20 months and one day

This verse is what keeps me charging ahead.

Life in Christ here on earth is good, but life with Christ in heaven will be exponentially better.

Death is the pathway to eternal life.

I will see my Savior and Lord Jesus Christ!

I will see Bubba!

We will rejoice together to be reunited...

not as husband and wife but as brothers and sisters in Christ.

He will tell me what he has been doing since he left me 20 months and one day ago.

I will listen in rapt attention.

What a day that will be!

I will finally be home!

To God be the glory great things He has done.

 

red sky at morning...

...sailors take warning.

This was the sky that greeted me this morning.

It was as if the heavens were on fire just beyond the trees.

I knew a big storm was expected.

I love storms and anticipate them with giddiness.

Today was infusion day.

I had planned to stay home and rest this afternoon.

I am just not 100% for a few days after this procedure.

Erika sent me a text letting me know that nothing exciting was going on at my house.

No reason to go out.

I  hunkered down for the long haul.

Other than some gentle rain, nothing really materialized.

 I am enjoying the milder side of the proposed bad storm that was heading this way.

Later I will walk to the trash compactor and the mailbox which I didn't think I'd be able to do.

I've been meaning to share this site with you for a while.

This guy gives only the no-nonsense version of hurricanes, earthquakes, and major storms.

He just makes sense without all of the hype you get at the major weather sites.

I have followed him all summer.

I look forward to his posts and his take on things.

He just makes so much sense.

Today's storm didn't materialize.

He came on mid-morning to let me know.

I appreciate that!

 

some things take my breath away

We had been to Zoe's for dinner.

Zoe's is a Mediterranean fast-food restaurant.

I bought mini bundt cakes for dessert at Nothing Bundt Cakes.

We ate outside.

We laughed a lot.

A lizard marched past on the railing.

Saturday was a bad day for close encounters with snakes and lizards for me.

After we finished we all went out to my new house.

The kids (all of us) like to see the progress of what had been done.

When we turned onto Hope Lane,

this sight took my breath away.

I asked Harry to jump out and take a picture.

The sun was just before dropping below the trees.

It was making a splash of color on the water and the fountain.

I am always stopped in my tracks by beauty.

The kids have gotten used to their Grammy's obsession with her camera.

I am always looking for a good shot.

They know it and mostly comply.

The lighting was bad.

(sun went down)

(no electricity in my house)

I had to edit for this photo to be seen.

But, I love it so much.

I have a wonderful camera on my phone,

but I can't get the photos to my blog.

Because of this I always have my big Canon with me.

Bubba loved my blog and bought me two cameras before he died.

I'm so thankful for this hobby.

I'm so thankful you read.

📷

 

house love

The way light comes into my house is so perfect.

Everything is white on white.

Hopefully, this week, someone will be measuring for shutters and such.

I would love for my windows to be covered when I move in.

All of the brick has been laid.

This is the back of the house that you see in the picture above.

A view of my kitchen without the workmen and the tools.

White shaker cabinets with black metal pulls.

Erika was with me on all of the design decisions.

 

My wide plank flooring is scheduled to go down this week...

Rustic Manor Sandcastle Oak.

It is so light, almost white.

It will look like the sand on the beach!

So, I talked with the person who handled my sale this week.

She still could not nail down a closing date.

But, work is moving along quickly!

I think I'll know soon.

I ❤ my 🏡!

 

i couldn't believe my eyes

This morning I had some errands to run.

I had to go to Publix to get half & half for my coffee.

I needed to stop by the post office to pick up some books I had ordered.

I needed to get gas in my van.

I call it the tank.

It was Bubba's ride.

When I open my front door I am usually blinded by the brightness of the sun.

It takes a minute for my eyes to adjust.

I am overly cautious.

I hold on to the railing.

I watch for lizards.

At first, I didn't know what this dark, wiggly shadow was.

Then I said to myself,

"It can't be a snake!"

Then, 
"It is a snake!"

Then. 

"I have to get my camera!"

The snake never moved a muscle.

He was not bothered by my presence at all.

After I got the picture and put the camera back inside,

I was faced with actually descending the stairs.

"What if he darts at me?"

"Can snakes fly?"

"Should I get my broom after him?"

I decided to make a run for it.

The snake stayed put.

He didn't have a care in the world.

I made it safely down and proceeded on to do my errands.

I dreaded coming home.

Mercifully, from afar I could tell he was gone.

But where did he go?

Obviously, his home is under my stairs.

I've seen this guy before stretched out on the sidewalk in front of my apartment.

