Skipping Thanksgiving!

Our small sanctuary was filled yesterday in prelude to our annual Thanksgiving Sunday feast. We usually have this immediately following the worship service the Sunday before Thanksgiving. It's like a "practice" meal before Thursday. *smile* I looked around at all the people seated. Some faces I knew and some I did not. Some of our regulars were missing and of course, I silently wondered where they could be. Don't you always miss those brothers and sisters who are absent? I do.

I was listening to the pastor speak of Christmas music being played in most of our department stores and how everything has gone from October straight to Christmas. At first I was thinking how I enjoy Christmas music and there couldn't possibly be anything wrong with helping the world get focused on the MOST important season of all as soon as possible, right? As Christians, it's a time we can use the opportunity to celebrate our Savior's birth and not fear retaliation. (not yet, anyway) And then he said it. "Just skipping Thanksgiving" This statement made a HUGE impact on me. Skipping Thanksgiving. Yep, I have been guilty. Definitely not guilty of skipping the holiday meal and all the trimmings, but skipping the opportunity to REALLY be thankful.
Convicted I was. We are to be in a continual state of thankfulness., not just a seasonal state of mind. We know the risen savior! This alone is enough, but we (I) have so much to be thankful for! Families, health, jobs, homes, cars, clothing, food, electricity, indoor plumbing (Hallelujah!) and the list goes on and on.

So, this evening as I am getting things ready to be chopped, baked and presented, I am thankful. Thankful first of all to the One who has given me health and the means to be able to cook and the food. Also for the family that will partake in the breaking of the bread and a home in which we can sit and share our meal. I am nothing and can never be nothing without Him.
Jesus Christ. My Lord and Savior.


Have A HAPPY AND THANKFUL THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY FRIENDS!!

Snow?

Yes, my friends! We had snow! It wasn't anything measurable, of course, but nevertheless, SNOW! In November! I was taken by complete surprise as I stared out the window. I took a picture with my cell phone, but it didn't capture the fine flurries, so you will have to imagine it with me. If only I would have had my regular camera....*sigh*

Whatcha' think about that ANITA?!! *smile*

Mother's Intuition, Or Is It?

I had an awful scare at Nathan's pediatric appointment the other day. He was in for his four year check up, nothing out of the ordinary, right? While there I was asked by the nurse as well as the pediatrician about giving him the flu shot. Being a little leery of "new" vaccinations or drugs, (Have I mentioned before I have been called "over protective?) I declined. I guess saying I was "asked" by them is putting it mildly. Saying that I was lectured by the pediatrician about him having it would be more appropriate. She was almost unrelenting as she told me the side effects were all but none existent and expounded on the dangers of the flu itself instead of the vaccine. She also expressed to me the falsehood of how people will say that they were not even sick until they received the flu vaccine and then they got the flu. She said this is completely false and if you get the flu after receiving the vaccine, you were already exposed before the vaccine was able to "get into your system" to prevent it.


Although I had repeatedly said no to the vaccine during this office visit, I was starting to re-think my decision after hearing how serious the effects of the flu would be on my son and how negligent I would be as a parent to knowingly reject the vaccine, especially since there were little to NONE side effects. I apprehensively agreed and finally gave the go ahead although I still had reservations. As most of you know, Nathan was traumatized by the antibiotic injections he had during his time of back to back ear infections and I didn't want a repeat of arm flailing and screaming. I decided to ask him if the nurse could give him a "shot" in his thigh and to my surprise he answered yes! Not only that, but he wanted to watch!

I sat him up on the table and the nurse soon came in ready to take care of business. She had release form for me to sign with questions about egg allergies. Seems this is what the flu vaccine is derived from. Hmmm, imagine that. Anyway, she cleaned his little thigh off and thumped the needle and before you know it, it was over. Nathan, much to my surprise and the nurse's, didn't shed a tear or take his eyes off the procedure from start to finish. "You are definitely going to the treasure box today" she told him. I pulled his jeans up and fastened them and we strolled out the door headed to the receptionist desk. We passed the dr. in the hallway and she seemed very pleased I heeded her advice. "Don't forget to make an appointment for one month" she said to me. "He will need to get the second half." What?!!!! She never mentioned a second half to me. Seems there is two parts for children under the age of nine. I wondered to myself why she didn't tell me this previously.

