something more

I went down to the water this afternoon to take a picture of where I think the bullfrog lives.

While I was looking to see if I could find him I found something more.

If you look very closely at the picture you will see a black snake coiled around some fallen bullrushes.(click to make it larger)

I thought...."I don't need to be here any longer." I backed off quietly and headed for the house.

When Bubba got home I mentioned that I had seen this snake.......we both went down to see if he was still there....which he wasn't.

Bubba told me that more than likely he was a water moccasin.

I don't know how I feel about this water behind our house.....too many unknowns lurking in the water and making strange sounds or no sounds at all.

This is what the Lord God said to the serpent after the fall of man:

Genesis 3:14

"Because you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; On your belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life."

a relic

I love grilled cheese sandwiches. I don't make them that often, but I have recently had a resurgence of desire for them. I'll tell you why.

While looking through Nana's old kitchen things, I came across this griddle. It is cast iron, well-seasoned and flat. It is the perfect thing to make grilled cheese sandwiches on.

Sunday nights at out house are usually "grab whatever you want nights." After eating a large meal after church we never seen to want very much to eat when evening comes. Last night I decided to make a sandwich on my new griddle. It turned out perfectly!

Bubba made himself a fried egg sandwich and offered to make me one as well. The reason he offered is that he knows I don't eat eggs and he knows that I will always refuse his offer. He made his in a burst of hurriedness as he wanted to get back to the basketball game.

He always makes a big deal out of flipping the egg over the sink and landing it back in the frying pan. Last night he missed and half of it went down the disposal. I heard him as he walked off mumbling something about being glad the eggs were jumbo sized.....

I made another grilled cheese for lunch just now. I'm sure glad to have that griddle!!

Later on I will have a picture of where I think the bullfrog is hiding. cathy

the consensus is in

My question about the low, consistent mooing that sounds like Bubba snoring has been answered.

You all say it is a bullfrog.

Well......I tell you this one is in trouble. Whatever it is he is doing he does it all night long without taking a breath.

Here is what I found about about these big guys:

They are native to the eastern United States.
Their body length is 4 to 8 inches.
Their legs may be up to 10 inches long.
The bullfrog is the only frog whose legs are marketed in quantity for food in the US.
The bullfrog has fully webbed toes.
He can close his nostrils and sit at the bottom of a pond for some time.
Male bullfrogs have a long, booming call.
Bullfrog tadpoles require two or three years to become adults.

My questions:

What is this loud, booming call for?
Why does he have to call all night?
Why would anything want to sit at the bottom of a pond for long periods of time?
If I ordered a frog leg would the webbed toes still be attached?

No big deal on the tadpoles taking two to three years to become an adult. It takes some of us humans 60 or more years to do the same.

Okay, so hopefully I will get used to Bubba and this bullfrog snoring all night......you know like people who live by a train track get used to the trains going by at all hours.

But what if this call means that other male bullfrogs will come and join with this bullfrog and set up a call station right outside of my bedroom window? Then what will I do?

His name is Jeremiah by the way.......c

"gazing intently into the sky"

The disciples were listening to Jesus give His last instructions to them while on this earth.

Jesus had told them to wait for the power(the Holy Spirit) and to be witnesses of Him "unto the remotest part of the earth."

And then He was gone......taken up into the sky in a cloud.

They were first-hand witnesses to the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Most assuredly they were dumbfounded.

The Bible says they were gazing "intently" into an empty sky.

Comfort came immediately in the form of two men in white clothing who were standing beside them speaking these words.......

Acts 1:11 "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."

Jesus' return to the earth was promised immediately. They were consoled, they were given hope, they were encouraged on the spot.

Now in the meantime, go and do what he told you to do. Wait for the power, and witness in His name.

That's the believer's hope and admonition as well.......right now in the year of our Lord 2008.

Until we see Jesus coming once again in the clouds (and we should be watchful and expectant), let us do what He told us to do.

Revelation 22:20 "...........Come, Lord Jesus."

something in the water

There is a body of water behind our house. In the daylight it is beautiful and the ducks and geese make good use of it.

At night it is a different story. There is something out there that sounds like snoring. It is a low, consistent sound....kind of eerie and other-worldly.

