the measure of a good year.

 

2012 is ebbing away...

we are in her final hours and minutes now.

Looking back,

How do we measure that 2012 was a good year?

 

It has nothing to do with

 how much money you made

or how many trips you took to the far reaches of the earth....

It does have everything to do with your soul.

 

How much time did you spend in God's word?

Are you more like Jesus now?

Have you grown in Him,

in His ways?

What about your treasures?

Are you storing up treasures in heaven?

How many people have you shared the gospel with?

Maybe strangers,

maybe your own flesh and blood.

 

Are you praying more

or too busy to pray?

Are you seeking God more

in His word and in prayer?

He desires our prayers and answers them.

 

Are you committed to your church?

Are you serving there.....

more than at this time last year?

Don't go to church?

Be diligent about finding one that teaches the truth without apology.

We all need to know and hear His word proclaimed every week.

 

What do you think about...

the glories that await us in heaven,

or the never-ending desires of a sinful heart

that can never be satisfied with the "things" that the world offers?

 

First and foremost,

I write this to myself.

It has been a rough year,

filled with the trials of life.

It has also been a "growing" year because of the trials.

 

I hate my sin

and the grip the world has on me.

But I trust in God,

and His word,

and His son Jesus Christ,

and His Spirit,

 to have His way with me....

to mold me and shape me into the person

He wants me to be,

 doing His will and not my own.

 

"But grow in grace and knowledge

of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. 

To Him be the glory both now and forever."

II Peter 3:18

 

 

 

 

pretty packages tied up with bows

 

It was a very, merry "Bow" Christmas for me.

I love bows....

if it has a bow on it I am hooked.

Everything is prettier with a bow tied around it.

 

First of all...

I got my cashmere socks.

What a luxury!

 

Up high there is a black tweed purse

with a gro-grain ribbon cascading down the front of it.

There is a long pencil thin black skirt

and two sweaters with black bows on them as well.

 

There is a Vietre' platter

with Santa in the lounging position,

some wonderful scented soap sitting in a beautiful soap dish,

two birds to hang on the wall

and some french vanilla decaf coffee.

 

There is an exquisite gray vase for my pale pink roses

and prints of my favorite pictures from last year.

 

Lastly,

from David & Erika,

6 childrens plates from Pottery Barn Kids...

one for each of my five grandkids

and the sixth one....

that is for the little boy over in China

that they hope to make a part of our family soon.

 

Thank you everyone.

You all know me so well!

You know what I love.

 

Oh that I not forget the most amazing gift ever given....

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift."

Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

2 Corinthians 9:15 

 

 

 

"where's my kiss?"

 

Yesterday

we kept Jake and Eli

so that Mark and Amanda could have a little getaway

down at our beach condo.

 

We did chick-fil-a for lunch

and then borrowed Frankie & Sally's

golf cart for a ride to the

playground.

 

It was bitterly cold,

but the boys didn't notice and we all had a fun time.

 

Not getting to see these two very often,

Bubba and I both cherish the time we can spend

alone with them.

 

After dinner,

 we promised a trip to Dairy Queen for ice cream.

Note that

 both of the activities we chose

are best carried out in warmer weather.

 

Anyway,

I promised a kiss

to the person in the car who spotted the DQ sign first.

It was really Bubba,

but Eli claimed that he was first...so he won.

I thought when we got out of the van that he would forget about it,

but

he ran over to me and said,

"Where's my kiss?"

I joyfully obliged him with a kiss on the cheek.

 

On the way home,

Jake leaned in and said,

"Grammy I really like you!"

I said,

"Why do you like me so much Jake?"

He said,

"Because of the way you love me."

 

My heart melted, just like wax.

 

In spite of the hard times dealing with my dad in these days,

God sends much grace

with reminders

that I am much loved by these boys.

 

 

no time to write at the moment

but plenty of time to thank God

for a most

blessed Christmas

and

the gift of His Son Jesus Christ...

the most precious gift of all.

