Friday's Fave Five

Hosted by Susanne.

The hands of time  do not stand still... time  seems to be  rushing along the continuum more  rapidly each day. Sometimes I can barely keep up!

• But I have only to look out the window to see the most amazing day   to know  how thankful I am to my Savior, my Redeemer,  my father, and my friend!  I am so thankful He awakened me this morning   and I am  able to  see enjoy this  wonderful new dayI  Today I have a choice of  spending my time indoors or out,  because again the weather is a special gift   from heaven. Right now, at 11:30 am it is a perfect sunny 75 degrees! 
• I am thankful for the strength and capability  we have had to  do the work here in our home  to  refresh and  and update it..it really need  a refresh after  almost 20 years of the same color  in the main level. This winter  we repainted the main rooms,  but saved the den til last.. It serves as a library  and tv room  and  needed the most work done. Just before our trip in July Lynn got around to painting the walls  and  most of the woodwork,   that left mainly the   wall of  bookcases  around the double hung windows that, also, need painting. 

I am so pleased to see how far Lynn is along on   the den.  I now can see  the  paint palette..   the  teal  bookcase  was  the first  paint choice,, , well  not  withstanding the   woodwork was already white.  but the wall color  was  the most difficult to decide.  But I praise God  that  He knew best and it was  with His guidance  we picked  Baja  tan by Behr.  Without reasoning it  in the beginning it   is the color that will blend the whole room together..  but  you'll understand this better  later!

Thank you, Lord!

Thank you, Lynn!

• I am thankful for small blessings, as well.  My hair  has gotten  thinner  this year from all the  ERCP procedures, being put to sleep  5 times this year.    So my regular  hairstyle  just  isn't  right for me anymore.  I'm going today to get a make over.. shorter and layers..    pretty excited,  but I am thankful  for this opportunity  because I know it will make me feel better  and not be so   stressed out over my hair! I hope this doesn't sound vain!   But for me it a blessing,  still!
• I am proud of my kids. But mostly I am so pleased and thankful that  the Lord blesses them so mightily.  Both Amanda and her husband are  very musically talented and were given  wonderful opportunities in their young lives to make the most of their talent. Now we are seeing the fruit of their labors  in the grands.,,  our  precious granddaughters. are  both taking piano   and  doing  very well with it,  plus they are excited   to being  playing.  This week I heard them both playing duets with their mom!  And the youngest  one is also taking violin lessons like her mom and dad did!  I pray she will stay with it like they did and really  be able to use  that gift as an adult.  Amanda and I enjoy  our piano for our own  pleasure and ability to pay just about anything we aspire to.  But to be able to play violin well opens so many doors to  wonderful cultural opportunities, even if it is to play  in the church orchestra which is a wonderful endeavor. It is giving back to the Lord  that which He has enabled  you to do  and when you  discipline yourself to  stay with it    long time,  it is  a special component of your life that  you have not only earned, but something no one can take from you! Thank you, Lord  for    these gifts, great and small.  Praise Your Holy name!

Friday Fave Five

Hosted by Susanne!

Time continues to fly by!  Here we are again at  week's end and time to  be thankful for  the many blessings we have!   I haven't been able to share on this post for a few weeks. Life has been so hectic..  We have  a thousands pots on the fire yet it seems we get little done! Obviously, we will not finish the painting job we began at the first of the year.   We got 4  rooms done, but the most difficult room  is the den and Lynn's done a little   every week  but  the rest is a daunting thing because we cannot decide how to regig the window seat to allow more heat into the room from the radiator underneath. So we continue to live in a home  where every room  on the lower level is a bit  topsy turvy.  SO is life!  But  this isn't a complain  post  at all 

*** I cannot believe that after 7 months of thinking about our trip to Scotland  it is now bearing down on us..  excitement is  brewing!! In less than two weeks we will be leaving for our daughter's home in New England   for a couple of days before we  fly out  to Glasgow, by way of Reykjavik. I can hardly believe it! Scotland has been a dream of mine ever since I started blogging in 2008. When I was 58 and all things seemed possible. I was retired and always thinking about  dream fulfillment.  Now here I am at 71 and not ion the best  shape,  but  the Lord has blessed us with this  opportunity  to show me that indeed all things are possible even at  time like this! What an amazing God we serve!

