boys in the house

It is supposed to be ready on Monday.

This was taken yesterday.

They have the bead board up and painted,

the walls are painted sea salt,

and the flooring has been delivered.

I just love how it is turning out...

my beach house at 

Southbridge.

Jake and Eli love visiting.

Every evening 

they ask if they can go see how the house is progressing.

They love seeing where the bunk beds will be

and the closet for their

books and toys.

We couldn't go tonight because of the storm....

a wild thing

with deluges of rain, lightning, and thunder.

We got in some extra reading 

since we didn't go anywhere.

My Dad's house did close today.

I didn't go to the closing because of the boys.

Bubba stood in for me,

and he and my brother Frank saw it through.

Hard to believe 

that six months after his passing we are done with everything.

God has once again carried us through

a most difficult time.

It has been a very sad day for me,

but I rejoice in the goodness of my God.

Eli lost another tooth tonight.

He is brave and strong and funny...

a delight.

Jake stood by his brother all the way through the process,

which really didn't take too long at all.

"And now abide faith, hope, love,

these three,

but the greatest of these is love."

I Corinthians 13:13

live for eternity

"Oh that men and women would learn 

 to live with an awareness

 that one day 

they are going to die.

Truly,

 it is a waste of time 

to set our hearts on a dying world and its short-lived comforts and pleasures, 

and for the sake of momentary pleasures,

  lose a glorious eternity in heaven.

Here we are

 striving,

 laboring,

 exhausting ourselves about little things, 

and running here and there like ants on an anthill, 

and yet after a few years 

we will all be gone 

and another generation will take our place.

Let us live for eternity.

Let us seek His kingdom and His righteousness 

that can never be taken away from us."

JC Ryle

update

On Friday morning,

the Hollingsworth family

will leave Lanexa, Virginia,

headed south 

to live in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Bubba flew up to Richmond, Virginia, this morning,

and is, as I write, headed south on I-95,

hopefully to make it back home tonight.

He is driving Mark's car,

as Mark will be driving a big truck on Friday.

They are frantically packing

and doing all of the things that moving requires.

We are keeping Jake and Eli

during this process

so that they will have some normalcy

and fun to finish out the summer.

Erika arrived home this afternoon

from her trip to

California.

She and her family are reunited tonight.

Gus stayed here with us while she was gone.

Daddy's house closes on Wednesday.

Bubba and Frank will finish cleaning there tomorrow.

What a blessing!

We sold it "by owner."

Our new house closes on Monday

and we haven't had time to even think about that.

I haven't packed one thing.

We will leave

 after the closing on Monday

 to take the boys to their new home and to help where we can.

All that to say...

it is not about us at all.

It is about being ready to help when the need arises

and to not worry about the rest.

These days and times are in God's hands.

It is He who gives

the strength and power and energy to get us through.

To Him be the glory.

"Let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ."

Philippians 1:27

the red lighthouse....

across from Jetty's

 restaurant

on the intercoastal waterway

in Jupiter, Florida, 

where Amanda and I ate some of the best crab cakes

in the world.

Talk about a girl's trip...

she and I packed a whole lot of fun

into a very short time.

Back to the lizards.

The purpose of our trip was to find a new home

for the Hollingsworth family, 

which we did!!

Greeting me just outside each home we viewed 

was a super large lizard

perched just where I had to walk by.

I managed to overcome my fears and go inside.

The townhouse she chose was great...

plenty of room and storage

in a beautiful location.

There is a huge screened in back porch.

Trapped on the porch is a lizard...

running around frantically,

trying to get out.

Also,

I saw a lizard run under the door into the garage.

(I am hyper-vigilant in lizard sighting.)

Lastly...

we just had to have an Einstein Bagel before we left,

(chocolate chip with strawberry cream cheese.)

I chose a table by the window.

While gazing out,

I saw what I thought was a chipmunk

munching on a tidbit in the courtyard.

I called it to Amanda's attention...

"Amanda, what is that?"

"Mom, it's a komoto dragon."

It's tail actually curled upward.

Reptile central.

That was it.

Probably won't be able to visit again.

Maybe will have to take one of those 

"How to conquer your fear of lizards"

courses.

