A Lazy Morning

What a wonderful morning.. nothing on the schedule....  an opportunity to sleep in.... til 7...  and  just  luxuriate  in the  pleasure of    just  breathing and  living  in peace...as I sat on the porch,  I reflected in prayer    the  ills of our nation

of which there are so many, and I  prayed for our government leaders to  turn to God's council...It was  God who ordained  their position,   who  allowed them the privilege  to serve and  it should be by God's  direction that they lead our nation to  be strong,  just, tranquil,  defended,  safe,  and secure. 
Praise God that  we can  trust  Him for all these things  when  the government goes awry!.
It was such a marvelous morning,     Lynn and I enjoyed  our  breakfast outside... Now that the  glider which  I truly  loved for over 50 years    has   gone, I now have space for  the  charming  tea server   I got at last week's  yard sale.... I look forward to its transformation soon...   however, I can  stand it    in the interim... it's benefits are so great..
  room to place  food,, and   this morning I had my  tablet on there  as we  enjoyed our  meal.

 I  love the view to my right.... the  Crepe Myrtle   in    full bloom....

I am  anxious  the next time I am out shopping to find  a new  outdoor tablecloth  to  show off my  new cushions  from  Plow and Hearth...  The only thing I can say about this cloth is it matches the    tea cart  for now! HAHAAHHAHA!

We decided on these cushions  when we purchased  our wonderful   bench   which is much more practical that  my beloved  glider   that took  a ride to Good Will yesterday .  I know someone today  is  anxiously  awaiting  creating a most cosy  spot  with  that   wonderful  vintage  item...

I waited for Lynn as long as I could, after all, a person wants to  eat  warm food....

so I  enjoyed    my   breakfast companion  nearby...

Soon  Lynn did join me  as I  revelled with my second cup of coffee and   we listened to 
Truth for Life, with Alistair Begg . 

Suddenly the spell was broken  as  morning recess  began across the street.. Summer  school is in session! 

Home Party@ Sandi's   Rose Chintz Cottage     

Thursday  Favorite Things

Grace at Home  @ Imparting Grace

Home Sweet Home at Charm of Home

Summer Arrives in Glory!

I have really enjoyed these  first days of summer.  The  regular  rain showers have  kept the  grass so green and the colors so vibrant!

 The profuse petunias  create such a cheery  greeting by the back door!

Summer

Hydrangeas explode, grass spikes the soil

Sun scorches all, water crashes on shores 

Ice destroyed, eyes beaten by bright rays 

Heat everywhere, blue suffocates the sky 

We love a violent summer

source

 The  day lilies  show off with their fiery  hues ! 

 Rosy  blossoms  bless  my heart scattered here and there!

 My  garden kids  make me smile broadly.. they are such   happy little gardeners....

Home  and Garden  

 Outdoor Wednesday

Cottage Style Party

Happy Homemaker Monday

Visit Sandra here for more HHM!
Today:
Wow, it has been awhile since I did this  weekly meme!  Life can be so hectic....  today was  full, too,  but  I  have missed so much about blogging.... today was a   gorgeous day.. love the high seventies  weather...

Right now I am::: 
Sitting here at the computer  contemplating so many things....   doing a bit of blogging helps to settle my mind and  bring things  back down to earth! 

Thinking and pondering::: 
It is  such  strange times  that we are living in... Somedays  I can feel the weight of the world's problems on my shoulders, and  then the  next day, it  all seems to dissipate and  hopefully reigns once more....  Praise God for that!

On my bedside table:::

The Woman Within  catalog.. cant wait  to check it out....

On my tv tonight:::  
Well, now that they have replaced  Frasier,  my only  hope is for a good movie on hallmark or  TMC!

Listening to:::
the most peaceful  station on Pandora... Dan Gibson  love  it!!!  

On the menu for this week:::

we  breakfast  casserole tonight for dinner
  I   havent given it much thought this week

On my to do list:::
visit my mom
laundry
check out paint swatches  to redo  a yardsale find!

    Plans for this week:::

housework
Healing prayer class  study in prep for teaching it this time
homework
visit my mom

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::

preparing to redo a  wonderful  project...  more about it soon, I hope!

My simple pleasure:::
listening to the  wonderful radio teachers on Victory fm
  from Liberty College...  awesome

Lessons learned:
Living simply   and letting God   control my life is so freeing!

Looking around the house:::
Now that school is out and the  street is quiet and peaceful  the lazy days of summer   offer   serene porch times  once again!