If anyone has any idea what could be making this sound, please let me know.

cathy

"until the day when He was taken up"

Our Risen Lord Jesus stayed on the earth for forty days following His resurrection.

The first chapter in the book of Acts gives an account of what transpired during those days.

Acts 1:3 "To these (the apostles whom he had chosen), He also presented Himself alive, after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God."

After the resurrection , the followers of Jesus were very subdued. One doesn't get over what they had seen and witnessed and been a part of easily. They were scared of what might happen to them and a little shaken by the physical presence of the one who had been murdered before their eyes.

The verse above says that Jesus continued speaking to them about the "kingdom of God" and giving them "convincing proofs" that He was indeed the risen Son of God.

Obviously these followers who where physically with Jesus during His ministry and after His resurrection were just like us......weak of faith and hard to convince. They needed this time to be prepared for what their role would be after Jesus finally left them and went back to heaven.

"Jesus gathered them together and commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised."

Jesus loved these souls.......he was continuing to comfort them and prepare them for what lay ahead. His ministry on the earth was over in the physical since, but these chosen ones were to carry on in His name and God had promised to send His power (the Holy Spirit) for their work.

The apostles showed their ignorance of God's plan again by asking Jesus at this time...."Lord, is it the time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?"

They thought Jesus was back to stay and that His kingdom would now be established on earth..........they all thought this was why He had come in the first place.

This is Jesus' reply to these His beloved friends......

"It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and ye shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

Look guys......this is God's plan through and through. You are merely instruments in His hands. You wait and the Father will send you the power from Himself to carry out the missions He has for you to do.......

"And after He said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight."

Acts 1: 2-9

my desk

Sometimes I can do it......sometimes I can't.

I spent the last twenty minutes trying to get Jake and Eli's pictures from my e-mail to my blog. Nothing I tried worked so I thought I would post a picture of my new desk instead. Not really a suitable subsitute, but it's what I have for today.

I have always wanted a desk of my own....it finally came and is set up. I haven't got it decorated like I want it yet, but I am using it just the same.

What I like is that I can hide so many of the ugly things that are necessary to crank the computer up. The tower is now behind closed doors and all of the wires are behind the desk.

I have bought pretty baskets to hold the things I need at my disposal and my reference books will have a place on the shelves as well.

Oh, and I did get a drawer for my pens and pencils

Bubba has promised that the printer will be moved by next week. We'll see.

I feel important here at my desk even though I'm not.

It is set up in the guest bedroom which is nice and quiet except when Bubba creeps in unawares and scares me to death.

Some of the boxes got unpacked today. There were 25 in that picture I sent yesterday and now I am down to sixteen. I was reunited with my "Vietre" dinnerware just now, much to my joy, and now have it all neatly displayed on my much loved hutch.

Things are coming together...............I love the slow pace. I am savoring every minute of rediscovering my treasures.

all of this from cathy

interlude

These tulips were brought to me by my sweet Aunt Jackie. They are sitting next to the very fragrant rosemary plant on my table.......I smell the woodsy scent of the herb all over the house.

The Easter party was an interlude tricking me into thinking that everything was done....so not true.....these boxes were brought in yesterday and the garage is still full.

I am taking my time as there are many other things to do as well....we still have to eat, clothes have to be washed, groceries bought, toilets cleaned, and other's needs met to name just a few.

David has taken a group of seventy-five high schoolers down to FL for this week. The cold snap has made it too cold for the beach and the water parks, but they are still having a good time. I don't envy him.....his shower last night was his first since Saturday morning. They are due back in Chicago on Saturday.

I hope you all read both of the posts about the encounters of Jesus and His disciples after His resurrection. I loved writing those.

I will try later to send some pictures of Jake and Eli in the matching easter outfits that I bought for them. We are having a guest for dinner so it may not happen......but it might/c

mitch with eyes

To all of you who saw the pics of the easter party on Sunday, you may have noticed that Mitch didn't have any readily visible eyes. Yesterday he sent me this photo via e-mail.

