Blackberry Seeds

I have had a great bear hug from God. He gives us hugs and encouragement when we don't even see it coming. He sends people to love on us and lead us when we need it the most. I have needed it. But I am not the only one.

I stood in the Amway Arena this past weekend with I don't even know how many other women worshiping the Lord at a Deeper Still Event. We sat on the edge of our seats as we heard that God goes beyond our expectations and then he will go beyond, beyond. We heard that we can rest in our faith even in a bad season. We rallied as we learned how to discern what was from God so that we would not get PUNKED! We laughed until we cried as we heard the banter between the ladies that led us deeper still into the word with God. We left with a challenge to go deeper still in our relationship with Jesus and expect him to go beyond, beyond and way past, way past as we rested in our faith of the one true God!

I was exhausted when I got home. I had the chance before driving home to have one of the best conversations and discussions with my new friends. I thank God for my sisters in Christ.

I had to go to work yesterday, on the Sabbath. I have to work every third weekend and this was my weekend to work. God blessed me when someone switched a day with me so that I could attend the conference on Saturday. I still had to work Sunday, so the blast of the conference was over and off to work I go, tired!

I momentarily forgot that I was expecting God to go beyond, beyond. I mean, I was going to be stuck at work(which has been really hard for me this year.)

I ended up meeting someone that was experiencing grief of a loved one. Hmmmm. I sure can relate to that.

He brought up his grief and we talked about grief and how hard it is. I shared that I was struggling with my own grief currently and I found myself offering to call a minister.

"No."

"Would you like a Bible?" (the limit of my expectation at the time)

"Yes. I have been seeing John 3:16 all over the place today, and I can't remember what it says."

" I can get you a Bible, but I can tell you what John 3:16 says. `For God so loved the world, that he sent his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.' " (okay, God just got me way past the limit of my expectation, I realized later that this is the first person that has ever asked me what John 3:16 says that didn't already know it or was in the process of memorizing it!)

I brought this person a Bible and told him it was a New Testament, but it did have the Psalms in it. Somehow, during this encounter, I got to share the plan of salvation with him. He was asking~ I was telling. Since he was anxious I asked him what story he like in the Bible. He wasn't really sure, so I told him when I am anxious, I like to read about Jesus calming the storm. He didn't know this story, but he wanted to read it. So I went to look it up, and I couldn't remember the book. I can always go right to it in my Bible, but I was having a moment of panic and it dawned on me...use your Blackberry.

Into my pocket as fast as could be, I used my new nifty Blackberry and googled `Jesus calms the storm.' I had flipped to the reference quick as could be and left him reading about the Prince of Peace.
(Now, by this time God took me beyond, beyond! Way past, way past! Did I see it coming? No, but I liked it. Thank you Jesus!)

He liked the story. He was smiling, yet he was still anxious. He struggles you see. He was taught as a child, that only 144,000 get into heaven.

Strange... he could remember that number of 144,000 and that learning heaven wasn't for him, but he couldn't recall John 3:16 at all.

A few seeds dropped, and one was even a Blackberry seed. Isn't God Awesome??????

This is what standing on good soil is all about:)

Now glory be to God who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of- infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts or hopes. May He be given glory forever and ever through endless ages because of his master plan of salvation for the church through Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 3: 20-21.

Hunting a little treasure on a Monday!

Webster. Webster. Webster. From now on, when I say Webster, you say treasures. Let's try it.

I say, "Webster." You say, "Treasures."

Webster has it all. Plants, veggies, furniture, antiques, collectibles,linens, golf balls and clubs, honey and jam, hats, socks, jewelry, bread and bagels, kittens, books and comic books, they were even cleaning and whitening teeth.

Popsaroo, BubbaLou, Mums, and I loaded up in the car today and went off down the interstate to Webster. A grand flea market full of treasures for us to find. Popsaroo and BubbaLou went in one direction. Mums and I went in another direction.