I did see a lizard on the railing tough.

That ALWAYS causes a shot of adrenalin to pass through my chest.

🦎🐍

😨

This guy had attached himself to my porch as well.

I'm not afraid of snails thankfully!

 

moon over hope lane

Last Friday evening David and Erika and I went to the Driftaway Cafe for dinner.

After dinner, we went by my new house.

David wanted to see all of the cabinets that had been installed.

As we were leaving, 

I looked up and saw the great big Harvest moon hovering over my roof.

The moon has been gorgeous this month.

God hung it there you know!

The thing about HOPE.

I bought this sign at Home Goods and shared it a few weeks ago.

Even though I'm being very frugal,

 I just had to have it.

It is to go on the built-in cabinets at my new house.

Why?

My HOPE is in Christ Jesus.

My whole future...

this present life and the life to come is based completely on the Hope of God's word.

Since Bubba died, HOPE has been my constant comfort and stay.

My church is HOPE Bible Church.

Back in January, I signed the contract to build my new house.

When I realized that my address was to be HOPE Lane

it sealed the deal for me.

My HOPE is to see Bubba again in the near future

Thank you, Jesus!

You daily load me with benefits.

You are my strength and my song.

You are the precious HOPE of my life.

You are everything I need!

That's Why!

 

tybee island

I💗Tybee!

photo by...

jdwolfjr_instagram

 

happy birthday gus #11

This is Gus. 

We have had him for almost eleven years.

David and Erika brought him home from Ethiopia when he was 7 months old.

He sits beside me every Sunday at church.

He is the sweetest, huggingist, most lovable little guy I have ever known.

He is growing tall like a weed.

He wants to be a preacher when he grows up.

We took him to the Olive Garden for his birthday dinner yesterday afternoon.

You know how everybody loves spaghetti and breadsticks.

It was a big hit!

Then we came home to watch him open his gifts and eat his birthday pie.

I made our favorite Atlantic Beach Pie 

with fresh-squeezed limes and homemade whipped cream.

Always a hit and a crowd pleaser.!

Happy Birthday, Gus.

Wish your Granddaddy could see you now!

💙

 

oh wow!

I walked into my house yesterday about lunchtime.

What I found there stunned me.

All of the cabinets in the whole house had been installed.

This is my kitchen.

There are glass cabinets for all of my pretty dishes and cups and saucers.

It's taking shape!

Laundry room.

There is a double lazy susan in that corner cabinet.

There will be a utility sink and room to fold all of my clothes.

The fireplace and the built-ins in the living room.

Plenty of space for all of my lighted houses.

I forgot to get electrical outlets installed.

The first mistake that I'm aware of.

My kitchen island.

The sink and dishwasher will go here.

Lots of room for people to gather and watch me cook,

Or maybe they will cook and I will watch them.

The stove will go here.

I love the compact space.

Don't have to walk very far to get to anything in this kitchen.

They finished bricking the side yesterday,

It kinda looks like a war zone to me!

I don't know which is more fun...

actually living there or watching it being built.

Completely fascinated with this project.

I have always loved looking at houses...

any size ~ any shape.

I also like to decorate.

That's what I'll be doing when I move in.

🏡

 

the house on hope lane

They have finished bricking the front of my house.

Not the post holder,

not the back and the side,

but it is slowly and surely getting done.

Does it look like my house yet?

Messy, 

but yes it does.

All of the trim painting is getting done on the inside.

It looks beautiful.

I am so amazed by the work that is getting accomplished.

True professionals doing such a great job!

That sunroom!

I think I will live there for sure.

Amanda and I drove down to the beach on Saturday to buy some shrimp.

They were fresh caught that morning,

sold right on the dock.

There is nothing like white, Georgia shrimp.

She can't get good shrimp in south Florida.

Yummy!

I miss her.

She cures my loneliness when she comes.

We stay on a perpetual cycle of go, go, go, go, go.

I love it!

Be so thankful for your spouse.

A built-in companion, friend, and dinner partner.

I still miss Bubba so very much.

There is always someone missing in my life.

I keep waiting to be okay.

It hasn't happened yet.

Hard!

💕

 

we matched...

...not on purpose.

Amanda has been here since Friday and we are having a marvelous time.

She loves my new house.

We have been doing a lot of talking and planning of what will go where when I move in.

She has also been tutoring me on how to use my DVD player.

I have remained clueless on some very important things since Bubba left me.

She has to get back to her family tomorrow,

but I sure am thankful she came.

So,

until next time,

 I will cherish these last few days in my heart!

