Good Friends, Good Food, Good Time

Marty and Grady

Grady, Marty, W.D., Patricia, David, Mary Alice

The Clemson Flag

Marty and the Clemson Flag
Marty and Grady and the Clemson Flag

Virgil and Nat & Allen

Virgil, Grady, Marty, W.D., Mary Alice, David

Patricia and "Ugly Dog"

Well, guess what? I finally made it to the lake to join my family and friends for good food and a good time topped off with a lot of laughter. The family and friends that I spent the weekend with are truly beautiful people and I feel so blessed that they let me be a part of their lives and that they are willing to be a part of my life's journey.

Mary Alice, Virgil and "the frogs" opened their beautiful home to me and showered me with warmth and hospitality, as they always do. David, Patricia and "Ugly Dog" entertained me with their usual enthusiasm and kindness. They always make me feel welcome and special. Marty is one of the most hospitable people I have ever known. He always greets everyone with a smile.

Marty and his crew, Grady and W. D., prepared and served us a delicious feast: roast with yummy vegetables, rice, baby asparagus spears with a garlic and butter sauce, quartered new potatoes with onions, garlic, peppers and butter, and 15 bean soup. Mary Alice made a delicious shrimp ball for our appetizer. How's that for a meal?

I was among very enthusiastic Carolina fans. After Carolina's defeat by Clemson, Marty found that he had been gifted with a Clemson flag. That gift couldn't even be re-gifted. That's a definite no-no! Since Marty often builds a bon-fire in his fire pit to take the nip off of the cool, fall air, all the Carolina fans thought it was only fitting that the Clemson flag be warmed up. Bye, Bye Clemson flag!

Bon Appetit, Everyone!!!

The Domino Effect

Pastor Troy Gramling

Pastor Troy Gramling has been doing a teaching series on the domino effect of our decisions. It's a pretty easy and logical concept but for some reason, we forget that all of our decisions have an impact on those around us. Pastor Troy says that we don't mean for our bad decisions to have a bad result for other people - but it does. The enemy is waiting for us to make a bad decision and once that is done, the domino effect begins.

How do we master sin and surrender to holiness? Pastor Troy relates instruction from Mark 12:30 (NIV) "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."

The heart is the part of us that feels and creates our desires which make us make bad or unknown decisions. The soul is the part that makes us aware. We like being in control and we are afraid to let God direct us in decision making. When we exclude God from our decisions, the enemy will win. But if we let God fight the enemy who is trying to control us, God will win and our decisions will have a good effect. The mind is the part that thinks and determines input and output. Our thoughts will affect our actions from what we watch, read, past experiences, etc. Our strength comes only from God because by ourselves, we can't defeat the enemy. We have to surrender to God and let Him fight the enemy and win the battle for us.

Once we surrender to God, Romans 6:11-14 says, "From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That's what Jesus did. That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don't give it the time of day. Don't even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time - remember, you've been raised from the dead! - into God's way of doing things. Sin can't tell you how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer. You're living in the freedom of God." (Message Interpretation)

Of course, my synopsis of Pastor Troy's teaching is pretty weak. But luckily, all of his recent teachings are archived and you can watch and hear them on video. Also, all of teachings are broadcast live on the net each Saturday at 5:00 and 6:30 P.M. and Sunday at 9:30 and 11:00 A.M.; 12:30 and 5:00 P.M. If you hear Pastor Troy teach these important lessons, I can guarantee you won't be disappointed. You will come away feeling that you have just received a good life lesson that will benefit you for the rest of your life. http://www.flamingoroadchurch.com/

Chic

Is the above picture chic or what? This is an idea for those of us who love flip-flops but want to stay warm in the winter. Now, keep in mind that this idea of being chic is for in home use only. If I decide to go out or if someone drops by, of course, I would put on other shoes. But the socks keep my feet warm without having to wear big bulky winter shoes. When I want to snuggle up in my recliner or under a blanket on the sofa, it is easy to take off my shoes and put them back on. I understand that for many of the fashionable, in vogue people - socks with flip-flops is a terrible faux pas. Please forgive me while I get comfortable. By the way, I promise I will wear my five inch heels when I go out - Not!

