Some forgotten garden pictures…

Making Choices…the right ones.

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  “Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ~John 8:31-32

　 Do you realize that we make many, many choices every day? You don’t even think about making most of them……you just do it…..you choose that pink towel instead of the green one…those strappy shoes instead of the pumps….the pink lipstick instead of the darker one…the cute chicken mug instead of the paisley mug for your morning coffee. There are no right or wrong choices when you talk about whether you should make the dark roasted coffee or the Hazelnut, unless of course you are making it for someone like my husband Jim! Then there is a right choice….only dark roasted will do!  

But we get into trouble when we use the same logic in making life changing choices just like we make a choice of whether or not we should clean the kitchen now or later. In any of the choices I’ve mentioned and many like them, you really don’t think about the consequences of your decisions, unless you are having company over…then you need to clean the kitchen now….not later. But you get my point.

Concerning our health, there are many very important choices we need to make. Sometimes it’s easier to grab a baloney sandwich instead of taking the time to make a healthier lunch. But there are consequences of choosing the lunch that has no nutritional benefit. Over time, making the wrong choice of food or drink, can do major damage to our body and quality of life.

Buying our home can be a huge decision to make. I’ve become riveted with HGTV and the many shows they have regarding purchasing a first home. My! I can’t believe the long list of requirements that people have when buying a home. In my opinion, we Americans are very self-indulgent when it comes to our homes. We want big homes when a small one would do nicely. (Now there is a great subject for another blog!) I wonder how many people that are on these shows spend way over their budget? Or do they have a budget? Choosing the wrong home can have dire consequences! Look now at the many homeowners that soon will lose the status of owning a home due to foreclosure.

Of course, choosing the right job, I think, is almost the hardest choice to make. Some choose jobs for the income that it gives them. And I think that is the majority of working people. Others may choose jobs for the interest and joy of doing the job at hand. No matter what the pay. Those are hard to find. Over time, working in a job that is not satisfying can cause such stress and heartache.

Ok…I haven’t talked about the choice of a husband or wife! We’ve heard enough…or maybe we’ve even experienced the consequences of marrying the wrong person. There are consequences for marrying the wrong person, but I think that, if you are willing, you can get through the worst of it. (But …..I do think that there are situations that may justify terminating a marriage. I just wanted to make that clear to the reader.)

There are many other choices we make that can either take us down the wrong road or move us along the right one. The most important choice I think we have is either saying yes to God or choosing instead, to turn our backs on Him.

“Choose for yourself this day whom you will serve…..But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” ~Joshua 24:15

Wise choices lead to life, well-being and grace. Unwise choices can bring heartache, sickness, ruin, and death.

 “Choose My instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.” ~Proverbs 8:10-11

When we learn to make choices, I think that we should first think about the consequences of our choice, be it good or bad. That should definitely be a required thought process before making the actual decision. Learn to take time in decision making…learn to ask the One that made us to help us make those important decisions and choices.

 After all, He knows us best.

 

Are Hymns Becoming Obsolete?

I decided to come out in my workshop this evening to play my cello and thought it would be so wonderful to play some hymns. This morning in church, we actually sang a hymn! I can’t remember which one, but what was really great is that our music director decided not to use the overhead for the words, but instead, he had us all open up our almost forgotten hymnals, tucked in the racks that are in every pew right in front of us.

We sing lots of praise and worship songs. All of the time. So much so, that I fear my grandchildren will not even know what a hymn is.  As a child, I remember the comfort I received listening to these old hymns from my grandpa’s church (he was a pastor…or in those days, he was called a preacher). Then as I got older, I loved singing them. What rich blessings these old hymns have!! And do you know how comforting it is to share a hymnal book with a loved one, hearing one another sing the words of long forgotten hymns such as “Are You Washed in the Blood?” or  “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine”? And the harmony! Jim and I love to sing and we miss singing together with my daughters …as we all use to have different parts to sing.

1. Lord, I’m Coming Home (I’ve wandered far away from God, now I’m coming home…)
2. Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing (tune my heart to sing thy grace…)
3. Down at the Cross (where my Savior died..)
4. Standing on the Promises (of Christ my King…)
5. God be with you til we meet again (By His counsels guide uphold you..)
6. God Will take care of you( Be not dismayed whate’er betide, God will take care of you…)
7. Victory in Jesus (I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory…)
8. He Hideth my soul (A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord..)
9. Higher Ground (I’m pressing on the upward way, new heights I’m gaining every day…)
10. Heaven Came Down (Oh what a wonderful, wonderful day..day I will never forget…)

I should get a group together some Sunday evening for a hymn fest! Wouldn’t that be great? What a way to renew your heart to God’s grace He has richly bestowed on us! They always say that you bring people closer when they share a meal together, but what about when they sing together??

After a perfect North Carolina Rain…..

“It is the Lord who created the stars,
      the Pleiades and Orion.
   He turns darkness into morning
      and day into night.
   He draws up water from the oceans
      and pours it down as rain on the land.
      The Lord is his name!” ~Amos 5:8

Summer Cello Lessons

Can you see Charlie hidden among all of my fabric? He stares at me every day as I am out in the workshop making soap and sewing. Makes me feel guilty for letting him just sit there. Last week I had 4 grandkids staying here and didn’t get much practicing done. But this week has started out well. I find I can practice better in the early evening.

