He touched me...

He touched me ... yes, He did!!  And, He can touch you too!!

Morning dawns, a new day begins.  I am given the gift of this day ... time to use as I choose...  Ah yes...the smell of Kona coffee beckons me from my bed and I shuffle to the kitchen rubbing my eyes and scratching my itches!  All I need to appear more ridiculous is a pair of big fluffy slippers.  Somehow, I've always hated having my feet suffocated in house shoes.  I wear flip flops most of the time until the temperature drops and I can pull on my boots.  I LOVE my boots!!  Now how did I get from planning my day to itching to my feet to my boots??  Oh well, it's early.

Come on over and sit a spell with me and let's chat awhile.  I had visions of sitting amongst flowers and newly planted bushes this summer in the back yard at the little casa.  You've heard that story ... the best laid plans...  Well, I am sitting in the backyard surrounded by dead leaves and bushes struggling to survive the horrendous heat we've experienced this Summer.  I can't remember the last time we had any rain.  It's hard to look around me and think lovely thoughts but believe me I'm trying to see the humor in all of this.  Ever have one of those things that you try and try and try and it just doesn't seem to work?  Last night I thought I would prune some of my plants so that the struggle would be to develop roots giving them a chance to flourish next year.  Yes, I am one of those proverbial positive thinkers!!

Have you ever bought something that you thought was going to work in a room then realized what an awful piece it was once it came in from the car.  I needed a floor lamp and saw one on display at Lowe's.  It was placed high on a shelf in a dimly lit spot ... it looked good from the floor and they had plenty in stock.  I asked the clerk how they could get that lamp in such a small box and he assured me that it would be ok.  That should have been my first clue.  I took the lamp home and opened the box.  Oh good grief ... The stem of the lamp was in four pieces and the shade was as flat as a pancake.  The directions to make the lamp shade work sounded easy enough so I pushed and prodded the stems into the top of the shade.  The fabric of the shade was the ugliest stuff I've ever seen.  Now...I need to take the thing apart and put it back into that little box.  I learned my lesson about buying something basing it on a dimly lit display that breaks down into a little bitty box!!  I am vowing to buy only things that I can see right before me in bright light!!  Augh....looks like I will be making a trip to Waco today.  I don't want that ugly lamp getting too comfortable in the living room! 

I thoroughly enjoy playing with my home ... the basic pieces stay the same but I love adding accessories based on the season.  When I was in Minnesota, I bought a lovely picture of an old Norwegian woman packing a wedding trunk.  I just love sitting and looking at the faces and wondering what the artist was trying to say through his brush.  I look around my home and wonder what it says about me and my life.   I doubt if anyone would ever find me boring!  I do love color!!  I am still thinking I would like to paint with oils ... I'd need to drive to Waco!!  Sounds like I will be burning up the roads around this little town traveling to destinations that have more to offer as I continue on my journey of life.

One of the most difficult things about living with a chronic illness is not always being able to go and do when "I" would like to.  I remember my grandmother sitting in her chair while others came in and out of her home.  What joy she must have felt watching her children and their children and their children grow right before her eyes.  We have the Internet to send photos now and what is that gadget ? Skype?  Somehow, I think that seeing our loved ones in person is better ... maybe that's because I am a touchy feely person!!  I go to visit Mom S nearly every day and am fully aware that one day I may be in her place.  We come full circle in life all too soon!

What are you up to today?  Doing something special?  Just about anything is special to me ... I'm just a big kid with my eyes wide open and my hands grabbing on to all the adventures I come across!  I've started putting songs at the top of my blogs ... I enjoy listening to the music as I type.  He Touched Me ... Why does this song reach out to me?  As I was scrambling through the ups and downs of life, he grabbed ahold of me and didn't let go.   When I was at my lowest, he lifted me out of the muck and mire and placed me on His lap.  Do you know what it feels like to know love when you're unlovable?  As human beings, we have limitations but God doesn't.  He knew me before I was thought of ... he formed me and gave me this crazy personality.  He has used me and gifted me and, people, I am so grateful, I could just shout for joy!!

My neighbor, Beverly, continues to minister to me regarding my wardrobe ... She loves to dress up and has this flair about her ... she's tall and thin and has this striking red hair.  She also has this tremendous will power when it comes to food.  Sometimes, I feel like a petite little grandma next to her.  I am working on it though and my closet has some new stuff in it that makes me a little more "stylish!"  Fortunately (or unfortunately?!), I met some pretty great cooks while I was in Minnesota and couldn't manage to push my plate away when I should have.  I am doing what I need to though to get back in the groove and that's what's important.  I guess I do have some will power!!