I am pleased to present to you "Mitch with eyes," a much more realistic depiction of what he really looks like.....enjoy......cathy

"He opened their minds"

When the two men on the road to Emmaus made it back to Jerusalem on the evening of Christ's resurrection, they were bubbling over with excitement as they told the other disciples the events of the afternoon......we would say today, "they were running on adrenalin." Their message was simple but profound.....

"The Lord has really risen."

While this dialogue was going on, "Jesus Himself stood in their midst."

Put yourself in this scenario for a moment and think about how you would feel.....

"But they were startled and frightened and thought that they had seen a ghost."

I love the humanness of this story. All of these people had just been through the most nightmarish few days as they watched their dear friend and teacher die the most horrible death right before their eyes.

When they had gone to minister to His body early that very same morning, they found the huge stone rolled away from the tomb where they had buried Him and Jesus' body was nowhere to be seen.

They were indeed frightened and bewildered and scared just as we would have been and then all of a sudden the risen Lord was standing before them.

This is what He said to them, "Why are you troubled and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; touch me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."

Then Jesus showed them the scars in His hands and feet.

The Bible says that they still could not believe. They were full of joy and they were marveling at what was taking place, but they still could not believe.

Then, the Risen Lord, the Son of God asked them, of all things, if they had anything to eat. I love this....they gave Him a piece of broiled fish and He ate it before them.

After His hunger was quenched, He explained to them what the Holy Scriptures had to say about about the reason for His coming and that all Scripture had to be fulfilled.

Then and only then:

"He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures."

For all the time they had spent with Him, listening to Him teach, watching Him perform miracles, hearing him pray, eating with Him and fellowshipping with Him...............they didn't understand............not until Jesus Himself taught them about God's purpose for Him from God's word did they finally get it.

Big Point: The only way to know God and His Son Jesus Christ is by reading and studying God's word and hearing it proclaimed.

You don't quite understand all of this about Jesus? Ask Him to reveal the truth to you through God's word of power. He will give you the gift of understanding if you diligently seek Him.

"but their eyes were prevented"

After Jesus died on the cross, most all of His followers were sad and distraught. They thought He had come to establish His kingdom on earth. They expected Him to be the literal, earthly "King of the Jews." His untimely, gruesome death on the cross had dashed their hopes and sent them to the depths of despair.

Late in the afternoon on the day Jesus was resurrected from the dead, two men were walking back home to the village of Emmaus. This was about seven miles from Jerusalem, where all of the events pertaining to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus had just taken place.

As we would be doing in the same situation, they were discussing all of the events that had just taken place. During this time, "Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them."

Luke 24:16 "But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him."

Jesus inquired of them, "What are these words you are exchanging with each other as you are walking?"

The two men proceeded to tell Jesus all of the things pertaining to Him that had just happened in Jerusalem. And they even asked Him....."Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?"

Our Lord responded to these two men like this:

"O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter His glory?"

Jesus then lovingly and patiently began to explain to them all of the things concerning Himself in the Scriptures.......

Don't you know those seven miles became as nothing to them as they listened to the recently risen Son of God expose the word of God. They later described it this way......."were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road?"

As they approached the village, the two men urged Jesus, "stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over."

Jesus came into their house, reclined at the table with them, took the bread and blessed it, broke the bread, and began giving it to them.

"And their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight."

A perfect example of the sovereignty of God......they did not know Jesus until God, through the Scripture, opened their eyes to the truth.

You know they must have been tired to the bone after all of the events of the weekend and then walking seven miles to get home..........but after "seeing" Jesus and understanding what the Scriptures have to say about Him....................

They jumped up and returned to Jerusalem. They found the disciples and others gathered together and proclaimed:

"The Lord has really risen."

First hand witnesses to the truth were these two ordinary men returning home after being in Jerusalem and watching their hope die on the cross.

Read this whole account in Luke 24: 13-35.

Amazing is this God we serve!

i didn't notice

When I took the photo
in this morning's blog,
I didn't even notice the trash cans.
The sun was shining down through the blossums of the pear trees.
I was so overwhelmed with the beauty I was blinded to the unsightly cans.
I only noticed them when I posted that photo.