***I am so thankful that we have joined our new church. I probably have shared this before, but each week  I am more and more  enthralled. We joined in February, and at first, I wondered   how hard would it be to make friends like the ones we had left behind at our previous church.  Praise God we still get to still see them in other venues we  are part of. But,  in the intervening months I now have 6  Sisters  which is a women's ministry program to bring 6 women of all ages together to do fun things together over a 6 month period.  We have met once  and  one of the delightful  women, Martha, is having us over   in a week   for our next  outing. This is such a sweet way to get to know women , and I love how it is intergenerational. I find being with younger women so rejuvenating!

*** Next, another way we are meeting  folks is though the Joy Ministry which also meets every month. Last time Lynn and I  dined at Montanoes, our favorite restaurant, with about 30 other  seniors.  Tomorrow we will meet at  a fun deli, again, another  wonderful way to  get out and make new friends! This is the same group   that will someday soon plan a trip to Lancaster  to the Sight and Sound Theater. We used to do this with our previous church group, but, covid,   of course,  put  a temporary end to this. Sight and Sound is probably one of the top ten greatest things we have ever  been privileged to do.  

*** This has been such a hectic month. It seems between the two of us, we have  had or will have  15  medical appointments of some kind, including physical therapy, eye doctor, urology checkup, dermatology body scans. and allergy shots.  It seems we are running out to  make appointments every day. This doesn't count  my ERCP which is coming up next week. This will be the 5th one I have had since my gall stone was discovered last fall. This is  a lengthy endoscopy  where the doctor works his way to the gall bladder duct to  examine and  remove the stent he administered last time. He said he hopes not to have to put a new one in.  I would be delighted.  and this is something I am praying and asking for prayer for.  That would mean  I wouldn't have another  one of these for several months. But I am not complaining,, by no means. It is through things like this  where we really get to know God's enduring love and mercy in the most personal way. I KNOW so inwardly, spiritually, and physically that He is with me every moment of that day. I feel His presence His love, His peace!. Glory to God!

***I am so thankful for the upcoming  cooler weather,  tomorrow through Monday will be spectacularly cool. I can get outside and work with my flowers a bit, and walk the track. Maybe stop and get an ice cream cone while we are out! This long heat  spell really makes us appreciate  the gifts of cooler days. 

Fridays Fave Five

Hosted by Susanne!

Time continues to fly by!  Here we are again at  week's end and time to  be thankful for  the many blessings we have! 

Note to all who  expressed  interest in my recent  c scan.  The doctor  called  and told me the gall bladder was  doing  well enough not to have to apply another stent this time  when I have my next ERCP in  June. I would just  go   about 6 months and  probably scan again to see how I am faring. He did mention a few  things  noted that  I should bring up to my GP. I think just things to watch or perhaps I may  need a referral  to  a specialist.,  

~But I am blessed to have such an opportunity to know of these slight occurrences early on so if there is a deeper problem  it may be addressed  early! I mean  at my age you can expect  some of these  things! 

~I have been working on plans   for our  special  vacation this summer.. Amanda left me to plan the  itinerary and  it has been good for me to do this,. as I watch YouTube videos about some things   I realize I just would not be able to do that thing. For example, I have  been enamored with Dunvegan Castle on the far tip of the Isle Skye   for many years after reading my wonderful Lynn Kurland books  about the McLeod clan of the 15th century. But  truly after watching a drive    through the island to the castle,  the one track road  by the sea  with many twists and turns and the hectic traffic of  what I am sure this summer will bring. I would be  a complete  wreck as would Lynn,  so after  seeing the castle on Youtube, I am perfectly  satisfied. It wasn't that much like the books' account anyway!  So there we saved about 50pounds!

~Besides the itinerary of the things I do hope to do is 11 pages long!!  And I am gaining in strength  to  be able to do as much as I think I  would like.  Also, doing the itinerary and  looking things up online has helped par down things  that are just not doable..( too  far to walk to, to even drive to,)  because I am relating everything to  how it would be  in the hectic summer traffic, by all accounts this summer after covid it will be super crowded.

~We have been going ahead and booking everything  ahead ,  actually missed  one  beloved thing, riding the Jacobite Train across  the  Glenfinnan Aqueduct,  but  we  can opt now to ride the Scotrail across and experience the same views if that is something  we all agree upon. When one door closes , another opens!