I guess I had best go back into the house and get set for my day.  Would you believe I am feeling some sprinkles?  Not enough to matter but I'll take sprinkles over the blazing hot sun any day!  Come on rain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for joining me for a steaming hot cup of coffee this morning.  I just know that we're going to have one wonderful day ... no matter what comes our way!!  Enjoy the life God has given you!!  All too soon ... yes, all too soon, we must rest!

Always With God...

"We live in a broken world.  Inside us there beats a heart that has been broken more times than we'd care to remember.  But there will always be someone to help us pick up the shattered pieces and begin the process of repair.  Sometimes with glue, sometimes with love, sometimes with miracles.  Always with God."~~Naomi Levy

Good Evening, Readers!  It's a beautiful night ... a time to read and reflect and write.  I've started taking my bath right after dinner and enjoy the few hours afforded me of rest and relaxation.  It's a habit I got in to when I had cataracts and had to curtail my night driving.  Now that I have new eyes, I guess I should rethink my "habit" but it helps me be a more effective human being.

I've been busy knitting the past couple days.  The last thing I fashioned was a baby sweater when I was pregnant with daughter, Jane so it's been awhile since I picked up some yarn and needles.  I am hoping that the knitting will help my fingers stay limber.  I have an idea of what I want my creation to look like ... I've finished the main part and now it's just doing the accessorizing.  Yea!  Hopefully, I will have my project completed by the end of the weekend!  Unveiling to come soon!  When I was in high school, I liked to fashion and make some of my own clothes.  Guess I've always had that creative side of me bubbling!

My hubby has been beset by digestive issues for many years.   He loves carbs and sweets ... not too good for what ails him!!  One of the things that I was convicted of during my time away was that I needed to get back in the swing of cooking and baking in hopes that taking all the preservatives out of the food would help (not only him but me too).  I brought back some veggies with me from my sister in law's garden in Minnesota and have enjoyed putting together some salads and other goodies.  I used to be a darn good cook and look forward to finding new recipes ... today I whipped up a shrimp salad along with a rhubarb dessert.  Yummy!  It's nice to read through cook books again!

Despite the hot weather (107 today), it is nice being back at the little casa.  I've been doing some decorating for Fall and putting Summer accessories away.  I love the Fall colors ... so festive!  The city has been working on the street and water lines in front of the house so I'll need to curtail my outdoor decorating until mid September which is ok ... maybe it'll be cooler then!

There is an article in Good Housekeeping entitled Broken Dishes, written by Naomi Levy.   It's a story about a family coming together in love after some china was broken by one of the children.  It's a story about doing without ... a story about the gift of china ... a story about forgiveness and finally, restoration.  I won't give the entire story line away in case you want to read it yourself.  Like usual, the story awakened some memories I had about a glass basket that I received from my mother that was broken by one of my step-granddaughters and a doll that I purchased on a trip to London that was annihilated by my dog, Petey.  Every time I walk into an antique store, I look for a clear basket with a red handle and for a doll ... one made of cloth with a wig of human hair.  I will probably never ever stop looking until I find them.  I don't feel disappointment ... what I do find is that it is a challenge fueled by hope!

Not sure why but I have really been struggling with Fibromyalgia since I left Minnesota ... my ankle is still aching and migraines have blown my head off.  When I have a lot of pain, I tend to sleep a lot which really gets in the way of my enjoyment of life.  Yesterday, I asked Michael if we could take a day trip to Cleburne just to get out of the house for awhile.  Cleburne is a small Texas town with some great little restaurants and shops.  We had lunch at the Lemon Sisters Bakery ... the baked potato soup and caesar salad was perfectly prepared and hit the spot.  We did some antique looking and found an old washboard.  I'd seen one at my friend Elaine's home and liked how she had it displayed.

Wall Mural - Cleburne, TX

I am submitting a couple stories for possible publication.  If any of my reader's have a favorite blog that touched them, please let me know.  I also may resurrect my former company, The Madison Belle Media Group.  The stories entered in contests have nice money prizes which would allow me to publish my Hamilton Elf Children's Series of books and have them illustrated.  Hey, I won't make any money unless I try!!

Last night, I woke up in the middle of the night and decided to water my plants while it was still cool.  I've given up on the annuals and have been pulling those up while still trying to keep the other plants alive.  Sadie and Toby also like to be outside in the middle of the night ... they perch themselves up on the storm cellar and watch me drag hoses around.  This morning, I opened one eye, then the other and decided that I would get up and try a church here near the little casa.  I strapped on my brace and away we went.  There were quite a few folks there that remembered Michael and welcomed us with open arms.  It gets too easy for me to hibernate when I hurt ... something I battle more and more lately.