I continued on to the check out desk and told the receptionist that I needed to bring him back in one month for part two. As she was trying to get me scheduled Nathan tugged on my leg and let me know that he was suppose to go to the toy chest to get his prize. He sure hadn't forgotten that and didn't want me to either. I mentioned to the young lady the nurse had promised the chest and she proceeded to look for it. (It was her first day at this office) I informed her is was in the bottom drawer of the file cabinet behind her. She allowed us to come around the partition and opened the drawer much to Nathan's delight. I told him to pick just one and he did so happily. He chose a toy exactly like the one he chose the last visit. It was a small rubber dinosaur. He was happy! We went back around the desk to finish the scheduling. As we worked out the day, I felt Nathan tug on my leg and when I looked down, he said to me with a gnarled up face, "Mommy, My tummy hurts" Suddenly, as I started to ask him questions, he turned a wax white. I have never seen him look this pale and his lips were turning blue! I picked him up (he was just limp at this point) and immediately knew he was having a reaction to the flu shot!


I had two nurses guiding me back to the examining room as they were calling for the pediatrician. Funny, how I can remember hearing her heels clicking on the tile floor as she hurried to where we were. They were telling me to lay him down on the table. I did, but I didn't move completely away from him. No need to tell you how scared I was. He was placed on a monitor for his breathing and heart rate. Thank the Lord, He was still conscious. I still hand my hands on him and begin to pray. Yes, I am one of those who definitely believes in the "laying on of hands" as the bible instructs. His color began to come back and he wanted something to drink. His pediatrician got him some water. I stayed right by his side until I knew he was ABSOULUTELY, WITHOUT A DOUBT, FINE! Of course I am thinking to myself how I knew NOT to get this flu shot, but I went against my intuition! Ugghhhh!!!!! As Christians, we know better than this!

Nathan's pediatrician had no explanation for his reaction to the vaccine. She knew I would not allow him to have the second half. She did, however, apologize to me. She even told me that she wished she would not have kept trying to persuade me, knowing that I was not comfortable with it. *sigh* Who could have known, right? I haven't heard of anyone else having issues with this, have you?



Once again, I am thankful for the loving care of my heavenly father. I don't know what I would do without Him taking care of me and my family.

Gone

I am bad for putting off dr. appointments until almost, absolutely necessary because I just don't like to to go. Period.

I realize, as I am getting older, that I may as well get over this little......ummmm....phobia?...maybe?, I am not sure what it is. Anyway, I finally made myself an appointment for an issue I needed to address and decided while I was there I may as well confront a couple of other minor concerns. You know, kinda get everything knocked out in one trip, especially since my co-pay has gone up. The co-pay is almost as much as the office visit use to be! Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. I am soooo thankful for insurance. I know there are many without this privilege.

After taking care of the formalities,(this visit was for a second opinion) I began to get on with the visit explaining the main problem for which I was seeking medical care. This didn't seem to generate too much interest from the attending physician, in fact, she seemed almost bored. She did address my concerns, but almost monotonously. Could this be because I told her I was there for a second opinion? You know, the whole dr. taking care of dr thing? I don't know. I guess it may have something to do with repeating the same thing over and over to women my age. I had three different things to inquire about so I hastily moved on to the last thing on my mental list of ailments. One of them being a mole in a very uncomfortable place. In the last year or so, it seemed to pop up out of no where and then take off with incredible speed and desire to take over!



I thought for sure she would refer me to a dermatologist for evaluation, but I was wrong. Seconds after seeing "the mole" (I had her attention now, by golly) I was told "I am taking care of this today!" Before I knew it, the nurse was in waving her vials of pain killer(in needle form) and saying things like "lie back" and "just relax" like anyone could do such after seeing the little "surgery" kit she brought in with her. Before I knew it, I was numbed up and ready to go...stitches and all. *smile* It didn't take the dr. long to place "it" in a jar to be sent off. I hope to have the results in a couple of weeks. I am believing all is well.


I was totally unprepared for such quick removal, but I have to say, I think sudden decisions are sometimes best. If I was given too much time to think about it, I probably would have opted to wait a little longer......

