that rolls over me like the waves of Your ocean.

what do you see?

Just a short one tonight.

Sometimes it's hard to see things way out in the ocean.

A telescope helps.

On the tenth floor with nothing but miles of ocean in front of us.

The weather is perfect.

Always a breeze out on the deck.

Read this a little while ago....

(out on the deck)

"The steps of a man

are established by the Lord:

and He delights in his way.

When he falls,

he will not be hurled headlong,

because the Lord is the one who holds his hand." 

Psalm 37: 23 &24

"the Lord is the one who holds his hand."

"not be hurled headlong."

How precious are these promises.

Going down at twilight to walk by the sea.

Thank you God for holding my hand.

cathyc

love this picture....

of the famous

Harbortown Lighthouse over at

Hilton Head.

I took this picture on a

beautiful

 summer day.....

water in the harbor calm enough

to make a perfect

reflection.

This place brings back many

wonderful memories.....

tucked in there in my heart

to bring out and cherish

now & then.

About loving God's word......

"My heart stands in awe of Your word.

I rejoice at You word

as one who finds

great treasure."

Psalm 119: 161 & 162

"Great peace

have those who love Your law,

and nothing

 causes them to stumble."

Psalm 119: 165

There is no treasure on this earth

 that even compares

with God's precious word.

Tonight....

thankful......very!

to God be the glory in the church

What Cornerstone Church of Savannah is all about.....

always striving to....

Exalt God in all we do.

"Therefore, whatever you eat or drink,

or whatever you do,

do all to the glory of God."

I Corinthians 10:31

Obey Christ's command to make disciples.

Depend completely on the Holy Spirit.

Be continually devoted to prayer.

Constantly examine the Scripture corporately and individually....

pouring over God's Word.

Take seriously the Bible's warnings about false teachers.

Seek godly men to lead who are accountable,

who desire to make disciples.

Men who want to see Christ exalted and lives changed.

Men who love God's word and obey.

Men who are not "ashamed of the gospel......"

afraid to speak the "truth with love."

Practice church discipline

with the goal being restoration.

(Matthew 18)

Constantly trying to know and put into practice

a biblical model of fellowship....

To intimately know, love, and support one another.

Give away as much as we can individually and corporately

How much can we give?

(Malachi 3:10)

All of us partners in the gospel.

All eyes have been opened to "something" that has changed everything.

(the above preached by David Cleland)

~

God has given us the church as a means of grace.

It should be the main focus of our life here on this earth

as we serve Him,

make disciples,

and prepare for eternity.

Come join us on Sunday.

We need you!

We meet in the YMCA across from St. Joseph's Hospital in

beautiful

Savannah, Georgia

the joy she brings

Lucy is good at hula-hooping...

really good.

After dinner she put on quite the show for me...

right out in front of the house.

She wanted me to hula some,

but I was too full.

Maybe tomorrow?

We watched Charlotte's Web just now.

She won't tell me which version she liked best.

She said she liked both.

I've said before recently.....

God is always doing something wonderful in my life.

He never fails to show His glory.

On the way to supper,

out on Southbridge Boulevard,

We had to stop while some geese crossed the road.

It was a long wait....

there were 24 of them,

all in a straight line,

taking their own sweet time.

Lucy & I couldn't believe the spectacle before our eyes.

Where they had been

 and where they were going

 I do not know...

just glad we got to see the

  "stroll of the geese"

in a "frog strangler" of a rain storm.

just one kiss.....

.......is all I need.

This little gold-wrapped confection

is filled with

melt-in-your-mouth milk-chocolate

 enveloping

 a tiny little almond. 

One of my favorite "sweet things." 

One of these after dinner is all I need to quell my desire for

"a little something sweet."

Making crab cakes tonight

from fresh-picked crab meat.

Thanks you, Estelle!

Bubba has already cut up the onion & bell pepper.

Having fresh picked white

corn-on the-cob

for a side.

I love crab in any way.

Our favorite "all-you-can-eat" crab legs restaurant has closed

and we have yet to find another.

If anyone knows of a place that serves crab this way,

please let me know.

Had an experience with black dye this morning.

