" For God himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything." Acts 17:25

About Me

About Me

About Me

Welcome...I'm delighted that you chose to visit! I started this blog in March 2010 and I am so happy that I did. It has made me more aware of the many ways that God is blessing my life. I have made some special friends who bless,teach,encourage,and entertain me! My desire is to be an encouragement to you. I hope you will tarry for a while and that you will come back to visit often.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

a little "frosty" at home






IDK...I haven't tried it, but I just saw this recipe
 for a frosty like Wendy's...

1 quart rich chocolate milk 
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Blend in blender until smooth.
Pour into freezer safe container with lid.
Freeze for two hours, stirring every 30 mins.

I bet my grands would like it...
and my daughter...
she loves her Frostys!! :-)

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

a new "lease" on life

google image

  Our fair city became the new home to one of these this past Friday. I haven't been brave enough to visit there yet! I understand it was a madhouse over the weekend. The nearest one to us is in Macon about 20 miles away, so it is nice to have our own.
  One of the nicest things about it is its location. It is the center store in an already existing strip mall on our main road. About two years ago, the Kroger store that had anchored the stores moved down the road leaving a big empty building. I hate it when that happens. It's sad and ugly and it looks like the area is going downhill. 
  There was talk that Academy was coming, but after so much time, I was beginning to doubt it. Then, the owners of the mall resurfaced the parking lot. Aha! I knew something was about to happen. Shortly after that, the sign appeared...COMING SOON... Academy Sports and Outdoors! Our town is a sports town, so I know it will do well.
   Now, if the city could just get someone interested in that empty building on Houston Rd and the one on Green Street and the one... :-)

Monday, August 27, 2012

the gift of rain

Rain, Rain, Rain


Rain, rain, rain come again and again
In the winter and in the summer and in spring

 

Come with joy, fall with happiness and go with sorrow
Rain, rain, rain come again and again
 


 Rain, rain, rain come to relieve earth's pain
Rain, rain, rain come to make nature happy



 Rain, rain, rain come to make beings happy
Rain, rain, rain come again and again



 Rain, rain, rain don't go away


Rain, rain, rain I hope you will stay
 

Rain, rain, rain come again and again

Poem by
Vikram Pratap Singh

We don't usually get much rain in August...
this year has been an exception.
We got a long steady rain this afternoon
and it was wonderful.
So glad God thought of rain! :-)

Sunday, August 26, 2012

those blooming azaleas!


We've had azaleas in our yard since
 we moved to this house in 1976.
They bloom in the spring for 2-3 weeks.
 They are pretty, but just short-lived.


Earlier this year, Hubby's sister told him about
Encore azaleas. They bloom in the spring,
 but continue to bloom through the summer.


So, we bought some and planted them about a month ago. 
And guess what, she was right!!
The plants are small and there are only 
a few blooms so far, but they are lovely.
It makes me smile to see them!
Don't know who developed this new "breed" of azalea...
but he/she is a genius! :-)

Saturday, August 25, 2012

treats for the troops


About a year ago, I wrote about the Military Ministry that a few of us started at our church. As a part of that ministry, we have been shipping "care packages" to our troops overseas. In all, we have shipped over 60 boxes. This past week we shipped 22. Living in an Air Force community, we thought it would be easy to get names of troops to receive these packages. However, we have not found that to be true. For the most part, we have been sending multiple boxes to young men who were willing to distribute them to others in their unit. And that certainly works, but since we have more ready to send, I decided I would ask all of you. If you know of a serviceman/woman who is deployed overseas and would be encouraged by receiving a care package, email their name and address to:  koc0953@yahoo.com.... and we will do our best to make sure they get a "treats for the troops" box! :-)

Friday, August 24, 2012

life began in a garden?

google image

This is the movie I went to see last week when I encountered the unhappy "late" ladies. It is not the best movie I ever saw, but it is clean and wholesome. And, as we all know, that is rare these days. It's kind of like a modern day fairy tale. Well, I guess it is a modern day fairy tale! (I mean a boy sprouting from a garden certainly sounds like the stuff fairy tales are made of!) Anyway, I like Jennifer Garner and her character is probably the best part of the film. The ending is sweet and I actually got a little teary-eyed!