Share The Germs?

Well, today is Thanksgiving and I had to celebrate alone. I got up and gave thanks to God for my family, friends, and all of the many blessings He has bestowed upon me.

Now, I'll go back in time (just like in the movies) to explain why I'm spending Thanksgiving alone. Several months ago, I was invited to spend Thanksgiving with some of my wonderful family and friends at the lake. I was really looking forward to the long, relaxing weekend with some of the nicest and most generous people in the world.

During the afternoon of day before yesterday, my nose started feeling a little stuffy and my muscles started to ache. By evening, I was sneezing and my nose was continuously buried in a Kleenex. O.K., this was not good. Yesterday morning, I woke up with a full-blown cold and needless to say, I realized that this was going to put a damper on my Thanksgiving plans. I was disappointed that I had to call my family and friends and tell them that I wouldn't be able to make it for the festivities. I realized that sharing my germs with my loved ones was not the best idea.

Now, back to the present (just like in the movies). The weather is overcast but warm. I really sound worse than I feel so I decided that since there is little human activity on the roads today, I would get out, do some errands and go through the drive-thru at Lizard's Thicket and pick up some turkey and dressing and bring it home and eat it. I needed to do things that would not put others at risk of catching my cold. So, here are my activities and my observations for today.

I had prepared an arrangement to put on the grave of my youngest daughter, Erin. So my first stop was the cemetery. I noticed some others there also. As I drove in, I noticed an older man and a youngster and guessed that they were probably grandfather and grandson. They both stood with their heads nodded - peering over a grave. As I drove further into the cemetery, I noticed other people alone - staring at graves. The people there brought sadness to me. I realized that there are so many people in this world that are hurting. Again, I prayed. I gave thanks for my wonderful family and prayed that the people still hurting from the loss of a loved one will find peace and comfort through God's love.

I left the cemetery and proceeded down a little two - laned road lined with beautiful trees displaying their brilliant colors. This is a good day for riding and looking. Few cars and few people. I always enjoy riding by churches and reading their signs. I noticed one that brought meaning to me. "A heart filled with thanks has no room for bitterness". How true!

I arrived at Lizard's Thicket and got my plate to take home: turkey, dressing, giblet gravy, rice, collards, yams and cornbread. Sounds great doesn't it? Lizard Thicket's food is always good but it would have been better if I could have tasted it. Don't you just love what a cold does to your taste buds?

You know for weeks now, there have been ads for all of these wonderful deals on Christmas gifts that will be on sale starting tomorrow. As I drove home, I passed another cemetery and noticed that they have a sale going on also: 50% off of ground plots and 30% off of crypts. Now, I know it is important to prepare for our final rest but I don't believe this would be a Christmas gift that would bring me joy and make me feel gleeful. I think if it would bring me any emotion - it would be paranoia. I would wonder if the person that gave it to me knew something I didn't.

I plan to spend the rest of the day kicked back in my recliner checking the back of my eyelids for holes.

Have A Wonderful, Blessed Thanksgiving, Everyone!!!

Hair Salon Revisited

A Picture of Debbie and Me Through A Mirror

I visited the hair salon again today. Of course, the shampooing was relaxing as usual. (See my first post about the shampooing in my "older posts".)

Today, I thought I'd write about the sweet lady who colors and styles my hair. Debbie has such a beautiful, vibrant personality. I know you've met people like this sometime during your life - those who are positive and uplifting and make you feel great just because you are around them. Well, that's Debbie. I did not know Debbie before she started styling my hair but I consider it a blessing to have met her.

