SHOW & TELL #17 - Counted Cross Stitch

My goodness.....here it is Friday again and time for Show & Tell at Kelli's, There Is No Place Like Home. Isn't this fun? I love seeing what everyone shows each week. What a great, wonderful idea you host, Kelli. Thank YOU!! If you're new go over to Kelli's site and find out all about it and the guidelines. Pick a Show & Tell and post it and then go back to Kelli's again and sign up on Mr. Linky. It's that easy!!

My Show & Tell for this week are two Precious Moments counted cross stitch pieces I did in the 1980's.

(click on pictures to enlarge)

This first one hangs in our main bathroom and says, "No tears past the gate."

This one I did for my husband and says "My love will never let you go." It hangs over his dresser in our bedroom.

I hope you enjoyed viewing a couple of my counted cross stitch work.

Now it's time for me to go and visit all your Show & Tell's.

Have a great Friday

MY BOUQUET OF BALLOONS

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TYING YOURSELVES TO MY BALLOON!!!

(Click on the link if you don't know what I'm talking about)

I am so honored to have 50 of you stop by and want one of my balloons.

The above is a picture that Jennifer or Pen of Jen sent me.

Isn't it perfect.....it shows what a beautiful and varied bunch we are.

Colorful and lively and so much fun!!

Retha of Retha's Rambles stated a real nice thought,

"Like balloons bumping each other, they do not break, they only drift."

I wish I'd have thought to have each of you state the color of balloon you'd like to be tied to, but I didn't think of it in time. I did have the following requests;

2 for yellow, 2 for purple, red, green & pink.

There were several who said they had been lurking but never commented before.

A couple of new people came over from other sites for the first time.

There was one blogger I hadn't heard from in quite awhile.

All of these things are just such a delight to me.

So I once again thank you for truly becoming my special blog friends.

You, and your various blogs, bless me each and every day.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Have you noticed my cute angel and envelope on my side bar for e-mail?

Amber of Trust In The Lord did it for me. Thank you Amber it is so cute and you worked so hard on it. I really appreciate it and you.

I truly want each and every one of you to feel free to e-mail me if you think I can be of any help to you. One thing about having lived so many years.....

I have a LOT of experience in a lot of areas.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Now here's something just for fun

I'm one of the 55. Are You? Don't even think about using spell check!!!!!!!!

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too. Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can. i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it.

FRIENDS & BALLOONS

Friends are like balloons,
once you let them go, you can't get them back.

So I'm gonna tie you to my heart

so I never lose you.

Please tie yourself to one of my balloons.

by leaving me a comment.

SHARING WORDS ABOUT OUR JESUS

One of the joys of my bloging experience has been the wonderful Christian writers and people I have discovered. Blogs I visit every time they post and always get my socks blown off!!! I don't agree completely with every tenet they hold, but then again my husband of 47 years and I don't agree TOTALLY with everything!!!

Today I want to share one such blog with you. Sweet Jazzy Cat. The reason I love Jazzy Cat so well is that he can say SOO much in a few words.

See what I mean!!!

Here is the link to the remaining post of Jazzy's devotion with this picture..

I trust many of you will find him as delightful as I do and add him to your favorites.

Thank you Jazzy for giving me permission to share this picture and words today.

MIDDLE NAME TAG GAME

I've been tagged for the Middle Name Game by Hazelruthes's.



Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog post containing your own middle name game facts. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.My middle name is...........

I was not given a middle name at birth. Since marriage I have always used my maiden name as my legal middle name.

I am departing from the original instructions (given above). Rather than using a fact relevant to my life, since it is Sunday and I love Jesus with all my heart, I have chosen to make comments relevent to my walk with, and beliefs in, my Lord.

E - very good gift comes from God.

R - emeber to pray every day.

R - ejoice in the Lord always.

E - verlasting life is for all who believe Jesus is the Son of God.

T - rain up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.

T - ake not the name of the Lord thy God iin vain.

I am not going to tag 6 people. If you would like to play, please do so . Be sure and leave me a comment telling me when you post it so I can come read yours. I will say this was a fun, easy one for me to do!! Thank you Cathy (Hazelruthes's) for tagging me.

SHARING MY CHURCH AND MORNING WITH YOU

Sorry this picture is out of order. It will be explained at the end. Mickey's front and my back so you can see both sides!!! Also, he's better looking them me :o) (click to enlarge)


I just wanted to share a little bit of how I started off my day today. I also want to share my heart about our Church. I think most of you know that we attend Coweta Assembly of God Church. Our first service there was December 23, 2006 so it has only been 8 months.


We had been attending another church. In October last year we attending a prayer meeting of a national ministry in Branson, MO. It was a wonderful time and we were stirred to the depth of our being. At that time we felt the Lord was telling us He wanted us to find another church We struggled with it for 2 months. WE (in the flesh) did not want to leave. We loved this church. We loved the people. We were very involved in ministry there. Care Leaders, door greeters, and Mickey was learning the sound booth. We had been involved in the purchase of 12 acres of land and had watched the beautiful new church building being built. We had only been in the new building since Father's Day and now God was telling us to leave. Finally, out of obedience, we decided on Sunday, December 20th that we would not be back. I have told people: we sort of felt like Abraham....who was told to go out of the land but not told where to go!! We left in blind faith


That Wednesday Mickey said "We are going to attend Coweta Assembly tonight". Now, again in my flesh and mind, this was not where I would have chosen!!! It is a larger church, about 950 people, and we have always been in a small church of 250 or less. It was a denominational church, and if you've been reading much of what I've written you know I am totally against denominational ism!!!


But since Mickey is the Priest of our home and my spiritual head (took me YEARS to learn this one by the way!!!!!) I said, "Okay". The minute we walked in, as they were worshiping, we both knew this was where God was placing us. The following Sunday we showed up for Sunday School (which we have not been in for years!!) and Church. We have been there at all services since.


Now after all that background I'll post what is on my heart.......


I went to the church this morning at 6 a.m. and prayed for an hour. They have 24 hour prayer, in the prayer room, every Friday from 6pm to Saturday 6pm. Even though we've been attending there 8 months I had never signed up and gone. I've always felt "Oh well Mickey & I pray together every morning and that's good enough."

First thing I had to do this morning was repent of THAT thinking!!.

They have this large room all set up with six different settings: 1) Personal cleansing, 2) prayer for Coweta & America, 3) Thanks for answered prayer, 4) Prayer requests, 5) Prayer for missionaries with pictures of many of the missionaries we support but not just limited to our missionaries, and 6) That God use me for his plans & purposes. Scripture verses are also written at these various settings. It was totally awesome!!

There is worship music playing very softly, the room is dimly lit and the bulletin boards about the 5 posts are on the floor along with a large pillow to sit on. Of course there are chairs and tables around the room if you choose to sit and pray or read your bible. The minute I walked in I felt such a peace and such a conviction that it had taken me so long to get there.

There may be more than one praying in there at a time. But there will always be at least one because you sign up for the 24 hour period and make a commitment to fill the hour you choose.


Many of you came to my mind this morning as I was praying. Your needs and concerns were included in my prayers.


Our church is open 24 hours a day to this prayer room and you can come and go as you please.
I love our church. I have ALWAYS thought the Church should not be locked but this is the first one I've ever attended which was not.

Mickey went to the church at 4:45 this morning to help with Angel Food Ministry. Our church participates in this program and the last Saturday of every month people can come from 9 to 12 and pick up a box of food for $25. The list of what will be in the box is available the first 3 weeks of the month. You come in and sign up and pay $25 and then pick it up the last Saturday. This is not just for our church but the entire area of Coweta. What a blessing and what a ministry.


Mickey went so early this morning to go with the man who heads it up to go pick-up the food in Tulsa, load it on the truck, bring it back and unload it at the church and set it up for distribution. Many other people come in around 8 o'clock to help with the distribution. Did I say I LOVE OUR CHURCH!!!!


The Sunday evening before Coweta schools opened on Tuesday, August 14th, our church provided free hair cuts, dental exams, school supplies, etc. to this community. Not just to our church body but to anyone and everyone for free.


September 13-16 Coweta has a Fall Festival. This year our Church is setting up a Prayer Tent, right on main street Coweta. The T-shirts we are wearing in the top picture will be worn by all of us working the prayer tent. We will be walking the streets with prayer cards that say "Why Pray" and talking to people. Anyone who wants to can go into the tent and pray themselves or have someone pray for them. Of course people from our Church will be manning this tent and praying around the clock during this entire 3 day festival (From 6 pm Thursday night until Sunday evening) One of our young men will also be working around the clock doing a large art mural which will depict the Crucifixion when finished. This art work will be done outside the prayer tent and can be seen by all walking by.


I have to tell you that 2 years ago the Coweta City Council said we could no longer pass out Bible tracts at Fall Festival but the City Council is not only backing the prayer tent but excited about it.

Now you know why WE LOVE OUR CHURCH!!!!

SHOW & TELL #16 - TED T. BEAR

My goodness.....here it is Friday again and time for Show & Tell at Kelli's, There Is No Place Like Home. Isn't this fun? I love seeing what everyone shows each week. What a great, wonderful idea you host, Kelli. Thank YOU!! If you're new go over to Kelli's site and find out all about it and the guidelines. Pick a Show & Tell and post it and then go back to Kelli's again and sign up on Mr. Linky. It's that easy!!

I want to introduce you to MR. TED T. BEAR (That's what we named him) and tell you all about him. Isn't he adorable? You press his belly button and he says The Lord's Prayer. You turn his tail and he is a music box. Now how special is that!!!!

BUT that isn't all I want to tell you about. What I want to Show & Tell you today is about FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, COMPASSION, CARING!!

Monday morning we had a call from our good friends, Jack & Mary, wanting to know if we could meet them some where for lunch. We said "Of course" and we decided to meet at noon at I*H*O*P*.

When we got there Jack & Mary were already seated at a table and the hostess said, when we walked in the door, "They're waiting for you", and lead us to the table. Immediately Mary pulls our this bear and says, "This is for Aric. We decided he needed a new friend". Now if you follow my blog then you know what this was all about and what a loving, compassionate, caring gesture of friendship this was to us and our 8 year old grandson. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go here to read the background.

Wednesday we picked Aric up from school and brought him to our house as his father had to go to Oklahoma City on business for the day. Here is Aric with his new friend and companion, Mr. Ted T. Bear. Does that grin tell it all?

Now, as if that wasn't enough of a blessing and thrill I have to tell you more.

On Tuesday, when Mickey brought the mail in, I had this card from Leigh Ann!!! With the sweetest note and a bookmarker. I'll tell you about it below. BUT it brought tears to my eyes when I saw this little teddy bear, who looks so much like Mr. Ted T. Bear. I immediately dropped Leigh Ann an e-mail & told her she would find out Friday at Show & Tell why it was so special she had sent me this note on a Teddy Bear card. She said they were notes she "just happened" to have. NO!!!! I don't believe in "just happened"........God had this all ochestrated to show me FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, COMPASSION and CARING from not only 1 set of friends but 2. What an awesome God I serve.

Now meet the precious little angel bookmark Leigh Ann sent me. Leigh Ann knows I collect and love angels. Here is what her card said: "Susan, As I was shopping the other day, I came across this bookmark and thought of you! Thank you for your friendship and for being an angel! Love, Leigh Ann."

On the other side she wrote: "Friends are angels who lift our feet when our own wings have trouble remembering how to fly." --unknown.

That is exactly what these 2 friends did for me this week - lifted my feet during a testing time for our family.

So, Mr. Aric has Mr. Ted T. Bear, and I have an adorable angel bookmark and a teddy bear card. But best of all I have wonderful FRIENDS and a LOVING GOD and I get to share it all with you today on SHOW & TELL

TAG TIME

Karen at Karen's Ramblings tagged me for this meme.



ACCENT - I definitely have a Southern accent. You'd think it was because I've lived in Oklahoma so many years now but even when I was growing up in New Mexico people would always say they thought I was from Texas.

I DON"T DRINK - alcohol. I hated the taste of beer. I use to drink a little wine, once in awhile, but I don't anymore.


CHORE I HATE - Emptying the dish washer. I hardly use it with just Mickey & I but I do use it when we entertain and I have a lot of dishes.


PETS - We have none. We had cats and dogs when our children were growing up. The last pet we had was a blue Beta fish we named Geronimo which we had about 6 years before it died.


ESSENTIAL ELECTRONICS - My computer first and then my digital camera. I do not have a cell phone. We had one when we traveled but cancelled it when we moved back into our home.


PERFUME - White Diamonds by Elizabeth Taylor (but I don't like Liz Taylor!!!)


GOLD or SILVER - I like them both. Being from New Mexico I have quite a bit of Silver & Turquoise. My wedding rings are white gold but I quite a bit of gold jewelry too. I have a very loving husband who has bought me a lot of jewelry over the years.


INSOMNIA - I definitely am a light sleeper and usually wake up at 2 or 4 a.m. Sometimes I will go back to sleep and sometimes I do not. I have always been able to function on 5 or 6 hours sleep.


JOB TITLE - Retired I retired from a CPA firm where I was a staff accountant. I was not a CPA.


MOST ADMIRED TRAIT - I am extremely loyal and make long term friendships.


KIDS - 2 daughters and 2 sons. All adults.


PHOBIA - I don't think I have any.


RELIGION - I hate to be called religious!!! I am a believer in Jesus the Christ and I consider myself spiritual and not religious. I do not like denominational ism. I have been a member of various Churches: Southern & Independent Baptist, Bible Fellowship, Vineyard Fellowship, Non-denominational. We currently attend an Assembly of God Church but I do not consider myself an Assembly of God. I am a Christian who happens to be attending an Assembly of God Church. which we love and are being fed by a wonderful Pastor and a very active, involved body within the community.


SIBLINGS - I had 3 half-sisters but I was raised as an only child since the youngest was grown and out of the home by the time I was 7.

TIME I WAKE UP - 5 a.m. if not earlier.

UNUSUAL TALENT/SKILL - I played the piano for years, don't much any more. I am a very fast typist and extremely good with numbers. I would not qualify any of this as "unusual".


VEGETABLE - I do not like okra, which is a very common vegetable in Oklahoma.


WORST HABIT - Back seat drivings. Drives my husband crazy!!!


X-RAYS - Chest and one MRI on my back.


MY FAVORITE MEAL - Lasagna.


I am tagging the following 5 people:

Jennifer

Barbara

Michelle

Retha

Anita

As always if you choose to play please do so and then tag 5 people of your choice. You are under no obligation, however, and if you choose not to play that's quite alright.

FAITH vs. CONTROL

I am once again posting a devotional from THE WORD FOR YOU TODAY because it spoke so clearly to me.

"If you give up your life for me, you will save it"

Luke 9:24 cev

When you obsess over problems instead of looking to God for solutions, the enemy will magnify your fears. If he can't get you to worry about the present he'll remind you of everything that could go wrong in the future! Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "All I have seen, has taught me to trust God for all I haven't seen." The last time you checked, wasn't God still bigger than any terrorist attack, financial disaster, illness, accusation, or mess you found yourself in? Well, He hasn't changed! David said, "He won't go to sleep...The Lord is...at your right side...(He)will...keep you safe...wherever you go" Ps 121:3-8 cev; plus His angels are watching over you 24/7.

It all comes down to faith vs. control. You can struggle to handle things on your own - or trust your Heavenly Father. That's the choice! It's not about "blind faith," it's about believing that God is who He says He is. And it's an issue you need to settle in your mind once and for all, because if you don't believe He wants only the best for you, you'll keep trying to run the show. Control isn't responsibility. Responsibility is doing your part by praying, obeying, and trusting God. Control is manipulating the circumstances to engineer the outcome you want. Jesus knows how we like holding on to things we're not wise enought to control, so He said. "If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give (it) up...for me,,you'will save it."Luke 9:24 cev. Bottom line - you either trust God or you don't!

cev = Contemporary English Version

IS GOD SPEAKING? ABOUT THE WEEDS

I posted back in February about some brownies I baked here and how God often speaks to me in every day occurrences I am involved in.

Last spring we decided to plant vinca minor in a fairly large section of our back yard. We have a very large back yard and felt this would make it a little easier for Mickey not to have quite so much mowing. The area where we planted the vinca had been bermuda grass. Mickey rototilled it and put down chemicals to try and kill out the bermuda. All last summer and fall I worked very hard pulling up the bermuda grass that kept coming up amidst the vinca plants.

This spring, when it was time to weed, I was having some back problems and was not up to weeding. Mickey assured me, "It's okay, the vinca will choke out the bermuda." I did not agree with him but was hoping he might be right since I could not do the weeding. Let the tell you........the bermuda grass is so thick and tall that you would hardly know there was any vinca planted there!

Yesterday we had a very nice, slow, gentle 2" rain. What a blessing since we have been having no rain and 104-105 degree temperatures. Also, since our temperature was not going to be in the 100's today I decided to begin to tackle weeding the vinca.

One of the reasons I don't mind weeding is because I have always been aware of God showing me, as I weeded, what a similarity there is between weeds and sin in our lives. The hours I spend weeding are kind of like a spiritual lesson about sin vs. God. About how it's our choice whether we are going to give in to the sin (weeds) or whether we are going to fight the good fight and do what ever and how ever it may take to uproot and get rid of sin in our lives. This is a necessary step so the new life that God has planted within us can not only grow but flourish.

This is not a new thought to me and I am just reminded of it every time I weed. Today I realized something even deeper on the Spiritual level. The thing I was noticing this time, since the bermuda had been given the opportunity to grow as it pleased, was that the bermuda runners were literally wrapped around the vinca runners. In a lot of instances when I pulled up the bermuda I also pulled up the precious vinca runners. So not only does the vinca (good) not choke out the weeds (sin) but the vinca (good) actually gets so entwined with the weeds (sin) that the bad cannot be pulled without harming some of the good. Thus setting us back some in our walk with our Lord. Jesus himself spoke of something similar when He spoke of the wheat and the tares.

"But while man slept his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?" Matthew 13:25-27

I'm aware I'm taking a little liberty with these verses over the example of Christians being sown among non-believers but I think it can be applied here. We all have weeds (sin) of our former lives and from our fallen nature. Believing in Jesus as Savior and surrendering your heart and life into His hands as Lord does not instantly get rid of the sin (weeds) in our soul (soil). That is something that we have to work at constantly. It is a never ending job and we will never be completely free of the struggle until we are given a new body and enter Heaven.

The main point to me is.......I can be vigilant and pull up every sin (weed) as they begin to appear and be making continual progress in my walk with my Jesus. Or, I can hope sin will automatically be choked out by the new life. Or I can try and ignore those sins (weeds) and allow them to get all tangled up in my new life and actually harm the progress I've made. I choose to be diligent in taking care of the little sins and not allow them to cause me much harm and damage later.

How about you? Have you been weeding on a continual basis?

Added later: I wrote this post yesterday and did not get it onto my blog. Today, as I went out to weed some more, the Lord showed me yet something else. Mickey came out this morning and began helping me with the weeding job. Isn't that just what God does.......when we begin to work on those areas of our lives that need some weeding, or even if we are busy watering the plants that are growing well......God always sends in just the right person or thing to help us!!!!! It may be a phone call, just when you needed it. It may be that He has moved upon someone else to post just the post you needed for this very moment or day. It may be the person who stops to just say "hi". But God does, and always will, send just the help we need when we are truly looking to Him to do the right thing.

Many of you have been that encouragement to me and I thank God for you!

LET US GO OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE

This is another devotional taken from THE WORD FOR TODAY

Keep strokin' !!

Sometimes you only learn to swim by getting thrown into the deep end. When that happens you discover that (a) if you let it, your fear will take you under, (b) you can only tread water for so long, (c) when you get to a certain point there's no turning back, you have to keep going. It's fatal to stop or give up in the middle of the process, (d) what God has put within you (the air in your lungs) will sustain you and keep you afloat if only you learn to relax, trust God, and keep strokin' !

"Let us pass over to the other side."

Mark 4:35b KJV

If you're really serious about getting to the other side - you've got to take what's in front of you and keep pushing it behind you. In other words, keep strokin' ! You might be crying while you're swimming, but keep strokin'. Your heart may be about to come out of your chest, but keep strokin'. It's when you feel backed into a corner with nowhere to go, that you've to reach down, take hold of what God put within you, and keep strokin'. "The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force" (Mt. 11:12). Notice the word "violence" - sometimes you have to rise up in faith and fight your way through, confident that God is on your side. The waters you're in don't determine your destiny; they can either carry you over or take you under. Your faith has got to rise up and fight your fear. If you quit, God can do nothing more for you. So whether you're doing the breaststroke, the backstroke, or some other kind of stroke nobody's even heard of - keep strokin' !

These words blessed and sustained us this very difficult week. I trust they will help you.

SHOW & TELL #15 Pearl Collar

Well here it is Friday again. At my house that means Show and Tell with Kelli!!!! I really look forward to Friday and seeing and reading about all the wonderful items and things that my fellow blogland friends show. If you haven't yet joined in the fun I encourage you to do so. It is a real blessing. So jump on over to Kelli's, at There Is No Place Like Homeand, and read all about it. Select something to Show and Tell and then sign up on Mr. Linky and share it with all of us.


I am once again showing one of my keepsakes from my teenage years in the 50's!!! This is a pearl (not real of course) collar. If you enlarge the picture you can see it also is adorned with rhinestones. Mine has yellowed over the 50 years I've had it but you can tell how lovely it was.

These were worn with a short sleeve sweater or a sweater set. I looked for a picture with me wearing it but couldn't find one. That surprises me because I wore it a LOT. We also didn't take a lot of pictures in those days.

Do any of you remember these? Do any of you still have one? I'd love to see yours.

Hope you enjoyed my Show and Tell...........Now I'm off to visit and see all of yours!!!

Have a wonderful and blessed day in the Lord.

THE SERIOUS SIDE

One of the constant desires of my heart is to be authentic and real in my thoughts, beliefs and feelings expressed on this blog.

If you've read my blog much you know that I consider myself a very blessed woman. Usually "Goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life" as expressed in Psalms 23:6a I am so thankful for that and believe that with all my heart.

I also know that we can not just pick and choose what scripture we will believe and stand on. I am just as aware of "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecutions, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" Romans 8:35

Our family is certainly not experiencing persecution, famine, nakedness, peril or sword. Although we are fully aware MANY in this world are. What we are experiencing is for us tribulation and distress.

Our beloved 12 year old granddaughter Oksana has made a very difficult decision for herself and everyone else involved. Her father is her custodial parent but when Oksana began voicing the desire to go and live with her mother he told her she was free to make the choice SHE felt was best for her. Both Aric & Oksana traveled to visit their mother for 2 weeks beginning July 31st. As late as Tuesday, August 7th, she was speaking to her father on the phone about things she was planning to do upon her return to Tulsa. Then, after much agony on the part of all of us, she made the decision on Thursday, August 9th that she would remain with her mother.

