Winter Chill

Mark 4:30-32
Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade."


In the Parable of the Mustard Seed, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a mustard seed. The mustard plant has very small seeds but the plant is large enough to provide shelter for birds. I love the parables that Jesus uses to teach us how to live and work together. In this parable He is trying to describe the Kingdom of Heaven but at the same time He is telling us that no matter how small we think we are or our actions are, if planted correctly, we can be and do great things. The small things we think, do, or say grow larger just as the small mustard seed.

Today I am praying that all my mustard seeds are planted, as God would have them planted. All this thinking about seeds makes me realize that we plant many other seeds in our minds and they also can grow from small to big sometimes with positive results and sometimes not so. We do have to guard against what kind of seeds we plant... what we allow to grow in our minds, hearts and lives.

It's so cold outside and so toasty warm inside. Cocoa puff won't go out this morning. When I opened the door she just stood there and looked out. Then she turned her prissy self around and went back to bed. Who says cats aren't smart?

Stay warm.

God's Love

Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Psalms 127:3

Wouldn't you know it. This morning I woke with a sore throat. It's the first time I have been sick with this kind of thing in at least 6 months or maybe longer. For the last couple of years I have suffered and suffered with all kinds of upper respiratory woes so this year, around September, I went and took my very first flu shot ever. Now, I'm not saying that taking the flu shot has kept me from getting my usual upper respiratory sickness' but it's interesting that I have stayed free from sneezing, coughing, scratchy throat, runny nose, sinus and all that for so long this season.

After coffee, my throat feels much better so I think I'll just go the gargle with warm salt water route and lots of chicken soup. I decided to join a group that are sharing photos celebrating Sacred Life Sunday. I have so much to be thankful for. My photo for this first time is of my grandchildren of course. Each time I look at them I'm reminded of God's love and how much I am thankful they have parents who want to raise them walking inside the footprints of Jesus.



This photo was taken this past fall in my garden ramble. I don't think I'll let it overgrow like this again, but I really had no choice since I couldn't get out there and pull weeds, stake, and tidy up. Hopefully my leg and hip will be better when gardening kicks off for 2008 and I'll do better.

Love

Psalms 107-150

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever

Chick Pea Starter Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

2 (14-ounce) cans chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Handful grated Parmigiano Reggiano

After rinsing, dry chick peas in a kitchen towel.
In a dry nonstick skillet over medium heat add the chick peas. Season with black pepper, to taste, and cook, shaking pan often until chick peas are toasted and light golden brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in the cheese and toss to coat chick peas. Serve as a snack or starter.

Fantastic Friday

It's Friday and I'm looking forward to having Carley Ann and Anna Claire spend the night. Today I'll have to think of some different art/craft thing for us to do. It's always fun to watch them work and try out different tools. Carley Ann at 3 loves colored markers but is still dangerous with them too close to my white couch. Anna Claire at 19 months can hold the markers by making a fist and she is double dangerous near anything. I have the wall art to prove it. :)

This morning I'm enjoying my coffee that I got from Jittery Joe's in Peachtree City. I made my own blend from a canister of "Two Stories" and "Traveling Joe" Two Stories is the decaf version and Traveling Joe is just a blend I like. All of the blends must be wonderful but I'm stuck on Traveling Joe.

The SS lesson this week comes from Psalm 7 where David is calling out to God to save him from being accused of doing someone wrong and he feels he hasn't done anything. I've been thinking on times when this has happened to me and can only think of a few times.

Psalm 7:1-3


O LORD my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me, or they will tear me like a lion and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

O LORD my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands- if I have done evil to him who is at peace with me or without cause have robbed my foe- then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust.

Arise, O LORD, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice. Let the assembled peoples gather around you. Rule over them from on high; let the LORD judge the peoples.

The thing with me is that most of the time when I'm called on the carpet as they say, I'm totally in the wrong and need the correction! Hey, where does the saying being called on the carpet come from? I'll have to see if I can find out. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the red carpet or a carpet ride. :)

Back to David, I'm glad we have the example of David to study and learn from. Being wrongly accused or unjustly persecuted can be one of the worst feelings we encounter in life. Sometimes we never get over this kind of experience. If we are mature enough, we can work through our trial with the help of God, but if we are very young we may suffer the scars for a long time before we find that only God can heal wounds that have become our enemies.

I am thankful today that I can shout with joy that God is on my side! I'm thankful for coffee, family, friends, pets, earth and love. Beginning the day with a thankful heart seems to set the mood for the day no matter what other things I have to do or think about. I hope you will have a fantastic Friday!

New day

"SHOUT joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing.

Know that the LORD Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.

Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations."
Psalm 100:1-5

When my Brent was around 3 and learning how to put the English language together I asked him to call his daddy. He said, "daddy." I said, "no, call him loud". He said, "loud". I know there were many of these funny things that he said, but I didn't write them down, so they are lost in memory heaven.