One of the songs sung in church this morning was Change My Heart Oh God.  Tears welled up in my eyes and I felt God's warmth flooding throughout my body.  When people ask me how I have survived and thrived, I answer ... "by the grace of my Lord Jesus I am of sound mind and a healthy heart."  I realize that I don't need to go to church to be a Christian; however, when I do go, I sure feel better mind, body, and soul!!  I've moved so many times and I'm tired ... I've been bruised where bruises can't be seen ... I talk to myself in the dark of night using words of encouragement and hope.  Get up, Dottie, one more time ... reach out, Dottie, one more time ... try again, one more time...

I hope and pray that you, my Readers, had a wonderful restful Sabbath!  I'm also praying for my brothers and sisters in Christ on the East Coast affected by Irene.  Just having gone through a rain and wind storm in Minnesota, I had a small taste of the viciousness of Mother Nature... 

Storm 8/1/2011

 

     

This is the day...

This Is The Day ... A Song for Weddings...

Good Evening Readers ...  I arrived back in North Texas last Saturday evening about 5:45PM.  I had stopped in Gainesville to get gas and my eyes immediately dried out.  They burned and I could hardly see to put the nozzle in the gas tank!  I thought about turning around and heading back to Minnesota.  107 degrees!!  Yikes!  I spent a few days in North Texas then headed to the little casa...

I left Minnesota early Friday morning and had an easy drive to Cameron, MO.  My Fibromyalgia acted up though and my body felt like I had been beaten with a baseball bat from head to toe.  I climbed into bed at 5PM and slept until 8AM Saturday.  It was a very LONG 8 hour drive Friday and then a LONGER 10 hour drive the next day to McKinney.  I decided that I would set small goals for myself like "I will be in Kansas City in one hour."  I would celebrate my small goals with a stop and a brisk walk around the car ... or a stop to get an icy drink, etc.  The establishing of my goals have me something to shoot for and celebrate ... before long, I was crossing the Oklahoma/Texas border!  I'm like the little engine who cried ... "I think I can ... I think I can ... I think I can ... to finally, I knew I could!"

Last Friday marked Michael's and my 8th wedding anniversary.  He was so thoughtful and burned a CD of the songs I had posted on my blogs ... he also sent flowers to my motel room in MO.  I so appreciated his romantic undertakings.  Can you believe ... we were married at the little casa?!  We packed 'em in that day and had a grand time.


Marriage ... in sickness and in health til death do us part.  Quite an undertaking wouldn't you say?  A union not to be entered into lightly nor left without cause.  As a child, it was my dream to marry my Prince Charming, have children and be a homemaker.  I played house with my dolls, my paper dolls and knew exactly what I wanted.  That being said, so many people have asked me about my marriages and why did they disintegrate if I held my marriage vows so sacred...  I wondered that myself for so many years ... my only answer would be is that marriage is a two way street requiring both people to work at it.  I married the same type of man hoping for different results.  Now that's stupidity!  Poor Michael, before we were married, I gave him every test in the book, had him go see the therapist I had seen to be evaluated to make sure that he was different.


The one thing I left out was that I also needed to be different.  I had to value myself and expect good things from my partner.  I am a giver and takers are often attracted to givers.  I must say (and Michael would agree with me) that we have really battled in some areas ... especially in the area of communication.  I am an up front, let's address it person and he is a more quiet, sweep it under the rug person.  This morning, he was telling me that I am very unique and that I am the best thing that ever happened to him.  That was nice to hear ... I think absence does make the heart grow fonder!  I used to be afraid that if I spoke up, I would rock the boat ... now, well, let's just say that I am not afraid and at least my partner and I both know just where we stand with each other.  It is clear to us that we have choices and our choices affect each of us.  There are lines not to be crossed and forgiveness must be freely given.

Computers!  Ya gotta love 'em and there's times when they are so darn frustrating.  Today, my mouse is NOT working and I am having to maneuver via other means.  I don't know about you but I get used to doing things a certain way and when my "tools" don't work the way they are supposed to, I get frustrated.  I'm not a technical savvy person yet quite logically oriented so most of the time if I concentrate, I've  am able to figure out what is causing my problem.

The Monday after I returned from Minnesota, I went in to see my orthopaedic foot doctor ... my broken ankle has not healed!!  Aughhhh!  I was hoping that the pain was caused from Fibromyalgia which might be part of it but noooo ... the tendons are also still a mess so I am doing stretching exercises to help those.  Anyone with chronic pain can attest to the frustration of trying to live as much a normal life as possible yet having to deal with the pain when it just won't go away and won't get any better.  I've found that stress has a lot to do with the level of my pain but life is life and stress is a part of living!

