happy birthday david

You remind me so much of your Dad!

He left us too soon.

He was our hero.

He always had a plan to make things better.

He loved you so much, David, and all that you are.

I always feel him close when we're together.

Sometimes, 

I despair to think that we're moving on.

It's been almost a year since he left us.

How can we keep living and enjoying this life?

Because...

Bubba would want that for us.

Because...

it is God's will that we keep on living and trusting and serving Him.

January is when I bring my snowman collection out of hiding.

The white lights are still lighting up the night!

My snowman plates grace the table for all celebrations this month.

I love entertaining!

Getting out the good china and cooking up a feast.

Candles on the table.

I love to make it a joyful occasion.

Talking and laughing and just enjoying each other's company.

 ❤️

I never know how this picture will turn out!

This time some happy faces and some solemn faces.

The birthday cake tradition is the last event on party night.

At this point, we are feeling a little spent from all of the partying!

I am so thankful for you David.

For the way you've led me through the last year.

I'm especially glad for times like this morning when you have to say,

"Let me handle this for you, Mom."

What wisdom and grace were in those words!

I ❤️ U!

 

Good Good Father w/ Lyrics (Chris Tomlin)

Early this morning.

I heard this song.

God is our good, good Father.

Interested to know more?

Seek God in His word.

He will fill up your senses!

❤️

" Open your mouth wide and I (God) will fill it."

                                                                 Psalm 81:10b

                                                                              

my new year's day post 3 weeks late

This is the blog post I was going to write on New Year's Day and never did.

Starting the brand new year without my husband for the first time in fifty years was sobering.

"I'm really on my own."

The new year felt like I was leaving something behind,

It was Bubba.

Here's the truth, plain and simple...

"Grief is not just mourning the loss of a loved one,

it is mourning the loss of a way of life."

cac

For me, everything changed in the blink of an eye.

I am getting over the unrelenting grief,

and the anger that he left me,

(yes, I got angry)

I am realizing that I can solve problems and fix things and make decisions on my own.

Did I want everything about my life to change?

No!

But it did and I have to keep living.

I am.

2020 was hard in so many ways.

but I survived with the help of my family and friends.

God had me by my right hand every step of the way.

He did not forsake me even for a minute.

He knows His plan for my life and He is working it out.

I am excited about this new year.

I have come to know what love in Christ means,

 That is a beautiful thing.

Seek God and His word and His Son Jesus.

Then, hold on tightly to the One in whom nothing is impossible.

I praise God for every blessing!

 

sisters

I just got back from taking my sister Teri to the airport.

I was so sad to see her go.

We had a three and a half-day marathon of non-stop talking.

Her presence brought much joy!

I am 13 years older,

 but the common bond of our shared childhood makes the age difference melt away.

 Because we are also sisters in Christ,

 we share a love of God and His word and marveling at how God has worked in our lives.

I have been blessed!

God is so good.

Thank You for this time dear Lord.

💕

 

a new creation

"Therefore, 

if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;

 old things have passed away;

 behold, 

all things have become new."

2 Corinthians 5:17

Oh the wonder of it all!

Oh the glory and riches of His grace.

the depth of His love,

 the height of His mercy and compassion 

that He would lift a soul out of the misery of the world into His loving presence.

To God be all glory forever and ever.

 

family is everything

Saturday night at Grammy's house.

Pizza and brownies and a new game.

Daisy running around.

David paying a few of my bills.

Erika trying to fix my phone that won't receive emails.

Me holding Baby Yoda for Walter.

David and Erika talking me through the new state of our state and our country,

righting my mind,

encouraging me to keep the faith.

Normal things that families do.

I'm just so thankful I have this safety net of love and compassion.

Daisy?

Well, Daisy fell asleep right on the floor in the living room.

She "pooped out" in the middle of all the fun.

She has grown a ton since I saw her last.

She is still soft and fluffy though.

She nips and herds.

I ❤️ her.

My sister Teri is coming to see me tomorrow.

I am so thankful and excited!

We will laugh and there is nothing like a sister.

She knows my heart!

Losing your husband is hard y'all.

Family is everything.

 

Casting Crowns - Great Are You Lord (Live)

In the physical world where we live right now,

we have experienced what most would call...

a bad week.

In the heavenly realm, where believers dwell, all is well.

God, our ruler, is still on His throne. 

He and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are working out His plan...

the plan that was set in motion before this planet was created.

Nothing that has happened here on this earth has taken Him by surprise.

All is preceding just as He knew it would.

God is to be praised and worshipped, not man.

There is no physical being that can save us.

Only Jesus could do that.

God does not belong to any political party.

He loves the whole world and has provided salvation for all who believe that Jesus is His Son 

and that His death on the cross brought forgiveness of our sin nature and eternal life.

Don't confuse God with any created being.

We sang the above song in church this morning.

The very breath in our lungs is put there by God.