Several months ago, I felt like I needed to have an updated hairstyle with some color. Age had greyed my hair and my hair style was totally outdated. A dear friend of mine recommended Debbie to me and helped me get my first appointment. I had the same hairstyle for many years and I was having a hard time making a change. Debbie was patient with me and let me make the decision on the amount she cut off the length of my hair. I really didn't get much cut off. But I was thrilled with the color she picked. The second time I got a little braver and let her cut more. I now have a short hair style with a brownish blond color. It is quite a change from the long grey "do" I had worn for so long.

Isn't it amazing how a trip to the hair salon can be so relaxing and revitalizing?

Amazing Grace

As long as I can remember, Amazing Grace has been my all time favorite hymn. I know I always felt inspired and comforted by the lyrics of the song but I never knew too much about its origins and composer. This weekend I watched the movie titled Amazing Grace and learned about English history, a great Christian humanitarian, and the writer of my favorite hymn.

By the way, one of the extras on the DVD was one of my favorite contemporary Christian artists, Chris Tomlin, performing his rendition of the song. That was really a treat.

The movie was touching and compelling. It was about William Wilberforce, a great Christian man who lived his life as a politician and humanitarian during the 1700's and early 1800's. He was determined to stop England's roll in the African slave trade and after many years of opposition and disappointments, he was able to accomplish this wonderful act.

Wilberforce had a wonderful mentor named John Newton who composed Amazing Grace. Newton was a ship's captain on one of the slave ships before he became a Christian and preacher. Some say that his song was based on 1 Chronicles 17:16-17 and others say that it was based on Ephesians 2:4-9.

"Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: 'Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, O God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men, O Lord God.' " 1 Chronicles 17:16-17 (NIV)

"But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -not by works, so that no one can boast". Ephesians 2:4-9 (NIV)

It is my uneducated guess that the verses from Ephesians match the lyrics of Amazing Grace more than the verses from 1Chronicles. So, I think that the song is based on the verses from Ephesians. But then again - maybe not. I already told you that I was poor at making decisions. I'm really bad on true and false quizzes.

Nevertheless, thank you John Newton for one of the most beautiful and inspirational songs ever written.

Meet And Greet

Goldie Pansy, I would like for you to meet my blogging friends. Yes, this is one of the surviving pansies that I planted earlier. Unfortunately, I lost 4 of the 12 that I planted but the survivors are just beautiful. I do enjoy the beauty that God has given us. The following quote is reassuring and makes me feel that I must be doing some things that are pleasing to God.

"If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy. If the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive." - Eleonora Duse

That's My Final Decision

I added some dark red poinsettias that match the base of the candlesticks, removed the apple picks and two pine cones from the bucket. I added the silver balls to match the top of the candlesticks. The lighting in the room does not make the best pictures but I wanted to share my final decision. (Drum Roll) All for under $25.00. I just love sales!!!

I Do Not Like Making Decisions

O.K. - I've tried the arrangement several different ways. I don't know if I like it without the greenery or not. It looks a little bare. Within the next couple of days, I know I'll change it over and over. Maybe, I'll say - yeah, that's my final decision. I will keep you informed. Suggestions are welcomed.

It's Beginning To Look Alot Like .....?

I hate making decisions. Should I make a Thanksgiving arrangement or a Christmas arrangement? Well, this is how the decision was made.


1. Found cinnamon-scented pine cones (Could be either Christmas or Thanksgiving)

2. Already had the greenery (Not golds and browns but green)

3. Stopped by Hobby Lobby and found all these wonderful 50% off sales
(more Christmas than Thanksgiving stuff left)

4. Found a pretty "antique like" red tin bucket to put the pine cones in
(O.K. - I'm headed toward red and green)

5. Found apples and greenery on a pick that would slide right in my existing greenery. (More red and green)

6. Found two tall "reddish" candle sticks that matched the tin.
(O.K. - It's starting to look a lot like Christmas)

Well folks, it looks like I skipped decorating for Thanksgiving and went straight to Christmas. Oh well, I will be able to enjoy my Christmas decorations a month longer. Is that a good thing?

