hey bubba ~

I have so much to say to you.

That's the hardest thing.

We talked constantly about everything.

You were my sounding board,

you listened,

you shared your wisdom with me.

I was better because I could talk to you.

I don't have that anymore.

Communication is the thing I miss the most.

I still wake up in the middle of the night and think you are there beside me.

How can that be after all this time?

I'm confused for a moment and then I remember.

You are gone.

We never even got to say goodbye.

I bought a grill yesterday.

I haven't had one since I left the home we shared.

I don't have to buy propane tanks anymore.

I needed a natural gas model.

You would love that.

It's being delivered and installed today at 4:30...

Just in time for a 4th of July Bar B Que.

I've been really busy,

keeping our grandkids,

traveling,

working in VBS,

decorating my new home.

In spite of all I do, I feel lonely a lot.

Late evenings are the worst times for missing you.

I am grateful for my life.

It is very good,

It is full,

but I wish I had you here to share it with me.

Our family misses you too.

We talk about you so much and remember.

Memories are very special to me and I'm grateful I have them.

You know so much more than I do now.

You have been with Jesus for two years and four months.

I can't even imagine!

We'll talk about Him when I see you again.

You can tell me what you've been learning and what you've been doing.

I love you forever.

Cathy

💕

 

Just out walking around in paradise with my family

"The joy of the Lord is my strength."

Nehemiah 8:10

Cathy

 

last day of vacation bible school.

We were the snack team.

Cathy, Kaitlyn, Whitney, and Julie.

Every day this past week we rolled our carts out into the breezeway loaded with goodies.

For three hours treats were handed out to hungry campers.

I loved every minute.

From the new friends I made to watching the precious children learn about God,

it was a huge hit.

Yesterday the temp hit 100 degrees in the shade but that didn't stop us.

We persevered and were rewarded with big smiles and thank yous.

God is so very good all the time!

The preschoolers playing the parachute game.

Today the pastors and elders of Hope got plastered with Cool whip.

As you can see, the kids were overjoyed.

Even the littlest guys and girls had a plate full of goody to blast the men with.

What a mess, but it was all very orderly and fun.

I am so glad to have gotten to serve this week.

VBS is exhausting but so very rewarding.

I prayed every day that God would plant seeds of faith deep down in these little hearts.

That these seeds would grow into beautiful souls

 full of love for God and His word and others.

Beautiful it is to be about God's work with God's people!!!

 

at blue heron bridge ~ snorkeling and kayaking

Here is a family story that will be told to infinity about this picture.

Amanda and Erika took off across the river to Peanut Island on kids' kayaks.

They made the trek over safely,

but when it was time to return to our camp,

 the tide had turned,

a breeze had blown up,

and the current was fierce enough to force one out into the middle of the Atlantic Ocean

very quickly.

Amanda, of course, toppled off of her plastic floating device

and got sent quickly under a dock.

Off went her kayak and her water bottle.

She was thrust on a post that was covered with barnacles.

Luckily, help was close by.

She was rescued by a nice man and a little dog 

who couldn't stop laughing that they were on Kid's kayaks.

In the meantime, Erika set off to retrieve the items that were floating down the river.

She was successful in her endeavor.

They did not take their phones.

We who sensibly stayed back at the camp 

became antsy when they hadn't returned in a reasonable amount of time.

We were getting hungry...it was time to eat.

We had the food with us.

I don't know why we didn't go ahead and eat.

Finally, here they come,

 much to the relief of those who didn't venture out on kid's kayaks.

Amanda wasn't seriously injured.

Her toe was cut up a bit and bled but didn't require medical attention.

The picture is after her ordeal.

She survived.

We laughed so much.

This saga could have been much worse.

We were so thankful to see them.

The moral of the story is...

Don't take off to Peanut Island on kid's kayaks without your phone.

What some of us did while we were waiting.

More floating on big tubes and...

some sand digging with a Scuba man.

Uncle Mark found a sea urchin while he was snorkeling.

If you look in the far distance to the right,

that is the famous Peanut Island where all of the action took place.

Here is Erika.

Who knows what she was thinking while Amanda was floundering under the dock.

So glad she had the strength and the foresight to retrieve the items that were floating away.

Any time spent with my people is valuable.

They keep me laughing out loud and cherishing the fun that we have together.

💗💗💗💗💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

 

at the beach on a sunny day

Love the spacing and the diffused sunlight.

Palm Beach Shores, Florida.

Turquoise water.

Heavenly.

