the cupcake picture

I have been trying to get this picture on my blog forever. It was taken last summer when the Crosby family visited us in DC.

We went to "Cake Love," a bakery that I have mentioned many times. They make the best cupcakes in the world, but they are $3.oo a pop.

We couldn't wait to get home and have our expensive treat.

This is "Cat Thursday" for me. I am memoralizing my late cat in this picture. It you will notice she is butting up against my foot....the way she showed her love. I miss her sweet face.

We are all happily toasting our cupcakes and having a wonderful time. It is always good to look back and remember good times.

My back and neck are a little better. I took a nap on the heating pad today and it seemed to relax some. I have only taken one of the "relaxants." I can have up to three a day, but I would not be able to function. I figure one at bedtime can't hurt anyone or anything.

I finished with the small condo today. I took lots of pictures and put them in the computer. I searched for them for an hour and they were not to be found. The above photo came up randomly so there was my blog for tonight.

May all sleep well on this cold and blustery night.....c

a pain in the neck

It became a necessity.....I could no longer turn my head. It hurts all down my back. I am in quite a pinch.

I had to get myself to a doctor today after bearing with for over a week. Diagnosis? stress....who would have guessed? Also the fact that I sleep on my stomach with my arms over my head doesn't help.

Treatment....muscle relaxants, heat, and a stint of physical therapy at the hospital...so much for my natural remedies.

What I really need is a nice, long vacation in a very warm place with nothing to do but read and dream, and float, and eat.

Anyway enough about me.

The month of February is fast approaching and it promises to be a very full month. We will drive up to Louisville on the 8th to get little Jake and bring him home with us for a week while Mark and Amanda pack up in preparation for their move to VA.

We will take Jake to his new home the following week. We are looking forward to having him for the first time sans parents. There is a new super playground behind the library across the street that I know he will love and we can run and play on the beach as well. I hope this pain will leave quickly and without much further ado.

The week of the 18th David and Erika will come for a little vacation. It will be good to have them and especially the babies.

Sorry for this blog.....I guess you can tell I didn't much feel like wrting.

Love until I do....c

a gift

I was up before "first light" this morning. I love "first light." It creeps in slowly......it is the time when you can first make out the beauty of God's creation. The horizon gives up it's dark shadows in minuscule increments until finally you can see clearly that which was hidden from sight during the long, dark night.

This is the time when I read and pray...............before daylight starts the world in motion again.

Hebrews 6:19 "This hope (Jesus) we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast......"

Beautiful words for us to mediatate upon^

I have a book.........."The Asssurance of our Salvation" by Martin LLoyd Jones. It contains studies in John 17...........Jesus' prayer for those who belong to Him. It is an amazing book of hope for anyone who wants to bask in the goodness of God to us in salvation.

It is not new...... it was recently returned to me.

I want to pass it along to another believer as a blessing. All I would ask in return is that you read it thoughtfully from cover to cover. You may keep it to read again and again or you may pass it on to someone you would like to bless.

I will send it to the first person who expresses a desire.................... cathy

a very special phone call

Life is full of lovely surprises.........one of which just happened to me. My cell phone rang and when I answered it was my precious two year old granddaughter Lucy.

She said "Hi Gammie.....I love you." This is the first time that she has ever called.

Life has been a little difficult for me in the last few weeks, but God always sends little reminders of how blessed I am. Lucy will never know what that phone call meant.

To hear from someone who loves me is one of life's richest blessings....thank you little one.

Love is patient
Love is kind
Love does not envy
Love does not boast
Love is not proud
Love is not rude
Love is not self-seeking
Love is not easily angered
Love keeps no record of wrongs
Love does not delight in evil
Love rejoices in the truth
Love always protects
Love always trusts
Love always hopes
Love always perseveres
Love never fails

I Corinthians 13

O to have this God-like love..........
You love someone? Find a way to let them know.............Cathy

to be called

Passages from Psalm 119 praising the benefits of being in God's word:
"Thy testimonies"
"Thy law"
"Thy precepts"
"Thy ordinances"
"Thy statutes"
All of these refer to God's word.

"How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart."

"Thy word have I treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee."

"Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Thy law."

"Give me understanding that I may observe Thy law, and keep it with all my heart."

"Thy testimonies also are my delight; they are my counselors."

"I shall have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in Thy word."