A Great Trip To Maine

Thank you to my wonderful, Maine family!

Kennebec River in Maine

Hallowell, Maine

Hallowell, Maine is named for Benjamin Hallowell, a Boston merchant and one of the Kennebec Proprietors, holders of land originally granted to the Plymouth Company by the British monarchy in the 1620s. It is 6.1 sq. miles (5.9 sq. mi of land and 0.2 sq. mi. of water). Its elevation is 39 ft. The 2000 census shows a population of 2,467.

I just returned from a wonderful trip to Maine. I am lucky enough to be related to a fantastic family that lives in this beautiful state. They opened their home and showered me with so much hospitality and love that they spoiled me and made me want to take up permanent residence.

They treated me to delicious cuisine that is unique to Maine. I have always been partial to Maine lobster but they took me to a quaint little seafood restaurant outside of Hallowell to eat Maine shrimp. Wow! What a treat it was. I don't believe I have ever tasted shrimp that fresh. Also, they gave me almost an endless supply of maple, walnut ice cream. Yum! Yum! We also traveled to Freeport and it was such a beautiful little town with LOTS OF SHOPPING. My kind of town!

Wally and Sharron

The gracious host and hostess who always make my visits unforgettable. They are two very special people whose warmth and generosity are always present.

Corey - My Great-Nephew

Corey is working on his nursing degree. He has the compassion for people that is necessary to be a great asset to the nursing profession. He exemplifies kindness and understanding. He is also accomplished in the sport of bow hunting.

Kimberly - My Great-Niece

Kimberly is taking a break from school and plans to return soon. While she is waiting, she is working at a part time job. She is a beautiful, talented young lady who always radiates warmth and kindness.

Transformed

Yesterday, I attended a great conference. It was really an "eye opening" experience. I always considered myself a good person and always try to obey God's law as well as man's law. I thought I was doing a pretty good job but Ray Comfort, Kirk Cameron, Todd Friel and Emeal Zwayne set me straight. None of us are without sin, even us Christians. The question is - have I repented all my past sins, asked for forgiveness and asked for the gift of everlasting life? What if I died today without doing this? That is a scary thought. Your outside appearance and actions do not fool God. God sees your insides and knows what is really there.

The four men delivered a message for everyone. They are articulate and God has given them a gift which allows them to teach in a way that even the most "thick headed" person can comprehend the urgency of their message. They also stressed that it is our responsibility to make sure all people we encounter know this urgency and realize they need to repent their sins so they, too, can have everlasting life. Our responsibility is to present the facts and to show the only way for the unsaved to get to Heaven.

They showed how to measure your goodness by using "God's Moral Standard of Goodness" which are THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. I would suggest that everyone who thinks they are a good person go to their website - http://www.wayofthemaster.com/ - and take the test and find out how good you actually are and if you are good enough to go to Heaven.

I consider my attendance at this conference to be a blessing. It made me realize that I must work on myself and the other people who are journeying through life with me to find the true and only way to get to Heaven. Thank you, God, for these gifted and dedicated men, their families and staff.

My New Challenge

Today was the end of the geraniums. They lived a long healthy life throughout the extremely hot summer but it was time for the fall flowers to take their place. I removed their faded leaves and their roots from the flower box and placed them respectfully in the trash bag. Actually, It was kind of sad. I guess I have a soft spot when it comes to witnessing the end of anything. But I planted some scrawny little pansies in their place.

My eyes caught a glimpse of the little pansies as I was checking out all of the fall plants at the store They really looked bad and probably did not have long before they were tossed out. Their color was faded and their leaves were wilted. I decided that I wanted to help them so I brought them home with me. I carefully removed their shallow little roots from the plastic prisons that were choking them to death. Quickly, I returned them to some fresh soil where their little roots could be free and stretch as far as they wanted. I gave them a big drink of water and wished them well. Now, only time will tell if they are strong enough to survive. Occasional reports on the status of their health and whether or not they like their new home will follow in the upcoming weeks.