It had previously been decided that where ever she began her current 7th grade school year, here in Tulsa or there with her mother, she would complete the school year where she started.

Marc picked Aric up on Monday, August 13th, and took up the remainder of Oksana's clothes, her computer, her TV, school supplies and some other items. One of the bad things is that school began there on August 6th so she will be starting school 2 weeks behind. She is very smart and can quickly catch-up if she applies herself.

Yes, there is a big hole in our hearts and in our lives right now with her not being here in Tulsa with us. BUT all of us have perfect peace about the matter and know that God is, and will, have HIS perfect way in all our lives.

"Who shall separate us from the love of God?"

NO ONE & NOTHING!!!!!

Please keep all of us in your prayers. Especially Marc, Aric & Oksana as this transition takes place and normalcy is established.

I surrender ALL

I surrender ALL

ALL to JESUS I surrender

I surrender ALL

BLOGGER REFLECTION AWARD

Barbara of Ramblings from an English Garden passed this award to me.

The purpose of the award is to, in the words of the originator of the award, make you reflect on five bloggers who have been an encouragement, a source of love, impacted you in some way, and have been a Godly example to you . Five bloggers who, when you reflect on them, you get a sense of joy at knowing them and being blessed by them.

This award is for the best-of-the-best so consider who you pick carefully. This award should not be given to just anyone. If you're going to do the award don't just write a few words and slap it on your blog. Write real thoughts about these bloggers and what they've meant to you. If the bloggers you pick have already been given the award, don't be afraid to give it to them again. They deserve it as many times as it's given.

These are the kind words Barbara wrote about me.

Susan of Penless Writer. For me, Susan writes from the heart and she is not afraid to appear controversial. She has a solid Christian faith that she is able to explain clearly and simply in her writing, based on the knowledge of who she is in Christ. No sugar-coated sentimentality, just living life and truth as she sees it.

These are such kind words and I only hope I can live up to them.

I do try and be authentic and real.

My Lord and my family are the most important things to me.

I desire that my blog reflect that.

I truly take these awards seriously, both in receiving them and in passing them on to others. I think all of us in Blogland endeavor to give of our very best as we spend the time and effort to communicate to our readers. Many blogs delight me for various reasons and there is room and space for many type blogs in this wonderful arena. This particular award carries the requirement of being a Godly example.

I previously made 5 choices for this same award on July 7th and invite you to review those selections here.

Here are my current 5 choices for the Blogger Refection Award

Susan of Learning for Lifetime. Susan is a fireball of energy and dedication to her family of a loving husband and 4 boys. She extends this energy and dedication to her professional life as well. She is one of those woman who seems to be handling it all with grace and charm. Susan is a very thoughtful, compassionate, deep thinker. Many, many times her posts make me think seriously about our world and our Christian commitment. I appreciate that you do that Susan and you are a Godly example of true caring.

Big White Hat is a Texan. (Could you tell?!) He is the devoted father of an autistic son. His love, attitude and appreciation for his son is to be envied. While BWH writes on various and sundry things his love of family, God, Church and his strong faith stand out loud and firm. Another Godly example to all of us.

Karen of Karen's Ramblings is a new found blogger for me. I am glad I found her. She lives way down under in New Zealand. Karen is a young woman with a deep faith and understanding of God's word. In the short time I have been blessed to read her blog I have been impressed with her Godly example in everything she writes.

Brin of My Messy, Thrilling Life. This is another very recent find for me. Brin is a young 23 year old single woman. Her blog contains beautiful pictures and is a joy to view. It is her superb writing skill and her depth of the message of God and His word that inspires me. Brin is a Godly example.

Jennifer of Pen-of-Jen. I gave this award to Jennifer in my first selections. I really wanted to pass this one along to people who were fairly new to me but I just had to include Jennifer again. Jennifer is one of the most uncompromisingly strong bloggers I have found. She writes with a conviction and passion that is not only real but very well informed. I know of no one who sets a more Godly example in her writings and her life than Jennifer. I am honored to call her "friend".

A GIFT OF BEAUTY FROM GERMANY

Anita from My Country Cottage Garden had a drawing of seeds from her beautiful Lupin flowers shown here. I was one of the three fortunate winners of the drawing and found out on August 3.

"And now, may I proudly present the three winners of my blue lupine seeds! The lucky winners are:
Jeanette from Australia over at Jen & Cazz's Chronicles
Susan from the US over at Penless Writer
Monika, my compatriot from Germany over at Country Living in the City"

Yesterday this letter came to Oklahoma all the way from Anita in Germany!!!

I was so excited when I saw it in the mail box and knew it was my seeds. Imagine.........!!!!!! If you had told me prior to January 31, 2007, when I began my blog, that I would be receiving Lupine seeds from a friend, Anita, in Germany I must tell you .....I would not have believed you. This is just one more example of this wonderful Blogland and the blessings that have come my way.

Anita sent the seeds in the lovely little package that says "To everything there is a season" in a little Teddy Bear Angel packet. Isn't that cute? This little packet was in the larger Teddy Bear packet in the upper left hand corner with her hand written "For Susan from Anita's Country Cottage Garden". As if this wasn't enough, she also blessed me with a Teddy Bear book marker that reads "In the garden of life, friends are the flowers in bloom" There was also a nice, laminated plant marker included that I failed to get a picture of.




Anita also included a hand written note & instructions that read " Important: Soak them in water overnight. This will make the seeds swell up and start the growth of the seed. Best wishes from Germany, Anita. P.S. I hope you'll like the little bookmark, too."

Once again, "But my God (who) shall supply all your (my) need (and above) according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:19 What an awesome, wonderful, above what we can hope, dream or expect God we serve.

I really don't have the words, Anita, to tell you what a wonderful blessing this is me. I hope and trust sometime in the future to be able to post a beautiful picture of my lovely Blue Lupine all the way from Germany. Who'd of thunk it!!!!!

NICE MATTERS AWARD

As I posted earlier Michelle of Ozarks Sew n Sews passed this award on to me on Friday. Then on Saturday Annie of My Life As Annie passed it to me also.





Saturday I made reference to Michelle and passed it on to ALL my blog readers because you do bless me each and every time you leave me a comment and I think that's "So Nice" that you take the time and care to do so!!!





Later Saturday, when I realized that Annie had also blessed me with this same award I was really touched. I've thought about it all week-end and decided to pass this award on today. In the current day and time which we find ourselves where NICE seems to becoming more and more of a scare commodity I do think it is important for all of us to stand up and loudly proclaim.........NICE does MATTER!!!!



This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends & those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world. Once you've been awarded please pass it on to 7 others who you feel are deserving of this award.



Here are my 7 choices for this award:

Kristie

Ruth

Saija

Amber

Diane
Jennifer

Kitty

All seven of these gals certainly deserve the NICE MATTERS AWARD. If any of the names are new to you I trust you'll drop by and meet them.

1,000 MARBLES

This was an e-mail I received a some time ago. I had seen it before, and a lot of you might be familiar with it, but it has such a good message that I felt it was worth posting on my blog to remind all of us of the truth it contains.

1,000 MARBLES

"The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.

A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the garage with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time.


Let me tell you about it:I turned the dial up into the phone portion of the band on my ham radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning swap net. Along the way, I came across an older sounding chap, with a tremendous signal and a golden voice. You know the kind; he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business. He was telling whom-ever he was talking with something about "a thousand marbles."


I was intrigued and stopped to listen to what he had to say "Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. It's too bad you missed your daughter's "dance recital" he continued. "Let me tell you something that has helped me keep my own priorities."


And that's when he began to explain his theory of a "thousand marbles.""You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years."Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900, which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime. Now, stick with me, Tom, I'm getting to the important part.It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail", he went on, "and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays." "I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy.


So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to round up 1000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside a large, clear plastic container right here in the shack next to my gear.""Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away. I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life. There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight.""Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure that if I make it until next Saturday then I have been given a little extra time. And the one thing we can all use is a little more time." "It was nice to meet you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your family, and I hope to meet you again here on the band. This is a 75 Year old Man, K9NZQ, clear and going QRT, good morning!"


You could have heard a pin drop on the band when this fellow signed off. I guess he gave us all a lot to think about. I had planned to work on the antenna that morning, and then I was going to meet up with a few hams to work on the next club newsletter.Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. "C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast." "What brought this on?" she asked with a smile. "Oh, nothing special, it's just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. And hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles."

Mickey and I are getting really low on marbles!!!!!! But I'm here to tell you, we're really enjoying the game!!!!!!!

HOW ABOUT YOU?!!!!!

AN AWARD - A RECIPE - A NAME PICTURE

Michelle of Ozarks sew n' sews has been kind enough to name me for the Nice Matter's Award. For the first time I am going to pass this Award to all of you who not only read my blog daily but take the time to leave comments. NICE MATTERS and each and every one of you bless me daily. I never take you for granted and always appreciate your niceness :o) Thank you Michelle for being kind enough to pass this one on to me.

