{ A picture is worth a thousand words }

If all else fails, 

enjoy a bowl of ice cream!

😁❤🍦🍨🍧

HOPE y'all have a Terrific Thursday.....

and don't forget.....

Friday Foto Friends is tomorrow!

{ Wednesday's Word - Wait }

HOPE everybody has a Wonderful Wednesday!

{ Melancholy Monday }

Oh, how I wish I could feel the same way all week long as I do when I'm worshiping in church on SONday morning. I'm with fellow believers and singing praises to our Lord and Savior and my heart is so full.  Then.....

comes Monday morning, or sometimes even stepping outside the church after the service.....

and the world seeps back into my mind and heart and the realization that life goes on sets in.

But.....

I have such an AWESOME HOPE that it won't always be this way.

This was  reminded to me as I read my devotion this morning.....

but, it was actually yesterday's that I didn't get around to reading until today that jumped right off the page at me and spoke straight to my heart.

Remember the "root of bitterness" post I did last week?  Well, that particular person did it again.....

they upped their game with doing something hurtful. I was able to handle the situation with grace (and know that was totally from Christ in me doing the talking).

Anyway......

here's what I read in my devotion.....

"Are you in a season of life that you feel has gone on too long? Do you struggle, wondering what the purpose is? Rest assured that there is always a purpose in every part of your life, even the painful parts.  Know that every roadblock, heartache, health problem, or crisis was sifted through the hands of God before it came into your life.  That knowledge becomes all the more precious in our suffering.  If you can trust Christ to give His life for you, then you can trust Him to carry you through suffering and pain."

Journey - A Woman's Guide To Intimacy With God

Maybe this is speaking to some of you, too.

It could be that you're in a "season of life" that is hard, and you are wondering how in the world you can put one foot in front of the other.

(please know my situation isn't nearly that bad.....

just frustrating and hurtful).

Give it to God.....

press into HIM!

He can handle the pressure!

HOPE everybody has a Marvelous Monday!!!

{ Easter SONday Morning Song - Glorious Day }

If you listen to CHRISTian radio, have you noticed just how meaningful the songs have been this past week?  Maybe that's partly because of what's been on the mind of so many of us because in the heart of a CHRISTian this is the most precious time of celebration.  Yesterday, Pappy and I were out and about and heard this song and knew it would be perfect to share on this Easter SONday morning.

Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He's coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day!

HOPE each of you has the most awesomely blessed Easter! 

{ Good Friday Foto Friends #21 }

The weather here in East Tennessee has been a bit topsy-turvy the last few weeks.   We've had some absolutely gorgeous days and blue skies, but there have been some really cold nights to go along with that.

Hey.....

as long as the sun is shining,

even though it might be cold.....

I'm a happy girl!

I took this picture on my walk one day last week of a Bradford Pear blooming against a beautiful blue sky.

HOPE each of you has an awesomely blessed Good Friday and Easter weekend.  

Isn't it amazing that Jesus loved us so much that He died for us?

But, He didn't stay in that grave.

HE AROSE!

HE LIVES!

PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!

{ Holy Week }

I meant to post this early in the week, but hopefully it will still be of interest to y'all. In 2009 I posted each day of what we call Holy Week.....the week leading up to Easter.....what Jesus did each day. Some of the pictures aren't showing up, and for some reason the videos don't seem to be working. I apologize for that, but you can still get a visual in your mind of the days leading to the death, burial, and resurrection of our precious Jesus. Just look above at the page titled, Holy Week and follow the links. I'd love for you to share what this special season means to you. 

{ Wednesday's Word - Tetelestai }

image credit

I recently shared with y'all a wreath I made last year and printed the word "Tetelestai" to  go on the cross in the center.  I wanted to talk a bit more about that word because it holds a special memory for me.  The first time I had ever heard it was several years ago when Pappy and I went to a Good Friday service where seven different pastors spoke about the seven phrases/words that Jesus spoke from the cross.  My favorite of all the pastors shared the word "tetelestai"and I've never forgotten the impact it had on me.  I thought it might be interesting to some of you, too.

John 19:30

   When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 

“It is finished.” 

With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Tetelestai  is a Greek word meaning "it is finished".

The word tetelestai was also written on business documents or receipts in New Testament times to show that a bill had been paid in full. The connection between receipts and what Christ accomplished would have been quite clear to John’s Greek-speaking readers.....

 it would be unmistakable that Jesus Christ had died to pay for their sins.

This  little "sign" is my prayer for each of us ladies.....

that we realize our worth in Christ Jesus!

