embarrassment of riches

...a counter full of produce
...cupboards full of food
...fridge and freezer full of choices for meals for the week(s) to come
...a drive to church that winds through a wooded area and opens into a beautiful pasture dotted with grazing cows and backed by majestic mountains
....songs to sing, a sermon that stirs, warm greetings by new friends
....once home, listening to Jon and Kristi's pastor preach
....watching a Bible study DVD
....spending a fruitful hour in the Word on the back porch while hummingbirds dart back and forth to the feeder
....a wonderful family
.....walking through a peaceful neighborhood with my hubby
....a soft bed and a good night's sleep

Praise and Thanksgiving

O my GOD,
Thou fairest, greatest, first of all objects,
my heart admires, adores, loves thee,
for my little vessel is as full as it can be,
and I would pour out all that fullness before Thee in ceaseless flow.

When I think upon and converse with Thee
ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up,
ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed,
ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart,
crowding into every moment of happiness.

from The Valley of Vision
A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

fleurs

The windflower and the violet, they perished long ago,
And the brier-rose and the orchis died amid the summer glow;
But on the hills the golden-rod, and the aster in the wood,
And the yellow sunflower by the brook, in autumn beauty stood...
William Cullen Bryant

May your weekend be filled with long walks and beautiful flowers. And worship of the One who created such beauty.

barrel of fun

the porch at Cracker Barrel

We met up with my sister-in-law Cheryl and my niece Emilee at Cracker Barrel for lunch yesterday. Emilee, who is 4, is very entertaining. She seems to always be singing or humming a song. Of late it has been 'You Are Holy', but yesterday it was 'I'm in the Lord's Army' - a VBS/camp type of song. She was shocked when I sang along, knowing not only the words but the motions.

"I may never march in the infantry,
Ride in the cavalry,
Shoot the artillery,
I may never fly o'er the enemy,
but I'm in the Lord's army.
Yes, Sir!"

"How do you know that song?" she asked.
I don't remember where I learned that song, but it sounds like it has its origins during WWII, doesn't it?
~~~~~
Rainy day today. Time to cook up some fried apples:
1 C. apples sliced thin
1 T. butter
2 T. brown sugar
1/8 C. orange juice
Bring juice, sugar and butter to a boil in skillet (cast iron of course). Turn down heat and add apple slices. Stir every once in a while (with a wooden spoon of course) and they should be ready to eat in about 5 minutes when apple slices are tender/crisp.

Yum.
~~~
And since it is a rainy day, you may as well do some hand sewing. Can't work in the garden after all. I like the looks of this.
Especially since it is free!

~~~
I'd appreciate your prayers for a Northwoods friend of mine. I don't have all the details, but apparently she fell off a ladder. Her girls found her unconscious. Concussion and broken sternum. As far as I know she is still in the hospital. Any updates Northwoods friends?

two lovely ladies dressed in polka dots

considering

On our walk around (part of ) the lake on Tuesday, we came across several little wildflowers. Little colorful surprises here and there, scattered and sprinkled along the path, the roadside, the creek bed. Lovely bits of God's creativity - worth noticing.

In fact, we are told, by Jesus, to notice such things.

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 6:29-34

For me, walking down a forest trail and spotting these little beauties helps wash all the cares of the world away. A reminder not to worry or stress, but to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
~~~~
Mom, Dad and I are meeting my sister-in-law and niece for lunch today. So looking forward to that!

names

I have only known three people with this name over the course of my life. One was a friend when I was in kindergarten, one a college friend and one we have only become acquainted with in the past year. Clayton. You don't hear that name much.

Pat took yesterday off and we headed for the hills. Indian Boundary Lake to be exact. About 45 minutes away from here, the beautiful drive ended in a camping area with a lake that did not disappoint. Well, the fishing was disappointing (not having a boat and all), but the scenery was spectacular.

The Clayton that we have recently gotten to know was the man responsible for designing this whole lake and surrounding trails, beach, picnic area and campground. He did a spectacular job. Of course the background was all done by the Master Designer, but as man-made lakes go, this was the most natural looking one we had ever seen. Loved walking the trails through the woods.

This Clayton, who is approaching his 90th year, if he hasn't already reached it, has not only the same first name as our college friend, but the same last name. And as if that weren't coincidence enough, his wife (the college Clayton's wife) reached out to me just yesterday to be a facebook friend. She has a website about homeschooling. (Some of you homeschooling readers will want to check this out!) I'm looking forward to re-establishing contact with her.