I Finally Did It!

Yes, Ladies, I finally purchased my first Christmas present this weekend. It's not that I am in the "Christmas Spirit" or anything like that, it's just that I found a great deal on a gift (clearance baby!) for Nathan and it was only $5. I know, right? Five dollars! I usually don't start my shopping until November/December so I am early and a tad bit proud of myself. With the economy in the condition it is, I think this will be the target amount for a good portion of gifts on my list. I plan to keep my eyes open for more of these deals.

I have already let it be known that gift giving will be down this year compared to last. I plan to be more practical and penny wise. I also want to get back to making beautiful things for my friends and family. I'm sure this has been a popular thought with most already. I think it will give us all more time to stress the real reason behind the slogans and keep us a little more humble. It is so easy to take things for granted. I will be the first to raise my hand.

On another note, I had another great find. It is this and it is delicious!


I had seen it last weekend, but chose not to purchase it at the time, (don't ask, because I don't know what I was thinking, lol) but I have it now. I usually have my cup of tea with one packet of splenda and about a half pack of sweet and low. I don't like to use the artificial sweeteners, but those teaspoons of sugar tend to add up the calories pretty quickly. I don't know about you, but I have other things I use those calories on!

The Movie Is Great!

I actually saw the movie the weekend before last, but have failed to post about it. Shame on me!
It is absolutely worth every penny spent we spent to see it. My honey and I haven't been to the theater together in years and I mean YEARS, but we decided to make a special effort to see this movie. I am so glad we did. I have seen Kirk Cameron on various programs and knew he was a christian, but since seeing him in his latest role, I have a completely different opinion of him. I saw him as a mature, man of God for the very first time.

I realize the movie is being targeted towards married couples, but I would encourage everyone, married or only thinking about it, to see it. I think there is something for all. There were a lot of tears shed during the viewing, but I think there were just as many laughs. Yes, laughter. Plenty of laughter. In fact, I think some of the tears were from laughing.....

I can't imagine this movie NOT winning some type of award and I have to say it is the only movie I have seen in the theater that I would pay twice to see again. If you happen to go, please let me know how you enjoyed it.

How Well Do You Know Your Husband?

I copied this from LISA"S Blog and thought I would like to do it, so here it is!



Answer this series of questions to see how well you know YOUR man!

1. Your spouse is watching TV. What is he watching?
NCIS, Football, or either this new cable show he is come to like called Burn Notice.

2. You're out to eat. What kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
He prefers french, but will order ranch if he thinks I want to share. (Is that love or what?)

3. What's one food this person doesn't like?
Hmmm...this was a toughie cause he likes most foods, but he doesn't like anything with black olives.

4. You got out to a restaurant. He orders....
To drink, coke. To eat, it's ribeye and ribs from Texas, Grilled chicken from CBarrel, flounder and shrimp from 316 oyster bar (fried, or course :)

5. Where did he go to high school?
Southview

6. What size shoe does he wear?
10 sometimes 11

7. If this person were to collect anything, it would be.....
hats....he has lots and t-shirts

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich?
He likes fish sandwiches from MCd's if the bun is steamed.

9. This person could eat____________ everyday.
potato salad (if I make it)

10. Favorite cereal?
raisin bran

11. This person wouldn't be caught dead wearing...
Hmmmm...this is another, He would wear just about anything if I would let him.

12. Favorite sports team
He always pulls for the underdog...

13. Who will he vote for?
McCain/Palin, of course

14. What is his sign?
Will work for food? LOL I'm with you, Lisa. We don't do signs...lol

15. What is something you do that he wishes you didn't?
get online before bedtime.

16. How many states has he lived in?
I am not sure about this one. He was in the army a couple of years before we met and married.

17. What is his heritage? I'm not sure


18. Did you bake him a cake for his birthday?
I didn't but, our beautiful daughter did. Have I ever told you what a great baker she is?!

19. Did he play sports in high school?
Yes...He is very athletic.


20. This person could spend hours....
Doing yard work.

See how well you know your man!! Maybe you will learn something new!!
Let me know if you decide to do it.

How Sweet!

My sweet friend LISA from A Place To Land has been so gracious as to give me this award. Please go on over and check out her site. You will love it! I feel truly undeserving *blush* as I haven't been fulfilling the title of "blogger" lately. I hope to get back on track shortly. There has been so much going on, and yet, I haven't been able to blog about most of it. Maybe I can see my way past and reflect on the positive and have something to share. *smile* I have also meant to set up a different page for these, but true to my procrastinating self, I haven't gotten around to it. And as always, if you are reading my blog, I probably read yours, so in light of that matter, I award each one of my friends that are reading.......

May I Have Your Attention, Please?

Before I begin, I would like to say that I LOVE my bloggy friends. You are the greatest. I enjoy "visiting" you and following up with what is going on in your lives. I haven't always had time to comment---especially lately, but I still try to pop in and out. I want to thank each and everyone that have prayed for me and my dad. He is doing fantastic. He was in rehab (physical therapy) until this past Thursday. He had some problems with strengthing his legs after surgery but is doing so much better. He shared with me something amazing and as soon as I can get him to repeat it to me in detail, I plan to post about it. It is awesome!!

I have never wanted to offend anyone with anything that I may post on my blog or live in "real life". (and neither do I now) I ordinarily try to stay away from topics that promote debate or could lead to contention. In fact, I have often tossed around what to post about and what NOT to post about and then......

I had a revelation! THIS IS MY BLOG!


I have declared this from day one by my choice of title, MY Spot of blog. This gives me the freedom to post about ANYTHING I want to. It can be about my Savior, children, home, hobbies, shopping adventures, recipes, etc.....you get the picture...... :)

I have decided that regardless of what I may say, everyone may not agree with me. I have also decided this is okay seeing as to how I have been from blog to blog and read things that have left me scratching my head wondering how in the world they could think this or that. I know my options are clear if I don't like what I read. (I think we all know the unwritten rules of the bloggy world.)

If there is one feature I like about the comments or email, we can delete it if we don't like the critique or the fear of being humiliated by someone that goes off half cocked. I usually don't have this problem, but I know of some that do. But what do you do if your actions are called into public attention and you have no control over the criticism and ugly comments that are written about something you did hoping to promote positive feedback? Such as the case HERE. I don't attend this church nor have I ever met the pastor, but I have read of previous efforts of his church to spread the gospel and it also involved giving to the community. I applaud them, but not everyone feels the same. He was attacked for not giving this money to another cause. Can you believe this? Well, I know this is now the way of the world, and I also realize Jesus was ridiculed for the good He did, but I still have a hard time accepting it. I did not want to promote the hateful spirit of the letters written in protest of this event so I will not post or link to them. I choose to believe the church's intentions were pure. I also know that regardless of what we do, everyone will not like it!

Heart Surgery

UPDATE

Praise God for His grace and mercy! Our wonderful Lord has brought my dad through! I appreciate all your prayers for him (and me). He is doing great. He is still heavily sedated of course, and won't be allowed to "come out of it" until morning. His breathing tube was removed tonight and that was good news. I know he will be able to rest a little bit better.
We were a little worried about his kidney function, as he is diabetic and has had a problem with this previously, but all is well. Thanks be to God! I also appreciate your words of encouragement. I would have updated sooner, but I didn't get home until late.
It is a blessing to have friends like you! I love you all....
Goodnight







My dad is having open heart surgery early in the morning.(Tuesday) I would appreciate your prayers for him. I was with him while he was in the hospital last week for a heart cauterization. The doctor told him he would try to put stints in if he found any blockages, but sad to say, it was not possible. We were told he has 5 to 6 blockages and surgery is the only option. My dad suffered several heart attacks a few years ago and God was gracious to bring him through. I am still believing God's grace to continue.

There are no words I can say to bring peace to him. He is scared. Only God can give him the peace he seeks. Please pray that he will accept it.

Napleon Speaks About Jesus

Yes, I know it has been a while! Upon my return, I wanted to share a fascinating quote from Napolean Bonaparte concerning my savior, Jesus. My pastor read this during his sermon a couple of weeks ago and I knew immediately I wanted to post this! Some of you may have read it before, but if not, I hope you are as touched by it as I was.



Napoleon:
"What a conqueror!--a conqueror who controls humanity at will, and wins to himself not only one nation, but the whole human race. What a marvel! He attaches to himself the human soul with all its energies. And how? By a miracle which surpasses all others. He claims the love of men--that is to say, the most difficult thing in the world to obtain; that which the wisest of men cannot froce from his truest friend, that which no father can compel from his children, no wife from her husband, no brother from his brother--the heart. He claims it ; he requires it absolutely and undividedly, and he obtains it instantly.

Alexander, Caesar, Hannibal, Louis XIV strove in vain to secure this. They conquered the world, yet they had not a single friend, or at all events, they have none any more. Christ speaks, however, and from that moment all generations belong to him; and they are joined to him much more closely than by any ties of blood and by a much more intimate, sacred and powerful communion. He kindles the flame of love which causes one's self-love to die, and triumphs over every other love. Why should we not recognize in this miracle of love the eternal Word which created the world? The other founders of religions had not the least conception of this mystic love which forms the essence of Christianity.

I have filled multitudes with such passionate devotion that they went to death for me. But God forbid that I should compare the enthusiasm of my soldiers with Christian love. They are as unlike as their causes. In my case, my presence was always necessary, the electric effect of my glance, my voice, my words, to kindle fire in their hearts. And I certainly posses personally the secret of that magic power of taking by storm the sentiments of men; but I was not able to communicate that power to anyone. None of my generals ever learned it from me or found it out. Moreover, I myself do not possess the secret of perpetuating my name and a love for me in their hearts for ever, and to work miracles in them without material means.

Now that I languish here at St Helena, chained upon this rock, who fights, who conquers empires for me? Who still even thinks of me? Who interests himself for me in Europe? Who has remained true to me? That is the fate of all great men. It was the fate of Alexander and Caesar, as it is my own. We are forgotten, and the names of the mightiest conquerors and most illustrious emperors are soon only the subject of a schoolboy's taks. Our exploits come under the rod of a pedantic schoolmaster, who praises or condemns us as he likes.

What an abyss exists between my profound misery and the eternal reign of Christ, who is preached, loved, and worshipped, and live on throughout the entire world. Is this to die? Is it not rather to live eternally? The death of Christ! It is the death of a God."

(Quoted in Hilarin Felder, Christ and the Critics, vol. 2, pp. 216-17)

Pictures!

Wow! Time sure passes quickly when you have a post that needs to be finished. I have been meaning to get this post together and it seems that everything else has captured my attention. I was also waiting for ANITA to put her brilliant spin on the pics. *grin*

Anita's camera is broken, so we didn't get as many photos as we would have liked. I think we were so busy talking that we forgot we had that option. As a matter of fact, I was so excited about spending the weekend with my Canadian neighbors that I forgot to take my camera on the way over to the hotel to greet them. Now, how sad is that?!

Anita called to let me know about what time they were to get into town on Friday the 18th. We had decided to meet at the hotel (and no, this isn't the actual one where she stayed. I don't won't to give away my exact location...*smile*) I had been patiently waiting up to this point and I was now ready to see them face to face.

We had decided to have dinner near the hotel of which they were staying since there was just about every restaurant you could name in the vicinity. We knew we were going to head out to the beach the next morning so we decided seafood was out of the question and Anita opted for Olive Garden. It was a great choice, Anita! The meal was delicious and the company wasn't half bad either! *smile*

After we finished eating, we decided to come back to my house for a little more fellowship.

This is the first picture I took, as my camera was home, ahem.... (alone)
Aren't they just the cutest!




The next morning we were off to the beach. We were blessed with a beautiful day full of sunshine. This is Ken and Anita going to "stick their toes in."








Next, we decided to walk down the beach and search for shells. We came upon this so cleverly disguised. I almost touched it while searching for small shells. YIKES!


Beach Buds!

My husband declared he is going on a diet after this photo!


This is Anita shaking the sand off her feet as we were getting ready to leave sandy coastline. Funny how we had planned to spend more time there, but didn't. We tried to pack too many activities into such a short period of time.