Maybe, just maybe I am feeling stress more because I have not been doing my daily walk Bible reading nor have I been doing my Beth Moore study of John.  My "anchor" has been swaying on the ocean floor and I feel like my balance is off.  This morning, I got back in step and started reading Amos ... I thought about how America is like the Israel of old.  Times were good in Israel ... people reveled in peace, prosperity, strength, and security.  Then, God sent the prophet Amos to bring truth to the people exposing the rotten core or immorality, injustice, false optimism, and shallowness.  The people had become soft and used to living in abundance.  Amos declared God's warning and called the people to repentance.  What did the people do?  Nothing...  Amos announced God's discipline...  We've had people warning us for years ... our people don't want prayer, they don't want to be told what to do ... I listened to Christian talk radio about the growing thought that pedophiles are "normal"...  Oh, people, how far do we have to fall??

It is my hope and prayer that you all will have a fabulous day!!  Amongst all my frustrations, I am glad to be alive and kicking!!

Minnesota friends and family!

Good Morning!!!  It's a beautiful morning in Minnesota ... I am basking in it's beauty and feasting my eyes on places I want to photograph!

I can't believe my visit to Minnesota is coming to an end.  I am waiting on a call from the Volkswagen dealership in Fargo, North Dakota to tell me that Lily has recovered and is set to make the trip!  The Jeep Liberty I have been driving is nice BUT I will be so glad to get back into my "bug."

I have had the privilege and honor of spending a few weeks here with old friends and family.  It had been 15+ years since I've been here ... wayyy too long!  I can't go back and redo; however, I can revel in my adventures here and vow to make another trip next year.

My brother and his wife have been so gracious to provide me with a room and  fresh veggies from the garden.  I will be grilling up zucchini when I get back home to Texas for sure!!  Nancy is a big Sci Fi fan and has gotten me hooked on the series Primeval.  It's a time when we can chat between scenes and look forward to gripping the chair arms when the creatures come out from the anomalies!!  I am a big fan of NCIS, Criminal Minds, etc. so the Sci Fi has been a nice change.   Nancy loves doing crafts and has made me some microwave mitts ... yea!  I will have some treats to bring back to family and friends in Texas.


Roger is a quiet man ... I just love him to pieces.  He and Nancy are such kind, loving people.  Roger works as a truck driver during the day and then works on the farm in the evenings.  With all the damage of the storm, he will be busy for months and months!  I know he and Nancy will have it looking beautiful here by my next visit!!

Growing up, I was so fortunate to have made some pretty awesome friends ... the kind of friends who accept me as I am and encourage me to be better!  They have been making bucket lists of things they would like to do before heading on to Heaven.  Elaine, Lynda, and Pam are all taking a bus trip in October to see the Fall foliage in the Northeast (on their bucket list).  Wish I could tag along ... it sounds like they are going to have a blast!!  Never a dull moment when two or more of us get together!  Their bucket list idea sounds pretty good to me so I've been thinking about what to put in mine.  I know I do want to get my books published about Hamilton Elf and take some oil painting lessons.  Have you, my Readers, thought about your own bucket lists??  I think it's important because all too soon life passes by and we're left thinking, "Oh, I wish I would have..."   It's important to take time to smell those proverbial roses and make dreams come true.

When I lived in the Women's Shelter for thirty days, we made boards about ourselves.  It couldn't be about our families, friends...  At first I thought that it would be hard ... then, I started clipping and filled the whole poster board up!!  I learned so much about myself and it went a long way in building my self esteem.  I'm very much a free spirited person who thinks out of the box.  I pick and choose my battles and can focus on the big picture of life.  I love deeply and would do anything for family and friends ... maybe a little too much sometimes!  When I visited Pam in Perham, we went to a little boutique where I found a wonderful funky dress to wear with boots and leggings.  Whattttt?  Should I remember I am going on 65??  Well, anyway, I tried it on and Pam said it definitely was me!  I like it so I will wear it lots this Fall and Winter.  Maybe that is in my bucket ... to continue to wear the clothes I love and smile while doing so!!