Three items of clothing,

black clothing,

which Bubba says I wear too much of,

had fallen prey to clorox in one way or another.

This process took all morning...

it was messy,

got all over the washer & dryer,

and the floor,

my hands,

and my shirt.

When it was over....

the items of clothing looked exactly like they did when I started the process.

The black dye experince did no good at all.

No more black dyeing for me.

One more thing.....

The Weather Channel

said this morning that we had a slight risk for

water spouts

 throughout the afternoon

 along the coast.

One question...

How does one prepare for water spouts?

So goes my day...

cathy

telescopes & microscopes

"Just as the telescope and the microscope

show us that

there is order and design

in all of the work's of God's hands,

 from the

 greatest planet

down to the

least insect, 

so does the Bible teach us

 that there is wisdom,

order,

and design

in all the events of our daily life.

There is no such thing as

chance,

luck,

or accident

in the Christian's journey through the world.

All is arranged

 and appointed by God,

and all things are working together

for the believer's good."

jcryle

I am so glad to know this truth tonight.

It takes all matters of such out of my hands.

I just have to be obedient to His word

and trust Him unequivocally.

Learning to be content in all situations.

cathy

the week that was

You never know what a week will bring....

but I know Who sustains me

and gives grace to my poor, weak self.

Thanking God for

so many things,

so many answered prayers,

faith to believe,

strength to endure,

eyes to see what God is doing.

I talk to & hear

of so many who are struggling.

So many who are weak, barely hanging on.

So many problems to face.

I got this from a friend this morning

and it blessed my heart....

Bubba's too.

I hope these words help you as they did me.

"What then are we to do with our problems? 

We must learn to live with them

until such a time as God delivers us from them.

 

We must pray for grace

to endure them without murmuring. 

Problems patiently observed will work for our spiritual perfecting. 

They harm us only

when we resist them

 or endure them unwillingly."

AW Tozer

Doing all for the glory of God,

we soldier on,

never losing sight of His face,

never looking back to what it once was...

always looking forward to the day we see the face of Jesus.

cathy

if i know you

Just a short blog tonight....

I have seen two,

yes two,

direct answers to

specific prayers this week.

You can know and be sure

 that if I know you

I will be praying for you.

Prayer is essential to a true believer.

God hears and answers prayer.

"Give ear to my words, O Lord,

consider my meditation.

Give heed to the voice of my cry,

my King and my God,

for to You I will pray. 

 My voice You shall hear in the morning,

O Lord; 

 In the morning I will direct it to You,

 and I will look up." 

Psalm5: 1-3

That's my Dad's gift up there.

He likes flowers and snacks!

saying goodbye

Jesus said to her,

"I am the

resurrection and the life. 

He who believes in Me,

though He die, he shall live. 

And whoever lives and believes in Me

shall never die.

Do you believe this?"

John 11: 25 & 26

This verse was highlighted and underlined in Mrs. Splawn's Bible.

She understands completely now.

Rejoice!

take courage

I love this picture....

Tybee Island,

on the beach in front of the pier.

Always on the lookout for

amazing pictures

to either take or share.

This one was shot by Ian Scott.

the race.....

"Take courage fainting Christian. 

You are encompassed with a great cloud of witnesses.

The race that you are running

has been run by millions before.

You think

 that no one has ever had such trials as yourself,

but every step that you are journeying

has been safely walked by others

The valley of the shadow of death

has been securely passed

 by a multitude of trembling, doubting ones like yourself. 

They had their fears and anxieties like you,

but they were not cast away.

Take courage fainting Christian."

jcryle

I love that we have such hope...

that God allowed men to write these words of encouragement

because He knew we would need them.

Thank you God,

tonight,

for all the ways you take care of us!

my friend's mom

Mrs. Alma Splawn

went to be with our Lord this afternoon at about 3:15.

She was my friend Sandra Rushing's mom.

I know what it's like to lose your mom.

You watch them suffer and you pray for God's mercy,

but you are never fully prepared

for them to leave you.

She shares your life,

your happiness

and your

sorrow.

She loves you in a way no one else can

Mrs. Splawn

was a dear, sweet lady,

a devoted wife and mother and grandmother,

a teacher of God's word,

a lover of all things good.

