the last day of november 2013

Remembering our Thanksgiving Day

as this month passes on.

Such a good, perfect day.

so much to be thankful for.

Will pack up Thanksgiving tomorrow and start to get ready for

Christmas.

Praise be to God from whom all blessings flow!!

the day after...

Silly faces...

Thanksgiving 2013

We all got together and had a feast!

It was a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Lots of love in this picture.

Just finished in the kitchen and going to bed.

Thankful,

very, very thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Thank God today and everyday.

It All comes from Him.

my thanksgiving roses

They will be on one of the tables for our 

Thanksgiving dinner.

Aren't they just exquisite?

Nothing says fall like the color orange.

It has been such a good day.

I just love "keeping house."

Today I stayed home all day and made it shine

for our gathering on Thursday.

It was raining outside 

and I had the whole day to work and clean and set up the tables 

on which we will eat our meal.

Loving to make things beautiful is a gift

that God has given me

and I love it.

Tomorrow is "cook" day.

We will prepare as much as we can 

so that Thursday will be a day to enjoy.

I have seating for twenty.

There are two turkeys and one ham

and tons of delicious sides plus dessert.

Every time I  hear from Sally she is adding another dish.

It will truly be a feast.

Looking forward to the arrival of Jake & Eli 

tomorrow afternoon along with their mom and dad.

So excited!

Love Thanksgiving!!!!

reading....

...a book about the holocaust.

A young Jewish girl lost everything,

her home, her possessions, every member of her family.

She ended up in a concentration camp,

working right next door to the crematorium,

the place where her father was headed

when she went the other way to become a debased slave,

working and living in the most inhumane

set of circumstances,

ruled by evil and ungodly men who were told

they were

"fighting for their country."

Reading this is hard...

very upsetting.

I am a great fan of history so I persevere.

This really happened.

Over 6 million people were murdered

in Germany

in the early years of 1940.

I think about what is happening in our country,

how easy it is for people to follow a charismatic leader.

A man who is full of charm,

 but who deals in lies and deception.

One who can whip up with words

a mass following of people looking for something

to grab hold of,

some kind of hope that will give them a better future.

Hitler was such a man.

Hope doesn't come from the government.

The only hope we have is in 

Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ transforms hearts,

gives people hope for an eternal future

free from sin and evil.

He puts truth into our inner being so that whatever we have to endure,

He will be with us and see us through.

We have no promises that something similar can't happen

right here in the grand old USA, and soon.

We think we live in "The Land of the Free."

Our freedoms are going away,

little by little every day,

unbeknownst to most of our people.

Without God, without morality, without integrity, without accountability

there is chaos.

Without Christ there is no hope.

watching the sun go down

November 22, 2013,

Back River dock

Tybee Island.

Today was the best!

80 degrees of warmth....

Made lunch for some dear friends and so enjoyed

their company,

then picked up the kiddos and headed for the beach.

Watching the sun go down.

looking for dolphins in the water,

eating chicken fingers at Spanky's,

and then ice cream on the way home.

Love what the rays of the sun do when you are least expecting....

look at that comet by Lucy's foot.

I am tired,

been up since 5:00 am.

going to bed for a long night's sleep.

Thanking God tonight for friends and family and other good things.

about being thankful

One week from tomorrow....

that is the big day ~ Thanksgiving.

 Thanksgiving is the best!

Just think about it....

You get up very early in the morning,

go straight to the kitchen,

and get to work.

Lots of cooking takes place,

the tables are set with the finest linens and china.

There are candles and flowers,

silverware and crystal.

The house looks beautiful

 and smells just divine.

Then the guests start arriving

 bearing big bowls of food 

to be added to the smorgasbord.

What a feast..

what a grand time of eating and talking

and being together with family and friends.

So basically,

Thanksgiving is all about eating.

But, more importantly,

Thanksgiving 

calls attention to what is one of the most important 

attributes of the Christian life....

being thankful.

"Giving thanks always 

for all things

 to God the Father

 in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ."

Ephesians 5:20

We are to give thanks

always

for all things!

Doesn't leave much room for murmuring and complaining,

does it?

always ~ for all things

a tree ~ crying out in praise to God

Really....

is anything more beautiful than a tree

caught on fire by the rays of the sun

shining brightly

 by the side of the road?

To round a corner and come upon this sight...

it literally takes my breath away.

Whatever it may be,

a full moon,

the vast ocean,

a red rose in bloom,

a shiny bright apple,

a tiny baby,

a little kitten,

all of these and so much more

 cry out their praise to God.

Tonight I am thankful for,

lunch with a friend and her listening ear,

supper with our family,

all of us gathered around the table

telling our stories of the day,

my husband, 

who lovingly prepared the meal.

A warm home on a cool evening...

promises from His word to hold on to for dear life,

reading to a tiny Ethiopian boy,

my bed waiting,

a good book to lull me to sleep,

a blanket to keep me warm.

