Sam's Shenanigans

It has been so long since I posted about one of my gnomes that you may not remember Sam (so named because he has that nifty little spade). 

Let me catch you up on all that Sam was up to in September and early October.  You may remember that Sam went with us to the Highland Games at Boone Hall Plantation in Charleston, and the drummers were quite taken with him.

They even offered some lessons!

Sam enjoyed his time there.  He got to meet my parents little Westie, Toby

 It took them a little time to get comfortable with each other but they are friends now.

While we were there, Mr. Marvelous came over for some vacation time.  We took Sam with us to the beach.  The three of us have a new favorite restaurant there. 

They have great coffee, 

 

 and an omelette so good that Sam cleaned his plate before I could take a picture of it.

We decided that Eggs Up Grill is a Can't-Miss kind of place.

Sam LOVED the beach.  He got busy with his little spade and got quite a bit of digging done.

He was curious about the gnome who dug this up and what kind of spade was used in the process:

So I read him Genesis 1 that evening.

He was rather impressed with the power of the ocean

It quite literally knocked him over!

We decided it would be safer for him to paddle in the tidal pool.

He did try to doggnome-paddle,

but we made quite sure he had a life-guard present when he did.

After all that time in the water he was ready to work on his tan.

And at the end of the day he was more than ready to go back to the house

After a refreshing stay at the beach, we went back to visit my parents for a few more days.  My Dad had been in touch with their favorite apple orchard in Hendersonville, NC, so we all piled in the car and drove to the mountains.  Lucky Sam; mountains and beach in one week!

Nothing beats a North Carolina apple; they are treasures in our family.  

Which is why Sam is guarding them so diligently.

It was nice to take the trip and get to see the mountains, but it was a quick day-trip as Dad had plenty to do back home, Mr. Marvelous had to get ready to go back to Alabama, and Mom and I had to get ready for our big walkabout to Seattle.  We did manage to work in a few last-minute errands.

Flowers DeLinda's in Manning, South Carolina (before the flood).

One of my favorite places.

Sam's too!

After that jaunt it was time to go home and get packed.  

 Sam went in the checked suitcase.  The note reads:

"Hello,

This is Sam (because he has that nifty little spade).

Sam and his buddy Jack South take turns traveling with me.  

I take pictures for my blog and people I know get to enjoy our travels.

I put Sam in here because I was afraid the folks checking carry-on bags

might not appreciate his charms.  I hope you do!

Thank you for allowing him through!"

Sam was not thrilled about riding in the suitcase, but after I explained to him about security checks he agreed.  There may or may not have been a little something to help him sleep.

Check in next week and I will give you the update on our Seattle walkabout.  Sam had a narrow escape with some school children at the Seattle aquarium!

Monday Memories: Being Thankful

Re-post from November, 2014

My friend Rixie over at The Life and Times of Rixie the 4th started a wonderful tradition a few Novembers ago of Random Thankfulness.  She talks about how after a few days of posting about the big things to be thankful for ~ like our Salvation, our families, and our freedom ~ people seem to flounder a bit to find equally significant things to talk about.  She challenges us to think about the little things, like woolly socks on a cold day and give thanks to God for these small blessings.

I love thinking about the little things.  Things like a cool porch with a comfy swing and a sweet boy enjoying it:

A quiet moment exchanging snuffle kisses with a rabbit.

Watching the pattern of the sunlight as it filters through the trees on the back hill.  

An unexpected visit from neighborhood turkeys.








You can be sure I will be sharing plenty of these moments this month.

I have a lot of big things for which to be thankful, too.  Salvation.

My own Bible in my own language.

                              My family.

A good church with a pastor who is faithful to preach the Word of God.

You will be hearing about some of these things too.

I am also thankful for the times of illness, of pain, of weakness, of sleeplessness, of grief and of sorrow.  Not only do they better help me appreciate the other times, but the difficult times themselves are a gift from God.

I will be sharing my heart on those things as well.

Today however I want to talk about being thankful for remembering to be thankful.

During times of illness, you appreciate the well times much more than those who have never been ill.  Living with chronic pain, you have a greater appreciation for those moments of being pain free.  When you can't walk on your own power, or struggle to keep from falling when you try, you find greater joy in those days when you move without even having to think about it.  In times of sleeplessness, the mornings you wake up and realize that you slept soundly through the entire night are such a blessing.

When I have had those moments I have realized how little I remember to be thankful for the days when I feel healthy or pain-free, or mobile, or when I sleep soundly.  It is easy to slip into taking these things for granted.  I have asked the Lord to help me remember to better appreciate  the good moments.  Some days I will be working around the house and have to stop and sit down for a moment and rejoice in the blessing of being able to move without thinking about it and of feeling healthy and strong.  There is a lot of joy in those moments.  There is a great peace and contentment in the hard times when I can look back and see thankfulness during the easier times.