It made me think....If we keep our eyes on
the beauty of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.......
of all of the wondrous things He has done for us,
we will not be brought down by the suffering and pain
that do not escape us here on this earth.

easter day 2008

What the easter bunny brought for me.......

The host and hostess...

Table #2 in the kitchen......with our half eaten coconut cake .......

Table #1 in the dining room.....

Frankie found the first egg that was taped under the tablecloth......

Robbie found the golden egg with a five dollar bill inside......

Lindsey thought one of the eggs was up in the sky.........

Mitch found the last egg filled with money. It was in the crown of thorns.

It was a great day....I love to be entertaining again.

Hope your day was filled with treasures too! Cathy

Hallelujah

He is Risen!
Praise be to God for His indescribable gift!

"standing at a distance"

Luke 23:49 "And all His acquaintances and the women who accompanied Him from Galilee, were standing at a distance seeing these things." (the Crucifixion)

Jesus' death on the cross was a spectacle. It was a circus of sorts with the crowd who had whipped up this fury looking on in delight......looking at the death of this man who had done no wrong. The man of whom Pilate had said......Luke 23:4 "I find no guilt."

Finally, they said, we have dealt with this man who calls Himself the Son of God. He will no longer be a threat to us. He is dead.

They truly did not know what they were doing.....they did not know that they were fulfilling the plan of God for the salvation of mankind. They were merely pawns in God's hands to be used by Him to bring about His will on this earth.

There was another small group of people looking on though........people who had known Him, traveled with Him, and ministered to Him. People who loved Him, who were grief stricken, who were devastated by what had just happened before their eyes, who really didn't understand.

That could be us here on the earth some 2000 years later....."looking on at a distance."

We know it is Easter, the time of year when Christians celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. We read the biblical account in the New Testament. We hear the same proclaimed from the pulpits of our churches, we look on all of this from a distance and we wonder.

All of this truth, though, seems to have gotten muddled up with bunnies and candy and new clothes. We "stand at a distance" seeing what God has done and somehow it becomes just another holiday.

The small group of people standing at a distance looking on the crucifiction saw it in the here and now.

We have the advantange, because of the Bible, of seeing the whole picture, of knowing that this was God's plan of salvation being carried out. We know from a distance that these events were the turning point in history. The Bible from Genesis to Revelation tells the whole plan of God concerning Jesus.

Let's not merely look on these events from a distance. Ask God to make "these things" matter in your heart, down deep where it makes a difference. Let's worship His amazing grace to us "in spirit and in truth."

PS Those of you who know me, know that I love spring, real bunnies, flowers, chocolate bunnies, easter egg hunts, and all of the trappings of same.

My home is decorated for the party tomorrow with all of the things that I love. We will join together in fellowship and have great fun......but in my heart I know that Easter is not about any of these thing.

Easter is about the love of God to those who believe. It is amazing what He has done for us and for those who will believe in the future.

"Praise Him from whom all blessing flow!"

Good Friday

I am watching the sun rise over the top of my computer as I write this post.......as I sit here and reflect upon what this day means to believers.

Why is the day that Jesus died a cruel and humiliating death on a rough hewn cross called "good?"

This day in the life of Jesus is "good" because it is the fulfilment of God's plan of salvation for His people who were born under the debt of sin....a debt we could never repay, a situation we could never get ourselves out of without God's direct intervention.

Starting with the Lord's Supper on the eve of Jesus' death until three days later when Christ rose from the grave victorious, these events were the fulfilment of God plan of grace for His loved ones.

Yes it was for Jesus a humanly excruciating time. Read Jesus' prayer in the garden of Gethsemane......

Luke 22:42 "Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Thine be done."

In all of the gruesomeness of His situation and what lay ahead the next day.....He prayed for God's will to be done......

What was God's will? That Jesus would die and by his blood pay the penalty of our sin (rebellion) against God.

So "good" describes His death on the cross for us who believe.......

It was good that Jesus did the will of His Father planned before the foundation of the earth.
It was good that God did not remove "this cup" from Jesus.
It was good that He died on the cross on this "Good Friday."

Jesus prayed on the cross, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."

The Jewish leaders of the day who allowed Jesus to be crucified didn't know that they were part
of God's sovereign plan of salvation for all people.

