No Rain Date Necessary

This week I was privileged to chaffeur my parents to their Woodlanders cookout hosted by our dear friends, Sarah and Wally... The weather forecat was iffy on Tuesday ut the threat of rain only brought a respite form the hot dry conditions we've been experiencing.... plus, Wally's wonderful covered patio served us well. So let the good rain come, we enjoyed its welcome visitation. Sarah, the hostess with the mostess, never fails to create a festive and welcoming affair


My parents certainly enjoyed fellowshiping with their church friends...



I really love wally's home... the environs are so beautiful, and lush...



The food and drink flowed freely... and I was good... I refused to eat my hot dog on a bun.... then I was able to enjoy my brownie!!


Summer is a time for relaxed fellowship and fun family affairs.

One really does need to make accommodations whereever possible with all the wonderful food events that make summer so enjoyable!!!

Daily "Pearls"

Through my window: It is mid July..... a bit of a respite from the heat has finally drifted in to bring us relief..... there is the smell of summer rain in the air.....
Through my door: I'll be leaving shortly to take my mom to a social event with her church friends.... over to Sarah and Wally's... for a cook out... I am bringing my homemade chili for the hotdogs... and a nice charred hotdog with chili sounds pretty good to me today!!!
Hearing: I am listening to the music on my blog.... the Piano Solo from Braveheart is currently playing.... such a haunting melody... it conjures such depths of feeling and remembrance...
What's Cooking:Well, Lynn wanted me to thaw some pork chops so I suppose that would be the thing to do... thankfully he brought home Chinese for dinner last evening.
Hearth and Home: I purchased new picture frames to hold my family coat of arms so that they will all match ... my two older ones have always been in the basement den... but I am bringing them up and creating a family collection of artifacts in the central hall of our home....
Healthy Living: This is week two of our summer study for the first Place Bible ZInitiative whereby we are striving to balance our lives in it's 4 fold attributes.. spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional..... this week the challenge is to lose 2 pounds and keep them off... Keepiing it off has been a trial for me lately!!!!
Creative Corner: The heat of the day has taken its toll on my wonderful blue hydrangea bush this summer.... the blooms have all withered and turned brown... I am fortunate that the lovely blossoms I cut for a boouquet actually dried nicely and I am using them as a dried bouquet now... as they retained their luscious deep hue. Bu I also purchased a few blue hydrangeas in silk this week to incorporate into an arrangement... one can never have enough blue hydrangeas in summer!!!
Reading:

First Place Bible Study... A Summer Study
The Book of Isaiah
PS God Loves You Devotional by Connie Witter

On My Mind: How fortunate I am to live this life... this family....this time in human history....
it is funny... I used to really wish I could have lived in the days of yore... or wished I lived in another land.... well.. I still do sometimes daydream about living in the highlands or the on the moors of the United Kingdom....but I am chasing a rabbit trail.... I am very much aware of America's fall from grace..... beginning in the 60's when government took prayer out of the schools.... and then in the last decade whereby our society is attempting to eliminate God from all public arenas... Oh, if only the church had been bold to stand up for God in those early days.... but she was complacent.... not paying attention.... too comfortable in her slumber and lukewarm ness to realize what was happening.... today one only needs to look to Europe to see what happens when God is taken out of the scheme of man's affairs... all forms of evil are upheld and the there is no godly vision... without vision then the people perish...
I speak to wonderful people in the Uk on a daily basis... people whom I am pleased to call my friends... yet I am so burdened for them as they have lost touch with the Lord... many have no idea who he is.... They dont even understand the premise of a Bible study.... they cant fathom a desire to know God...yet... the enemy has perpetrated all kinds of schemes on them which draws them more and more into his clutches.... through music and ideologies... seeing these things I am consumed with the notion that our nation is hurtling toward this very same abyss at an alarming pace.... so I think... what is my responsibility... what should be the response of the church.. this is an awesome time to be alive... God is putting an urgency and a mission in my heart..... a vision is in the making.... I ponder and pray for the boldness to move wth it into action!


My prayer life.I am still seeking to be more intentional in praying...our corporate praying every other saturday isnt enough.... it is time in my life for intentional perseverance of prayer... lifting our home, our community, our church and our nation before God for His mercy, direction, His protection, and His hand to be on us....


Gratefulness: I am grateful for the direction I see God leading me... the opportunities and the growth.. the developing wisdom of when to speak and what to say.... little by little I am yielding my flesh to His spirit.... praise God!!!

Praying:So many requests from so many....for health, stability, healing, strength, courage, forgiveness, unity, wisdom, provision, ..."Help us" Lord!"

Planning: There tucked away in the back of my mind is the necessity for me to create a song file of my favorite tunes to take along to Boston... we're using our GPS and a comuter file to run the music through our car radio..... uploading the files is becoming a bane to me.... getting it into the mp3 format..... why does this seem so diffiuclt this time??? What am I doing wrong.. Oh.. just keep it tucked away back there until........
Simple Pleasures: I must admit I just really enjoy chatting with my friends around the world through Facebook.... it is amazing to me that that is even possible... a simple thing to chat across the fence... but to chat across the world......
Thanks to Thia. I just happened on her site tonight and fell in love with this theme so I am borrowing it. Her original is found on her site, Harvest of Pearls.

Pink Saturday

I love to be alert to just any pink that sprinkles my world.... sometimes it is an explosion... but sometimes it is a dash!