He loved us so much that He died for us.....

let us remember that and celebrate His love for us.

HOPE each of you has a wonderfully blessed Wednesday!

{ A Root of Bitterness }

Hebrews 12:15
 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. 
Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

image credit

Through the Armor of God study God recently revealed to me a "root of bitterness" that I'm harboring against somebody whom I thought I had forgiven.  It's a very fragile situation because this is a family member.  Something happened just recently and they don't even know that I know what they said, but it has hurt me to the core and I'm prayerfully trying to forgive and dig up and throw away that bitter root that is still within me.  Looking back over my life, I've realized just how often God held me and took care of me and when I came across the above sign I knew it was meant just for me......
for such a time as this.

Ain't God good?
Oh, yes He is.

{ SONday Scripture }

The Road Not Taken

Robert Frost, 1874-1963

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And looked down one as far as I could

And be one traveler, long I stood

Then took the other, as just as fair,

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

And having perhaps the better claim,

Though as for that the passing there

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

And that has made all the difference.

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

HOPE y'all have an awesomely blessed SONday!

{ Friday Foto Friends #20 }

I put out a few Easter decorations one day this week.

The flowers were God's awesome contribution....:-)

Grape Hyacinths

A sweet metal sign I found at Big Lots.

Pink Hyacinth 

Our pretty Easter flag

Jonquils - "Easter flowers"

Creeping Phlox

The reason we celebrate Easter.....He's ALIVE!

HOPE everybody has a fantastic Friday and an awesome weekend!!!

(feel free to link up your Foto post below)

{ Happy Saint Patrick's Day }

Long ago, when Ireland was the land of Druids, there was a great Bishop, Patrick by name, who came to teach the word of God throughout the country. This St. Patrick—for he was indeed a saint—was well loved everywhere he went. One day, however, a group of his followers came to him and admitted that it was difficult for them to believe in the doctrine of the Holy Trinity.  St. Patrick reflected a moment and then, stooping down, he plucked a leaf from the shamrock and held it before them, bidding them to behold the living example of the "Three-in-One." St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The simple beauty of this explanation convinced these skeptics, and from that day the shamrock has been revered throughout Ireland.

image credit


Happy St. Patrick's Day, Sweet Friends!

(don't forget.....
tomorrow is Friday Foto Friends)

{ Wednesday's Word - Armor }

Our church began a Ladies Bible study Sunday afternoon of Priscilla Shirer's Armor of God. 

Oh, my....

I can't even begin to explain the impact it's having on me already.  I'm learning that so many of the things that I'm fearful of are nothing but a result of satan convincing me of untruths.  (He's such a liar and deceit.)  Ms. Priscilla states that there are actually seven pieces of armor.  The seventh piece is PRAYER.....
because it takes prayer to activate all the others.
As we go through this study, I HOPE to share some of my own insights with y'all.

image credit

HOPE everybody has a wonderful Wednesday!

{ Easter Crafting }

I'm not sure why but I seem to get in the mood to do some crafting this time of year more than any other.  Maybe it's just coming out of the long, cold, gray days of winter.   If you've  been following me long, you've  already seen the first two, but the last one is a newbie.

Made this one out of sticks that I trimmed off our crepe myrtle trees a few years ago.  I spray painted them white and wired them together (twine holds the sticks together at the  bottom), hot glued a few springy flowers and a bird nest with eggs to the center, and hung it on the front storm door.

 I made this one last year, just poking the burlap colored and green ribbons around a grapevine wreath at intervals.  I hot glued the smaller green ribbons in place.  The cross came from Wal-Mart.  I painted the back of it green and added yellow polka-dots, covered the center with coordinating scrapbook paper and printed off one of my favorite Easter related words, also on scrapbook paper and glued it to the center.

Tetelestai.....

it is finished!!!

This is the egg garland I made one night last week.  I like to keep a garland of some kind on the hutch in the dining room (found the hutch at a yard sale for $40 a few years ago).  I ripped strips of fabric I had on hand and then cut the strips to about 6 inches.  I wired the eggs together by simply putting the wire (also found at Wal-Mart) thru the holes in the ends of the eggs then tied the fabric pieces and ribbon in between each egg.  Then, I hung last year's wreath in between.  It makes me happy to look at it.

How about y'all?

Have you done any spring/Easter crafting?

HOPE everybody has a Terrific Tuesday!!

{ A heart's desire }

When I have my alone time with God in the mornings,

I'm used to praying out loud.....

shedding some tears.....

worshiping in privacy.....

even singing (which is a good thing I'm alone...;-)

Since my hubby has been off work due to his injury,

I haven't felt comfortable doing that.

