Sisters

I have spent the past week with three of my five sisters and all I can say is that it has been a warm, wonderful, sharing time together. We have had great fun together and some of the things we did, besides sit and reminese, was an afternoon golfing together, scouring the flea markets for just that certain gem, shopping, going out to eat, having fun at the Farmer's Market, the art displays at UW, and viewing the Wyoming Broadcasters Hall of Fame. We sat on the patio visiting and drinking tea and eating goodies. We watched a movie and some news, but mostly the television was off. As I am writing my blog this morning the song "Sisters" comes to my mind. The one sung by Rosemary Clooney in the movie "White Christmas". The first line begins: Sisters, sisters
There were never such devoted sisters
Never had to have a chaperone, No sir,
I'm there to keep my eye on her. Caring, sharing
Every little thing that we are wearing.
I know that we did alot of that growing up. My sister Jane and I double dated and did many things in High School together and we did keep our eye on each other, and stuck up for each other. This past week has been a caring, sharing week and I loved every minute of it. We are all getting older and don't move as fast as we once did, but patience, love and forebearance always was upper most in each of our hearts. I also wonder how much longer we can have these times of reunion with each other and then I thank the Lord for this one. Another line in the song comes to my remembrance and I will close with it. "All kinds of weather, we stick together The same in the rain or sun. Six different faces, but in tight places We think and we act as one!"
Please enjoy your sister today and the rest of your life!

Family Photo Wall

I took all of the framed photos down from the family wall of photos when we recently had wood floors installed, so now I am in the process of putting up a new photo wall. I decided it is time that the high school graduation pictures be stored away along with all of the framed photos of generations past, family group photos, etc. Now I am left with wedding pictures of my six married children, two married grandchildren, my husband and myself, my parents and my husband's parents, which means eleven 8x10 wedding photos. I also want to display an up-to-date photo of each of my ten grandchildren. So here's my dilemna! Can I successfully arrange twenty one framed portraits on one hall wall and have it look attractive, neat and tastefully arranged? I decided the best thing for me to do is to call my daughter, who loves to decorate, to come and do it for me! It will look beautiful and the family will all love it when they come home to visit. The main objective of all of this is for my husband and I to love it as we pass by the hall many times a day. I am sure I will miss all of the pictures that hung on the hall wall for many years but it is time for a fresh new look! Sometimes I find my spiritual life is the same way as I settle for what I have always done for years, yet I know God wants me to have a fresh start each new day with him. So like the new photo wall, I have decided to freshen up my time with the Lord and add a new dimension to my prayer life. Some things I am pondering are: Begin the day with a song of praise, spend my time thanking and praising God for all he has done and naming them one by one. Meditate on scripture passages and see how it speaks to me. Spend more time in quiet and waiting upon the Lord. Listen to spiritual music as I pray for others. These are just a few ways to change my prayer life and give it a fresh new boost. Have a great week!

The new floors are in and I must say they look exceptionally beautiful! What would I do without family that so graciously came and moved the furniture to the garage and then came back and moved it back in when the floors were finished? My daughter came by for several hours today to help me with decorating. She is very talented and although she isn't officially a decorator she very well could be one! She and my son-in-law also cut down a dead tree in our front yard and then hauled it off! I didn't expect them to do any of this, but they came because they wanted to help us. It is a beautiful blessing when families rally around and help each other and my husband and I are truly blessed! The chapter titled Family in my book "Living Waters:Writings from the Heart of a Christian" I feel is well worth reading. I sought the Lord and he answered me while raising our children and he will do the same for anyone seeking his help.