There are many more verses where these came from for a later time.

I'll say this..........if you ever get down, go to God's word. Write down some verses. It will save your life, it will bring your mind up from the pit to where it needs to be, centered on the truth of what we have "in Christ."

Mark, Amanda, Jake, and Eli were called and voted into the pastorship and ministry of the church near Williamsburg, VA, after the morning service today.

We are thankful for God's provision for these our loved ones as they have accetped the call into His service. Please keep them in your prayers.

the tiny kitchen in the tiny condo

This is my second blog of today. The first is regarding God's word so it is the one to read if you can only read one.

It has been a "week that tries men souls." When intense pain is thrown into the mix of other "things " that are going on it makes for trouble. Usually when I don't write my blog, I can't write my blog.

We have almost finished in the condo. Bubba is painting and putting in shoe molding as we speak. I will add the finishing touches and it will be ready to go. It is always fun for me to be doing anything remotely concerning decorating.

Seems as if I never figured out what I really loved to do until it was too late. Or maybe it's not too late....who knows.

It's cold, windy, and rainy here today, but I like those days. Bubba made chili and we will have cornbread to go with. We are still packing boxes and hauling them to the storage houses. With the exception of our clothes and a few thing here at this condo, everything we own is in storage.

We got tickled today as we were moving a large object from the tiny condo. Bubba was bent over pushing it on a four wheel dolly and I was running ahead opening the doors. By the time he rolled it down the ramp and I got the car open, he was panting from exertion and we were bent double laughing.

What must people think as they see us in a constant flux of moving. We move constantly, all over the country. We move anything. Whatever it is, Bubba has something to move it on.

Earlier in the week he was moving a huge refrigerator out of Nana's house into the garage all by himself.

We are nomads.....we are CRAZY!

concerning God's word

Much has been said during this month of January about knowing God and the part that God's word has in that very pursuit. I am amazed at the enlightenment that God will pour out upon one who takes a few minutes every day to seriously seek Him in His word.

Men like Martin Lloyd Jones and other great theologians must have spent hours every day of their life just pouring over the Scripture, studying and pulling out choice morsels to ruminate upon. As I said earlier, the Bible is a never ending source of information, comfort, and support for believers.

I am hanging out in Hebrews right now and always in the Psalms. The verse that will follow says a lot about the power of God's word and what it does in a person's inner being.

Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

What a fine description God gave of His letter to us!

First of all it is "living." The word of God is not some dead lifeless publication like a daily newspaper that can only recount the feeble musings of man. No....it is alive with the Spirit of God.

Secondly, it is "active." The power of the Holy Spirit infuses the word of God with power. It moves in our heart to produce salvation and righteous living.

Thirdly it is "sharp." (sharper than any two-edged sword) I have not seen many of these, but I got the picture from these graphic words. Sharp on both sides.

What can this doubly sharp word of God accomplish?

It pierces, it cuts through. Bubba left a very sharp knife up in the dishwasher the other day and it pierced my finger......it cut through. It hurt really bad.

God's word cuts straight through to the heart of the matter.

It pierces as far as the division of both:

"soul and spirit"
"joints and marrow"

The word of God pierces as deep down into our inner being as to be able to "judge the thoughts and intentions of our hearts."

Oh my, could this be a reason why people avoid God's word?

More on this later and maybe a little personal update as well....

until then we press on......c

a lone dolphin

Here is another one of the pictures that I took yesterday. This one is looking in the opposite direction. If you look under the bridge off in the distance you can see the Cockspur lighthouse. I think the shrimp boats are beautiful and I like that they go out and catch good food which we can buy at this dock and have fresh for dinner.

I am staying home and getting a lot done. With the ocean as a backdrop my tasks don't seem so difficult. I keep going to the window to look out and see what's going on. A little while ago I saw a lone dolphin swimming very close to the shore. I marvel........

I'm working on my neck. I stood under a hot shower for a long time just now and it felt wonderful. I am doing some stretching exercises with my head and I find that the pain goes down my spine. My heating pad feels great too......I will hit that in a little while. No more of that nasty tonic for me!

Jan Karon's new book, "Home to Holly Springs" is wonderful. I do tell.....I love to read. Every since I read "Gone With the Wind" as a very young girl I was hooked. When you love to read you are never alone. What a blessing!