I could go on and on...

Blessings are meant to be counted

and remembered,

and filed away for a rainy day.

"It is good for me to draw near to God;

I have put my trust in the Lord God,

That I may declare all His works."

Psalm 73:28

happy kids

These are our grandkids goofing around

on the front porch.

Love the "lock hold" Lucy has on Jake & Eli.

Soon there will be one more....

Archie is over in China right now.

We are hoping he will be home for Christmas.

How can I thank God enough

 for the privilege of knowing and loving these children?

photo by erika

a place to put my special stuff

He bought this for me.

We had been looking for years for this piece of

furniture.

A place to hold my various and sundry collections.

The new house 

had a wall that needed to be filled.

I saw this 

and it all came together.

For Christmas it will hold my collection  of

churches and houses.

It is still a work in progress.

I love it!

Our home is taking shape.

We work a little every day on this and that.

We are hanging pictures now.

I held out for a long time,

not wanting to put nails in the new walls,

but the time has come.

A home is a collection,

a coming together of years of living.

It is a place for all of the things accumulated over a lifetime.

I have so many antiques,

things that belonged to various family members

in their lifetime....

mixed together with pieces of my own.

I adore the mixture,

the remembering,

the familiarity 

of pieces I've been around all my life.

I read this today...

"They who seek Christ are already being sought by Him."

Charles Spurgeon

No one seeks God on his own.

His Spirit in you causes you to desire to know Him.

I love this thought...

none of me/all of Him

11 ~ 12 ~ 13

Love significant number days,

and this was a good one for sure....

11 ~  12 ~ 13.

Preparing for some really cold weather tomorrow.

Taking one last look at the open door

and my rocking chair

on the porch.

Winter is approaching fast and furious...

it is right around the corner

and will be blowing in big time tonight.

In my mind winter is a season to endure until it gets warm again.

Bubba and I bought the Thanksgiving turkeys today

and the oil to fry them in.

Two weeks from Thursday is the big day

and I am getting really excited.

The house is all decorated.....

Cozy, warm, and inviting.

What a blessing a home is.....

a place to live your life with all of its twists and turns.

A place to put on comfy clothes 

and curl up in front of a fire 

with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate.

A place to prepare and eat good food with people you love.

There is no place like a home where love lives!

Speaking of fires,

mine are working again,

just in time for the cold blast.

Come on cold,

I'm ready for you now.

Big smile!

Happy Veteran's Day......

....from Jake's second grade class.

Jake ~ back row ~ fourth from Mrs. Fleming.

Love this Amanda!

honoring those who served

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day.

A time to remember

 all those who have served our country in the military.

A time to be thankful for those

who have been willing to stand and fight for freedom....

many to their death.

Our dad was a veteran of World War II.

He served in Italy

in the Army,

Tenth Mountain Division,

back in the early 1940's.

My husband is a veteran.

He served in the military for 42 years

in the Air National Guard 

and then the United States Air Force.

Dad served when our nation was at war,

Bubba during a relatively peaceful time in our country.

Both served their country well 

and fulfilled their mission.

The word that comes first to my mind

when I think of a veteran is

bravery.....

being able to face an enemy,

prepared,

and without fear.

Being able to remember the training

and keep focused on the job.

Thank you today to all who served well...

whether you wear a string of medals,

or came home

 honorably discharged.

You all earned a place of honor in my heart.

You served so that we can live in peace.

You were willing to die 

so that we could live in the land of the free.

Thank you!!

another one...

....cutie that is.

This is Jake at his "Tall Tale" night at school.

This boy and his brother Eli

made the President's List at their school....

all A's. 

I am so proud!

They are doing so well,

learning so much,

and having just a great time in first and second grade.

Can't wait to see them at Thanksgiving.

I am going to pick Lucy up in a few.

She and I will probably go to the beach 

to feed the alligators

 and eat some crab legs.

The weather is beautiful, sunny, and cool.

She is spending the night.

We are going to watch the move Hook and eat Blue Bell ice-cream.

In the morning,

 her granddaddy is taking both of us to

I-hop for breakfast.

Little things,

and time spent together having fun,

make memories that last for a lifetime!

Thankful, so thankful, 

for these precious children in my life.

a little cutie....

....i just happen to know,

at the place I love best in the world.

That would be Lucy 

on the beach at Tybee.

I love her!

Just a short blog today.

Wanted to share this story....

"I have heard of a good old woman

in a cottage

who had nothing but a piece of bread and some water,

and lifting up her hands,

she said as a blessing,

'What!  

All this and Christ too?' "

(Charles Spurgeon)

In all of our excess,

in all of our pride, lust, and abundance.

do we sometimes go through days and weeks

hardly even giving Christ

 a thought at all?

"Every good and perfect gift comes down from God."