May today be a time of great reverence and awe for all of us who love the Lord.

O, the magnitude of the love of God toward those of us who believe.....

"i've never seen blue like that before across the sky"

We just returned from a whirlwind trip to Atlanta....the fair city that we lived in for almost eighteen years.

The ailment that besiges me has been flaring up lately and I just haven't been able to connect with the only doctor in Savannah that treats this malady.....so three months ago I made an appointment with my dear Dr. Myerson in our capital city.

He knows me and knows my past history, and he is a genuine caring individual. I was so glad to see him again....more on this later.

Yesterday I was a "woman loosed" for a couple of hours to go shopping. I bought some things for the house and for my Easter dinner that will be on Sunday. Best of all I got some great ideas for decorating.

We ate at PF Changs which is not in Savannah and is always a treat. Early to bed and to rise.

This morning the winds brought artic conditions to the area and I only had flats (no socks) and a very thin little sweater to wear on my walk to the doctor's office. I came mite near freezing to death, but did suvive to write this blog.

All went well until Dr. M put a shot the size of my head right square into my hip joint. Oh ya'll, it hurt so badly I kicked the doctor and then got a cramp in my leg to which he had to administer therapy. I also screamed.....kicking and screaming is not in my nature, but this drove me to it. I told him I was sorry............I hope he knows I meant it.

Tonight I am sad and in pain.....c

to be awed

The azaleas have come back to life. It happens every spring......these beautiful blooms flood Savannah with extraordinary color.

This is the week that Jesus accomplished what He came to this earth to do.

Jesus was born to die. That is the only reason He came to this earth. Yes, He performed some miracles, and He did some wonderful teaching, but He was sent by God His Father to accomplish the redemption of His people.

He was appointed before the foundation of the earth was laid to come and bear our sin nature and to put us back in a right relationship with God.

I celebrate Christ's resurrection every day of the year. It is the single most important event that has ever occurred on this earth. It is worthy of praise continually.

God ordained that this is the way He would save His people. This week was God's plan from the
very beginning......may we be awed by this celebration of new life.

Hebrews 13:20-21 "Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus, to whom be glory forever and ever, Amen

O that He would "work in me that which is pleasing in His sight."

tucked away

While working at the storage houses on Saturday, Bubba dispatched me to go to the beach and retrieve the mail and to get some food for the weekend. I guess he thought that I would be more profitable doing those things rather than moving boxes.

So off I go to the commiassary. Usually this is a fairly uneventful task....go in, choose the bare necessities, pay, go out. But Saturday, lo and behold, the seafood circus had come to town just for the weekend.

There, much to my surprise, was a whole cool case filled with nothing but crab legs. I was mesmerized by the sheer quantity set before me and at such a good price!

Now I've never cooked crab legs before, but eating them is one of the joys of my life.

So I start to thinking;

Should I buy some?
Do I have a pot big enough to cook them in?
Will Bubba think I've lost my mind?

Well, I went ahead and bought two pounds, came home and made potato salad, and we feasted on those succulent treasures from the sea. They were delicious but o so messy.

Yesterday, after Sunday afternoon nap, I went back to the commissary and bought another sack full (twice as many as I bought on Saturday.) They are tucked away in our freezer and it is good to know that they are there.

I'm sorry i messed up...................c

God is all-powerful

Our God can do anything.....there is nothing He cannot do.

I come to realize more and more that the life of a believer is a life that is spent learning to trust God.

How can we trust Him if we do not know Him?

My purpose in writing on the attributes of God is to reveal His character as He has revealed to us in His word.

We cannot understand our need for a Savior without knowing God.

II Chronicles 20:6 "O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In Your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you."

Job 42:2 "I know that You(God) can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted."

Psalm 66: 5-6 "Come and see what God has done: He is awesome in His deeds toward the children of man. He turned the sea into dry land: they passed through the river on foot. There we did rejoice in Him, who rules by His might forever."

Psalm 89: 8-9 "O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? You rule the raging of the sea: when it's waves rise You still them."

Isaiah 42: 21-28 "Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

It is He (God) who sits above the circle of the earth, and it's inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in:

Who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when He blows on them and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.