Mums and I looked at all sorts of treasures in the hot, hot, hot sun. We trudged along picking things up and seeking the special treasures that we were meant to find. Did I mention it was hot? By the time we had our hands full and realized that we should have brought a cart to place our treasures in, we were about to have a heat stroke. We found some ice cold bottled water and tried to check in with Popsaroo and BubbaLou. We couldn't get a signal. Now how is that even possible??

Finally, leaving Mums in a cool spot, I went out with the cell phone trying to find a spot with a signal. Emergency calls only. Hmmm. Walked a little further over and finally found a hot spot. I got a hold of BubbaLou as she demands..."Where are you, I am hot and ready to go."

OK, it had only been an hour and a half. There is no way it was time to go. She must be thirsty.

After we finally found each other and they were sitting with us in our cool spot, we tried to reason with them. It really had not been that long and they just needed some water. Somehow, Mums and I coaxed them to carry our heavy packages to the car as we swung through a way we had not been to look on the way out. We snagged an extra hour of treasure hunting with this tactic. I got a big sack of kettle corn on the way out as a peace offering for giving us more time. It was well received!

A few of my treasures....

my cake plate and server-pretty!my Pyrex refrigerator bowls with lids

my Pyrex double casserole dish

Pyrex is my weakness and if you cut me a good deal, then it is MINE!

Mums got a bedspread or is it a tablecloth. We are not really sure right now. She also got a pig spoon rest, and a basket of fruit that is ceramic and it stands like a plate. She bought it so the guys who ran the booth wouldn't use it as target practice later this evening. BubbaLou got all sorts of odds and ends; jewelry, body glitter, boxing glove punching pens(don't ask) and some sort of glass jewel for good luck. Popsaroo found some comics and a pocket knife(ooh, and I really hope BubbaLou doesn't cut her finger off with his new knife.) We had a great day at the flea market. Well, at least Mums and I did. Popsaroo and BubbaLou deny any pleasure since it was so hot. Next time we will leave them at home!

My Chewie Action Shot!

Chewie in Action

Star Wars Weekends at Disney Hollywood Studios 2009....I was there!

Exploring Mt. Dora

BubbaLou and Popsaroo set out for a comic book convention Saturday in the hopes of meeting Star Trek's one and only "Spock." This of course left me out, so Popsaroo handed me $40 dollars and instructed me to take Mums to lunch. This made him feel better.

I called Mums, and laughingly told her our instructions and she came up with a better idea. She wanted to go exploring. Now, back at Christmas, I told her that I wanted to take her to Mount Dora as one of her Christmas presents. Mums decided that this was the day to take me up on it.

But, seeing as I only had $40 dollars in hand, and had not really budgeted to have a bunch of spending money, we decided to window shop. Plus, there was much to see in Mount Dora, they even have a lighthouse.

With map in hand, Mums and I headed out to this little town north of Orlando with high hopes of what we might find. We found it to be a beautiful day for a drive, and the terrain even changed as we turned off the interstate in a northerly direction. The land became downright hilly, which for Florida is strange. We couldn't decide if the land was really hilly, or it was really low with fake hills. Whatever it was, it was pretty. Looking at beautiful scenery proved to be a perk since we had to keep handing out money for tolls.

We finally arrived, and found that the hills were real, we even parked on one. Mount Dora is at an elevation of about 154 feet if I remember correctly. It was also adorable. Mums and I were very taken with it as we walked around exploring shops and sites of really neat houses.

As we made our way down to the docks by the yacht club, we heard real live church bells. It was beautiful. That by itself, was reason enough to drive 2 hours to experience. I miss that so much!
I truly believe, that if more churches had bells that rang through out the day, their would be more happy people in the world and less crime. Kind of a reminder from God that all is in His care and that He is watching over all of us all of the time. Peace.


Mums and I saw a couple of paintings as we entered the first shop of the day. Mums commented immediately, "I love that painting, it reminds me of a church up in Tennessee." I said, "I love this one! Look at the old mill with the dogwood blooms in it." They both were framed in farm wood type frames with a trim of rusty barbed-wire. They had price tags of $90. Too bad we were window shopping. Mums kept going on and on about that painting. She decided it must be one that AuntyDot had shown her in Cheathum county. Then the store owner announced that he was having a cash only sale and everything was 50% off. Sale of the day. Mums looked at me with a twinkle in her eye, and said," I am going to get this one, do you want that one as an early birthday present?" -"Well, Yeah, are you sure?!"

