Deb's Random Thoughts ...and ART!

Elephant Number Two

2012-01-24T08:41:00.003-05:00

The second edition in my "Elephant" series... (I've decided to make this a series....) Here's how it goes. Some person in blog land who shall remain nameless (you know who you are...) has suggested that I be more consistent with blog posts.

Here's the deal. I'm in school now. The end.

Where was I? ...oh yes, the elephant... SO....today's elephant (actually you get two for the price of one today...) SO...today's elephants are also residents of a shadow box somewhere in the recesses of my home.

I have no idea from whence they came. They're small (note edge of penny in the background.)

I have not named them. Suggestions?!

Elephant....

2012-01-22T00:15:00.003-05:00

I am taking a break from school work to post this tiny elephant....approximately two inches in length, he sits in one of my shadow boxes. He's one of dozens of elephants I have...most are packed away....been collecting them since I was seven. Sheesh! That's a looonnnngggggg time!! Pay no attention to the dust and cobwebs! Okay...now it's back to school work for me!

Counting Down....

2012-01-14T23:43:00.004-05:00

Two days. School starts in two days.

BUT...I have already read and studied two chapters in my text for one of my TWO classes.

I sense a theme here....has something to do with TWO.

Don't ask me what though, because my brain is fried from studying and I can't possibly think of even one witty or profound thing to say.

I will say this....I received an email from my professor - a "welcome" email, if you will. In it she said, "I love to see how the text of this course plays out in my office." (She's a Licensed Professional Counselor and our text is Human Growth and Development).

She encouraged each of us to "not blow off this course - especially if we are called by God to be counselors..." And as I read those words...I immediately felt the TANGIBLE presence of God in my living room! In fact, even as I type those words now, I am feeling the Lord's presence. He is amazing! Every time I turn around I'm getting confirmation that I'm headed down the right path.

A Licensed Professional Counselor... In time, that will be me...hoping to one day help heal the brokenhearted...

And despite my fear and trepidation...I can do this! Me and God. Ah...the TWO of us. I knew that there was a theme!!

Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend

2012-01-10T13:26:00.006-05:00

Brillo Man had an emotional weekend.

He had to say goodbye to an old friend.

A friend who has been with him through thick and thin.

Through sunshine and rain.

Through the muck and mire.

In all kinds of weather and in all kinds of storms.

He sold his beloved excavator. gasp!!

Whatever will he do now when he's bored? He will have no 'friend' to help him dig holes all over our property. Alas.

Here he is - posing for one last photo with his friend:

Driving it up onto the buyer's trailer:

Reluctant to leave...

The new owner driving away with Brillo Man's old friend... such a sad, sad day.

Psalm 91

2012-01-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

What's in those Eggs Anyway??!

2012-01-07T07:30:00.000-05:00

A friend recently inquired what it was that we feed our chickens because the eggs are so very good. She gasped with horror and disbelief when she discovered that we "slop" our chickens....in much the same way that a farmer slops pigs. In other words...we feed them all our table scraps. Well, there are a few that Bentley enjoys...but most of our leftovers make their way into the chicken coop.

As a result of that, we have VERY LARGE chicken eggs. Seriously. Some of the eggs are as large as duck eggs. And they have double yolks. And the shells are super duper hard - it takes a greater effort to break them.

Our farm fresh eggs are delicious - so much more tasty than the eggs one can purchase at the grocery store! In fact, I won't even eat eggs anymore in a restaurant since there is no way that they can compare with our Farm Fresh Chicken-Slopped Eggs!!

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Yep! They for sure are sloppin' those birds...
Just look at the size of those yolks!
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Back in Our Hands

2012-01-06T07:10:00.001-05:00

"Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude." Luke 9:16

Here's a thought: When Jesus took the loaves and the fishes from the young boy before the miracle of the feeding of the 5000 he blessed them and then handed them back to the disciples and expected them to disperse them to the crowd. Once again...He blessed them and put them back in the disciples' hands. Ah...how many times does the Lord bless things and then expect us to act in order for the miracle to occur?

...just a point to ponder.

Dolce Far Niente

2012-01-05T08:00:00.001-05:00

Italians have a saying - Dolce Far Niente, which simply means:

The art of doing sweet nothing.

Oh, how I love that! It's so much nicer to think of time spent doing nothing as an ART rather than considering it a bunch of wasted time! For one, I am Italian and being an artist, I am all about

...I'm thinking I must now go and CREATE!!

Cold

2012-01-04T09:13:00.004-05:00

So, I get myself all bundled up to face the frigid air as I walked Bentley this morning...

Coat - check

Hat - check

Boots - check

Gloves - um. no. That's why I have pockets.

Did I mention that I'm allergic to the cold? No? Well, I'm allergic to the cold. Really. Seriously. I break out in hives if any skin is exposed to cold for any length of time. And the hives are not fun. They are extremely itchy and extremely annoying. But - this morning I was prepared! I knew it was cold outside and I had every inch of skin covered (well, except for my hands....that's why I have pockets.)

Halfway up the driveway, I decided to take a few photos of Bentley. He is cute, after all. So, I snapped away with the camera on my iPhone. Of course, doing so would obviously cause me to have to remove my hands from my pockets.

Ah...I know what you're thinking... You're thinking...yep, now she's going to get hives on her hands. She should've worn gloves!!

Nope. By some miracle I did not get hives on my hands - despite the frigid ten degree temperature with a minus something wind chill. No, instead I got a huge hive - ON MY EYELID! Caused my eye to swell shut. There's a new one. Must've been the act of LOOKING at all that cold snow!

On my "to do" list today: Ordering a Ski Mask

Today.

2012-01-03T19:52:00.007-05:00

The tree is still up.

Anybody want in on the pool as to when I'll take it down? No idea when it will happen.

Today, I made chili - in the crock pot - with ground chuck which I had cooked several weeks ago and stuck in the freezer. I opened up some cans of kidney beans and garbanzo beans and sauce and added a bunch of spices and chopped up a green pepper. Easiest and fastest chili I've ever made in my life. I'm thinking I'm going to start stockpiling cooked ground chuck in my freezer.

Snow. We've got it. Lots of it. It's white and it's cold and I stayed indoors all day because of it. Well, I did walk Bentley halfway up the driveway while wearing my PJs. Here's proof - note the snow is covering the boots. Did I mention we have lots of it?:

Oh, and I drove Olivia the entire way up the driveway so she didn't have to stand in a snowstorm while she was waiting for the bus this morning. (I am a good Mother. Sometimes.) But other than those two times...I stayed in.

I started to clean off my desk. I found a bunch of things that I didn't know I was missing. Amongst them were these items:

I have no idea why I had plastic Easter eggs on my desk. So don't ask.

Let's see...what else? I've had approximately 14 hot flashes thus far (ten of them being in the last two hours...AFTER I ate a bowl of spicy chili.) (I knew that ingesting spicy foods can increase the likelihood of hot flashes. I didn't care. Then.)

I worked on the afghan I'm crocheting for Olivia. I'll post a photo when it's complete. Don't look for it any time soon.

So...that was pretty much my day. What did you do?

Perspective

2012-01-02T19:49:00.006-05:00

As is customary at this time in my life, with the New Year now upon us, I have been thinking -- about a lot of different things. While I enjoyed the Christmas season and all the festivities that went along with our family celebration, I am glad that time has marched on and I can now get back into my regular routine of doing nothing special. It feels good to be sitting in my favorite spot in my reclining sofa with my laptop on my lab and a sleeping dog at my feet. Brillo Man and I just watched an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Olivia is in her bedroom singing along to some silly song in her head and I'm trying to blog.

Aha. And then Olivia appears. "Mom, will you please log onto PowerSchool and check my grades?" All A's and B's. Good for her! I'm so proud of her. And then my heart starts to beat a little faster as I begin to think about what awaits me in just two short weeks... I'll be concerned about my own grades. I'll be starting work on my Masters Degree in Professional Counseling. It's been years since I've been in school. I have moments when I think... "what were you thinking?!...signing up to take classes?...and GRADUATE classes no less??!!" I'll have to do a tremendous amount of writing. And I'm told that my writing will have to follow APA Format (whatever that is!) Oh. Help. My nice quiet evening of sitting on the couch with my laptop in front of the TV with an old Alfred Hitchcock episode suddenly turned into a nightmare.

Did I ever tell you that I don't like to write? Seriously. There was the one time in college when I was required to write a paper for extra credit and my friend offered to write the paper for me (because she was student teaching and had no finals for which to study and she was bored!) And I jokingly told her "sure! write my paper for me!" - and then she actually DID write the paper! It was an ethnography on the Yanomamo Tribe - for my Introduction to Anthropology class. Why in the world I took an intro to anthro class is beyond me. I needed an elective. I was told it would be a fun course. And it was - caused me to actually consider becoming an anthropologist for a second or two. But I digress. My friend did such an awesome job on the paper which I turned in with my name on it...that I received an "A" grade. An "A" grade on a paper which I never wrote. (Don't think that this hasn't bothered me for years - decades even! - for it has!)

So now, in just a few short days, I will be embarking upon a graduate studies career. And I will have to write papers. A LOT of papers. ...I'm wondering if my friend would consider writing my papers. I know where she lives. I could ask... ugh.

And then I started to think that perhaps I need to change my perspective. You see, the Lord has called me to do this Masters thing. It's not anything I came up with on my own. So...He equips those whom He calls. Right? Right. So writing all these papers will not be such a big deal. When I take a few steps back and look at it from God's perspective...it's a small thing.

Sorta like the wind turbines we saw while visiting Brillo Man's family in New York. Small? No. HUGE! They tower approximately 533 feet in the air!! But when one steps back...they don't seem all that menacing.

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This is a small thing in the eyes of the LORD...
-2 Kings 3:18
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In the Secret....

2011-12-25T17:48:00.002-05:00

..in the quiet place...

...in the stillness, You are there...

Merry Christmas! May the Love of the Lord always be recognizable to you! For His love is always present...He is always near!

A Giveaway!!

2011-12-22T10:59:00.003-05:00

One can never have TOO MUCH yarn. Trust me.

Brillo Man, however, would greatly disagree...just ask him how many times he's moved boxes and bins of yarn that I have stored in various spots in the house! On second thought, don't ask him. It will just get him going...and for heaven's sake, we don't need that!)

Anyway....I've entered a contest to win MORE YARN! Yahoo! You may enter also at the Red Heart with Love Yarn Giveaway site.

And now, since I've shared this with you, I get an extra entry! Yahoo!! Perhaps I'll win! Wouldn't that be great? Of course, then I would have to buy more yarn - because what could one possibly create with only three skeins...hmmm...I'm thinking that's their point...give us a few skeins and then we buy more! It's all good...for after all, one can never have TOO MUCH yarn!

It's Finished

2011-12-20T20:50:00.002-05:00

The painting has been finished for quite some time....finished it the week before Brillo Man and I left on our cruise. Many updates to follow...but for now, here's the final photo.

My cup of tea

2011-10-31T08:15:00.003-04:00

So...It's Monday morning and in an hour from now I'll be leaving to teach my women's Bible study. I thought I'd have a calming cup of tea and perhaps lose my headache somewhere between now and then.

On Friday I purchased several sample tea bags from a little store in an an adjacent town. I wish I had thought to take a photo of the store - but alas, I did not. The Happy Egglant is our new favorite store, one in which Brillo Man and I visit almost every Friday during our "date day." There we have discovered, among other things, some amazingly flavorful Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar. The glass flasks are refillable and the oil is imported directly from Italy. Being of Italian descent, I have a slight affection for anything Italian. Not to mention that it's the best olive oil that I have had.

But I digress. I started out talking about tea... The Pomi-Berry Tea Sachet from Two Leaves and a Bud just may be my new favorite! The description on their website reads:

"Pomi-Berry might be the Goldilocks of herbal berry tea. With a combination of calming chamomile, zippy forest berries and fruity strawberry, it doesn't hit you over the head with berry flavor, and it isn't too herbal. It's just right."

It is a very good tea. And I'm thrilled that it didn't hit me over the head with berry flavor because, after all, I do have a headache...

Anybody Need a Chair?

2011-10-28T19:36:00.004-04:00

I was SURE that long ago I posted something about Brillo Man's amazing auction win. 63 Filing Cabinets....Does that ring a bell with anyone? I can't locate the post - so perhaps I didn't post it...but I was sure I did.

Anyway...to recap...he was absolutely thrilled to have won an auction of 63 government surplus filing cabinets. Then he had to rent a HUGE U-Haul to bring them home - and then rent a storage space for three months to house them while he decided where he would put them.... He then bought a very expensive shed to house them - so he could store "stuff" in them. ??!

Yesterday he arrived home with these:

Goverment surplus chairs....
We are NOT buying another shed.

The Queen of MisMatch

2011-10-27T18:34:00.005-04:00

As part of Red Ribbon "Say No to Drugs" Week at school, Olivia was encouraged to dress all Mismatched today. Her teacher said that "she won!" - For sure she is a kaleidoscope of color and patterns!

We even mismatched her hair!

Not Enough Time

2011-10-26T22:32:00.004-04:00

I have come to the conclusion that there simply are not enough hours in my day. And how is it that I've come to this earth-shattering conclusion?...it's 10:33pm as I'm typing this and I still have a bazillion blogs I would like to read and a dozen things I need to do before I turn in for the night....not to mention that since we had church tonight, I didn't get the dishes done... I also neglected to help Olivia choose her outfit for mismatched day at school tomorrow. Which means we will probably be rushed in the morning and she won't be nearly as mismatched as she could have been had we chosen her outfit earlier.