To whom then shall you compare Me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of His might, and because He is strong in power not one is missing."

Mark 14:36 "Jesus said, Abba, Father, all things are possible for You."

Knowing what these verses say about God changes everything for us.

Read these verses over and over.

God put His power in His words that are contained in our Bibles....what he tells us is true and able to change our lives.

bed risers

Bubba and I have had a king-sized bed from day one of our marriage.

We are now on our third mattress.

Our bed is a cloud of pillow top mattress, overfilled mattress pad, an extrodinarily puffy down comforter, sheets with a very high thread count, and lots of really comfortable pillows. It is heaven to get into at night.

Just before we left Fayetteville I bought a new comforter, shams, and a matching bedskirt. The bedskirt dragged on the floor bothering me a bit.

While in Home Depot one day I saw what was advertised as "bed risers." "Just the trick," I thought, to solve the bedskirt problem.

Our bed is now halfway up to the ceiling and I only bought the 7 inch ones....they also make them in 9 inch and 12 inch sizes.

Needless to say I love the high bed even if I have to jump off when I go to get up in the morning.

Speaking of very soft sheets, I think I mentioned that the ones we have been sleeping on were wearing out much to my dismay. When we moved from the condo last week I had to send them to the trash heap as I had slit them in two with my hand while getting in bed one night.

Did I ever tell you that Bubba went out on his own and bought me a pair of $70.00 pillowcases for one of my Christmas gifts? He felt bad that the ones I loved so much had fallen apart. What a surprise. They sleep so well.

Must go.....it will soon be time to "climb" into bed............c

i hope it holds up

We now have five storage houses....we did have six but we have manged to clean one out and turn in the key.

Now we are in the process of narrowing the number of storage houses down to one. This is no easy task. It requires lots of lifting and bending and pushing loaded carts from one storage house to another.

In the future, instead of having six small storage houses crammed full with no organization, we will have one storage house that is completely organized.

I love to organize things....the deep longing of my soul is to get evevything in order. Bubba has spent the last 37 years of my life trying to convince me that it will never happen, but I keep trying.

Anyway, this one, super amazing storage house is the length of a bowling alley and only a little wider. At the very back end he rigged a shelf by placing a piece of plywood anchored over two four drawer file cabinets.

Let me just say two words...."christmas stuff." I could open a little Christmas shop and keep it going fully stocked up to five years with the amount of Christmas decorations I have accumulated over the last 37 years.

Well, Bubba started stacking Christmas boxes up to the ceiling (which is 12 feet tall) all the way across on this piece of ply wood. When I walked in it was majorly sagging in the middle. He said it would be alright.....we'll see.

By the way, David and Amanda, all of the boxes of trophies, Barbie dolls, high school memories etc. need to be retrived by you soon now that you are grown, married, and living in your own homes.

One day when that is done and my little Christmas shop closes we will not need any storage houses anymore.

and won't that be a very sad day................

my desk

I have water in one of my ears......I can hear it sloshing around when I move my head.

Our new shower has a hand held device that has the force of Niagra Falls. I use it when I wash my hair to get the soap out....one pass over my head and the soap is gone.

I must have squirted it in my ear. I need to get Bubba to drain my head.

I have always wanted a desk of my own.......one in which to place the ugly parts of the computer that are now hanging out everywhere. One with a drawer for my pens and my paper.....A "ladies desk" to be sure.

Today was to be a stay at home and work day, but Bubba's van had a starter problem. I had to pick him up at the service center and transport him to another vehicle.

On the way home I stopped by Haverty's just to look at the desks in the clearance center.....sure enough, there it was in all of it's glory. It is white, small in size, with a drawer, and only a couple of bumps and bruises. I bought it on the spot.

You remember that red box that had my birthday and Christmas money hidden away in the drawer? It is spent now.........all gone; but I have my "ladies desk." I feel very blessed.

Sorry I've been away for a while. "Movin" is hard work and my body hurts and I'm shot as the night approches.

Psalm 55:22 "Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken."

sea monster

There is what "they" call a lagoon in back of our house.

Today was a stay at home and work day.....the cause of which is called "movin in."