You are "always on my mind." c

for david

It is nice and quiet here this morning as your dad has left for his trip to north carolina.

Every morning I set the day's date in my mind. Today is january 23rd, David's birthday.

Happy Birthday to you....

It is a true fact that we never get to celebrate together anymore, but that's okay. You are right where you need to be...........in God's will.

Earlier I reflected on the day we chose your name. You were expected to arrive in about three weeks and we struck out for Atlanta for what reason I don't remember, but we were young and impulsive, and who cares if you had decided to come early. That fact didn't bother us a bit.

The battle for your given name was between Jonathon and David...............the middle name was to be William after your dad. As you know, we chose David and forever it shall be.

Some words from God in I Samuel about His servant David:

"Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance."

"The Spirit of the Lord came mightily on David from that day forward."

"and David was prospering in all His ways for the Lord was with him."

"and David became greater and greater for the Lord God of hosts was with him."

"and the Lord helped David wherever he went."

and a few word from David to God:

"for Thou knowest Thy servant, O Lord God."

"Who am I, O Lord God that Thou hast brought me this far?"

And lastly from God to Paul to Timothy to you:

"Preach the word, be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction."

Looking forward to seeing all of you in February......We'll celebrate then. Love, mom

boats at the dock

To get onto Tybee Island one must cross the Lazeretto creek bridge. It is one of those places where I can hardly take in all of the beauty. To the right one sees the sight you see above in the photo. To the left you see the Cockspur Island Lighthouse and the water of the bay heading out to the ocean. The scene is quite breathtaking.

Today the weather was mild, so I walked down to the pier and took this picture among others.

I liked the color in this one the best.

The pain in my neck and shoulders is getting worse instead of better. I am thinking it may be caused by my time at the computer writing these blogs. I do often spend up to an hour or more laboring over my writings and it may be taking it's toll. Anything requiring repetitive strain does me in.

I went to the health food store today to get my calcium and I asked the girl if she had a natural muscle relaxant. I don't want to take the real thing because it makes me "loopy," or as some would say, "loopier."

She gave me something and told me to put five stopper fulls in some water and drink it down. She also warned me not to drive after taking it.

I waited until I got home and did what she said. I am here to tell you that stuff was the most bitter, horrible tasting potion ever to pass my lips. Plus it did nothing for my pain.....oh well, so much for natural remedies. I can't bear to taste it again.

The occupational therapist came to Eli today, He will wear a splint on his left thumb to help him be able to use that hand. The physical therapist comes tomorrow. She is helping him with his sitting up issues. The MRI is scheduled for February 14th. Please pray for little Eli and his mom and dad.

I must will myself not to leave the condo tomorrow. There is so much to do here and Bubba will be away for the night, so I can really get a lot done.

Be sure to click on the picture to get the full impact..............c

the moon

I just snapped this photo from our deck.....I took my life in my hands to go out there. The ocean is very angry....has been for a while now. The wind is so strong that is has kept the tide in all day. The clouds are gathering for more rain tonight and the full moon came up before dark. I wanted you to see this beauty.

I have a "crick" in my neck whatever that means. I woke up with it this morning. I do know that it hurts and I didn't feel safe driving. Not being able to turn one's head is a definite safety issue. More than likely it is from stress. Hopefully it will not hang around long as I am allergic to pain medication.

Bubba and I went to a party here at Marlins Saturday night. It was a "low country boil" and an "oyster roast." The food was delicious. They had a live band, but it was a little too "rock" for me. Would have loved to have had the "oldies." The restaurant is lovely, right on the beach. They had a big fire going in the fireplace and I liked that very much.

David got back from camp last night and they are leaving for Albuquerque, New Mexico, tomorrow. Lucy will stay with the Bookmans and Harry will make the trip. This is a youth leadership conference.

If anyone who lives in Savannah knows how David can get in touch with Jimbo Bass, please let me know.

The "tiny condo" is looking good. I can't believe how much personal stuff I had accumulated in there. Bubba installed a curtain rod, (guests need their privacy) and I ordered some panels from Pottery Barn. Hope that will do the trick. We hope to have it up and running by February 1.

until this stormy night passes unto day...........love c

"they did not know My ways"

The book of Hebrews in the Bible was written by Paul (probably). Hebrews is a book of warning written to the Jews admonishing them not to drift back to their old ways of Judaism after having made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul says:
Don't fall away
Don't go back to Judaism
Jesus is better
He is the best of all!

