Where has the week gone? 09/30/2010
I guess it's time to write another blog when your husband mentions that he continues to read the last entry over and over! That made me realize that time has once again eluded me. It's been a busy week of planning, writing, corresponding, phoning my folks and talking with old friends and I've loved every minute! However, tomorrow my sister-in-law, Amy and her husband, Daryl arrive at our house for a short, compacted weekend. Daryl is playing in a golf tourney with Gary, Nicholas and Luke sponsored by the Campus Life Ministry. Amy and I will head north to help with what we have termed, "the Aunts' shower" for our niece that getting married the end of the month. Amy and Daryl will return home on Sunday and that, my friends, is only weekend number one of this busy upcoming month of October. I am excited that the month is full of activity and memorable opportunities, but I would ask for your prayers for my continued diligence for the tasks at hand. As a little adder, a wonderful lady that I recently met at the salon invited me to speak to the VFW Women's Auxiliary in a couple of weeks. She just phoned to confer my commitment and I am excited to be able to share my experiences of writing a devotional book with these lovely ladies. God bless each one of you, my friends. I am truly sorry when I miss a day of writing, but I sometimes find myself in the midst of several commitments that need immediate attention! Have an absolutely wonderful fall weekend! Add Comment Another fall day.... 09/28/2010
The weather is making its turn into fall-like temperatures....the leaves are blowing into the yard, the hummingbirds have vacanted their feeder and the chill of autumn is in the air. It's a good turn of events. I am actually looking forward to jackets and some light sweaters. After a long summer of a multitude of hot flashes, my body is ready for a break. It's a wonder I weigh more than twenty pounds from all the body fluid that has pushed through my pores, but that's a writing for another day,. Tomorrow holds plans of moving plants from one area of the yard to another. I actually look forward to digging in the dirt especially since it's been raining for the past couple of days and the ground is moist. I think I might purchase some new bulbs to feed the deer next year, that is if the moles and chipmunks don't eat the bulbs before they bloom! I have a bit of a problem with these little critters that have taken up a homestead in my yard since the death of our faithful cat, Maggie Mae. Although I need not the responsibility of another animal, it does cross my mind each spring/summer. I do hope each of you are enjoying this weather...my mom reports from Virginia that today has been sunny with cool breezes. Now that's an awesome weather report! Take care, my friends and may God bless! A day of quiet.... 09/27/2010
It's raining in Pittsburgh today....and I love the sound of those raindrops on my roof! There is something about rain that enables me to slow down and have a day of quiet reflection. I seem to stop scurrying around trying to do twenty items on my "to do" list and look out the window more frequently. It's almost like the times during the winter when it snows and I don't "need" to be outside. I often look out over the yard and just watch.... Today I'm thankful that the remaining flowers that are blooming get a drink of water without me lugging buckets of water; I'm remembering that the bulbs I need to plant will be easier to implant with the aid of moist dirt; the task of moving larger plants and/or dividing them will also be accomplished without much "hard" labor and I can take this day at a much slower pace because a few items will be moved onto another day's work. Days like today are blessings in disguise...let's find those nuggets of blessings and be thankful! Have a wonderful day, my friends. God bless your Monday! A sudden memory 09/25/2010
Today would have been my grandmother's 104th birthday.....isn't it amazing how those dates and previous celebrations pop into your mind? As I thought about today being September 25th, I always remember Tata. Since most kids have crazy nicknames for their grandparents, my dad's mother was always, "Tata".....can't really explain why. Maybe it was a short way of saying "thank you" as a young child and the nickname became associated with her. After all, she did give me lots of memories. For instance, we caught the city bus and rode to downtown Lynchburg on a Saturday morning. Tata loved going downtown and that was when downtown was the main staple for shopping. There was a Woolworth store that served lunch at the counter. They had bar stools and we climbed on those stools and had ourselves a toasted ham sandwich with lettuce and mayonnaise and a tall glass of Coca-Cola! It was delicious! Tata always bought me something at the Woolworth store to bring home. Sometimes it was a bottle of bubbles, sometimes it was inexpensive jewelry (you might remember the bracelet and ring set that had your birthstone in it) or it might be a set of jacks which we called jack rocks. I also remember that Tata always had my birthday present in my hands on the actual day of my birth. That was a big deal to a kid. And when I married and moved to Idaho and later to Pittsburgh, Tata wrote me at least two letters a week until she experienced a stroke and then the letters slowed down. Tata's been gone since 1996. I still miss her so much. She was a fabulous cook and I'm still trying to figure out how to make those sweet potatoes rolled in corn flakes and her homemade cole slaw. Not to forget her peach icebox pie and prune cake...yep, prune cake that was out of this world! I have a collection of her letters underneath my bed in a storage box. I can hear her voice when I take them out to read what she wrote to me years ago. I think today would be a great day to pull out that box and read a few although I suddenly feel the tears coming on.....I hope I'm that kind of grandma someday. Heaven continues to become sweeter and sweeter with each passing year. God bless, my friends. Have an awesome weekend. Spending time with Jesus 09/23/2010