~Poor Lynn has been working so hard in the den...This is our last room to  paint and  the hardest.  He took all day one day this week to scrape  the wall paper border and the glue off the wall. It was a daunting problem It was so easy in the kitchen,  but standing on that  ladder all day, did him in, poor fella.  He rested all day yesterday and is all set to paint the three walls which should go very  swiftly.The fourth wall is the built in  book cases and window seat. It will be painted a contrasting color!  But glory to God, we are both in good spirit today about getting  the walls painted and hopefully it would only take one coat!!!

Friday's Fave Five

Hosted by Susanne!

Time continues to fly by!  Here we are again at  week's end and time to  be thankful for  the many blessings we have! 

💗💗 Last week I said it was time to  get some May flowers planted and  we  did just that

Amanda bought me a gorgeous geranium when she was here for Easter so  we purchased some perennials  to    add to the pot  for the porch. Lynn, also, purchased  this lovely  new flag to  tie it all together!

The pansies are   really showing off their bright sunny  radiance  even on this rainy day!

The wall garden  always   shows off this time of year  when things really begin to come up.  I try to  add perennials to this as much as I can

Lynn picked out these  gorgeous  trailing petunias  for the  large pot we always have on the steps out back.  This is the first thing our visitors see

And suddenly in the last couple of days the roses have burst forth in beautiful red and pink. The yellow and  apricot will  open up  soon!

Springtime is a blessing to  everyone Im sure  with its glorious color and 
promise !

💗💗This morning I graduated from one of my therapies I have been working on for the last couple of months!  Hurray for  improvement that really   gives me a new lease on life!  I  will continue to keep up with the exercises  to  keep  my improvement going  on  and on!   I never want to get at the pitiful stage I was  a few months  ago!

💗💗 Amanda and I have instituted a  get together call  for  each week to  help  plan and foment plans for our upcoming trip. We got  a lot accomplished this week   which  is very encouraging, and now  it is  more the small details left to work out .. what to see and do  in each of the three main  places we are staying as we  travel around  Scotland ,( Oban,  a highland castle, and a cozy cottage in Perth.)

💗💗Today I am  ( able to, and very happy about it) baking a cake for the cake walk  at the School Fun Day  our church is  doing  an outreach  to help and facilitate.   I haven't really be able to  contemplate  baking and icing a decorative cake in some time..   I am really looking forward to it today!! Lynn is  making  yummy iced brownies to take!!

💗💗It is so wonderful to be able to get back to our regular activities.  We have been active  at a Bible Study  at Jim and Nita's   for  some years,  but  due  to my  infirmity  and  many appointments Ive had recently we missed many  sessions. I now have two sessions under my belt and am so  thrilled to be back into this groove.  These teachers are awesome and already I have learned so much  from 1 John. Also, we are back to praying  together at Intercessors for America  which  is  a huge blessing and so important to take our concerns to God who is faithful to  give us peace about the many  troubles plaguing our nation.  And Lynn and  I were  blessed to attend the national Day of Prayer yesterday at our church. So few churches around here  open their doors for  this day and our  prayer time was so sweet and meaningful! I do wish more people had attended.   But God doesn't need a crowd for sure. A few deeply committed  prayer warriors can availeth much!

Friday's Fave Five

Hosted by Susanne!

Time is flying by!   One more day of April then it is May all over.  I was just thinking We need to  go to the  nursery / greenhouse and get some May flowers!

But first I will recount my  blessings of the week!

First of all, since I just got back from  myself second  therapy of the week,  I  will share that God is so good!  He is helping me to improve each week.    My main improvement is  the strengthening of my posts muscle which help we   stand up straight and    give me stability!   I am  now working on endurance and  more stability  in the area of balance.  It is a terrible thing to lose  so much control of the body  due to  illness and    accompanying lethargy!  I have learned to keep fighting the good fight!

Last week while the kids were here  Amanda and I went to Fleet Feet and I was  analyzed  for  how to correct my  feet and shoes. It was a very  good  thing to do and   my new shoes help me so much.  I cannot  stress   loudly enough...  bite the bullet,  go to Fleet Feet and  get  sized for  good walking shoes.  It will make a huge difference  for you!!  I  actually  could walk the track  after  getting my shoes.   I  need to g et back to the track and look forward to it now!