 

Merry Christmas......

to all of you who read my blog.

cathy

"glorious impossible"

 

 

I am working and waiting....

getting ready for our Christmas Eve party

tomorrow night

and waiting for my baby boys to get here.

I hear that

Jake & Eli are over the top excited.

 

I am worshipping

our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

in my heart tonight as well.

 

We sang this song in church this morning.

I love it so much.

 

See the virgin is delivered

In a cold and crowded stall.

Mirror of the Father's glory

Lies beside her in the straw.

 

He is Mercy's incarnation

Marvel at this miracle!

For the virgin gently holds

the Glorious Impossible.

 

Love has come to walk on water

Turn the water into wine

Touch the leper, bless the children

Love both human and divine.

 

Praise the wisdom of the Father

Who has spoken through His Son.

Speaking still, He calls us to

The Glorious Impossible.

 

Hallelujah

Hallelujah

Hallelujah

Glorious Impossible.

 

He was bruised for our trangressions

And He bears eternal scars.

He was raised for our salvation

And His righteousness is ours.

 

Praise, oh praise Him, praise the glory

Of this lavish grace so full.

Lift your souls now and receive the

Glorious Impossible.

 

Hallelujah

Hallelujah

Hallelujah

Glorious Impossible.

by the Gaither Vocal Band

 

Joy to the World the Lord has Come

decorating.....

the children's tree.

The Pooh oranaments belonged to David.

 

Have you ever noticed that when life is the hardest,

God's mercies and grace come in

super abundance?

 

First of all dad....

He is still in the hospital.

He has developed another infection

and they are keeping him for a few more days.

Very hard stuff...

People who love us have lifted us up

and sustained us during this time.

My heart is full of thanksgiving for all of you who have cared.

 

Bubba had a car accident today...

He is safe....no injuries,

but we lost our second car when we need it the most.

He had just picked up his van

on Tuesday after having the radiator replaced.

That was busted today along with

the front end.

But he wasn't hurt.

God spared him any physical injury.

Talk about God's mercy and grace......

 

Lucy spent the night with us last night.

What a joy she is.

We did some Christmas shopping today

and ended up in Forsyth Park at the playground.

We were there when we got the call

about the wreck.

 

Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, 

because His compassions fail not. 

They are new every morning....

Great is His faithfulness.

Lamentations 3: 22&23

 

This verse is the reason I stand.

 

 

some more of my loves..

Amanda, Mark, Jake & Eli

at Christmastown ~ Busch Gardens

Williamsburg, VA.

 

I'll see them in five days.

How can I wait that long?

 

Dad still in hospital...

not doing so well.

 

"Behold,

a virgin shall be with child,

and bear a Son,

 and they shall call His name Immanuel,

which is translated,

God with us."

Matthew 1:23

 

"God with Us."

So amazing to think upon tonight as we go to rest.

"God with Us."

 

intense listening...

 

to my reading of Rudolph.

 

Bubba and I

were all ready to walk out the door at 8:00 this morning

when the phone rang.

We were going to Jacksonville to do some

Christmas shopping.

 

It was the nursing home.

"This can't be good,"

I said to myself.

 

Dad had tried to get out of the bed

and fallen on his head again....

they were transporting him

back to the hospital.

 

Been there most of the day.

He stayed...we came home.

 

I don't even know what to pray for right now...

except,

God, may Your will be done,

and,

give us all Your grace, mercy, comfort, and peace.

 

Thank you for praying!

Cathy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"the doll nobody wanted"

My grandmother

"Hodie"

made this doll for Amanda

when she was just a little girl.

I think she still looks good.

Look at the features on her face...

vibrant and full of expression.

Lucy and I will be reading this together very soon.

 

So glad that my brother got to leave the hospital a little while ago.

He has been there for almost a week with

pneumonia in both lungs....

very sick,

He had us all worried.

It has been a hard time for loved ones here in Savannah

these last few weeks.

God is merciful to heal and we are thenkful.

 

Just returned from Hilton Head...

spent some time over there with Bubba.