Matt's Devotional

Today, I have been reading the Devotionals from mynakedpastor.com and contemplating my own insecurities and how to deal with them. The Devotionals are all good but the one written by Pastor Matt Miller on Tuesday October 2nd especially hit home and I wanted to share it with you.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you
do, and He will show you which path to take." Proverbs 3:5-6

"Proverbs 3:5-6 promises that when you trust and seek the Lord that He will show you which path to take. However, many times you may feel inadequate to walk the path that God has set before you for one key reason: Your insecurities have greater influence in your life that God does.

When you fall back on 'your own understanding' you will miss what God has planned for your life. Your insecurities will remind you of your past when God wants to tell you of your future. Your insecurities will shout, 'You can't' when God whispers, 'You can'. The only way to break free from this misconception of yourself is to let go of 'your own understanding'.

Whose understanding will you listen to today...your own or the Lord's? Look at your life today through a new perspective - God's! God doesn't call the qualified. He qualifies the called.

Begin to see what God sees and trust that He has equipped you for the path that He has set before you, this path is to your God potential"!

Thank you Matt - I needed that! That message was powerful and meaningful.

A Genealogy Day

It has been a great day for doing things that did not take me outside. It has been cloudy and drizzling most of the day. So, I decided to work on genealogy.

Before I began my research, I walked outside and I saw a snake lying on the pinestraw next to my porch. I really do not have a great phobia of snakes as long as they crawl away from me and not toward me. I went inside to get my camera but it was gone when I went back out. About 30 minutes later, I saw the cutest little turtle in almost the same place. Wow! This must be wildlife day. Now, back to my genealogy research and a great discovery I made.

All of us dabblers in genealogy know it is fun to get a lead and try to find the proof. I found a lead that my great great grandfather is listed in the Haywood County NC voter's book which is dated 13 August 1835. The problem is finding where the book or at least a microfilm of the book's pages resides. I called the county court house and they did not know whether they had it or not. I called the Haywood County Library and they put me in contact with a man who is a volunteer in the Carolina Room in the library. He was a home at the time and did not know if the book was on one of their microfilms. He did, however, locate a marriage record for my great great grandfather on his database. He was extremely generous with his time and offered to research the marriage record and send me a copy if it can still be found. I will have to contact the State Archives about the records in the Voter Book because so many county records were sent to the State Archives so they can be preserved. Hopefully, the book still exists.

Also, I received The Baptist Courier in the mail today. There was a huge ad on the last page that advertised How to Get on Fire for God. You will never be Lukewarm again. The name of the conference is Transformed. I was really excited and found it is being held close to where I live so I will be able to attend. I registered for the four hour conference because there is nothing better than getting on fire for God and to be transformed to help me reach my God potential.

I believe I had a wonderful, blessed day and I hope you did too.

The Hair Salon

I went to the hair salon today and got my hair shampooed and cut. I know this is not a "world changing" event but I will have to give it some merit. The salon had a separate shampoo room and I went in and sat at one of the shampoo bowls. The shampoo lady turned off the harsh overhead lights and accent lights reflected around the room and magically, this soft "spa music" began. I leaned my head back into the basin and the shampoo lady put this great smelling shampoo on my head and began to massage my scalp. I could just feel all of the stress and tense muscles disappear. Now, this would have been a great place to take a nap!!! However, the scalp massage was soon over and I got my hair cut and paid the bill. I wish washing my own hair could be that relaxing.

Tired?

I watched the lesson on tiredness on the Flamingo Road Church website last night and learned about being tired. Pastor Troy Gramling stressed that he was talking about mental and spiritual tiredness and not the type of tiredness we experience after a hard day's work.

I really do wish that I could put into words in this blog the exact words he used in his lesson. However, the good thing is that his "teachings" are archived and it is possible to watch it on the Flamingo Road Church website.