I spent over an hour today trying to get through the next level of Angry Birds. Who invented that horrible time-sucking game anyway??!! And why could it not have been me??!

One hour was spent in preparation for our youth group lesson - we gave the teens a spiritual gifts test. OH!...what fun we had...not to mention the interesting things we learned about our small group of teens!

One hour spent overseeing Olivia's homework progress. She did fairly well on her own - which was good (because I was preoccupied trying to solve ANGRY BIRDS!)

Ten minutes was spent on the phone with the bank begging for mercy in hopes that they'll reverse the THREE overdraft charges that hit today when I realized that I paid bills out of THE WRONG ACCOUNT!!! What was I (NOT!) thinking! (Pray for favor please...they will let me know tomorrow if they are able to forgive any of those charges...) Ugh.

I know one thing upon which I didn't spend enough time ....eating. It's official - I'm hungry. My stomach is growling. I think I need to go heat up a bowl of that ham and cabbage soup Brillo Man made yesterday...

Yummy Deliciousness!

2011-10-24T18:04:00.002-04:00

I returned home after a long day...led a Bible study this morning - then spent some time encouraging a friend during a long, extended lunch - then picked up Olivia from school - went to the bank....thought I would have to cook dinner when I returned since I knew that Brillo Man was gone all day... only to find that Brillo Man wasn't gone all day! Change of plans! Yahoo...and he made dinner! Have I mentioned lately that I love my husband?

Trunk or Treat

2011-10-22T19:46:00.006-04:00

Olivia donned her blonde wig and off we went...to the New Beginnings Church Trunk or Treat Celebration.

Olivia was disguised as Taylor Swift and was elated that most people guessed correctly when she asked them to guess who she was.

She had fun collecting a ton of candy. She painted a pumpkin, went on a hayride and won a Webkinz duck. She was thrilled!

And as the afternoon was winding down, they drew names for some prizes for the adults. I said to myself, 'it sure would be nice to win a gas card,'...and then they drew my name for a $10 gift card for the gas station. God is good!

...and Now I wait...

2011-10-21T20:29:00.002-04:00

I have finally taken the steps to do something that the Lord has been calling me to do for a number of years. I will pursue my Master of Arts degree in Professional Counseling beginning in January.

All paperwork is complete...now I just wait for a response from the Veterans Administration regarding financial aid (as the wife of a disabled veteran, I qualify for education benefits!) Today I received a letter in the mail stating that they have received my application and due to "a great number of claims, action on mine may be delayed." Fun. Whee. So typical of anything having to do with the VA...ugh. Hopefully, the finances will come through BEFORE the admissions office will require payment for my classes. If not, I'll be taking out a student loan to get me through the interim. At any rate, I'm believing that the Lord will work out all the details. He has called me. I'm trusting He'll equip me.

So for now...I wait.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words....

2011-10-18T20:49:00.013-04:00

...or so the saying goes.

Our Pastor Marty is an amazing woman of God (Her name is Martha...but most call her Marty.) She is in the midst of an incredible sermon series entitled, "Thy Kingdom Come" and felt inspired to commission me to paint a "coat of arms", if you will, for our church. I am honored to be using the gift that God has given me.

This painting is about so much more than the coat of arms...it goes deeper...the Lord is doing a work in me through it...He is working on the canvas of my heart with each stroke of the brush. When I'm finished with the painting, I may share more about what the Lord is doing in my heart. But for now, just know that God is amazing....and I am a work in progress...just as this painting is a work in progress:

Pencil Drawing Sketch of THY KINGDOM COME
I spent considerable time reading
the scripture references which
Martha has chosen for her series.
And then spent some time in prayer...
and this is what the Lord gave me
(drawing time on the actual sketch: 20 minutes)

Adding a grid so I may transfer it to the canvas

Drawing on the canvas begins (Canvas measures 30"x40")
It took a little more time than 20 minutes
to 'grid off' the canvas
and transfer my drawing to scale

Filling in the background
Randy suggested the color...very good choice

The background complete

The start of the tree

More of the same

The tree complete...for now
Revisions to follow, I'm sure!

The ribbon...

And that's as far as I've gone thus far. I will be painting some more today. Just as this canvas is a work in progress, so is my life. The Lord is painting on the canvas of my heart...changing me, refining me, perfecting me, conforming me into His image. The goal being that I will reflect His character. It's a process. As an artist, I am reminded that at times the design comes easily and the paint flows freely and quickly, but often times, it's a more arduous task to make the painting look like the vision that is in my head. My prayer is that I may not be resistant to the work that He is doing in my life - and that I allow Him to create in me a masterpiece.

...more of the painting in upcoming posts.

Book Review: Stained Glass Hearts

2011-09-15T15:15:00.002-04:00

In Stained Glass Hearts, Patsy Clairmont sheds a different perspective on our lives. In showing us how to keep our eyes on Jesus, when the things of life attempt to cloud our view, we may see that the beauty that awaits on the other side of those clouds is well worth the patient wait.

You will laugh (as well you should expect when reading something by Patsy Clairmont!) You will cry. You will definitely be moved to think about your life in a whole new way.

The message is powerful and inspirational. I was especially fond of the fourth chapter, entitled: Enough to Make a Stained Glass Heart Sing. Being a lover of music, I greatly appreciated Ms. Clairmont's ability to "lift my perspective through Creation's music."

The book is filled with marginal quotes from famous people including Maya Angelou and Robert Frost. And there are links to helpful websites as well.

Stop and smell the roses. Be grateful in ALL things. Look at things from a slightly different perspective - and don't be surprised when you see the Light shining through the stained glass!

All in all, this book gets five stars!

Wasted Time?

2011-08-18T12:37:00.002-04:00

So, I sat down with my laptop - thinking I would very quickly check my Facebook account and then go about getting Olivia ready for a trip to Grandma's house. (A respite for Randy and I...not sure that it's going to be anything like that for my Mom...but OH, how I love her for her willingness to welcome Olivia with open arms for a few days!) Anyway...I found a facebook post from the Women of Faith conference which led me to a review by a fellow booksneeze blogger. And I then became completely enveloped in her words and spent over an hour reading through various posts of her blog, Rare Rocks. Felicity is an amazing writer and drew me right in - I was immediately captured by the story of her precious twin girls, one of whom is now in Heaven with Jesus...oh, how my mother's heart ached as I read the story of Ellery. I was reminded of the struggle Olivia faced being a premature baby. One, which fortunately, she overcame triumphantly. Ellery was not healed on this earth, but rather the Lord chose to take her Home. Her sister, Claire is connected to her emotionally in ways only the Father knows...Such a precious child!

One day, I may be reading Felicity's novel (sshhh..don't tell anyone she's writing a novel...that will be our secret!) but in the meantime, I will be following her blog. Why not stop by and read some of what she has to say...but make sure you have some time, because I guarantee you will be drawn in, just as I was! So now that I've wasted time (not!), I must get Olivia off to Grandma's house!

Book Review: The Final Summit

2011-08-01T15:16:00.002-04:00

Although I have not read the prequel to this book, The Traveler's Gift... and a little unsure of this book at first, as I don't claim to be a history buff...the author took me in and held me in his grasp until the end! Andy Andrews is a master story-teller.
David Ponder's wife wife of 28 years is dead. And along with her went his will to live. (This was especially poignant as a friend of mine very recently lost his wife - I found myself seeing my friend in the character of David Ponder. The archangel Gabriel has chosen David Ponder to find the one principle that will save humanity. In the process...he meets travelers..A few of the historical characters include Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Joan of Arc and Eric Erickson. I don't want to spoil the message that finally comes in the end, but I will say that it is quite simple. The book provides so much food for thought that I'm sure will find this to be a book that will challenge as well as entertain, a rare combination. I highly recommend this book...as you perhaps gain some tips to "work out your own salvation."

Yahoo!! Women of Faith Conference - Here I Come!

2011-07-24T18:57:00.005-04:00

For several months now, I have been reviewing books on BookSneeze.com. Recently, their site offered a chance to receive a free two-day pass to the nearest Women of Faith Conference. The venue nearest my home is in Pittsburgh, PA in October (which just happens to be the weekend before our sister's reunion in Michigan!) I was thrilled beyond belief to learn that I have been chosen to blog about the Imagine conference! In order to receive the ticket - I am required to post a badge on my blog - (see right) and write a blog post about the event prior to attending and then another after attending.

Having never attended a Women of Faith conference - yet always wanting to attend - I am REALLY looking forward to this time of refreshing and worship and teaching and preaching and fellowship. What more could a Christian girl ask than to spend time in the presence of her King along with thousands of other sisters in the Lord! I do believe it's going to be a glorious event! Why don't you join me? There are dozens of conferences throughout the United States! Find the nearest to you and plan on experiencing God!

Book Review: Max On Life

2011-06-10T21:37:00.002-04:00

Love Love Love this book! As anyone who has read anything by Max Lucado knows, he is an awesome author. In Max on Life, author Max Lucado shares his answers to life’s toughest questions. While covering a wide range of topics, everyday situations and questions are answered with not your average answers, but answers backed with God's Word. The questions asked range from very simple to very complex - but his answers are easy to understand. I have always enjoyed Max’s style of writing, and this is no exception. It’s easy to read, and written so that you can open to any page and start reading. Makes a great "on the go" book - or a great "bathroom reader" book (if you're into reading in your "small room.") I guarantee that there are answers to questions you have asked or are asking and I highly recommend this book!

Uninvited Guest

2011-05-11T17:05:00.000-04:00

Olivia left the screen door ajar.

Soon I heard a little bit of rustling near the front door.

Lo and behold....

I asked him what he was doing in the house.

He quacked a reply....
but I don't speak duck!

Silly Bird!!!

He was quite the unhappy quacker when I told him he had to go back outside.
I think he had plans to stay for dinner!

...never a dull moment here in "The State Park!"

Happy Mother's Day....

2011-05-07T21:48:00.002-04:00

to all the Moms ....but especially to my Mom.

Mom, you know I've told you many times over how much more I appreciate all that you've done for me ever since I became a Mom myself. The sacrifices you've made, the unconditional love you've shared, the way you've encouraged me and always believed in me...for all of that, I will be forever grateful. You deserve an armful of roses...
I love you! Happy Mother's Day!

The Bathroom Trash is Glowing...

2011-04-15T19:34:00.007-04:00

Glowing?

What? I must be seeing things. For after all, it's 2 am and I'm walking around in a dazed stupor - coughing my lungs up - with a horrible cold which is trying its best to turn into bronchitis. ....the bathroom trash can't be glowing! I hadn't turned on the light because I didn't want to assault my eyes in the dark of night. And there was no mistaking the blue glow coming from the black trash bin. I must be dreaming. Either that or I've seen one too many reruns of Close Enounters of the Third Kind and my mind is playing tricks on me. Besides, I'm coughing so much that I'm seeing stars. Must be hallucinating.

I return to bed, only to awaken an hour later - still coughing. Retreating once again to the bathroom so as not to disturb Brillo Man, I see that the bathroom trash is still glowing. This can't be. I go back to the bedside to retrieve my eyeglasses. Yes - even in clear view - there is definitely a blueish glow. Very strange.

Nah! Impossible! I must be seeing things. Wait. What did I discard into that trash bin? I recall it being in the kitchen after Brillo Man emptied it...and I placed some items into it before carrying it into the bathroom....hmmmm? I can't remember. In the morning, I must look.

Morning breaks. The light of day. What is in the trash bin? Oh my gosh --it's a piece of twisted up butcher paper with a plastic bag wrapped inside that had held the contents of last night's dinner: big, thick filets of Orange Roughy.

I immediately went to Google. Aha - my suspicions confirmed. Orange Roughy is among the many species of bioluminescent fish. The fish oil remaining in the bag was glowing through the white butcher paper...a blue glow. I wonder if the remaining filets which are in the refrigerator are glowing even now. I'm thinking I may go carry them into a dark corner and see if they glow...

Mystery solved. Good thing. I would hate to think that we were breeding aliens in the bathroom trash.

Book Review: REGGIE by Reggie Dabbs with John Driver

2011-04-04T10:45:00.003-04:00

Reviewing this book for BookSneeze:

Initially, I wasn't sure that this book would be one that would hold my interest as the author is a motivational speaker primarily to teen audiences. However, I have found this book to be delightfully funny and sad all at the same time. Reggie Dabbs shares many stories of his past which I think will bring out many emotions in his readers. Causing them to go deep into their past in order to conquer their future!

Reggie was born to a young, unwed mother who asked the only friend she had in the world, her English teacher, to raise her baby. Reggie was eventually adopted by the English teacher and her husband. He never knew his birth mother. The circumstances of his birth were unsettling to him - but he turned around the negativity of his past.

His book is filled with stories of his life. Some very humorous, some sad, some bittersweet - but all with a lesson. He compels you to look beyond what is in your past (and yes, even your present) and use it, learn from it - in order to make the best of your future. The book is filled with faith - and its transforming power! He gives all the glory to God.

At the end of each chapter are questions which would be perfect to stimulate thought and discussion in a group setting.

Reggie Dabbs is a motivational speaker - primarily to teens. He speaks in schools throughout the country. One day, when our daughter is a teen, I would love her to hear him speak.

I would recommend this book!

Sunday Song

2011-04-03T02:00:00.001-04:00

I've been catching up on a lot of reading on our sister's blog and am dedicating this song to all of us...who have been through various trials and tribulations in this life...yet we remain with God. And He, ever faithful, walks with us through the pain.