I'm thankful that our Father hears us no matter if our voice is soft or loud. Turning up the volume might make us feel He is hearing us better, but we all know He listens even to our hearts.

Our town escaped the severe winter storm that hit much of North Georgia. It's cold outside, but I'm all snugg in my house with my cup of coffee and a blueberry muffin. It's a new day and I look forward to watching it unfold.

Joy and gratitude

A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing (Proverbs 17:22)

It's been said over and over that finding and keeping joy in your life greatly depends on how you view life. Well, today it's cold and it's going to be wet later this afternoon. I wish I was in Sarasota and envy the girls who are down there enjoying the warmer air, the beach, the food, and of course the fellowship. I can't wait to see the pictures and hear all the stories.

Well, my mind can't be cheerful today but I can be grateful. I believe joy and gratitude go hand and hand. They are like friends that pull each other up when the other is down. I'm grateful today for silly things like Cocoapuff running down the hall and not being able to stop on the slick floor before crashing into the wall.

Knowing I'm really a muppet helps.

You Are Miss Piggy

A total princess and diva, you're totally in charge - even if people don't know it. You want to be loved, adored, and worshiped. And you won't settle for anything less. You're going to be a total star, and you won't let any of the "little people" get in your way. Just remember, piggy, never eat more than you can lift!

The Muppet Personality Test

I'm grateful for the silly things my son leaves me on the kitchen island, like the day he proclaimed it mother's day and left me a cup of sand to play in.

I'm grateful for lots of silly things, but right now I have to get my silly self busy and get something accomplished today.

Hope you have time for something silly today. I took the muppet test again an hour later after my coffee worked it's magic and turned into a different muppet. LOL

You Are Dr. Bunsen Honeydew

You take the title "mad scientist" to the extreme -with very scary things coming out of your lab. And you've invented some pretty cool things, from a banana sharpener to a robot politician. But while you're busy turning gold into cottage cheese, you need to watch out for poor little Beaker! "Oh, that's very naughty, Beaker! Now you eat these paper clips this minute."

The Muppet Personality Test

Focus

And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. Matthew 17:8

Yesterday I got distracted from my Monday routine. I hate that but it was my own fault. I think it's the same with many of the routines of my life. I'm easily distracted. I guess that can be a good thing but most of the time is not. This is one of the reasons I seem to never get things completed. Many times I quit just before I'm really done, leaving one coffee cup in the sink or one bill to be paid another day. I lose my focus; it's one of my flaws.

I find this is true too with my spiritual life. I tend to look too much in what I can't do rather than what God can do through me and I give up to easily. I CAN do all things with His help, but without His help I'm a mess.

My prayer today is for strength to keep my focus on Jesus, to continue to look to Him for guidance in all things, to continue to grow in knowledge and faith. I also pray for those that are on my prayer list like Jacob, Corrine's Tom as he goes through adjustments to his defibrillator, Harold in ICU that they may feel the power of your hand today and feel the power of the Holy Spirit filling them with hope and peace.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

I've been thinking what I can show you as a Tuesday Treasure. My mother always kept a very clean house and try as I might, I will never live up to her example. Many years ago she gave me two salt and pepper shakers that she had bought in Germany that I had said I loved. They stand proud in my kitchen window and bring me joy each time I look at them. My kitchen window looks out over my garden and the garden house now converted into my painting studio. Mr. Salt is a baker and Mr. Pepper is a chimney sweep. They remind me that we all have jobs to do and we can take pride and enjoy doing even the most lowly things.

Somehow my mind has drifted to the memory of how my neighbor always left his house singing when he was going to his job at the post office. The study I saw on the 20/20TV show comes to mind too when they said one thing that made Denmark the number one happiest country is that everyone there did not have to choose jobs for the sake of money, but rather they chose jobs because that's what they really loved to do! Here's hoping we all will find joy in the salt and pepper jobs of our lives. :)

Mother's 80th

Matthew 17:20
He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

.:. The SOP (standard operating plan )

• Wake early
  
• Feed Cocoapuff
  
• Coffee
  
• Devotion - Prayer
  
• Breakfast - Yogart and cereal mix
  
• Journal
  
• Dress routine complete with vitamins
  
• Walk
  
• Office Monday
  
• Clean House- work on throwing away stuff
  
• Lunch -Health fruits,vegetables & water
  
• Healthy Snacks
  
• water
  
• Dinner - Healthy fruits,vegetables &water
  
• TV, Read, Internet, whatever
  
• Sleep by 11
  

Lots of things to take care of today on office Monday. Yesterday was my mothers 80th birthday, so I took her some red roses and today we are going to go out to eat somewhere. I'm so lucky to have my mother living. We certainly butt heads but I love her. She is always there to help me with advice and loves me.