This is the piece I have been working on…Minuet by Boccherini. I am hoping to have the fingering correct and my trills by next lesson which is next week. Then I only have one more lesson until the Fall. That seems like a lot of time between lessons.

Also as I was playing last night, I thought I should tackle the vibrato again. This time it clicked! I finally have the feel for it and am so happy. But it will take time to feel comfortable in playing..knowing where to use it. My cello teacher said eventually, I will know exactly where to use vibrato. I believe her!!

One thing that all cello students go through, especially adult students, is being able to play well…….fingering has to be correct. The bowing also….I read music fairly well, but that doesn’t mean I can play with a sweet sound. Sometimes I feel as though my hands are like gorilla’s paws…!! But everything will come with time….I am sure of it. The most important thing is that I just love to play.

Our July 4th in Pictures

  

 

  

 

  

“Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.”     

 ” Praise be to God for what he has given, which words have no power to say.”  

~II Corinthians 9:15

Angel Wings

This truly is an Angel Wing Begonia!! And some other pictures of my begonias…my very favorite summer porch plant!

     

 

 

Birds…the ultimate teachers.

Everywhere you go, it seems you see birds…..on pillows, bed linens, pictures, lamps, kitchen towels, little birdy nick-knacks, flags, dishes, books, soap dishes (that falls under birdy nick-knacks!). You can probably think of a lot more. Why is it we are seeing an influx of bird paraphernalia, especially this year? They are charming not only to watch but to listen to. Have you seen those little stuffed birds that when squeezed sound like the actual bird call of the species that they are supposed to be? How do they do that!?? We love to watch specials on TV about them (well, at least Jim and I do!)……big birds and really little ones. We all spend tons of money on special kinds of seeds for them to eat. Sometimes, purchasing gourmet seeds that only we know is gourmet! The birds could care less…at least I think so. We have to have that “just right” bird house…making sure the hole is big enough for the particular bird species they are trying to lure….and it has to be pretty too! Not for the birds, but for us.

Here are some I have just around my home…inside and out.

 

 

 

 

  

 

You now understand that I am one of those who love birds….and you know what I like especially? I love the fact that those little things have no worry at all!! The special thing about them is their total reliance on God. In the Bible, I have counted (with the help of some great commentaries) 97 places that God refers to the “birds of the air”. But there may be more…

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” ~Matthew 6:26

Next time you are out gazing upward and see a wonderful blue bird zoom down to feed his young, remember how much more God values you and cares for you when you aren’t even aware of it. Yes, they are our feathered teachers….never just sitting and lingering in their nests and waiting for God to act, but while they are working gathering material for their nests and swooping down to pull up that worm…….. they rely on God to go before them and provide.

I love birds.

Sew much fabric!!!

Emily (my middle daughter visiting from Texas) and  her sister, Jennifer sorting through some fabric!

We stuffed our van with as much fabric as we could! 

….thanks to a local furniture company!!

Facing Fear…a personal trek

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ~Isaiah 41:10

We all have fears…be it physical or emotional fears…everyone has them. Not everyone lets their fears dominate their lives though. But I have been one of those that have.

 
I hate doctor’s offices….and my blood pressure lets me know just how much! It’s called “White Coat Syndrome”. You’ve heard of it before…when you are in your own surroundings your pressure is just fine, thank you! But stepping inside that doctor’s office….it shoots up sky high! And it’s been like this for quite a few years, and I couldn’t figure out why. Why do I get so nervous going to the doctor?
With so many articles and news shows featuring breast cancer, ovarian cancer, heart disease…I could go on and on….those yearly exams are just something women cannot ignore! And the last 7 years, I did ignore them…..or at least tried to. But something happened this year….I knew that I was a fool if I didn’t treat my body the way I should. I eat well and take all of my vitamins…but those tests are given for a reason. A good reason. I knew…somehow…that my fear was more than just being afraid of these tests….a lot more. It came to me that maybe it was more of a spiritual nature. I think that God was gently showing me that maybe I really didn’t trust Him. Maybe….going further….I really didn’t believe Him. Maybe I didn’t believe that He is Who He says He is….how did I get all this from not wanting to go to the doctor?

 
To put it the way I saw it…..I was afraid if I went to the doctor and had these tests, they would find out something was wrong (really silly!!). I couldn’t have been able to face that. But wait, I am a Christian. Christians trust God, right?  They trust Him for everything. Well….y e s…….but. I’ll trust God if I know before hand what the outcome is……!! That is really absurd! But that’s the way so many of us “trust” God. We need to have some control over things. That is what I faced this year. I wanted so much to confront those fears and really, really trust God and only Him for the outcome. And just abandon my control once and for all…..and just let Him.

 
I made my appointments for a pap smear, mammogram and just a complete physical. I dreaded it. I was afraid. But I really wanted to do this. And I asked God for His courage…..Well, my tests came back normal! It was really a gift to me as I will never ignore them again….but more than that….it was such freedom. But you are probably asking, what if they came back that I had cancer? What then? Would I still have this freedom. I would hope that I would…because relinquishing my control and giving God that full dominion over me gives me that sense of freedom.
These various scriptures give me so much comfort in facing my fears. I do believe God that He is Who He says He is….and that He will do what He says He will do!

Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. ~Psalm 27:3

I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. ~Psalm 34:4

He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. ~Psalm 112:7

When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared. ~Proverbs 3:24-26

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ~Isaiah 41:10