Last week, Amanda and her family went to a  tulip farm  and  the photos they sent are  absolutely  gorgeous! At the farm you  pay  a certain amount to  pick some of the tulips ~  the girls  deliberating on which tulips they loved the best!

They  each choose one!

Our beautiful family!

With all the therapy  exercises I have been doing  I know my  muscles are  becoming stronger and  I am looking better in my clothes.   I am finding at the same time that my eating habits are  changing without  a whole lot of  thought or  decision..  I am finding I really am enjoying eating  carrots and lots of fresh veggies. I would love to go down another size  prior to our trip.

Yes, this summer we are  planning a trip to Scotland with our  daughter and her family. Actually, Joshua  won the lottery to get tickets for the British Open at St. Andrews and invited us to  go along for a 2 week  trek about  my dream country. Thus my  big push to get into better shape. It was been fun  thing about and planning the trip.. Since the kids are so busy they sort of left  the choosing what to see up to me  because I have always wanted to go to Scotland, but when our opportunity to go to Ireland  came up 6 years ago  that sort of took the place I my heart not thinking Id ever get to do both! So the next couple of months will be very exciting!

Friday's Fave Five

Hosted by Susanne

Welcome to another Friday and another opportunity take note of the blessings that God has sent us over the past week.

💜💜What a week.  I did call last week to  see if I could get an appointment  with the dermatologist who has  helped me with  known skin cancers..  He saw me  Tuesday,  he biopsied the spot and now I wait to hear back. He will call me back for MOh's no matter what type it is, and then send me to UVA   for  reconstructive surgery.  I might hear back from him today!  (Nope, I called and they are closed on Friday) I am grateful to have such a great doctor  with whom I can  feel  completely at ease  for such  scary  treatments.  

💜💜This morning  we awakened to knowledge we have 3/5 of the downstairs  repainted and completed.

THIS ONE DESERVES  AT LEAST 2 LISTINGS  SO THIS WEEK WE DO  4!

The Living R00m

   

DINING ROOM

KITCHEN

   

ORIGINAL COLOR                                NEW COLOR

THERE YOU CAN SEE THE HALL ..  LYNN IS THERE WORKING NOW.. HE  WILL PAINT IT ONE OF THE COLORS USED PREVIOUSLY,  AND THE  3 DOORS  WILL ALSO BE PAINTED off white!

💜💜All last week and this, I have suffered from  an eye staff infection..  I had thought it was allergy eyes, they were so weepy,  but after three doctors,    the ophthalmologist  finally saw me and   he diagnosed  and   prescribed what I needed.  But the medication is so  greasy   I can hardly see even to type today.   This was  brought on mainly  from   extremely dry eyes.... another    yucky complaint for  being over 70!  But I am thankful to  have turned the corner with this and now I know  to  use my  drops  when ever  problems arise or  more often really.  I'm trying to get  acclimated to it!

💜💜 Before my nose  situation arose,  I  had been looking  all over the internet for a romantic venue - long weekend-  for Lynn and I to  go to celebrate our 50th anniversary, coming up  next weekend. I had finally decided on Williamsburg.  We hadn't been there in several years and it is so beautiful in the spring.  I had   almost    gotten reservations at a wonderful  Embassy Suites there...  then  the nose thing   raised it's  little head! So now I am on hold waiting to hear and expecting to have to make a 3 day  trek to Charlottesville in the coming  days......Glory be!  Lynn told me to go ahead and set up the reservation and  fix it so  it can be  refundable.. Ain't he sweet!!! Thank you, LORD!

Friday's Fave Five

Hosted by Susanne,

💙💙 This week has flown by... I am having a hard time differentiating between this week and last!    But I  know that last Sunday was  an awesome day to be in church!  I know that I have  really  loved our new pastor who  is a marvelous shepherd of his flock,  but  Sunday  he demonstrated his  huge gift of expository teaching.  He was  the most dynamic pastor I have ever heard!   Thank you Lord for leading us to this church and for  providing such gifted leadership.  This is exactly what the church needs today!  

💙💙HAHA  the dining room was looking so beautiful  in its new  blue walls and gentle decor  for spring,  but today as I look at it ...  bah!  We had to empty the kitchen   counter tops  and other items onto the dining room table..    it is now a catch all room as we  are working now on the kitchen.  But  this room should go fairly quickly, once we get the wall paper border off the  walls,  Thankfully, it is just on the chair rail so I can help on  this effort..I find I am pretty good  about  peeling   border!!Lord, give us the strength to   get the ceiling  painted,  and  the border off so we can   paint the walls and  finish up this project.