💛

 

this verse

Jesus, in His clear, concise, and understandable way,

tells hopeless, lost sinners how we can be reconciled with our Holy God.

Meditate much on this passage of Scripture.

Strive to seek Jesus in God's Word.

Rejoice that we can know Him.

Let His joy and peace reside in your heart.

Jesus has done great things for us!

💗

 

this boy can run

Yesterday I went to Harry's track meet at Country Day.

He started out in a pack of about 93 middle-schoolers and came in at #3.

As you can see, he never broke a sweat.

His time was 12.16 for a two-mile run.

He is a natural!

This Grammy is so proud of him.

After the meet, we went to eat Mexican at Jalapenos.

Almost couldn't fill the boy up.

It has been a rainy day.

I wasn't expecting it ~ should have looked at the forecast this morning.

No work going on on Hope Lane today.

Almost all of the trim work is done and the doors have locks on them.

That must mean the really good stuff is being delivered soon.

I got to experience what it will be like on a rainy day inside my new house.

I love rainy days!

I love to be home on rainy days.

I love to read on rainy days.

I love to listen to the rain falling.

Two things I have to do now that Bubba is not here that are hard for me...

 Bringing the groceries in and up the stairs and taking the trash out.

I'll never get over losing my man.

Amanda is coming for a few days on Friday.

I will be so happy to have someone living here with me if only for a few days.

My daughter ~ my friend.

 

one by one

"The plain fact is, 

if you follow Jesus there will be times when you find yourself absolutely alone, 

cut off from everyone.

  In spite of the glorious unity and love of the Body of Christ, 

there are bound to come times when the soul must stand utterly alone before God.  

For there are some traits of soul,

 some spiritual qualities,

 that can only be acquired and perfected in solitude~

and not in the comfortable solitude we call "time to ourselves" of which we all crave a certain amount, but rather in the grueling solitary confinement of real loneliness and desertion.

There is just no way around it.

Without tasting this experience no Christian can become truly Christlike.

The Via Dolorosa, the path to the cross, must be trod alone.

 Like the dock before the very judgment seat of God,

this is a narrow place,

wide enough for only one abreast.

There is no marriage in heaven taught Jesus.

We squeak through the pearly gates one by one."

From The Gospel According to Job

by Mike Mason

Recommended to David by a friend of his in Chicago who had just lost his wife.

I have read this book countless times.

It is all marked up as I have a tendency to do.

I had highlighted this paragraph before.

When I read it this time it jumped off of the page at me.

The loneliness of losing a spouse is almost unbearable.

It is good to know God has a purpose for even this hard thing in our lives.

photo credit...

No Words Necessary

Sherri Skeiter

 

surprises at hope lane

So amazing to walk into my house today.

I found interior doors,

trim work,

and the first coat of paint on all of the walls.

The doors have not been painted.

They have to be white!

Some of the crown moldings have been installed as well.

Both of these first pictures are in my bedroom.

The paint color is Frosty White.

It almost looks like Sea Salt but is a bit lighter.

I may go back to Sea Salt.

We'll see!

The ceiling in my bedroom.

The paint looks gray here but it's definitely not.

It is crazy how paint colors look different in different light.

The front entry/foyer.

Lots of light.

This was about 11:30 this morning.

Such nice surprises after staying away for a few days.

I get more excited every time I visit.

All the workers were gone today.

I could take my time and study all the details.

I wonder what Bubba would think about all of this?

I think He would 💙 it.

 

hello october

So, 

on this first day of October 2021, 

my house is almost halfway bricked up.

I remember when this was just a plot of land and now look.

David and Erika rode by this morning and told me of some new additions inside.

I will check that out tomorrow.

I'm thinking that this corner by my bedroom and the sunroom

will be the perfect place for my garden.

Maybe I'll plant those roses that Bubba and I were going to plant before he left me.

🌹🌹🌹

Yesterday was infusion day and it took me way down.

Climbing out of the pit it leaves me in was especially hard this time

(I have them once a month).

I have to rest and keep my mind occupied with good thoughts and give in to just being a little "Off." 

I have Primary Immune Disorder.

I used to be sick all the time.

The infusion keeps me well and I am so thankful for it.

"Why are you in despair, O my soul?

And why have you become disturbed within me?

Hope in God,

 For I shall again praise Him,

For the help of His presence."

Psalm 42:5

When the depression comes, and it does come, I hope in God.

I praise Him for the help of His lovingkindness.

If I get by the house tomorrow, I will take pictures of what has been done and share them.

This new home is God's gift to me in so many ways.

🏡