Needless to say, we had the guy wrap them up. The church and the mill turned out to be one that we had seen many times in Tennessee. In Cades Cove. Wow, talk about a flash back to many a vacation in Gatlinburg. We had the man hold on to them until we finished shopping and would be heading back to the car.


We continued to walk up and down the streets going in and out of shops. There were little alley ways with little nooks and crannies, fountains, and shops. We stopped and ate lunch at The Gables restaurant. The food was good and we ate plenty. We sat outside and watched as people walked by. We watched some people board the train for a ride while others rode by in horse and buggy. It was a busy place perfect for relaxing, watching, and talking. It was a beautiful day.



Mount Dora seems to be a haven for dogs. Both big and small. Shop owners had the resident dog sprawled in the floor sleeping the day away or padding around checking all the shoppers out. Many people were walking their dogs. I even saw a lady come around with a baby stroller, I looked down to see the baby, and there were two little dogs in that stroller. "What a cute..what cute little dogs!"I said, a little stunned that I was looking at dogs and not a baby.


We met Oscar down by the water. He was quite the jolly fat dog who wanted to be my friend. I kinda thinks he wants to be everyone's friend.

All in all, we had a great day. Mums and I did well to see and do as much as we did. We even stopped by the little park with the lighthouse. We saw an alligator, a turtle, and some geese. By no means did we do it all. There is a huge antiques and flea market that we have yet to hit. It is in slightly a different location from where we were. We are saving that for another day.

Popsaroo had the gall to ask,

"What could you have possibly done that took you that long?"

Tears and Hope

I have been thinking much about time and loved ones recently. Memories of loved ones are crowding my mind as I remember the time that I spent with them. I have come to discover how much their personality's have shaped my own. I have discovered how much I miss the presence of their laughter and humor in the day to day of my life. Things are just never the same.

Mary and Martha's lives changed when they knew Lazarus lay sick and dying. Their dear brother was suffering and they wanted Jesus to heal him, but he was away. Their hearts were breaking. Memories swept through their minds as they wept. Thoughts of memories never to be surely flashed by as well. Lazarus died as his family wept for him and for themselves. Their hearts broke.

Jesus knew that Lazarus had died and he knew what he was going to do about it. He went to the grave 4 days after Lazarus had been there. Jesus wept with Lazarus' family and then preceded to tell Lazarus to come out.

Lazarus lived again, yet his life was changed.

Mary and Martha would never be the same.

Those who witnessed it were changed and made choices because of it. Some placed their faith in Jesus, others reported his deed to the Pharisees who in turn met with the Sanhedrin. A plot to kill Jesus had begun.

Lazarus lived, but Jesus would die. Jesus would overcome death, rising on the 3rd day, so that each and everyone of us would live again and things would never be the same again.


We so want our loved ones not to suffer, but yet we don't want to part with them either. It is a strange mix of emotions as you sit and weep for a loved one as they pass from this earthly world. We long for them to be their old self, yet it can never happen in this world. As much as we want it, things will never be the same and we can only hope.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain...

Revelation 21:4

Mummy Iris is home

It seems it has been a long time since I posted last. Much has happened in our lives since then. That night, of my last post, the call came that Mummy Iris had stopped breathing and they had taken measures to get her to the hospital. When we arrived, Mummy Iris was unresponsive, and we lost her by noon the next day. From there, we found ourselves making arrangements to take her back to Tennessee, to the county in which she was born, and bury her next to her husband.

We took her back to a little town in west Tennessee. I had not been to this part of Tennessee since I was a child, not much older than BubbaLou. I had gone when my Granddaddy passed away. I remembered the funeral home, and I remembered the cemetery once I saw it. Mummy Iris and Big Daddy have a beautiful view on top of a hill looking down into a valley and onto several other hills. It was BubbaLou's first time to visit this cemetery which held so many of her ancestors.