💙💙I have been going around the work zone trying to straighten it up as much as possible because yesterday our  Core group leader called to  ask if he and his group partner could stop by to meet with us in our home.. And I do think meeting in the home is  a great  thing  to really get to know  people with whom you  will be serving and    calling  brother and sister,  I told him we were in the middle of  a home project  and please  don't  look too closely..  but  he just laughed and  I did too!  But  first impressions do mean a lot to me.  so... I have    therapy  this early afternoon  and must do as much as  I can  this morning!  At the same time, I feel blessed to have such caring Core Group leaders!!!

💙💙If you've  read my blog you probably know  that I am  quite a home body and enjoy time spent on my own..  But I do have  a small list of very true friends and  I am excited to be going out for dinner tonight with  one  very special girl friend, Gerri,  whose husband will be  attending a men's meeting at church tonight that includes dinner. I think Gerri and I will have  more fun!  We are going to   Rimini's  our  favorite Italian restaurant!!

💙💙 I highly recommend  going to Allen Jackson's  site  if you are interested in committing to read your Bible daily. His schedule for reading  is the best I've  found in all my years of attempting to read through the Bible in a Year. I find too often I read  to just say I read it without  giving much thought to what I am reading because  most schedules   give too much to read each day.   Not so with  Allen's schedule.    All you have to do is download the app and there it is each day on your  phone or  tablet!!You read  from the Ot then  from the Nt and  it is surprising how much the  passages  go together. I have stuck to  this  routine now  for   coming up on a quarter of a year and  I'm going strong.  

Also, I cannot tell you how much  you will enjoy listening to Allen 's  sermons.  Lynn and I listen  most nights.  He is  amazing and mainly because his  sermons are timely to  the times we are living in!   He is a brilliant speaker,  very    well  educated in Israel, and he isn't afraid to speak the truth in godliness!! 

Friday's fave five

Hosted by Susanne!

It's Friday! And that means we take time to look for the blessings God has graciously given over the last week into our lives. It  means so much to take the time to  consider just how good God is and how richly He has blessed us this week.  

**As  many of you know we have been deep in the  throes of painting and redecorating our  lower lever,  the living room,  dining room, kitchen and den.  The living room is done except for the trim.  But  to  facilitate  things  we  decided to get  a paint as close to the paint that is already on the trim and only do touch up. It doesn't look as bad as we thought... so back to Home Depot,  but that is a huge blessing that  Lynn was able to make that decision  He is usually such  a perfectionist   and  we were able to come to this decision   which will  cut his  hard work probably  in half! 

**I   had decided that I wanted  a new  crystal lamp for the living room. Our other ones were dark and heavy from our old  decor  and so  I had seen some lovely   crystal lamps at a friend's and they kept resonating with me. I found  a sale at Macy's   who had  one I liked  for $99.99

Macy's is the only  nice  department store we  have in Roanoke now  and I  did think  that was  a big pricy,  but I was at loss to know what to do!  Then we went to Hobby Lobby  midweek,  and I found this one

 for $49.49  Thank you, Lord.  You are so good to us!!

**I had told Lynn  that  I felt it was time to give our piano away to reclaim the space it took up in the room.  Surprisingly, he  said,  "Go for it!"  I really didn't want to place an ad or go to Facebook Marketplace because that meant  strangers traipsing through the house.  But I did mention in on Facebook where only friends see it. In an hour I had 3  friends who wanted it.  But Amanda  had a friend whom she had called earlier and really wanted it badly so  she came over , saw it and set up for it to be picked up next week!  Hurrah.  Thank you, ,Lord, I had figured   it would  be  much harder to  get  it our of our house.  But You had a plan, and  gave it to us.  Glory to God!

**  Now that we had  opened up  a quadrant of the room where the piano had been  I  could now push the sofa back a good 7 feet and  really open up the living room..  But now our  small  rug  just wasn't going to work  with such a space to fill.  We like our furniture feet to rest on the rug. Now I needed a 10x13 rug. After we went to Hobby Lobby,  we decided to drive all the way down to  Eden, NC  to go to the Karastan Rug store. It took us 2 hours  to get there and  low and behold, they  had closed at 1pm.  We were  feeling  pretty  awful driving the other 2 hours back home, and we wondered what were we going to do! Yesterday, after breakfast Lynn said, "Why don't we go over to that new place in Salem and see what they have.  We knew they carried Karastan rugs,  so we   finished up and  drove to Salem, 8 miles away.  It didn't take long to find one I absolutely  loved.

