Saturday, September 4, 2010

Memories of Gramma

I had an enjoyable hour or so snapping beans while watching tv today. I kept thinking back to when I'd help Gramma by snapping beans but we'd be sitting on her front porch, usually in the creaky red and white glider, enjoying the day and each other's company.

Well, I hope she enjoyed mine...I sure enjoyed her's! I would give SO MUCH to be able to spend time with her again. She died not long after I'd gotten married. I still felt very young, certainly not an adult yet...actually, I still don't feel like a grown-up!

I wish I could tell her how I've kept her memory alive through my gardening and striving to be a hard worker, just like she was. Most importantly, through following God's plan for my life just as she followed Him for her's.

This past July, I spoke at our family reunion about carrying on Gramma's legacy of godliness and consistent Bible-reading, selflessness and hard work and being a good cook = )

I just wish she knew how much she's loved and missed and thought of...every single day of my life...and how I long to talk to her again. So many things to tell her...to ask her...I cherish my memories of Gramma!

p.s. the beans taste delicious!!

Friday, September 3, 2010

Wow...I never thought I'd be saying...

...I love Ecclesiastes!!! I finished Job the day before yesterday and was thinking Ecclesiastes might be next. It was and my first thought was, "oh boy, just gotta get through it".

I've read Ecclesiastes many, many times...it's not a long book. Our Sunday School class even studied it in-depth. I REALLY didn't like it after that! hahahaha

So, sitting down to read I was expecting to have the same reaction. And what I discovered is that now... I GET IT. I totally get what Solomon was saying, the point he was getting across. And I agree whole-heartedly...with everything.

Actually, I found it to be a very real comfort. The changes that I'm seeing in my beloved country are distressing...I could easily stay all worked up about it if I didn't constantly remind myself that God is in control.

But Ecclesiastes puts all of that into perspective. Nothing "down here" really matters... nothing is lasting...only our relationship with God is eternal. The only things I'll "take" to Heaven are my fellow-believers...my family in Christ.

So I thank God for Ecclesiastes and the lessons it teaches me. On a secondary note, I love that learning never ends! Just like my view of Ecclesiastes has done a 180* so has my view on a couple of other things.

This week I had my eyes opened to two different concepts in wildly different areas...gardening and home organization...and it's made a BIG difference! And that makes me very thankful.

Wow...I'll be reading Jeremiah and Ezekiel before too long...wonder if I'll like them any better???

Thursday, September 2, 2010

I thank God for crafty friends!!

Lauren came over today for crafting and lunch and ended up staying for supper too, since we had the bright idea to have her husband, Paul, come here from work. That way we got to stamp longer and she didn't have to cook = )

This is the first card Lauren made...sooooo cute! She made another card later on but I was talking to Paul and didn't get a picture of it.

I worked on my scrapbook first and then made a card too. We've decided to make this a weekly thing...Thursdays are craft days! That'll really be nice for me since it will give me a regular time to work on my projects and I think I'll be alot more productive.

Plus, Lauren is really cool, so I look forward to hanging out with her...and any other crafty friends who'd like to join us = )

Stamping with Lauren brought back memories of all my dear crafting friends from North Texas...I miss you all!!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Thankful for piano lessons = )

In my Bible reading this morning I read Psalm 45:8

"All Your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes You glad."

This made me think of the song Ivory Palaces by Henry Barraclough...the chorus is:
"Out of the ivory palaces into a world of woe,
Only His great eternal love made my Savior go."

I got the songbook off of the shelf and sat down at the piano and played it for myself. What a blessing to be able to do that!!

I thank God for...
- a father who paid for lessons
- a mother who budgeted carefully to make the paycheck stretch far enough for music lessons and then made sure I practiced...not always a joyful thing!
- time and opportunity in my adult years to practice and then use this ability for God's glory
- a husband who encourages me to keep it up and bought me a beautiful Kawai piano!
- a great collection of songbooks where I can enjoy the physical aspect of playing and the spiritual aspect of worshipping God through music

I love that the Bible tells me that "the music of strings makes You glad"!!

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

In the gloaming...

I love this time of day...things are slowing down, getting quieter, wrapping up...

I walked into the parlor and could tell by the light on the walls that there was beautiful color to be seen outside...the whole world was painted in pinks and yellows...

There were storms in the area for most of the day...distant thunder for hours. No rain for our little part of the city but it did make for some beautiful clouds tonight!

Now in hindsight, I wish I'd not hurried back inside to finish vacuuming before bed, but had sat down outside to watch the changing sky. I MUST learn that it's ok to not stay busy every waking moment of my day...take time to smell the roses...never miss a sunset...

I thank God for showing me His faithfulness in many ways throughout my day... and for second chances to get it right...I'll keep trying!!

Monday, August 30, 2010

It is a privilege to run long = )

You'll have to click on the picture to enlarge it, if the print is too small to read.

As we enter marathon-training season, my long runs will get a big longer each week leading up to the BIG ONE...26.2 miles!

Right now, it's challenging for me to run longer because I'm not an early morning runner and it's pretty hot by the time I get out. Today I didn't finish until almost noon because of the breaks to switch dogs and drink and stuff. Cooler weather will be here soon!

Anyhow, towards the end of my 8.5 miles, I was definitely reaching the over-heated stage and ready to be done but still so very thankful that God has allowed me to do this.

I consider running a gift from God...not only do I enjoy the actual activity but there are so many other blessings that come with it...better health, weight control, worshipping God while running through His creation, a time set aside for prayer and reflection, the opportunity to share the love of running with others and be an encouragement in their lives...

I wanted to be a runner since my freshman year of high school. I never gave up on the dream even though reality was telling me the dream would never come true. So that just makes me love running all the more! I don't take it for granted, I enjoy it even when it's hard or a run doesn't go well or I'm dealing with an issue or injury.

I thank God for my brother, John, who helped me get started and has been nothing but an encouragement every step of the way! And for Sweety Petey who has been so supportive even though he doesn't "get it"...this love of running = )

I thank God for my running club, Houston Striders, who add a whole nother dimension of fun to my running!

I thank God for my furry running buddies who break up these long runs and make them so much more enjoyable.

I thank God for the time, strength and ability to run and especially to run FAR, which I REALLY enjoy, for some reason = )

I LOVE TO RUN!!!!!

Sunday, August 29, 2010

I love my crafts!!

Our monthly stamp camp was yesterday morning...so much fun! That got me in the mood to stamp and color and create = ) I recently was introduced to Copic Markers and have a nice collection of those now...I REALLY like coloring the best of all crafts.

So I got my stuff out yesterday and had several hours of coloring fun. I didn't clean up since I was hoping to do more today and tomorrow. I'd forgotten about having everything out on the kitchen table so when I got home from church today, this was the scene that greeted me.

I thank God for giving me the love of colors and coloring. I've loved to color from my earliest remembrances as a very young child. That love has grown with me into adulthood!

I love crayons, pencils, chalks, watercolor, markers, oil paints...fabrics, threads, color swatches...anything to do with COLOR! I'm so blessed to be able to enjoy this aspect of my personality.

I don't know if Petey understands it but he's been generous in allowing me to have my own craft room...and very patient when my crafts take over the table...or the room! hahahahaha

Happy Monthaversary to my Sweety Petey...9 more months until the BIG ONE!!! I love you dearly...xoxoxoxoxoxox