Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Building a Wall



Madison (top); Cassidy (in white) with friends (bottom)

This last weekend, my granddaughters, Madison & Cassidy, participated in the Mountain View Rock Church children's musical production, The Amazing Jerusalem Makeover. It was a story about Jerusalem's wall in ruins for 140 years; thus, leaving the city unprotected and its people discouraged. With the need of a makeover - not only to the wall, but in the hearts of its people - in comes Nehemiah (the right man for the job). Work proceeds on the rebuild but not without opposition - however, in the end, they overcome.

I love this picture with the hard hats. Very clever, and certainly adds a flair for fashion, doesn't it? (lol)

Madi & Cassidy: I've heard nothing but rave reviews, and am so proud of you. Would love to have been there to hear your beautiful voices and witness your savvy acting. You truly are my amazing girls!!!

Monday, September 29, 2008

Building Our Bridge

During the time of the Incas, communities in Peru who lived near a river would build marvelous hanging bridges out of rope, hand woven of qqoya grass (a type of Andean bunchgrass). These handmade bridges were a means of transportation for people, their goods, and livestock. The bridge construction amounted to a pair of stone anchors on each side of the canyon with massive cables of woven grass linking the two pylons together. Two additional cables acted as guardrails. The cables which supported the foot-path were reinforced with plaited branches. The bridges were so heavy that they tended to sag in the middle, causing them to sway, sometimes violently, in high winds. Some bridges spread 220 feet across the canyon, and 118 feet above the river. What spectacular sights, these massive bridges – breathtakingly hanging over treacherous canyons and gorges, while tumult rivers loomed beneath.

The tradition of the suspension bridge continues today. Each June, hundreds of people join in the mountain community of Huinchiri in southeast Peru to rebuild a contemporary bridge in celebration of their cultural heritage and to honor their ancestors and religious beliefs. The process takes three days of round-the-clock work, with the women braiding thousands of pounds of sturdy, stout straw into ropes, while the men construct the bridge high over the perilous canyon. Ironically, this annually built structure stands just a short distance downstream from the steel girder bridge used for present day transportation; therefore, showing just how serious the Inca people take their inheritance and how determined they are to reverence their God.

Reading about these people and their desire to maintain their bridges started me thinking about our spiritual bridges – yours and mine. We most surely have a heritage to honor, a God to revere, and religious beliefs to uphold - but are we building a strong consecrated bridge to crossover someday? Can our bridge withstand the elements? When the winds blow and a cable’s footing starts to shift, do we find ourselves concerned or are we assured that all is well? Do we check its structural credibility often, quickly detecting any flaw, and then rebuild any abnormalities noted?

One of these days, we will have to cross our bridge. It will be a narrow path, and will be our only passage to the other side (no, we won’t be able to go upstream to cross another way). So when that day arrives, will we be able to say with certainty that our spiritual bridge has been soundly built and maintained so as to take us safely to the other side? Or will our bridge take us tumbling into a gorge filled with abuse and incompetent daily maintenance (finding us shattered and broken on the rocks below, or drowning in a river of no return)?

The Choice is Ours.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Ready to Rumble


Why not "ride" on over to God's House...
...There's always Freedom to Worship

Saturday, September 27, 2008

The Slop Bucket

Ever Been Caught at the "Slop" bucket?
Hope not!
Because we don't need to be tromping around,
spreading "garbage".

Friday, September 26, 2008

It Could Be Worse


FEEL TRAPPED?


BE THANKFUL. God knows what is best for us.
Ever thought of what might have happened
had we been released out into deeper water?

Thursday, September 25, 2008

The Mouse's Mouse



HELP!!!

This Thing Is Trying to Take Control of My Computer

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Why?

The Bible tells us that God is no respecter of persons, so honestly, why do we place people into certain categories? Namely, those worthy of our attention, those not worthy of our attention. Why is a person with title more important than the person living in a drug or homeless shelter or impoverished in a ghetto? Why do we continually distance ourselves from those that society has made us think as undesirable? Why do we choose who should know the Lord, and discard those for whom we feel there is no hope? Shouldn't we see mankind as our Lord sees it - Souls (every soul) needing Him and His touch.