So, if you are interested in a couple of hours of light entertainment and a good excuse to eat some buttered popcorn....you might want to check it out! :-)

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

too late

google image


One afternoon last week, I went to the movies. There were two ladies in line in front of me buying tickets. Or I should say...attempting to buy tickets. The movie they wanted to see had already started....40 minutes earlier. The young lady in the ticket booth told them the cut off time to sell tickets after a film has started is 15 minutes.They protested, but she did not relent. They were not happy and had some negative comments for me as they passed by on the way back to their car. 

First of all, I wondered why they would be willing to miss the first 40 mins of a movie when they would be paying full price to see it? Secondly, it seemed that they thought they were above the rules. They wanted to come late, so they should be allowed to. Thirdly, why not come on time and avoid all the trouble?

How many times do we put off things thinking "I'll do it later" and then when later comes...it is too late! How many opportunities to bless, encourage, support, teach...in other words, to make a difference....have we missed because we put it off. We always think there will be time, but we are not promised tomorrow and situations change. So I guess the answer is to determine to not let procrastination rob us of our joy and to remember the old adage ...

"Don't put off until tomorrow what should be done today!"



Tuesday, August 21, 2012

bag ladies

In a few weeks, a group from our church
 is going on a mission trip to Brazil.
They have Vacation Bible School with the children,
 they do improvements on the church building
 and the home of our missionary couple there. 
They help distribute food and they are alert
 to opportunities to share the gospel.
Later this year, the church there will be hosting
 a Women's Conference.
 They asked if we could make 150 tote bags
 that will be given to the attendees to carry
 their bibles and conference materials.
There is a craft ministry group that meets
 the first Sat of every month, so they started the project. 
Then, this past Sat, a group of us gathered to finish it.

Fist, there was the measuring and cutting of the material...




then the pressing of the hem...



then the measuring and cutting
 of the trim used for the handles... 



and then the sewing.



And, voila! our first finished bag!


 Here are the bags made by the craft group.


The fabric came from several sources.
When we cut it all and counted,
 we had exactly 150 bags!
Not only is God's timing perfect, His count is, too!

There were a few bags left to finish when it was time to go. 
So, I brought them home with me. 
It gave me something to do while...


I was cheering for our Braves!
We are trying our best to "will" them into the playoffs!

Anyway, it was great fun working with
 my sisters in Christ on this special project. 
It blesses me to think of the look on the ladies'
faces when they receive their bag! 
It's a little way we can encourage our
 Brazilian sisters from far away. :-)

Monday, August 20, 2012

ahoy koi!

 When our 30 year old son was a young teenager, he and the Hubby decided they wanted a koi pond. They started with a small black plastic pond and after a year or two, they built this one. After a few more years, the liner tore, so it had to be replaced and about two year ago, the Hubby replaced some of the timbers because they were beginning to rot. It has been the home to Koi and well as butterfly goldfish.


In the spring and summer, I keep a planter of impatiens here.
It must be the perfect place for them because they always thrive.


 The Hubby bought this last week.
I wonder if he will catch anything?


 And he bought this today...isn't it cute?
Kmart has their yard stuff on clearance so he is in heaven!
 


Mr. Frog has lived at our pond for many years.
 Our daughter made it when she took ceramics
 at the rec dept when she was in 3rd-4th grade.
 She is 25 now, so that tells you how old he is!



The palms are tall and strong and green!
 


 This piece of driftwood has been around for a long time.
It came from the marsh close to my SIL's house.


 There's more impatiens in the hanging baskets.



And a small gardenia plant that Hubby
 rooted from our bigger one is blooming.
 

When the pump is running to aerate the water,
 we have a little waterfall.
I love the way it sounds...so sooothing!

 

The upper pond is full of water hyacinths right now.

 

And they are blooming...lovely!
 

The water isn't clear enough right now to really see the fish. 
That's for another post!
The pond is a little work, but it has brought a lot of enjoyment. 
Our grands like feeding the fish and sometimes...when they are feeling really brave...
 they will let the fish bump their hands!
I think it makes our back yard a little more special!

Saturday, August 18, 2012

open hearts and open doors


This is a new song by Casting Crowns. One of the writers of the song said, "I believe the world knows what we as Christians are against, but I'm not sure they know what we are for." The lyrics are powerful and convicting. I've italicized the lines that have really stirred my heart. I hope the message of the song speaks to you, too.


