Friends and River Walks

Whew! I thought I'd never get these pictures posted using our dial-up! Here's a glimpse into my life last week and so far this week...

Dear friends came over bringing yummy home-made Mexican food!

(Clockwise: Me, Miss Joyce, Debbie B. and Debbie C. I have a lot of friends name Debbie. :-) )

Last Saturday our community prayer group met. I absolutely love praying with my African American sisters. They bring a fresh new perspective to my life. I think this prayer group is amazing considering we live in Mississippi. ( I want to be like Miss Franklin when I grow up. She is a 77-year old spitfire with tons of spunk!)

Candace and I walked down to the Pearl River which is one of Mississippi's largest rivers. This spot is about a mile from where we're living.

Candace and Zeke.

It was a bit muddier than we anticipated.

I just love this picture of Candace and Zeke!

Cassie was at work when Candace and I last went to the river, so on Monday we traipsed down there again. (Notice the puppy? He followed us home! Even though he was a cutie, I had to take him back where we found him. We just can't handle another animal right now.)

Lots of raccoon tracks!

Yesterday Candace and I went to a friend's house (her name is Debbie too!) and played in her ceramic clay. I made some Christmas ornaments. (Am I good, or what?) Candace made a frog. I'd post some pictures, but I'm getting too frustrated. :-) God bless!

God's Word to Me

I am so blessed by those who leave words of encouragement to help me and my family through a difficult season of life. Thank you so much!

On Sunday the preacher spoke of Moses and the Burning Bush. A story I've known since childhood. A story that is so familiar it has lost its "punch" (so to speak). Oh, but if God can speak through a burning bush, He can certainly speak through a "punchless" story, now can't He? You can read the entire story in Exodus Chapter 3, but here are the phrases that jumped out at me:

1. The Lord said, "I have seen the misery of my people."

2. "I have heard them crying out."

3. "I am concerned about their suffering."

4. "So I have come down to rescue them."

Before I hopped here this morning to write this post, read this comment from Tammie:

"...but I know this ... you are not beyond God's reach, you are not beyond His hearing, your tears have not escaped His attention, your hurt is not beyond His understanding, and your needs are not beyond His ability to meet."

How's that for confirmation?

God sees.

God hears.

God is concerned.

God will rescue.

End of Story...with a lot of "punch"!

The End is the Beginning

Well, tonight is our last night in the place we've called home for 6 1/2 years. All week we've been packing, sorting, moving things, and making Waste Management earn their money this week. If I weren't so tired and so busy I'd be sad.

We've lived here longer than any other place in our married life. My kids were 14, 11, and 8 when we arrived. Now they are 20, 17, and almost 14. The oldest is in college. The middle child will go to college next year. It is a severe time of change.

A large number of the happy memories I have here involve activities and people from our church. Now those recollections have a bitter twinge to them as people and circumstances didn't turn out as I hoped. I've been disappointed. Wounded. Disoriented. Angry. Discouraged. Devastated. Worried. Heart-broken. All from people I loved and trusted. Sometimes I wonder if this 6 1/2 year section of our life journey was a failure. What did all the energy and love we poured into this ministry amount to? Yet I am reminded once again, because I need to be reminded quite frequently, that it's not about people's love for me or people's devotion to me. It's about my love for them. And I did genuinely love them. I still do, which is why it hurts so much. Perhaps that, above all things, shows I did what God intended me to do. If love betrayed doesn't hurt, it wasn't really love in the first place. Love hurts. Just ask Jesus.

I don't know what the next stage of our journey is, though I feel it has to do with refocusing on Christ, resting, and renewing my strength in Him. We're moving to a temporary location that is in the proverbial "middle of no-where". (I know this is true because there is no high-speed internet there, only dial-up. I'll be forced to come to grips with my internet addiction. *grin*)

Lessons learned:

1. People will fail you.

2. God won't.

3. What is seen is temporary.

4. What is unseen is eternal.

5. Life isn't about what others can or cannot do for me.

6. Life is about having God's love for people, even when it hurts.

7. My world can be shaken, but not destroyed when my hope is in Christ.

I'll be around the internet some, but won't be posting a picture a day like I wanted to.

I pray God's richest blessings on you all. Happy New Year!

~ Drewe Llyn

(P.S. For those who have no clue what I'm talking about you can find out here.)

A Photo A Day...except when...

My friend Lori over at Just Pure Lovely has joined Project 365 which is simply to take one photo a day for a year. It sounds like a great idea; literal snapshots (or digital shots) of 2009. I can't do Project 365 since it is day five and this is my first photo. Also, I have serious doubts I'll actually remember to take a photo every day. However, I will attempt to post daily except when I forget, when I don't have time, and when the internet is not working.