While putting up the windows to let the breeze blow, I spotted a strange object hovering right at water's edge. It looked like the biggest, scariest sea turtle I have ever seen.

Needing to take take a closer look I proceeded cautiously out of the back door.....which closed behind me and locked itself tighter than a drum.

I decided to deal with the locked door later as my curiousity was driving me down to see the "creature" first hand. The closer I got I could see two huge eyes staring at me. What an amazing sight right at my back door....but how in the world did it get to our tiny pond of water?

On closer inspection I realized that it was a plastic sandbox top in the form of a turtle floating merrily along in the breeze.

I felt like a nut and I was locked out to boot. After struggling for some minutes with a screen which would not budge, I remembered that the code to the garage door is on the outside of the house. I walked around to the front of the house and got right in.

I wanted Bubba to see the "great sea turtle" when he got home but "he" was nowhere to be seen.

Harry had his third laser treatment today. He was put to sleep this time. The doctors are very pleased with the progress he is making. The only problem was that the whole family including Lucy had to be at the hospital at 6:15am. Everybody napped a goodly portion of the rest of the day.

Thank you God for little baby Harry and the mercy and grace You are showing to Him.

To God be the glory!

more light at the end of the day

Light is a good thing. We sleep until first light and then start our day.

light is uplifting

light gives hope

light illuminates

Jesus is the light of the world......in Him there is no darkness at all.

Today we started DST about a month earler than usual. It seems a little strange because it is still cold. I am not sleepy and usually I am in bed by nine o'clock. The hungries start at odd times. It will take a few days to adjust.

To have the lingering light at the end of the day is a special gift.

I can ride my bike after supper....do a little yard work, sit out back and watch the sun go down. It just seems that the day is more productive somehow.

Genesis 1:2-4 "And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness."

I am thankful tonight that God made the light....how about you?

finding a place

for everything.....that is my goal.

It has been a cold and blustery day here in Savannah and I have been in the closet for the most part of the day.

There are boxes - boxes everywhere, but I'm busy into emptying them and cutting them down.

This move is cathartic for me as it is the melding together of three homes.

Organizing and clearing out are my forte and I am in my element. It thrills me to make order out of chaos.

Mrs. Ryle's funeral yesterday was so sweet. Her family and many friends came in good numbers to say goodbye.

I love country churches - the simplicity of it all. It was so refreshing to find a preacher who was truly proclaiming the truth and uplifting the name of Jesus.

We have lost three mothers now in the course of about six months.

Sally may your memories of your mom see you through.

happy birthday eli

Eli Mark Hollingsworth, our third grandchild, was born one year ago today. He came a little early and weighed only four and a half pounds.

I had to go out and buy premie clothes for him, little doll clothes to fit his tiny body.

He is now a beautiful baby boy.....bright in every way. He has a new car seat and he is able to face forward and see the world pass by as we see it.

Happy birthday precious one....we wish we could be there for your Nemo party.

Love, granddaddy and grammy

to find my toothbrush......

Just a short update.

We are partially moved in......none of the big stuff, but enough to live with. We are sleeping in one of the spare bedrooms as the king size bed hasn't made it yet. Bubba doesn't seem to be very concerned and so neither will I be.

We grilled out hamburgers for supper. It's been almost two years since we used our grill.

As you can see my computer is working and that is all I need.

We will head down south tomorrow to attend Sarah Ryle's funeral at 2:00 pm.

Now I have to find my toothbrush in all of the menagerie.............it will be another early to bed for me tonight.

until the sun comes up again.....cathy

this is the day

"This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Today is moving day.........Bubba stayed at the new house last night because the cable guy is due in early this morning, I stayed at the beach to finish packing.

When I got home last night I planned to get so much done, but my light went out and I was asleep at nine o"clock. Moving is exhausting.

I will write about our "all-powerful" God when I recover.

So I got one more sunset and sunrise at the beach......enough to hold me until I get to come back.

If we get the cable going at the new house, I will write tonight....if not, who knows when.

For those who know my brother's wife Sally, her mom died early yesterday morning. She will be buried in McIntosh county next to the little church they attended. Please keep them in your prayers.

