choose to be happy

Here are some things that are making me happy right now.........

*A cold day with plenty of sunshine and no wind to speak of

*airing out my bedroom after so many germs

*Clorox...it really cleans and it makes my whites really white

*The loaf of rosemary bread that came free with a roasted chicken yesterday

*Bubba inviting me to go to Papa's to get fresh fish tonight for dinner

*Fresh, clean sheets for the bed

*Diamonds sparkling on the water behind our house

*Planning a late evening picnic on the beach with candles as soon as it warms up enough

*Lying in a huge puddle of sun light for my nap......the doctor said I must

*Being able to get dressed up and go to worship tomorrow

*Feeling better a little each day

*The message to me from one of Bubba's friends that he was praying for me

*Napping under a heavenly silk comforter that belonged to Bubba's mother and father

*This passage from Psalm 139 1-6

O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me.
Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up;
Thou dost understand my thought from afar.
Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And art intimately involved with all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, Thou dost know it all.
Thou hast enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Thy hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high,
I cannot attain to it.

How can I not be happy when that verse applies to me........it applies to you as well if you belong to Him.

We choose to happy......it is a choice that we make.

i just want to remember.......

I loved getting to decorate this house for Christmas, but we won't be in this house next Christmas.

Let me explain.
We own two properties on Tybee Island. We rented this house last March in hopes that we would sell one of the condos to facilitate our getting a mortgage to buy this one. No buyer has turned up as yet, so........

After much prayer and consideration, Bubba and I have decided to move back to our condo on the beach.

I have loved living in this house. I love having all of my home "stuff" around me. It is so comfortable here.

One thing has been revealed to us as we have spent this year on the west side of Savannah.....this is not where we ultimately want to settle. We both want to be closer to town. That in itself is a real blessing.

Living on the beach has always been my dream......so nothing will be lost but space and my "stuff." During this process we will be downsizing a lot and getting rid of things we no longer need or use.

This perfectly suits my need for adventure. We have always moved around alot and I have loved it. Who knows where we might end up on this earth? I do crave my ultimate destination of heaven......but love the fun I'm having on the way.

why do you always disappear? c

various and the sum of all things

First of all I am making good progress with the book, "Total Truth" that I mentioned earlier in the week. I am well into chapter seven.

Every time I pick it up I ask God through His Spirit to give me understanding and the ability to concentrate as it is not an easy read.

This is where I am.......we who know the Truth are indeed the most blessed people in this world.
We who God has chosen to be His in Jesus Christ.

John 8: 31& 32 "If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."

Jesus said that:

1. We who read and study His word constantly, we who spend much time in prayer and meditation over His word are the ones who belong to Him.

2. If you are engaged in the practice of seeking Him through His word, you will know the truth and that truth will set you free. Wow!

How many people in this world are walking around asking these questions:

What is life all about?
Is this all there is to life?
Why does my life feel so empty?

All of the answers to life's difficult questions are contained in God's holy word. But instead of desiring it as a "deer pants for water," they scoff at God's word and say, "It is not relative to our modern times." Oh how wrong they are.

Psalm 119:160 "The sum of Your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever."

I guess I am getting better. I still haven't heard from the doctor about the results of my chest x-ray. Today will be two weeks since this started.

The benefits have been many.......... lots of much needed rest and a chance to clear my head to start the new year. There is much going on that requires complete trust in the guidance of the Lord right now. I will write more about that in a later post.

I love facebook!! It is one of my "favorite things." I have caught up with so many old friends and even some of my students from my third grade teaching days. It is a constant source of joy to me. I have posted almost fifty of my Christmas photos. The comments received on my "wall" have been so sweet and inspirational. You should join!

I praise God for so many answers to prayer from our gracious God and Father. David has accepted a part time job with Ferguson Ave Baptist Church as their youth pastor. He is still pursuing the ultimate goal of starting a new church to God's glory.

Both Harry and Eli have received great reports from their respective therapists and are making exceptional progress. We attribute this to the miracle of God's healing power and the prayers of everyone.

There is not enough time in the day or space on this computer to praise God as He should be praised. In heaven we will get to do that in ways we cannot dream of her on this earth.

To God be the glory great things He hath done!

it never fails

Yesterday afternoon at two o'clock, I was shown into a three by five foot room and told that my doctor would be in to see me in a few minutes.

At five o'clock I was still sitting there waiting for him to show up.

I had been told that they would "fit me in" since I didn't have an appointment, but I wasn't prepared to spend three hours in this closet with no source of air.

After reading everything that I could devour to pass the time (even a copy of all things Rolling Stone Magazine), I began to go stir crazy.

The only window in the room was five and a half feet from the ground. I spent a lot of time on my tips looking out at Waters Ave. I zeroed in on a cooking school across the street that I may be interested in if I ever get well. The best thing about this activity was that I had to stretch my body to be able to see out.