James 1:17

Thank Him daily,

many times a day, day in and day out.

Never forget 

where it all comes from!

cc

outside 2 night

If you haven't already,

run outside and look at the beauty in the sky.

It takes my breath away every time I see

 God's handiwork up there.

He made all of these things and put them on display.

His creation just cries out in praise to Him.

Update on Bleached Pine Cones

I went back to downtown Savannah this morning,

back to my favorite store...

The French Market.

They still had some bleached pine cones.

"Are these bleached or painted," I asked.

I was told they were bleached.

"Well, when I tried to bleach my pine cones it didn't work."

Oh you silly girl...

"There is a long process to make them look like this," I was told.

Forget the long process,

I am buying these and I did.

Love them......

what wondrous love is this?

I read this early this morning.

It tells the sweet, sweet story so well...

It made me tear up.

I share it with you now, so that you can be amazed

at what He did for us

"The love that led to all of this....

Just think of it....

the Son of God,

Jesus,

the One through whom all things were made,

the Word that was God from the beginning,

the eternal, absolute Son

enjoying all the full prerogatives of deity

from everlasting to everlasting ~

lying helpless as a baby in a manger.....

and all, that you and I might be saved and reconciled to God.

Oh,

what wondrous love that should stoop so low!

But look at the record,

follow the story.....

look at Him suffering the scorn and the derision,

the abuse,

 the jealousy, 

the envy,

 the hatred,

 the malice,

 the scourging.

Look at Him as they put that heavy cross upon His holy shoulder,

as He staggers beneath His load.

Who is this struggling under this impossible weight?

It is the everlasting, eternal Son of God,

Jesus, His Son!

And why is He doing it?

That you and I might be redeemed.

Look at Him there upon the cross,

in His pain,

suffering the agony that is almost unendurable.

What does it all mean?

Why has He done it all, why does He die....

Why does He suffer Himself to be buried in a grave?

What has produced it all?

And there is but one response ~

Love, so amazing, so divine..

God has come Himself in the person of His Son...

He has known that humiliation,

and the suffering and the contradiction of sinners 

and the agony and the shame,

and He has done it so that we might be forgiven,

that we might become His children,

and that we might go on to be with Him in glory 

forever and ever.

What amazing love,

to give us so much, to stoop so low!"

MLJ  Life in Christ

"God commendeth His love toward us, in that,

while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us."

Romans 5:8

There, that is the story that I base my life on,

 told so beautifully.

Please consider.

cathy

ways to dispel darkness

Daylight Savings Time...

dark at six o'clock,

I dread it coming every year.

It is here now,

so what can we do to make it better?

Take a long walk in the sunshine.

Soak up some rays and hope they last until morning.

Light up a cozy fall scene...

its cheerfulness will dispel some of the gloom.

Light a turkey votive.

Somehow a turkey burning helps......

I really don't know why.

Light lots of candles.

Put acorns and pumpkins and peas in the bottom.

Think about the fun you had 

picking up the acorns from under a tree in the daylight.

Jump for joy 

when your husband announces

he is going to make a pot of fresh crab stew.  

It was delicious.

Have a fire in your new fireplace.

Tried this...the new logs didn't work at all.

Wanted to cry but didn't.

That would only make the depression of early darkness worse.

Lastly,

remember this....

"The light of the world is Jesus."

Rejoice!!!!!

This one truth drives away all of the darkness and despair.

"God is light and in Him is no darkness at all."

1 John 1:5

flamingos

Sharing one of God's unique creations.....

These flamingos are down at Sea World in Orlando.

When we first happened upon them, 

they were all sleeping......

had their heads buried in their feathers.

Amazingly,

they all woke up at the same time...

and were hyper-alert immediately.

Look at the colors, 

those super long legs,

the multi-colored curved beaks.

Seeing God's work never ceases to amaze me.

Just back from the beach....

cloudy, but hot and humid down by the ocean today.

I am hoping that we get some rain...

it has been a long dry spell.

Spent some time at our condo assessing the damage

of a very full and rewarding rental season.

This year we are going to replace the kitchen sink

and buy a new sleeper sofa.

The next one will not be white. 

(that's what Bubba says)

There will be a few sporadic renters here and there,

but it always slows down in the winter.

We take it off of the market for the month of January

for upkeep and our own personal use.

What a huge blessing that place has been for us.

I just love to sit on the deck

 and watch the ocean, 

the dolphins, 

and the big ships going by.

and so....

here is a verse to go to sleep by...

"The works of the Lord are great,

studied by all who have pleasure in them.

His work is honorable and glorious,

and His righteousness endures forever.

He has made His wonderful works to be remembered."

Psalm 111:2~4

I think when we remember His works,

we are brought to our knees in praise and adoration,

knowing that this God who lives in our heart,

can make a beautiful flamingo.