{ Monday, Monday }

Last week was a whirlwind of activity and this week is going to be full, too.  Whoever said that retirement was when you can slow down was terribly wrong.  It seems I have more on my plate now than ever and know that if I were still working a full-time job I couldn't get it all done.....

not that I do now!

Anyway....

just wanted to share a few pics of things that caught my eye, made me laugh, or remind me of one of the most important things in my life.....

family!

 Last Monday was my Momma's birthday and we celebrated with a girl's day out.

Three generations.....

me, our girl, and my Mom.

(and if you follow me on Facebook, you'll remember that she DOES NOT color her hair.

I DID NOT inherit that gene from her, obviously!)

This is something I need to print off and hang on my fridge!!!

I'll take four of these shirts, please!!!

Oh, my, but this is so me!

I've put back on several pounds from the weight I lost a couple of years ago.

Stress eating and the fact that every tooth in my head is a sweet tooth is getting me into trouble.

It's Monday again....

time to start afresh.....

so glad for God's mercies on me!!

Oh, yes it does.

Even on the coldest of  days, give me some SONshine and I'm a happy girl!

Speaking of happy girl....

that pretty girl on the right is one of my greatest blessings!  This was taken at our Ladies Night Out yesterday at church.

And, I've spent way too much time watching April trying to birth her baby.  I finally watched a giraffe live birth on YouTube so I could get on with my life....

😊

HOPE your Monday is Marvelous!

{ Friday Foto Friends #68 }

The temperature in our neck of the woods has been unseasonably warm and the prediction for today is near 80.  Is it any wonder the flowers and trees are really confused and blooming in February?

And, I just have to share a few sky pics.....

Happy Friday!

HOPE everybody has a great weekend!

{ Thursday Thoughts }

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and saw that she had only three hairs on her head. 

"Great," she said, 

"I think I'll braid my hair today."

So she did, and had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. 

"Hmm," she said, 

"I guess I'll part my hair down the middle."

So she did, and had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only one hair left on her head.

"Wow," she said, 

"today I get to wear my hair in a pony tail." 

So she did, and had a wonderful, wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that there wasn't a single hair on her head.

"Thank you, Lord!" she exclaimed. 

"I was running out of things to do with my hair!"

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The "truths" their Daddy taught Helen and Ellen,  founders of The Love Kitchen....

There is only one Father and that is the Father in Heaven.

There is only one race, the human race.

Never take the last piece of bread.

 Someone may come by in need of it

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"We are birds with two wings and we can't fly without both of them - 

one is the Word of God and the other is prayer."

~~~Author Unknown~~~

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"My plea is let me be a woman holy through and through, 

asking for nothing  but what God wants to give me, 

receiving with both hands with all my heart whatever that is."

~~~Elisabeth Elliott~~~

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

HOPE everybody has a Terrific Thursday!

Head back here tomorrow for our Friday Foto Friends link-up!

{ Wednesday's Words - Mercy and Grace }

Most of the time I have my Wednesday's Word done ahead of time and scheduled to post at midnight.  Because we've had a hectic week so far and I wasn't even going to post anything, but felt like I needed to share this. 

 It's going to be a "trying" day.....

as in trying one's patience, namely mine.....

because of a doctor's appointment for a family member.

In my prayer a while ago I asked God to help me to show grace and mercy in this situation then I picked up one of my devotions and read it and it was about a daughter taking her Dad to a doctor's appointment....

you know that had to be God who sent that devotion to me that was written who knows how long ago and placed in a book to be read on February 22, 2017.

But, it gets better.

There are always some scripture references at the bottom so I looked them up and here's the one that started the tears of thankfulness flowing.....

Don't think I've said this lately, but it's so worth repeating every single day.....

many times a day.....

Ain't God good?

Oh, yes, HE is!!!

ASK.....

Ask and you'll receive.

Seek and you'll find.

Knock and the door will be opened for you.

(Matthew 7:7.....deciphered by Deb....;-)

{ Words of wisdom }

"What have you not forgiven yourself for?"

 "Don't be so hard on yourself."