Sunday Song

2011-03-27T02:00:00.000-04:00

How is it possible that an entire week has gone by and I haven't had time to blog?...

Here it is, Sunday again....time to get your worship on with this one:

Sunday Song

2011-03-20T02:00:00.000-04:00

This song is in memory of my friend, Cindy. Too short were her days here on this earth...one day, we will meet again...

There let the way appear steps unto heav'n;
All that Thou sendest me in mercy giv'n;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

Cindy...I'll be checking in on MattMeister...as you smile down on him from Heaven...

Fast Falls the Eventide....

2011-03-17T21:30:00.026-04:00

...but I don't need to fear or fret

because I am basking in the soothing, glowing, warming light of...

THE EGG INCUBATOR!

Yep. The Erskine State Park is now in the chicken egg hatching business!

Olivia received a small incubator for Christmas. It has been sitting in the box - waiting for Spring.

The other day, Brillo Man returned to the house from his daily trek to the chicken coops. (Note - I said 'coops' - we now have two. More on that in another post)...anyway, he returned with five eggs in hand and gleefully announced, "They're still warm!!"

Hooray.

Okay - so he grabs the incubator (which was "some assembly required".) I told him he was on his own as I was busy cleaning the laundry room.

A few minutes later, he brings me a rectangle of aluminum foil and asks me if I can cut it in half.

Are you kidding?

Okay. Done.

The correct positioning of the foil is apparently essential in reflecting the heat from the small light bulb onto the eggs....

Okay.

The temperature is critical. It must be between 90 and 102 degrees fahrenheit. Preferably closer to 100.

Three hours later...we are still waiting for the temperature to rise to the occasion so that the eggs may be placed.

Isn't it too late?

What do you mean?

Haven't they eggs been sitting out on the kitchen table too long. I mean...they're no longer warm.

Doesn't matter.

Doesn't matter?

Nope.

Why not?

Because the hens will leave the eggs in a pile for awhile before one finally gets in a "brooding mood" and begins to sit on the eggs.

Oh. (What do I know? ...nothin')

SO...finally, after about four hours, the temperature is high enough that the eggs may be placed inside. By this time, Olivia is home from school and simply beside herself with excitement. She drew an "X" on one side of the eggs and a "deeley bopper O" on the other side of the egg. (Every "O" which Olivia draws contains a smiley face and antennae - or rather - deeley boppers.) We've got eggs with deeley boppers.... And they must be turned. Three times a day. The X's and Deeley Bopper O's will make it easier to keep track of which side is "the opposite" side.

Okay.

For three days now we've been turning eggs three times a day.

How long do we have to turn these eggs, anyway?

21 days. Or maybe 22. But for sure, 21 - but never less than that. (...says Olivia, the chicken egg hatching expert.) And you ABSOLUTELY CANNOT TOUCH THEM WHEN THEY START TO HATCH!

I knew that.

So how do we know if these eggs are fertile? How do we know they're not going to just sit there and rot?

Olivia informs us that she knows they're fertile because she saw the rooster jumping on the hen. Which, by the way, how does that work? (I'm thinking I'm not ready to have that conversation yet....)

SO....moving right along. I've been told that we will candle the eggs to see if there's an embryo developing.

Wonderful. When do we do that?

Neither Brillo Man nor Olivia has any idea.

Well...maybe we should find out.

Because I just went over and turned the eggs...and I'm detecting a fowl (pun intended) odor.

...I'm thinkin'...Tractor Supply will be selling baby chicks in a few weeks...isn't that easier?

For all you reality TV fans, stay tuned for...The Hatching....(the miniseries...)

_________________________________

She lays her eggs on the ground
and lets them warm in the sand...
-Job 39:14
_________________________________

Today....

2011-03-16T09:08:00.007-04:00

I will be heading to the lab to have my blood drawn. I hope the artist uses a nice bright shade of red.

Next stop...anyplace that serves breakfast! My physician did not specifically order fasting bloodwork, but being a Medical Technologist, I know that some of the tests the doctor ordered are best interpreted when the patient has been fasting. Needless to say - it's 9:15am as I type this...and I am HUNGRY!

Then I'll be going to The Good Shepherd Center to DONATE the things that are packed in the back of the van! Get those things out of my life and into someone else's who can use them!

After that...off to StuffMart to exchange a pair of jeans which I purchased for Brillo Man for Christmas...they've been sitting in the house for too long now. Wrong size - he needs a size smaller! (Wish I had that problem...)

Then I'm going shopping for new glasses. (Note to self, bring your eyeglass prescription...) I have been wearing my current pair for a little over two years. In that two years, I think my left ear has grown larger - causing my glasses to sit higher on that side of my face - causing them to appear crooked. Because they are. Besides, my eyes have changed...and I need a stronger bifocal. Again.

That all should give me plenty of time to meet Brillo Man at his appointment at the VA clinic...we're attending a nutrition class together. Maybe I'll learn something about how to reduce my jean size...

Hopefully all will be accomplished in plenty of time to be here when Olivia gets off the school bus. Because, after all....it will then be time to turn the eggs! (More on that in a future post!)

So...I'm off! Have a blessed day all!

The Things That Amuse Me

2011-03-14T11:37:00.012-04:00

It doesn't take much to amuse me.

I'm sure you've figured that out if you've ever read some of my posts.

The other night, I couldn't sleep. It was Saturday night...time to turn the clocks ahead one hour for the start of Daylight Savings Time. What time does that officially happen anyway? Ah.. 2 am. Yep. I can do that. I can wait until 2 am. But what to do until then...

I was looking for something to do to keep myself amused. There's always YouTube...and besides, I hadn't yet chosen a song for my Sunday Song post...

In searching for Sunday Song post, I somehow came across this incredible(ahem) makup tutorial for Lady Gaga's Poker Face Makeup (Whatever that is...) Nevertheless, it piqued my interest. And actually, the artist in me found it a tad fascinating after all.

Then I discovered a video that some filmmaker guy posted with his theory about a cross-dressing time traveler appearing in a 1920s Charlie Chaplin film - it's long - over eight minutes - so don't click 'play' unless you have the time. Of course, much is repetitiveness, therefore, one doesn't necessarily have to watch the entire video to get his point....

Phooey. I did my due diligence. It was indeed a hearing aid. Click HEAR, I mean HERE for proof.

But as the clock was ticking away while I was wasting away the minutes, I was about to experience my OWN time travel! It was almost 2am!! The magical moment when time jumps ahead and we lose an hour. Yahoo!

Guess what...you'll be happy to know that I captured the ENTIRE thing on FILM! (I'm thinking a film production career may be in my future, as the quality of what you are about to see just may astound you!)

Did you catch that? I hope you didn't blink. Because if you blink. You miss the entire thing! Just like that - in a split second...we all traveled ahead in time by one hour. Amazing.

Come back in the Fall and I'll show you how we all travel BACK IN TIME!!!

Sunday Song

2011-03-13T01:13:00.002-05:00

______________________________________

Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever.
-Psalm 111:3
______________________________________

Are You a Random Popper?

2011-03-11T15:38:00.001-05:00

Or do you prefer to pop in rows?

What am I talking about?

Why plastic bubble wrap, of course!

I was popping a sheet of bubble wrap. In rows. Because I'm a row popper.
When along came Olivia. She picked up the sheet that I had left on my bed and began to pop it. Randomly.

There's something all wrong about that.

Then she jumped on it!

Oh man!

Then she handed it back to me and said, "Here, I saved you some" and then proceeded to skip away downstairs to her "hang out space."

Are you kidding me?!

Now I have a sheet of partially popped plastic bubble wrap which is randomly popped - not to mention that it's now grimy from being pounced upon by an eight year old with dirty feet on my kitchen floor....

ugh.

I accepted the challenge.

92 pops later....it's all popped out.

And I feel good.

My tent (bubble wrap) is destroyed;
all its ropes (bubbles) are snapped.
-Jeremiah 10:20a

The Importance of a Name

2011-03-08T10:10:00.007-05:00

Has anyone every mispelled or mispronounced your name? Does it bother you as much as it bothers me? I thought after I got married that my name would be so much easier for people to pronounce. Nope. I was wrong.

E-R-S-K-I-N-E Pronounced: ER'-skin

It's not Er-SKIIIIINE...with a long 'I'
It's not ERKS-skin...with an extra 'K'
It's not ERKS-steeeen...with an extra 'K', an extra 'T' and a long 'E'

It's just Erskine. Period. Simple Easy.

In thinking about my name, I started to think about God's name. One thing led to another and some research revealed the following information about "THE NAME" of God. His name, of course, encompasses so many names - and He is called by so many names. But at the very root...Hashem.

Shem is the Hebrew word for "name" (the "Ha" before it is the definite article). The Bible speaks of Solomon's temple in Jerusalem as the place where God's name would dwell—the place where his people could pray and be heard. Jesus himself prayed that the Father would glorify his name through him. He also promised to do whatever we ask in his name. Philippians 2:9-10 affirms that God has exalted Jesus and given him "the name that is above every name."

______________________________________________
Hear the cry and the prayer
that your servant is praying
in your presence this day.
May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day,
this place of which you said,
"My Name shall be there,"
so that you will hear the prayer
your servant prays toward this place.
-1 Kings 8:28-29
______________________________________________

GOD REVEALS HIS NAME

Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven and said...

"Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name shall be there,' so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive...

"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and confess your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance...

"As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name—for men will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name..."

When Solomon had finished building the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do... the LORD said to him:

"I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there."
(From 1 Kings 8:22-9:3)

My prayer is that the Lord will teach me what it means to "hallow his name," to glorify, exalt, declare, and praise his holy name, to live in a way that honors his name so that others might find forgiveness, peace, and healing through the power of hia name.

God's name is associated with his glory, power, holiness, protection, trust, and love. To call on his name is to call on his presence. To act in his name is to act with his authority. To fight in his name is to fight with his power. To pray to his name is to pray to him. In fact, the very first mention of prayer in the Bible appears in Genesis 4:26: "At that time people began to invoke the name of the LORD" (NRSV). Though we are to exalt God's name and proclaim it to the nations, it is also possible to dishonor it, which is the same as dishonoring him. God's name is his reputation.

Though God's name is holy and powerful, it cannot be invoked as a magic formula. Rather, his name becomes powerful whenever it is uttered by men and women who are exercising their faith in God. Jesus taught his own disciples to pray by saying, "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name..." In John's gospel, Jesus prays to his Father, saying, "I have manifested thy name to the men whom thou gavest me" and "I made known to them thy name, and I will make it known" (John 17:6, 26 KJV).

When we pray to Hashem (ha-SHAME), we are praying to the holy God who dwells in our midst, hearing and answering our prayers.

ErKstiiiine...not so important....

Breakfast

2011-03-07T08:05:00.004-05:00

Breakfast: An orange the size of a softball. (And this one is small compared to some others from the bag which have already been consumed. Note - that's a SOFTBALL - not a baseball. This is a HUGE orange!

That's it. That's all I got.

Off to the eye doctor....Have a blessed day!

=====================================================

Then the land will yield its fruit,
and you will eat your fill and live there in safety.
-Leviticus 25:19
=====================================================

Sunday Song

2011-03-06T01:00:00.001-05:00

This song is in honor of Diane's precious Mother.

Book Review: Fasting by Scot McKnight

2011-03-05T13:00:00.000-05:00

At any given time, if you ask me what I'm reading, I may respond with several different titles. I have books in my Kindle - books in my iPhone - books on my PC - and books strewn all over our home! But recently, this book by Scot McKnight has captivated my attention.

Fasting is a book which takes on the subject with profound clarity. Such as none other I have read on the subject. The author stated something very early on which grabbed my attention. He says that fasting is not to be a manipulative tool to see what we can get, but rather fasting should be a response to a very sacred moment or event.

Repentance often expressed itself in the physical act of fasting. The moment of turning away from sin and back to God was so sacred and so filled with God's grace that the Israelites chose to refrain from eating.

Our repentance today doesn't often lead to the same place. Very good points to ponder in this book. We should fast, not because the fasting is some magic bullet to insure that our prayer requests are granted, but rather because the request is something so intense and we desire something so deeply. Eating in the midst of that intense plea would be almost considered sacrilegious.

The author states that he believes there are very real, tanglible benefits from fasting. but not to be utilized for what we want. Rather the benefits will emerge out of the greater context of fasting as we respond to the sacred moment. It is in our response to these moments that as we turn to God in faith that He will bring about the results that undo the grievous situations in which we find ourselves.

A study guide is included at the end which poses questions to stimulate small group discussions. All in all - a very good book - I recommend it. A departure from the "name it - claim it - fast it and grab it" theologies that sometimes infiltrate Christianity.

I felt as though I just needed a laugh today...

2011-03-04T01:00:00.003-05:00

___________________________________________
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine...
-Proverbs 17:22
___________________________________________

Flax Seed: The Low Carb Whole Grain

2011-03-03T01:00:00.000-05:00

So - I've discovered a new favorite snack. Salted Corn Chips With Flax Seed from our local Amish Bulk Food Store:

They are delicious! I decided to do some reading about the benefits of flax seed in our diet. I had previously known that flax seeds are good for us...but had forgotten all the specifics.

Let me tell you - this tiny seed is mighty! I learned that it carries one of the biggest nutrient payloads on the planet. And while it’s not technically a grain, it has a similar vitamin and mineral profile to grains, while the amount of fiber, antioxidants, and Omega-3 fatty acids in flax leaves grains in the dust.