White Carpeting

The workers just finished pulling up my white carpeting to put down oak floors. The pounding has been going on all morning as they have to tear up the sub floor also. I have been pondering, since I made the decision to get wood floors, if I made the right decision! I love the warmth of carpeting and yet I dislike how it gets dirty so easily. The bottom line is: Don't get white carpeting! My thought was that the children are all raised and on their own, so now I will get something really luxurious like white carpeting! Somehow I forgot that we adults track in everything that is outside too, and also we don't live on an island by ourselves and many people come and go here, so it is hard to keep it spotless! I have always known that God opened the door for us to have our present home and that it really doesn't belong to us but to Him. So therefore, my desire is to have it reflect His glory. I know that God is a God of order and cleanliness so by replacing the white carpeting and putting in oak floors I pray it will have a fresh, clean look to it! It is a lot like my spiritual life, in the respect that I need to keep it fresh and renewed daily! Have a wonderful week with many of God's blessings!

Summer is going by all too fast and I find myself wondering how can it possibly be August already! I believe it is a lot like life in that I often wonder where did the years go to and did I make the most of them? I tell my children quite often to enjoy each day that they are raising their children because you turn around and they are going off to college or getting married. Also enjoy your mate because you never know how long you have to be together. My husband and I just returned from visiting our youngest grandchild and every time we see her, we are so amazed at all of the new things she is doing. We so want to be here to witness all of the big events in her life, yet we haven't any assurance that will happen, so we know that enjoying the small things right now is very important! My question is: Do you enjoy the little things in life or are you always waiting for the next BIG event? There is so much joy and happiness to be had in each new day we are allotted here on earth and to me the BIG event will be when I meet Jesus face to face! So I ask myself am I ready? Have I lived my life each day to the fullest and been obedient to whatever God has asked of me? Have I been loving and kind to the people who cross my path each day? Have I passed on Jesus love to others? Do I feel that whatever I have done I will be greeted at the Heavenly Gate with "Well done, my good and faithful servant, please come in." A lot to think and pray about but is attainable if you live one day at a time with the Lord at your side helping you and rooting you on!

The Lord's strength

I took a 20 minute nap today and I seem to be falling into that habit more and more. I don't know if it is the warm summer days that we are having that make me tired or if it is just age related! I do know that I find myself relying on the Lord's strength and help more and more. There are many scriptures that refer to the Lord's strength and I find them helpful to recall when I am feeling weary and need his strength. Some of them are: Ps 46:2 God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress. Ps105:4 Look to the Lord and his strength, seek to serve him constantly! Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, I am your God, I will strengthen you, and help you and will uphold you with my right hand of justice. Nehemiah 8:10 Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. 1 Chronicles 16:11 Look to the Lord and his strength, seek his face always. Exodus 15:2 My strength and my courage is the Lord.

I love the song that sings of the joy of the Lord and it has one simple line that you sing over and over and it goes like this: The joy of the Lord is my strength, The joy of the Lord is my strength, The joy of the Lord is my strength, Oh the joy of the Lord is my strength! If you are feeling tired on these hot summer days, call upon the Lord and He will strengthen you for it is a promise in scripture!

Special Times

Recently my husband and I attended our first grandchild's wedding and I must say it was so very beautiful! Everything was done exquisitely and took many months to accomplish the final results. I am very happy for the bride and groom and this new beginning they have embarked upon. I couldn't help but reflect how life cycles come and go. We had the joy of planning and celebrating our children's weddings and now we sit back and observe with amazement our children helping plan their children's weddings. I am so thankful that I am still alive and able to be a part of these celebrations. I say celebrations because our first grandson will be marrying this fall also. Weddings are a beautiful time for families to come together and enjoy being together. It was so heartwarming to have my family all here celebrating this very special event. I am also wondering if our going home to be with our Lord is a bit like a wedding celebration. Our loved ones that have gone on before us all joining together to welcome us home and celebrating our being together. Life is full of many celebrations and gathering together and I am so thankful for these special times. I believe it is love that binds us together and gives us the joy we encounter when our loved ones come home to be with us. I thank God that He is all love and has such tremendous love for each one of us. As we draw close to Jesus we receive His love to share with our family and friends. I also believe that it is love that heals the broken relationships that were stolen from us. Jesus tells us to "Love one another as I have loved you" Good words to remember each and every day!