A gray day,

but the ocean is always beautiful,

and restorative.

Ate a little seafood,

did a little shopping too.

I am hoping that I can get my gifts bought next week,

if not it will be too late.....:(

 

Thinking about the power of prayer.

Thankfully,

God never sleeps,

always hears us when we cry out to Him

for mercy & grace.

leaving now.....

 

to go see my dad.

I have not been in two days....

not since I wrote my last post.

 

Bubba has gone faithfully...sometimes twice a day.

I think I can face it now...

whatever I find there.

 

Needless to say...

his sudden memory loss took me by surprise.

His therapists are baffled as well.

 

But....in my mind,

as hard as his head hit the asphalt,

nothing good can come from that.

 

I'll write more after a while...

after I go and see for myself what today has brought.

 

"The glory of young men is their strength,

and the splendor of old men is their gray hair.

Proverbs 20:29

 

*Back home at almost four.

Dad knew who i was...he knew bubba too....

called us both by name.

He is on antibiotics for an infection.

We'll see where this goes in the next few days.

I am thankful he is better.

 

looking for the "new normal"

 

Things have changed.

It is cold and dark outside.

 

I am struggling to find the

"new normal"

with my dad and his life in the nursing home.

 

He was days before being discharged to go home.

He was walking (unsteadily) on his own.

His mind was sharp (for 89).

I brought him books from the library.

took him to the dollar store,

out to breakfast,

and to his various doctors.

Needless to say,

in the last three years we had grown close.

He could certainly be exasperating,

but we had a comradery.

 

The last time we went out

 he took a terrible fall

onto the pavement of the street.

Now, almost two weeks later, he seems to be declining.

 

The thing I've always enjoyed so much about my dad

is that we could talk

about anything and everything.

The Bible,

the stock market,

politics,

the great-grand children.

 

When I walked in yesterday,

he was sitting in his wheelchair.

He looked at me and said this....

 

"I've forgotten everything."

 

I cried all the way home....

God have mercy.

 

Thankful in all things and praying!

cathy

for lindsey on her birthday

 

Lindsey is having a birthday today.

We all love her very much.

She is sweet and kind and loving.

she is creative, talented,

and very smart.

She is a speech therapist

working with elderly patients in a nursing home.

Not everyone can do what she does...

she is patient...has to be.

 

This is one of our Christmas Eve manger scenes.

Lindsey is the one with the crown...

an angel I think.

that looks like Robbie in the manger.

Look at that sweet little head.

 

Now I am confused about David and Amanda.

This is the second picture this week

where Amanda has been towering over everybody else in the picture.

David is clearly older, but much shorter.

Just one more mystery...

one more thing to wonder about.

 

Love you so much Linds!!!

Happiest of birthdays ever!

 

 

the goat connection

Tonight is the last night

of the drive through nativity

at Liberty Baptist Church in

 Lanexa, VA.

Such a hit this show is!

People come from miles around.

It is done well!

 

These are three of my best people

 all decked out in their shepherd costumes

ready to play their parts.

 

There are live animals

in this drive through nativity scene....

Goats!!!!

 

On the first night,

Jake and Eli got to be the keepers of the goats.

Little Eli kept his vigil for the whole time,

patiently feeding his goat hay

and keeping him calm.

 

Jake,

on the other hand,

only lasted for an hour tending to his goat,

opting to go inside and watch a video.

 

At the end on the first night,

Eli was rewarded

with leading his goat to the pen

where it would spend the night.

 

Jake, I am told had a

"complete hissy fit,"

because the person who took his place

got to do the bedding down of the goat honors.

 

Moral of the story...

"Finish your job well and you will be rewarded."

 

The picture above was the second night.

Look at the faces.

Eli is disturbed

having to waste time taking a picture

before he can get out to his goat.

 

Jake seems resolved

to patiently stand by his goat for the whole show

so that he too can get to

put his goat to bed.

 

Love you guys so much!!!