Additionally I learned that flax seed is very low in carbohydrates, making it ideal for people who limit their intake of starches and sugars. And its combination of healthy fat and high fiber content make it a great food for weight loss and maintenance -- many dieters have found that flax seed has been a key to keeping them feeling satisfied. WhooHoo! Something to help me with weight loss issues!

Flax seed is high in most of the B vitamins, magnesium, and manganese - which is awesome, because when we are under stress we completely deplete our supply of B-complex vitamins in our body ...therefore ...flax seed can help out if I'm stressed! I am really liking these new corn chips with flax seed!!

AND...they are rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acid! Omega-3 fatty acids are a key force against inflammation in our bodies. Mounting evidence shows that inflammation plays a part in many chronic diseases including heart disease, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, and even some cancers. Yes! Omega-3...here I come! Bring on more of those chips!

Flax Seed is also high in fiber. You’d be hard-pressed to find a food higher in fiber -- both soluble and insoluble -- than flax. This fiber is probably mainly responsible for the cholesterol-lowering effects of flax. Fiber in the diet also helps stabilize blood sugar, and, of course, promotes proper functioning of the intestines.

Flax Seed is high in phytochemicals, including many antioxidants. It is perhaps our best source of lignans, which convert in our intestines to substances that tend to balance female hormones. There is evidence that lignans may promote fertility, reduce peri-menopausal symptoms, and possibly help prevent breast cancer. In addition, lignans may help prevent Type 2 diabetes. ...Don't even ask me about my peri-menopausal symptoms. This Flax Seed enriched Corn Chip can help with that??!! Whoa-baby! I'm heading back to the bulk store to buy some more!

And then I read this: Note that flax seeds need to be ground to make the nutrients available (otherwise they just “pass through”)

In case you missed it in the photo...my delicious, flax seed enriched, salty corn chips contain WHOLE flax seeds.

So... Nevermind.

Our Words

2011-03-02T01:00:00.000-05:00

I recently watched a show on the Oprah Winfrey Network entitled Master Class. The "teacher"?: Maya Angelou.

You know that silly question that you are asked every now and again - "If you could have lunch with anyone, living or dead, who would it be? I would answer that question with an emphatic: MAYA ANGELOU. She is someone I have admired for quite some time. She shares her life's experiences with a lot of wisdom and grace. And I think she does it very well.

During this show, Ms. Angelou spoke of the power of our words. She reminded the viewer that in the Bible it states, "in the beginning was the Word." She talked about how words are so much more than words - but rather they take on the flesh. "They get in the walls, in the floors, in the carpets." ....I believe that is so very true. Have you ever walked into a room after two people have "had words?" Have you ever walked into a building and just "felt" that something wasn't quite right?

I believe those feelings are the result of the words that have been spoken in that place. Negative words breed negativity. Positive words breed positivity.

We also know from God's Word that we have the power of life and death in our tongues. What we speak has the ability to tear down or build up. Our job as Christians is to edify one another, to speak to one another with love and peace. We have no business spreading gossip and murmuring and complaining and speaking lies about one another.

Sometimes we speak, not being aware that the very thing we say out of our mouths could cause dramatic situations in our lives or the lives of others. How many times have we spoken things into existence, and wondered later about the very thing that manifested?

We go through life day after day saying things about others and about ourselves not knowing and unaware of the words that are going out into the atmosphere to complete what we have spoken.

When God created the heavens and the earth he spoke it into existence. He said let there be light and there was light. In His word He says we will do greater works. If that is so and the Word says The Power is in our tongue then we should be able to speak to that mountain and it shall be moved, We should be able to speak to that bad situation in our lives and it shall be moved. We need not speak of the problem, but speak what the Word says about whatever situation we go through, by speaking the solution through the Word.

When we feel down we should speak and say that I am more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus that strengthens me.

When we feel unworthy we should say that I am the righteousness of God. When you feel as though you have enemies at every turn you should say that No weapon formed against me shall prosper any tongue that rises against me in judgement God shall condemn it.

We need to change our thinking. We do that by the renewing of our minds, reading God's Word daily. The enemy does not want us renewing our minds. The enemy doesn't want us to know that we have power in our tongue to speak to situations, he wants us to be ignorant to the Word of God, As the Bible says My people perish from lack of Knowledge.

Lets start renewing our minds through the Word of God...and begin to speak life!

Art. We Need More Art.

2011-03-01T01:00:00.001-05:00

Or at least I need more art!

I haven't been creating nearly as much as I should. And I miss it.

Something happens in my brain when I create art. It makes me feel good. I'm thinking that it must be akin to the addict who gets a high when he or she takes a drug. Or the endorphins released when a chocoholic eats a piece of dark, rich, sweet, creamy chocolate. I know nothing of the former....but I do know something about the latter! (Now I want chocolate....)

Moving right along...

This past weekend, Olivia and I created some art together. She actually held an art class for Brillo Man and I, teaching us how to make her paper dogs. At first, I thought we would be making paperdogs - as in paperdolls...a string of pups. But no, she had something else in mind. She instructed us to fold the corners of a sheet of paper in order to create ears. Then color the ears. And NO the center of ear could not be any other color besides PINK because pink is the official color of the inside of a dog's ear. At one point I reminded her about the old Harry Chapin song Flowers Are Red.

Still didn't matter, she insisted the insides of the dog's ears must be pink. (I must be failing as a parent...)

Step by step we made dogs - with crowns or hats. And they had to have names. She named hers SPOT - because of the spot around its eye, of course. Spot has the best crown. Because, after all, she is Olivia's creation. Mine was Sidney (Sidney was sticking out her tongue (created by Olivia) because Sidney wanted to have ears that weren't pink.) Brillo Man's dog was Beng (pronounced Benji - but spelled Beng because that's how Olivia spelled it.) Beng is cool because Beng is the one with NO spot and black ears! (I'm not sure how he got away with that.)

Next art lesson...we will work (again) on seeing things in different ways. I will remind Olivia that it's okay to paint the flowers (or the dog's ears) in whatever colors we want!

________________________
A Different Perspective
Deborah Erskine
February 2011
________________________

In the meantime...I'm going in search of some chocolate!

Heaven

2011-02-28T10:47:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about Heaven lately.

It could be all the unrest in the Middle East over these past few weeks which have caused me to dig a little deeper into God's Word regarding end time prophecy. Or it could be that I'm just tired and I wanna go Home...

And it seems as though the entire Christian community has their eye on Heaven. Last week, I watched a series of programs on The 700 Club, all of them featuring people who had died and spent time in Heaven or hell and then came back to share their experience. Each testimony was more grand than the one before - all of them fueling the desire in me to go Home.

I just cannot stop thinking about heaven. It's in my waking moments, even in my dreams. Perhaps the Lord is preparing me for what I believe will be happening soon, when those of us who love Him will hear that trumpet sound and be caught up together to meet our Lord in the air!! WOW. Can you even imagine?

If you happen to be reading this and you are unsure whether or not you will go to Heaven when you die, or when the Lord returns for His people (whichever comes first!), I encourage you to take a moment to make the most important decision you will ever make in your life.

God sent His only Son, Jesus, to this earth, to live, and to die. His death was for us. He died for my sins and yours. He took upon himself all the guilt and shame and penalty for me and for you. He paid the price that we don't have to pay. All it takes to receive this wonderful gift of salvation is to simply acknowledge that Jesus died for you, to ask forgiveness for your sins, and to allow His love to begin to transform your heart. He is waiting - with arms outstretched. He loves you with an everylasting love and longs to know you - to have a personal relationship with you. For religion is just that. It's religion. But with Jesus...it's all about relationship. Just let Him love you. It will be the best journey of your life - I guarantee it!

I look forward to seeing you in Heaven!

Keeping my eye on the eastern sky...

____________________________________________________________
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of an archangel,
and with the trumpet of God.
And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air.
And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Therefore comfort one another with these words.
-I Thessalonians 4:16-18
____________________________________________________________

Sunday Song

2011-02-27T03:00:00.001-05:00

Cart Man. I Mean Brillo Man...

2011-02-25T16:00:00.014-05:00

So...Brillo Man comes in the house the other day BEAMING as he exclaims with excitement in his voice... "Hey! Guess what I got?!"

Me: "It's hard to say..."

Brillo Man: "A Shopping Cart!!"

Me: "...a shopping cart...?..."

Brillo Man: "YEP!"

Me: "And what are you going to do with a shopping cart?"

Brillo Man: "Put wood in it!"

Me: "Put wood in it......"

Brillo Man: "Yep!"

Me: "okay..."

So the next day, I go downstairs to load some wood in the wood stove - and there it is....the shopping cart.

With wood in it - just like he said.

Wonderful.
Have cart. Will push wood. Because, after all, it's SO MUCH easier to move the wood around with the shopping cart... ahem.

So a few days later....

Brillo Man: "Hey! You'll never guess what I found on the way home from the VA!"

Me: "...it's hard to tell..."

Brillo Man: "ANOTHER SHOPPING CART!!!"

Me: "are you kidding me?!"

Brillo Man: "nope."

Me: "wonderful."

Brillo Man: "you don't sound so excited....hey, I had to do a lot of maneuvering to get this one - I had to turn around and go back up the road and some guy almost hit me...:

Me: "wonderful. glad you didn't get hit. ....and what are you going to do with this one?"

Brillo Man: "Put more wood it in!"

So...do you think there's some law against owning two shopping carts?

The way I see things, at least we're set if we ever become homeless...

Brillo Man dragging Cart #2
through the ten inches of new snow
around to the back of the house.

Reality TV. Someone needs to sign us. Seriously.

Cheerleader in a Cup

2011-02-23T03:00:00.005-05:00

There are days. You all know the ones. The days when you better not even think about talking to me until AFTER I've had my morning cup of tea. For most of you, it's coffee. Don't even talk to you until after you've had your coffee. What is it about that dose of caffeine that gets our brains and our bodies moving? I think Anita Renfroe says it best...it's our own personal cheerleader in a cup!

For all my java lovin' friends....

Writing the name of G-d

2011-02-21T03:00:00.000-05:00

As I have been researching various websites in my quest to learn more about Jewish symbolism and culture, I have noticed that every website from a Jewish author never shows the name of God written as such. Rather, God's name appears this way: G-d

My very first thought the first time I read this was that it must have been a typographical error. However, when it appeared again later in the paragraph, I knew it was intentional.

Further investigation revealed that Jews do not casually write any Name of God. This practice does not come from the commandment not to take the Lord's Name in vain, as I intially guessed. In Jewish thought, that commandment refers solely to oath-taking, and is a prohibition against swearing by God's Name falsely or frivolously (the word normally translated as "in vain" literally means "for falsehood").

Judaism does not prohibit writing the Name of God per se; it prohibits only erasing or defacing a Name of God. However, observant Jews avoid writing any Name of God casually because of the risk that the written Name might later be defaced, obliterated or destroyed accidentally or by one who does not know better.

The commandment not to erase or deface the name of God comes from Deuteronomy 12:3. In that passage, the people are commanded that when they take over the promised land, they should destroy all things related to the idolatrous religions of that region, and should utterly destroy the names of the local deities. Immediately afterwards, we are commanded not to do the same to our God. From this, the rabbis inferred that we are commanded not to destroy any holy thing, and not to erase or deface a Name of God.

It is worth noting that this prohibition against erasing or defacing Names of God applies only to Names that are written in some kind of permanent form, and recent rabbinical decisions have held that writing on a computer is not a permanent form, thus it is not a violation to type God's Name into a computer and then backspace over it or cut and paste it, or copy and delete files with God's Name in them. However, once you print the document out, it becomes a permanent form. That is why observant Jews avoid writing a Name of God on web sites: because there is a risk that someone else will print it out and deface it.

The Jewish people place such a high respect and reverence on the Lord...even going so far as to not wanting to risk His written name to be defaced. Perhaps we should take a lesson from their practice...and not be so casual in our approach to the King of Kings. Indeed, He is our "Abba" Father...but He is also the Creator and Ruler of the Universe....

Sunday Song

2011-02-20T03:00:00.001-05:00

Shofar

2011-02-19T03:00:00.000-05:00

Several weeks ago, I had a dream that I heard the trumpet announcing the second coming of the Lord. What a vivid dream it was! So vivid in fact that I awoke in a panic wondering why I was still in bed and not changed in the twinkling of an eye and on my way to meeting the Lord in the air. It took me a few seconds to realize that it was all just a dream. Incidentally, it's not the first time I have had that dream in the past year.....oh, how I long for that dream to come true! I don't think it will be long. The signs are all around us.

The trumpet that sounded in my dream carried a different tone than the brass trumpets of our bands today. Perhaps it was a shofar?....

The Shofar is one of the earliest instruments used in Jewish music, and is traditionally played during the month of Elul, which is the last month in the Hebrew calendar, and during the first ten days of the Hebrew year (the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur). The blowing of the Shofar is the only specific commandment for Rosh Hashanah. Just as trumpeters announced the presence of their mortal king, the Shofar is used by Jews to proclaim the coronation of the King of Kings. A person should hear at least 100 blasts from the Shofar on each day of Rosh Hashanah.

It is the one musical instrument that has not changed in over 5,000 years. The Shofar is a trumpet made of an animal's horn, but unlike a trumpet, the shofar has no mouthpiece. The Shofar is preferably made of a bent Ram's horn, but it can also be made from the horns of other Kosher animals, including those of a goat or sheep. A cow or calf's horn is not acceptable for a Kosher Shofar, nor are the antlers of a deer or similar animals whose horns are a solid piece. It also may not be constructed of an artificial instrument - it must be an instrument in its natural form and naturally hollow.