Here is today's picture:

Here Cassie and Candace are carrying "treasures" from their old rooms into our new (temporary) residence. The forecast was for 70% chance of rain, but we managed to get two loads transferred today.

Bonus shot:

My precious Trio on Christmas Eve.

My girls and I have tickets to the Trans Siberian Orchestra Concert tonight in Jackson. Third Row!!!! I realized I haven't posted anything about this awesome event here at blogger, so here is what I posted back in 2005. All the excitement still holds true!

Trans Siberian Orchestra
November 11, 2005

Black dresses and tuxedos.
“Flight of the Bumblebee”.
Creative lighting.
Stringed instruments.
Awesome lasers.
“Beethoven’s Fifth”.
Intense pyrotechnics.
Electric guitars.
Unbelievable drums.
Maestro keyboardists.
“Carol of the Bells”.

What could all these possibly have in common?

These eclectic components come together brilliantly in the most incredible show I’ve ever seen. They are Trans Siberian Orchestra (TSO), and they were in Jackson last night. Kyle, Cassie, and I experienced it from the twenty-fourth row. (This year from the 3rd!)

“Christmas Eve in Sarajevo” (a.k.a. “Carol of the Bells”) is what grips and draws me to TSO. Their rendition is like no other and continually gives me chill bumps. I think it’s because I’ve walked the streets of Sarajevo and seen first hand the massive destruction of the Bosnian war on buildings and lives. I can’t begin to describe TSO’s interpretation. I invite you to listen for yourself. “Christmas Eve in Sarajevo”. Hopefully this will open for you. If not, go to http://www.trans-siberianorchestra.com/, click on “multimedia”, and scroll down to “Christmas Eve in Sarajevo”. To discover the source of the title you must go to “Discography” and find “Christmas Eve and Other Stories”.

You’ll discover it’s a rock opera. (Is that an oxymoron??)

What a night!

Christmas Scenes

Just sharing some scenes of Christmas around our house:

Here are the snowflake cookies we baked celebrating the first snow of the season. (But not of the year! Two snowfalls in one year in Mississippi! Who'd have thought it!)

Oliver LOVES the tree skirt that sports handprints of my kids through the years.

My two favorite girls in the whole world in front of our "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree!

Remember how to make the origami stars I posted several days ago? (If you don't, click here.) Well, yesterday I made some out of the Sunday comics. Even my girls think these are cute. (Be extra careful if you make these out of comics, the paper is thinner and more prone to tear.)

More scenes later!

Pictures of the Snow!

It's been such a great day. Words can't describe the joyful feeling I get from watching snow fall. My girls and I enjoyed it immensely. The electricity went out which only added to the festive feeling since we could sit around enjoying the fire. We drank hot cocoa and will soon bake snowflake shaped sugar cookies. (Now that the power is back on.) Here are some snapshots of "our" winter wonderland:

Our backyard as the snow started.

Our backyard a little later.

No hanging out clothes today!

Our front yard after it had snowed a while.

Candace captured this cardinal.

I loved watching the birds come to the feeder.

Candace had a friend come over. We took a little excursion.

Candace trying to get me with a snowball. Her friend is smart and took off a little farther.

We stopped by the community cemetery.

Our dog Sam had to be included.

It was a beautiful day!

Drum roll please.....

IT...IS...SNOWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Hope to have pictures later today!)

Making Gift Bags

I have quite a few "Happy" gifts to give this year. You know the kind - tokens of love for friends, family, Sunday school classes, party favors, etc. Wrapping can get expensive, even if the paper, bags, and bows come from the $-Tree. I know this idea isn't new, but I thought I'd share what I'm doing this year.

Take a regular paper bag. (This is a lunch bag. I hope to get some white ones later.)

Measure and mark 4 and 6 inches from the top and draw lines on both sides of the bag.

Gently begin rolling down the top edge all the way around. This is the tricky part. Do it slowly. There may be some tearing, but it shouldn't show when you are finished.

Keep rolling it down until the top edge meets the 4 inch line. Make sure the fold is crisp. (Sorry I didn't get this picture turned around.)

Now do the same thing with your new top edge. This time meet the 6 inch mark.

Walah!

Decorate any way you want using paints, markers, crayons, whatever! The possibilities are endless! Punch holes and add ribbon handles in the color and style of your choice. A little tissue paper will complete the look.

Aren't they adorable?

Go Saints!

March, 2008, Cassie decided to purchase the perfect gift for Raymond...tickets to a Saints game. (When she saw the price she decided it would be the perfect Birthday-Father's Day-Christmas gift.) Her plan was to buy a pair of tickets for her and Raymond, but Kyle really, really wanted to go. Since Cassie wasn't willing to buy his, he paid for his own. Even way back in March the rival game between the Saints and the Atlanta Falcons was nearly sold out, and she couldn't purchase just three tickets. They only came in sets of two. I paid for the fourth one and was reimbursed by my MIL who wanted to go too.