I know, in that light  hanging on that turnstile,  amid  50 other rugs,  with Lynn pushing back  the rugs  enough for me to take a shot..   But you can see the teal,  the  light blue, and  darker navy.  Even the yellow flowers.  I loved it so much.  And  it was  probably half the price we would have paid at Eden!!! God, you did it again.  Praise your Holy Name.. Lord, give me the grace and forbearance to wait for the two weeks it takes to get it here! 

**Lastly, for  this post, I had a beautiful  ginger jar lamp  my mother had  that was navy and white and knew it would finally have a room   where it would shine.  But it needed a shade.  I  never really knew how to  size a shade well, to a lamp,  so I  studied around and really wanted a 7"round top x 17" round bottom and 11 inches tall. The lady at the rug shop told us to  drive down 22 South  to a decor  shop where they sold lampshades.  So  off we  went this afternoon. When we got there  we saw scads of  shades    and there was a sale, $4  dollars each.  😲

But once we really got over in there to look, they were either too large,  wrong color,  wrong shape,.  nothing in all those shades  seemed to work!  Then Lynn said I like this one.  Actually it was  rectangular,  but  a very nice fabric  shade with  expensive detailing..  but it was  medium beige..  I wanted to like it so badly. I mean $4.  It seemed like  it was worth it  to just barely like it at that price.  and I did just barely like it .  I told myself,  this is an oriental  ginger jar design and instead of a white rice shade this is a wild rice shade.so we bought it and now that I have it home  I think  that beige is the same beige in my new rug.  Dear Lord, you have been so amazing in everything we have done this week:; you have gone before us ,  made it  easier,  less expensive,   and  had exactly what I wanted and needed! Even when we didn't know it was what we needed!! My heart is so full of  thanks as I count my blessings today!!!

Friday's Fave Five

Hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story!I have been blessed this week!  Let me tell you about it!

I am so blessed to have found out about Intermittent  Fasting. I have lost  8 pounds  so far  in the last ten days..  It is  so wonderful because I am well into the next decade below my  weight Ive carried for so long.  And IF is so  easy.  so far! I do not wish to become complacent.  But I can tell already I am training my body to   not desire food during my fast time. I have been a follower of The Daily Connoisseur on YouTube and she lost 30 pounds in a year and has kept it off  for months.   I am doing like  her...  the 16/8   plan. So I get up around 8  and don't  go down stairs til around 9  when I have coffee and yogurt  with fruit and granola.  from 9--5 is my eating time.  Now tonight we're meeting friends at 6 for dinner so I do not  stress out over that. I just get back on schedule tomorrow.  I eat  either  a bit more breakfast or a salad and half sandwich usually for lunch,  at noon. Like  the DC  I will brew a cup of tea with  Stevia and  have  a light snack for tea time.  Then eat a healthy and  nice supper  around 5.  The  kicker is no more food til 9am the next day.  And I am not missing  evening snacking.. I go upstairs around 8pm and  get comfy and read or watch some telly  in bed and  I'm asleep by  10 usually.  I love this  system.  My son-in law did IF  over the time he was working at home and he has lost a lot of weight and is looking terrific!!!

Lynn has been working like a one armed paper hanger  these last couple of weeks since the cooler  temperatures invaded our area and he is getting so much done  on the outside of the house and in the yard.. I am so thankful for him.  and look at this.  this morning he  set these two roses by my computer saying he didn't want to see  the deer get my last two buds of the season!

God bless him!!!

Last Sunday was the last Sunday  at our previous church.  Ive been looking  on Youtube for a few to visit. Another couple  who left   asked us to join them at this  new church, Sunday!

I do like the looks of it..  like that matters! haha  But I, also, really  enjoy  the  worship  music director and his choice of  music and   the style suits us very well..  Modern  but  not heavy! I believe the rest of the  evaluation must be done  in person.. It is a little daunting to start over.   But  God is leading us  in this move and He has us in His hands!

Another joyful thing about this week, is that we are meeting two very special couples  for dinner tonight,  at Cafe Asia.. one of our favorite  restaurants.