My friend, Elaine K, has been so much fun to get together with while I've been here.  She loves Asian decor sprinkled with antiques.  She puts everything together in such an interesting beautiful way.  It just seems surreal that she is living in a condo that was my first and second grade classrooms.  I'm so glad that the town found a way to keep most of the elementary and high school complete ... history IS important!  As I would enter the doors to go see her, the smell was still the same as when I was little.  I could remember playing jacks on the walls of the building next to the front door.  Ah yes...  Elaine lost her husband, Stan, after 43 years of marriage last year.  It has been a tough adjustment for her losing Stan, moving from the home they built when they were first married, and reinventing her life as a widow.  She keeps a positive attitude and I know we will be spending more time together in the future.  Her little dog, Maggie, keeps her company!




Which locker was mine?!



My friend, Pam, and I were only able to get together a few times before she had to head back to her California home.  What a character she is ...  Pam has a great sense of humor and our ways of decorating are similar.  Maybe I lean a little more towards English Country where she likes light oak and primitives!  Pam fished a painting Elaine had done out of the thrift store and hung it in her office.  Lookin' good!  I think most of my school classmates enjoy interior design...  It is fun to see how our different personalities come out in our surroundings in our homes!  I talked to Pam on Monday and look forward to doing a better job of keeping up with her!

Pam's find ... Elaine's Painting!!

As I have walked around town, I have had the biggest smile on my face.  The 60's era is gone; however, our spirits are still here just like the spirits of my parents, grandparents, great grandparents and great great grandparents.  How about that?  I wonder if those that have gone before me are looking down knowing that I so appreciate them and what they did in the development of Pope County!  I hope so...



Hosea & Gomer 

 My daily walk in the Bible has taken me to Hosea.  Have you ever thought about what love really is?  I know that love, in the English language, takes on many meanings.  "I just love Nutella."  "I love the way you sing."  "I love your hair."  "I just love the way you talk."  "I love you if __________."  Familiar with any of those?  Well, then there is God's love.  He doesn't love us if or because.  With the Lord, love just is ... no conditions or timetable.  Hosea married Gomer, a prostitute, and God told him to love her period.  Hmmm, I wonder if we could be as forgiving as Hosea?  It's an interesting read!

Last night, I took my brother and his wife to Water's Edge ... a restaurant in Starbuck.  Lake Minnewaska is so high ... it truly is on the water's edge!  We had a nice time of togetherness ... the last things I am doing here is a little bitter sweet.  I will be sad to leave my family and friends here but am fortunate to have a family and friends in Texas to return to.

While I am here, I decided to serve my brother ... I've hauled tree branches and assigned the laundry and doing the dishes to moi!  It's been a blessing to me to be able to do this!  I've gotten lots of exercise walking up and down the basement stairs and tossing the branches ... it's helped to keep the pounds under control that I've gained here munching on all the delicacies of this area!  After my chores are done today, I am going out to visit my parents' graves and take some additional photos around town.

May all of you have a blessed day!  Always remember you are loved and prayed for ... YA YOU!!

The Beauty of Lake Minnewaska!

God Will Make A Way!

Hi Everyone!  I am back at my brother's farm after a fun weekend in town with my friend, Elaine.  It's 67 degrees and raining outdoors ... a good time to stay in and chat with you for awhile!  I hope that you had a great weekend, I sure did!

God's ways are not our ways and, yes, God will make a way having our best interests at heart...  I've been in the North land since the end of July and each day has been the most wonderful gift.  I was to head home to Texas on August 7 and oops (!) Lily and I had a run in with some sand allowing me to spend another block of time.  He knew I had unfinished business here and gave me more opportunities to fill my heart.

I was kind of disappointed yesterday ... I had planned on looking at a little house near the City Park and lake to use as a summer home.  I heard via the grapevine that the house has nasty water problems in the basement.  Since I am highly allergic to molds, I figured that it wouldn't be such a good idea.  Felt kinda sad though as it had such a neat front porch and large garage for storing a boat and play stuff for the lake.  I will keep my eyes open...  It's always been one of my dreams to live either on the lake or close to it ... and, to have an old house with a big front porch.  If that is what God wants for me then, He will make a way!!



Elaine and I spent some fun time together and cackled away the weekend!!  Lots to catch up on since we haven't seen each other in 15+ years!!  We started out our weekend with breakfast at Lakeside ... holy moly ... I had bacon, scrambled eggs, potatoes, & two large pancakes for $5.95 less my senior discount!!  After the old Lakeside burned down, this new one has taken it's place.  It's beautiful but I got tears in my eyes remembering my growing up years and how much a part of it took place at the teen dances at the Lakeside Ballroom.
. 

After breakfast, we headed North to Alexandria for some shopping .  We visited Ron's Warehouse and dug through boxes to find some hugely discounted treasures!  It was like going to a big flea market in a warehouse!  They had some boxes of name brand make-up ... 4 for $1.  Now, that's a bargain!!  I thought of my friend, Beverly, in Texas and knew how much she would enjoy all the bargains!!