My painting sisters all have gone to Sarasota for an annual week of painting there. Durinda, rents a cottage for the whole month of January each year and then chooses a week just for the Southern Ladies Art Conference to come down and be with her. I can't go this year because of my knee, leg, hip thing and I'm feeling a bit sad. My trip to the High confirmed that I can't walk very far or stay up on my leg very long without paying for it in great pain. I am encouraged, however, that I am making good progress and maybe by April I'll be able to get back out and paint. April is my goal because that's when the azaleas are in bloom at Callaway and my paintings sisters come to my house at Callaway to paint for a week or so.

As I sit drinking my coffee and planning my day I'm thinking about Spring. The flower catalogs and garden magazines tempt me to over order and get too ambitious. I'm really looking forward to making some changes in my garden this year. I want to get rid of all the vines I thought I wanted and neat things up a bit. More and more I find that I really do like things that have patterns. I suppose it's the artist eye that makes me so. I tried the cottage garden feel where everything runs together, but that's not me. I want order. We'll see what happens this spring. Until then, I'll enjoy this little bit of winter we have here in West Central Georgia and sketch my garden plans.

Attitude of Gratitude

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1-17

Friday night on the 20/20 TV show the topic was on happiness. Studies showed that we, in fact, do have the ability to control our happiness even when our circumstances might not be favorable to making happiness. The studies also showed that we have what is called genitic happiness set points so if things happen to us like winning the lottery, we might be happy for awhile, but then it will wear off and our happiness set point will take back over. They also showed lots of other cases studies of happiness but the interesting thing to me was when they told about folks that spend around 30 minutes each day practicing an attitude of gratitude, either writing lists of things they are grateful for or just saying the things they are grateful for, they are happier!

My my, well, isn’t this the same thing that God has always told us? Isn't this part of what prayer is? The thing the world tells us is to go after material things when we, as Christians, know that true joy comes from knowing and serving the Lord. He wants us to enjoy our life’s journey and is with us to help us all day and all night directing our paths, clearing the way, helping us when we fall, comforting us when we make poor choices or things happen to us that want to rob of us of our joy. Having an attitude of gratitude just confirms what we already know, that every good and perfect thing comes from God.

There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink and make himself enjoy good in his labor. Even this, I have seen, is from the hand of God.
Ecclesiastes 2:24

Father God, I am thankful for my life today. I praise your name and thank you for my blessings. Thank you for all the comforts I enjoy and for showing me how to better live my life as you would have me live it.

Today I pray special prayers for our church and those that we want to come hear your word. I pray that all the ministry actions we take will fall into the right hands and on the right ears. I pray for Beth as she leads our SS class and for all our class members that we might continue to grow living up to our name Gleaners.

I pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Learning to sing

I was truly exhausted when I returned from my adventure to the High. I'll have to tell you all about it another day. It was exciting and everything turned out without me being mugged or any awful thing happening to me. :)

As soon as I got home the girls came over to spend the night as become our custom on Friday nights. Since the trip took up so much time, I was glad to have quiet time driving home from the park and ride at the airport where I caught the Marta train. Carley Ann, Anna Claire and I had fun watching the Thumblina video I bought at Target Thursday and then we all went to sleep.

I never sleep quite well when they are in the bed with me. I catch myself waking up rearranging legs, arms and heads. LOL Still, I wouln't have it any other way. This morning was wild, and they didn't go home until around 1:30 this afternoon. I ate a quick lunch and then fell back in the bed and have been asleep all afternoon. No telling if I will sleep normal tonight or not, but I was sooooo tired from all the play.

Today I praise God for my grandchildren and for the opportunity to watch them grow. I hope this video puts a smile on your face like it did mine. You never know what children are going to do or say, but again, it's fun to watch them grow. I'll have to get Carley Ann to show you how southern ladies use a napkin to brush crumbs off their lips after eating. You will just fall over in laughter....I know. :) Enjoy.

Double click the video arrow.

Happy Anniversary

Say to them, May the Lord Bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you His favor and give you His peace (Numbers 6:23-26)

Today I'm changing the SOP. It's an adventure day!

.:. SOP (standard operating plan )...