We rode around the area for a little while and then went to eat lunch at the Purple Onion in Shallote. If you are familiar with the area, but have never eaten there, please go and try it. Anita and I had salads that were very pleasing. The guys didn't complain either. I highly recommend this little restaurant for it's food, prices and cleanliness, which is a big plus. Oh, and I forgot to mention their homemade desserts. Yes, I know I am watching my weight, but after several weeks of being good, I let my guard down for a piece of their 7 layer chocolate cake. It did not disappoint. It was sooo good in fact, I could have eaten the plastic container it was served in, but I was trying to be on my best behavior in front of company and all. *smile* I have no pictures of this, as I left my camera in the car. *sigh*

Next we went over to Bath and Body Works so Anita could take a look around. Funny story here, but I will let Anita tell you if she so chooses. *smile*

We soon left the area to head out to Myrtle Beach. We had reservations for this. I have seen the Christmas show and absolutely loved it and I have seen Good Vibrations show, but I had never seen this one. Another funny story, but I again will let Anita tell this one also, if she chooses. After the show we went to where else, but Cracker Barrel. You can barely read the sign Anita is holding in the first pic.



You can read it very well in this one. I think this is my favorite one!!




Here's our chauffeur getting ready to take us back to the hotel where we would be spending the night. Thanks, honey!


Well I am going to end this for tonight. It is getting so late and I am tired. I didn't think I was going to get this far, but I am glad I did. Hopefully Anita will get something up soon. She has probably been as busy as I have......

Faabulous Weekend!

Pictures are coming! I just haven't had time to post them yet. Anita will probably beat me to it. We had a great weekend, but it was too short. I have sent the pics to her that were taken. For some reason, we didn't take as many as we should. Be patient with me, please. *smile*

Something Sweet

Could there be anything sweeter? Flowers for me from my son. He has stolen my heart. I hope this is something he will continue to do forever. Not just for me, but for the special lady that comes along later in life (much later) and steals his heart. Thank You, my precious boy.

Having A Made Up Mind

It started off as just an ordinary afternoon. I wasn't looking for anything adventurous at all. My lovely daughter was only working half a day and asked if I would go with her to the animal shelter when she got off work. Sure, I told her, BUT I am NOT going to get a dog! I knew I couldn't take her to the animal shelter without taking my son. He has asked me on several occasions to take a quick ride over and just "look" at the animals and I have turned him down each time. So, I waited until his dad picked him up from school and off we went. I reminded them once again while in the parking lot that we were just looking and we were NOT getting a dog.


The building which now accommodates the strays and others is newly constructed. It's much nicer than the former building that was very old and smelly. Upon entering, we had to sign in before we could be taken to the back to view the barking creatures. I could never work at a place like this. My heart would break too badly, not to mention that I wouldn't have one extra inch of space to keep all those poor babies. As we strolled in front of the cages, I still reminded myself that we were NOT going to get a dog. No, not today.......


While I was upfront filling out the adoption paperwork, *smile* my daughter was on her way home to trade vehicles in order to transport the newest member of our family. *sigh* I knew I shouldn't have agreed to this trip, but then again, we wouldn't have Roscoe. Roscoe had just arrived earlier in the day. Bless his heart. His previous owner was being deployed and had to give him up. I am sure it broke his heart to do so. I feel certain that he loved this beautiful dog, as he was well cared for. I wish I knew who it was just so I could let them know that he doesn't have to worry about him anymore.














Hmmmm.....he actually looks a little sad in these pictures, but I assure you he has jumped, ran, and played all afternoon. I think he might be a little sad that we had to come inside and leave him out.

My Seven

I was tagged by my friend Beth, to do a 7 things meme. She suggested tea cups for me, so..... I decided to go with it. *smile* I actually have mixed it up a little and added a few teapots. (I couldn't help it) Please forgive me for the dust and my neglect of not staging my items. I have been meaning to post this for a few days, and time has gotten away from me. I decided to go and ahead without the fanfare and show you what I've got. *smile*

I'll start with this tea cup. It was an unexpected find on one of my trips to the Biltmore. I always love finding treasures such as this.





This one is a little unique and very delicate.




This is another of my favorites and I was blessed to find the matching teapot. It's photo is coming up shortly.




This is my favorite green Royal Albert one.



My favorite Royal Albert, Old Country Roses in blue.