In Biblical times the shofar was blown to announce an important event, such as the alarm of war, to announce the New Moon or to announce holidays. The blast of a Shofar emanating from the thick cloud on Mount Sinai made the Israelites tremble in awe (Exodus) 19:16, "And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there was thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the Shofar extremely loud; so that all the people that were in the camp trembled." Thus the sound of the Shofar reminds one to strengthen their commitment to the Lord and arouse souls to repentance. The shofar is blown to show that God is accepted as King, as it says in Psalm 98:6, "With trumpets and the sound of the Shofar make a call out before the King, God".

I would like to think that when the Lord gives the order for the angel Gabriel to sound the trumpet announcing His second coming...that it will be the shofar that we hear!

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In the meantime....I'm going to keep on dreaming...

________________________________________________________

And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,
I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old (wo)men shall dream dreams.
-Acts 2:17
________________________________________________________

Stuff

2011-02-18T03:00:00.000-05:00

I have too much stuff.
Where do I put it?
Why do I keep it?
It just collects dust.

Things from my childhood.
Things from my past.
Things from then.
Things from now.
All in boxes.
A myriad of boxes.

Moved from house to house.
Room to room.
From the garage to the shed.
And back again and again.
And again.

Because I can't find what I need.
I know it's here somewhere.
But where?
Don't know.
Got to go out and buy another.

And then, it too, will eventually wind up in the shed.

Better to throw it away.
Give it away.
Gift it away.
Out of my life.
It's just clutter.
I don't need it.

How does that song go?
All I need is....love!

....and my myriad of boxes...

oh. help.

_____________________________________________________
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt,
and where thieves do not break through nor steal...
-Matthew 6:20
_____________________________________________________

The Story of Jonah

2011-02-17T04:00:00.001-05:00

This is Mary Margaret. She is amazing! She definitely has a call on her life - for drama - or preaching - or perhaps dramatic preaching!!
Enjoy!

The Star of David

2011-02-16T03:00:00.002-05:00

In keeping with my theme of investigating the symbolism of the Jewish faith, today I would like to share a little bit about the Star of David. First seen as a symbol in writing in a 12th century work, it has become associated with the Jewish people and their sanctuaries. The symbol only became heavily associated with Judaism when it was chosen as the emblem for the Zionist movement in 1897.

Symbolism of The Star of David

The Star of David (in Hebrew Magen David- literally ‘shield of David’) poetically refers to God. This six sided figure symbolizes that God rules over the universe and protects us from all six directions: North, South, East, West, Up and Down with the middle of the hexagram providing the spiritual dimension. A six-pointed star receives form and substance from its solid center. This inner core represents the spiritual dimension, surrounded by the six universal directions.

This symbol helps remind us that despite our efforts to accomplish things in this world, just like God decided that King David would be successful in defeating armies much greater than his own, so too God will help us accomplish our goals. This is why the Jewish people say, “Blessed are you God, Shield of David” in the third blessing recited over the reading of the Prophets every Sabbath.

In another interpretation, the two interlocking triangles represent the reciprocal relationship between man and God. Our good deeds are represented by the triangle pointing up to God and God reciprocates by allowing holiness and benefits to flow towards us. When worn as a Jewish Star necklace, it can remind us that we are walking with our creator on a daily basis.

Some note that the Star of David is a complicated interlocking figure which has not six (hexogram) but rather 12 (dodecogram) sides. One can consider it as composed of two overlapping triangles or as composed of six smaller triangles emerging from a central hexogram. Like the Jewish people, the star has 12 sides, representing the 12 tribes of Israel.

A more practical theory is that during the Bar Kochba rebellion (first century), a new technology was developed for shields using the inherent stability of the triangle. Behind the shield were two interlocking triangles, forming a hexagonal pattern of support points. Architect, Buckminster Fuller showed the strength of triangle-based designs with his geodesics. As Christians, we are to put on the whole armor of God - which includes the shield of faith. If applying the symbolism of the stability of the interlocking triangles, that futher emphasizes the importance of our faith!

I have a friend who is not of the Jewish faith (but like me, has been grafted in!) who wears a Star of David necklace. It's her daily reminder to pray for the peace of Israel.

I'm thinking that's not a bad idea either....

Shalom

2011-02-15T10:31:00.011-05:00

My friend, Pat has got me thinking about all things Jewish. We recently had a phone conversation in which she shared with me the deeper meaning of the word, "Shalom." She also shared with me that she has a mezuzuah - hence my previous post. Not to mention that she has been ending each of her blog posts with "Shalom." Our conversation has caused me to think more and more lately about our Jewish roots (for after all, I, being a non-Jew, am grafted into that faith!) Therefore, I've decided to do some further exploring...

Most know that the Hebrew word shalom is understood around the world to mean "peace." However, "peace" is only one small part of the meaning of shalom. "Shalom" is used to both greet people and to bid them farewell, and it means much more than "peace, hello or goodbye"....

According to Strong's Concordance 7965 Shalom also means:

Completeness

Wholeness

Health

Peace

Welfare

Safety

Soundness

Tranquility

Prosperity

Perfectness

Fullness

Rest

Harmony

and the Absence of agitation or discord

Shalom comes from the root verb shalom meaning to be complete, perfect and full. In modern Hebrew the obviously related word Shelem means to pay for, and Shulam means to be fully paid.

Jesus (Yeshua) is called Sar Shalom, Prince of Peace, which perfectly describes the ministry and personality of Jesus, the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6). Furthermore, Paul assured the Ephesian Christians saying of Jesus, "He Himself is our peace" (Ephesians 2:14). When you pray to Sar Shalom, you are praying to the One who is the source of all peace. To live in peace is to live in His presence. Let the One Who is called the Prince of Peace rule in your heart!

In other words, the word shalom is a mighty blessing!

Proverbs 18:21 tells us there is life or death in the power of the tongue. Therefore, whenever you employ the word "shalom" you are speaking into someone's life all the wonderful things that shalom means!

______________________________________________________
YAHWEH bless you and keep you.
YAHWEH make His face shine upon you
and be gracious to you.
YAHWEH lift up His face upon you
and give you SHALOM.
In the name of SAR SHALOM - the Prince of Peace.
-Numbers 6:24-26
______________________________________________________

Shopping.

2011-02-11T14:59:00.015-05:00

I've been shopping for a Mezuzah. For those who may now know what a Mezuzah is - it's something that those of the Jewish faith place diagonally and adjacent to the doorpost of a Jewish home. The Hebrew word mezuzah actually means doorpost, but over time it has evolved to mean the item and what it contains. What makes it important is the concept that the doorpost is the dividing line between the swirl of the outside world and the sanctity and safe haven of the home. Contained in the mezuzah is a tightly rolled piece of parchment made from the skin of a ritually clean animal on which are hand-written, traditionally in twenty-two lines, words from Deuteronomy, the fifth of the Five Books of Moses. Specifically, they are chapter 6, verses 4 through 9 and chapter 11, verses 13-21 --the Shema Yisrael:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One.
You shall love the Lord thy God with all your heart,
with all your soul and with all your resources.
Let these matters that I command you today be upon your heart;
teach them thoroughly to your children,
and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house,
and when thou walkest by the way,
and when thou liest down,
and when thou risest up.
Bind them as a sign upon your arm
and let them be tifillin between your eyes.
And write them on the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.
And it will come to pass that if you continually hearken
to my commandments that I command you today,
to love the Lord your God,
and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul
-then I will provide rain for your land in its proper time,
the early and late rains,
that you may gather in your grain,
your wine, and your oil.
I will provide grass in your field for your cattle
and you will eat and be satisfied.
Beware lest your heart be seduced and you
turn astray and the Lord's wrath be kindled against you,
and He shut up the heaven, and there be no rain,
and that the land yield not her fruit,
and ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you.
Place these words of mine upon your heart and upon your soul;
bind them as a sign upon your arm and let them be tiffillin between your eyes.
Teach them to your children,
speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house,
and when thou risest up.
And write them on the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.
In order to prolong your days and the days of your children
upon the ground that the Lord has sworn unto your fathers to give them,
and the days of the heavens upon the earth.

Very little about this important object has been left to chance. Including how it is hung. You might ask, just what is it that makes a mezuzah so important, and why is it hung on the doorpost, and if it is so important, why isn't it hung vertically?

The parchment, or klaf, is rolled from end to beginning, so that the first word, Shema is on top. On the back of the parchment is the Hebrew word Shaddai, one of the mystical names for the Almighty. Shaddai is also an acronym in Hebrew for Shomer Daltot Yistael, Guardian of the Gates of Israel. The mezuzah case should have an opening through which the word Shaddai is visible. If the casing is made without a window then some feel the word Shaddai or the Hebrew letter Shin must appear on the face of the mezuzah. The parchment must be checked twice every seven years. A mezuzah must be attached on the upper third of the right-hand side of the doorway as one enters, no less than one hand-breath from the top. A blessing precedes the hanging. A building not used as a permanent residence, such as a sukkah, does not need a mezuzah.

With all that, the mezuzah is more than an item. Maimonides, a great sage who lived during the twelfth century, wrote, "Whenever one enters or leaves a home with the mezuzah on the doorpost, he will be confronted with the declaration of God's unity....and will be aroused from.....his foolish absorption in temporal vanities. He will realize that nothing endures to all eternity save knowledge of the Ruler of the Universe."

So that explains why the mezuzah is important and why it is hung on the doorpost. Yet Mezuzot (the plural for mezuzah) are not restricted to the exterior doorways. Observant Jews affix them to every doorway of every room in the house except the bathroom.

Which brings us back to the question: why aren't Mezuzot hung vertically? One of the most famous French rabbis of the twelfth century was Rabbi Solomon Ben Isaac, who is also known as Rashi. His grandson, Rabenu Tam, felt that Mezuzot should be affixed horizontally for the sake of tradition, because the scrolls in their cases were originally pushed horizontally into crevices between the stones around doorways of homes. Rashi argued the Mezuzot should be affixed vertically, in such a way that the top pointed toward the Almighty. They eventually compromised, and agreed that the mezuzah should be hung on the diagonal with its top inclined toward the inside. The decision, allowing peace to rein in a Jewish home in the twelfth century France, is part of the message of the mezuzah.

All that being said....I have decided that our home needs a mezuzah. Now, I'm obviously not of the Jewish faith (--I've been grafted in!) however, I think it would be pretty awesome to have God's Word symbolically placed at the doorpost of our home. I'm not thinking that we need one at each and every doorpost...but I am shopping for one to place at our front door.

I have found two that I really like:

Nice, huh? Well, this one won't be hanging next to our doorpost. It costs over $1200.00 Moving right along...how about this one?

This one is really cool in that it says on the front (in Hebrew), "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." ....which is the same verse inscribed in a ring that I wore while seeking the Lord and asking Him to teach me how to be His bride. So - this mezuzah would be way cool. Not happenin' - still way out of my price range.

Maybe I'll end up making my own. I am, after all, an artist. I could do this.
I've also discovered that to purchase the Shema Yisrael prayer on a certified kosher scroll would be an additional $34.00 cost. Kosher? Don't know that it's critical in this non-Jewish household to be concerned about that. I'm thinkin'....I know calligraphy - I'll write it out myself on a piece of parchment paper.

All that being said...I'm going to clear a working space in my all too cluttered studio....I'll let you know if I ever get this project completed...(don't hold your breath.)

Note: some of the above plaguerized from here: http://www.traditionsjewishgifts.com/mezuzahdefinition.html

Happy Stuff

2011-02-10T23:20:00.006-05:00

Pat says she wants to know what makes me happy....okay...here goes:

1) Freshly popped popcorn with no "grannies"

2) Olivia's laugh

3) Watching the birds feed inches from our window

4) Bentley sleeping (anytime he's sleeping means a time when he's NOT barking)

5) The smell of Crayola crayons

6) A pot of Brillo Man's homemade soup simmering on the stove

7) The quiet of the early morning when I'm the only one awake

8) Chocolate

9) The sound of chirping tree frogs in the Summer

10) Peach Sherbet

11) Clean sheets and a duvet with a warm, cozy flannel cover

12) Fuzzy bedtime socks

13) School nights with NO homework

14) Nectarines

15) A full to the brim woodstove on a cold, wintry night

16) A bouquet of homemade tissue paper flowers from Olivia

17) Kisses from my husband

18) Antique shopping with my favorite man

19) A great bargain at the mission thrift store

20) Children's art

21) A card received via snail mail (anyone need my address?!)

22) Dear friends

23) Memories

24) Seven layer chocolate cake with chocolate icing and a glass of ice cold milk!!

Creative Genius...by BED HEAD

2011-02-07T14:57:00.008-05:00

This is National Hair Care Product Week. Not really. But PAT was sharing about her big fat sexy hair...so I thought I'd share about my BED HEAD.

Here's the deal.

a) I wanted to post a photo of the bottle of the product that I use so that Pat would know what it was when she checks her comment section and...

b) I was seriously in need of posting something silly as my brain is on the fried setting from all the seriousness I've been posting recently on our Sister's blog

So, there you have it. I use BED HEAD - because my once very thick, easy to manage hair has been reduced to much thinner, not so easy to manage, complete lack of volume, poker straight older lady hair.

I'm hairing (or hearing...I really didn't mistype that on purpose - but it works - so I'm leavin' it...) Anyway...I'm hearing from Mrs. Mac that we all need to be thankful for the hair that God gave us.

What does she know?