This question and statement were made in kindness to me by two sweet sisters in Christ, both members of our SONday school class.  They were made months apart but each of these ladies sensed something in me that needed pointing out. I'm often able to do the same for other women (only due to God's wisdom and discernment) but often think I can cover up my own emotions so nobody will know the struggle I'm going through.  I'm so grateful for Christian women who stand beside each other and hold each other up and accountable.

So, Ladies.....

(and any sweet gentlemen who are reading this)

Don't let Satan convince you of being unworthy or less than or that you are to blame because you can't fix whatever the problem might be or how can God really love you and forgive you for......

                fill in the blank               

   I'm so grateful that God sends me sweet Christian friends who really care and take the time to listen to God's prompting and reach out in love to a sister in need.

{ My Momma's Birthday }

  

Today we're celebrating my Momma's birthday.

She, Jess and I are going thrift store shopping then we're going out to lunch.  What a blessing to still have her after suffering a major heart attack in 2011. She says a lot that God must have left her here for a reason. 

HOPE everybody has a Marvelous Monday!

{ SONday Scripture }

Words from a yoga instructor:

(please don't get the mistaken idea that I'm going to a yoga class....😉)

Breathe in.

Receive.

Breathe out.

Let go.

Receive.

Let go!

They reminded me of the premise of my blog....

Breathing in Jesus!

HOPE everybody has an awesomely blessed SONday!

{ Friday Foto Friends #67 }

I don't normally do a theme for my pictures for our link-up (unless it's the sky) but for some reason this week steeples stood out to me.  Maybe it was after I shared the one from our church last week.   

And, I need to give a shout out to my hubby because he's the best at helping me get photos of just what I want for our Friday Foto Friends!

Are you prepared for picture overload?
😉

Isn't our county courthouse a beautiful building?

That's a statue of Ms. Dolly Parton!

One of my favorite things about these pics is that the church ones are from all different faiths.

HOPE everybody has a great weekend!

{ Digging into HIS Word }

Have I already shared this with y'all, because I'm getting to THAT age where I can remember things I wish I couldn't but often can't remember what I ate for breakfast, if it wasn't for the fact that I pretty much eat the same thing every day? 

😏

Anyway.....

if I have, please forgive.

If not.....

well, maybe you forgot, too!

I read the Bible through last year and it got to where I would rely on that for my daily Bible reading.  That was so not a good thing for me and I knew it, but it became a crutch.  I'd tell myself that I was reading my Bible, so there was that, but often what I was reading was about things that I didn't feel I could apply to myself, or I'd hurriedly read through so I could mark that off my "to do" list. 

Look, I'm just being honest here.  

At the end of last year, I felt in my spirit that God wanted MORE from me, which is one of the reasons why I feel He gave me that word to focus on in 2017.  As I've turned  back to reading my Bible and digging into His Word, He has spoken to me MORE and MORE each day. Often I get excited to see what He's got in store for me that day.....

and sometimes there's a little dread because of what He is going to point out that I have tried to sweep under the rug and not deal with. 

Again, I'm just being honest.

Well, this morning, I got negativity pointed out to me and here are a couple of things I jotted down in my journal that I gleaned from my study.....

Being negative usually means something is wrong in my heart.

OUCH!!!

Maybe whatever I'm being negative about is an area where my faith is lacking. 

DOUBLE OUCH!!!

So, I'm asking the Lord today to pinch my heart 

(how do you like that term?).....

in other words convict me when I become negative.....

to make me MORE aware of my "stinking thinking"!

Oh, how I LOVE digging into the Word of God!

If I haven't visited you in a few days, please forgive.

Where do the hours go in the day?

That's another area God is dealing me with.....

how I spend my time.

Mercy, He's got a BIG job dealing with this old gal!

HOPE everybody has a Terrific Thursday.....

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

{ Wednesday's Word - Fruit(ful) }

fruit·ful

producing good or helpful results; productive

synonyms:  productive, constructive, useful, worthwhile, helpful, beneficial, valuable, profitable, rewarding, successful, effective

Each week  I ponder and pray on what word to select to focus on as my Wednesday's Word.  More often than not, God points me to a word that He wants ME to think on and apply to areas of my life.  This morning, in two different devotionals, as I read the scripture references I was led to the word fruit and some of my favorite Bible verses.....

I had jotted this down in my Bible.  Although I didn't reference who said it, I'm pretty positive it came from our pastor.....

Love = Joy and Peace

Patience = Kindness and Goodness

Faithfulness = Gentleness and Self-Control

I'm always curious as to what numbers mean in the Bible and since there are nine fruits of the Spirit.....

and 9 Beatitudes (which begin with "blessed are", by the way).....

isn't it amazing that the meaning of nine in scripture is "divine completeness"?

Here's what I feel God is speaking to me.....

If I show love.....

I'll experience the joy of the Lord, 

which has nothing to do with happiness.  

Happiness depends on external circumstances, the joy of the Lord is within.

If I'm patient.....

(that can be a really big IF for me at times).....

I'll be kind and show goodness toward others.

(and the only "good" in me is Christ)

If I'm faithful.....

I'll be gentle in how I treat others and react to situations and show self-control in holding my tongue.....

oh, my there's another big ouch for me.

Whew!!!

I'm pretty sure y'all are thinking right about now what a bad girl I can be at times.  

And,  you'd be right.  

But God.....

oh, how I love those words.....

He loves me and He's a God of mercy and shows that to me each and every single morning because He tells me that in His word.

So, if this can be helpful to any of you, that would be great.....

but I know that God is teaching me to be full of these fruits so that I can show His love to others!

HOPE everybody has a Wonderful Wednesday!

{ Motivational Monday }

This old window frame came from a garage  at my Papaw's and Mamaw's house.  I remember it so well from my growing up years......

the green shingled roof, a "tool box" that Papaw built on the inside of the building,  and the black snake that Papaw let reside there because it killed mice.

The snake was my main reason for staying out of the garage.

When it fell down from neglect I wanted the window frames and that old tool box door.  (because of the possibility of lead paint I put a sealer over it) This hangs in our bedroom on a wall near me so I can look at it and reflect on the words.

If you follow me on Facebook, here's what I posted to go along with this pic yesterday.....

So very thankful that because of God's GRACE I have salvation and He gives me HOPE each and every day. If I'll only TRUST I can BE BRAVE to face each trial because I have His written word to guide me. What a privilege to be able to PRAY to Him about anything and everything. Giving THANKS today.... and every day.... to my heavenly Father for His love and blessings.

I ♥ having inspirational quotes and pictures in our home.

 I can look at them and say a little prayer or just smile because I know the truth behind the words.

HOPE each of you has a Marvelous Monday!!!

{ SONday Scriptures }

 I thought these scriptures would be appropriate since Tuesday is Valentine's  Day.....

Happy SONday, Y'All!

{ Friday Foto Friends #66 }

Do y'all ever get tired of looking at my sky pics?

I HOPE not because.......

HOPE everybody has a great weekend!

{ Looking for the GOOD }

I had a really long post all typed up and then felt like these 3 little signs, especially the one from God's Word, 

say more that I ever could.

Happy Thursday, Y'all!

{ Wednesday's Word - Anger }

an·ger

1. a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility.

    

   synonyms:

   rage,exasperation, crossness, irritation, irritability, indignation

   
   

  an-gry

  feeling or showing anger; wrathful

1. 
   

Often God will give me a word to focus on when doing my quiet time with Him.  Sometimes the word will come to mind (because of the Holy Spirit placing it there) and other times it will show up in several different places so I feel that's what He's wanting me to think about.  One day last week it was the word "anger", or "angry".  Now, that's not something I'm liking to admit because I know you're thinking to yourself that I must really have an anger problem for God to point it out to me in bold letters.  If that's kinda what's running through your mind.....

well, you're right.

I do have an anger problem sometimes.

Along with a multitude of other issues.....

But.....

He's still working on me.

To make me what I ought to be.

It took Him just a week to make the moon and the stars,

the Sun and the Earth, 

Jupiter and Mars.

How loving and patient He must be.

'Cause He's still working on me!

I've been guilty of this at times.....

Be careful who you hang out with.

Often you'll pick up on their bad habits.....

and vice versa!

Oh, to be MORE like Jesus.....

  

"Holy Spirit, give me the words to say what needs to be said and seal my lips for the rest."

~~~ Julia Attaway ~~~

Daily Guideposts, 2017

HOPE everybody has a Wonderful Wednesday!!!