My BubbaLou, she has a kind heart, and it did nothing less than show what it is during this trip. We were looking at grave stones as we were walking up to check the spot where Mummy Iris was to be buried. We wanted to make sure they were placing her beside my Big Daddy. BubbaLou got to reading small grave stones. Some were marked just "Baby." There were no names, just two little stones. She noticed this and it wore on her.

A little later, as we were coming down the hill, we pointed out the stones of Mums siblings, though born before her, they never lived but a few days. There names were on their stones. BubbaLou looked around and found some stray silk flowers that had been blown around. She picked them up and poked them in the ground in front of the stones of her baby great aunt and uncle. She looked at me and asked if she could run back up the hill and place some flowers on those of the unnamed babies. Of course I said yes, and she ran up the hill to do this. She came down, and saw another stone that had weathered so much you couldn't read it. She looked around for more stray flowers and poked them in the ground in front of the stone.

I have to tell you that my eyes were full of tears, and my heart full of love for this little girl who showed so much love to those who have gone on to heaven before her. She would have made Mummy Iris so very proud. Decorating graves was very important to her. She felt is was very important to treat those graves with respect and love.

After we went to check out the grave site, cousin Carl drove us out to pick buttercups on cousin Laverne's orders. BubbaLou is a flower picker, and she picked her little heart out.

Look at us, said the violets blooming at her feet, all last winter we slept in the seeming death but at the right time God awakened us, and here we are to comfort you.

~Edward Payson Rod

Cupid

Valentine's day is coming up quick. We've much to do, because living with BubbaLou is always a challenge in one way or another. See, she has such a kind heart, so Valentine's Day is an especially busy time for her. I think sometimes that she is in the same league as Santa. She has elected me head elf...or for Valentine's day, I guess I will be "Head Arrow Maker."

See, the story goes something like this....

Mummy Iris has had a stroke. She is doing well, and she is in rehab-getting about okay with help, but her memory isn't the greatest. Anyhoo, BubbaLou goes to visit her and plays cards (go fish with bible characters) and draws her pictures and writes her notes to read. She sometimes plays speech therapist with Mummy Iris, which is Mummy Iris's least favorite part of therapy. Mummy Iris does enjoy BubbaLou's visits.


The little wheels in BubbaLou's heart start turning when she is at the rehab center. So she stops ands asks a person at the desk how many people(residents) are in the rehab center. 170 was the answer.

What do you think BubbaLou wants to do?


I was informed by Popsaroo that BubbaLou had to get 170 Valentine's day cards ready .
"What? 170 cards, for who?" I asked.

Don't ya know that my heart just melted into complete mush when I found out what my wee little one had in mind.

"Purity is best demonstrated by generosity"~Jesus

Luke 11:41

Now, for a little entertainment from BubbaLou....

Momsaroo, I made you a surprise!

BubbaLou called me on the way home from work the other day and she was excited to tell me that she was making me a gift. She said that I could use it often. Then she asked me where I kept the hammer. Hmmm. "Get Popsaroo if your going to get the hammer, you need an adult for the hammer" I said. My interest was peaked. This is what I got when I got home, in a gift bag and everything!

Guess she wants me to mop more often!

Happy New Year 2009

This past year has had a lot of bumps, and I am looking forward to many good things in 2009. I am going to make sure I eat black-eyed peas tomorrow-We are need of as much luck and as many blessings as we can get this new year. We have a had a year of Murphy's Law and I have just about had enough! We have had plenty of good laughs and joy in our hearts as well.


So, in an effort to look back at 2008 to laugh and find the joy, I have picked through my blog posts for highlights....

Friday, January 25, 2008

Too much JOY in her heart

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Something Great!

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

A Seahorse and a lawyer


Saturday, April 12, 2008

High Tea

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Music Appreciation-the 80's

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Happy Father's Day!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

A stained glass beauty

Sunday, August 3, 2008

So they loaded up the truck...