I'm lovin' my Creative Genius hair care product. ...brings out the artist sculptor in me! ha!

Brillo Man recently told me that I look like Sarah Palin.... ya think so?

Steel Cut Oats

2011-02-03T17:56:00.005-05:00

The other day I was hungry for steel cut oats. After some time of rummaging in the pantry, I located a bag which Brillo Man previously purchased at our local Amish Bulk Food Store....Yes! Success!!

Oh. No.

I see a bug.

I hate it when that happens.

Usually, I put them in a container --didn't do that this time.

One bag of steel cut oats just became chicken feed.

This morning...hungry again for steel cut oats. Of course, we don't have any because we haven't made a run to the Amish Bulk Food Store...

So....I had eggs. ...from the chickens which ate the buggy bag of steel cut oats.

I smiled as I realized that I did indeed have steel cut oats for breakfast.

...and then realized that I also had the bugs....

ugh.

7821....nope....

2011-01-22T17:38:00.003-05:00

Does anyone have any idea how many four digit numbers there are between 0000 and 9999? I didn't know either --but I was about to find out.

I googled it...10,000. Oh great.

...for that was going to be number of the possible options to unlock Brillo Man's gps....

We had talked about perhaps purchasing another gps because every time he wanted to use mine, it was also at a time when I needed to use it. Or when he did borrow it, he frequently forgot to put it back in the van and I would find myself ready to leave on a road trip and my gps is nowhere in sight. Several weeks before Christmas, Brillo Man saw an add on Cheapcycle for a Garmin Nuvi gps for only $50. Great deal! When all was said and done, I think he managed to get it for $40. ...even better deal! He brought it home, along with the paper on which was written the four digit code to unlock it and proceeded to then continue to use my gps because he didn't want to take the time to figure out how to work this new one.

Two days ago, he knew he'd be driving in unchartered territory and decided to use his new gps. He handed it to me and asked me to program it. No problem. What's the passcode? "Um, I don't know....it was written down on that piece of paper that the lady gave me when I bought it." And where would that piece of paper be? No clue. Sometime over the course of the weeks that have passed since he bought the thing, he's misplaced the paper with the passcode. surprise.

Okay. There has got to be an easy solution to this problem. I picked up the phone and called Garmin Tech Support. Oh yes - just drive to the location where the security code was set. ...anywhere within 164 ft of that location will unlock the gps. That's fine, except the person from whom he bought the gps lives 40 miles from here. Oh, wait, Brillo Man said that she moved and it may have been set at her OLD house which is only 20 miles from here. right. The Garmin people said that we could also send it to them along with the signed bill of sale and for the bargain price of just $89 they would unlock it for us. right. That's more than twice the amount we paid for the gps. Can't we send it it without a signed bill of sale? No, they want proof that we didn't steal it. (At this point, I'm thinking that I'll FORGE a bill of sale. Who would know?!) We ended our conversation with tech support, resigned to the fact that we'll have to drive the 20 miles to the old house location - or the 40 miles to the new one, in order to unlock the gps so that Brillo Man can stop borrowing mine. Or...there IS one other option....

0000. nope.
0001. nope.
0002. nope.
(oh, it's probably not 000...anything...what if I start in the middle somewhere...)
7435. nope.
7436. nope.
7437. nope.

....which wouldn't have been TOO bad except you had to wait 20 seconds after you punched in a number...7438 ...nope ...20 seconds ....7439 ...nope ....20 seconds...
...you get the idea. At this rate - it will take over 55 hours to punch in all 10,000 possibilities.

...Believe it or not, I spent the better part of the day (and evening) punching numbers - and punched in the entire 1000 of the ones beginning with a "7" (because I just felt like there must be a seven in the combination...) Today, I got up and started punching numbers. Again.

Brillo Man just looks at me and shakes his head. "You're having way too much fun with this...." "It's kinda like a challenge now." "I know, that's what scares me." ...a few minutes later he gets on the computer and sorts through all his email until he finds one from the woman who sold him the gps. And then proudly announces that he's sent an email and we should have the answer shortly. great. Now I can stop punching numbers.... except I don't. He's right. I AM having way too much fun with this.

He retreats downstairs to his man cave. Thirty minutes later I hear him call from the abyss...."DEB!" "what?" "...(unintelligible)..." "I can't hear you." ..."Olivia, go downstairs and ask your Dad what he wants." Olivia yells from the chair where she's sitting right next to me... "DAD! Mom wants to know what you want!" Pretty soon my cell phone rings. It's Brillo Man. "What?" "1560" "1560?" "Yep." "Okay wait....1560...nope." "Well, that's what she said she thought it was." "Well, she's wrong." "Are you sure you didn't already change it?" "No, because if I would have changed it, I would have changed it to the number that we always use for our passcodes and it's not that number." "Are you sure?" "Yes." "Well, did you try that other number?" (meaning the OTHER number that we sometimes use for our passcode.) "No, but wait a second...xxxx...YES!!!! It's that other number! I can't believe it. One of us must have changed it!" "Well, hadn't you tried that other number before?" "nope." "Why not?" "Because I thought that since it wasn't the first number that it probably wasn't the second number..." oy vey.

Anyway...now we have unlocked the gps. And Brillo Man is on the road...with the new gps... He has two stops to make. I programmed the second stop into the gps. I asked him if he wanted me to program the first stop... "No, I know exactly where I'm going." "Are you sure? Because I've unlocked this gps. You might as well use it." "Nope - I know where I'm going." "Good. Well, drive carefully. I love you guys - I'll see you later."

...so Olivia just called me on the telephone from the truck. We were having a nice conversation until she said, "Oh, wait, I have to go." "Why?" "Dad's lost and he needs the phone..."

True story.

Gifts for the Birds

2010-12-24T11:19:00.004-05:00

Olivia and I spent some time this morning making Christmas gifts for the birds. She spread peanut butter all over some pine cones and then rolled them in bird seed and tied them in various trees on our property.

...praying that your Christmas is blessed as you and your loved ones celebrate the birth of our Savior!

Sunrise

2010-12-09T12:13:00.011-05:00

I took a few photos this morning (before the battery died in my camera! I told Brillo Man I want a new battery for my camera because it always happens when I want to take photos - when the light is perfect - or the occasion is there - that I don't have enough charge in my battery!!) Anyway...back to the photos....You can click on any of them to enlarge, if you like.

Sunrise at (as Pat likes to say) our State Park!

I realize that the photo below would have been better without the tree in the foreground, however, it was taken from my kitchen window after I had already come back in the house. I was concerned that if I had taken the time to dress for the cold and go outside, I would lose the light. This photo doesn't do it justice, but those trees were literally glowing with golden light --very beautiful in real life!!

As I type this, several hours later, our blue skies are mostly gone. The clouds have rolled in...we're due for more snow!

Mystery Solved!

2010-12-07T10:54:00.008-05:00

For the past few days I've been sitting on my couch enjoying the view and wondering about these little birds:

I have been watching these four little charcoal gray birds, enjoying their antics. Watching them flit, float, fleetly flee and fly (no reference to the song in The Sound of Music ...ahem) I have never seen them at our feeder previous to this year.

Until this morning, I have been unsuccessful in determining the species, but then finally found them after googling "gray finch Pennsylvania."

May I present - the Dark-Eyed Junco. A bird which summers in Canada and winters in the northern United States. I guess we'll be feeding these precious little birds all winter. They are typically ground foragers. Since our ground is presently covered with a foot or more of snow, I'm sure they're enjoying the seed in our feeder!

The following photos are not mine - I found them on the web - a closer view! Our birds are darker in color, especially the males.

I will have to research which type of seed they prefer and keep the feeder well-stocked for the winter! ....my new hobby...sitting on the couch, watching the Dark-Eyed Juncos!

New Year's Resolution

2010-11-27T20:00:00.003-05:00

Okay. It's settled. I'm making a New Year's Resolution - starting today. The way I see it is if I make the resolution now then I won't feel as much pressure to follow through since it's technically not the New Year. However, something always clicks in my brain when Thanksgiving has passed - it feels like the end of the year is coming hurtling so quickly upon me and I can't possibly keep up with all that I want to accomplish. As a result, I find that I just choose to do nothing. I'm not planning to bake Christmas cookies, I'm not worried if I don't get the Christmas tree up until three days before Christmas. I won't be concerned if I don't get all the shopping done. In other words - whatever happens, happens. Whatever gets done, gets done. I'm taking the pressure off. ...which brings me back to why I'm making my New Year's Resolution now....no pressure. "What is my resolution," you ask? - Ha - now if I told you I'd have pressure to keep it! Not telling...

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2010-11-25T11:12:00.003-05:00

Olivia has stuffed the bird! It's in the oven....can't wait to eat!

I'm praying you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving as you reflect on all the blessings from God in your life! There truly is so much for which to be thankful. Have a blessed day everyone!

A Loooonnnnnggggggg Day!

2010-11-11T21:46:00.005-05:00

Olivia was home today - sick with a stomach bug. And I spent way too much time listening to episode after episode of SpongeBob SquarePants. (ugh.) And I listened to Bentley barking. ALL DAY! Brillo Man had errands to run - so he left, but before he did, he took Bentley outside and let him roam around in the old fenced in area which used to hold the chickens. We have a new and improved chicken cube now (not coop, cube - more on that in a future blog...)

Bentley would have to bark - because neither Olivia nor myself was well enough to make the walk over to the area where Bentley was unhappily housed!

While Olivia was busy working away on a page of math facts....Her new mug arrived via UPS. She was so involved in her math that she never noticed me going to the door, retrieving the package, opening the package and pouring her something to drink....AND...since Bentley was outside - several acres away...all of his barking at the arrival of the intruder (UPS guy) didn't register with her since he had been barking ALL DAY anyway....

Here she is enjoying her new mug!

Olivia began to feel a little better and volunteered to go bring said barking dog back down to the house... because we were tired of hearing him bark. Of course, Brillo Man returned home a minute later!

Bentley is now exhausted - asleep on the floor and Olivia is sound asleep on the couch...and I'm about to be sound asleep in my bed...if I can just get that SpongeBob theme song out of my head....

We've Got Chickens....

2010-11-09T21:34:00.001-05:00

...so now we get eggs!! Yahoo!
Olivia is so proud of her birds!!
(Bentley doesn't look quite as impressed!)

Pittsburgh...or BUST!

2010-11-04T19:45:00.012-04:00

Pittsburgh - one of my favorite places to be...

...although not so much when the reason I must be there is for an appointment with my neurologist...way too much time spent today in his office and far too little time spent in Pittsburgh!!

BUT...I did manage to sneak in an hour of trompsing (is that a word?) through one of my favorite neighborhoods, the South Side. (if you're from Pittsburgh, you must pronouce it "SowSide" - the "th" is optional!)

I grabbed lunch for $1.75 at The Pretzel Shop on East Carson Street.

This looked much better before I ate most of it! ...a pretzel with cream cheese disquised as a healthy lunch...with veggies on top! (not nearly as healthy as it looks!)

I also brought home a bag of pretzels! (more carbs...gotta love those carbs!)
It isn't often that I get to Pittsburgh and since I can't buy these anywhere near my home...I splurged!

I then ventured across the street to the S&S Candy and Cigar shop (what those two things have in common, I'll never know) hoping to score some Abba Zabba and Big Hunk candy bars! While they had every other vintage candy on the planet - they had no Abba Zabbas or Big Hunks! In fact, the proprietor didn't have a clue. Oh well...so much for my plan to surprise Pat with a package of Big Hunks!

Walking back to my van, I noticed this on the sidewalk...

...of course, I had to take a picture! As I did so, a gentleman called to me from the nearby Mediterranean Market...he proceeded to tell me that he and a friend put those pieces of ceramic on the sidewalk, hoping to brighten up peoples' days! He also said that over the years, HUNDREDS of people have stopped to take a photo!! It certainly put a smile on my face!

Crossing over the 10th Street Bridge on my way home, I leave my beloved Pittsburgh behind...until next time!

If we were ever to have a Scarf Sister Reunion near my home...this is where I would take you! Trust me...it would be tons of FUN!

Happy Birthday!!!!!!

2010-11-03T01:38:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday to my dear husband, Brillo Man!!

Wherever would I be without you?
I love you with all my heart!

Idaho....part three...

2010-11-01T16:12:00.011-04:00

Admittedly, I've been a little sad these past few days. I've been missing my scarf sister friends from the trip. I got to thinking this morning that I better get busy and post some more photos before so much time has passed that no one will be interested to see them anymore!

Here they are...taking pictures. I have more pictures of us taking pictures...I could start an album just of those (sorta like my coffee table water tower book - trust me - I have plenty of water tower pictures...ask me about them and some day I'll tell ya.)

This was outside the resort where we had a grand breakfast! Mrs. Mac's treat! She was so kind to treat us to several meals and an awesome boat ride while we were there! I had some super duper HUGE scrambler egg thing which was loaded with all kinds of stuff...including, but not limited to, Idaho Potatoes!

I made Mrs. Mac drive all over creation looking for this fence so that I could take a photo of it (I missed the photo op on the first drive-by!) I'm thinking that I'll ask Brillo Man to construct a similar fence somewhere along our property - perhaps surrounding the chicken coop - or as he calls it...the Chicken CUBE (more on that in a future post!)

Here's Mrs. Mac, Cheryl and Pat at The Greenbriar Inn - Sunday Brunch! Yum-O! Another treat by Mrs. Mac! She sure kept us well-fed! Brunch that morning was delicious!