He gave examples on how the stress in our everyday lives can make us tired and in turn, make us physically ill. This tiredness can be a result of the changes in our lives. The "Teaching Outline" uses the Holmes and Rahe Social Readjustment Scale to show how certain life events can affect us. Some events can be good and some can be bad. Nevertheless, all changes and/or events will cause stress.

He also talked about when we are experiencing this stress and tiredness in our lives, the enemy [the devil] uses this opportunity to attack us and entice us to make poor decisions which may forever change our lives.

Pastor Troy told us that we need friends during this time for moral support but there are times when these people may not be available. He asked what happens when you try to lean against something when it is not there. The answer is that we fall. He went on to say that the only way to be guaranteed support all the time is to take these changes which are causing us stress to Jesus because He is always there and will not let us fall.

"But I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice." Psalm 55:16-17 (NIV)

A Touch of Fall

I lived in South Florida for a couple of months and missed the changes of the seasons. The heat and humidity seemed to be present morning, noon, and night. This is good for people who enjoy the warm weather year round but I enjoy the refreshing coolness of Fall. The magnificant sight of the leaves on the trees changing from green to rich yellows and oranges during this time of year is also an event that I look forward to.

I walked outside this morning and felt the cool, crisp morning. I watched the gentle breeze blow the limbs on the trees across the way and could hear the rustle of the leaves as they begin their Fall transition. I remembered how suppressing the heat felt all summer and how wonderful it is to feel crispness in the air. I thanked God for this beautiful day. I thought about what a wonderful gift from God it is to be able to enjoy the things in life that we normally take for granted and hardly even notice in our busy lives.

Thinking About My Favorite Book

You know that life can throw you many curve balls and you are continously ducking. Well, when this happens to me and I start feeling angry and/or insecure, I pray, read the Bible and refer to my favorite book - The Search For Significance by Robert S. McGee. It is an excellent reference source that helps me while I am searching the Bible for a scripture that will give me answers and will lift me up. The examples, references and explanations in McGee's book show me that I am not alone and that God has already prepared the way for my journey through life. I just need to trust Him and realize that He is always here to guide me. I was introduced to this book while attending Flamingo Road Church in Cooper City, FL. Pastor Troy Gramling suggested this book and believe me, it never gathers dust because I am constantly reading it.

Pastor Troy Gramling is now doing a series of teachings on most of the emotions and problems we face that make our life's journey bumpier than it has to be. Last weekend, it was on anger and this weekend; I believe, it is about being tired. His Saturday and Sunday teachings are live on the internet. If anyone is interested about finding help with your problems, check out the Flamingo Road Church website for the times and lots more information.

mynakedpastor.com

I have been watching mynakedpastor.com for over a week now. This is the innovative idea of Pastor Troy Gramling and the gifted staff at Flamingo Road Church in Cooper City, FL. They decided to show the lives of Troy, his family and staff live for almost 24/7.

They have the same emotions, trials and tribulations as the rest of us. They show that being a Christian doesn't make you and your lives perfect. However, they do show us that we need to turn our problems over to God. Pastor Troy takes questions about problems you may have and helps by showing where you may find the answers in God's words in the Bible. The discussion part is called the naked couch and it is at 8:00 P. M. He also has a devotional early each morning at 5:00. I find the discussions and devotionals uplifting and his daily routine, especially the traveling, very entertaining. If you haven't already watched the live video, please try it - you'll like it.

Flamingo Road Church also has live internet services on Saturday night and Sundays. Check out the Flamingo Road Church website for all of internet worship services.

My Daily Prayer

My Heavenly Father

I thank you for this day. I am blessed because you are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and you keep on blessing me.

I know that when I can't pray, you listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do your will. Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others.

I pray for my daughter and grandchildren and all my friends. I pray for each member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes.

I thank you that I believe. I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know you intimately.

Forgive me for everything I have done, said or thought that is not pleasing to you. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Help me not to whine and whimper over things I have no control over. Let me make the best of each day and to clear my mind so that I can hear from you.

In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen