It's A Girl!!!!!!!!!!

Well here she is. We named her Little Girl. Both Tim and I rode before we met. We both had circumstances beyond our control and we lost our bikes. We thought we would never have the chance to ride again, but that hope, always in the back of our minds. Tim found her on a lot and brought her home. Kinda rescued her. Now, I do like to ride behind Tim but I really want my own. So now we are looking for a sibling. God is good!

A Severe Mercy

When I read this excerpt written by Sheldon Vanauken, words failed me.

He remembered as though it were a few days ago, that winter night, long ago, himself too young to know the meaning of beauty when he had looked up at the delicate tracery of bare black branches against the icy glittering stars; Suddenly something that was, all at once, pain and longing and adoring had welled up inside him, almost choking him. He had wanted to tell someone, but he had no words, inarticulate in the pain and glory. It was long afterwards that he realized it had been his first aesthetic experience. That nameless something that stopped his heart was Beauty.

I too have experienced these moments. Sitting alone with God. No words, just silence. Pretty cool.

In silence, we listen to ourselves, and in quietude, we may even hear the voice of God.

~Maya Angelou~

Word Power

Overhearing an announcer on MSNBC use the word kerfuffle, I grabbed the dictionary. Being it's of the pocket variety, I couldn't locate the word in question. What a cool word I thought. I was on the web so I Googled the word.

Kerfuffle: disorder, uproar or confusion

I got to thinking about all the texting that is so popular now and how far from removed from the basics we have become.

Don't get me wrong. Technology is great. I LOVE word check! But when we as a society can't communicate because everyone has their own "language", who loses?

In the age of GPS, are we raising a generation that won't be able to read a map?

I wonder.

I remember as a kid one of my mothers favorite phrases.......Get the dictionary. Now my kid is suffering the same feelings as I tell him, get the dictionary!

Being the parent can be fun don't you agree?

Another great recipe from George Ewing. I came across it while reading The Sweet Potato Queens' Big Ass Cookbook and Financial Planner. This ones right up my alley. No measuring!

I have an anxiety disorder. When it comes to anything to do with numbers (especially fractions) I start to sweat.

I specifically remember my Boompa (math wizard extraordinaire) sitting me down at the kitchen table when I was young to "help" me with my math. A box of Kleenex, a couple chewed up pencils with erasers rubbed down to the nub and tear stained paper. I survived. God Bless him, I suppose he meant well but I have carried this fear of numbers all through my youth, into adulthood.

So, when I saw this recipe I knew it was one I could use my God given creative abilities to whip up something yummy for me and Timmy. My chance to shine! I hope it will be yours too.

This is what you will need according to George

pantry

refrigerator

can opener

spoon

really big pan

Open everything in the pantry and refrigerator. Cook according to package directions. Mix well. Chill overnight. Serves a lot.

I catch Tim many times gazing at me out in the kitchen with a look of love in his eyes (I tell myself it's love and not fear) while I concoct something for chow. That's me. The Concoction Queen. Bless his heart, he does eat anything I put down in front of him. We all should have a man in our life who treats us like the precious gems we are.

Concoct: adj. invent, devise, think up, formulate, hatch, dream up.

FIRST ANNUAL SMOKIN YARD PARTY

Well, here we are. Timmy and me. Prepared for our first annual smokin yard party.

Armed with his pokin stick and a smoker , me right there beside him. One can only imagine the joy he must have been experiencing at this particular moment in his life!

Larry, Bill and him set up and played some music. Set up the horseshoes (which the women were at a definite disadvantage as I see it). Set out the food, and have at it!

It truly can't get any better than this! Good food, friends and The Fourth of July.

WHAT'S YOUR SIGN?

As I passed a construction site the other day a sign read

Please excuse our mess

I of course got thinking about the world and what a mess it's in.

I include myself and all my shortcomings. I fail God miserably, all the time.

If I were God I would have gone back on my promise not to wipe the world out again with a flood. I would have taken away all the rainbows. I would start over and made something a little more obedient than man.

Anyway, I came up with a sign of my own.

About that same time I found a prayer Rev. Joe Wright read. Pretty cool stuff.

Is There Any Hope!

When does it happen?

Is there a time in life when these become appealing, desirable, a must have!?

Does it have something to do with geographic locations, time zones, water quality?

My mother has to be wondering where she went wrong.

I haven't made the leap yet, but I find myself fighting off this urge to add one of these to my landscape design.

I find myself searching them out in garden centers, spying them in other peoples lawns and coveting them.

Soon I will take the plunge and purchase one. I don't even know if I will discuss this with Tim.

It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Please don't judge me. To all you tried and true, anti-pink conservatives, it could happen to you!!!!

I Was Thinkin

As I drove from one account to the next, I found myself thinking about the political races. All the candidates are promising if we vote for them, we will be voting for change.

I believe our nation is in need of change.

I caught myself wondering if America really thinks because we change presidents, it will bring about the change we so desperately need.

After the excitement of the elections fade. The new guy is in office. Give him 60 days or so to fix the mess we're in. When he hasn't, will we start complaining.

My thoughts are...

The change we need isn't going to come from any one candidate. The change must come from each and every one of us. When each American decides to do things different.

Maybe instead of spending so many hours at the office, Dad will come home early to spend time with his kids. Maybe the cashier will smile and greet their next customer instead of acting like they are an inconvenience. Maybe Mom can think back and remember why she fell for Dad and fix his favorite dinner. Maybe the teacher can reach out to that kid that pushes her to the edge every day and find something encouraging to say to him.

There are so many things I could do different. The biggest being, remembering who is really in control. I am a child of a loving and merciful God. Do I act like it. Not always.

We're all in this together. Instead of looking out for number one, maybe we should step out of our comfort zones and extend our hand to our fellow brothers.