I think that involves spending 

one on one time with them.

maybe not

these two swans...

...were floating in the lobby 

of the hotel that Amanda and I stayed in 

while we were visiting Florida.

Their names are 

Bach & Beethoven.

Pretty much the whole time we stayed,

they were bathing themselves

 and plucking feathers.

Never could get them to assume their

swan positions.

Anyway...

on to my funny story.

I am scared to death of lizards...

bottom line,

sometimes I freak out.

Well, we were leaving on Tuesday morning

all dressed up

rolling our suitcases out the door 

and down the walkway.

All at once Amanda stops

and starts talking to a lizard

 that is sitting to the side of the walkway.

"Okay little fella,

you need to decide what you are going to do."

Now this lizard was not afraid.

He did not scurry away as most of them do.

He stood his ground,

staring me straight in the eye.

A man is coming up the walkway in the opposite direction.

He veers to the side off onto the grass

to allow us to pass.

We don't pass.

That lizard looks right at me and darts between my legs.

I scream..

the man laughs and just walks on by.

I am convinced that he has run up my skirt

and was lurking somewhere

up there.

Before I would get into the car I shook my skirt in every direction

including up and down.

My daughter calmed me 

and assured me

that the lizard had not gone up my skirt

and had run and hid

from all the commotion.

Lizards taunt me,

they really do!

more to this story later......

jupiter beach

I cannot for the life of me get them bedded down before

eight o'clock.

I have three little boys camping here tonight....

four counting Bubba.

By the time I get them

read to,

bedtime snacked,

jammied,

toothies brushed,

kissed,

and prayed over

I am spent, done, finished for the day.

I am crawling into bed right now.

I will keep my funny story in my head until such a time

as I can do it justice on this blog.

Just one last thing....

When I finally accomplished all of the above,

Eli was in tears.

He wanted to sleep with the 

Spiderman 

action figure that I bought him today,

and that toy was nowhere

to be found.

After soothing Eli for his loss 

and bidding them goodnight,

I couldn't wait to sit down and read my e-mails for the day.

Into my room I slid,

shutting the door,

and falling into my chair.

Ouch!

I sat down hard on that lost plastic

Spiderman,

but oh the joy of going to Eli's bed and telling him

I had found his toy.

This is what he said to me,

"Grammy, you didn't find it,

your bottom did!"

Love, love, love these kids!

amanda and i....

....just got home from paradise.

I have a story to tell,

but it won't be until later tonight.

Just thought I would say hello since I've been gone for a while.

cathy

Hi again...

I cannot tell my story tonight...too tired.

Will write it tomorrow.

I will say this....

Amanda and Mark are moving to Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

She and I took an absolutely delightful trip,

 just the two of us,

down there on Sunday 

to find them a place to live and thrive.

It was so much fun!

As for my story, I will just say this.....

Palm Beach Gardens

 has to be the lizard capital of the world.

More to come.....

"a dry and thirsty land where there is no water"

"O God, You are my God;

Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You;

My flesh longs for You

In a dry and thirsty land where there is no water."

Psalm 63:1

Our bodies need water,

we cannot stay alive without water.

When I am hot and thirsty,

nothing satisfies like a cool glass of refreshing water.

Our souls need God,

we were created to be one with Him,

to seek Him, to thirst for Him.

Augustine said,

"Thou, O God, have created us for Thyself,

and our hearts are restless 

until they find their rest in Thee.

Imagine,

 being in this desert,

 looking for water and not being able to find it.

This world without God,

without His word,

is a dry and thirsty land without water.

People are dying of thirst for God

and they don't realize what they need to stay alive.

And Jesus said to them,

"I am the bread of life.

He who comes to Me shall never hunger, 

and he who believes in Me

shall never thirst."

John 6:35

This minute,

will you believe and be saved?

Archie

This is our newest grandson.

His name is Archie.

He is five years old.

Right now he lives far away in China,

but hopefully,

very soon,

He will be here with us.

Maybe 

when we sit down to eat Thanksgiving dinner 

in our new home,

he will be sitting at the children's table.

Does anybody think he looks like Harry?