From the camera

I love the  above photo too much to  let it go  back onto  the  cloud...  the bottom photo  was taken today.. wee one is   pulling herself up to stand and  is   becoming   a bit precocious.. just as she should....  very inquisitive!

Prayer List:::

Our  home, family,    church,  and  nation, and the  Middle East!

        Bible verse, Devotional::: 

  A good friend sent me this email  a prophecy written by david Wilkerson 20 years ago....    the first  prophecy  has already come true...     the second seems a bit more than timely today

                                           "Set The Trumpet To The Mouth"  By Dave Wilkerson 1984

Two Holocausts- 1 LITTLE, 1 BIG

He described events in Kuwait which happened 7 yrs later in 1990,-1991.

Before the great Holocaust there will be a small Holocaust.

Holocaust number 1: The oil fields of the Middle East will ablaze and the smoke will rise night and day as a warning of the greater Holocaust yet to come.  There will be bombs falling on the oil fields, on shipping docks and storage tanks. There will be panic among oil producers and shippers and nations who depend on that oil.

Holocaust number 2: Soon and very soon an economic nightmare will explode into reality. What frightful news it will be. He that is among many waters , abundant in treasures, Thine end is come and the measure of thy covetousness  , America is about to face a time of mass hysteria , as banks close and financial institutions will crumble and our economy spins totally out of control.  Gold and silver will lose their value. The chaos coming cannot be stopped by our government.

Ezekiel warned (The hands of the people of the land shall be troubled. I will do unto them after their way and according to their detestable practices  I will judge them).  These prophecies once again reveal  Gods judgments decrees to wicked nations. Scoff if you choose, but the underlying fears about a collapse will soon become tragic reality.  Numerous cracks will appear in our fragile prosperity and soon even the most pessimistic will know in their hearts that a total collapse is certain. 

Senators and Congress men will sit in the stunned silence as they realize no one can stop the tailspin into chaos. Business , Political and economic leaders will be terrorize by its suddenness and its far reaching effect. " Son of Man"  when the land sins  against me by trespassing grievously, then I will stretch my hand upon it, and I will break the staff of your bread, ( crops, food) Thereof , and I will send famine upon it, and I will cut off man and beast from it.

The great holocaust follows an economic collapse of America . The enemy will make its move when we are weak and helpless. Woe to you who are at east in Zion. He warned you that all lukewarm believers would be spewed out of his mouth. You spoke the word of faith creating for yourselves riches, increase of goods, and you spent your faith in providing for all your selfish needs. Now you can say you have need of nothing.

You are clothed in fine linen and purple , and scarlet , and decked with gold , and precious stones, and pearls. In one hour it will be gone. The stock market will burn- with all the buildings, the investments. The skyscrapers will melt, the fire of divine vengeance will turn cities into polluted wilderness, our government , our transportation systems, our food supplies, our communication networks (radio,,tv) All will be lost in one hour.

Have you been blinded by prosperity, so deafened by the lusts and cares of this world that you cannot hear? Can you not discern the times, know ye not the day of the Lord is at the very door? Is this a time to be at ease, to give all your time and energy to your own interest? Will you go days on end and not seek his face? Will you keep on forgetting him who called you out of bondage? Will you neglect his word,  his house , his secret closet?  Will you comfort yourselves by saying, " He is not coming: judgment  is not near. I will relax, enjoy my life and pleasures, and go to be with him when I have finished serving my own desires?

"Son of Man" , Behold , they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is far many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off. Therefore say unto them,  "Thus says the Lord God" There shall none of my words be prolonged anymore., but the word which I have spoken shall be done,"  saith the Lord ( Ezek 12:27,28 )

1 Tim 5:8 - But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house , he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

3 Steps to Destroy America:

1 ) Economic collapse

2) Loss of International and Military Power

3) Complete vulnerability to invasion, Exodus of Jews from America back to Israel

Revelation chapters 17 and 18. destruction of mystery Babylon.

                                                                        

Perhaps these words will  guide your prayers in the coming  days, weeks, and months!

Birdie Style

IN my previous post I spoke of the massive yard sale   that was held by  a wonderful church family  to raise money for their  dear grandson who has  reversible leukemia, but the  3 years of treatments  is   not only very   on the 6 year old but also the family finances...  thankfully, it was hugely successful, and I found a few treasures as well...  I found that  fabulous  pink tea  sign, but I also found a  sweet  vase   that  reminds me of my dear  little Birdie!..

I    love this  lovely celadon color...,  so while I   thinking of  Birdie,,  I thought Id  share  just

 how  precious she is and how she is growing...

What a sweetheart!!!
So   I continue to  create Birdie vignettes around the house   because she and her dear mommie   occupy so much of our hearts!!!