He sustains us in life until we have fulfilled the plan He created for us.

When all else seems to be spinning out of control, praise Him!

Praise Him in the morning and all day long.

Praise Him when you lay down to sleep and if you wake up during the night.

He is our good, good God who never makes a mistake.

There is no need for despair.

Have faith in God, always!

If the United States of America is to be preserved as it was established, it will be God who does it!

We pray and pray and pray and hope He will.

No man or woman or political party can save our country.

This is God's work.

Have faith dear friends because...

"Without faith, it is impossible to please God."

Hebrews 11:6

police & gus & the hedgehog

A story to make you smile...

It's Sunday morning.

We gathered together to fellowship and hear God's word proclaimed.

David preached from Matthew about the Wise Men.

Gus helped in the nursery, he loves to in serve that way.

After church,

 fellowship was particularly sweet.

Then off to lunch.

Everybody is starving.

"Are we going to Panera?"

"Yes."

"We'll meet you there."

🥣

Panera is very close to where we meet for church.

I'm driving, Gus is riding shotgun.

He is talking nonstop about two finger football.

I am asking all of the appropriate questions.

I'm not speeding, driving erratically, or switching lanes incessantly.

I noticed the policeman in the lane next to me.

Next thing I know I am in the turn lane and she,

(yes the policeman was a woman, but we're not allowed to say that word anymore 😕)

had her scary lights on.

There was traffic on both sides and in front of me.

There was nowhere to pull over.

I'm stuck and I start freaking out!

What should I do?

"Gus, we're getting ready to get pulled over by the police.

If you look behind us you will see a police car with its lights on.

I don't know what I did.

Help me hold it together.

I am going to be very nice and respectful to the officer.

You just be quiet.

God is with us.

We'll be okay."

Finally, the light changed and I pulled into the T-Mobile store on the corner of Abercorn and White Bluff.

Shaking, I rolled down my window and fumbled for my driver's license.

The moment of truth had arrived.

"Mam,

Did you know that your tag expired in May?"

"No, I didn't know I've been driving illegally since May but...

My husband died and his birthday was in May and I never once thought about needing to pay taxes on his car which I drive all the time now."

Y'all,

she was so nice.

She went to her car and was back in a flash.

In her hands was the huge stuffed hedgehog that you can see in the picture above.

She knew that my grandson was scared to death.

She brought him an arm full of love.

I was so grateful for her compassion to me and Gus.

She just warned me and told me to get it dealt with the next day.

I did!

I think Gus saw a great picture of those who serve and protect us.

I hope he always remembers how kind she was.

And he has a beautiful stuffed hedgehog to prove it.

❤️

After I stopped shaking, we had a great laugh as I told this story around the table at Panera.

 

the Lord will fight for us no matter how these elections turn out

Okay,

I have done my part.

I voted in November and I early voted last week,

I stood in the long line and waited my turn.

There is nothing else I can do. 

I have, as a citizen of the United States of America,

the right to cast my vote for the men and women

 who most hold to the values of this country that I cherish.

I can do no more.

The rest is up to God, 

my Father, 

and the Father of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, 

who gave His life that we may have forgiveness of our sins

 and live forever with Him.

God is my strong tower and my safe place.

I put my complete hope and trust in Him.

To Him be all glory and praise forever and ever!

"The Lord will fight for us;

you need only to be still."

Exodus 14:14

God will fight for us who are His,

 no matter how these earthly elections turn out.

Do not be afraid or dismayed.

The glory of God is always on display.

Our future is secure in Christ.

God is sovereign over all that is happening on this earth He made and sustains!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

 

meet daisy

David and Erika and Lucy and Harry and Gus and Archie and Walter have a new puppy.

Her name is Daisy.

She is an Australian Shepherd.

She is a herder so we'll see where that goes.

They went to Waycross to get her the day after Christmas.

She is cute and sweet and so so soft.

Not being much of a dog person I wondered how I would take to her.

But, of course, it was love at first sight.

She came over with her family on New Year's Eve.

They want her to get used to being around me and at my house.

Y'all, I'm smitten and I think she likes me just fine.

The nice thing is...

she has five kids to play with every day.

Picture caption...

A boy and his dog.

I ❤️ Daisy.

 

happy new year!

Looks like it's now 2021.

I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year's Eve!

We sure did!

We celebrated with delicious tortellini soup made by David,

fresh from scratch jalapeno cornbread made by me, 

 and also crafted by me,

a lemon pie,

utilizing the last of the lemons from Bubba's lemon tree.

There were lots of candles and Christmas lights,

sparklers and smiles.

Harry made my day by walking in and exclaiming,

"I love the smell of Grammy's house!"

(food cooking)

There is something magical about being outside on a dark winter night

 running around with firesticks in your hand.

We had an amazing fireworks display in our front yard thanks to some neighbors a few streets away.

Happy

Everybody!

Thanks for reading my blog.

Maybe I'll live to write another year!