{ Wednesday's Word - Memories }

A few places that bring back sweet memories.....


The beautiful Tennessee Theater.  
I saw my first movie in a theater here.
Guess what the movie was?
Bonnie and Clyde!
Oh, I'm telling my age.


The theater lobby.



Inside the theater.






As a really young child, Daddy and Mom would take us to the River Breeze Drive-In.  Daddy would go to the concession area to get us Coca-Colas and corn dogs and they would set our drinks on the dashboard door.  Remember when that was the "cup holder" in a car?





It was always a treat when we would get to go to McDonald's on Magnolia Avenue in Knoxville to eat.



(this isn't the one we visited, but looked like this)


When Pappy and I were dating, we saw a lot of movies at the Family Drive-In on Broadway in Knoxville, TN.


We went to Cardin's Drive-In on one of the first dates we had and still go there occasionally.

We spent our honeymoon in Gatlinburg, TN and stayed at Midtown Lodge.
It's not even there any longer,  It was torn down and something else built in it's place.....
made me sad.

Isn't it nice to go back and remember places we used to visit?

HOPE everybody has a wonderful Wednesday!

Friday Foto.....

Our daughter and son-in-law and grand kiddos' have a long winding driveway leading up to their house on a hill.  One day recently, our two oldest grand boys decided to hike to the bottom of the driveway and back up the hill.....

in the scorching hot heat.....

just so our sweet, second oldest grand could pick these flowers for his Nannie!!!

(owl mug/vase from Pier One - a gift from my bestie, Dawn)

Hope y'all have an awesome weekend!!!

Breathing in Grace,

Deb

The Great Cover-Up.....

Pappy sent me this picture in a text message one day recently.

Seeing it brought a huge smile to my face because it's similar to the very first new car I ever owned.

It was a Camaro and also the same color.....

"medium orange metallic".

I downloaded a new app on my phone called "watercolor" and I've been playing around with it and decided to watercolor "my" car.....

It looks entirely different.

But, it's really still the very same car,

it's just been "prettied up"!

Isn't that just how we are sometimes?

We put on a happy face when inside we're anything but happy?

We put on makeup to possibly hide a blemish, or a zit?

Maybe our hair hasn't been washed in a few days,

but we still take the time to fix it,

hoping nobody will notice.

How often do we try to cover up what's really inside our hearts?

We bite our tongues trying not to express verbally what we're truly thinking about another person?

Who are we the most transparent with about our thoughts and feelings?

Is it a best friend.....

our spouse.....

or nobody at all?

Often we think nobody will notice whats' really going on in our lives,

that we can just hide it.....

or, cover it all up!!!

Hebrews 4:13

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. 

Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes,

 and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

God is once again shining His light into the deepest crevices of my heart.....

and exposing things I wish I didn't have to confront.

Breathing in Jesus,

Deb

Happy Daddy's Day.....

Although he will have been gone 20 years this coming December,

I still feel he was the greatest Daddy ever!!!

Daddy and Jess 

My sweet, sweet Daddy

And, Pappy's a very special Daddy, too!!

If you know Pappy, 

then you know how much he loves music.....

and always has!!!

So does his girl!!!

(taken last year on the 4th of July)

I also want to wish a Happy Father's Day to our son-in-law.

He's an awesome Dad to our four grand-kiddos!

Not many Daddy's will take four kids to the grocery store.....

by himself!!!

And, I can't leave out my brother!

Due to life circumstances, we are close once again after many years of being apart, only seeing each other a few times a year!

Just a great example of how something good comes out of everything!

(Romans 8:28)

I want to thank my heavenly Father for the blessing of these special men in my life!!!

Breathing in Jesus,

Deb

The Rock.....

I was filling up my watering can at the spigot at the side of the house and I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye. 
As I looked closer I saw this little fellow.....

You can barely see him since his colors are almost identical to the gravel.

It was so hot that day that I thought maybe he/she would like the water,

so I turned the nozzle to "shower" and let the water lightly spray down on him.

He seemed to enjoy it for just a little bit, 

then he went behind a big rock to try to get away from the water.....

(Look closely and you can spot him at the top right of the rock.)

Y'all know how I try to see how God might be speaking to me in the every day occurrences.  

I wondered how often I act or say things that make me fit right into the world instead of standing out and being different.....

which is what God is calling me to do!!!

2 Timothy 1:9

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. 

He did this, 

not because we deserved it, 

but because that was His plan from before the beginning of time—

to show us His grace through Christ Jesus.

And, just like that little frog tried to find protection behind that big rock.....

I have an even bigger ROCK.....

my precious Lord and Savior.....

who hides, covers, and protects me!!!

Praise HIS Holy Name!!!

II Samuel 22:2

The Lord is my rock,

my fortress, 

and my Savior.

Breathing in Jesus,

Deb

Monday Makeover.....

Last Monday.....

Memorial Day.....

was half price day at AmVets.

If you're not familiar with AmVets, 

it's a thrift store that is HUGE!!!

Jess, our daughter, decided to make it a "girl's day out",

so she invited me and my Mom to tag along.

We got there bright and early before the store even opened.....

and the parking lot was already full and people were crowded around the door to get in as soon as the doors were unlocked!!!

I spent less than $6.00 and got a beautiful new skirt for church.....

a top with the colors I was looking for to match another skirt and jacket.....

and this picture for $1.00.....

Now, before you go questioning my taste,

I only bought it for the frame and I'll show y'all later this week what I did with it.

But, for today, I want to show you how I did a little "refashion" on the top I bought.....

It's so light and breezy and summery.....

but, alas it's only a Medium.....

and due to being a bit ample on top,

it was a tad tight.

It would have been fine underneath the jacket, 

but I really like for my clothes to be kinda on the big side.....

so here's what I did!!!

First of all I ripped out the seam on both sides,

including the sleeves.....

I dug through my stash of lace and found this flat eyelet,

which also matches my skirt.....

and simply pinned it down both sides of the ripped out seams,

turning under a tad on both sides so it wouldn't ravel.....

Sewed it down.....

And, voila.....

I have a top that fits soooo much better and is much more comfortable!!!

Also, I chose this lace because it isn't too "see thru".....

but if need be, I can always put a tank top, or camisole underneath!!!

After all, a girl's gotta be modest!!!

Proverbs 31:19

Her hands are busy spinning thread,
    her fingers twisting fiber.

Hope y'all have a Marvelous Monday!!!

Breathing in Jesus,

Deb

In Memory.....

Maya Angelou

April 4, 1928 - May 28, 2014

Breathing in Jesus,

Deb

Friday Foto.....

John 15:13

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Hope y'all have a fantastic Friday and an awesome Memorial Day weekend!!!

Breathing in Jesus,

Deb

Friday Fotos.....

Psalm 145:5

I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor
    and your wonderful miracles.

 Wisteria tree 

 given to us by Jack's sister when my Mamaw passed away

Peonies

came from my Mamaw's yard

Ladies of Faith Roses

I gave them that name because the bush was a gift from my SONday school class, also when my Mamaw left us.

A close-up of the beautiful Ladies of Faith Rose

Duck-bill Irises

from my father-in-law

Red hot pockers 

also from my father-in-law

Hope everybody has a fantastic Friday 

and an awesome weekend!!!

Breathing in Jesus,

Deb

Bloom where you're planted.....

I ♥ this time of year.
Here are a few things growing in our yard.....

Orangey-red and pink azaleas

These bushes are about 30 years old!!

Pretty Pansies.....

that remind me of my father-in-law.

He loved pansies!

Snowball bush

Pappy got this for me for our anniversary last year 'cause they have a special meaning to me.  My Mammie (Daddy's Mom) had one in her yard and it was in bloom when Pappy and I got married.  She told me that every year when it bloomed she thought of us.

Purple Iris

These are Tennessee's State Flower!

Rhododendron

The lady I used to work for got Pappy and I two of these for our anniversary about 25 years ago.  

They've never bloomed as beautiful as this year!

Matthew 6:28-29

"And why worry about your clothing?

Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. 

They don’t work or make their clothing, 

 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are."

What about y'all?

What's blooming in your neck of the woods?

Breathing in Jesus,

Deb

Handiwork.....

I ♥ making things!!!

I cross-stitched the verse from Joshua many years ago for my Mammie (my Dad's Mom) for Christmas.  
It was in a frame and when she passed away, I got it back.....
removed it from the frame.....
 sewed it onto a piece of burlap and added the ruffle around the edges.

A sweet young couple I used to go to church with recently had a precious baby girl.  I found out her nursery colors and made this little rag wreath for them.

I stole this pic from one her Daddy posted on Instagram after they hung it on Baby B's nursery door.

I saw a little owlie pillow at Cracker Barrel when I went to have breakfast there with a friend.  I really liked it, but didn't want to pay what they were asking.....

so.....

 I came home and dug  thru my scrap fabric and made one similar!!!

Another rag wreath for a friend at church who is having a baby girl.




And, since her nursery includes monkeys,
I crocheted her a hat, too!!!
(please pay no attention to the fact she has no eyes....
yet!!!)

What about y'all?

Have you been crafty lately?

Ecclesiastes 9:10

 Whatever your hand finds to do, 

do it with all your might....

Breathing in Jesus,

Deb

Memories.....

We have Easter flowers blooming in our yard that came from my Papaw and Mamaw's old home place.  Pappy dug them up the year after Mamaw passed away and this is the first year they've bloomed for us.  I picked a few and placed them in a mug Pappy bought me for Valentine's Day, along with some sweet smelling hyacinths that came in a basket of flowers I got many years ago from Pappy and also from my Aunt Katherine. 
It's so sweet to think back with fondness about those special people in our life!!!

How about you?  

Do you have flowers growing in your yard that you "inherited", or were a gift, that remind you of a precious loved one, or a friend?!?

Psalm 143:5

I remember the days of old.
    I ponder all your great works
    and think about what you have done.

Breathing in Jesus,

Deb

A sign of spring.....

Snapped a pic of daffodils blooming beside the tree in our front yard!

Spring can't be too far off....

can it?

Song of Solomon 2:11-12

Look, the winter is past,
    and the rains are over and gone.
  The flowers are springing up,
    the season of singing birds has come,
    and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air.

Breathing in Jesus,

Deb

Marvelous Monday.....

I've been so privileged to "meet" some very special ladies thru the world of blogging!! 

It's very rare that we actually get to meet face to face, though!

Last Tuesday, that very thing happened to me.

I've been blogging friends with Ms. Cindy at Creations by Cindy for at least five years.  She and her husband vacationed near where we live a few years ago and we decided then that if they were ever back in the area, we would have to meet.  Well, we made that happen.....

after she convinced her sweet hubby that I'm not a serial killer.....

LOL!!!

We met at Bass Pro Shop and Mr. Marty bought all of us coffee.

We all 3 sat and chatted for a bit, but then he went off to venture thru the store and left us to talk.  Close to two hours later, she called to tell him we were ready to step outside for pictures.  It was like we had known each other forever......realize we have a lot in common......and what a blessing it was that God brought us together thru our blogs.  I'm already looking forward to their next visit to the Great Smoky Mountains....or God landing me in Florida one of these days!!!

(Cindy and Deb @ Bass Pro Shop in Kodak, TN)

Thank you, Ms. Cindy, for taking the time out of your vacation to meet with me.

(and thank you again for my precious little owlies)

Breathing in Jesus,

Deb