                             

After studying the  supper menu I know I will order Orange Chicken..  UMMM! It does look tasty!

Yesterday my girl friend and I went to  our Bible Study class.. we have been studying the Minor Prophets...  such a timely study with all that is going on  in the world!.We are  finishing up  this study next week with a study of Malachi..it is only 3 pages long..  and being the last book of the OT that makes it significant.. especially  to what we have been studying..  the Judgement of a nation... and yes,  the US   is looking God's judgment right in the eye..  The church really needs to  wake up.  too many in the US   are so lukewarm and  not  allowing the Holy Spirit to lead them through  these treacherous times.  Chronicles 7:14 has been spoken  over  and over , here,  but    we have not repented  as    the scripture says.. to repent is to  turn and change our ways..    the church  is too connected to the lusts of  this world. It isn't enough to put in our time on Sunday morning, although  the apostasy is so rampant, many do not do that anymore. Meanwhile, Jesus shakes his head. I   really  love to listen to Allen Jackson of World Outreach Church IN Tennessee..   He  is leading his church,  of thousands,  through the power of the HS to   make this crucial change and  be steadfast  before God..   I would encourage all believers to  watch him on YouTube .. we  puts up new material  several times a week.

Friday's Fave Five

Hosted by Susanne.    I am writing this on Thursday afternoon... THis week has  simply flown by.  I can hardly remember  anything that has transpired..

I simply know how fortunate I am to  know  the Lord, Jesus Christ as my savior and redeemer! Especially in these uncertain days..  when the world seems to be spinning out of control.  There is absolutely no footing on earth whereby we can stand firm on a foundation  except the Rock of our Lord.  For he is our song Tower, and His banner over me is love and mercy. The world around us  seems  to be  forever more  unsettled,  and   the foundations of our nation  are crumbling.. satan seems to be  winning,  but  won't he be surprised  when the Lion of Judah roars and all will fall into perfect place and the Ruler of the Universe will speak peace and reestablishment over all.  

My  doctor's appt I had for Monday was changed to Friday. On Monday I was  rather unsure what the doctor might be telling me.  She was  planning a thorough examination  and I was  unsure in my   thinking about things.  But today,  after  another week of the medication I had been using, things  seem much better and  things  are  showing a steady improvement so I now look forward to my appt, in the morning.   Praise God..  It is  all about His timing!!

Wednesday's  Bible Study class was amazing.. We have been studying the book of Joel in conjunction with  Amos, Jonah, and 2 Kings 17. Joel  tells of  how  God  judges the nations.. Joel is written figuratively and  Amos is  very  explicit in it's descriptions ,, both speaking of the same thing.. Joel is God's pattern for  how His judgement plays out. 2 King 17 tells  how God judged the Northern Kingdom of Isreal and in doing so  the nation was  dispersed  around the world.. doing away with the nation entirely.  But the same pattern he used is followed in Joel 1 and 2.  And literally described in Amos 4-5.

 America is  following directing in the same path that  many judged nations have followed..  turning away from God and doing what man deems right in his fallen unrighteousness.. This is seen in our culture,  the elections whereby   the nation opted for an ungodly ruler who  allows and actually mandates  ungodly laws, sets up  unrighteousness as righteous, and puts unreasonable demands on the church.  Along with this  treachery,  God  has  allowed shakings to awaken the people.. Look at the  oceans and see how they rage... the  fires, how they  scorch the land,  the whirlwinds, how they destroy,   the heat how it manifests  and  beats upon our heads. But  I am  beginning to feel  very hopeful.  For I see and hear many pastors of great  churches across the land who are televised and have large followings  getting with God's program..  Warning the people,    telling them how they must prepare their  mind, heart, and soul..  TO live by the Spirit within them and rise up to do the  works  God has placed before them.  For the church had become complacent. But there is an awakening and for that  I am relieved and  hoping that even yet, God will relent  and  turn His heart to America. Then we can enjoy Joel chapter 3.. where God will pour out His spirit over all  His people! I write this because it has been a great blessing to me this week!!!