Elaine likes antiquing as much as I do so we ventured downtown.  We had a coke at (where else but...) the Travelers Inn then hit a couple antique stores.  I found some treasures to take back to Texas with me.  The antiques here are a bit different than what's in the stores in Texas so it was fun looking at new things.  I still need to go back and get some ice block tongs ... can you believe we went there specifically to get those and I totally forgot!

The Terrance Mill had a jazz concert Saturday night.  Oh goodness it was so beautiful to sit under the stars, listen to music and drink in the sounds and smells of nature.  One of the ladies with us, Donna S, said that the mosquitoes would be out at dusk and sure enough, they were right on time.  We laughed, as the band started to play they commented on the outdoor bathrooms  and how luxurious they were ... designer biffies!!  Donna and I decided that we had to see the inside for ourselves and I did manage to snap a photo.  The only thing funnier would have been if I could have convinced Donna to sit on the throne!!

The Old Terrace Mill has been restored and is a cultural arts center ... it is an interesting place to visit with all the memorabilia, the 2nd floor which houses an auditorium where they have plays, and the 3rd floor which houses an art gallery.  Elaine and I walked around the grounds taking pictures of the rushing water, the log cabin and lake.  I was reading an article on the history of Glenwood and the surrounding area and the comment was made that when the settlers came to the top of the hill looking down upon the lake and surrounding area that they thought they had discovered one of the most beautiful areas on earth.  I still feel that way when I approach the top of the hill and look down upon my "home" town.

I was going back to my brother's house on Sunday but Elaine convinced me to stay another day with her.  We drove to Osakis to visit with Elaine's brother Brian and his family.  They are all getting ready for a family reunion next weekend so Elaine offered to hem some drapes for them.  It would be nice to be here next weekend and crash their reunion.  Brian just got a huge boat and is going to be giving rides.  I haven't been out on the water in a boat yet so that sure would be fun.  They do have dinner cruises at both Torgy's and Lakeside so maybe I can convince Elaine to do that which me before I head home.

Last night, Michael called to report that Texas actually had a good rain shower.  Yea!  Nothing like water from Heaven to perk up my plants!!  His job search is going well and he has a hot prospect on the line for a Wednesday interview.  I am praying that God will bless his socks off and that the interview will go smoothly and result in a job offer.  Sounds like it is really a great fit for him!

I Heard Your Voice in the Garden!!

My daily walk with the Lord took me through the book of Daniel today.  Did you know that Daniel is one of the few individuals in scripture about whom nothing negative is written?  Daniel was a man of prayer ... a man faithful to his Lord!  If you like Sci Fi, Daniel is a good book to read!  Time after time, God protected Daniel and made a way for him as a man of God.  Since I am a prayer warrior, I loved verse 4 of Chapter 9:  "...Oh Lord," I prayed, "you always fulfill your promises of mercy to those who love you and who keep your laws."  God answered Daniel's prayers saying, "The moment you began praying, a command was given.  I am here to tell you what it was, for God loves you very much."~~Chapter 9:23  Yes, our God is a merciful God who loves it when we take time to talk to him!!   

Today, I am headed back to Alexandria to pick up some chains for my brother's chain saw that have been sharpened.  They've done a lot but sure have mountains of trees yet to cut up and either burn or stack.  In the evenings, the air smells like one big bonfire!  So sad to see all these big trees pulled up by the roots!

May the Lord be with me and thee as we head out today.  Always remember you are loved and prayed for ... YA YOU!!

It is good to remember where we came from!!










 

Life is lived forward, but understood backwards!

Good Morning!  TGIF ... my favorite day of the week.  I decided to share some of my favorite quotes about heritage with you today as well as my continuing adventures in Minnesota.  Enjoy!!

Looks like next Friday I will be heading back to the Lone Star State.  Lily is supposed to be ready next Thursday.  Boy (!) will I ever be glad to have her back.  The Jeep Liberty has been a good ride BUT I think I need longer legs to get into it.  I have to grab the steering wheel and pull myself up.  Not a pretty sight in a dress!  My SUV/truck days are behind me.  Rats!

Like branches on a tree, our lives may grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one.~~Unknown

Last night I had dinner with my friend Elaine and two of her friends.  We ate at Wild Ridge ... food was great ... conversation even better.  Funny how the seasons of life dictate conversations.  As teenagers we talked about our latest heart throbs and school ... as young moms we talked about our kids ... as working professionals we talked business ... later on in life, conversation has turned to a multitude of topics covering a life time of seasons -- quite interesting ones I must say!  Since I can carry on a conversation with a door knob, I find all types of folks quite engaging.  I like to start a conversation then listen more than I talk.  That way, I really  learn more about people, who they REALLY are, and how I can enter their world to know them better.