I do.

Just look at that smile.

Erika fell in love with this little guy,

the first time she ever saw his face.

He speaks no English.

Please pray for him and for his new family.

Pray that Archie will sense our love and prayers for him.

Pray that he will stay well,

and that even now

 God is preparing his heart to know Him.

Check it out.....

https://www.adopttogether.org/cleland

my safe place

I love my Tybee Island....

this is the lighthouse at the north beach area.

I think this lighthouse is one of the prettiest anywhere.

Lighthouses give off light..

they lead and guide people to a safe place.

That's what God's word does.

The word of God sheds light and truth

into a very dark world that does not make sense,

The Bible leads and guides us..

it helps us to know how to navigate this life

and find our way into eternity.

This morning I didn't take time to read...

this afternoon I feel very far away.

It doesn't take much for me to sink into old patterns

of thinking and doing.

The Bible is my lifeline and my safe place.

God reminds me of who I am,

why I need Jesus (my sin),

and what I need to do to stay close.

The Bible is my anchor

 my safe place,

 my good day.

The Bible keeps me from drifting off into the abyss.

It is my armor,

and my delight.

Thank you God for giving us Your words.

this sink

To be getting a brand new, 

not even completed home,

was not even in the far reaches of my thoughts.

You can just imagine,

when this became a reality,

the decorator in me started working overtime.

When I first laid eyes on this sink,

it literally became the catalyst

for all of my ideas for the rest of our house.

This is a farmhouse sink...

I have always wanted one...to me,

it is a piece of art.

How could you ever get tired of doing dishes,

if you are doing them in this sink?

The house already had a sink..

it was stainless steel.

The builder is having to pull that out

and refit this one for me.

He is the greatest!

Love it that he accommodates my dreams.

This sink...

thank you Lord for Your goodness to me.

for us to do......

"Be kindly affectionate to one another 

with brotherly love,

in honor giving preference to one another;

not lagging in diligence,

fervent in spirit,

serving the Lord;

rejoicing in hope,

patient in tribulation,

continuing steadfast in prayer;

distributing to the needs of the saints,

given to hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you;

bless and do not curse.

Rejoice with those who rejoice,

and weep with those who weep.

Be of the same mind toward one another.

Do not set you mind on high things,

but associate with the humble.

Do not be wise in your own opinion.

Repay no one evil for evil.

Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.

If it is possible, 

as much as depends on you,

live peaceably with all men.

Do not be overcome by evil,

but overcome evil with good."

Romans ~ 12th chapter

the story of the house....

.....because so many of you have asked.

It started around Bubba's birthday back in May.

We went out to tour

some townhomes down on Wilmington Island.

We looked in six,

we made a bid on one,

that bid was turned down.

A couple of weeks later

we decided to look at some houses at 

The Landings.

I think there were about seven.

We found one that we liked,

put a bid in,

and that one was turned down

even though our bid was the highest.

Okay...that was two negatives....

two rather strange negatives.

What, if anything, does God have for us?

Next time we branched out.

Still looking on the islands

because 

we definitely didn't want to stay at Southbridge.

(too far to drive.)

Our real estate agent, Lara,

was sitting in the backseat on our next foray.

Back to The Landings we go.

Kind of tentatively she asked this question...

Cathy & Henry,

"Is it about the house, the money, or the location?"

We looked at each other and promptly replied...

"All three."

She replied....

"I have the perfect house for you...

Cathy, it has your name written all over it....

But...

It's in Southbridge."

Long story, ending shortly...

Our new house is in Southbridge

and we have no doubt whatsoever that this is the house

that He had for us all along.

@choosing to be happy

with the location.

Two out of three (ain't) bad.

just a day at the beach

Very early this morning,

as the sun was coming up over the ocean,

I looked out

and saw this conch shell that sits on my deck table.

It was glowing.

That was the beginning of a very miraculous day.

Of course,

for me, every day spent on the beach is

miraculous.

In the middle of the morning,

a shrimp boat parked right in front of our condo.

That is a sure winner for dolphin lovers.

Dolphins follow the shrimp boats

because the shrimpers throw out food for them

Today was an exceptional day.