Monday, September 8, 2008

BubbaLou for President!


Saturday, October 4, 2008

The Chalk Artist meets New Turtle

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Lucky Lizards!


Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Marshmallows

May your family be blessed this new year!

Someone's in the kitchen

Popsaroo and BubbaLou were in the kitchen again. This time they didn't steal my new cookie sheets for home base. This time they were cooking. Or, at least, attempting to cook. No, maybe they were really melting, trying to melt caramels. Notice that I wrote trying. He had found the sack of caramels that were left over from the caramel apple night a few months ago and suddenly thought he was Ronald McDonald. McDonald's is there for a reason Popsaroo!

I got a call on my way home from work, it was Popsaroo warning me that he had been trying to make apple dippers for BubbaLou. He told me that he sorta burned some caramel in one of my little dishes. I was in the midst of driving into a bit of traffic so I said, "Okay, it's all right." I hung up and worked my way through the construction and traffic.

I got home and found a ramekin dish covered in dried caramel. This isn't so bad I thought, a little soak and this will be good as new. It was at that moment that BubbaLou came into the kitchen telling me that "Popsaroo ruined one of your dishes! He burned the caramels when he was trying to make me apple dippers. Let me show you." So she turns around and went out into the GARAGE, and came back in with a ramekin dish with what looked like a piece of lava attached to it. Burned was an understatement. I grabbed a knife, and just about bent it. I decided that to go on chipping away would only leave me with a dull or bent knife and possibly a missing appendage.


It is only a ramekin dish, I guess the easy thing to do would have been to throw it away. But you see, it came from a yard sale, it was a bargain-I got 3 for 1.50, and I like the stupid little thing-so many uses. I was determined to save it. A large squirt of dish washer detergent and hot water with a three day soak worked. I didn't even have to scrub, it just slid right out. I didn't even have to ask Heloise!

Merry Christmas!

Now with your best English accent....

What we need now is a little holly! The prickly leaves remind us of the thorns our dear Lamb of God suffered with silent fortitude, and the red berries remind us of the drops of healing blood he shed for us. The tree remains green all the year round, and the leaves never die- which shows us the way of eternal life for those who love the Savior.

Friar Tuck

Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead

Angels, from the realms of glory,

Wing your flight o'er all the earth;

Ye, who sang creation's story,

Now proclaim Messiah's birth:

Come and worship, come and worship,

Worship Christ, the newborn King.

~Angels, from the Realms of Glory by James Montgomery

Merry Christmas from me to you!

I'll be home for Christmas

I have fond memories of putting up the Christmas tree with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Santa had the uncanny patience to put up the tree and string the lights perfectly, winding them around each limb so that you could barely see the cords. To this day, I have not figured out how he did it.

He also had the talent that only elves and Santa have, he could string the lights back into the box perfectly when Christmas was over. He enjoyed it. I on the other hand do well to get them off the tree and throw them in a plastic sack until next year.

Mrs. Claus and I would then decorate the tree. The ornaments were packed safely away in boxes. Each year, we would pick each one up and place it on the tree while talking and laughing together about this or that. The elf below is one from that time so long ago. He still is shiny and bright and looking towards Christmas with happiness. The moose is one that I painted after Popsaroo and I got married. The penguin is one of two, part of a wooden collection of Noah's animals given to me by my Mums-in-law.

This is one of Mum's ornaments that she painted. She was painting lots of pictures on canvas during this time and took her talent to Christmas balls. Unfortunately, this is all I have left of this ornament. BubbaLou accidentally knocked this one off the tree and it shattered. This has been the Christmas of broken ornaments, and Erith Sappy hasn't fallen over once like Fat Charley.

Mum's also painted these Christmas mice. I love Christmas mice. The goose is one that I painted, and the lamb is one of my collection.( I collected sheep once upon a time-but my pasture is full.)

I placed tinsel on the tree this year too. Santa would keep the tinsel packed away very neat and tidy each year, he treated each piece with respect. He must of used the same pack for over a decade.

Memories of my Santa are sweet and dear to Mrs. Claus and me.