We held that wonderful secret until Father's Day when Cassie presented her perfect gift. Raymond was speechless and in disbelief. It was, indeed, the perfect gift for him. Then came the long wait from June to December 7th. During that time Mawmaw had her terrible accident. There was no way she would make the game. She graciously gave her ticket to me.

Yesterday was the big day!

Kyle, Raymond, Cassie, and me before we left at 7:00 AM. (#25 Reggie Bush, #26 Deuce McAllister, Cassie and I in "Souther Belle" shirts that say, "Southern Belles Love Their Saints!")

Louisianna Super Dome!

Pictures don't do it justice. It's breath-taking to view the field for the first time.

Awwww...brother and sister love each other...at least when Mom makes them smile. :-)

Part of my favorite team...the Jeffcoats!

It was an awesome day, and the Saints won 29 - 25!

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Happy Thankgiving to all! Our family of 5 will celebrate here at home, then travel to the hospital to spend some time with my Mother-in-Law who is doing well in rehab after accidentally cutting her foot off over a week ago.

Our menu for today:

Grilled Ribeye steaks (Bought on sale!)
Yeast rolls - from scratch
Mac and cheese - from scratch
Butter beans - home grown, picked, and frozen
Deviled Eggs - from scratch
Pecan pie - from scratch
Cherry Cheese cake - from a box mix :-)

Yum! Yum!

I'd better get back to cooking now.

My Mother-in-Law Accidentally Cut Off Her Foot

Now, if that doesn't get your attention, I don't know what will. My First reaction was WHAT?!?!?!?! I mean, how does one accidentally cut off their foot?!?!?!? Well, some of the details are sketchy, but here's what I think I know: She had just hooked her little dog to a cable in the yard before going to revival. Somehow the cable unknowingly got wrapped around her foot and she drove off severing her foot just above the ankle. I'm not exactly sure how help came, but Johnny (Raymond's step-brother) managed to get her to the hospital in Poplarville, MS. (Which is a very, very small community hospital.) From there she was air-lifted to Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg where they did surgery to clean up the wound. They were unable to re-attach her foot. She received 3 units of blood. The family was able to see her before surgery. She has a long road of recovery ahead of her both physically and emotionally. The doctor said there will most probably be other surgeries. I'm not sure what this means for our immediate family. She will need care for a long time. Will she come live with us? I'm more than willing for that to happen, but we have to move from this house by the middle of January. We have a couple of temporary options, but we need permanent ones. Raymond has a temporary job, but we need a permanent one. It has been a very, very trying few months for us. Yet God has generously provided our needs and I'm more than grateful to everyone He's used to do that. I keep hearing God say, "I'm in control. Wait on Me." When I got in my car last night to drive home "Everlasting God" was playing on KLOVE. If you know that song it says, "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord." That's what I'm trying to do today.

Huh?

I read a CNN article today that begs for comment. It seems that D.C. buses will soon be carrying this message: "Why believe in god? Just be good for goodness' sake". Believe it or not, that's not what I'm commenting on.

Top of the page bullets summarize the article. The last point being: "Humanist spokesman says agnostics, atheists feel isolated during holidays" This is where I go, "Huh?" I mean, why should agnostics and atheists feel isolated during the holidays? Let's face it, Thanksgiving and Christmas (or Hanukkah or Ramadan for that matter) aren't their holidays! There is no one to thank on Thanksgiving and no one to celebrate on Christmas if there's no God. Why should they feel left out or even care?

My family and I lived in a Muslim part of Europe for two years. We never felt "isolated" during their holidays. Though we are Christians we'd sometimes be invited to share in a special meal (and awesome goodies such as baklava!!) for friendship's sake, but never did we feel isolated. Why should we? We weren't Muslim; those weren't our holidays!

America is a free country; if people don't want to believe in God (or don't care about God) that's their right. But don't whine about the holidays! After all, the word "holiday" is a contraction of "holy" and "day". If someone doesn't believe in anything holy, then they've missed out in more ways than one. That's their choice. If they happen to be included in the festivities of people of faith, then do it for friendship's sake and be blessed. Ooops...can't be blessed if there is no "Higher Power".

I'm off my soap box now.

God's Word to me today via Kay Arthur

"O precious One, whatever your need, learn to run first to the out-stretched arms of Calvary where you will find His all-sufficient grace, grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 416). Then wait...wait on the Lord, that He might provide in His perfect way and His perfect time all your need. Not to do so is to end up in the horrible distress that comes when we will not walk in obedience of faith."

from Teach Me How to Live A second devotional journey with Kay Arthur

Interesting Sight...

