To return to Sandra click here! The weather::: Spring just doesn't seem to last as long as it used to.. These 80's a re coming upon us too fast!!! On my breakfast plate: Hubs treated me this morning with coffee, fruited yogurt earlier and just now a lovely pre-lunch.. a wonderful BLT As I look outside my window...
I see the area Hubs has been clearing back to make way for our new rose garden... Probably one more day of prepping the area and then let the planting begin!!!
On my bedside table.. last week the table sounded so Granny-like I have made it a priority to re-organize it... so now we have the phone, tissues, and my current reading material situated there!
On my reading pile:::
Continue through the Bible readings from Psalms, Titus, and Ecclesiastes . Continuing my Irish collection.....Murder at an Irish Wedding by Carlene O'Connor.
Movies or Shows I watched this weekend:::
Enjoyed When Calls the Heart last night and look forward to the second one tonight!
On my TV this week:::
When Calls the Heart Netflix programming and Food Network HGTV
On the menu for this week:::
Monday
Grilled chicken salad
Tuesday
BBQ pork tenderloins
Wednesday BLT and slaw
Thursday Pizza
Friday Fish dinner
On my to do list::: laundry (lights) plan and organize our prayer meeting for Thursday (choose worship songs and print off the words)
Help lay out the rose garden
Host the SOS Prayer group here on Thursday otherwise a quiet week.
Looking around the house:::
general cleaning, vacuum, dust, guest bath etc finish the clothing swap out..
A couple of blooms from the yard .. my antique iris and the prolific rhododendron!
What I'm wearing today:::
Jeans and my yellow tee shirt
One of my simple pleasures:::
listening to Pandora while I sip my morning coffee!!
Bible verse, Devotional, prayers:::
Prayers
Pray protection over The President and his family, and the administration, and for godly counsel! Scatter the network of evil schemes to thwart
the Constitutional flow of government
Pray against all division in our nation, that harmony and peace will reign supreme throughout the land. Also, pray that the Justice system will work properly and investigate and convict those who need to be held accountable for their acts against our nation
For the God's will to work its way through our Congress to promote a healing and a functioning environment. Pray God would turn the head of those who wickedly plot to bring out ungodly schemes in government and media
Pray against delusion and lies of the enemy, protect the hearts and minds of the young, and especially the un-informed electorate!
Pray that pastors across the nation are renewed and re edified to preach the gospel using the whole counsel of God... Let no personal kingdom or agenda sidestep the work of the Spirit in the church!
Please, God, take back our institutions of higher learning
Pray for the sick that they might be healed
Pray for the peace and harmony of Jerusalem ...also pray God's favor over Bibi Netanyahu
Pray for our service men and women overseas who put their life on the line everyday to protect our freedoms. Please add in the comments other names you would like named here!!
Joshua in Middle East
Pray for the lost who are bewildered and lost... they are hopeless in need of a loving savior
Yesterday Hubs and I took a day trip up the valley , our primary destination was the Milmont Nursery. He has been working in the side yard digging out an over- grown fence row with the intention of creating a rose garden for me
A few years ago he got me three red knock out roses and planted them there, but it was so over grown lately you could barely see the gorgeous red blooms.
Here you can see even after some clearing away the bushes are almost smothered!!! So he continues to plow ahead throughout that area and is opening up a lovely patch which will soon be absolutely lovely to behold! Last week we purchased a couple of gorgeous azaleas to anchor the garden.
So yesterday we purchased these gorgeous
roses....
a lovely coral, a sunny yellow, and a sublime pink!
A stroll through the yard gave me quite a treasure to gaze upon.. after all the nourishing rain we have received!
The pansies are a cacophony of color!
The blue salvia is showing off right prettily!
The hydrangea is super abundant in promising buds, The rhododendron is ablaze in hot pink, and I just almost missed my teeming iris down in the lower front yard..
Welcome to Saturday 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!
1) What is it about you that you believe your friends and acquaintances envy?
I know that my best friends envy me my husband... He is so good to me.. and neither of my besties are married..
2) Do you have a friend or acquaintance that you envy?
Not really... I am very satisfied in my life!! God is and always has been very good to me! Even in my worst of times I know He was with me through it!
3) This song was not a hit, even though it was written and produced by the supersuccessful team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Tell us about a project you had great confidence in at the beginning, but didn't turn out as well as you'd hoped. This is long but I hope it will help someone in similar circumstances.