Our Beach Camp.

Erika, Me, and Mark.

We had to invest in a larger umbrella.

The sun was really hot.

We always bury Gus in the sand.

That is my idea of misery.

He loves it!

The flotilla.

I bought huge tubes.

I loved floating in the ocean.

Sandman.

Oh my goodness.

Gus with a white body!.

I am working in Hope Bible Church 

Vacation Bible School this week.

I love it!

I'm with three other ladies.

It has been so much fun serving snacks to the workers and the kids.

The name of the camp is Mystery Island.

I 💗 VBS.

Teach them about Jesus when they are young!

 

father's day

This just blew me away!

I got up from my Sunday afternoon nap and came downstairs to edit vacation pictures.

I love to edit.

It's one of my favorite things to do.

Here we are walking down the jetty out into the ocean.

Narrow and treacherous it was.

We're all huddled together in a tight group.

One false step and it's down on the rocks forever.

Now...

Just look!!!

Down at the end of the path is Bubba, staring out into the sea.

We are all walking toward him,

drawn as to a mirage!

 He was wearing his green t-shirt and his sunglasses,

his beautiful white hair shining in the sunlight.

He went before us and had cleared a safe, secure path.

This took my breath away.

This is just what he would do.

This man was always looking out for his family.

That's why we miss him so desperately on this Father's Day and always.

ps...I don't believe in ghosts.

never have, never will.

Amanda remembers seeing THE MAN IN THE GREEN SHIRT for the record.

But for a moment or two, the image gave me pause.

 

the courtyard at the condo

Gather around grandboys and listen to some Grammy tales.

This is an artsy shot I think.

It was taken by Amanda from up above.

Actually, we were waiting to walk down to the beach.

Such a beautiful evening in a stunning location.

I walked out to the end of the jetty.

Lucy, in her caring way, took my hand to lead me back to safety.

I love her so much.

She looks out for her Grammy and I am so thankful for her.

Erika caught this shot of the two of us.

💕

 

home again

We are just back from sunny, South Florida.

After days on the beach and in the ocean,

 we were glowing when we arrived at the Jupiter inlet for closing ceremonies.

We are the twelve,

still missing granddaddy but getting closer to when we will see him again.

I am challenged by these people.

I ended up in the waves on a huge tube.

They all loved helping me get in and out of the sea.

This is the easternmost point in the United States.

West Palm Beach, Florida.

So glad I didn't slip and fall onto the rocks below.

What a fun time we had.

More pictures as the days progress.

I still 💙 the beach best of all!

 

"and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre"

Mary Magdalene.

The one from whom Jesus drove out seven demons.

Her thanksgiving for what He did for her knew no bounds.

She became a follower.

She followed Her Lord and Savior.

She sat under His teaching.

She watched His life.

She was devastated by His death on the cross.

She did not yet believe the words He had spoken about His resurrection.

On the morning Jesus rose from the dead she was the first at the tomb.

She was bringing spices to anoint His body.

The stone had been rolled away from the tomb.

She was filled with despair.

She thought His body had been stolen.

She stooped down and wept.

"Such is ever the effect of uncontrolled grief.

When we sorrow, 

even as others who have no hope,

when we walk by sight instead of faith,

when we are moved by the flesh instead of the Spirit,

we stoop down and are occupied with things below."

"Unto Thee lift I mine eyes,

O Thou that dwellest in the heavens."

Psalm 123:1

"The above verse should forever be the believer's attitude.

Mary points out a timely warning for us earthlings.

We are living in the days when men's hearts are failing them for fear,

and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.

The more we are occupied with the evil around us,

the more will our hearts fail.

Instead, when these things begin to come to pass,

then look up and lift your heads."

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills.

From whence cometh my help?

My help cometh from the Lord Who made heaven and earth."

Psalm 121: 1 ~ 2

From 

Exposition of the Gospel of John.

AW Pink

Christ Appearing to His Own

Page 273

Don't look down and fear!

Look up and believe the Word of God!

💗

These words in this post,

God directed them straight to my heart.

Be gone fear!

]Look up, Cathy!

 

chosen

 The Chosen.

Season 3.

Now being filmed out near Dallas, Texas.

This week Amanda and her family got to be a part of this adventure.

They were in  "the feeding of the five thousand" episode.

To be there,

 to see the set, 

to watch the filming,

 to meet Dallas Jenkins and all of the cast,

to see and hear Jesus played by Jonathon Roumie.

In Amanda's words,

"I hope this picture says it all.

It was an amazing day"

The Chosen series is such a great work.

I own Seasons one and two on DVD and watch them often.

I have also read both of the books

It will grab your heart and open your eyes.

If you don't presently know Jesus watch it.

It is that good.

 

my new bed

Finally, it is done.

My new custom-made pillows came today.

The spread and shams are blush pink.

There is a bird perched on the headboard.

He watches over me every night while I'm sleeping.

Lots of gossamer ruffles.

It's to dream in.

💗

A close-up of the bird perched on my headboard.

I hope he doesn't fall off of his perch in the night and peck my head.

I'm reading Pontius Pilate by Paul L Maier.

It is so good.

I am still "keeping kids."

Lucy is out there driving in the rain.

I have to give that to Jesus.

over and over.

Walt is watching Shaun the Sheep.

I think I will grab a little rest until he comes down to play our 1,000th game of Uno.

David and Erika and the rest of the family are due home tonight.

I love my beautiful bed and how amazingly comfortable it is.

I highly recommend Nectar mattresses.

Like sleeping o a cloud!

☁

 

keeping kids

David and Erika are off for a few days celebrating their 20th wedding Anniversary.

(How can that be?)

I'm keeping Lucy and Walt here at my new house.

Lucy is working at Chick Fil A.

Her first real job.

She is gone a lot.

But Walter...

he is my shadow.

He likes to work, which is good for me.

I have kept him busy.

In the picture above he is cleaning the threshold to my garage.

He is good at what he does.

I cannot keep him busy enough.

Here he is watching the blueberry muffins we made Saturday morning cook in the oven.

He put the ingredient together and stirred them until all the lumps were out.

I have taught him all about my stove.

He loves to set the oven temperature and watch it count up.

He also keeps track of the cooking time.

He sets and cleans off the table,

empties the trash,

 and compliments everything I fix for him.

He has been raised to be a gentleman.

I am so blessed to have the strength and energy to enjoy these kids in my home.

The hardest is planning 3 meals a day,

The most fun is playing non-stop games of UNO with a 7-year-old who really challenges me.

The reality is that by 8 PM I am exhausted and ready for bed.

That's me for now!

Still grandmothering at 74.

Thank you, Lord.

 

it was only a matter of time

A couple of days ago I said to myself,

"I have yet to see a lizard at my new house."

Then I thought to myself,

"Do not be hasty to think that you have been deemed "lizard free" for the rest of your life."

Sure enough, 

the day after I had that insightful conversation with myself,

I saw the first lizard at my new house.

I was having a conversation with Amanda.

I was walking around the house while talking.

I was looking out of the windows taking in the early morning beauty and,

there he was in all his lizard glory,

perched on the threshold of the slider to my patio...

the door I use to get to my backyard.

Ok!

A new era begins!

I cannot use that door anymore!

Lizard defense begins!

There is a lot involved in lizard defense.

How to proceed?

I'm mapping out my strategies now.

Where there is one lizard there are many more.

The fear is real.

The effect it has on my body is real.

I must fight to overcome!

🦎

 

And then, last evening, much to my chagrin,

this deer appeared in my backyard.

Walter was reading to me from one of the Clifford books when I first saw him.

By the time I ran to get my camera,

 the lone deer had made his way over to the hill in the vacant lot.

This sweet deer chomping away at the grass is my worst wildlife enemy.

They eat everything in sight.

I'm not scared of the deer.

They just bring out the anger in me.

.

 

hello june

My little patio at my new house.

I am sharing all of the pictures I took while my computer was down and out.

I think today will be the last of them.

I am in 💗 with this area at the back of my house.

It is just big enough for me to manage.

I really want to shop for and bring home all of the flowers that I see at the nursery,

but I've made a vow not to make this gardening a chore I come to regret.

Small can be beautiful and it is.

It takes my breath away.

The red geraniums were planted by Bubba before he went to be with Jesus.

The double impatiens I bought last spring and brought home to my small apartment.

I nurtured all of these through the winter on the porch there.

I hope I can keep his geraniums going forever.

Now, this next picture is off my beaten path of posts.

I am a romantic...

a ruffles and bows girl.

My new bedroom is decorated in pink.

This dress...

If only I was young again.

This is the dress of my dreams.

I still sigh when I look at this picture.

White eyelet.

Ruffles and bows.

A dreamy get married on the beach dress.

She's looking out the window for her fiance.

He's coming to take her to tie the knot.

💕