Rambling Friday: When Troubles Come...

When troubles come, what do we do?  

Complain?

Put on a grouch?

Question why does it have to be ME?

Put on a martyr'd face?

*  We had to put off Christmas celebration because of circumstances, till January. BUT it turned out just fine. Relaxed and fun.

*   Hubby and I both got a serious case of covid (in spite of all precautions) in February and March. BUT, you know what? It drew me closer than ever to God. He loves us so much, and I trust in Him!!

* In late Spring hubby lost a beloved brother suddenly and unexpectedly. We were heartbroken and sad, but God gave hubby the strength to speak at his funeral. He comforted us when we needed it although we surely didn't understand the why.

* We lost close friends from our church who felt it was time for them to move on. Sad.

* Hubby and a son have been way too busy trying to complete some jobs they took on. WHICH means, they had little to no time to complete some landscaping and repairs needed on our property. Sigh. 

* Hubby had a bad case of kidney stones, and I've been going through another serious physical problem.

OR...

Can we, do we look heavenward and claim the Biblical verse:

The Lord is good, 

a strong hold in the day of trouble; 

and he knows them that trust in him.

Nahum 1:7

God has given strength to face each and every battle that has come our way this year of 2022. 

Because, sure as we are breathing (right now!), God knows our problems, our very being, and He will honor His word. He cares about us and whatever befalls us, He will see us through each and everything that comes. He is our anchor! 

What a wonderful God!

Sunday Morning Sunshine: Spring Brings New Life

 Spring

Spring work is going on with joyful enthusiasm.

John Muir

Blossom by blossom the spring begins.

Algernon Charles Swinburne

Every spring is the only spring, a perpetual astonishment.

Ellis Peters

You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.

Pablo Neruda

"No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.

English Proverb

“The deep roots never doubt spring will come.” 

Marty Rubin

Spring is when you feel like whistling, even with a shoe full of slush. 

 Doug Larson

April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.

William Shakespeare

In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.

Margaret Atwood

Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil.

Bishop Reginald Heber

Happy Spring! 

 

Serious Wednesday: In Love With ...

 I'm so in love with...

SUSPENSE!

and by that I mean...

WRITING suspense.

Why?

Keeps my attention.

Gives me enough thrill without being overly scary.

I enjoy plotting the hard times 

the protagonist goes through.

But also,

the triumph he/she feels,

the victory she/he can claim,

the joy and/or relief in overcoming

the hard time.

What else?

In suspense, you can add touches of

whatever you want.

Meaning,

quirkiness,

romance,

Science fiction,

a bit of inspiration

or anything else that interests you.

You can make it as fun as you want,

as serious as you love,

or as spiritual as you feel called to do.

Suspense.

The Best of the Best! 

My opinion. 

Sunday Morning Sunshine: Family Love

 Thank you, my Baby Boy, for the flowers,

the cookies,

socks,

and notebook. 

I'll love you forever! 

Forever, you will be my baby!!

Rambling Friday: Thanking God

 Let us come before His presence 

with Thanksgiving...

And today I give thanks 

for His Help, 

His Graciousness in considering me,

His Power in situations I can't handle

and His everlasting Love!

I give Thanksgiving to MY GOD!

Sunday Morniing Sunshine: When A Man Loves a Woman

 My husband is one of a kind. That's my opinion, of course, but it's true nonetheless. :) 

He's not only intuitive and discerning but also kind, loving, his own man, private and a person with a big heart. He'd go without shoes rather than deny me something I truly wanted. He picks the best cards and seldom forgets holidays, special occasions, and plain everyday thoughts of something to make me smile. 

Hence:  this wildflower, end-of-the-season bouquet he picked this week for me. No, they didn't last long, but they gave me a smile, a warm, happy moment, and he knew it. That was enough for him...

I love this man!

He brings sunshine into my life! 

Sunday Morning Sunshine: Flowers Make Me Happy!

We celebrated our anniversary this month, and one of the things that is definite is flowers and a card from Hubby. Every year, I think, this is the best one yet, so I guess you could say, it keeps getting better and better. This year he gave me pink roses:

And what did the card say? 

Here's part of it:

I hope you already know just how amazing you are to me, but on our anniversary I thought I'd tell you again, because you're incredibly special--and I love you very much. 