Last night I had a wonderful phone call from Amanda.. I cannot tell you what it means to just get to  talk with her...    don't get me wrong. I love our FaceTime with the girls,  but  Amanda is so grounded and  full of faith  that  our talks  are always  so liberating.  All the concerns of life just fall away from me.  She is the  light of our lives,  her smile always has lit  up the room  .. everyone would say so.  and  we  lived it every day... It is  hard to live so far away from each other..  as she is our only child and we  were  older when we adopted her... sometimes I wonder as we get into our 80's and 90's  what will our lives be without her... but  God  has  us   and  I know  those thoughts and wonders  are  not a bit warranted,    They are just brought on by an aching heart that I can have if I give into it.. Otherwise, We are both so very proud of  Amanda and  the family she is raising. We wouldn't have  it change for anything in the world.

Tonight  we are going our to dinner with friends  and then e are going to a   meeting held by  a great pastor, whose ministry is called Prophecy Today..  He is a  great student of Israel and  he  studies very closely the times we are  living in..  As a student of Biblical prophecy  he then  aligns  where we are in the the world of  current events and what the Bible has to say about it..  He truly believes that the end is  coming  very soon...and  the way  time seems to be spending up,  it  may be very amazing in the coming days to see how God manifests with His people before Jesus steps out  onto  that cloud.. 

 

Friday's Fave Five

 Hosted by Susanne!

1. I finally got my second shot of Moderna vaccine and my 2 week  quarantine  passed. So I  celebrated by shopping at Hobby Lobby recently.  I saw so many cute   things that I felt would really lift up my  sedate and rather  dark decor.. I love my Olde World  look, especially in fall and winter,  but come spring., I'm ready for a lift!!

First of all, I  love these two signs..  As I have been enjoying watching  vloggers who are living the "Simple Life",   that one really resonated with me.  I am so  very much inspired to  declutter more and more..

And I  love the wreath with Our Nest inscribed on it.. Those  leaves  just grabbed me. So  when I saw this table cloth at Bed Bath, and Beyond, I had to have it..  Uh, what was that about  decluttering

  Ok, I Promise to send two tablescloths to the  Good Will!

I, also, found that  darling charger  at Hobby Lobby and bought three of them.  The other  two are on our  small  sunporch table..  So springy.. I love them!!!

I  adore  the airiness of the lavendar I found at Hobby Lobby.  I, also, have som plans for  it in the sunroom!!

2.  The hutch also has a bit of a make-over.. I have had my pewter cups  packed away for years, and thought," Why? "  I like the  look of them  on the hutch   with my  sweet plates.  Now the beautiful vase was a pandemic birthday  presne tI found on my stoop last year from one of my prayer Sisters who has not darkened anyone's door since.  We all miss her so much.  But I simply ahd tot ake taht fiase off the top shelf and utilize it for it's  perfect green color!

3.  I am not sure  if I ever shared  about our new  car... We bought it the week before our beach trip., ans oh how amrelous  was our ride.  We seamed to  get there in a zip! Using Google music I spent hours  prior to the trip uploading all of our  beloved tunes. I mean I have enough tunes to  traverse   the US and back   listening to the music of our time!  A Subaru really is a magnificent auto.. We returned from SC   to Va  on a half of tank of gasoline!  I am mesmerized by that!!!  And the ride is   amazing!

4.  At  this time I am deep ion the throes of planning a special addition to our garden.   I am  hugely  enamored with the idea of a David Austen rose .. Especially this one

Exquisite little buds open to half-enclosed cups, eventually becoming wide, shallow, upward-facing cups of pleasing formality. The color begins as soft-apricot pink, gradually changing to pure soft pink over time. There is a lovely myrrh fragrance. It forms a bushy, yet upright shrub. So   this  gorgeous bush is rather prolific,  which I  love, I  want one of these  on which it can climb away!

As I said these  photos are my dream, and it is up to  Hubs to help make it come true... I'll be sure to share as the dream comes to pass!!!

5.  A pretty important way I have been spending my time lately is  reading and applying   this book..

Knowing how to apply God's battle plan asgainst the plans  and warfare of the enemy in our lives, our nation, our churhc, etc..   is  very important information for every Christian.  The time for   poutting warfare prayer  off til some future time has past.  We need to be taking part in  this battle now   and  this book offers key points for jsut how to apply  strategies in our everyday life..  Highy recommended!!!!!

If you havent met Derek Prince.  here is  an example!  I hope you will get hooked on him as I am..  Brilliant  Bible Scholar!!!!

                                                        https://www.derekprince.com/about