My Prayer:
Lord, may my heart continually be open to Your Will so that Your Spirit can be made manifest in my countenance, actions and words. Don't let me get caught up in the material, financial and political happenings surrounding me every day but may I focus my attention on people who are hurting and without. Those who are in desperate need of peace, joy and happiness. Don't let me look at their present lot in life but look to what you are capable of doing with their lives. I know I can't win the world Lord, but let me go down trying because it is the cause that truly counts. Amen.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Leap for Joy

Today Spend Time
ReJOYcing in the Lord

Tagged - I'm It

It’s all about the ordinary, the unspectacular, isn’t it? That’s where you always find wonder. Helen tagged me, so I will do it. Here are six unspectacular things about me:

1. I am an only child.
2. I have maintained my own eBay store since 2004.
3. I love being alone in the soltitude of quietness.
4. I do not like to eat fast food.
5. I love designing greeting cards with matching envelopes.
6. I love the sounds of nature.

Meme terms & conditions:
1. link the person who tagged you
2. mention the rules on your blog
3. list 6 unspectacular things about you
4. tag 6 other bloggers by linking them

Susan, Jolene, Carissa, Caroline, and Kathy, you’re It.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Forecast: A Rainbow is on its Way

We can make the Rain in our personal lives a time of cleansing and refreshing. Have you ever noticed that after a rain, everything is bright and clear. That is, if that is what we elect to see.

I have found that when storm clouds lift and our tears are gone, the Creator will start showing us the goodness that has come from our season of rain. Will everything look beautiful and feel perfect? No! At first we will see only a glimmer of light shining through the dark clouds, and as our faith builds and starts to soar, our rainbow will appear - then His beauty will be revealed. Believe me, it will happen if we will but trust in Him.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Wake Up Call

for the Truth........
............Shall Set You Free

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Health Alert

Let's Try Staying Healthy
Mentally, Physically & Spiritually

Friday, September 19, 2008

Oh My!

Taking the phrase "GETTING HOSED" to a whole new level

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Do Unto Others - How?



Surely these aren't some of God's people. Why, we take pride in treating everyone the way we want to be treated. You think? Well....ahhh....err....How about the next time we start to "act up", let's first repeat the scripture "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you ".

BTW: You say, these are young pups and that's why the display of ugly spiritedness. Sorry, have to differ with you. I'm afraid the example of the old dogs gave these little ones all kinds of disdainful ideas.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Life Kind'a Sour Lately?

When life hands you lemons - make lemonade

I've found the best recipe for making lemonade out of life's happenings is to gather the ingredients on your knees.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

MY Life is but a Field












My life is but a field,
Stretched out beneath God's sky,
Some harvest rich to yield.

- Maltbie D. Babcock -

Monday, September 15, 2008

Tied with Love

Had to share the History of APRONS with you as its words speak volumes of truth. One lingering memory of the apron was my Grandma Livingston daily drying her eyes with her apron after a season of prayer while sitting in her rocking chair, Bible in lap. Life was simple back then - hearts were filled with love for God, family, friends, and neighbors alike - and there wasn't any thought of choosing sides against another - just hearts filled with love.

“The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven. It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

At the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs that needed to go to the warming oven (or incubator).

When company came, aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids. And when the weather was cold, Grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons also wiped many a perspiring brow that was bent over the hot wood stove. Wood chips and kindling wood were carried into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried away the hulls. In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

As unexpected company was driving up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. Then there was dinner - when it was ready, Grandma would walk out onto the porch, holler as she waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace the old-time apron that served so many purposes.

Oh, and can't forget that Grandma used her apron to set her hot baked apple pies on the windowsill to cool (now her granddaughters set their pies on the windowsill to thaw). Wouldn’t we go crazy trying to figure out how many germs were on an apron? However, I don't know anyone whoever caught anything bad from it; I can only think of something good, and that was love.”