At one point on our journey as I was tagging along behind (typical of me as I don't always move as quickly as I would like...) I spotted this dragonfly. Pat turned around and wondered what in the world I was doing...why, taking a picture of a bug, of course! (Pat did a great job at maintaining her patience the entire weekend! I'm sure it was difficult for her whenever it came to me and my lollygagging!)

We visited the Caltaldo Mission - a very interesting place indeed! I so enjoyed the architecture and the history of the place! Interesting fact - the ornate ceiling was stained blue with huckleberries!

Mrs. Mac humored us and drove us to Montana just so we could say we had been there. Along the way, I saw this Mountain --Look! It's marked with an "M" for Mountain! No, Deb...that's "M" for Montana!! Oh.

More Photos to follow...

Idaho!!! part two

2010-10-20T21:23:00.010-04:00

I, like Mrs. Mac, did NOT take enough photos!!
Here are a few!

Welcome to Idaho!!

Sunset the first evening - turning Lake Coeur D'Alene into a pool of silver...

I believe this is the oldest building in Coeur D'Alene....Mrs. Mac, correct me if I'm wrong! A beautiful church - now used for weddings, I believe - but not for regular church services.

On Day Two, Mrs. Mac treated us to a lake cruise! What a wonderful time - and the scenery - stunning at every turn!

Cheryl, Cathy and Pat on the pier - heading to the boat...

The photo doesn't do it justice...the view was spectacular! God's beautiful creation - created just for us to enjoy at that moment in time!!

There were a couple of guys on jet skis showing off their skills! I'm thinking that the water was way too cold to be riding a jet ski!!

Stay tuned for more!!

Idaho!!!

2010-10-19T22:44:00.002-04:00

I haven't looked through my photos yet from our fabulous, wonderful, fun Scarf Sister reunion in beautiful Coeur D'Alene, Idaho....but I DO have this one of a water tower...taken using my phone from the front seat of Mrs. Mac's van...as she chauffered us all over God's lovely creation!

I will be sharing other photos soon (even ones with REAL PEOPLE in them!!)

For now, suffice to say that I had the most wonderful time! Oh! The blessings of friendship - hearts knit together in God's love! As Pat mentioned in her blog - there are no adequate words to describe the weekend. It was stupendous!! ...a HUGE thank you to Mrs. Mac for all she did to make the trip the best ever! Love you Mrs. Mac!!

Playing Catch Up

2010-09-22T08:34:00.002-04:00

Looking back over the Summer, there are many things I could have posted had I been in "blogging mode." Many weeks ago - in the beginning of June, we spent a week in the mountains of Virginia at a Massanutten Resort. One of the things we did was take a trip through the Luray Caverns. Brillo Man and I had been there nine years ago during our Honeymoon trip. The caverns are even more dramatic than I remembered them! Perhaps because the first time we toured, I was too busy looking at my new husband and paid less attention to the stalagtites!

Here we are - some of my family. We had a great week together!

back row L-R: Brillo Man, Me, Sister-in-law Colleen, Mother-in-law Bonalee aka Bonnie, Father-in-law Chester, front row L-R: Daughter Olivia, Stepdaughter Kelly, Cousin Jessica

Notice how bright we were in our tie-dye shirts! Couldn't have lost us in that cavern had you tried! Although I think they tried....My father-in-law and I spent way more time than the rest of my family - in fact, they finished their tour an hour before we did! It was worth the extra time - got to enjoy Dad's company. I thoroughly enjoyed his great appreciation of God's creation deep in the depths of the mountains! In fact, as we were packing to go home from our week's trip, Dad commented that the whole trip was worth it because he got to see those caverns!

As for the brightness...I'm thinking that I will bring my entire wardrobe of brightly colored, tie-dye T-shirts to the Scarf Sister's Reunion! That way no one will be able to lose me along the way...just in case they try!

M R Ducks

2010-09-20T14:49:00.004-04:00

M R Ducks
M R Not
M R 2, C M Big Wangs?...

Okay...so Olivia has raised these two Mallards. (Once upon a time, there were three, until the neighbor's dog intervened, but we're not talking about that...)

These Mallards have quacked their way into our hearts.

We love the Mallards.

Not so much.

Do you see where they are?
Right in front of my studio door.
And when they're not in front of my studio door,
they are in front of the FRONT DOOR!

Needless to say - stepping over the duck droppings as we enter the threshold of our home is not my idea of fun. For one thing, Bentley isn't quite as careful as we are and is quite incapable of wiping his feet.

As I type this, the Mallards are tapping on the storm door and quacking.
I know that if I opened the door, they would waddle right on inside!!

Oy Vey!

I suppose I should be appreciative of one thing. They do match the house.

Tuesday Tidbits...

2010-09-14T12:10:00.002-04:00

Borrowed from Kell's Monday's Musings!

1. what is your current obsession?
can't tell you...yet...but it involves earning lots of money and being blessed beyond belief!

2. what are you wearing today?
currently jeans and a tie dye t-shirt (what else?)

3. what’s for dinner?
no idea. no plans just yet. got to go root around in the freezer.

4. what’s the last thing you bought?
pink glitter tennis shoes for Olivia.

5. what are you listening to right now?
Bentley shaking and scratching.

6. if you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
somewhere in the mountains, near a lake.

7. one thing you wanna change about yourself?
be less negative.

8. if you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
italy. (but I would have to stay longer than an hour!)

9. which language do you want to learn?
italian.

10. what’s your favourite quote?
"faith is the bird that feels the light and sings while the dawn is still dark."

11. would you cook for me?
um...no. who are you?

12. what is the right way to avoid people who purposefully hurt you?
just avoid them. and pray for them.

13. what are you afraid of the most?
dying before I see my daughter grow up.

14. who do you want to meet right now?
all my scarf sisters!

15. what is your favourite color?
i like all the colors. i can't possibly choose one.

16. give us 3 styling tips that work for you.
i don't even use a hairbrush...style? what's style?

17. what is your dream job?
artist.

18. what’s your favorite magazine?
Birds and Blooms.

19. if you had $100 now, what would you spend it on?
i'd put it toward airfare to somewhere....

20. what do you consider a fashion faux pas?
sandals with knee socks.

21. who according to you is the most over-rated writer?
son't know.

22. what brings a smile on your face instantly?
my daughter.

23. a word that you say a lot?
pitiful.

24. what are you going to do after this?
eat lunch.

25. what do you do when you are feeling low or terribly depressed?
sleep.

26. what makes you go wild?
what's wild?

27. what are your favourite movies?
tootsie, the sound of music, lord of the rings

28. what inspires you?
good art. good music. good people.

29. what do your friends call you most commonly?
Deb

30. would you prefer coffee or tea?
tea. (preferably earl grey or peach chai latte) i don't like coffee.

31. which other blogs do you love visiting?
TNTC (too numerous to count)

32. favorite dessert/sweet?
it's a tie between chocolate cake with chocolate icing and peach pie - depends on my mood.

33. how many tabs are turned on in your browser right now?
i have no idea.

34. when you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
i slept long enough and STILL have dark circles under my eyes...perhaps it's true that they are brought on by allergies...

35. favorite season?
spring, without a doubt.

36. one wish that you really want to see it come true?
can't tell you - then it won't come true! ;)

37. what breaks your heart?
the state of our nation and where it seems to be headed.

38. what's one thing you really want to do in life?
leave a legacy for my daughter.

Blessed Beyond Belief

2010-09-11T16:32:00.003-04:00

Okay - so you all want to know where I've been and what has been taking up so much of my time that I don't blog very often anymore....

...wish I could share it with you!...I will....someday!!

In the meantime, suffice to say that I have been blessed beyond belief! In a way that that I never thought I would!

And I'm still here...just doing a lot of lurking!

Bark

2010-07-16T00:04:00.002-04:00

I picked up some bark today while walking through the woods.

I'm thinking it will soon become integrated into a work of art...

Once Again...

2010-07-12T13:26:00.004-04:00

...sitting here looking at the blank space on my screen where I'm supposed to be typing great words of wisdom, or truths, or funny anecdotes. Blank. The page and my mind.

So...I defer to my reading list - Currently reading June Bug by Chris Fabry. It's an interesting story - one which has kept my attention - which is very good these days...

...about a girl traveling with her father in an RV. They are parked in a WalMart parking lot for several weeks as they wait for a part to come in for their vehicle. During the three weeks when they are parked there, June Bug sees her photo on the the missing persons wall and learns that she isn't really June Bug, but rather Natalie Edwards...and so the story goes. Her father, really isn't her father, although he loves her and treats her like a princess. ...as the story unfolds, little pieces of the puzzle are revealed. I won't give any of it away... just in case you may want to pick up a copy of the book. I have two chapters to go - and then I'll begin another of Chris Fabry's books which just arrived from my Paper Back Swap Club., Dogwood

And since I have downloaded June Bug into my Amazon Kindle and iPhone...I am just now noticing the cover of the book while retrieving it online to post here on my blog. There is a quote by Publisher's Weekly which states, "Fabry's retelling of Les Miserables is a stunning success"....hmmmm...now I may have to read Les Miserables...I've never read that one...nor have I seen the play or the movie...

Storm

2010-07-01T18:31:00.001-04:00

Storm moving in over the Allegheny River...photo taken on the way to my in-laws house....

to blog or not to blog?

2010-07-01T01:43:00.003-04:00

that is the question.

I just can't seem to get my act together these days to blog.

I would like to blog.

Really.

But just never seem to work up the motivation to do so.

Here's something...poor Bentley had a little accident - won't go into details - but just suffice to say that he had to have a few stitches....so now he's wearing what is humorously referred to as the "cone of shame" (reference the movie: UP)

Poor Bentley....

yesterday...the eggs...

2010-06-03T22:55:00.003-04:00

today....a turtle!

Upon leaving the house this morning, I almost drove right over this snapping turtle as it crawled across the driveway. Quickly, I called Brillo Man on my cell phone - knowing that had I left the scene, the turtle would be gone! Brillo Man wrestled this guy (or more than likely a gal...as it was far, far from the pond - probably just laid eggs someplace!) into a bin. And there it sat until he and Olivia took it later this afternoon to Riverside Park - whereupon it will probably wind its way through the river waters...right back to our pond!

This was a small one - the shell only about 14" in length. Somewhere lurking the murky waters of the pond are the monster ninja turtles! Beware of those! They can snap your toes right off! Brillo Man put the handle of an ice scraper in the bucket and WHOA!! you should have seen this gal go crazy!! Snapping every which direction! I wouldn't want to encounter one of these in the pond...for sure!! Did you notice the claws?! Ugh!

Eggs

2010-06-01T20:36:00.007-04:00

While Brillo Man was excavating a new "road" through our property today he unearthed several nests of snapping turtle eggs. While it breaks my heart that all these little turtles have come to the end of their life cycle, it makes to happy to know that we will not be hatching any more snappers into the pond! We have enough of them already!

There were approximately 25 eggs on the surface - many more underneath the dirt. Each slightly smaller than a ping pong ball and laid over 100 feet from the edge of the pond. They will make a nice dinner for the resident skunk or the raccoons or an o'possum...

Hempfield Elementary Annual Art Show 2010

2010-04-21T19:10:00.010-04:00

Paving the way....

2010-04-19T19:41:00.006-04:00

Last week we did this:

So that Olivia could FINALLY learn to do this:

She learned in just two days! And don't worry - she didn't get hurt in the crash, and in fact began to laugh when I told her that I would probably have to send the clip to America's Funniest Videos! She got right back on and started to ride again!

Next week....roller skates!

Felisol said it best...

2010-04-16T08:42:00.004-04:00

when she recently commented that it's difficult to express oneself in one-liners. And then Connie encouraged me (in the words of Led Zepplin no less! ?!?) to "Ramble On"...
So...ramble on, I shall...

That brings to mind a favorite line from a comedy album released in 1978 by commedian Steve Martin in which he says, "I'm a ramblin' guy.... R... A... M... B... L... I... N...... apostrophe.... RAMBLIN'" If I had a dime for every time I've quoted him with that line, I could take a vacation. In fact, I just used it the other day when rambling all over my friend's answering machine with my extremely long message. Of course, had she picked up the telephone and taken my call (and she knows who she is!) then she wouldn't have had to listen to my ramblin'!

Somehow this all connects somehow to a life lesson....give me sec and I'll think of something....

....

....

....

....

Okay....still working on it....

....

....

Come on Lord, I need something profound here...

ah ha...got it!....Had I not rambled on and on while talking to my mother this morning, I may not have learned of a new surgical technique which my aunt's friend recently experienced which may be something that will tremendously help someone I love make an important decision about an upcoming surgery.

So...rambling is a good thing!

Okay. I'm done.
Off on a mini road trip this afternoon to my sister's house. My niece is performing this evening in her very first high school musical! Bye Bye Birdie? Can't recall for sure...but I hear that whatever it is, it's an awesome show! More on that later!

"Be oblong and have your knees removed...
Go into a closet and suck eggs...
Criticize things you don't know about...
Live in a swamp and be three dimensional...
Get all excited and go to a yawning festival..."

(more quotes from the aforementioned album! It never ceases to amaze me what is stored in the deepest corners of my brain!!)

Okay. I'm really done this time.

Have a blessed day everyone!

The following has nothing much to do with the post...but it does feature Steve Martin:

Breaking the Silence!

2010-04-15T09:21:00.005-04:00

This is me, shouting....I HAVE BEEN SILENT FOR TOO LONG!!! THE TIME HAS COME TO BREAK THE SILENCE!!! LET THE SHOUTING BEGIN!!