Sigh. I do love a man who's not afraid to show and tell his feelings. 

I hope you have a wonderful rest-of-the-summer! 

Rambling Friday: Happy Anniversary to Us!

Happy Anniversary to us! 

 

Many years,

many mistakes but lots of fun and laughter

quite a few adventures

including:

Two sons

Three grandsons

one daughter in law

Too many animals to count

Visits and Work in lots of states

ministry

writing for both of us

hard work

love

exhaustion

sickness

health

flowers, cards and notes

gaining, and losing, friends

Scary times

laughing times

happy times

and hopefully...

many more years of

togetherness.

LOVE YOU FOREVER!

Rambling Friday: I Have a Love/Hate Relationship with Rain

 

This day the sun was shining.

The rain was falling too. 

It was beautiful! 

I happened to see it in time to snap a picture.

Then there are all the times you see a rainbow:

And then it's good for my flowers,

and the vegetable gardens...

Of  course, with the good, comes the bad

(or at least, I consider it bad)

The day in and day out, constant rain...

And the storms, flooding...

But whether rain or sun,

it's all good. 

So I'm doing my best to be thankful,

Whatever comes!

Sunday Morning Sunshine: Flowers and More Flowers

What's more beautiful than flowers in the summertime? 

I can't wait to see these each summer. 

I walk out onto the porch to see how close they are to bloom. 

Every Mother's Day,

Our church gives flowers to all the mothers.

Beautiful star-shaped flowers

These little wild violets always bring a smile

to my face.

Enjoy your summer.

Plant a flower.

Smile! 

Rambling Friday: God and Country

 Statement of facts:

I love God.

I love my family.

I love my country. 

Jesus is our salvation, our hope and assurance.

My family is my heart.

And my country is the one place I want to live.

The freedom and opportunities are shared nowhere else 

in the world as much as this country. 

It's a privilege to live here,

to be able to love and enjoy my family, and

to love and worship God as I feel I need to.  

HAPPY July 4th! 

Be blessed! 

Sunday Morning Sunshine: Grandsons

This is why I love this boy!

Innocent! 

Fun-loving!

Working with the animals!

Taking walks and exploring!

Loving life! 

Share a picture of you or your family or a favorite friend:

Why do you love them? 

Sunday Morning Sunshine: Happy Valentine's Day!

1 Peter 4:8: 

"Above all, love each other deeply, 

because love covers over a multitude of sins."

Love when it's hard.

Love when it's not returned to you.

Love when the other person is despicable.

Love when someone takes advantage.

Love when you're hated.

Love because God requires it.

Love because it's good for you.

Love because God loves you!

I Corinthians 13 describes love as:

Patient and kind,

not envious, boastful, arrogant or rude,

it doesn't insist on its own way,

is not irritable or resentful.

Love doesn't rejoice in wrongdoing.

But...

is rejoices in truth.

LOVE never ends. 

Have a lovely day! 

 

Rambling Friday: I Love Our Country

I love our country! In spite of the troubles we go through, our desires that sometimes aren't fulfilled, and the unrest in the world, we are still very, very much blest to have the opportunities and privileges given to us. 

My desires are simple:

• share life with my family: talking, traveling, laughing, enjoying time spent together
• writing the books on my heart as long as our good God gives me the mind and ability to do so.
• Living a simple, peaceful life with all things I enjoy around me. A porch swing, flowers and plants and trees, good, healthy food, visits with friends and family, church, and books. 
• traveling as able. It doesn't have to be a continent away. There are so many places still needing to be visited! 
• Church and God. Last on the list, but first in my heart. A way to encourage the peace God gives to grow in strength. 

When I grumble, when I complain, when I'm upset, worried, fretful, or afraid, I remember that I have so much. 

What are your blessings...today? 

Rambling Friday: Axel, the Dog

 We lost three pets this year, which was hard on me. 

I cried, I remember, and I miss them. 

Very much.

One thing that helps is this rascal, all grown up:  

He's a Lap Dog :) 

He's active, smart, affectionate (too much so), and spoiled rotten. 

(I think, he thinks he's human) 

He's also a thief (he tore up a picture of myself and brother with our grandfather: Poppy

and he stole my delicious french toast when I turned my back),

He's a destroyer. Evidence:

But we love him so much. 

And he loves us!