Today, let’s put on a spiritual apron,
tie it with our heart's strings,
and then Give to Others Love.
Okay?

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Hurry Kids, We're Almost There


Everybody Ought to Go to Sunday School...
the Men, the Women, the Boys, the Girls...
(and the DUCKS??? Oh well, we all need Jesus)

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Dog Days


Even with lower prices being recorded for gasoline ($3.805 for regular at Costco, San Luis Obispo CA), we can still say, TRAVELING HAS DEFINITELY GONE TO THE DOGS.

Please Note (posted 9:32am): Since the original post, gas has started rising once again due to Hurricane Ike. Looks like we will never get a break. Yep, it is definitely "Dog Days".

Friday, September 12, 2008

Happy Birthday Barbara


Happy Birthday Barbara

You are a loving person, a great wife to Cameron and wonderful mother to Madison and Cassidy. You are so dedicated to anything you put your mind to. What commitment! With your talents many and varied, it makes you quite an asset at church and in your job - and how I enjoy your singing songs of praise.

Happy B-Day Barbara. May blessings be yours today and throughout the whole year.
Love you so much, Mom

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Bread of Life

Give Us this Day, Our Daily Bread

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Happy Birthday Angel


Happy Birthday Zoe Claire
September 10, 1995 - February 13, 1996

We were blessed with an angel, a present from above
Wrapped in pure beauty, full of innocence and love,
Gracefully she stirred, breaking the silence of night
Peace propelling its way across her gossamer flight.

Stirring, alluring, bringing sunshine most bright
This special angel gave to us wondrous delight,
No one can deny that she's not a child of the King
For with joy and happiness, she made our hearts sing.

Her enchanting smile touched all passing her way,
Declaring she merited our prayers every day,
With a cherubic face and a tiny twinkle in her eye
She was a precious gift that only heaven could supply.

Yes, our angel offered a taste of what heaven will be like
Filled with laughter, excitement and joyous delight,
This beauty is a creation of God's special design
Lord, humbly we thank you for time with this child divine.

Loving you always,
Nana

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Happy Birthday Princess!


Happy Birthday, Cassidy Breanne
September 9
May you receive the royal treatment on your special day
- along with multiple blessings, yummy cake, and lots of fun.


Cassie, you are a very special young lady. Your smile is contagious and lights up any room. Your humor is delightful and entertains us all. Your love is overwhelming and fills our hearts. You deserve the title of "Princess for the Day". (No, let's make it "Princess for the Year"). Happy B-Day! Have a wonderful time.
Love you dearly, Nana

Monday, September 8, 2008

Wash Me Good, Lord

Search me, O God, and know my heart....
Try me, and know my thoughts, I pray....
See if there be any wicked way in me...
CLEANSE ME from every sin and set me free....

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Gone Fishing Lately?

Fishers of Men Experience
We catch 'em...
and let Him clean 'em...

Saturday, September 6, 2008

This Train

THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY....THIS TRAIN....
THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY....THIS TRAIN....
Been singing this song for a couple of days now, and it's had me
thinking - I'd gladly ride in the caboose if Jesus was the engineer.

PS: Know the photo isn't of a train but it's the best I could come up with. Also, want to clarify that the snap isn't of me and hubby. Although upon a second look, it's not that far-fetched from being us either. lol

Friday, September 5, 2008

Regard Him

Regard the works of God....and the operation of His hands

Thursday, September 4, 2008

A Heart Condition


Does your heart see beauty? Or does pollution abound?
It is our choice...and our choice alone
to see things beautiful, or to see things unseemingly.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Fragile - Handle with Prayer


Remember to Pray Always
for Our Children are Most Fragile

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Needy?

Walking a tightrope? Just call out to Jesus. He'll help you through (i.e., over, under, or however).

Monday, September 1, 2008

"Scaling" Down, aka Dieting


This holiday weekend has been too good to me - so it is "scaling" down time again. As you can tell, I don't necessarily like using the word "diet".