This is another Royal Albert. It is from an anniversary edition.








This is one like I gave to my dear friend Anita so we could share a cup of tea in spite of the distance apart.




Although I have more, this completes the 7 for the meme. I will now share a few random items from my collection.

This is some of my Royal Albert Old Country Roses. Ahhh....these are my very favorites! Can you tell?







I haven't been able to find a cup or the sugar bowl for this one.



A little something in blue......



The teapot I promised. Isn't it lovely?







The last set I am going to share with you is one that my dear hubby gave to me for my birthday this year. I haven't taken it out and put it with the rest of my collection just yet.


I have a few other things left, but will save those for another time.
I am not going to tag anyone, but if you are reading and would like to participate, please do.

After taking all these photos I am able to see a great need to dust and re-arrange. Thanks, Beth!

A Good Goodwill Day!

I have often read on other's blogs about finding great things at Goodwill. Usually there is a lovely picture with darling tea cups, teapots, and other fine china that have been scooped up and taken into their lovely homes. There are also pictures of beautiful table linens that have been abandoned. I, on the other hand, haven't ever found anything half as great as these ladies, until today. Nathan had his regular speech appointment and I impulsively decided to swing by my local Goodwill before going home. I really wasn't expecting to find anything. I am usually excited about treasure hunting, but since I have been disappointed in the past, I didn't hurry to the back shelf where the dishes and glasswares are kept. In fact, I think I was snubbing them for not having anything awaiting me before, so I casually strolled through the many racks of clothing acting as if I didn't care. Imagine my surprise to find not one, but two tea cups and the matching saucers!


I paid .49 cents each per cup and .39 cents for the saucers. Can you believe that?

As my eyes scanned the rest of the shelves, I found this lovely Noritake bread and butter plate. I don't have anything else that matches, but I couldn't leave it there all alone, could I?



I placed these pretties in my little "hand basket" and was ready to look for those table linens. I mean, after all, I was having a good day! I soon changed my mind about the linens. There was too much stuff all strewn together in that bin. Bed linens and table linens in one. I know, I know. There was probably linen treasure galore at the bottom of that heaping pile, but I don't think I was quite ready for that adventure. I will save linen hunting for another day!

Copyright Infringement

I am sad to say that I had to change my beautiful banner due to the fact of copyright infringement. I found it one day while "surfing" the internet and just loved it. While surfing a few days later, I found the rightful owner of the photo and felt the need to do the right thing and ask permission to use it. The owner was very gracious and thanked me for asking, but I am sad to report she could not grant me permission as it is pending magazine publishing. *sigh*


I am really sad about it because I felt the photo was so "me", :)
but this has forced my hand........

I have thought about taking pics of my own things and using it for my banner for a while now, but haven't gotten around to it. I haven't been too confident in this area, thus giving me an excuse not to try. Sometimes we have to be forced out of our comfort zone. I find this true in all areas of my life. Yes, even in my walk with the Lord. It is so easy to get comfortable right. where. I. am. Definitely not what God intends for us. He wants us OUT there turning the world upside down for HIM! And all the while we are sitting around thinking we are not capable of such a feat even after all HE has equipped us with. He wants us to answer the call.Lord, forgive me for letting you down.



Well, now you have it......my very own things and you know, I kinda like 'em!

Bloggy Birthday Giveaway!

Iris is having a birthday! Go on over and leave a comment for a chance to win some great items. Not only that, you will be encouraged while visiting her site. Hurry up, you only have till March 31.

He Lives!!

I want to share some pics of our outdoor Easter drama. I wished I would have taken more, but I was too busy. We worked very hard in a short period of time to pull this off. Hope you enjoy.


We tried something a little different this year by having "Jesus" walk with a crowd and explain his life story at each scene starting with his birth.



Jesus with the children.



Jesus with the woman at the well.




Here is Jesus breaking the bread and yes, I know, we had a very tallll Jesus.







This is where Jesus was taken before Pilate and then led away.



















We have Jesus portrayed in lovely garments, but we know this is not how it was at all.





















Jesus comforting Mary and John.





I think I posted a couple of duplicates, but it so aggravating to try and fix it so.......bear with me here... *smile*