Whew. There. It's now out of my system.

I don't know why I haven't been blogging. A combination of a whole bunch of things -probably most of my computer time has been spent over on my Facebook account where I have managed to connect with dozens and dozens of friends from my present and past.

But I am finding that I am missing my blogging and the ability to just ramble on and on about nothing in particular. You see, in the world of Facebook, you can update your status with a short statement. I think you're limited to 500 characters or something....but here in my blog world, I can ramble on and on and on and on and there's virtually absolutely NOTHING that you can do about it! I will not get a message when I publish this post that says, "your message is too long, please limit your comment to 'x' number of characters"...or something along that line. You'd think I'd know what it says, because I certainly have seen it enough times. In other words, I have tried to be my long-winded, rambling self on Facebook...but those who administer that page just don't seem to appreciate looonnnnggggg ramblings. humph! whatever!

So...we have much catching up to do...what has happened? Let's see...we went to Myrtle Beach on vacation and we got a new driveway... those are two big deal things...maybe I'll post some photos for those of you who don't "do" facebook and missed those photos...

Olivia started taking piano lessons and has her very first piano recital on Sunday afternoon! I will FOR SURE post something after that event! Although she is in the very beginning of her lessons, her piano teacher has commented to me that "Olivia has been given a gift in music...not all my students have that gift, but Olivia does. And musical ability IS a gift." And of course, there I stood, bursting from the inside...remembering that Word from the Lord before I was even married, when someone said to me that the Lord was showing her that "rivers of worship would flow from my belly..." At that time, having just stepped down from the worship team, I believed that it had something to do with that...but since then, the Lord has revealed to me many times over that the Lord was speaking to me about the future - when I would give birth to this little person, who would love the Lord and LOVE to sing and play any musical instrument she can get her hands on (including the harmonica recently purchased from our local Good Shepherd Center Treasure Store.) Olivia, FOR SURE, is a worshipper! She makes up her own songs to sing to the Lord and she sings ALL THE TIME! Only time will tell...perhaps she will lead many to bask in God's presence as she worships our King!

In the meantime...back to blogging!! You can look forward to more and more ramblings from me in the near future! I'm excited! Let the blogging continue...

Stay tuned!

MUFA!!!! (rhymes with loofah!)

2010-02-19T09:39:00.004-05:00

So....I open up my email this morning and glance at the subject line of a 'junk' email received from Prevention Magazine: The Cherry Chocolate Cake that Melts Belly Fat! Ah...an advertisement for the Flat Belly Diet Cookbook - filled with over 200 luscious new recipes in the Flat Belly Diet Cookbook, "the only eating plan that integrates MUFAs into every meal and harnesses their newfound power to reduce belly fat....Drop up to 15 pounds the first month...Eat foods you love and never go hungry...Get a flat belly without doing a single crunch...Protect your health and ward off a host of ailments...Start losing stubborn belly fat from day one...Every recipe is packed with a special kind of fat called MUFAs (rhymes with loofahs). It stands for monounsaturated fatty acids...MUFAs are the good fats you find in foods like peanut butter, olive oil, avocados — even chocolate! And even better, this new research demonstrates that: MUFAs actually seek out stubborn belly fat and help melt it fast! Quite simply, it's the most astonishing weight loss discovery ever!"

I don't know about you, but anything with cherries and chocolate mixed into a cake sounds divine! (unless you don't like chocolate---you know who you are!) But THEN when they claim that eating this delectable dessert (and other equally delicious foods) will actually melt my belly fat?!....well, I'm on it!!

Ha. Yeah right. Call me a skeptic, but I'm thinking that the only thing that's going to melt my belly fat is eating less and exercising more. ...or maybe lying in the sun on a hot, sunny beach in the Bahamas...

....I think I'll go check on airfares....

Snow Bounding

2010-02-12T08:44:00.015-05:00

This morning I let Bentley out the door and stood outside as I watched him attempt to bound over the snow. Trudging through 15" of the fluffy white stuff isn't so easy when the depth of the snow almost exceeds the depth of the dog!

He jumped and leaped and plopped and jumped and leaped and plopped some more until he reached his destination. He then came plodding back toward the house before being distracted by a scent and then he was off!...bounding through the snow again, this time in a different direction and before I knew it he was clear on the other side of the pond, snuffling through the woods, hot on the trail...of what? Who knows? Point being - he was nowhere near the house. I knew that no amount of calling and whistling and yelling at him was going to prevent his new-found cavorting. So instead, I came back in the house, trudged out to the garage, got in the van and proceeded to drive up the driveway.

Every time Bentley hears the van (or the truck - or even the tractor, for that matter!) he will come charging from wherever he is in time and space to ensure that he gets to ride along!

However, this morning, his 'charge' would better be described as a 'footslog', plugging along in the fluffy white stuff which exceeds the depth of the dog!

Finally, he rallied and was safe and warm and heavily panting in the van! I drove back into the garage and we came inside where he is presently positively pooped out and sleeping at my feet! Exhausted. Spent. Ah, if only he didn't have quite so much of the fluffy white stuff through which to plod. Perhaps had he stuck to the paths made yesterday by the wheels of the tractor or the boot tracks made by Brillo Man, instead of schlepping through the 15 inches of fluffy white stuff that is deeper than the dog, he would have had an easier time!

Coincidentally, (or not!) I reached for the morning paper and noticed the Bible Thought printed on Page 4 which reads:

Let thine eyes look right on,
and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Ponder the path of thy feet,
and let all thy ways be established.
-Proverbs 4:25, 26

When we travel through our day, how much easier it is to stick to the path that has already been established for us. We know that the Holy Spirit goes before us to prepare the way; to clear the path, so to speak. Trudging and schlepping on a path not prepared is just as difficult as trying to bound and leap through a lot of fluffy white stuff that is deeper than the dog! Even though the white stuff looks beautiful, it's not easy to walk through. If someone hasn't cleared a path, we end up plodding and plopping, instead of dancing and prancing.

This day, I choose to fix my eyes on my Jesus and follow the path which He has prepared. I intend to prance - not plop! How about you?

Note: The dog in the above photo is not Bentley, although Bentley is indeed a Schnauzer, he looks nothing like that pooch!

Our Signature Scent

2010-02-09T15:31:00.009-05:00

Isn't it amazing how scents can bring memories to the forefront of our brains? The smell of crayons, wood burning in the woodstove, homemade spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove...all transport me to places in my past and bring to mind people and places held dear to my heart!

There are celebrities who have fragrances named after them. Fans can identify with an actress or singer by dabbing on the scent bearing her name. I read that Ladies Home Journal Magazine published a quiz to help readers determine the perfect fragrance for them - the idea being that every woman should have a specific scent associated with her.

The idea of a signature scent is not new. God introduced it as part of worship. In the tabernacle, a certain scent was to be associated with the Lord. The people were forbidden to use this scent for anything but worship.

Then the LORD said to Moses,
"Take fragrant spices—gum resin,
onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense,
all in equal amounts,
and make a fragrant blend of incense,
the work of a perfumer.
It is to be salted and pure and sacred.
Grind some of it to powder and place it
in front of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting,
where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you.
Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves;
consider it holy to the LORD.
- Exodus 30:34-37
Under the new covenant, instead of using incense to make people think of Him, God uses Christians as His "signature scent" to the world.

But thanks be to God,
who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ
and through us spreads everywhere
the fragrance of the knowledge of him.
For we are to God the aroma of Christ
among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
-2 Corinthians 2:14-15

The fact that God identifies Himself with us in such a powerful way is a truly humbling thought. A life lived for God has a pleasing aroma.....what does your "signature scent" say about you? May you spend so much time soaking up the presence of the Lord that others can't help but recognize by your "aroma" that you've been in the presence of the King!

(thoughts inspired by my daily devotional - Our Daily Bread)

The Cloud-Rider

2010-01-29T17:08:00.003-05:00

First of all, let me begin by saying that throughout most of my life I read from a King James Bible. Just because that was the version with which I was raised and the one that was read from the pulpit in church. Whenever they started coming out with all these other versions, I was quick to point out that, "oh my gosh...you better be careful, they may have lost something in the translation...you could be missing a key word..." Eventually I broke down and bought a NEW King James Version. ha! It's basically the same except they've changed "Thee" and "Thou" to You. ...Making it a tad easier to understand.

This year - I've REALLY broken out of my comfort zone. I have chosen to read the Bible through this year using THE MESSAGE! Gasp! The Message?!...is that even a real Bible?! Easy language for easy understanding and interpretation and application. Sounds good.

This morning I read this from Psalm 68:
"When the righteous see God in action
they'll laugh, they'll sing,
they'll laugh and sing for joy.
Sing hymns to God, all heaven, sing out;
clear the way for the coming of Cloud-Rider.
Enjoy God, cheer when you see Him!"

I don't know about you - but I thought it was kinda cool that Jesus is named Cloud-Rider! I think that's a pretty awesome descriptive name for the One who is going to return riding on the clouds!

...Behold He comes, riding on the clouds, shining like the sun, at the trumpet call, so lift your voice, it's the year of Jubilee, out of Zion's hill Salvation comes!

I'm thinkin' I'm likin' this Message version!

Check List

2010-01-26T17:45:00.002-05:00

Dinner prepared for whenever Brillo Man and Olivia decide to eat. (BBQ Spare Ribs, Mashed Potatoes and Veggie of their choice.

Snack prepared for the WOW (Women of Worth) Meeting at church tonight. (Haystack Cookies - Super Simple - Chinese Noodles - Butterscotch Chips - Chocolate Chips - Peanuts - Melted together for super sweet deliciousness and spooned onto wax paper to set up.

200+ burrs removed from Bentley's fur.

Hair fixed (Mine, not Bentley's), Make-up Applied.

iPhone charged and ready to take with me MUCH to the dismay of Olivia who wants to use it for playing games!

Heading out the door for a fun night of fellowship with my church peeps!
(That is the first time in my life I have EVER referred to anyone as a "peep.")

Break

2010-01-23T14:08:00.007-05:00

Okay - I've been on a break from blogging.

No reason - other than I just can't seem to get my thoughts together for more than a few lines at a time.

I post on Facebook - only need a sentence or two there - in fact, you're limited in the number of characters that you may post in a Facebook status - so that's perfect for me when I'm having trouble putting more than a few words together at a time!

I've been reading all my friends' blogs - and lurking (taking lessons from Pat - when she's on Facebook, you never know she's there unless she suddenly pops up with a comment.) I, on the other hand, am always logged on to that page - even though most of time time I'm off doing something else. People are always trying to chat with me and I'm really not there - even though they think I am. I think perhaps I should block my chat status and become a "lurker" there too.

Nothing special happening here - spending some time working on a writing project - more on that in the future - which is another reason why I'm spending less time writing here, I guess.

I just wanted to post to say that I'm still here!

Now I'm off to StuffMart to buy some toiletries for our troops in Iraq. My dear friend Dawna's son is stationed there, working as a medic. He has requested some supplies for his comrades. If you're interested and would like to help, they're in desperate need of: Toothbrushes, Deodorant, Men's Underwear and Women's Sports Bras.
Items may be packaged and sent to: Donations Coordinator: TSgt Amanda Gross 332 EAMDS/CASF APO, AE 09315-9997

Okay --I'm off! (In more ways than one!) Oh, and that grapefruit photo has absolutely nothing to do with this post. I just liked it. ...think I'll pick up some grapefruit at StuffMart too!

Apron Giveaway

2010-01-09T17:30:00.003-05:00

Click here to enter a giveaway for this cute apron!

No Two Alike

2010-01-05T13:30:00.003-05:00

"Olivia, did you know that no two snowflakes are alike?"

"Not true, Mom."

"Yes, it is."

"How do you know, is it in the Bible?"

"Well, no...but scientists have figured out that no two are alike."

"Mom, they would have to look at every single snowflake to know that. They can't do that - so it's not true."

"Yes, Olivia it is true."

"No it's not."

"When we get in the house, we'll research it on the internet."

"Just because it's on the internet doesn't mean it's true."

"You're right, but it IS true that no two snowflakes are alike."

"It's not true. Have YOU looked at all of them?!"

"No, Olivia."

"It's not true. It's not in the Bible..."

"Okay Olivia, whatever..."

He says to the snow, "Fall on the earth..."
-Job 37:6

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T01:01:00.003-05:00

2010. Wow.

I can remember being in elementary school thinking ahead to the year 2010 - knowing that this would be the year that I turn 50. And I remember thinking..."wow, that's really old!" Now, not so much!

It's here. 2010. And I'm not so old. In fact, in my heart, I still feel as young as that child I once was.

We toasted the New Year with a bottle of Sparkling White Grape Juice which Brillo Man had chilled in the snow outside - then I lit a couple fireworks while Olivia lit some sparklers and danced around doing a Happy New Year dance - filled with excitement and life - bouncing and bubbling all over the place!

Brillo Man watched her dance and commented, "oh, to be seven again..." And then he promptly went to bed!

I'm still here - dancing - if only in my heart!

Happy New Year Everyone! May the Lord fill this coming year with blessings. And may you walk ever closer to His side, recognizing His faithfulness and love which He bestows upon His children in abundance!

Movie Monday - Give Me Jesus

2009-12-28T03:48:00.001-05:00

Christmas Eve

2009-12-24T21:05:00.004-05:00

Art Drawing for Santa.....check

Cookies for Santa....check

Hot Cocoa for Santa....check

Carrots and Celery for the Reindeeer....check

Olivia tucked into bed fast asleep....um....nope.