We need to haunt the house of history and listen

anew to the ancestors' wisdom.
Maya Angelou

My granddaughter posted an "I am bored..." on Facebook.  I thought about that for a moment and realized that I am rarely bored.  I have realized that God has given me so many minutes in a day and I cherish every one of them.  I can read, watch a movie, make a phone call, volunteer, rearrange my home (I LOVE interior design!), cook/bake, write, visit someone ... the list goes on and on.  I prefer to have projects going, people to visit, and a forward thinking view of life.  Each breath I take, I am thankful to be alive!  I told my granddaughter she needed to come see me ... we could do life together!  I LOVE my granddaughter and spending time with her.  She's a free spirit just like me!!

All the flowers of all the tomorrows

are in the seeds of today.~~Unknown



Awww...Nancy & Roger 

I have offered to assist my sister in law around the house while I am here to "give back" to her for her wonderful hospitality.  I love to do laundry so it's not a chore!  I don't know how they manage keeping up the farm when they both have full time jobs (Nancy has two jobs!).  My legs are getting a work-out as the laundry room is in the basement and my hands are getting a warm soak as I do dishes (no dishwasher!).  I am thoroughly enjoying my complete change of pace from my life in Texas.  I like the kind of exercise I get here!

Every man is a quotation from all his ancestors.

Ralph Waldo Emerson



Toby's coming out ... He loves to hide!

My husband called me this morning ... in fact, he woke me up...  I think my Texas family is really starting to miss me.  He's NOT a morning person so to hear his chipper voice took me back a little.  he he  He was getting Toby and Sadie ready to go to the groomers.  Since they've spent so much time at the little casa and we have no grass in the backyard, they roll in the dirt and get quite grungy!  Little rascals!  Sadie is still itching like crazy so she'll get a nice warm oatmeal treatment this morning.  They keep sending me photos so I remember what they look like and to remind me to come home...

"I saw behind me those who had gone, and before me those who are to come. I looked back and saw my father, and his father, and all our fathers, and in front to see my son, and his son, and the sons upon sons beyond.
And their eyes were my eyes."
Richard Llewellyn

I would like to encourage my Readers to take some time and find their own roots.  I know vacations to exciting destinations are refreshing but so is discovering where you came from wayyyy back.  The genes from our ancestors that have gone on before us are carried on from generation to generation and influence our interests, behaviors, and choices in life.  I am still sorting out the real name of my great great grandfather who came here from Norway.  People who immigrated to this country were free to change their names any way they wanted to and, yes, they did!!  Was he Knut Torjusson Helle or Torgus Besteland??  Could it be he was both!!  I wish I had my grandmother's Norwegian Bible ... I'll bet she had it all written down in there.  When my curiosity rears it's head, I'm like the dog who gets a hold on a pants leg ... I don't give up til I solve the issue at hand!!

Your descendants shall gather your fruits. Virgil

Lynda N, Elaine K, Pam H

When I was in college, I took a course in Philosophy.  It was the only college course that I got an A+ in.  I have found that I have always been a philosophical person ... like those before me, I have a voice.  I like deep conversations and am not really fond of surface stuff.  I like to look deep into someone's eyes and know their soul.  I like to know what makes people tick.  I laugh thinking about the morning that my friends Pam, Elaine, Lynda and I got together.  After a little while of chit chat, Pam broke the ice saying, "Can we get personal?"  Gotta love that lady!!  We had the most wonderful heart to heart talk about the roads we've traveled in life and where we hope to go...  We're different people with different backgrounds and we've walked different paths ... YET, we were one.  We were the same group of gals who made homemade pizza ... with hot dogs, ketchup, and olives!!

If we have the courage and tenacity of our forebears, who stood firmly like a rock against the lash of slavery, we shall find a way to do for our day what they did for theirs. Mary McLeod Bethune

I've discovered a new treat while I've been here ... nutella (a hazelnut spread with skim milk and cocoa).  You know me ... when I discover a new food I like, I wear it out until I am sick of it.  I'm thinking this spread would be great on a bagel among other things...  If you're a chocolate lover you would like this product!

Well, I've managed to munch down a couple pieces of toast with nutella, had a cup of coffee and I'm set to take on my day.  I've done laundry between paragraphs (anyone else out there multi-task??) and the dishes are sparking clean in the dry sink.   I have a couple things I want to do this afternoon ... hmmmm ... you just never know what I am up to!!  I don't like to give away my plans 'cause sometimes life gets in the way and I have to take a detour!