 

I write

so that I can look back in the years ahead

and remember

funny things that happened. 

If I didn't write them down

they would be

forgotten.

 

 

lucy turns seven

Where have the years gone?

So glad that God blessed us with this child.

 

We had a quiet birthday

here at the house.

She asked for a chicken~broccoli casserole.

It was delicious.

 

This was the year that grammy gave her

a sewing kit...

She loves to sew and now she has her very own pink pin cushion

and a lady-bug basket

in which she can keep all of her supplies.

 

she is a joy...

a blessing,

a sweet spirit.

 

She is taking tennis lessons too...

went to play with her dad today.

 

We had lunch at Leopolds

and we ate ice cream for lunch & dinner.

 

The last picture is Lucy and her doll Molly

 in their matching

American Girl pajamas.

Can' wait to spend the night with them!

 

Happy Birthday Lucy!!!!

Love,

love,

love you!

 

ps...dad is out of the hospital and back at Tara

to start all over again with his rehab.

 

stirrings

 

Last week

I went into one of the artist supply stores

in downtown Savannah.

They abound on every corner

because of the SCAD presence here.

I was looking for a pen for Harry...

one pen and with a click there are eight different colors of ink.

I had bought one for Lucy when we went to

The Nutcracker,

and well, Harry loved it and you already know the rest of the story.

(I think he has lost it)

 

Anyway,

when I walked into the store

there were stirrings in my heart,

brought on by the amazing amount of things to be creative with.

I have real longings in my heart

to create beauty.

 

This is what I think...

When I get to heaven, I will be able to be creative unimpeded.

Oh I long for that day.

 

I want to teach and draw and paint and write...

all of the things that make me happy now,

but without sin to hold me back.....

Fully able to praise and sing and dance to the joy of the Lord.

 

If you are a believer, the same is true for you.

Whatever you love in your heart will be what you will be doing in heaven.

I can't wait.

 

Life is hard, but these trials are temporary.

One day all will be perfect...

no more sin, sickness, and death.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

 

Read Randy Alcorn's book "Heaven."

 

 

 

this is amanda

leading the children's musical at

Liberty Baptist Church in

Lanex, Virginia.

 

Do you know how much I would have loved to be there?

Jake was playing the part of LEON,

NOEL spelled backward,

and I heard he did a wonderful job

and brought much glory to God along with

 the other children.

 

I don't see Jake & Eli,

but I know they are in the picture somewhere.

 

I keep making mistakes with everything I do

so I guess I better get to bed.

 

I think everyone who knows me has been in touch about my dad.

Thank you for caring and for letting me know.

Witnessing his accident

and all that followed

has shaken me up pretty badly.

Your kind words of love and encouragement have helped immensely.

Thank you,

cathy

 

 

coming home

 

We were going out to eat.

He found out that Papa's restaurant serves

home made bananna pudding every day.

Daddy choses that for lunch every time I take him out.

 

The front innards of my car are dragging.

We have not had time to get it fixed yet.

Turning causes metal to scrape asphalt producing

a sound like I've never heard before.

We were talking about that.

 

Before I knew anything,

Dad was getting out of the car

and heading for the door....

hungry and ready for his pudding.

I got to him just before he fell.

 

I heard his head hit the ground and saw that he was not moving.

I called to him and got no response.

He was bleeding profusely from the head.

 

That's when they started coming...

the angels,

They just surrounded us and took over.

Someone brought me a chair to sit down.

I was shaking.

 

One of the angels told me to start talking to my dad

and that is when he started coming around.

The ambulance came,

and the next thing I knew,

I was following it to the hospital.

He was sitting up & coherent.

 

When I walked into my home last night

I was overcome with a sense of peace and thankfulness.

Bubba and I ate a sandwhich

and talked for a long time

about the angels and the Lord God,

and how He works in our life.

 

Dad spent the night in the hospital.

We will see what today brings.

I know for sure who will order it and see us through.

 

"For God will give His angels charge over you

to guard you in all of your ways."

Psalm 91:11