I thought Id share this next item so that Amanda can  show her  family  ....  recently  as we visited in the home of  our aunt who is downsizing and  preparing to  move into a smaller place, she gave  Amanda this gorgeous painting  that  reminds  Amanda so much of her many times of visiting her beautiful country home...  She had a huge poppy garden  in her side yard...

  It will be  fabulous  come  late summer when we can    take this to her   and  get to  see our  dear ones in person once again!
Home and Garden Thursday

Grace at Home

Cottage Style Party

The Charm of Home

Steeped in Charm

Life gets so  hectic, doesnt it... sometimes, I  hardly have time to  get  it all done and  find time to rest and   just  replenish my  own soul...  but  then again, sometimes,  while in the midst of all the flurrying,  a  simple, wonderful pleasure  comes along....  I call them God's  special gifts  to me.  For example,  a month ago, Lynn and I were on a  trip  for a wedding and    we certainly didnt  have time to  take in the shops, but  while we were   out and about  just casing the area for goodies, there was a little Home Goods  store tucked in between  some  stores in a strip mall...  I  had just enough time to  run and  and  there it was  

The gorgeous New Country Roses  cup and saucer  by Royal Albert...    Such a  sweet  and delicate pink  with    bouquets of  lovely roses....  who could resist?  

Then  I worked a charity yard sale Saturday... I mean a huge  sale  that brought in thousands of dollars.. and when I   returned at the end  with my husband who was  helping with the  packing  away to take  the residuals to Good Will there it was  ....

Crying out to me  from the leftovers.."Please, take me home!"

The  most perfect ceramic sign, how  could a verified tea lover like me  turn that down...  so  what a  happy little vignette  these  items  make on my  side board.. even when life is hectic,  my  thoughts of tea  are  soothed  by the very sight of  my happy arrangement...

  

Make it Pretty 

A Return to Loveliness

Martha’s Favorites 

Tea Time Tuesday 

 Tuesday Cuppa Tea
Teacup Tuesday 

Friends Sharing Tea 

Share Your Cup Thursday

A Bit 'O Irish in the Planning Stage

                            
Well, today will probably not the last time I will  speak to this topic.....  because it is something very dear to my heart...It has been my dream to  visit the UK  sometime in our retirement... especially  I wanted to  visit Scotland.....I am  Scotcch-Irish  and I suppose  truth be told I  am probably more Irish  anyway, for my grandmother was  Higgins....  at any rate, Lynn and I will be touring Ireland next spring! And I couldnt be happier!  Today has been a most profittable day.. We  got our  renewed  documents    and  things are really progressing nicely  in our planning!

I have been spending time  looking at the many items  I will need...  such as  luggage for checking...

I am  thinking this 24 inch  by Swiss Gear looks  manageable...  and I  am a bit  concerned about  larger  cases  and going over the  weight limit of 50 pounds....  THis  case has  a great  review rating and is on sale  now at Amazon for  under $70.00 ...

I think if is  very  awesome that  a month ago  prior to knowing about this trip opportunity  I actually  found  last years  Irish travel guide  on sale at the used book sale at the library  for  $1...  It has offered many happy  hours of    dreaming  and   planning.

We will be flying into Dublin  and will actually  have quite a bit of  time on our own  so  Ive been checking out  popular  places,  including Trinity College  and   its Book of Kells,   which will be very convenient to our  accommodations...  and there  are  pubs a plenty in the environs...

Our 13 day tour will   take us  mainly around the  coastal  towns and attractions, both  medieval and    geographic,,   both of which  are   the ones of my greatest interest!

 When I think of the Ring of Kerry  which is very  nearly like Dingle  from the film Leap Year, which I  just  love to watch time and again...

because the  terrain is just so   awesomely  beautiful!!!

One of the   highlights of the trip  for us is the  Medieval banquet at Bunratty Castle.. 

 

When I think of Ireland I  always think of the  thatched cottages on the Emerald Isle... like the  one 

in The Quiet Man.... 


  and  glorious vistas  dotted with sheep


  Which makes me think of the  food....
 because of my  love of  sheep, I have never acquired a taste for mutton.. oh well, I suppose  it's now or never....   but  blood sausage for breakfast......????

 My daughter said I had to try everything!  Yikes!

 Now   when it comes to souvenirs   I'd love  a claddagh  ring.. I cant think of anything easier to  pack for the return trip!

 But I just may have to   ship back a bit of Belleek

and /or Waterford crystal or linens! 

If I can figure out    the euros and the pounds!

                              Thursday Favorite Things