                                Jesus, Friend of Sinners


Jesus friend of sinners we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name but the sword
was never ours to swing
Jesus friend of sinners the truth's become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me
Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

Oh Jesus friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus friend of sinners break our hearts for what breaks yours

Jesus friend of sinners the one who's writing in the sand
Make the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands
Help us to remember we are all the least of these
Let the memory of Your mercy bring your people to their knees

Nobody knows what we're for only what we're against
 when we judge the wounded
What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines
 and love like You did

You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast
For the leper and the lame; they're the reason that You came
Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast
But you died for sinners just like me a grateful leper at Your feet

Oh Jesus friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus friend of sinners break our hearts for what breaks yours


Amen, Amen, and Amen!

Friday, August 17, 2012

who's correct?


I don't know much about auto correct. But I do know that there are some computer programs that have it and I understand (from talking to friends who have them) that smart phones do. I have also heard that is helpful sometimes as it saves you time while writing or texting. But, it can be frustrating at other times when it finishes your words incorrectly and wants to argue with you when you try to correct it. Yesterday, two people were talking about it on the radio. One of the guys said he read what someone wrote about their experience with it....
"Auto correct is my worst enema!"

It made me smile...hope it makes you smile, too! Have a blessed weekend!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

where we ate

The hotel has a lovely dining room where
we ate dinner one night and breakfast one morning.
The dinner fare is Southern home cooking.
Typically, that would not be my choice
 for eating out because that is what we eat at home!
But, it was a pretty place and the food was delicious...
homemade and very fresh.
The waitress was kind enough to take our photo!
(in case you don't know, I am the one on the right!)


 We went to Macon (a city north of Perry) on Friday
 to shop at Payne Mill. We had lunch
 at this cute little place downtown.



The decor is vintage and "girlie"...


but there were gentlemen eating there, too!


I had the trio salad...tuna, chicken and crab.


My friend had chicken salad and apple salad.
The apple salad was made with whipped cream 
instead of mayo....interesting and different.



 Back in Perry, we had dinner here.
Our meals were delicious and HUGE!
 

 Lunch Saturday was here. I noticed when I was taking
 the picture of the menu that the name of the restaurant 
is not on it, Can you guess...it's an Italian chain?
 


Olive Garden! We ordered the Chicken Moscata.
It was interesting but I probably won't order it again.
The flavor of the Moscata wine in the glaze wasn't a hit
with either one of us. But that is okay,...it was fun trying
something different from my usual alfredo!

So, that about covers our adventure except for what I bought.
Besides the "Little Bear" book, I bought a glass pitcher,
 a glass sugar and creamer set,
and a cute little dress for Little L!
In other words, I did more looking than shopping.
I told my friend, sometimes I wish I had a
 little cottage somewhere that I could decorate
 with all the lovely things we see. 
It would have to be a place that I could just visit. 
Where I live has to be more practical and functional!
Hmmm....it is fun to imagine!

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

where we shopped

These are a few of the places we browsed...




There were 4 more places, but I forgot to take pictures!
We saw many pretty things...probably thousands,
but I decided to just take pictures of some of the
more interesting and reminiscent items.


How would you like to have your
 own personal phone booth?

I thought of Kim when I saw this...
she is learning to spin.


 How about a treasure chest full of treasure...
silver!


My friend had one of these with her children. 
It's called a "baby tenda"
Babies could sit in it to eat or play.


 I wonder how old this baby stroller is?
I don't think the young moms of today would care for it!


Don't you love this "retro" child's table and chairs?


Are you willing to admit that you grew up
 with this kind of phone?
I did...they were so heavy and always black!


How about a coke and a smile?
Do you think the coke in those bottles would
still have its "fizz"?


This also reminded me of Kim...
she tried to be a beekeeeper for a while.
but decided it wasn't for her!

 I received one of these as a wedding gift
thirty nine years ago.
If I still had it, I could sell it for $5...whoopee!


 The Hubby read this to our daughter when she was little.
After he read it, they would act it out. 
She would get on his shoulders and he would pretend
to not know where she was. He would look all over the house.
Then when he turned on the hall light, he would see her in the 
hall mirror. He would act surprised and she would laugh and laugh!
She never grew tired of the game.
When I saw the book, I knew I had to buy it, so Little E's dad
could play the game with her.
 The title is "Good Night, Little Bear"...
the price tag is covering up some of the letters.


 And this was just funny!


And so true...none of us have done anything
 our whole life...
yet!
We ate some delicious food, too, while we were
on our adventure. More about that next time!