Saturday, March 26, 2016

Raggedy Anne and Jesus

It was one beautiful Easter weekend....
The grandmother gathered her little one up and took her to a large church which was presenting a vivid passion play drama...
The crowd was large so the grandmother and her little one had to sit toward the back.. The grandmother was so proud of her sweet little girl...dressed out in her Raggedy Anne pinafore and her golden curls.
The scenes progressed with breathtaking reality.... The little girl had sat on her grandmother's knee by the hours and listened to stories of Jesus... Now it seemed as though the little one was lifted from those pages into the moving drama.... To her....it WAS Jesus!! Struggling to see better, she stood up in her seat...clutching tightly to her grandmother's shoulder.
Then a touching scene....Jesus and the little children of Galileec...left the stage and began to proceed down the long aisle... The spotlight was upon them as they drew nearer and nearer...
The little one now reached toward the approaching Christ....her arms outstretched....calling, "Jesus!! Jesus!! Jesus!!!"
As Christ and the children reached grandmother's aisle, the spotlight caught the vision of the little Raggedy Anne figure straining and calling out..
Jesus stopped... the crowd seemed to hold it's breath...
He reached out his hand, "Come to me, child..." he spoke. Without any hesitation... golden curls bouncing...the little one scrambled from her grandmother's embrace and ran to Jesus..
Now as the spotlight followed Jesus and the little peasant children around the aisle...He now held a little girl in a pinafore by the hand...
It was a gripping moment...the past met the present... and HE WAS ENOUGH!!!
Tears were pouring down the faces of those in the crowd...
At last Jesus walked the little girl form this present age back to her Nanny..... Erica's face was lit with a heavenly glow... She had seen Jesus!!
The crowd burst into applause....
WE HAD ALL SEEN JESUS!!!

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Loved

Love expressed so beautifully...
Yesterday, Hubs was so bad that I had to cancel his visit with his neurologist.... Pretty bad when you are too bad to go to the doctor. He was just so wracked with pain, and his balance was so bad...
Today...I sat in my recliner...knees hurting too badly to get up...neck hurting too badly to lay my head back....
Sweet Hubs...struggled from his chair, went to the bedroom and brought me my neck pillow...
I KNOW what that cost him..
It cost him...
Far more than a dozen red roses.
Far more than a meal at Outback.
Far more than a huge box of chocolates.
It cost him....he gave...all he had, everything he had...
I'm loved. And I know it.

Monday, March 14, 2016

This Land is My Land, This Land is Your Land

This World My Grandchildren have to grow up in...

The news is frightening. i care. i vote. But I didn't realize how much in my thinking that it was just "out there" somewhere.

Reality hit me hard in the face Saturday...
Erica is flying to her folks in Mass. over spring break. For the first time she is leaving from Charlotte. Charlotte just recently passed a law that legalized all bathrooms to be "gender free," that is, no longer do you have a choice of men or women's restroom.

My dear granddaughter brought this up and her fears of what she might face. Granted, this is her departure destination, So her mother will be with her there. But what if that were the law at the other four airports she will use before she arrives home?

A young 16 year old young woman....facing who knows what in a restroom. Now this is so much more that a news clip on my pc. This is reality!! This is now!! This is MY GRANDDAUGHTER!!

My heart is sick.... This is my land, this is your land....
Return America!!

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Bring Back the Apron: Whatever Happened to the Apron?

Bring Back the Apron: Whatever Happened to the Apron?:       Aprons.  They used to be a big thing in our culture.  Women wore them 24-7 whenever they were home,...which they were most of the time...

Friday, March 11, 2016

Casey

 As many of you know, I love dogs and have almost always had one. But with my health, it has been increasingly difficult to even care for one. With my fibromyalgia, I could barely stand much weight on my lap.
On Jan. 4th, I got a little 4 week old, 12 ounce little Chihuahua. We named her Casey and it didn't take long for her to erase all the bad things Jon had heard of and feared about getting me a Chihuahua. Needless to say she has bonded with me and loves Jon as well. I haven't posted any pictures on Facebook because I truly felt there would be folks who just wouldn't understand.
But I'm going to share a few here...for all you dog lovers who do understand.
Casey is now 13 weeks old and weighs 3 pounds.
Casey loved to ride in my pocket like a little Joey. She didn't mind any bouncing and when she got tired she curled up in the bottom of my pocket and went to sleep.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Counting Springs...

The winter seems to be rolling up its carpet and preparing to file it into the archives of history.
Spring appears to at last be serious about bursting into color, nest building, and "window open" days...
I thought about spring.... I'm 66 years old and if perhaps I'm given the gift of longer life.... I'm still at the point in life of possibly counting my springs....
God says life is life a vapor, like the grass that springs up and quickly fades away...
Winter, Christmas...time seems to have flown by ever so quickly.
I moved my bird feeder from the deck today where I had placed it for easy access during the cold months. I took the second one from the shed and placed them both back by the flower box where the hyacinths and crocuses are blooming. I took the birdbath from the garage and put it back among the budding tulips...
Only a brief time later I sat on the deck and the little maple tree by the feeders was filled with brilliant cardinals. Chickadees were already feeding freely...
The singing birds...the gentle breeze lifted my heart and spirits to the heights!
Counting springs.... despondent? No, I didn't feel that way at all. I was only contemplating my mortality...
This spring is special!!! This spring is mine to hold.... to breath in...to relish...to treasure... This is my moment...to live, to love, to laugh....
My heart was so full of rejoicing..... Thank you, God, for this gift..
This "my spring!"