Lucy fell and bit through her little lip yesterday. She had to go to the emergency room to get stitches.

Harry had his major eye exam yesterday as well. His sight is perfect! Many times the port wine stain babies' eyes are affected so we consider this a miracle. Busy day for them yesterday. O, also, David had Harry and they were locked out of the house. Erika had to come home and climb through the window.

Such is life, and O how wonderful it is: We had three major answers to prayer yesterday, all in one day. What a mighty God we serve...

Okay, I will send a picture of the white shag rug, and thanks everybody for liking the shelf paper so much! It came from "At Home" on Broughton St., my favorite store in the world!

I love hearing from you...........c

eli will soon be one

Here is a picture of the cupboards that I mentioned in yesterdayy's post. I have lots more dishes and glasses to fill them up. I will probably squeeze in one more shelf as well.

Today I purchased a white shag 5 by 8 rug at Lowes for $88.00. It will be the centerpiece of the living room around the fireplace. I am so excited to get my decorating juices flowing again.

On Friday of this week our little grandson Eli will turn one. We were hoping to get back to Virginia for his party, but the timing is awful for us. I hope he will understand.

The MRI showed that he has perisylvian polymicrogyria. One side of his brain has a cyst that is inoperable. It is taking up space for the part of the brain that controls his left arm and hand.
He will have therapy(which has already begun) to strengthen and teach him to be able to use that side.

His doctor has said that his case is mild and that he should respond well to therapy. Please keep this little guy and his parents in your prayers. I will give periodic reports on his progress. Of course, their move to Virginia has slowed things down a bit. We are encouraged by the competence and success of the therapists in this area.

God is the one who heals.....in Him I put my trust. God is sovereign over all of the circumstances in our lives. Nothing happens by chance.....it is all a part of His divine design.

By seeking Him in His word and studying His attributes we begin to know Him intimately.....tomorrow I will write about our God who is "all-powerful." Lord willing, of course.

not knowing right from left

How can I write again after the now famous "lizard" blog. My dream came true. I received five wonderful comments. I now feel inadequate to do a follow-up.

I need to comment on the word "receive." I always have to pause and think about how it is spelled. Never can I get it instinctively. Why do I always struggle with that word?

It is kinda like my not knowing right from left without stopping to think.

I went to kindergarten.....most people learn that simple task by then at least, but not me. Here I am sixty years old and still struggling.

We are moving into our house this week. I have almost gotten my kitchen "set up" and ready to function. I am enjoying all of the surprises in boxes that were packed many months ago.

I have a floor to ceiling cupboard to hold all of my dishes which I just love. (I love the cupboard, not the dishes. The dishes are plain, and old, and white.) I bought some beautiful sheets of paper today at my favorite store in downtown and I lined the shelves. Now it makes me very happy when I open the doors.

We hope to spend the night on Wednesday or at the latest Thursday. Bubba told me just now that our king size bed won't arrive until Friday, so I put in a request to wait until then. (I'm having some issues with leaving the beach.)

The crowds are starting to come now (spring breakers) so I just as soon leave it to them because they are noisy. I like the off-season best.

I read this verse early this morning:

Hebrews 10:31 "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

It is in no one's best interest to stand before God without coming to Him with Jesus as our advocate.

Thank you Jesus for making it possible for us to stand before God covered with your righteousness.

a lizard by the fireplace

The first one to move into our new house was a lizard.
He was little and dead, but he was still a lizard.
If any of you know me well you know that lizards turn my blood to ice water.
Immediately my mind goes to work:

How did he get in?
Where's his momma?
Has she given birth to more little lizards?
What does this mean in the whole scheme of things?
Should we not move in?

When I was ten or eleven I had a traumatic experience with a very large lizard.
I was taking a short cut through through some hedges after a long Saturday of play.
It was getting dark and my parents had called me home to get my hair washed for church the next day.
When I emerged one of the biggest lizards I have ever laid my eyes on was attached to my arm.
I went into hysteria and had to be slapped to come out of it.

I never remember being scared of them before that day, but that day is as vivid in my mind as if it just happened. Today I am still that little girl when I encounter a lizard.

Please promise never to come at me with a lizard to see my reaction.