Thankfulness changes me.  When my heart sings praise to the God who created me and saved me, regardless of my circumstances, then I am in His will and in that, He is honored.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.   I Thessalonians 5:16-18

May the gift of His peace fill your heart and home with thanksgiving and joy.

Reformation Day!

It's time for another annual tradition: the Reformation Day Post.

I love this little song and video because it gives so much information about Martin Luther in an unforgettable format.  I find myself walking around throughout the year singing, "...I can not change my diet, Sir, God help me here I stand!"

Enjoy!

Friday

May your weekend be filled with beauty,

 

 

 a bit of coffee,

 time with loved ones,

and some silliness,

 a chance to meet new friends,

 new paths to explore,

and a nap at the end of the day.

May God give us the grace and blessing of being worshipers in spirit and in truth,

and may we share his grace and truth with all we meet.

His peace to your hearts and homes.                

Wednesday Prayers

Greetings Prayer Warriors,
Thank you for your continued faithfulness in your own "War Room".

Here are a couple of updates:

1. Elise received a clean report from her cardiologist.  While we are rejoicing over this, we continue to pray now that the doctors can figure out what is going on with her.
2. Miles is doing fabulously well.  He will turn 5 in two weeks and it is amazing to watch him and realize how afraid we were just a few weeks ago.  
3. Jacob's surgery was successful and he is recovering well.  It will be a few months before he is back to whatever normal is (2 knee surgeries in a year is no small potatoes!), but he is progressing well.

Here are some things to be remembering this week:

1. Remember this week that we have brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering.  Some of them will be martyred.  Some of them will "just" lose their jobs, their children, their homes....but will have to keep on living in the middle of this.  We will meet them one day in heaven.  May we not have to admit that we never prayed for them!
2. Please continue to pray for folks devastated by the flooding in South Carolina.  Pray especially that God's church will reflect His compassion and grace to the hurting ones.
3.  Hope is having chemo as I write this and she is very sick from the treatment today.  Please continue to hold her in your prayers today and through the week.
4. Charlotte is a young lady who is dealing this week with asthma, the side effects from the steroids for that, and migraines.  She has asked for prayer that she could find her plush baby bat.  And please pray for her Mama.
5. Chris is still waiting for a heart transplant.  He has been active for three weeks now.  Please pray for peace during this time of waiting.  

May God grant us the grace we need to see the people around us with HIS eyes.  May we minister to all the needy, whether we feel like it or not.  May we be diligent in prayer and confident in our Father's goodness at all times.

His peace to your hearts and homes.

October Walkabout

I wrote this from the plane but am only just now getting it up for your entertainment.  
We had a blast.
We are safely home.
Mother is off on another adventure with Dad; they will have several this month. 
I'm still recuperating!

Monday Memories: October Walkabout

I am sitting on an airplane.  No big deal for many of you but for me?  A big deal!  I don't like to fly.  I used to fly about every six weeks, traveling all over the US for my job.  I enjoyed the places I got to see, liked meeting new people and really enjoyed the work.  Even then, though, I did not like to fly.  Every time the plane took off I was saying to myself, "There is no fear in love for perfect love casts out fear...there is no fear in love for perfect love casts out fear....".  Every time we landed I would start singing to myself, "Thanks be unto Jesus, Thanks be unto God, He has won the battle, Through the power of the cross..." (from Death Is Ended by James Ward).  That's how much I don't enjoy flying.  Plus, as I told my friends Ashton and Gracie the other day, my arms get sooooo tired when I fly.

But here I am cruising at 30,000 + feet making another big trip with my Mom.  This time we are headed to Seattle, Washington to visit my middle sister.  She and her family have lived in the Seattle area since the early 90's and I have never gotten to go visit them.  Isn't that sad?  I have not heard my brother in law preach since they moved, never seen their house, the places where the children went to school, the hospital or college where my sister works; never gone sailing in the sound on my brother in law's boat, never sat on the porch with my sister and just talked and enjoyed the moment.  

We are going to fix that this next week.  Mom and I are excited about going for that sail in the sound.  I can hardly wait to see their home, go to church and hear Fred preach, meet the nephew who married my niece (once you marry some of my family you are family!), and just catch up with their family.  

Unless he was confiscated by baggage handlers, Sam is traveling with me (he went in the checked baggage, poor Sam!).  There will be LOTS of pictures to share.  

I am sure there will be lots of stories.  This sister is the one we describe as a cross between Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball.  Just this morning as we sat at the breakfast table, Mr. Marvelous and my Dad were discussing if they knew anything about bail laws in Washington state.  I primly reminded them that it would be Fred's problem while we are out there!

