Sunday, August 31, 2008

Reality Check...

For some time I have been noticing the styles of clothing for women and saying to myself, "I had a blouse like that when the kids were little...Should have saved it."

Well, I went shopping by myself and tried on some of the "new" styles and found out two things about myself.

1. If I had saved them they wouldn't have have fit me today.

2. Today, I am too "mature" to wear them. (I'm not "old"!)

So, in spite of the fact that "The Times They Are-a-changin'" just want you all to know "You've Got a Friend!"

~~~*^*^*~~~
Thanks be to God!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

My Favorite School Teacher

When I think back on all the teachers who have influenced me the most in my life, I think of my third grade teacher, Miss Spalding, first. A little background. I spent 1st and 2nd grade at St. Mary's School. During the year I was in 2nd grade, parish boundaries changed to establish a new parish that would have to parochial school and we lived in the boundaries of the new parish. As a result the next school year, I would be attending public school. I really loved St. Mary's School and the sisters that taught there, especially Sister Michael Clair, a Sister of Saint Joseph.

This frightened child, shy and really knowing no one at the school, had to walk into this 3rd grade classroom without knowing a soul. Rumor had it that I was getting the meanest teacher in the school and if she would become angry with you that meant she didn't like you. This was who Miss Spalding was.

At that time I realized how gullible I really am...I can't change that. I still am. But then I believed everything I was told. Miss Spalding was indeed daunting. A large lady who carried herself with dignity. She had control and command of the class from the time she entered the room in the morning until we left in the afternoon.

Why was she so good? Because she cared. Reprimands were meant to encourage not demean. She didn't single anyone out. She had no "teacher's pet." All were treated fairly. She gave us lessons in art history. She taught us writing skills by allowing us to expand our imaginations. Art had purpose it wasn't used to kill time. "Times tables" were serious lessons not just something that had to be done. Spelling was not a necessary evil but a skill that was to be used in communication. She loved her work. And only after that year did I really come to appreciate how good she was to me.

My sister Rita had her in school as well. My brother Tom began his 3rd grade year with her but tragically she died and Tom did not have the benefits of all her talents and skills as a teacher. God blessed me with someone who knew the value of an education and took each of us individually to task so that we could be the best we could be. Miss Spalding really deserved an A+ from all her students...

~~~+~~~

For Miss Spalding and all dedicated
teachers,

Thanks be to God!!!

For more favorite teacher stories visit Catholic Teacher Musings.

Book of the Month

Though I have only just started reading this book, and am behind as the next "Book of the Month" will be announced at church this Sunday, I would really like to recommend it. It is a short book of only 174 pages. I found that, when thumbing through it, there is a companion study guide called The Origins of the Church, The Apostles and Their Co-Workers. Though I am not in a group that studies the monthly book offering it might be a source worth looking into. Maybe you belong to a book club or perhaps you have friends who would enjoy starting a book club and this perhaps a book with which to start.

What I have read is not just interesting but also informative in ways that I knew but needed to be reinforced. Since it was started about 3 years ago, The Book of the Month has been a real source of education and information about who we are as Catholic Christians. I appreciate the people who continued this educational process here at St. John the Baptist when our associate was transferred. I wonder, too, if other churches would respond as enthusiastically to the literature as we have here. We seem to be a very hungry flock at St. Johns.

Good day to all as we journey through another day.

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Reconciliation


Chalice
Originally uploaded by geerlingguy
I had just visited Suzy at Sailing by Starlight tonight before evening Mass. I was struck by the clarity of the words written and how important it was for me again to focus on grooming my inner self. It's not for me to worry about how I appear on the outside. But it is important for me to concern myself with the "me-within."

Much to my delight, or chagrin depending on how YOU might look at it, in today's Gospel Jesus speaks directly to us and the "me-within." Listen.


"Woe to you...hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish,
but inside [you] are full of plunder and self-indulgence...Cleanse
first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean."
(Matthew 23)




That's me. Goodness knows I should go to confession more frequently. But excuses arise all the time. Tonight I was spoken to again in the Words of Our Lord. Cleanse yourself in the graces of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. "Cleanse the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean." Amen!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!!

Monday, August 25, 2008

Urgent prayer request...

Please visit Exuberance for the full details but Sr. Celeste is in need of our prayers! There is nothing like the power of prayer and if we mobilize this army can prevail. My sincerest thanks!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God



Thank you!

Ron is the one who took the picture of the Peace rose now on my blog. He did such a wonderful job I just thought it deserved a place of honor. This rose is one of my favorites. If the world could just appreciate the beauty that can come about when we live in harmony with each other just like the Peace rose

Wishing you all a day of love and peace.

~~~^j^~~~
Thanks be to God!

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Shirley Goodnest


A dear friend sent me this via email. I really think it's cute and in it's way a way of reflecting on the goodness and tenderness of our mothers who sent us all off to school with a prayer. I know my MOM did...So here is to sharing love and humor This beautiful Sunday!

A mom was concerned about her kindergarten son walking to school. He didn't want his mother to walk with him.

She wanted to give him the feeling that he had some independence but yet know that he was safe.
So she had an idea of how to handle it. She asked a neighbor if she would please follow him to school in the mornings, staying at a distance, so he probably wouldn't notice her.

She said that since she was up early with her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for them to get some exercise as well, so she agreed.

The next school day, the neighbor and her little girl set out following behind Timmy as he walked to school with an other neighbor girl he knew. She did this for the whole we ek.

As t he two walked and chatted, kicking stones and twigs, Timmy's little friend noticed the same lady was following them as she seemed to do every day all week.
Finally she said to Timmy, 'Have you noticed that lady following us to school all week?

Do you know her?'
Timmy nonchalantly replied, 'Yeah, I know who she is.'
The little girl said, 'Well, who is she?'
'That's just Shirley Goodnest,' Timmy replied, 'and her daughter Marcy.'

'Shirley Goodnest? Who the heck is she and why is she following us? '

'Well,' Timmy explained, 'every night my Mom makes me say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers, 'cuz she worries about me so much.
And in the Psalm, it says, 'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow me all the d ays of my life', so I guess I'll just have to get used to it!'

The Lord b less you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

May Shirley Goodnest and Marcy be with you today and always.

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!!

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Latin Moment

Sunset leaving Dublin, 2005


I felt the urge for some Latin this morning as part of my reflection, so I went to my favorite book Latin Sayings for Spiritual Growth by Archabbot Lambert Reilly, O.S.B. To this I was lead.

Si Deus pronobis, quis contra nos?

("If God is for us, who can be against us?")
St. Paul ( Romans 8:31)

~~~+~~~

God has revealed His love for us in the person of Jesus Christ. St. Paul tells us that "neither death, nor life, nor angels, not principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38, 39)

Suffering could be added to the list. God does not promise freedom from suffering for His friends. In fact, there's no doubt we will suffer, as Jesus Himself did. "The Cross is the gift I give to my friends," is what the Lord told St. Terese of Avila.

Although that which is difficult will be regularly ours, God's sustaining power enables us to conquer in His name, which means through His presence within us.

So here's where our hope lies: If God is with us--and the difficulty is a sign that He is--we can endure and overcome. No enemy has a chance if he is opposing God, and if God is with us, no enemy has a chance to conquer us. +

***
Hope, that gift so often hidden. Hope, that I will be the best God has to offer to others. Hope, the will to start a NEW day!

~~~~~~~

Thanks be to God!!!

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Quirky is as quirky does...


Laura at Catholic Teacher Musings has tagged me for the Quirky MEME. Well, I have to tell you that what you might consider quirky I might consider normal...Just keep that in mind when you read these and don't forget the magnets on the freezer door. And so I begin.

1. I love to play solitaire. Since I am so competitive and such a poor loser I try not to play games that will embarrass me in front of others by throwing a tantrum when I lose. I just deal the cards and prepare to lose again, no tantrum involved.

2. I love watching reruns of Murder She Wrote...my family still teases me about Cabot Cove the murder capitol of the world.

3. I am captivated by old radio programs and can now listen to them frequently since I subscribe to XM radio.

4. I love to crunch on ice...My dentist said I have to STOP! It's an addiction with the ramification being you can lose your teeth and I still have all of them. The dentist is right! DRAT!

5. I enjoy a HOT cup of tea even in the middle of summer...and in the middle of the day!

6. I have no sense of direction...I have to go in and out the same door of a store or I am completely lost...It all happened when we moved from Colorado where I could find my direction by looking west into the Rockies...In Indiana I am completely at a loss!

So there you have it. I keep thinking one day you all will know everything there is to know about me and then I think of just one more thing.

The rules:
1. Link the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules on your blog.
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them.
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged.

I tag:

Aussie Coffee Shop
Made for Joy
Our God Is An Awesome God
A Crocus in the Valley
A Catholic Notebook
Unexpected Journey

To you all I say, "Enjoy!"

~~~~~~~
And as always,
Thanks be to God!

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

It's Gold...


The Dutchess has honored me by awarding me the GOLD. Her site is delight to visit. She has such wonderful pictures and poetry. It's a lovely world to visit in which our imaginations are allowed to run wild. Please drop and visit her and see if what I say isn't true. Thank you most sincerely, Dutchess.

Since I was privileged to receive this award, there are also responsibilities that come with it. One must share the "wealth." Please visit these friends, too. And so I begin...

Laura at Exuberance
Kelly at Musings
Angie at Sonflower
Tracy at A Catholic Mom in Minnesota
Laura at Catholic Teacher's Musings

The Blogging Friends Forever Rules are:

1. Only five people allowed.
2. Four have to be dedicated followers of your blog.
3. One has to be someone new, or recently new to your blog, or live in another part of the world.
4. You must link back to whoever gave you the 'Blogging Friends Forever' award

~~~+~~~
For Family and Friends,
Thanks Be to God

Thought for the Day...

"When God measures a man, He puts the tape around the heart instead of the head." ~God's Little Instruction Book~
_______________________

"...for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." ~1Samuel 16:7~

For this I say, "Thanks be to God!"

Monday, August 18, 2008

My Life is a Magnet...


If you looked at my refrigerator you would ask yourself, as I have many time, why doesn't this freezer door just fall off? I have collected magnets for some time. I have my treasured Colorado Aspen leaf and the Corpus Christi sea shell. There are magnets from the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Evansville Museum, the High Museum in Atlanta, and the ultimate museums, The Smithsonian. I have magnets from Dublin and Mount Rushmore. I have gifts from Rome and Ontario. For goodness sake. I don't need to write a book...My life is on my refrigerator.

*_*_*_*_*

Thanks be to God!

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Another Remodeling Update...



Welcome to the world of remodeling. I can tell you this project is going much more smoothly than either Ron or I could have imagined. As a matter of fact they measured for the carpet and soon we'll have a comfortable room in which to gather.

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Remodeling Update...


Because The Dutchess was interested in knowing how the family room remodeling was going thought I'd send a quick pic.

Ron cut this piece of drywall out of one sheet. No piecing, looks nice and clean...Good job, Ron! A work of art to me...though others may see it otherwise.

~~~*^*^*~~~
Again, thanks be to God!

Friday, August 15, 2008

The Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary


Amy Welborn, in A Catholic Woman's Book of Days has written a reflection about humanity and me as a woman that I would like to share with you. She touches on every part of my evolution as a woman. I wonder if she will touch you in the same way. I believe that this is relevant to men as well because they, too, are asking the same questions.

First let us hear St. Paul.

It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual
body. If there is a physical body, there is also a
spiritual body.
~1 Corinthians 15: 44~
Since conception, my body has changed dramatically. What began as a single cell is now a bit larger than than. The soft skin of infancy is getting worn. Reading glasses are becoming a necessity. I wonder as I watch elderly women [men] walk past me in the grocery store, in a few decades, who will I be?

I will be the same person, in a body that so mysteriously changes but is somehow still me and will, God promises, remain so for eternity. One more great change will take place, one that I cannot even imagine, but I will remain myself, only whole.

This is what we celebrate today, what God has shared with Mary: eternal life of our whoe selves. There is nothing to fear, for life is the victor!

~~~+~~~

Lord, thank you for the gift of eternal life.
Hail Mary...

~~~*~*~*~~~
No, I don't feel a day over 40, but I am. Yes, I still look at others and see them as older. Then there's the reality check. I am the others. But the truth is my salvation is guaranteed and I have the consolation of knowing that, body and soul, my Holy Mother is in Heaven with her son and one day so will I! Halleluia!

~~~~~~~

And Thanks Be to God!

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

It's so nice...

"Morning Walk"
James R. Roybal
Santa Fe, New Mexico


Today marks the 7th day where no air conditioning has been used here at the Keller homestead. The windows are open, the cool air is flowing unrestrained through the house. For Indiana in August this is unheard of and so I say, "Blessed be God, forever!" Please, everyone, enjoy today!

~~~*^*^*~~~

Thanks be to God!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Behind in your reading?


I finally picked up my copy of July/August Ligorian. It has some wonderful stories. The cover displays a beautiful picture of St. Paul and the cover story "The Jubilee Year of Saint Paul." There is a "Department" called Catholic Calendar and during the months of July and August the Church celebrate the live of 32 Saints. August holds a wealth of holy men and women, two of which are martyrs for the faith in our time, Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe and Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein).

In the article, written by Norman J. Muckerman, C. SsR., Edith Stein was the 11th child in a Jewish family. She studied philosophy, earned her PhD and became a professor. She was introduced to Catholic thought by a fellow professor Max Scheler. So interested was she in this new "philiosophical world" that she had to learn more. So it was that she read the autobiography of Saint Teresa of Avila and it became a turning point in her life. She was baptized, taught in Catholic schools for a number of year and then entered the Camelite monastery. Seeking to protect her from the Nazis and their widespread persecution her community sent her to Holland where she "lived, suffered, and prayed for the next eight years." She was later captured and sent to Auschwitz with her sister, Rosa, also a convert where they were put to death in the gas chambers.

Needless to say, I know very little about the life of this courageous lady and perhaps it is time I made an effort to become more acquainted with her. Have you met a saint today? I did and now just like any new friendship, it's time to learn more about her.

Wishing all a Grand day!

~~~*~*~~~

Thanks be to God.

Monday, August 11, 2008

What happens...

What happens when you find
you're not flying high...


in First Class anymore? You see that the summer is waning
and the sun is rising later and setting sooner, what happens?



Well, in our case, Ron decides now is the best time
to remodel the Family Room.
So on Saturday about noon, because it
was cool and not so humid,


off came the paneling. Yes, we were off
to the friendly, neighborhood Lowe's.



By last evening he had two wall insulated and
and had dry wall in place.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS
here.

~~~~~~

I believe the carpet is next to go
so I won't have any reason for
Stanley Steamer to come
and clean it.

I'm here to wish you all a
GRAND week
and stay tuned!
Who know what might happen
NEXT!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Saturday, August 09, 2008

Paul the Parent

Photo by Luis

On the day after our newest grandchild made her entrance into the world I had a revelation. As I read this reflection from Praying with Saint Paul, I had a vision of Paul as a parent. I don't think I ever thought of him like that before ( and only now probably because parenting is an immediate and timely subject for me). And in that light I see him as a stern but loving parent. And I realized that as I read this. I have always thought of him as teacher, preacher and example, but not as a father. Amazing! And so I share it with you.

Zeal for Souls
by
Father Gary Caster

Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may
be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in
the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom
you shine like light in the world, as you hold onto the word of
life, so that my boast for the day of Christ may be that I did not
run in vain or labor in vain.
(Philippians 2: 14-16)


The affection Saint Paul has for the Philippians reveals the true nature of zeal for souls. He know his life to be so inextricably bound to theirs that he cannot possibly imagine "the day of Christ Jesus" apart from them. Because Paul cannot think of or envision his own relationship with God apart from the Christian community he runs his life for others, seeking to build up the children of God according to the same word of life that changed his own. Paul encourages the Philippians to do the same because he encountered this word of life in a man whose flesh and blood perfectly communicates the Presence of the Mystery that is God. Paul is pleading with them from his heart, trying to persuade them according tot he truth which is also in theirs. His singular concern and the effort of all his labors is that the Philippians will faithfully adhere to Christ, "without grumbling or questioning," because trust is the hallmark of Christian discipleship. Paul knows that if they trust, if they hold fast to Christ in the act of following him, their lives will "shine like Lights" and become beacons of hope for the rest of the world. Paul has seen for himself and can testify how the very light of the Son of God radiates from those who labor according to God's wishes, serving him with gladness and freedom of heart. Paul knows that Christ has not left the world, but remains present through his Body, the Church, in an active vital way. The hope for any generation lost in the perversions that result from the disorders of sin is to be reborn as sons and daughters of God. To remain "without blemish" is truly possible to the extent that one remains open to the Word of life and continues to explore what Christ makes possible in the act of following him.

Heavenly, father your zeal for us is revealed in the life, death and resurrection of your Son. Let my heart be consumed by this same zeal so that others may come to know and experience what I have found in you.

~~*~~*~~
It is worthwhile then, to reflect as parents and grandparents on the lessons of Saint Paul, the concerned father of children entrusted to his care. And so when we want to "grumble or question" perhaps looking to the lessons of Saint Paul, we can best be reminded that trust in the Almighty and his goodness and generosity will bring us into the Light of Christ. Maybe we should look to Saint Paul when trying to improve our parenting skills.

Father Gary Caster is a priest of the Diocese of Peoria, IL. He is Catholic chaplain of Williams College in Massachusetts and the author of Mary, in Her Own Words: The Mother of God in Scripture.


Thanks be to God!!



Friday, August 08, 2008

Announcing a NEW ARRIVAL



Madeleine Hope Keller joined the family this morning at about 2:00 a.m. EDT. We cannot tell you how pleased we are that she has arrived. Probably no more so than Kelly, her lovely mother who gave birth and Daddy, Dave. She joins a family in which there are already 4 handsome and talented brothers.

Madeline, Grandpa and I want to wish you love, joy, and happiness as you begin this journey. You are and will be loved by so many!

Congratulations David and Kelly! We know how happy you must be at the arrival of your new little treasure. How dazzling must be the light you see Madeline's eyes.

Cameron, Benjamin, Andrew and Jonathan how proud and pleased you must be today as you meet you little sister. Our wish for you is that you alway love and cherish her as she will you.

Let us adore the Lord
maker of marvelous things,
heaven bright with angels,
on earth, white waved seas.
~Anonymous: 9th century~

A Book of Old Irish Monastic Prayer Poems
translated by Malachi McCormick


~~~~~~~

My sincerest,
Thanks be to God!

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Would you look at this...


Sam the Regal Cat...



...resting on his royal throne.

The irony is that Sam really appears to look like the cat on the throw...I could only laugh as he seemed entirely oblivious to the camera and me. I wasn't going to ruffle his "royal" feathers. This was my bit of humor today and it was well worth waiting for. Hope you can get a chuckle out of it, too.

~~~^j^~~~

Good evening
and
Thank be to God!!



Missing...


This was not going to be my post today. I awoke this morning and opened my blog to find that an entire days comments had been eliminated from the Cellphone Popcorn post. I was certainly dismayed to see that. I had actually enjoyed reading the comments and found. even though you can't pop corn with the cellphone, ('twould have been handy if marooned on a desert island and until the battery ran down) it was fun to read and share each comment.



Then, to my horror, it occurred to me that those who were no longer in the comment box might think that I had erased theirs. Well, please let it be known that I did not delete the comments from August 6 2008, and if anyone knows how I can retrieve them please let me know. I'd really like to have them back. It's like I lost an entire day...at my age that's risky!

Wishing you all a good day and please comment, if only to say, "Hello."

~~~~~~
Thanks be to God

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Cellphone Popcorn...

Picture by lla

Okay, I know I am gullible...Anyone in my family can tell you how easy it is to "gotcha" me! Soooo, I'm asking, is this really true and can it really happen?

Cellphone Popcorn

And if it can happen, WHY?

~~~~~~~

For all I do not understand
or will never understand,
Thanks be to God!!!

It allows me to use that faith offered so freely!

Monday, August 04, 2008

Interesting Facts About the State of Colorado...

Mom sent me this in an email. It was so good that I just had to share it with you. My only regret is that I have no new pictures of my "home state."

Here are some curious things you might not know about Colorado .

Highest Climb. The highest vertical climb is not on a mountain but up the north side of the Black Canyon . Rising 1,700 feet, this sheer rock face is even higher than the famous Diamond on Longs Peak and was not conquered until 1969.

Deepest Snow. In 1899 Crested Butte recorded 254 inches of snow near the top of Kebler Pass. That year, snow buried a train near Leadville and left only stove pipes showing above cabins at many mountain towns. Usually, Wolf Creek Pass near Pagosa Springs gets the most snow in Colorado .

Oldest Hotel. The Peck House in the little town of Empire , near Berthoud Pass , is Colorado 's oldest hotel. It was built in 1859 by James Peck. Early guests included President Ulysses S. Grant and other famous people.

Highest Town. Leadville is the highest (10,200 feet) incorporated town in Colorado and the entire U.S. It has also had the highest rate of premature babies in the U.S. Researchers concluded that the altitude causes smaller babies.

Largest Nuggets. The biggest gold nugget in Colorado weighed 135 ounces and was found near Breckenridge in 1887 by miner Tom Broves. The biggest silver nugget weighed 1,840 pounds and was found at an Aspen mine in 1894.

Largest Elk Antlers. Measuring 52 inches at the widest point, the antlers of an elk: killed in 1899 near Crested Butte are still on display at that town's visitor center. In 1961, Boone and Crockett researchers declared it to be the largest elk rack in history.

Toughest Climate. No crops are grown around the town of Silverton, north of Durango . At 9,318 feet elevation, Silverton's growing season between frosts is only two weeks. San Juan County here is reportedly the only county in the U.S. without a single acre of agricultural land.

Worst Drought. About every 40 years, Colorado experiences a drought, according to tree-ring researchers. The worst was in the 1200s. It lasted 25 years and may have driven the Indians from Mesa Verde. During the Dust Bowl on the eastern plains, one cloud of dust on April 4, 1935, gathered itself to 1,000 feet high and 200 miles wide. It traveled at 60 miles an hour, suffocated hundreds of animals and damaged many people's health.

Driest Town. Delta, south of Grand Junction, gets less rain per year than Tucson, Arizona .

Musical Dunes. Winds blowing around the Great Sand Dunes near Alamosa create sounds resembling music. That's how Music Pass above the dunes got its name.

Women's Rights. Colorado was the second state in the U.S. to give women the right to vote. Wyoming was the first. You would think the eastern states would have been more progressive, but it took the frontier adventure to make men realize how strong and intelligent women were.


~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!


Saturday, August 02, 2008

One of the Deadly Sins...


Well, in the last several weeks I have been traveling from blog to blog enjoying all these wonderful homes...I must say I was "envious" of the beauty I have been finding in these places. So in my desire to be "beautiful " too, I sought a way to transfer the blog I had to a new template. I did what I could to transfer my insignificant information into the new template only to find that when I clicked "OK" I lost all my side bar information. Envy does reek havoc!

I have done my best to replicate the side bar, but you know I'm not just sure what all was there. So, if you don't see yourself at "Blarney Corner" right now that doesn't mean you will not return. I've just misplaced you.

You know the funny thing I realized about all this is that AGAIN the "grass is not always greener on the other side."

I do want to thank you all who have told me how much you like the new look. I really appreciate it. It was fun and I didn't lose anything. (I'd already lost it! HEHEHE!)

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!!


Aside: Picture is of grand-daughter, Ainsley, last summer in MT. She's peeking through a hole in the fence to watch the kids next door bounce on the trampoline. Kids are so darling and innocent!

China Little Flower


It's time for the monthly update. And with the Olympic Games coming to China, I thought I would share the notes from Shannon and the pictures she sends. Please pray for her and all who assist her in her work with these lovely children of God.



~~~~~
Thank you
and
Thanks be to God!

Friday, August 01, 2008

Bad Haiku Friday


mother cradles child

she caresses her with love

that's what mothers do


Done and done...because of a double dog dare I could not resist from Bia. It was challenging to say the least and the words did not "flow." It must take a lot of practice for it seems to me these words lack the grace and tenderness of others I have read. Pretty rough around the edges, wouldn't you say?

I would also encourage you to visit Suzy Q and find out about her give-away! It will be worth your while.

~~~~~~~

It IS Friday, so for that I say,
"Thanks be to God!"