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Still Tracking

In Every Thing Give Thanks.................
The kitchen floor was a mess...
Leaves, mud, debris scattered all over...
...
Who was the culprit that had tracked havoc into my kitchen?
Humm..... there are Hub's sneakers near the table...
I picked them up and sure enough...........the sneakers identified the suspect!
I took the old worn sneakers to the edge of the deck rail and with a brush began to clean away all the mess.
Suddenly my eyes filled with tears, my heart overflowed.. My heart was just too full.
These dirty ole sneakers told a story... My Jon CAN WALK! His feet and legs, although often tired and pained...are still tracking..... walking into my kitchen...across my floor.... filling this home....
My heart was reminded of what "could have been." My heart is full of what is!!
So today, "Thank You, God! For reminding me afresh and anew that life is precious and good....that the mundane and oft taken for granted moments of life are gifts from Your hand!!"
So rather it's "Whiskers in the Sink" or "Leaves Upon the Floor..." today I thank You!!1

Sunday, March 6, 2016

"Now THAT just 'aint' human!!"


But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you.
Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
...
NOPE!! That's not the "natural" human way. It takes the SUPERNATURAL Presence of the abiding Holy Spirit to do this. No........I don't know of anyone who has actually cursed me, but you know what I mean...
That annoying person that you just might have a personality clash with, or are just on two different wave lengths with.........nothing in common.
I'm not the most polished person, but God has mellowed me out some over the years....
It's also been humbling to find out over the years that just perhaps I DIDN'T have all my ducks in a row.
It's a lot easier to love others when one really sees oneself as Christ does, full of faults and failures. I'm so glad He's still working on me!
Today, Lord, help me to love as You do, as I want You and others to love me!!

Thursday, March 3, 2016

The Keen Edge

 
Amy and Joey gave us an awesome knife set/block for Christmas. Amy has fussed at me for years about how dull my knives are. I've assured her they are sharp and quite adequate.
The morning after Christmas I picked out a new one to slice some ham. I was not prepared.... It's a wonder I didn't lose a finger... Oh, yeah.... MAYBE my knives are sharp!!! Without any more persuasion from my daughter, I reached into the second drawer, pulled out every old knife I ha...d, and into the trash it went. It took a sharp knife to convince me that mine were dull....
This morning....Jon and I listened to Matthew 24, 25...and so on.
As I listened....my heart was so stirred..
Jesus first came as a poor helpless baby in a manger. He walked the earth as a lowly peasant. But next time..
When Christ returns, He will come in power and great glory!!!!
In that day men will be eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage.... I don't think this means partying and nightclubbing... but life going on as usual... You know, just like today.. The hum drum of the normal... morning coffee, off to work, whatever is the norm..
We often plan our lives... that vacation coming up, that visit from family, that anticipated event... Sometimes it's fulfilled, sometimes life changes things.
But God's timeline, His schedule unfolds perfectly according to His plan and purpose. Just as after 400 years of silence, in the fullness of time, Mary brought forth her son...
In the fullness of time, when God says time shall be no more...perhaps not at that emotional moment when I'm listening to a song about Christ's return, perhaps not at the moment when I'm in church feeling His Presence in an unusual way...
Perhaps it will be when I'm feeling the weakest, going about life as usual... Perhaps it will be when I'm watching two busy grandson's, fixing a meal for Hubs, visiting with an aid.... at that inopportune moment..
When I heard those words this morning, I felt so much more than emotion. I felt a strong bedrock faith, a deep unshakable faith that indeed HE is coming!!!
Lord, don't let my life become dull...and I don't even recognize it!! Lord, keep my life on the keen edge...useful, serviceable, busy for you...
As I sat by my window looking out, fog has everything shrouded in a deep mist. But I KNOW it could be today...
This could be the dawning of That Day!!!!

Happy Anniversary! Our Sweet Jennifer put this together for us


Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Family




For those of you not on Facebook, here are a few pictures to update you..

Cameron and JB have both had huge growth spurts this year!
 
This photo of my #3, Lyndy Lou, and #2, Jiff...was taken just a couple of days ago. Jon Abram's family is still living in Washington State. I haven't seen these two sweet girls in two years....way too long.

 Melinda loves hats just like her great-grandmother Sowers.
 A typical Saturday morning at Nanny and Papa's house.
 I love this picture of Jon Abram's family taken last fall.
 Our dear son, Jon Abram
 Just before Christmas last year, Melody flew in to visit us. We were so happy.

Saying a sad good-bye! Since then, Melody has taken a Nanny job with a church family and is now in Canada...
Hope you enjoy these.

Erica's Homecoming

 Just a couple of weeks ago, Erica had her Senior Homecoming. She was so wonderfully surprised when her Father, Mark, flew in and showed up to walk her in own this most important occasion.
 
 
 
 
Erica and her parents, Mark and Amy 
 
Her paternal grandfather and her step-grandmother, Francis. 
 
Erica with her mother and step-dad, Joey. She wished her step-mom, Chris,and her little sisters could have been there.
 
Erica and her mother.
 
 
Erica and JBc
 
Erica and Cam
 
As you can see, Erica has a lot of family and is dearly loved by all.