I have been writing this month about our ability to know God. While reading the book of Hebrews I came across two verses that pertain very well to the subject.......

Hebrews 3:10 "Therefore I (God) was angry with this generation, and said, 'They always go astray in their heart; and they did not know my ways.' "

God is speaking. He is referring to the nation of Israel that wandered in the wilderness for forty years after He delivered them miraculously from Egypt.

"They always go astray." Why?

"They did not know My ways."

To us: Read and study God's word so that we can know His ways.

The result: We will not always go astray in our heart. We will not be perfect, but we will be seeking to please God because we will know what he expects of us and what we should be striving for.

Hebrews 4:2 "For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also: but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard."

The "good news" is the news about Jesus Christ coming to earth to pay our sin debt and reconcile us back to a right relationship with God.

Everyone heard the "good news."

But wait a minute, for some the word they heard did them no good, it did not "profit them."

Why in the world didn't the "good news" "profit" everyone who heard?

Because some who heard had no faith and they were not able to believe the "good news."

Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."

Faith is a gift of God....seek Him in His word and ask Him to give you the gift of faith.

Faith is the starting point...........you will learn and grow from there.

comings and goings

The weather outside is frightful. I hear it's snowing in Atlanta and DC and all we have here in Savannah is rain.

I caught this big freighter and this little shrimp boat heading in just now as I was working over at 321. We are preparing the condo for the rental market and there is much to be done, but it is much more fun to take pictures.

If you click on the first picture, it will become larger and you will see what looks like a collision about to take place.

David is at winter camp in Michigan. Last night it was -20 degrees, right now it is -8. He just watched a teenager throw a pot of hot water in the air and it turned into snow. Every year the weekend of David's camp sets some kind of record........coldest, most snow, etc. Erika and babies stayed home. Smart move!

The big leather chair went to bless Frankie and Sally today. They read that it was being moved from the condo and headed to the dump so they rescued it at the last minute. Frankie wants it in his bedroom so that he can stretch out and watch TV. I must say I am glad. All of us who enjoyed the condo loved that chair and did not want to see it discarded.

Many people are outraged at me for removing the chair, but the condo looks twice as big without it. I found a lovely kitchen table that drops it leaves at a used furniture store for $40.00. I will sand and paint the top and it will look brand new. No chairs yet.....I will keep looking. Any excuse to look for bargains is fine with me.

Estelle, thank you for the homemade pecan pie. It is delicious. I am enjoying it while I write.

Keep your mittens on, it's cold outside.................c

PS When I add pictures to my blog it makes my writings all scrunched up together. This bothers me, but I don't know what to do about it.

"you thought I was just like you"

Knowing God is possible because He has revealed Himself to us in His word. Comprehending Him is impossible. We can only know Him "in part" while we live on this earth. We are "made in the likeness of God," but we are the "created" and He is the "creator."

Psalm 50:21.....You thought I (God) was just like you.......

God has been reduced to a nebulous figure of the imagination, the "man upstairs," the "great santa claus in the sky." He has become the subject of movies, television shows, and all manner of questionable jokes and innuendos.

Sadly, God is no longer feared and reverenced before all else, He is no longer worshipped and praised. People think God is just "one of the boys."

What has happened?

Over the past hundred years or so, the focus of religion has shifted from God to man:

man must have his needs met
man must feel good about himself
man must not have his feelings hurt
man can find his own way to God

Therefore man worships himself and exalts himself and has no thought of God.

We must start with God "because God is God, and because if we put anything or anybody before Him, ourselves included, we are dishonoring Him." (MLJ - Great Doctrines of the Bible)

"The question of knowing God is the end, the supreme end, of all religion; it is the great thing that should be at the forefront of the mind and heart of every believer." (MLJ same book)

We must seek Him...........if we do, He promises that He will reward us.......not with riches, but with knowledge of Himself. (Hebrews 11:6)

update on Eli

Eli, out little grandson who is 10 months old, has a weakness on the left side of his body. Amanda took him to the pediatric neurologist today and he was "stumped" on what may be the problem.

A MRI will be scheduled very soon. Please pray for us and them as we face the anxieties and the unknown. He is responding well to therapy and we all choose to believe the best and trust in the Lord.

I ask for your prayers on my behalf as well. The unrelenting stress continues and it is taking it's toll......

Hebrews 12:3 "For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart."

I really can't write tonight......neither do I want to "grow weary and lose heart."

tiny condo

First of all, I wrote a post this afternoon. Don't be fooled to think that this is the only one for today.

Secondly, to the dear reader who commented on my post this morning, thank you for your kind words. Please know that you don't need to have any prior knowledge or experience to attend that woman's Bible study you mentioned. All you need is a desire to seek and know God. He will then give you what you need to learn and grow.

Thirdly, the above pictures are of my "tiny" condo.....the one I would live in if it were just me. It has only a little over 500 square feet, but the best view in town. I decorated it in "vintage, beach, shabby chic."

Today I started packing all of my personal items as we are going to put it on the rental market for a while. It's the right thing to do but it makes me very sad.

For those who blessed us by staying, the big, old, ugly, leather recliner is leaving the condo never to return. It will be replaced with a small cafe table and chairs.

It was a good home for us when we needed to be in Savannah, now we'll let in bring us a little revenue.

Life moves on and God is good, always, in every circumstance.

Idol starts back tonight......to watch or not to watch? I probably will. until later...c

can we comprehend God?

In previous posts I have talked about whether or not we can know God.

The answer is yes we can know God. We can know as much about Him as He has revealed about Himself in His word.

As we study the Bible, He gives us the faith to believe and He reveals Himself to us through His word. Faith is a gift that God gives us that enables us to know that His word is true.

Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him"

But can we comprehend God?

"God cannot finally be comprehended or understood by human beings. We can read about the doctrine of God and try to grasp it with our minds, but, by definition, God is incomprehensible. We can never know Him in the ultimate, final, and complete sense." (MLJ "Great Doctrines of the Bible.")

Isaiah 55:8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."

Romans 11:33-34 "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and unfathomable His ways!
For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?"

"The knowledge that we have of God will never be anything but a partial knowledge as long as we live on this earth. But though it is partial, it is real; though it is not complete, it is a true knowledge, enough to lead us to glorify Him. And we have this knowledge of God because it has pleased God Himself to give it to us." (MLJ "Great doctrines of the Bible")

I love this....."It has pleased God Himself to give it to us."

God wants us to seek Him, He wants us to know Him......it pleased Him to give us knowledge of Himself. I am overwhelmed.....

200th post

Never in my wildest dreams would I ever have thought that I would write 200 of these blog posts, and every one has a different title. Where do they come from? When will this streak end?

I love to write and it has come naturally to me so far. I can't plan my blogs ahead of time or write them out before I sit down to type.

I know as long as I have the Bible I will never run out of topics. It is a never ending wealth of material, and as long as I have children and grandchildren things will always be funny and interesting.

It may even turn into a picture blog as I ride my bike around Tybee taking pictures. I want to take my bike to downtown Savannah as well, riding and photgraphing the beautiful sites. I'm not so good, but I am going to take a digitial photography class and get better.

I talked to Amanda briefly. They had just gotten home. She said the trip was hard as Eli never napped. She was going to get the little one down and head for the doctor. She's a poor, sick, tired moma.

We worked at Nana's again today. By the time the garbage men arrived we had filled 17 huge bags and they hauled them off. There is still much to be done, but we are making good progress.

A comment seeker I am not, but I get real excited when I get one. Maybe on this day of my 200th post you will take a minute and post a comment.

It would so thrill my soul!!

from cathy in January.

how it is today

Bubba and I spent the day out at Nana's house starting the long and arduous task of clearing out things that are no longer needed. Bub has worked a little along on it, but now is the time to get the job done.

Every now and then I would find some old photo or newspaper clipping that would grab my interest and cause a pause in work......... a light moment in the midst of a hard, sad job.

One time I thought I heard what sounded like a covey of beavers nibbling on the house, only to find out that it was the nice man next door working on the front window. He has been doing some repairs, but I didn't know he'd be working today.

We left nine bags of trash by the two full trash cans for the pick up tomorrow. We have Irvin's truck parked in front to do some major hauling as the week goes on.

We went by to see Aunt Dottie and took her two doughnuts. She was thrilled.....they will be her dinner. She is still winning the house in Bingo, I don't know how she does it. She's feeling good and seems happy.

Amanda and Mark leave Lunexa early tomorrow morning. They have had a whirlwind weekend of activities. Amanda is now sick with an ear infection and is ready to leave the one small room they have lived in for the last three days.

As far as they can tell, this is a group of people who want to be taught the whole truth of Scripture in an expository way.

It will be two weeks before the church votes on them according to protocol. So they must go home and "wait patiently for the Lord."

God has provided an appointment for Eli with the pediatric neurologist on Wednesday.......the same doctor that told them it would be six months before he could see them. This is another example of God's faithfulness to their needs......a direct answer to many prayers.

No better for me in my situation....only worse. My heart is broken, but God is in control.

May we all find our joy in Christ and in those we love, in helping and serving others, and in putting their needs before our own pleasures. To God be the glory!!!!

small purple berries

I first began noticing them on the walkway outside of our condo. They were everywhere and to walk meant trying to step carefully so as not to have purple juice all over my shoes. As the days wore on the number of them increased exponentially.

The question I kept asking was, "Where did they come from all of a sudden?"

A large contingent of aggressive black birds suddenly appeared using our deck banister as a resting place. These birds look nothing like the bird on the post in the picture above just in case you were wondering.

There is a steep green roof next to the walkway in back of our condo. I deducted that the birds were getting these berries from somewhere, landing on the steep green roof, and letting some of the berries slide out of their mouth and down the roof onto the walkway.

At the height of the "berry mystery" the birds started using our deck as a bathroom and it was soon covered in purple bird poop.

This morning I took the clorox and a brush out and scrubbed the deck clean. While I was doing this, I looked down into a palm tree and realized that the small, purple berries were growing on the tree. Only a few berries remained. So the mystery is solved.

These birds stayed around just long enough to eat the palm tree harvest and then moved on to find another feast.

I say to them.....please don't pass this way again.

Bubba left early this morning with my bike. He pumped up my tires and it rode like a BMW. It rained this afternoon so I didn't get to ride.

I like to nap when it's raining so I did that for a while after a day of work putting a scrubbing on my deck.

Purple was never my favorite color!

a picture of my pink bike

It is a beautiful day and I decided to take a bike ride. I went to the bike shop and purchased the basket that you see in the photo so that I could have my camera handy.

I started out happily on my ride and found that I could hardly go. Oh dear me, I run up two flights of stairs several times a day. How could I have gotten that badly out of shape so quickly?

People in passing cars had to be saying, "look at that poor woman, she can barely keep that bike up she's going so slow."

I trudged on........the wind, that's it! It has picked up a little bit and I must be struggling against that invisible force. The wind was part of my problem, but when I got back to the condo Bubba said that both of my tires were almost completely flat.

No wonder it was so hard to peddle myself around the streets of Tybee.

David sent a picture of Harry after his laser treatment yesterday. They hit him hard and he was badly bruised. My heart almost broke when I saw the photo. The next time they do this he will be put to sleep. He is still a very handsome little guy, and because he is a baby, he will heal very quickly.

Amanda called to say that all is going well in Lunexa. They have a very busy weekend planned. Managing two little ones in a situation like this is very challenging, but Amanda always calls with her funny stories and by that I know that things are good.

We're having shrimp tonight. It's so nice to stop by the dock and buy fresh seafood for dinner. It's kinda like we're on a permanent vacation.

I tell you, in the midst of this incredibly difficult situation, the blessings of the Lord are too numerous to count.

Have a lovely weekend.........c

we'll be praying

Tomorrow morning bright and early, Mark, Amanda, Jake, and Eli will leave for a town very near Williamsburg, VA, to candidate at a church.

We wish them well and truly, may God's will be done. My human side would want them to be closer, but my heart wants what God wants for them.

Amanda and I have done all the girl "stuff," talking about outfits for her and the boys, wondering about the events that they will attend, and what the boys will be like on an eight hour trip. Everybody is very excited.

Mark continues to suffer with illness....this time with a very bad case of "strep throat."

God bless you all with wisdom and discernment and good, safe travel. We'll be praying.

I've been talking on and off about the vehicle situation with David and Erika. The "Jimmy" was pieced back together, but Erika's car was failing fast.

A most generous couple in their church came to the front door last week unexpectedly with keys to a van that they no longer needed. David and Erika were so ecstatic as would be expected and so were we.

God has met every need in these two couples lives in a most amazing way. He is a giving God, a loving God, a faithful God.

I could talk for hours about how the Lord has blessed and even then I wouldn't be able to remember it all.

Harry goes for his second laser treatment tomorrow. (Their need for the medical insurance deductible has been met as well. ) Harry...hang in there tomorrow....we love you.

This past week has been a major crisis in my "situation," but God is bearing us up. We have made some decisions. Pray for me to have the courage I need to do what I have to do. In view of God's faithfulness in the past, I think I will be able to persevere.

God is good always and in every set of circumstances.

can we know God?

It seems likely that most people in this world today would say, "yes, there is a God." A majority who would respond this way would not be talking about the God of the Bible.

The Bible does not offer proof of the existence of God....it assumes it.* That is because the Bible is God's letter to His people. It was written by God through a few chosen men on this earth within whom He placed His Spirit and the words He wanted to share with us.

God doesn't have to prove anything. He is God, He is eternal, He always has been and He always will be God.

He wrote a book for us that laid out His whole plan for mankind from beginning to end. We have God's word in our possession.......can you imagine that? That dusty old book lying over there on the shelf is the acutual word of God to us whom He created.

So yes, we can know Him. We can know everything about Him that He wrote about Himself in His word.

John 17:3 "And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent."

The true and living God has revealed Himself to us in His word. He has put it out there for us. If we don't know God it's our fault.......God has done His part.

a goose in water

This goose was photographed floating in the reflection pool in front of the "Lincoln Memorial" in Washington DC. This picture shows the reflection of this beautiful creature. Note his paddling apparatus at work underneath the water.

Here is another example of the creative ability of our great God.

Look at the feathers, the coloring, it's perfect adaptability to it's environment. Could this be anything other than God's handiwork?

a red rose

When I would return home to Washington after being pummeled in Savannah, Bubba would always have a little bouquet of roses waiting for me.........nothing large and showy, just a few beautiful blooms. This picture is one of them.

I am experimenting with getting pictures on my blog. I find my pictures in the most unusual places........I need to consolidate and get them organized. But for now they are very random.

When this rose unexpectedly met my eyes this morning, I could only stare at it. No one that God has created could duplicate His handiwork. Look at the intricacy of the design of this flower and imagine the smell that emanates from it.

Consider the beauty of this rose and the One who made it. Can there be any doubt of "the existence of God?"

they turn bright orange

We didn't get to celebrate the new year last weekend after all, so Bubba told me early in the week that we had a date for tonight to go eat "all you can eat crab legs."

Eating crab legs is one of our favorite things to enjoy. They were good tonight, we stuffed ourselves, and now I smell like crab. But O the pleasure to look forward to and actually eat these tasty crustaceans.

My love of crab goes way back. Before dining on crab legs in a restaurant became so "in vogue," we had to go out in a boat and catch our own crabs, and believe me there is no better way to spend an afternoon.

We would pack a lunch and our crabbing gear and head for the river. After loading the boat we would search for just the right spot to put down our anchor. When that was done, we would put chicken necks on our lines and drop them overboard.

Then the excitement and fun would begin. As we very carefully raised our lines we could feel the heaviness of the crab nibbling on the bait. If we were lucky, the crab would come up far enough so that someone else in the boat could scoop it up with a net. If it was a male it was thrown in the "keep" basket. If it was a female, she would be thrown back into the water to swim away and produce other crabs for future harvests.

The elation in the boat was raucous.......we would shout "it's an el mingo" if it was small, and if was large we shouted "EL MONGO"........the best of the best.

When our basket was full and we were sunburned and lethargic we would turn the boat toward home.

In the early evening we would start a fire outside and throw those prizes in the pot when it started boiling. They would turn bright orange.

Tired and hungry we would eat the succulent meat just caught in the river until we could eat no more.

A move to Atlanta and a very busy life ended those days..............hopefully in our retirement we will be able to have "crabbing" days again.

Maybe we'll buy a little boat because we enjoy fishing as well.

We did it the lazy way tonight..........but it was soooo good.

the existence of God

The first question that we must ask ourselves in our quest to know God is, does God exist?

"The Bible does not argue about the existence of God, it declares it. The Bible does not give us any proofs of the existence of God, it assumes it."*

The Bible assumes by it's very nature that God exists, has always existed, and will always exist. That is the whole premise of God's word.