I have learned that whenever I put all of my own strength, energy and confidence into a task it never seems to go as well as it would if I had instead relied on God and His Holy Spirit. I used to be Chairman of the Deacon Helpers in various churches we were members. I was responsible for socials, prepping communion. things like that. It was a mighty task and not being a great recruiter, I often had the main task just between myself and one or two other faithful women. But large church functions can be daunting! It got so that I would knock myself out trying to do the best I could and leave and cry all the way home from pure exhaustion and unhappiness. Oh, people would commend us for a great affair, but I was poured out and empty. Then God taught me what I could do on my own with the Holy Spirit at the helm.. because it really wasn't me, it was He who resides in me The church needs the talents and the help from all of its members but so few sign on because they believe, I cant do that.. and its true, you can't. But He who assigns you can... and will, if you obediently say, 'Here I am, send me.. and then give Him the reins . He will empower, strengthen and lead you! One of the best things I have ever learned in my walk with Him!
As I was checking over this answer I thought, OK, go ahead and describe how I learned this ... about 6 years ago my mother was languishing in a nursing home and I wanted to do something special for her so I spoke to the hospice musician who came every week about doing a sing along for the whole home on a day the next week.. I talked my friends into coming to join me.. they said they'd come but not to expect much more than rallying support.. They said they weren't musical. So I bought refreshments and told them to be servers and they did.. When we arrived we had gotten notice about 5 minutes prior to the event that the musician with all of her song books wouldn't be able to come after all. and the residents were already assembled in the day room. We had no music and the staff could only rustle up about different kinds of hymnals.. Everyone wanted to to say sorry but we cancel, but I said no we cant. Look these dear folks are expecting something special and I refuse to let them down. Of course at the same time I couldn't think of a single song even though I led singing at the Assisted Living where Mother had recently lived.. We got those hymnals flying open and they would find me a song and I walked around the room singing like a traveling troubadour We started attracting an audience of staff and other visitors who lined the walls of the room, but I was caught up in the spirit and didn't even realize it until it was over.. All I could see were dear residents needing a hug, a touch, and I personal smile into their face and someone telling them all was alright! I walked among the tables and loved on each one I have no idea what I sounded like because in my heart I felt like I was in deep communion with each person but I know I did sing because after about 20 minutes my mouth was so dry and I was so tired I waltzed over to a friend I knew who was in the choir to please sing a song while I took a breather and she did and I was able to sing another 20 minutes. My mother was pretty much unable to speak at that time, but I could tell from her face she was transfixed by the songs and the warmth and love displayed that day.. It certainly wasn't anything I'd call a spectacular musical, but it was a heart felt and moving time and so many people came up to express their deep appreciation for what we had shared.. But it wasn't me.. I could never have done that on my own... It was all God, because I was obedient and simply would not let those dear people down!!!
4) George Hamilton is better known as an actor. He is proud of his performance in the 1960 movie Light in the Piazza. He played an Italian who romances an American girl on holiday in Florence. Did you ever find love while vacationing?
I did.. It was the summer of my junior year in HS.. My parents told me I could ask my best friend to go to Virginia Beach with us..It was our 17th summer.. and I had recently read that book and know I was hopeful of finding a bit of romance on the vacation. It was the summer of 1967, the summer of Light my Fire by the Doors and Day Dream Believer by the Monkees,,, Belinda and I were shivering with expectation that we might have a bit of adventure. Our hotel was on the board walk and right across the Peppermint Lounge, She not I had never, ever ventured into a club before and were very hesitant to venture in then, but nothing ventured.. nothing gained.. besides it was like 6 pm and we thought still daylight.. what could it hurt..So we went in mainly, too, because the headlining band was the Royal Kings.. a local band form our hometown and the drummer was my music teacher's son, so I thought.. He'd look out for me! HA hA.. the band didn't come on until after 9.. and in fact, when we got there there was no one else there.! We sighed a huge relief and ordered Dr. Peppers.. our drink of choice and listened to the canned music playing when a bout 6:15 folks started filtering in.. and then, there they were, a couple of really cute guys came in and sat at the table sort of beside us.. We probably looked goofy even as we tried to look older than we were and unphased... (Haha)
Then they both got up and came over to ask if they could join us.. The one I really liked best sat by me and the other sat by Belinda... They were first year students at the University of Pittsburgh come to Va Beach for the surfing tourney that was coming up in August.. They were staying all summer. Thus began a "friendship" that lasted all that week.. Nothing untoward occurred except a sweet kiss on the board walk during this song.