In each family a story is playing itself out, and each family's story embodies its hope and despair.
-- Auguste Napier

We all have a story to tell, a legacy to leave, and arms to embrace our fellow travelers.  We have voices to lift up to affirm and encourage those around us.  We have to be the person God created us to be for to be any other would be a travesty!!~~Miss Dottie

Always remember you are loved and prayed for ...
YA YOU!!

 

   

   

Good Morning ... Rise & Shine It's Morning!

GOOD MORNING SONG!! WILL GET YOUR BLOOD PUMPING!!

Good Morning, Readers!  Come on over to my friendship wall and let's chat awhile...  I'm feeling really chipper this morning after my day of rest yesterday!  Maybe it's the cool fresh air that is invigorating me?!

Funny how something so simple as a wall of rocks could have had such a profound impression on me.  My childhood friends and I jumped on these rocks; whispered secrets on these rocks; and, as I said before, I sat on this wall of rocks every day after school waving to my friends who rode the bus.  You've heard of the show If Walls Could Talk ... well, if only this wall could talk!!

Although yesterday was a day primarily of rest, I decided to take a trip to Starbuck.  It's where I was born and I have many many good memories there.

I stopped at the Morning Glory Gardens and walked the water soaked grounds.  There is a little chapel there and I sat down on the steps and surveyed the beauty before me.  Most of the dock had been washed out but I hopped over to take a couple photos of a picturesque tree.  Nature at it's best

When I visited my mother, we ALWAYS took a drive around the lake and stopped at the Dairy Queen in Starbuck which was about the half way point.  I did that as well enjoying a nice creamy cone.  Cone in hand, I visited Hobo Park then traveled on to Inherred Lutheran Church ... a church founded mostly by Norwegian immigrants to the area.  I wandered around and found my Aunt Eleanor and Uncle Rudy's graves as well as their son Karl who died at birth.  I sat down beside the graves and thanked them for their kindness to me growing up and told them that I looked forward to seeing them in Heaven.  Inherred Church made it easy for me to locate family ... they had a list posted of everyone who has been buried there.  Wish they had that at the Lutheran Cemetery in Glenwood.  Would make my searches easier!

The farmers have started burning their piles of trees and the smell of smoke and wood filled the air as I ventured back to my car.  My first reaction was concern because I am so used to the burn ban in Texas.  It smelled like Fall releasing other memories of jumping in leaves.  I had to make my way back to Glenwood and photographed the house where I used to go to roll in their piles of Autumn leaves!



The halls of
Glenwood High School!

 You know ... we often times fill our minds and hearts with so much turmoil and icky stuff that we lose sight of all the good.  One of my therapists told me that it was important to replace old nasty tapes with good ones.  Maybe that is the purpose of my trip ... I sure am doing lots of smiling at the memories of yesteryear!!

My walk through the Bible continues and I started the book of Daniel today.  As a child, the story of Daniel in the lion's den was one of my "flannel board" favorites.  When Daniel and his friends found themselves literally in the "frying pan," they discovered that the promises of God stood up well in the crucible of  life!  I'm sure you've heard the saying, "I never knew Jesus was all I needed ... until He was all I had."  I thought about that again today in the sense of what our country is going through as well as us citizens.  We may find this to be a fact of life.  Are you ready?  I've experienced this so many times before and I know without a doubt that He has carried me through every storm and I've weathered them well.

If you've never done a Beth Moore Bible Study, I would whole heartedly recommend doing so.  My study of John is opening my eyes to another side of Jesus.  Today's lesson was on the first miracle that Jesus did ... turning the water into wine at a wedding.  Beth says, "The one reason people drink too much wine is because it changes the way they feel and the way they behave.  The "new wine" of Christ does the same thing, but His effects are always good.  Jesus came to bring the new wine of the Spirit!"  The fruit of the Spirit?  How about love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control.  When we accept Jesus as our Savior, our lives change ... we take off our old selves ... our old ways of thinking and doing and want to be more like Him.  Yea!  Step by step ... slowly ... He changed my life and my outlook.  He took away my pain and sorrow and filled me with the joy of living and gave me new purpose!!

Elaine & Maggie

My gal pal Elaine just called and invited me to go with her and some friends to supper tonight.  That will be fun ... who knows what else will transpire between now and then??!!

Until tomorrow ... I sincerely hope that you have the most wonderful day ever and that your adventures would be happy ones!  Always remember you and loved and prayed for ... YA YOU!!