There were droves of them

playing and jumping and gliding around out there...

couldn't look at them enough.

Later in the afternoon

Erika, Harry, Lucy, Gus Trish, Nathan and I

ventured out into the water.

What we saw before us was better than any aquarium show.

If there had been music,

we wouldn't had been surprised.

The dolphins, the seagulls,

the pelicans and all of the other small sea birds

joined together in a jubilee.

It was so exciting to be a part of something so awesome.

When we came back up to the condo to dry off,

we looked out into the water

and it was over.

Not a bird or a dolphin in sight!

The show was just for us!

We are sure of that.

God, thank you for giving us a small glimpse

of your wonders.

ps....Lu and I are currently watching

"A Dolphin Tale."

the boys of summer

Jake and Eli playing ball.

Real sluggers they are!

I love these guys...

so much!

Learning to Trust God

I don't have any trouble trusting God in the most important thing...

my salvation.

God has clearly shown me in His word

what a sinner I am 

and how much I need a Savior.

Jesus died to take away my sin nature,

to give me power over the remaining sin in my life,

and to put me in a right relationship with God.

I am bought with a price......

the shed blood of Jesus.

I have been given a new heart,

and the ability to understand His word

by the working of His Spirit 

deep within my soul.

Having all that, I say this....

I struggle to trust Him in the little things,

the small details,

the tiny,

 nitty-gritty daily dealings of my life.

I see sin manifest itself when I least expect.....

in a thought,

a motive, 

a desire,

a word.

Overcoming sin is a daily fight...

an on-going, never-ending battle 

with the unseen enemy. 

 O Lord, help me to know Your word more and more,

so that I can overcome sin.

Lastly, O God,

help me to remember that overcoming sin

brings glory to You.

May Your power be manifest in me.

.

july 4th collage....

so thankful for

family, friends, food, fun, and fireworks.

a little back porch

I like windows

 that come all the way down to the floor.

Lets as much sun in as possible,

and plenty of openness to see the rain falling from the sky.

I will throw those doors open 

and let the fresh air come blowing through.

In case you missed my blog last night,

this is the back of our new house.

Plenty of room for my 

outdoor dining table and chairs.

I would like to hang outdoor curtains around this space.

Will plant a little garden

and have hydrangeas all over the yard.

To own a home again...

how wonderful.

Not since we left Fayetteville 

have we owned 

a little spot of earth to call our own.

God's blessings to undeserving sinners....

grace.

Off to celebrate the Fourth of July!

our house

First let me say...

this "house hunt" has been a long process.....

not without many twists and turns.

Without a doubt we know

that we were carried along in this decision

by our Maker...

the One who knows our hearts,

the One who set His love upon us.

I am convinced that we have the best

real estate agent that ever lived

who through this long process

has become my friend.

Never met anyone quite like her.

She makes me happy just to be around.

This house is a gift from God.

It is 85% complete.

I get to pick out most of  the "good stuff."

I will write about those things as we go along.

The inside is unique.

We got it in time to make it ours.

It will be 

beach/ cottage

with just a few touches of complete elegance.

I am so excited.

All glory goes to God

who "daily loads us up with benefits"

when we seek his face.

Happy Fourth everybody!!!!

Love those fireworks

and that

red, white, and blue.

my hutch

In the process of buying our new home,

this hutch 

was always the main consideration.

After touring about 30 houses,

many of which did not have a place for this piece,

I finally said,

"Maybe the hutch needs to go."

What?

How could I have said such a thing?

This hutch is one of my most favorite things.

It holds my treasured dishes,

 it displays my holiday cheer.

It makes me happy just to gaze upon it.

There you see my current

July 4th display.

Got those star plates new this year.

Tomorrow we sign the contract on the new house,

God willing.

Then I will share the details with everybody.

What a blessing!

Those are the last of daddy's hydrangea's.

Think they look good

on my red & white checkered tablecloth.

Festive!

"I know that there is nothing better for them 

than to rejoice

 and do good in their lives, 

and also that every man should eat and drink 

and enjoy the good of his labor ~

it is the gift of God." 

 Ecclesiastes 3: 12&13