I will add that upon my arrival back home I did write him a nice letter thanking him for the most wonderful week of my life to that time and he was so cool. He Wrote back and told me about this further adventures thefolkshe met, etc, but said He really liked me best, wanted us to continue writing.. I was thrilled out of my gourd, but was starting my senior year or HS and was just about to meet my future husband.
5) George had a small part in Godfather III. How many of the Godfather movies have you seen? Have you read the book? Oh my, I'm sorry, but I detest that movie.. I saw it in Germany in a horrid run down army base theater with my husband and it was so crowded we had to sit on the front row.. I kept punching Hubs saying I don't like this.. he would say oh its OK!Oh, and I was the only girl in the theater..
6) He's gotten a lot of publicity over the years for his personal life, including his 1966 romance with First Daughter Lynda Bird Johnson. At the time, she was living in the White House. Tell us about a memorable experience you had "meeting the parents."
I was the first and only girl my husband ever dated, and I do not think his mother really liked me or anyone he would bring home... before I was ever formally invited to his home I did have to drive over to take a book to him and, unfortunately, he wasn't home. His mother was outside working the flowers and she came over the car so I wouldn't get out, took the book and when I told her why I had it , she said, "That's your tail I'll sit on mine!" Thus began a rocky start of our relationship!
7) George is also known for his year-round tan. Have you ever used a tanning bed? Or self tanner?
Absolutely, no!
8) In 1963, when this record was released, President Kennedy made a historic trip to Ireland. Have you ever visited the land of your ancestors?
Yes, we were in Ireland in 2015 and plan a return trip in 2020!! I hope it all pans out..
9) Random question -- The last of a batch of delicious chocolate chip cookies just fell on your kitchen floor. Would you eat it? Well, yes, my kitchen floor is pretty fine... I'd apply the 3 second rule! hey when I was 3 I'd wander out to the alley behind our house and mom would find me with broken pieces of glass in my mouth.. She told me she'd rake it out by the gobs! Oh, well.
As I share my blessings I am, also, counting them as part of the 1000 Gifts theme from Ann Voskamp!
To return to Rebecca Jo's page.. click here!!! 883. I am thankful for the joys to be had on line.. I get to see my daughter and her family.. our grand daughters.. when we face time.. 884. I get to be reminded of grat memories and wondeerful times through the shared memories on face book.. I also love being able to connect with familya dn long time friends who live miles away. That is a blessing. 885. I enjoy the ease of being able to order things we need on line.. although I am sorry that many of the wonderful department stores we used to frequent are no longer available, but as you get older the convenience of on-line shopping has its appeal! 886. I am very thankful that I can invite wonderul preachers right into my living room for teaching and encouragement like Jentezen Franklin, Alistair Begg, and even long ago teachers like Derek Prince who walks with the Lord today! 887. And I'd be remiss if I didn't add that it is lovely to be able to connect with so many wonderful bloggers here in blogland.. Staying connected here and sharing with really wonderful people is a joy to be sure..The internet is what we make of it and for me it is a blessing!
May Day is observed annually on May 1. In many ancient calendars, May 1 was the first day of summer. This was a cause for celebration. One of the more popular rituals was harvesting flowers and giving them to neighbors and strangers in cone-shaped baskets. These “May Baskets” become more commonly known as “May Day Baskets”. The current tradition is observed by hanging a cone-shaped basket full of flowers or other gifts on the outside doorknob, then knocking or ringing the doorbell and run away.
May Day has been a traditional day of celebration for centuries, with some of the earliest appearings in pre-Christian times. In English tradition, May Day is celebrated by crowning a May Queen and dancing around a maypole. The Finnish tradition is a carnival-type celebration in the streets that includes a special type of lemonade that is made with lemons, brown sugar and yeast. In France, it is correct to give people either dogwood or lily of the valley to celebrate May Day. In Italy, a seasonal feast is held to celebrate the arrival of spring.
While different countries have different ways to celebrate May Day, it is truly a celebration of spring.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Use #MayDay when posting on Social Media. Participate in the May Day tradition of hanging baskets of flowers on doors.
Everything above this line is from NationalDayCalendar.com.
1. Ahhh... May Day!! Happy May! Did you celebrate this when you were a child by dancing around a Maypole or leaving flowers on some one's porch? Will you be celebrating a special occasion in May?