• Devotion - Prayer - with coffee
  
• Breakfast - Yogart and cereal mix
  
• Journal
  
• Dress routine complete with vitamins
  
• Walk around the block
  
• Paint
  
• Clean House- work on throwing away stuff
  
• Lunch -Health fruits,vegetables & water
  
• Paint weekdays and work on organization
  
• Healthy Snacks
  
• water
  
• Dinner - Healthy fruits,vegetables &water
  
• TV, Read, Internet, whatever
  
• Sleep by 10
  

Today is my 39th wedding anniversary. It doesn't seem possible, but it is. I miss Tom in the strangest ways, but life goes on. Living a good life and finding happiness in small and bigs ways is all about choice. If I choose, I can bury myself in a deep hole or I can walk in the sunshine. I choose sunshine. After all it's full of vitiman C! LOL

Today I'm stepping out of my comfort zone and am taking a day trip by myself to Atlanta. The last time I drove in Atlanta I said I would never do that again, so I won't. I'm going to take Marta to the High Museum and spend the day. The Impressionist exhibit will close this Sunday and I don't want to miss it. I hope my knee will do okay. If I need help maybe some kind person will help me.

Father God I praise your name this moring with all my heart. I thank you for my life, my friends and family. I thank you for the wonders of this world I live in like cell phones and today's adventure riding Marta for the first time. I thank you for the courage I feel today to be able to go on this adventure by myself.

Today I pray for a safe travel day and protection. I pray for all the people in the world that also need courage today to face whatever life might hand them to deal with.

It's in the precious name of your Son Jesus Christ I pray all these things, Amen.

http://www.high.org/

Forgiven

I'm reading Charles Swindoll's book "Hope again" given to me by my friend Leslie and in this chapter I'm getting reacquainted with Peter. Peter, when pressured, denied he was a disciple of Christ. It all happened just like Jesus said it would...before the rooster would crow three times just before Jesus would be crucified.

I remember being told about Peter even as a little girl, however I think until yesterday, I didn't quite understand why all that would even have happened. All these years I've not really liked Peter at all. I think perhaps my mind disconnected with the Peter who denied Jesus and the Peter who wrote epistles. Surly I knew they were the same. I guess I just never thought about it or maybe it is because the names keep changing.

Anyway, the message from God that keeps coming to the surface with me is how much God loves us through all our faults and failures. Peter, David, Noah, well everyone has failed God at one time or the other, but still we are forgiven and found completely worthy to be used for and in His kingdom. The problem we face is in understanding and accepting that complete forgiveness. Sometimes I find myself asking for forgiveness for sins that I've already confessed and know He has forgiven. I also know it's perfectly human to do this as our minds are nothing like God's. Perhaps we will never understand all there is to understand, but does it really matter that we understand? No, I don't think so. Several times I've found things that maybe I might want to ask God about when I get to heaven. Now, more and more, I don't want to have answers to any of those rhetorical questions, I'd just like the opportunity to wash the feet of Jesus.

The Routine

" And in the morning, long before daylight, He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed "... Mark 1:35

Most mornings I wake and just automatically get up. This morning I just took my time and listened to see if I could hear the morning wake. It's still dark outside and I didn't hear any birds. They are sleeping too. It's been so warm the last couple of days I turned the heat off so there is no noise from the heat ducts either. The house was silent except for the patter of Cocoapuff who was jumping around like a crazy cat. She was hungry and demanded I get up, so I rolled out of bed, fed the cat and made my coffee. So the routine begins.

I have to admit, if it were not for Cocoapuff, I probably would have stayed in bed a little longer this morning. Looking out the window, it's going to be a beautiful day, and I plan to sit and drink my coffee while I feel myself fully wake up. In the Bible we are told to seek God for a fresh word each day. Doing this early starts my day right and from there I can travel the tangents of my life easier. To be still and listen to God each morning is the part of my morning I most look forward to and I thank God for this time in my life.

"If you seek Me early and diligently, you will find Me" ... Proverbs 8:17

Memories

I grew up an Army brat and traveled quite a bit with my family to many places some of which I’ve had the opportunity to revisit as an adult. My brother was born in Germany and me being four years older than him, I had the opportunity to learn the German language from the children I played with and in kindercare.When we returned to the States I spoke fluent German. The only problem was, once I arrived in the USA I had no one to talk with, so I lost the ability to speak anything other than theEnglish spoken in my home. When we were in Europe we took many weekend trips to fascinating places but I only remember them from the pictures that our family took and from small treasures collected by my mother and father backed up by talking about them over the years.

My grandchildren are now playing with the same wooden shoes I played with when I was a little girl. What a delight. I feel I am reliving some of those play times I had as I watch them play. I want to be sure to tell them the stories connected to them as they grow. It's about heritage and memories. I have some of the things that my family passed on to me so I know what a connection and comfort they can be. Holding those things in my hands or just walking passed them in my house give me a since of heritage, safety, joy, peace, and love that are so very personal. I want them to have that too.

Last Sunday we observed the Lord's Supper at First Baptist, Thomaston. Jesus said, “do this in remembrance of me”. Memories are so important as they are our connection, heritage, safety, comfort, peace, love, joy and so much more. I thank God today for memories and the special connections we can make and thank Him for special times of remembrance in our spiritual lives like the ones He has left in our hearts.