And the best news of all is that yesterday I reconnected with another college friend. We chatted on facebook for a while last night and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing her family pictures. She is as beautiful as ever. We had some great times in college - especially the summer we traveled together on a singing team. LOTS of laughter. Lots. Great to chat with you KRT!

Also...when Pat and I first arrived at the lake we came across a group of three who were fishing. We chatted a while and found out that the one man was visiting from New York. He lived in a county near where Dad was born. The couple had moved to TN from New York, although the man was originally from Ireland (I could have listened to his soft Irish brogue for hours). And their last name? The same as the two Claytons!

Aye and 'tis a good Irish name: Campbell.

PBPGIFWMY

Oops. See those corners above? They are supposed to match up. Because I was in a hurry, I sewed the seam without making sure they did. And instead of fixing the mistake when it happened, I put the quilt top in a box and packed it away (thinking it would fix itself???).

Now, in my defense, this was before we moved and I was rushing through this quilt top so I could make a quilt for Joshua.

Last week, inspired by my new friends at Bible study, I pulled the quilt top out of the box and found my seam ripper. Less than 10 minutes later the problem was fixed. It only took ten minutes, but in my mind, it was a big, huge problem.

I'm happy to say, yesterday, I finished piecing the whole top.

Yay!
~~~
Oh, those letters in the title? When I was in college, I often saw fellow students wearing pins with those letters. Of course, being curious, I asked what the letters stood for.

Please Be Patient God Isn't Finished With Me Yet.

I'm so thankful God doesn't operate the way I do. When He sees a flaw (and there are many...so many) in me, He doesn't fold me up and put me in a box to think about my mistake (sin) for a year or two. He gets the seam ripper out right away and carefully and gently corrects me, reprimands me, encourages me and stitches me back together again. And again.

And He's not finished with me yet.

(un-ironed, fresh out of the box) quilt top

blessings

butterfly weed

I almost titled this post 'random blessings', but I know there is nothing random about how God works in our lives. Whether we experience trials or blessing throughout our days, there is a purpose and a plan.

Here are some of the blessings I experienced over the weekend:

• talking to the kids
• being able to open the windows and let in some fresh *cool* air for the first time in months
• a wonderful worship service
• coming home from church and turning on the computer and hearing Jon lead worship at his church ( I confess to shedding a few tears when I heard him lead out on 'Great is Thy Faithfulness' - so true!)
• going to the flea market with Pat
• enjoying several walks
• knowing that Mom and Dad were able to go to church and Sunday School together for the first time in almost two months
• seeing Dad walk the dog this morning for the first time in quite a while
• watching how the Facebook community of friends encourages one another
• attending a wonderful evening service last night and staying after for the ice cream social
• making new friends

And many more...enough food, beauty all around, a loving family, wonderful friends, loyal blog readers (and some of you even take time to comment - I appreciate that so much!).

What are some of your blessings?

detail

Have you ever stopped to watch a butterfly? Pat has taught me to do this. I am more inclined to walk and try to get some aerobic exercise. He stops and smells the roses. Last night after supper we took a walk and saw probably a half dozen varieties of butterflies: skipper, sulfurs (or is it sulphurs?) and blues, to name a few, fluttering around the clover.

Lovely.

Take time this weekend to slow down and drink in the beauty around you.

I never cease to be amazed at God's creativity. Look at the blue on the butterfly above! Quite possibly my favorite color.

bucket list

Pat and I (who watch precious few movies) rented The Bucket List a few weeks ago.

Have you seen it? Unfortunately, as usual, Hollywood had to add objectionable language. Why do they do that? I don’t know people who talk that way.

I will admit, though, that this was a thought provoking movie.

A bucket list, as I am sure most of you are aware, is a list of things that you want to do before you euphemistically ‘kick the bucket’. Wonder what the origin of that phrase is?

The characters in the movie, two hospital roommates who find out they are terminally ill, brainstorm and develop a list of things they want to do before their six months is up. Since one of the men is wealthy, he is able to provide the financial means for them to accomplish their goals.

This movie assumes three things:
1) Most of us are just plodding along, either piling up money for no real purpose or just trying to get by.
2) It is up to us to decide what we want to do, what will give our lives meaning and purpose.
3) We are only terminally ill when the medical profession says we are terminally ill.

I, as you might guess, don’t agree with any of these presuppositions.

1) As a follower of Christ, I am not just plodding along. It is my privilege to serve the Living God – to bring glory to Him. Yes, there are mundane things that go along with that (the dishes, the laundry, the bills…) but if everything I do is done ‘heartily as unto the LORD' (whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the LORD, not for men – Col. 3:23) it gives great purpose and joy – even to the ‘daily’ and mundane stuff.

2) As a follower of Christ, I don’t decide what I want to do. I want to live out His purpose and His will for my life. The proper question becomes “What would You have me do LORD?”, not what do I want to do before I die. I doubt if He would require me to jump out of a ‘perfectly good airplane’, (one of the things on the list in the movie) but if He did, I would. With lots and lots and lots of prayer. Lots. (Seriously, even if I did make a bucket list, jumping out of an airplane would not be anywhere on that list. Not anywhere.)

3) We are all terminally ill! Unless the LORD returns first, none of us are getting out of here alive. What would I do today if I knew it were my last?

After the movie was over, my first reaction was to think: hmmm what would I put on my bucket list. Then I realized - nothing! Sounds pretty unambitious. I’d prefer to think that I am content with where God has me. Not that there isn’t room for growth or improvement, just no need to prove that I have lived a meaningful life by jumping out of an airplane or climbing Mount Everest.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5,6

I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts.

This reminds me (for some reason) of a story I heard Tony Campolo tell many years ago.

A group of mourners gathered at the graveside of the loved one. He apparently had lived rather large in life and it was his wish to be buried in a rather extravagant manner (this was in Forest Lawn Cemetery – burial ground of the rich and famous). His corpse was clothed in an expensive suit with an expensive Cuban cigar inserted in his mouth and as the crane lowered his expensive Rolls Royce into the ground with his body positioned behind the steering wheel someone was heard to say:

“Man, that’s livin’!”

fabrique

Unlike some of my blogging counterparts, I don’t have a fabric stash. (Love that they have an acronym for it. And possibly support groups.) Oh, I have scraps and pieces from long finished projects, but I don’t (so far) buy fabric to have it on hand for future projects. Not that there is anything wrong with having a stash, I just don’t.

Yet.

We have a Mal*wart in town, but the fabric they have there is…hmmm, how shall I say?…cheap. So, unless I’m desperate I would not buy fabric there.

The nearest fabric store from here is 35 miles away. Hobby Lobby. Love Hobby Lobby. Soft praise music in the background, closed on Sundays, family friendly, home decorating stuff that glorifies the LORD. But they don’t have a vast selection of fabric. Too bad.

There is a quilting store 30 miles from here. Wonderful, beautiful fabrics. A bit pricey, but definitely good for a few hours of fabric fondling and project planning.

There is a little fabric shop in a little town down the road. This is a throw back fabric store – almost like an old fashioned general store. Opened in 1962 and now operated by the original owner's daughter. I may have mentioned this before? They have a huge barrel of buttons and you can buy buttons for $1 a mug full. What fun. Fabrics galore, zippers, trims.
Lots of cool stuff.

I went there once last year and sort of forgot about it. Last week I needed another piece of fabric to finish off my ‘hug-in-a-box’ so I googled their name to get a phone number, and to see if they were (still) open. Imagine my surprise to discover they have a website! This little non-descript store in the middle of nowhere has a web presence.

And in other news (those of you who don’t sew have probably long since clicked away from here)…I made my own bias binding for the first time!

I learned how to do this in the book Nathan gave me for Christmas last year - Bend the Rules Sewing. What fun to not have to use boring pre-packaged bias binding tape. The author has a craft blog. My that woman accomplishes a lot!

To attach the binding to the lap quilt I just made I used the instructions from Anna Maria Horner’s book Seams to Me. She also has a wonderfully creative blog. And beautiful fabric lines.

With August’s hot temperatures keeping me inside and Christmas just a little over four months away – I see some lots of fabric shopping, stash building and sewing in my future! Stay tuned for pictures.

What? What is that you say? Oh, tuition payment due at the end of the month?

Never mind.

friends and football

I'm taking time out from my regularly scheduled blog post to wish a special friend a very happy birthday. Everybody should have a friend like Ann. Prayer partner, accountability partner, walking partner and bobbin winder extraordinaire. Any time I was on a committee at church I knew I could count on her to help me. And vice versa.

Such a good friend that she even came down to make sure we were okay. She wasn't about to let a little thing like 958.58 miles stand in the way of checking up on me. Randy was cool with that too, because he and Pat have logged hundreds of hours in the boat with Pat and they were able to catch some nice fish last February.

Ann is such a good friend that a few nights ago when I couldn't sleep, I logged in to facebook at 4 a.m. and she was there (3 a.m. her time). We had a nice (on-line) chat. AND...we have the same cellphone carrier so we can talk all we want. Pat and Randy will verify this.

She is such a good friend that when I went to Minnesota last March she drove 300 miles (one way) to see me and dragged a bunch of other wonderful friends along.

Hope y'all have a good - no a great friend - like Ann. And just as important I hope you are that friend to someone else.

Happy Birthday Girlfriend!!!

two grannies, one named annie
(we even became grannies in the same year!)

And in other news (see Ann and I staring at the screen in disbelief):
SAY WHAT??!!

hug in a box

“Anything fragile in here?” she asked.

“No,” I responded.

“It says fragile,” she teased.

“I know (recycled box) – but it is actually a lap quilt for a friend of mine who has cancer.”

“Well, if that isn’t just like a hug-in-a-box,” she drawled.

Oh, how I liked that title! And I hope it feels like a big hug when E. opens it.

I was inspired to do this by Dad’s neighbors. Their church makes polar fleece blankets for those who are sick. I thought I could do that for my friend. A tangible reminder that she is not alone and that she is in my prayers.

I came across this blog the other day and gradually over several days read through the archives. She inspires me. She participated in the Cap Haitien project (Becky, didn’t you do that too - or something like that?). Several moms at our former church knitted little teeny tiny hats for preemies in the Chicago area. Or you can make them out of knit fabric.

Maybe you don’t quilt or knit, but I am sure there is something you can do to send someone a ‘hug in a box’. Now I plan to work ahead and have some ready when the need arises. Good excuse to go buy fabric, yes?

Any other ideas for hugs in a box?

study

photo by Patrick

I remember the first Bible study I attended in high school. We met in the home of a friend; the living room was crowded with teenagers who sat on the floor, the furniture, the arms of furniture - anywhere they could fit. I loved it. It was the perfect study for me at that time of my life.

In college, we would informally gather in our R.A.'s room or some other room and pull out our Bibles and study. I loved it. It was the perfect study for me at that time of my life.

Then as young marrieds in the Northwoods we had a Bible study in our home. We would sing first, then study. I have vivid memories of Nathan sitting on my lap, clapping to the music as we were surrounded by dear friends who loved God's Word. I loved it. It was the perfect study for me at that time of my life.

Later, with two little boys in the house, I met with a bunch of young moms for study. We all had preschoolers and when we could we would hire a baby sitter who would play with all of our kids downstairs while we moms soaked in God's Word and some female fellowship. I loved it. It was the perfect study for me at that time of my life.

Still later, when home schooling responsibilities cut into my time for other things, I had Bible study with the boys. Sitting in the living room with our three sons, Bibles in laps. I loved it. It was the perfect study for me at that time of my life.

And then the last study I participated in in the Northwoods. Sitting on Katie's comfortable (so comfortable) brown couch, looking at the life giving Words before us. I loved it. It was the perfect study for me at that time of my life.

And now? Last Thursday I went to a study that meets in a home not far from here. It was my first time and I was warmly welcomed by everyone (I already knew two of the gals). The chatter increased as more ladies arrived. Bibles in one hand, plates balanced on the other hand. The counter filled with yummy goodies for lunch. We will be studying Leviticus and then Numbers. Yes, and people are actually coming! ~smile~

Since it was a preliminary meeting, the teacher handed out our books and told us what to expect format-wise. Discussion, DVD, prayer, lunch and then if anyone wants to share crafts, family photos, etc. that will happen after lunch.

Then,we got a tour of her quilt studio, she has a Gammill (be still my heart) as does another gal in the group. This is their job. Several of these ladies are AVID quilters. I'm inspired to finish the quilt I started (umm was that really over a year ago??) and move on to other projects.

Anyway. I loved it. And I can already tell this is going to be the perfect study for me at this time of my life.

If you are not in a Bible study, may I encourage you to find one and join in? I have reaped so many blessings from the various studies over the years.

hot stuff

Most mornings I complete my walk without seeing anyone else. Not so today. With temperatures again predicted to be in the 90's, folks were out early.

My Northwoods roots especially show when the temperatures are this high. My neighbor - who lived in Florida for a time - says, 'it can't get hot enough for me!'

Well, this is hot enough for me. Though I will try not to complain:

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,

whose confidence is in Him.

He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit."
Jeremiah 17:7-8

I'll be absent from the blog for a few days. I'm meeting some Northwoods friends today, starting in a new Bible study on Thursday (they have study first and then they quilt!), Pat's birthday is Friday and I want to finish this quilt for my friend with cancer. I hope to start working on the fall garden as well.

Lots of stuff to do - LORD willing I'll 'see' you next week!

no time...

stolen from Kristi's facebook

...to blog today, but here is a cute grandboy picture.

Have a great day everybody!

neat as a pin or not?

We walk around the block most evenings, often stopping in at Mom and Dad's to porch sit for a spell.

Thursday night after leaving Mom and Dad's we continued on our way and met up with another couple - they live two doors down from us. We talked and walked. When we got to their house, we talked some more and as the guys discussed cars and garages, she invited me into their home.

Simply beautiful. Not a piece of paper or a book or a magazine on any flat surface. No shoes by the door, no clutter anywhere. It looked like a model home.

That is so not me. I greatly admire people who can keep their homes like that, but I don't manage to emulate them.

Here is what I came home to:
his and her pairs of shoes by the door
four ears of corn and a couple of bowls of tomatoes from the garden on the kitchen counter as well as a loaf of zucchini bread
a bucket of apples from the neighbor on the kitchen floor
strips of fabric on the guest bed - I'm making a lap quilt for a friend who was recently diagnosed with cancer and has just begun chemo
the ironing board set up next to the sewing machine so I can press as I sew
the days mail on the kitchen table awaiting filing or pitching
music books open on the clavinova..
and so on.

But I always make our bed! Our home is clean, just not necessarily neat.

My neighbor works full time and they go out to eat several times a week.

Not so here. Both of us here for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My home is my work place. Sewing, crafting, cooking, baking, preserving and making music.

It really isn't super messy, just busy.

I find it to be a comfortable jumble of things I enjoy. Pat seems to agree (aren't I lucky?).

And I hope that if you stopped by, you would feel a warm welcome, no matter how many projects I have going.

How 'bout you? Are you a neat as a pin homemaker or do you have a lot of things going on at once?

comfort

I saw her as I looked across the congregation from the vantage point of the choir loft. She had such a look of peace and contentment on her face.

Surprising considering her only son had been killed a month earlier in a motorcycle accident.

Then we learned at choir Wednesday night that she was in the hospital. Unexplained numbness.

Though I don't know her well, she is a fellow alto and has made me feel very welcome. I went to visit her in the hospital yesterday.

I had only planned to stay a few minutes, but for the better part of an hour she poured out her story to me.

A nephew died at age 24. Her son gone at 37. Two divorces (from the same man - he walked out on her twice). Numerous health problems. An autistic granddaughter. A niece with recurring breast cancer. Mental illness in the family. Financial woes.

Any one of these would have been daunting, yet she was bearing up under all of them with grace, dignity and even joy.

As so often happens, my visit with her was probably more of a comfort to me than to her.

She is convinced of God's goodness and loving kindness. An Ever Present Help in time of need.

She mentioned that one thing that helps to brighten her day and buoy her spirits is a card. She has received many cards and she carefully checks the name of the sender and reads and re-reads the message and meditates on any Scripture enclosed.

The cards have been such a comfort that she plans to redouble her efforts to take the time to send cards to those who are sick or grieving.

As do I.

quiet

our hydrangea tree

The LORD your GOD is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with His love.
He will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:20

Quiet you with His love.

When the boys were little I would hold them and comfort them after they fell. Shh, shh, it is okay, I would tell them.