My mother used to celebrate May Day with me because her favorite teacher in school made a really big deal out of it, the old timy country school had much pageantry dancing around the May Pole. She would tell me about how the older students would make precious fairy costumes for the younger students out of crepe paper that you could actually sew and she showed me some outfits from long ago that still were in fair shape.. I was amazed.. So for us we did spend time making May baskets to hang on our door and we made extra for friends!
(There are so many other things being celebrated today that I
think we need to give them some attention, too!)
2. National Mother Goose Day was founded in 1987. Can you name a nursery rhyme that would fit your life as it was in 1987? If you are a youngster and not yet born in 1987, you may pass, of course, but do you have a favorite nursery rhyme? HERE is a list of nursery rhymes.
In 1987 I was 37 years old and our precious adopted daughter was 2, (I was a late bloomer) I was also back to work after taking a year off from teaching... hard to leave my precious with the sitter every day. But we had some fun car time coming and going. We sang little songs all the way... Pat a Cake and Twinkle Twinkle.. as she got older the songs became longer and longer... she particularly loved Swing Low.. which we sang very dramatically in low bass tones and would giggle so hard after!
3. National Chocolate Parfait Day is also honored on this day. Parfait means perfect in French. Tell us about a perfect day, in your mind, and would/could it end with a chocolate parfait?My perfect day would include starting out with a leisurely breakfast and piping hot coffee out on the front porch. I might have my book to read and Hubs would have his paper. After that he might suggest that we get in the car and drive up the valley to Stuart's Draft and go to Milmont Nursery to buy some knock out roses and, of course, I'd hug his neck. A trip to SD always ended in a stop at Miller's Bake Shoppe and my favorite decorators store, Country Connections. On the way home we might stop somewhere to pick up dinner and bring it home so Hubs might have a chance to plant the roses.. while I sit out back and direct! Our day would probably end with our usual peeled tangelo. This is actually what I have planned perhaps for this Friday, but definitely before Mother's Day.
4. National School Principal's Day was founded to celebrate these school administrators who support and guide quality teachers and staff to provide productive learning environments for our children. Did you have a good Principal when you were in school? Do you remember his/her name?
My favorite principal was my Junior High Principal, Mr. Barron.. What a gentleman.. and he was beloved by everyone.. In 1962 during segregation, my school was about 50/50 and sometimes you could feel a bit of tension, but Mr. Barron kept everything in balance and he was a favorite of every one's! Funny to say after I graduated from college and returned to the states from Germany where Hubs and I spent our first year of marriage, I reported to my first teaching assignment and ,lo and behold, my principal was Mr. Barron . He had stepped down to Elementary school in his final years to be closer to his home as well! I particularly loved him because he had a habit of jingling his keys so you always knew when he was coming down the hall!
5. And perhaps the most important one is Silver Star Service Banner Day which honors the sacrifices of the combat wounded, ill, and dying service members from all branches of the military. Do you have family members who have served this country in uniform? Tell us about them, if you will. I had several ancestors who fought in the civil war for the Confederacy and have read letters of how miserable a war it was... One great great uncle was held in a POW camp in the North and was so starved that once the war was over and he started the long trek home a kindly housewife took him in and fed him but he foundered and died.. His heart gave out the meal was so hearty.. My grandfather fought WWI in France, my dad was a medic in WWII, thankfully, dad on the left he was stationed stateside in San Francisco. Because dad was married his good friend in his platoon traded positions with him because he got the stateside duty. So he took dad's place and left with the unit from San Francisco to go to the south seas, but their ship was blown out of the water and all perished. My husband served in Army during Viet Nam but, thankfully, was sent to Germany for his 3 years of service. His father served in WWII in Italy and North Africa. We are very proud of the service our family has paid to help keep our nation strong. At this time I have a cousin whose son is in Afghanistan.. I pray for him a lot!
6. It's Hump Day! How is your week going so far? Man , oh man, I used to count the days til Hump Day .. Some of those teaching weeks would get pretty hectic!!!Horrible thing to wish your life away but I tell you, those last days of May In a school year was definitely a huge count down! Hump Day now means we have dinner at church Bible Study then choir practice. And sad to say those 4 hours at church can almost feel like putting in a work day.. retirement is so great doing only what you must or just what you want to do.. Love it!! Hump day is a thing of the past for us now... Every day is about the same!
Everyone had a marvelous, safe and blessed rest of the week!!!