For more Pink Saturday visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound!!!

Thanks for visiting and enjoy your PINKNESS today!!

Skywatch Friday

An early summer Lancaster sunset is a thing of beauty and mystery.

For more skies visit Skyley.

Word Filled Wednesday

The Lord provides for all our needs if we but put our trust and faith in Him....He is my hiding ploace and an ever present help in storming times...

Click here for more WFW!

Three or more Tuesday

Visit Tam at The Gypsy's Corner for more TOMT..

Today for my Three or More Tuesday I would like to share about my surprise birthday party last night... well, I actually turn 60 day after tomorrow, which fact, helped in keeping this event a complete surprise.... I thought Lynn was just taking us and my parents out for dinner.

We left home at abut 4:20 and picked up mom and dad then we proceeded to drive all around town looking for a place to eat for the next hour.... when we arrived in the next county I should have had my suspicions, but even then , I just had no idea!! Eventually, we pulled in to Amanda's in-laws driveway.... and my expectations suddenly soared,,,

because by this time I was becoming quite hopeful for an amazing repast..... and I was not to be disappointed!!!

To say that this event was well thought out and executed is just plain lame.... To know our hostess, Jan, you must know that her flair for creating themed parties is nationally acclaimed.... her renown for party planning stretches half way across America and probably beyond....my party took us on a trek around the world in commemoration of my life and family!!!.. We traveled from my home town... to Europe,, to Asia, and back again.. all in one beautiful festive, delicious evening!!!

To begin every place setting was completely personalized and spectacular...



My place mat was of Williamsburg to celebrate the years I taught Virginia History... Lynn's was of the State Capitol since he is a state employee... Mom's was a rooster... being a Cox she loves to crow... ( no she loves roosters.... HEEHEE) and dad's was the Old Mabry's Mill.. very appropriate!
A close up shot reveals my Korean linen napkin which is a youngster swinging which is a traditional pastime for young ladies.... to remind me of my darling daughter, Amanda!!!

For our appetizer Jan transported us to Europe... with a fabulous German cheese and cracker competing with an English cheese and cracker... Lynn and I lived in Germany the first year of our marriage..and of course, I long to visit the United Kingdom... soon.... as my genealogical roots are calling my name!!! A local apple cider from Botetourt County... my school division..... rounded out the first course.... then we were on to new locales.... with a wisk and fourish Jan changed the setting....

and we were off to Asia... a lovely Korean doll and china plate graced center place.... and Kevin's amazing dinner was served... including Korean Bulgogi, a fabulous asparagus and beef dish, Korean soup, chicken and veggies,and delicious sweet and sour tilapia... yumyum!!!!! All served over a wonderful stir fried rice laden with veggies and delicate spices!! (Note, the beautiful vase commemorating the Hokies as our kids ' Alma mater!!)


You will note an all new place setting and new tone for the festivities.... conversation lulled as we all enjoyed the savory meal.... with each course I was presented a gift bag of goodies which I will share about directly... but whallah!!

Again the scene was transformed... and we returned to America just in time for a patriotic celebration...


with a twist of my beloved Scotland thrown in to make everything just perfect.

Even though our dear friends Sarah and Wally couldn't attend Sarah sent along her marvelous shortbread's for the occasion which served with a German coffee , UMMMMM!! and Jan's wonderful fruited pudding... made for a festive end to a fabulously memorable birthday dinner!!


And since dad's birthday is this month as well....

he got to celebrate, too!!!

So now to the amazing and significant gifts....

My lovely birthday card was completely approrpriate for me.... as I love to enjoy my daily cup of tea and dream about far away places on the moors and highlands of Scotland..

The white bag of gifts sported a tribute to Germany and England...

Pictured here are the gorgeous German napkins, and German chocolate covered butter biscuits... ummmm!,, and some local Apple Butter processed just beyond my school where I taught for 30 years.....Scottish collection of jams and jellies,, and a tin of Highland blend tea...
Other bags featured the following wonders

A Symphony Bar celebrates the talents of our marvelous children Amanda and Joshua, living in Boston,,, there were 2 boxes of Boston Tea Party Tea, as well as some Virginia Hubs peanuts, and Korean stir Fry sauce!

Also in tribute to our kids,, there was a bottle of Cape Cod dressing and a package of Massachusettes cranberries.... each and every delightful article special in the memories each one evoked in such a personalized and symbolic manner.... Well, I did say, Jan is an artistic party planner extraordinaire!!! And this celebration will go down in the annuls of my life as an amazing celebration of life and family... Jan and Kevin... there are no words adequate to express my heart felt delight and wonder for last evening! So I revert to my favorite exclamation!

YAYA!!!!!

Happy Fourth of July
Today I was privileged to sing with my church choir to celebrate our freedom... in our nation and more importantly freedom in Christ....

Please pause the blog music on the side bar to enjoy these two powerful songs!

One of the most exciting songs it has ever been my honor and pleasure to sing was this one...Thou Oh Lord as sung here by this fabulous choir although I think we sounded just as powerful... the spirit moved us!!!

Of course we sang the usual patriotic tunes but nothing was more enthralling than our rendition of Hallelujah, What a Savior sung here on youtube... this song was such a huge blessing today because our choir did sing from their hearts with uplifted hands in praise and worship.... which many of us have longed for that freedom in worship in our church for a long time!