This morning I experienced an awesome time of fellowship with the Lord. I thoroughly enjoy my morning devotional time. Before the sun gets up and going and the day breaks forth with activity, I love having a cup of coffee as I read the scriptures and open my prayer notebook to pray for various people and their needs. A flashback 09/22/2010
Over the past weekend I had the opportunity to visit with "old" high school friends. Amazingly, within a couple of minutes it felt as if the feelings of teenage high school status arose. Can you imagine? After 40 years of graduating from a small rural high school, a few minutes can turn back the clock and rain down previously assumed stations of life. Why does that happen? I am so far removed from the individual that graduated from that rural area 40 years ago. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to leave the area and immerse into the grown woman I am today. Although I would have grown up and older anyway, I truly feel it has been the Lord's will for my life to begin my adult journey in different states over 30 years ago. God gave me an awesome gift in my husband, Gary. Gary saw in me the potential that I felt was buried within me somewhere and he has aided me with bringing that woman to light. The only sad note? Those high school buddies don't know those facets of my personality. They only know a young girl who was unsure of herself, lacked confidence....and wasn't the popular type. Is it important for those teenage students we graduated with to see us as intelligent, talented, gifted, happy and properous adults? I think deep inside our human shell it is....but, I am grateful to remember those feelings once again so that I might continue to be a better person and never make those with whom I come in contact experience those feelings of inadequacy. As a professionally trained and educated teacher, I have always strived to pass that message along to each student I have taught. Life is full of lessons. We experience, we learn, we pass on the fruit of the lesson. God bless, my friends! One of my favorite things.... 09/21/2010
One of my favorite things to do is to sit outside on a full moon night and enjoy looking around at everything all lit up! The shadows of the trees appear as they do in the daylight hours when the sun is shining brightly. I have always enjoyed full moon evenings and sometimes you can find me with my head out the upstairs window as I look around the yard below. I actually do this little activity in the winter as well as in the summer! Have you ever truly taken in the full moon when everything is covered in snow? It's absolutely breathtaking. And tonight was a special event since it's officially the last day/night of summer! So, if you've missed this full moon, don't worry. The next one will again roll around and if you have a clear night for the full moon event, grab a blanket and a chair and head outside to sit and breath in the beauty that surrounds you. And remember....I'm also sitting outside somewhere in Pennsylvania! God bless! Time to study once again... 09/20/2010
After a great week in Lynchburg, it is once again time to study and work on the upcoming retreats. God and I had a wonderful time of exploring the word "sacrifice" as I work on the sessions and materials for a couples' retreat in mid-October. I'm excited to have the opportunity to share what I have learned and to be with this wonderful group of Christian friends. Back in Pittsburgh 09/19/2010
It has been quite a week! Along with the incredible opportunity to be given another book signing in my hometown, we experienced the home going of another family friend in Lynchburg. It's been a mixture of emotions and feelings throughout the time spent with friends and family. But, I am now the proud owner of one of Miss Betty's paintings which will be on my wall tomorrow; I walked the "Avenue" with Suzie and checked out her adorable potting shed; I celebrated Cathy's birthday with our moms; I visited with high school friends and laughed over an old wedding album that had hair styles that truly looked like the 1950's; I had some great "Mom time" with my mother and then had an adventure with my Dad as we drove to the top of the LU on Liberty Mountain and sat in the gazebo that looks over the City! What an incredible view!! All in all, an amazing time of once again making memories. I'm very thankful for the time I get to spend with mom and dad and for Gary always accompanying me on these trips to Virginia. Melissa, Kay, Tee, Joanne, Dave and Gary....thank you for reminding me of lots of great times and for your support of the book effort! God bless, my friends....now on to studying and preparing for the upcoming retreats! Great day! 09/18/2010
Wonderful time in Lynchburg this morning at the book signing. Givens has more copies for those that didn't stop by....and, of course, I have more copies....thank you to all my friends who did stop by! Gary and I are headed back to Pittsburgh on Sunday. Looking forward to being back "home" after a week of being away! God bless! |
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