This is a first for me because I have never posted a recipe before. This morning I had some over ripe bananas and decided to bake some bread before our 100+ degree weather set in for the day. I discovered I did not have enough white flour, but did have whole wheat flour and decided to go ahead and bake it with the whole wheat. It turned out so wonderful and tasty I decided to pass it on. Almost has a nutty, crunchy taste. The recipe actually made 3 small loaves and 1 large loaf. One small one got eaten before the picture :o) Oh it is good!!!

By the way, the pretty red roses are from our climbing rose bush in our back yard. They not only look beautiful......they smell Divine!!

Hawaiian Banana Nut Bread

Combine & mix:

3 C flour

2 C sugar

1 t salt

1 t soda

1 t cinnamon

Combine:

3 eggs

1 1/2 C oil

2 C mashed banana

8 oz crushed pineapple

Combine dry and wet ingredients until moist. Fold in 1 C chopped pecans if desired.

Spoon into 2 or 3 bread pans. Bake @ 350 degrees about 60 to 70 minutes.

Ginger of Just a Thought passed on the Name Game that Jennifer of Pen of Jen began. Ginger did hers in blueberries. I just love these various names that our blogging world has done on this Meme. Thank you Ginger.

ANOTHER ITEM

Many of you who read my Show & Tell yesterday, and left comments wanted to see some prom pictures. Wish I had some :o( I looked and didn't.

SHOW & TELL #14 - Evening Bag

HAPPY FRIDAY ONCE AGAIN AS WE PARTICIPATE IN SHOW & TELL. Drop over to Kelli's and find out all about it, write up your blog and item to show for this Friday, then go back to Kelli's and sign Mr. Linky and join the fun.

Here is my Show & Tell for this Friday.

This gold mesh evening bag.

This little bag is 55 years old.

It is what I carried my lipstick and hankie in (and always some money!) when I attended the Junior/Senior Prom's in High School.
Since I dated a boy 2 years & 2 grades ahead of me I attended my first Junior/Senior Prom when I was a Freshman and 14 years old.

Our Junior/Senior Prom's were always held at the Scottish Rite Temple, and not the high school gym. It was a very special and elegant night. A group of us would go out to dinner at a nice restaurant before the dance began and then all attend the Prom and dance away until midnight.

Fun times and happy memories!!!!

GREAT QUOTES #2

I posted 10 Great Quotes on April 21st. Here are 10 more:

It gives me a deep, comforting sense that things seen are temporal & things unseen are eternal. Helen Keller

I have found the best way to give advise to your children is to find out what they want & then advise them to do it. Harry Truman

True friendship is a plant of slow growth, & must undergo & withstand the shockes of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation. George Washington

What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies. Aristotle

When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. FDR

You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it. Margaret Thatcher

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. Mahatma Gandhi

Silence is the ultimate weapon of power. Charles De Gaulle

We can do no great things - only small things with great love. Mother Teresa

You can make more friends in 2 months by becoming interested in other people than you can in 2 years by trying to get other people interested in you. Dale Carnegie

FAMILY AND FUN

Sunday we finally got around to celebrating Marc's birthday with a family dinner after church. Here is the guest of honor.

This is an Ice Cream Cake I made and it was as delicious as it looked. In addition to the Ice Cream Cake we had beef strogenoff, tossed salad, peas, rolls, sweet tea, and German chocolate cake.

Here are the gifts and cards. Marc just recently took up the sport of bowling and has joined a September league. He has been going over, practicing and using the alley's equipment. He had held off buying his own equipment because he had a feeling we might be getting some of those items for his birthday.

Saturday Jacque & I stopped at a garage sale and we found an OLD black woman's bowling ball with "Betty" engaved on the top. We bought it and I brought it home and wrapped it up. Marc came in before church to attend Sunday School & Church with us and saw the package and lifted it up. Of course it was heavy and he was pretty smug that he'd gotten his bowling ball!!!

A picture is worth 1000 words. Here he is right after opening up his black, old "Betty" Ball. It was so funny!!!!! We were all almost rolling on the floor laughing. I am smiling just thinking about it as I type this.

Here he is with the Gift Certificate to buy a new ball, bag & shoes. I doubt it will be a black one!!!! And it sure won't have "Betty" on it :o)

Another great surprise to ALL of us is that our granddaughter Jessica came in for a 24 hour stay from Mississippi and surprised us all. Pictured here from left to right: Benny, Jacque's friend, Randall, Jessica's boyfriend, Jessica, Jacque, son-in-love Dave & Suzette. A grand time was had by ALL.

As you can see, Oksana and Aric are missing!!!! They are out of state visiting but we did call them and everyone got to talk to them and say hello. Missed you guys!!!!

Marc & proud dad, Mickey.

Marc and proud Momma, Susan.

Trust your family enjoys each other and has as much fun as we do!!!

GOD IS GOOD ---- all the time