"A contented mind is the greatest blessing a man can enjoy in this world."  (Joseph Addison) 

Even Scripture backs that up when it says in 1Timothy 6:6-8.   "But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'"  Hebrews 13:5

Take a break...breathe deeply...relax...praise your Maker...   He's promised to never leave us!  Aww, sweet contentment!

Whirlwinds?

I suppose I always thought that "when the children are grown", "when I'm a senior citizen" - then...I will have time to "piece a quilt", "read a lot", "visit friends and go fun places together", "travel", "crochet", etc.  Well, the children are gone, my husband is gone as well , and I've been a "senior citizen" for way too many years now, but where's all the things I imagined I would do??  (plus, now my hands are too arthritic to crochet very long  - and I have xanga and facebook to try to keep up with! )  oh, well.

It seems like it's more like a whirlwind!  I'm finally landing today from the wind I was caught up in since the weekend began, but I need to gear up for the next "wind" starting tomorrow! 

How thankful we were last Sunday for the new building we were able to use for the Awana games!!  Whew!  We have more than twice the number of kids we ended up with last year  (praise the Lord) The Lord never quits sending me volunteer "jobs" which is now occupying another half day of my week.  Then there was the various committee meetings, visiting a new patient  which has been assigned to me at Hospice where I volunteer weekly. The weekly Bible Study will meet here in the morning - which helps me make time to clean my house- but better still to be in the Word.  And so the weeks rush by.  Apparently, the Lord hasn't caught on to "retirement" yet!  (I wonder....just maybe we should forget the word too?)  But God has it all in control! 

Imagine yourself reflected in that bit of water.

I have so much to be thankful for and am so blessed.  How awful it would be to be "bored".  And I was reminded again this morning when I received a couple text messages from people asking for prayer, just how many people out there are seriously hurting.  One was from a granddaughter in another state asking me to pray for a friend ministering to someone who feels hopeless and that life is not worth living any more.  Another for a deeply troubled marriage.  These are only representive of so many others. There is no end of opportunity for us to touch people and hopefully spread a bit of hope and light to them!

Reminds me of the little plaque I've often seen in years past to the effect that "we walk through this life but once, any good therefore that I can do... let me do it now". I can't think of all of it!  Scripture says it well, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." Gal. 6:9,10

So much for my little rambling there!  Hope you have a great day.  The sun is even shining in Mississippi all week this week!!!!  It's good for the morale even if it is too late for the crops!

Poor little flowers..

Is it any wonder my flowers don't want to lift their heads and smile?  They've lost all  their brilliance they had earlier in the year - before all the rain started.

I don't think I'd want to smile either if I was sitting in water most of the time!  I heard on the news last night that we are now 23 inches above normal rainfall.

Time for school to be ended.  This doesn't show nearly all of the long line of buses that line up every day.  I enjoy watching them from my front window.  Most of the student cars have left on this photo.  Just be careful if you are coming down the road at this time.  Some of those buses will pull out right in front of you!!!!  I don't think they look.

I spent all morning today painting at our new church fellowship hall.  The color is not gold, even though the lighting makes it look a little that way.  It's "unfussy beige" or something like that!  This is the ladies room with a handicap stall, a shower stall and a little sitting area. 

We are "getting there".  They started installing the kitchen cabinets...lots of them, with an island down the middle.

 and several guys put the tape down for the Awana game circle!!  Yeah!  They got a good perfect circle.  We have four teams - hence the blue, green, yellow and red tapes indentifying that teams boundaries.  The kids love game time!  Looks like they are trying to figure something out here.

I think we will have the games in there tomorrow night - oh to spread out a bit and not be bumping into each other!...but maybe a little harder fall than on carpeting!  On the bright side - no more rug burns!

The best part is that everything to date is paid for.  May it always be used for ministry!

Enjoy your Sunday!  We get an extra hour tonight.  I've already changed my clocks, and discover I have way too many clocks!  I have one or more in every single room, even the bathroom!  I should never ever be late!!!!

Remembering to say "Thank You"

Just one look at the colored leaves of fall is enough to remind us to say "Thank you Lord, for seasons".  Although we don't get much color here in the south - this year with so much rain, it seems especially "drab". But there were sure some lovely scenery traveling to PA recently!  (Actually, this picture hardly scratches the surface!)

But beyond that, I am thinking of expressing our thanks.  I recently read the following little story.

"Author Barbara Glanz tells about a successful business man who remembered his 8th grade literature teacher.  He wrote to her and received this reply: "you'll never know how much your letter meant.  I'm 83 and living alone.  My friends and family are all gone.  I taught school for fifty years and yours is the first thank-you I've ever gotten from a student.  Sometimes I wonder what I did with my life.  I will read, and reread your letter until the day I die."  Ironically, she was the teacher students talked most about at class reunions, but nobody ever told her. !!

Taking a peek into Paul's epistles I get a glimpse of his affirming side when he says "After I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you."  "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you...for your fellowhsip in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident...."  "We...boast of you among the churches of God for your patience..."

It reminded me of some letters my high school teacher son has received  from several former students and how much they blessed him and kept him going when he felt like quitting the teaching profession.  Sort of got me to thinking also about a friend of mine who is so generous in her encouraging and affirming actions and words.  And yep, you guessed it, I just had to sit down and write a little thank you note to her!

In our busy, self-centered world, we need to remember those who have made a difference in our lives, and when they come to mind, pray for them, and find a way to say "thank you."

And my very best encourager of all is my Savior!  I need to continually thank Him too!

"You will never be in a situation where God will not offer you the courage of His presence."  (Beth Moore)

P. Buckley Moss

On our trip home from Pennsylvania we came through Waynesboro, VA.  I noticed a sign "P. Buckley Moss Museum".  The lady with me didn't recognize the name but I did and she says, "sure, let's stop."  So stop we did!  One of my friends and my brother are fans of her paintings.  Many of them include Amish people with skinny little legs and feet and tall lean bodies!

                              (Excuse the reflection of the lights!)

I found it very interesting.  She is still active and putting out new paintings all the time.  Just early this month she had a "signing" where people could bring previously purchased prints to "The Barn" at her home near Waynsboro and have her personalize them.

She had a very difficult chldhood and was tagged as being "dumb", "will never amount to anything" etc.  It so happened that she was dislexic and back then they didn't know much about that.  She did not have a happy home life either, but somehow she ended up in art school where it seems she was failing again.  Her teacher refused to enter her work in art shows etc. because she did not paint as he was instructing them.  Eventually, someone at the school overrode her instructor and took some of her paintings to show.  The result changed her life and took her off on a whole new adventure!  People loved them!

She married and raised six children, always carrying her little sketch pads.  We were amazed at how many types mediums she uses, canvas, tin, screen paintings, etchings, you name it!  And all have some sort of message behind them.  To me, they all seem so peaceful and I love the way she blends her soft peaceful colors, and often stark leafless trees.  She began painting the Amish after a visit to Lancaster County and observing their simple, peaceful way of life.  She is one skilled and talented lady, a little lady who they say breezes in and out of the museum when she's in town - always on the move at 76 years of age.  Something about her work just draws me in!