Just for curiosity's sake, I did look up how we would go via Amtrak (even though there was no way I would do that with Mother after that last overly eventful trip in March).  I discovered that we could take one day to travel to Washington, D.C.  Then the next day we could hop on a train for Chicago.  After spending the night in Chicago, we could jump on a train to take us to Seattle, which would only take us three days.  Five days by rail?  Well, I'm up for it but there is no way I would try that with Mother!  So we will spend a total of almost 6 hours in the air today (and it is a turbulent ride) and enjoy more time with my sister once we get to Seattle. 

My sister has said she is taking me out for a cup of REAL coffee ~ she says what I drink is colored water.  I'll be sure to take pictures of that adventure and all the rest of the adventures that I am sure the three of us will have.

 Oh, and the coffee?  Well, the shops are pretty unique out there, but it turns out that the coffee she likes best is (wait for it)....Starbucks!

Yes, we really do have those here in the south.

And I enjoy their coffee.

Friday

Mother and I have had a wonderful time in Washington State this week.  It is a beautiful place with some memorable sights.  And sounds.

We start our trip home today

We will miss our family here, but we will both be very glad to see our husbands again!

Whatever path God may put you on today, may we all bring glory and honor to Him as we go.

His peace to your home.

Sam's Shenanigans in South Carolina

Remember Jack's new friend Sam?  He has certainly been having his share of adventures since I last wrote about him.

A few weeks ago Sam and I went with Mr. Marvelous Jr. to the Highland Games in Charleston, SC. We stopped in Aiken, SC on the way over and Sam was intrigued by the scenery there.  Aiken is a fascinating place.  This is where the race horses from New York have come to spend the winter for years.  Aiken is famous (as is Camden, SC) as a place for the horses to over-winter and train.  Aiken's economy is largely based on horses ~ polo, training, and all things associated with race horses.  

 Sam was impressed with the history and the "charm".

The next day found us on our annual pilgrimage to Boone Hall Plantation for the Charleston Highland Games.  Junior is not excited about my taking Sam and/or Jack with me everywhere I go.  In fact, he acts downright embarrassed sometimes (mission accomplished!).  Some of his band-mates found out about this and decided to take matters into their own hands. 

Literally.

Sam had an educational time.

For example, did you know that cowboy hats are a fashion "must" after a competition at the Highland Games?

 

The band did well, placing 2nd in their competition.  I still wish that they had done their old competition piece, Steam Train to Mallaig.  Oh well.

Junior drove back to Alabama that night while Mom and I went back to the parent's retreat.  There have been plenty more adventures since then so stay tuned.  In the meantime, here are a few more pictures of Sam and his shenanigans.

He's having a great time.

Wednesday Prayers

Good morning, Prayer Warriors!  Thank you so much for your continued faithfulness.  The work of prayer is receiving a lot of attention lately, thanks to the movie The War Room.  With all the traveling lately I still have not been able to see the movie, but I am looking forward to it.  It is interesting to me to see God's people busy helping people they have never met.  Won't it be wonderful in heaven to meet these people?  "Oh I remember you!  I prayed for you for days/weeks/months/years!"  What a blessed and joyful meeting that will be!

Thank you for your prayers for God's churches.  I urge you to continue daily in this crucial work.
Other prayer needs this week include the following:

1.  Rejoice with us that Nancy gets the month of October as a "vacation" from chemo!  Pray that it will be a good, strong month for her and a time of joy and strength.
2. Elise has a cardiology appointment coming up to determine the cause of her profound fatigue.  Please pray for this young girl; pray that the doctor's may find what is going on, pray for peace for her Mama and Daddy and Grandparents as they wait.
3. Connie and Tara are dealing with a difficult diagnosis of an auto-immune disease.
4. Mark (not my Mr. Marvelous but my friend's Mr. Marvelous) has been having some problems with atrial fibrillation.  Please keep he and his family in your prayers.
5. As you are out and about today, notice the people around you.  The cashier at Walmart who is tired and having a difficult day.  The receptionist at the office who is on her last ounce of strength.  The mother with the young children at the fast-food place who is just barely keeping it together.  The angry person in the car next to you who is yelling on the phone.  PRAY for these people.  Pray that God would draw them closer to Himself.  Pray that His peace would invade their hearts.  Pray for strength to keep on going.  Pray for comfort.  Pray for wisdom.  Pray as the Spirit guides you.  You might even let them know that you are praying for them.

Sunday I had the opportunity to hear my brother in law preach.  As he was teaching Sunday evening, he was talking about how the goodness of God is always revealed in all parts of His character.  Sometimes at first glance, it does not seem as though a description of God's character is good.  For example, go re-read Psalm 78.  There are some seemingly harsh descriptions of God in this chapter alone.  Consider that God will not allow evil to continue unchecked.  Rejoice in the fact that His anger is directed toward His enemies and that this is a protection for His people!  He will not allow evil to freely inflict or destroy His faithful remnant.  His anger is a part of His character.  His faithful love and mercy is also a part of His character. 

May He protect us from over-emphasizing just one facet of who He truly is. 

May we seek to know His fullness.

His peace to your hearts and homes.