God does the same for us. Holding us, assuring us that we are loved.

Got burdens? Let Him quiet you with His love.

all wound up

cosmos

Back in 1974 or so, we bought my sewing machine. Brand spanking new - a Kenmore with zigzag stitches and blind hem capabilities and a zipper foot and button-hole maker. Top of the line technology, I thought. Metal parts - not plastic. Heavy duty.

This machine has served me so well. I don't do as much sewing as I would like, but I plan to change that. I had it in for cleaning once through the years, but never had any repair work done on it. After a while the bobbin-winder stopped working, but that was no problem. My neighbor and good friend Ann, had a newer model of that machine and I would take a handful of spools and bobbins over to her house when the need arose and wind my bobbins there.

But I am no longer Ann's neighbor and though I had the foresight to wind several bobbins before we moved away, those eventually ran out.

What to do.

There is a sewing machine repair shop in the big city up the road and since Mom and Dad and I frequent that city for doctor appointments on a regular basis, I called the repair shop and made arrangements to have the machine repaired.

They did a super job. It runs like a dream, so smooth - like a well-oiled machine. Which it now is. Love it. I can wind my own bobbins now.

As convenient and wonderful as that is though, it is just not the same as packing up bobbins and thread in a little bag and walking the quarter mile to Ann's and winding my bobbins in the comfort of her beautiful house.

I'm so thankful for the good memories that something as simple as a sewing machine bobbin can bring. And thankful for the example of my wonderful friend who unselfishly shares her life with everyone.

Miss you, Ann!

take joy! (with apologies to Tasha Tudor)

Dad (who is improving every day and mowed his own yard yesterday and drove to the grocery store and is grateful for all your prayers...) was chatting with a newly retired neighbor.

This neighbor has no retirement plans.

'He is not the kind of person who enjoys life' according to Dad.

Now, I know that life has its struggles and difficulties, but how one can not enjoy life escapes me.

Why, just this morning, there was beauty at every turn. Flowers galore. Scents to fill your senses - roses, hydrangeas, zinnias, magnolias. The sunrise pictured above. And did you see the moon last night? Glorious.

Yesterday I spoke with two of the boys and chatted with a third on-line. I have two wonderful daughters-in-love and I really like Daniel's girlfriend Kate. I gazed at a picture of Joshy. Facebooked with a dear friend this morning. Dad is healing and I get to see my folks nearly every day. Wonderful siblings and extended family. I get to use Dad's Kubota tractor. And my Mac.

There are pests in the garden, yes, but we have also been eating tomatoes, radishes, lettuce and beans.
Got a half bushel of apples free from our neighbor. Cucumbers and onions from another neighbor.How can you not enjoy these and other wonderful gifts? We have enough food to eat and plenty in the cupboard. I can gaze at the mountains and admire their majesty and the Mighty Hand of the One Who Created them.

And if all this (and so much more) weren't enough - I have Jesus as my Savior, eternal life to look forward to, the Word to encourage, admonish and teach me, and the Holy Spirit to guide me.


Doesn't enjoy life? Can't imagine that. Even the miniature Pincher (min-pin) who lives next door and delights in letting me know that I have no business being in my own yard makes me smile.

If you are feeling glum and blue today - stop focusing on what is wrong and look at all the blessings. Take joy!

Philippians 4:8

Little Bit - the picture is a bit blurry because she doesn't hold still!

time does indeed fly

Daniel and Kate
picture (shamelessly stolen) from my brother-in-law Tim

How can this be?

First of all, I can scarcely believe it is August already. My nephews go back to school today and the school children in our county go back to class on Friday.

But the real head scratcher, the proof that time fleetly flits away, is that my baby turns 21 today.

Wow.

So a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Daniel. Christ-following, fun-loving, funny, serious, people-loving, conscientious, competitive,talented, Frisbee-obsessed Daniel.

Have a wonderful day!

shopping

I am not much of a shopper.

Kristi and I went 'downtown' to Fifth Avenue in Playa del Carmen, more to experience the shops than to actually buy stuff.

Merchants repeatedly called out to us to entice us to come into their shops.

''Lady! Come see!"

"Senora! I show you!"

"It is Saturday - 50% off!"

When we would fail to stop, they would spread their hands out in disbelief.

"No, you not stop?" they exclaimed as if we hurt their feelings.

One comment stood out above all the rest though. A merchant hollered out to me:

"Mama! You have a beautiful daughter!"

He was right, but only part right.

Now I have two beautiful daughters!