We had rain last night. Today there was a bouquet of mushrooms in the yard.

Isn't it cool?

Any ideas on what kind this is? (Comes from one root.) Could it be the Armillaria tabescens?

A Christmas Star

A couple of years ago a dear friend of the family made an origami star out of $1.00 bills. It was so cool! I decided it would be a great Christmas ornament if done in yellow paper.

I was right! Isn't it cute?

I just cut some paper the size of dollar bills and then followed the video I found.

Enjoy!


5 Dollar Origami Star -

You can turn the sound down as it only has written instructions. The music is just background.

Giving Thanks

My friend Amy over at Dandelion Seeds is "Giving Thanks Every Day" for her blessings. I'm not organized enough to post every day, but I'd like to post some things I'm thankful for as they come to mind. I've been in the doldrums lately, but really shouldn't be with so many blessings. Here I go:

1. I talked with two ladies today who lost husbands when they were young. I'm thankful I still have my wonderful husband of 24 years.

2. Our family was blessed with a very generous, anonymous, monetary gift today.

3. A friend blessed me with a very thoughtful and creative gift today.

4. I went to vote with my son today...it was his first time.

5. This morning on my walk I saw a large flock of birds fly over in perfect "V" formation. It made me feel peaceful to know such organization couldn't just have "happened".

6. We've been invited to eat supper with some dear friends tonight.

**to be continued**

Your Grace is Enough...Or is it????

2 Corinthians 12:9 But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

**Pretend you hear Chris Tomlin singing “Your Grace is Enough” in the background. If you have a hard time pretending you can click here.**

I love this song.

I've sung it with the radio while driving to Wal-mart.

I've sung it live in Daytona Beach, Florida with Chris Tomlin. (I was part of the audience.)

I've sung it with my praise team as we led Sunday morning worship.

I've sung it in my head as I've completed chores around the house.

Maybe you have too. It's a catchy tune reminding us of Paul's great declaration of God's sufficient grace in 2 Corinthians 12:9.

I have no doubt that in reality all we truly need is God's grace. He said it Himself: My grace is sufficient for you. And God does not lie. He knows that the absolutely worst thing that can happen to us is hell, and His grace and brutal sacrifice offer us deliverance from that. My question is: Do we believe it? Do I believe it? There's a lot going on in my life right now, and I'll confess that too often I find myself weak, vulnerable, and complaining. If I was completely honest the song might go something like this:

Your Grace - plus a good paying job, nice house, plenty of food, faithful friends, and healthy bodies - is enough for me. (Hmm...doesn't flow quite as well, does it?)

I'm reminded time and time again: God gave me everything He had when He gave me grace. He gave me Himself. Everything else should pale in comparison.

Seven Things God Does Not Know

When I was either a senior in high school or a freshman in college (about 25 years ago), my pastor preached a sermon entitled "Seven Things God Does Not Know". I was captivated by the title and wrote down all seven points. I carried that piece of paper for years until I eventually lost it. Well, the lost has been found. (Cleaning up and packing does have a way of bringing things to the surface.) I want to share these seven things with my readers just because I think they are interesting and so maybe I won't misplace them again. :-) (Verses in parentheses were found by me.)

• A Greater Plan of Salvation – John 1:12-13
• Another way to be saved than Acts 4:12
• How you will escape so great a salvation – Hebrews 2:3
• A hotter place than hell – Luke 16:23-24
• A “blacker” sin than rejecting His Son – John 3:16 (See also Mark 9:48)
• A longer period of time than eternity (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
• A greater place than heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17)

Hey, Bro. Maxie, you should be proud I remembered that sermon after all these years! :-)

"Sleeping Dust Bunnies: Do Not Disturb"

Hurricane CP has disturbed my poor, sleeping dust bunnies. (If you have no clue what I'm talking about, click on the link.)

I've been cleaning out and have already gathered 8 or 9 boxes of junk treasures for an upcoming garage sale. A friend asked if I was throwing "off everything that hinders". I had to laugh. I'm keeping waaaay too much stuff to say I'm "Throwing off everything."

But I am cleaning out things that have needed it for a long time. (I'm sure the trash collectors wish I'd stop.)

Today I popped over a dozen unmarked CDs into the computer to figure out what was on them.
In more serious news...my husband had a nuclear stress test this past Monday. (Come to think of it, this should be a breeze compared to Hurricane CP.)

According to the doctor there is a 90% chance Raymond has a blockage. He will be having a Cardiac Cath done this coming Monday around 8:00 AM.

Please pray that all goes well and that if something is wrong it can be fixed without surgery.

Thanks! Have a blessed weekend!