I spent a good bit of time fanning myself with one of the magazines, but this got very old,very quickly.

One time I got up my nerve and stumbled out in the hallway to try to get some fresher air. The nurse agreed with me that it was very hot, but said nothing about when or even if the doctor would show up.

I was put in the last room down a very long hallway. Well into the third hour I began to get paranoid. My mind became solely focused on straining to hear any sound outside of my room that would give me hope. Every now and then I would hear footsteps, but they never came close. I tried to pray but every sound made my heart leap and I was distracted.

At five I was sure that they had forgotten about me.....the sounds had ceased and the sky in the little high window was darkening.

What should I do? I could get on the examining table, sleep through the night, and be the first patient in the morning.

Finally the door opened and in came the doctor. He asked me how I was......i said, "Fine."
I lied to him, but I was so glad to see him that I could have kissed his feet.

He changed my medicine and I feel a lot better.

I did have to go get a chest x-ray today.

They took me back, told me to undress, and then came back to ask me what I was having done to which I replied, "I'm having an x-ray done of my chest, to which they replied, "I have you down for a barium enema."

Oh, please........I had to get dressed and wait some more while they got everything straightened out. There was no way I was taking my jeans off....

I think that things like this happen to me so that I will have something to write about.

I am better today and feel like I may live to see another day.

Cathy

streeeeeetching my mind

I started it last summer while we were at Hilton Head.
I thought I had gotten further along than my bookmark indicated when I picked it back up again a few days ago.
It comes highly recommended by David and Erika's dad.
I am determined to read it all the way through, but it is stretching my mind to its farthest extent. I have made it through three chapters so far.

"Christianity is not a series of truths in the plural, but rather truth spelled with a capital 'T.' Truth about total reality, not just about religious things.

Biblical Christianity is Truth concerning total reality---
and the intellectual holding of that total Truth
and then living in the light of that Truth."

foreword to the book by Francis Shaeffer - - -April 1981

Even the foreword is alot to get your mind around.....but I want to try.

I am a firm believer that if we don't use our minds constructively as we live in Him that we lose them. I have seen it happen too many times.

In sickness still I write. I was unable to go to church this morning because of the constant coughing. You suffer for a while and then one day you realize you are well and thankfulness abounds.....I long for that day. In the meantime, I will praise my God for His goodness and mercy to me & mine.

ps.....someone very special to me took his first little hesitant steps yesterday and I got to see them. Hurrah Harry!!!!

will we need shoes in heaven?

I love shoes. Ever since I can remember I have always loved shoes. Cute shoes, comfortable shoes, unique shoes, feminine shoes, even some kinds of funky shoes.....always catch my eye. I saw a pair the other day that were mustard colored with a purple bow. Amazing!

There is someone very close to me that can spot shoes that I will love. She did that this Christmas when she presented me with the adorable pair pictured above.

Amanda is my daughter as most of you know. She is also very tuned in to what I like and her gifts are always very exciting to open. She also presented my favorite candle, "Keepers of the Light," and a vintage Christmas ornament.

Something special, something that he or she knows I will love speaks volumes, doesn't it?

That is the essence of gift giving. Gifts don't have to be extravagant or expensive, but when you know someone knows you that well and cares that much to buy you a treasure, it means a lot.

I love watching my children celebrate Christmas in their homes with their families. Traditions are being established, some old and some new. In my mind Christmas is being with those people who you love and care about sharing food and laughter and gifts and Christmases that have gone before.

One more word on shoes. I have read alot in the last few weeks about us being fitted on this earth for what we will be doing in heaven for all eternity.

I think I will be a shoemaker.

Thanks Amanda and Mark............I love you both

just finished....

The act of gift giving is an art. I truly love to go gift shopping. I love to think about the person I am buying for and then choose just the right delicacy for them to open on a special day.

I love to wrap my choice for them in beautiful paper and ribbon.....all of this makes me feel very happy.

The book pictured above was chosen for me by David and Erika......they know that I love to read books about weather related disasters. They went to an antique store downtown and found this book knowing that it would thrill my soul.

The title is in case you cannot see it well is, Our National Calamity of Fire, Flood, and Tornado. Thrilling Stories with Photographs and Sketches.

It was written in 1913 concerning a series of calamities in the Midwestern states of our country.

I read it from cover to cover while I was sick. It was very depressing, but interesting at the same time. I love to read these books because they give me such a feel for that part of the history of our great country.....how people coped under such tremendous pressure and tragedy.

I love old books....the way they look, the way they feel, the way they smell.

Who read this book?

Who held it in their hands and spent so much time with it as I just did?

Did whoever read this book live the tragety? I will never know, but somehow I feel a kinship....

Thank you David and Erika for knowing what makes me happy.......lm