St. Theresa's Prayer

May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be confident knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.

Matthew 18:20 Does This Count?

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20

I'm Trying to Buy American!

Today I went in several gift shops and noticed that everything was made in China. I know things are still made in America and I think they're worth saving. Here's a website that will help me and those like me to find what we want. I hope you will work on this with me!

Right in My Own Backyard!

Today I saw so may things to enjoy and be thankful for. I am so blessed! Be sure to click on these images to see larger shots.

My New Wordle

At http://www.wordle.net/, I entered the text from my last few entries and it made this cool thought cloud. You may want to give it a try. (Click on the wordle for a larger image.)

Every time I look at it I see something new. I think it's pretty cool that God's love is right in the middle of it all!

Ever Wonder What's in Your Heart?

Saving Grace

As disturbing as all the political and economic news can be, I remember that God is in control; He is sovereign; and no one can separate me from His love.

Birthdays and Grandmammas

I just had a birthday and with the exception of the homemade, self-made, disaster cake, it was a nice birthday. This birthday came in the middle of some pretty big changes in my world - what with china packing and all - and I have thought a lot about my grandmother who lived to the ripe old age of 100 years and 5 months to the day. So since I AM swimming in her gene pool, I could well be at the half-way point of my life - or not... (Also in my gene pool are those who make me hesitate to buy green bananas.)

We called her Nana and she was quite a Southern Steele Magnolia. She worked in a mill, played the mandolin, and had the good sense to marry my grandfather - the sweetest man ever to walk this earth. She was full of wisdom and shared it when needed. I remember her telling my cousins and me that "What's down in your well comes up in your bucket." She was right. Think about it.

This is a picture of Nana in her mother's arms. It is one of my favorites! I think they are both beautiful and I am proud to have them a few limbs up in my family tree!

Early Mornings

I love to take my hot tea outside on cold mornings and enjoy what God brings to me. My hummingbirds are still humming, the cardinals and chickadees eat early, and the squirrels are always looking for yummy treats. A neighbor kitty will drop in my fenced backyard for a visit. Those things I can depend on. It's the rare treat I have to watch out for and not miss. On the morning I took this picture, Charlotte (the spider for those of you who slept through elementary school) had just caught a special treat and had wrapped it up in a lovely silk sac. What a wonder... (click on the picture for a larger image)

My #$%^&* Birthday Cake

Well, today is my birthday. Tomorrow my family will celebrate my special day with a lunch at Mom and Dad's. I, of course, volunteered to make my own cake since I AM the proud owner of a new KitchenAid mixer. It is now 8:42 pm and the cake is out of the oven. LOOK! My little friend Betsy helped me create this disaster. Never in all my attempts at baking have I/we fallen so short of the goal. JM's Dad's cake at least just fell off the plate. Mine fell off the plate and oozed magma all over the counter. I wish you could have seen it when I first flipped the pan over on the cake plate. For approximately 17.38 seconds it was a beautiful cake. Betsy says I need a cake tester. I think I need a man in my life who can bake - to hell with the tester. Does anyone want a slightly used KitchenAid mixer? By the way, I WAS somewhat distracted by the eggs that were coming to room temp (see below - note my birthday portrait in the tea kettle). Perhaps I should stick to photography! And, finally, Note To Self: One should never make one's own birthday cake...

America's Problems

There is nothing wrong with America that the faith, love of freedom, intelligence and energy of her citizens cannot cure....

Dwight David Eisenhower

Happy Solstice

LOVE the long days; but the truth is that we are one step closer now to the cold weather that I really love.

Happy Solstice!

The Tree

I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse, and after he had just finished a rough first day on the job: a flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric drill quit and his ancient one ton truck refused to start.

While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands.

When opening the door he underwent an amazing transformation. . His face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.

"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, those troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children.. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home and ask God to take care of them. Then in the morning I pick them up again." "Funny thing is," he smiled," when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before."

God Bless!

We all need a Tree!
Life Isn't about waiting for
The storm to pass,
It's about learning to dance
In the rain

Earth Hour

Let's do this!

How Sad! How True!

Click here - NOT ON THE TEST

One Thing I've Learned From Working All These Years

Some days you're the statue and some days you're the bird...

Learning From Our Animals

Here are Lucy and Rhett, furry children of a good friend, catching a bit of a cat/dog nap. I think we could learn a lot from them:

• Sometimes it's okay to share your space.
• Sometimes it's okay to sleep and not fight.
• Love is a powerful thing.
  

Happy Valentine's Day!

Precious

My blog is a happy place! So in honor of a great little animal who passed away Monday, I'll share a bit about what Precious' life showed me. First of all, this photo is Precious and her human at my last birthday party. She and her Mom were the hostesses. Precious looked terrific in her hat - always quite the lady.

She reminded me to love family always and unconditionally; to stay close to them; not to whine or complain; to love life and find joy in every minute.

In Precious, God gave Celia a great gift and a lifetime of "precious" memories. God bless Precious and Celia!

Celia sent me this once - how true----

Inner Strength

If you can start the day without caffeine,

If you can get going without pep pills,

If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,

If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,

If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,

If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,

If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,

If you can ignore a friend's limited education and never correct him,

If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend,

If you can conquer tension without medical help,If you can relax without liquor,

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,..

Then You Are Probably The Family Dog!

God's Smile

I wasn't the lucky photographer to capture this shot - but I wish I had been. God's Smile - I love it!

My Boy

Yesterday was Mom's birthday and we spent it at Judy's house. My boy just loves her creek and heads there as soon as we arrive. Isn't he adorable? (And I'm not partial....)

Happy Birthday, Mom!

A thought - St. Teresa's Prayer

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you....May you be content knowing you are a child of God....Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.