Tonight we celebrate your new life in heaven

Miss Alma.

You are with Him in paradise....

you are no longer sick.

Those songs you sang in the nursing home

are being sung tonight in the presence of your God....

loud and clear

and in perfect pitch...

Praising Him for what He has done.

Much love and many prayers tonight to all of you who loved her.

"Weeping may endure for a night,

 but joy comes in the morning." 

Psalm 30:5

without a cross......

"All the children of God

 have a cross to carry.

They have trials,

troubles,

and afflictions

 to go through

for the Gospel's sake.

They have trials from the world,

trials from the flesh,

and trials from the devil.

They have trials of feeling from relations and friends ~

hard words,

hard conduct,

and hard judgement.

They have trials in the matter of character ~

slander,

 misrepresentation,

mockery,

suggestion of false motives ~

all these rain thick upon them.

They have trials in the matter of worldly interest ~  

They often have to choose whether they will please people,

and lose glory,

or gain glory and offend people.

They have trials from their own hearts ~

they have generally their own

 thorn in the flesh,

which is their worst foe.

This is the experience of the children of God. 

Some of them suffer more,

and some less. 

Some of them suffer in one way,

 and some in another. 

God measures out their portions like a wise physician,

 and cannot err.

 But never, I believe,

was there one child of God

 who reached paradise

without a cross." 

 JC Ryle

from sea to shining sea

I've been from the Statue of Liberty....

all the way to the

Golden Gate Bridge.

I've swam in the Atlantic Ocean

and walked by the shores of the Pacific.

I've been to the top of the Empire State Building,

the Hancock Building in

Chicago,

the Washington Monument,

and the Gateway to the West Arch in St. Louis.

I have enjoyed the Rocky Mountains,

the Smokey Mountains,

the Tetons

and Stone Mountain.

I have stayed at

The Camelback Inn

in Scottsdale, Arizona,

and felt the air

 like a velvet wrap around me.

I have driven on the endless bridge to

Key West,

the Chesapeak Tunnel in

Virginia,

up to the top of

Pike's Peak

and then back down again.

I have seen the Grand Canyon,

the Petrified Forest,

I've ridden horses in Estes Park,

and the horses on the carousel at

Disney World.

I went to the World's Fair in

New Orleans,

rode the "pink jeep" through the mountains of

Santa Fe, New Mexico,

saw a show on

Broadway,

paddled a boat on the

Potomac River

and

slept in a tent on top on of

Shenandoah Mountain.

I'll stop here...

you get the point.

Our country is truly beautiful

and wonderful

and amazing.

God

has blessed

beyond our power to comprehend.

So thankful for the freedoms we have in the

United States of America.

sparklers

We lit up the night!

happy fourth of july

Lowery Air Force Base

Denver, Colorado

1986.

David 13

Amanda 10

The happiest

Fourth of July for me

was this one.

We were at Vail Colorado,

sitting on

Vail Mountain

watching the fireworks

light up the sky.

Up there,

everything is more intense,

more beautiful.

A little closer to heaven,

to God.

At least it seemed that way to me.

I pray every day that

God

will give us another chance

as a nation.

I pray

that He will send

a mighty revival across our land.

That His name

would once again be high and lifted up.

That as our currency says.....

"In God we Trust"

would once again be a reality.

When a nation does away with God....

that is the beginning of it's downfall.

just sayin.....

stars in the ceiling.

I love this shot of

one of my favorite restaurants in Savannah ~

Johnny Harris.

They have recently renovated

and they re-painted

the mural on the ceiling.

In the painted blue sky there are

stars that light up.

People used to be able to dance the night away here....

back in the times of World War II

and after.

They sell the best

fried chicken 

of anywhere I know!

Bubba and I frequent this place quite often.

There is also a wonderful

 "girlie lunch"

as well...

chicken salad and fruit.

This is where friends meet

and sit forever

talking

in the wonderful paneled booths.

This was taken on the night of Bubba's reunion.

If you look closely,

you can see Bubba and I

in the line getting some good, good food.

Making pickles..

It takes three days.

Can't wait to see how they turn out.