Reminders in my home...

A heavy heart needs to be reminded. And the reminders are everywhere in my home. His Word. His encouragement. As I walked out the door for church yesterday, I saw this sign...



And thought, "Yes. The blessings of the Lord are upon me." Then I thought of the scripture, "Why so downcast, O my soul? Put your hope in God." The reminders are everywhere, but where am I setting my eyes and my thoughts....

And my faith takes hold. And even though the days are hard, the days are also...good. Why so down cast, O my soul? For your faith in Him will see you through....

Heavy, Busy, Yogi, and the Veterans

How's that for a title?

I haven't posted much here or commented much at your place because there are just some heavy issues in my life right now, and I've started school with my children again. School keeps us veeeeeeeeery busy. Very. We are three weeks into this school year, and I am so very pleased at how things are going.

Last weekend we went camping with some friends to Yogi on the Lake, a Jellystone Park located in Pelahatchie, Mississippi...

There was so much to do there...During the summer, they have a theme for each weekend. The theme for the weekend we were there was "Honoring our Heroes" And that morning as Yogi met everyone at the flagpole, they brought out policemen, firemen, military, and veterans. When I saw these gentlemen, I got rather caught up in the moment. I must say I even became a bit verklempt, and hoped that nobody saw me wiping tears, because who cries at a Yogi Park?

When I looked at these gentlemen, I wondered about their story. I'm sure they were born during a Depression and have lived through many wars. Obviously they served our country, too. Perhaps, even during wartime. This generation never fails to touch my heart. I think they are some of the greatest Americans to ever live.

Love you...

Yesterday was a heavy, burdensome day. I have several relationships under fire right now and some of it is just beyond my control. It's a heavy load. One relationship that I thought might be under fire was my friendship with Heather. I was afraid I had offended her, and with everything else going on, I was just thinking the worst. But in her comment on my last post, she affirmed her love for me. "...I love you so very much". Those were her words. And once I read that, my day was lighter and things were brighter. All the other junk...it's still there. But with her affirmation, the load was lighter. The load wasn't so heavy.

Never under estimate the power of telling someone you love them. It may be just was they need.

Finding the good...

You don't have to look hard to find the bad. You don't have to look for it at all. It's pronounced. Loud. Blaring. It's everywhere. At every turn. At every corner....A struggling business. A pay cut. Employee layoffs. Relationship struggles. Relationship struggles. And even more relationship struggles. My friend at the doctor.

But to find the good...I love Ann at Holy Experience. I find myself at her site when I'm depleted, and I feel like I have nothing left. I go and find her encouragement and His Words, to be reminded of the good. The simple. And the lasting. I always find that encouragement there, and I find I can release my troubles. Release. Soul cleansing release. And I find the good, the lovely, and the life-giving....

*how Granny's eye's twinkle when she's happy and when she laughs
*the smell of fresh cut grass
*homegrown tomatoes on the vine
*those same tomatoes on a sandwich :)
*the view from my front porch
*the sound of my children playing
*the look the swimming pool water has when it's a sunny day
*a lazy hound dog sprawled across the step on a summer day...on any day :)

Good. Simple. Refreshing.

First Day...

Today was our first day of school. Moose. That little fellow can be so full of life and love...and such a handful all rolled in one little 8 year old boy. That face looks innocent enough. Our first day of school didn't go so well. Moose took forever to complete the simplest task. Too long to do his math. Too long to do phonics. Too long to do spelling. Moose is a piddler. A dawdler. A daydreamer. And dare I say...a bit lazy. He has a tough time in our home, because nobody else here is a piddler, dawdler, or (sigh) lazy. By lunch he was in tears, and I was contemplating why I homeschool.

At the start of the day, I took pictures to commemorate the first day. Making memories as The Bob would say. Fep, always compliant and a real people pleaser, took her picture without fault...

Moose on the other hand...



And...



Oh my....


At the end of the day, when the books were put away, and the talk was had over why it's important to be diligent, I looked at these pictures, and they made me giggle. And I needed a giggle. And within that giggle and laughter, I was reminded why I homeschool....

Life found (in)courage

As I thought of the post that I'd write to link up at (in)courage , I find that my Source of courage comes from the same source as many others have mentioned. It's Him. I find Him in the morning sitting indian style in front of my pillow. His Word open before me trying to find a morsel to help get me through my day. If I'll pay attention close enough, if I'll give Him the time, I'll find Him not only sitting at my pillow in the morning, but throughout my day. He's faithful like that. Always waiting on me. Always willing to welcome me back. Yesterday at church, the fellow giving announcements prayed a simple prayer. A simple sentence in that prayer pierced my heart. "Your Word is....life." His word is life. Life. Life abundant and full. As I've randomly selected several posts to read from the linky, it dawned on me that we are not only posting about what encourages, but also what breathes life into us. Life. Abundant and full. Our lives are completely enhanced and transformed by these things we are posting about, and without our source(s) of courage, our lives would be only a small resemblance, only a small piece of what we have now. Now with our sources of courage.

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:4

Am I ready?

It seems like just yesterday that I was lamenting over being ready for school to end. Just a couple of weeks ago, I made the final decisions on what our curriculum will be this year. I blinked and summer was gone. And tomorrow we'll begin our 7th year of homeschooling. Suddenly, I feel old. But I will do as the title of this textbook states. I am.....

Learning Music...

Moose and The Bob started taking guitar lessons with their first lesson being last week. The first lesson wasn't much to it....parts of the guitar, kind of an overview of what's what, etc., etc. Yesterday, they had their second lesson, and they found out what will be the first song that they'll learn to play. Fep takes violin lessons, and her first song was Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. I know that piano students learn Twinkle or Mary Had a Little Lamb or Chopsticks or something like that for their first song. You want to know what Moose and Bob's first song will be? No Twinkle. No Mary. Their first song will be.........Sweet Home Alabama! All I can say is....rock on....

Somebody....

Somebody, somebody really special, is having a birthday today. I won't say how old she is...just that next year will be the big 4 - 0. Mmmm hmmmm.



This special little lady loves her family....including her pooches....

She loves to serve others....

She loves fine feathered friends. And taught me to love them, too....

She loves to laugh.....


And she loves....me....

Happy Birthday, Heathahlee. I love you :)

Don't worry 'bout me...

This morning as I made my treadmill walk, I turned on GAC (Great American Country), and this song was just coming on. I love it. It reminds me of Beth. " And I won't cry cause she flew up to heaven on the wings of angels....and she walks with Jesus....and I know she's smiling saying, 'Don't worry 'bout me.'"

YouTube - alanjackson's Channel (should immediately bring up "Sissy's Song")