I had just voiced that concern to the Lord this morning,

and almost immediately I heard the shower turn on and knew that hubby couldn't hear me.

I knew this was an immediate answer to something I had just prayed.

WOW!!

Ain't God good?

Oh, yes He is!!!

Happy Monday, Friends!

{ A SONday Thought }

I Thessalonians 5:18

Be thankful in ALL circumstances.....

Romans 8:28

And we know that God causes EVERYTHING to work together for the good of those who love God 

and are called according to his purpose for them.

ALL and EVERYTHING.....
that includes the "bad stuff",
which so often only God can turn into GOOD!

Happy SONday, Everybody!

{ Friday Foto Friends #19 }

I'm pretty sure I shared sky pictures last week,  but it's really not my fault.....

God just keeps showing off!

Yesterday was full of lots of blessings.  I know every day is blessed, but I'm really trying to focus on the "positive".  That gorgeous sky was what greeted me in the early morning.  I took my Mom to have a recall fixed on her car and they told us it would take about 2 hours.  We were only there a little over an hour.  From there we went to the thrift store and for $6.31, I got a pair of name brand slacks, a pair of Capri's, a 25c package of Easter eggs, and 2 squirrel coffee mugs for my brother and sis-in-law!  I came home and walked, then worked in the yard. It was an absolutely beautiful day.  We've even been able to turn our heat completely off.  

Life is good.....

God is good!!!

HOPE everybody has a great weekend.

(p.s...feel free to link up your own picture post below)

{ A Challenge }

This was posted on Facebook at the end of 2015 and Pappy and I decided we'd give it a try.




So far, so good.....

Don't forget that tomorrow is our Friday Foto Friends link-up!

 HOPE everybody has a great Thursday.

{ Wednesday's Word - Attitude }

I'm learning more and more that a positive attitude will get us so much farther in life than being a.....

wait for it.....

Debbie Downer!

LOL

Positive Attitude Quotes

Positive Attitude Quotes

Pure Happy Life

Best Sayings Quotes

QuotesGram

Very Best Quotes

   Surprisingly, my attitude during this ordeal with Jack's injury has been better than I could have ever hoped.  I feel it has everything to do with PRAYER.....

my own prayers and those of my precious friends.

Thank you!

HOPE everybody has an awesome Wednesday!

(p.s...thank you for your sweet comments on my post yesterday.  I truly hope that I didn't come across as bragging, because that certainly wasn't my intention.  I was just trying to explain that I feel at this point in my life God is calling me to be a help to others in any way I can.  I know many of you do that and hold down full-time jobs, too.  I so admire you for that!)

{ I'm on call }

A precious blogging friend, Ms. Rebecca, who blogs at Sane, Simple, Sacred asked a question about our "vocation" in our current life situation.

Here are my thoughts on that subject.....

I worked outside the home for about thirty-five years. My two most long-lasting "jobs" were both in office situations. Not to brag, but with my personality of wanting to be a people pleaser, I was very good at what I did.  Receiving accolades from upper management and letters written to my supervisor about the help I gave in explaining pay increases and back pay fueled a part of me that I don't think I even understood at the time.  Not until I actually quit working and became a stay-at-home.....

wife, Mom, Nannie, daughter, friend......

did I come to realize the extent of my need for acceptance and encouragement and acknowledgement.  Not that these things are wrong,   but when we base our worth on what others think about us.....

well, that's where the "wrong" comes into play.

(we all know that it's most important as to what God thinks)

You know what I've discovered?

It's really quite simple.

I'm most content and happy when I'm doing for others.

So, I guess my vocation at this stage of my life is being an "on call" wife, Mom, Nannie, daughter and friend. It's when others need my help  for something that I'm my most content.  It doesn't have to be anything glamorous. I spent some time this past Saturday hauling sticks up and down a hill to a burn pile for my Mom. Yes, it was tiring.....

but it was very fulfilling, just doing something for another person. 

(and I'm learning that sometimes I have to say "no")
Often, it's just being available when somebody needs a shoulder to cry on or they're in need of prayer.

The monetary payment is no longer there.

But there are things that I receive now that no amount of money could ever buy.

God's blessings are priceless!

{ More Life Hacks }

I thought I'd share a few more Life Hacks that caught my attention.












 











Life Hacks on Instagram

Thanks to everybody for your prayers for my hubby.
Please pray that the appointment with the orthopedic doctor goes better than last week.
I believe he flunked the "bedside manner" part of his exams.

HOPE y'all have a wonderful Monday!