The first four words in the Bible are "In the beginning God....."

In the beginning God spoke and the earth as we know it was created.

A person either believes in God and the whole truth of His word or he does not believe.

A person cannot believe unless he has faith and faith is a gift of God.

Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."

If you struggle with believing in God and His word, just simply ask Him to give you the gift of faith so that you can read God's word and believe. Remember the above verse, "He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."

2 Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His...."

The Lord's strong support...........I desire that, how about you?

I am studying "Great Doctrines of the Bible" by Martin Lloyd Jones." The * indicates truths that he has stated in this great book.

the view from our balcony

It is an exceptionally cold and windy day here at Tybee Island. Not much can be said for being on the beach, but alot can be said for gazing upon it from inside our warm condo. (sorry that the picture is slightly slanted. This wasn't my best shot, but it was the one that got on the post.)

The therapy for little Eli is expected to start next Tuesday. We are hoping that they can jump start him so that he can sit, pull up, and stand very soon. It will take a long while to be able to see the pediatric neurologist and all are hopeful that his problem will be solved without having to see the specialist.

Jake was extremly upset yesterday when he awoke from his nap to find that the Christmas tree with the lights and the "north star" on top had been removed. He would have been quite happy to have that set up be a permanent part of his home. What must the little guys think about the crazy things we adults do?

Lucy spent all day yesterday in "big girl panties" with only one accident. We rejoice for David and Erika as diapers are so expensive. Lucy got interested in potty training from a book that she got for her birthday.

Harry is quietly growing. He is very strong and healthy and has these great big blue eyes. He likes face time with anyone who will take the time to talk to him. He is very animated for such a wee one.

I have to talk to myself the night before and plan that I will stay home and do housework. That I have done today. I think I picked a good day seeing as it is so cold. The condo smells clean and that makes me very happy.

special pleasures just for today:

this old grey cashmere sweater that is keeping me so warm
the sunlight streaming through the window
being at the best part of my novel
not leaving the house
the smell of clean
listening to my favorite music
thinking about the ones I love

a "cozy" day.............the only thing missing is a fireplace.

It is good to be right with God.....everything is all joy. c

knowing God

I've mentioned before that it is impossible to understand our need for Jesus without a full understanding of the great God of the universe.

Here and there in my posts I will attempt to bring to light some of the extraordinary things about our God of which we need to be reminded.

My goal in writing this post is to share some things that I have learned along the way that have made a difference in my life and to encourage you all to seek God through His word in personal Bible study.

Proverbs 8:17 "I love those who love me: and those who diligently seek Me will find Me."

God promises that if we seek Him diligently He will reveal Himself to us in all of His splendor.

The great truths that are in God's word are called doctrines.........these are what make up the body of what we as Christians believe. Most people are scared away when they see the word "doctrine," but actually these are the truths that we hold dear.

*The very first doctrine that we need to study and become clear on is the doctine of God
Himself.

*The bible begins with God......this great opening statement tells us everything:

*"In the beginning God......"

*(Martin Lloyd Jones....Great Doctrines of the Bible)

Have a great new year in God's word. From cover to cover it is fascinating. It is well worth your time and effort. This would be called "storing up treasures in heaven."

welcome 2008

Here are some Christmas pictures of our precious grand babies. Three boys and a girl.....I never knew that being a "grammy" would be so wonderful. These children are a blessing from the Lord.

The new year came in quietly last night. I didn't hear it come because I was sound asleep. This morning when I woke up it was 2008.

It was a very quiet New Year's Day. I didn't leave the condo. The mountains of dirty laundry that we brought home from our trip have been reduced to two. I ran out of Gain....they will have to wait until tomorrow.

We cooked a large pork roast, with black-eyed peas for "good luck" which we don't believe in. Bubba has enjoyed the games and is euphoric now that his Georgia Bulldogs are on the screen.

A "new year" holds lots of promise. It is a time to plan, to organize...........a time to hope that things will be accomplished. It is a new beginning, a respite after the frenzy of the holidays to get back to normal.

I only have two plans for the coming year:

Drink only water (except for my morning coffee) & exercise every day no matter what.

Day one has passed and I didn't do either of these things.

I justify myself in that "it takes a couple of days to get started." Soon it's July and I never got started.

Hopefully the year 2008 will be different.

Anyway......Happy New Year to each of you and may all of your dreams come true...c