All The Leaves are Brown and The Skies are Grey

The 107 degree dog days of last summer have turned in to the black dog days of winter.  Winter no longer holds any thrill for me because snow seems to have nearly disappeared from this region.  Cold without snow is just wrong. Scant dustings, measley weather advisories, less than an inch predictions,  but no wildly exciting downpours of snow that used to come a time or two a year, sometimes more.  Sometimes WAY more, like the winter of 1977 in Ohio County, or 1994 in Paducah, KY or even 2010 in Owensboro, KY where we did not get any major accumulations but it snowed off and on all winter.  I would like some depth, or a snow-in, or a blizzard warning, but no, not happening. Just cold AND wet:

BRRRR and grey

Winter has lost its fun, gosh, last winter nothing even died.  My garden rebloomed in late February and spring started out so hopeful.  Then we broke the heat record for 11 days in a row, up to 107 degrees for several days, and our hope and aspirations sizzled away, as grass took over the beautiful Square Foot gardens.  Surely you remember:

How we started :)

Still looking good...

Hmmmmm, and then silence.  Nothing else about the garden.  I have always said I get over summer after the 4th of July and my birthday.  The temps last summer added to my desire for fall. Aaaaahhhh, fall!  But even it seemed subdued and I used a yahoo! image for the post:

Beautiful but unrelated to our lives

I think I have been sucked up in to the higher education vortex and I am sure that is a good thing in the future kind of way.  But in the present kinda way, I miss making art pages, and cooking special meals, and wandering around Hobby Lobby, and on and on. But hopefully advanced degree = job that is easier on my legs and back.  I guess I am in a period of turmoil right now and I miss sitting on the couch pinning away, reading Facebook, and running down internet rabbit holes.  Outside the world seems capable of just about anything, so I guess it is good to be distracted by something.

I am counting the days til spring and the rebirth of the countryside, when it will be warmer, and we will have longer days, and be able to make some Vitamin D almost every day.  All of those things seem to add up to feeling better while winter merely chills my bones and keeps me indoors.  I believe it is 41 days til March.  And doesn't that sound like we are moving in the right direction?

First, the groundhog, then cupid, then the Irish guy, then this guy LOL

Hope this made you smile :) Feel those endorphins!

Christmas Greetings

This year I have had plenty of Christmas spirit. Tracy and I have been doing an advent devotional since the first Sunday in advent, morning and evening. We have been focusing on preparing our hearts for His arrival. Several things stand out in my mind so far.

First, words from Jason Bare's song, "For The First Time" have been a big part of the season.

Any moment it could happen
He knew it was time by the look in her eyes
There was Joseph
Holding Mary
In this stable they wait
For this babe to arrive
In a world so dark
Heaven and Earth would collide
And would change who they are
As she laid him in a manger
Creation was hushed by the sound of His cry
And their eyes were filled with wonder
Could this be the same voice that brought us to life
Unbelievable
The promise is this little child
What a miracle
This was the first time
Mortal eyes would see the Savior
The first night
Heaven sings a song with nature
Alleluia , Alleluia
The world has seen the light
For the first time
As she rocks Him on her shoulder
Did she know it was only a matter of time
That one day when He is older
He will open His arms and give up His life
But tonight He sleeps
As angels sing through the night
Of His majesty
Glory to God in the highest
Peace on earth
Glory to God in the highest
Peace on earth
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
This was the first time
This was the first night.

I can only imagine the angels over Bethlehem, praising Jesus throughout that night. I wish I'd been there to see that awesome display of praise and worship. I imagine God missing His Son in heaven but looking down upon earth with such mercy. O come let us adore Him indeed. Yesterday after our devotional we praised Jesus for His first coming and longed for His second coming!

Times like these make me long for His return, when all things will be made right and He will be enthroned to rule and reign forever. "...and of His government and peace there shall be no end." Take a few moments, close your eyes and clearly imagine that day. Oh my! What a day it will be.

 

   ~Merry Christmas~

 

 

 

 

Love, love, love!!!

There is really nothing else to say :) ~sigh~

Kyrie Eleison

O Christ, have mercy...

On us as individuals,

As families,

As coworkers, as a nation,

Have mercy on our world, O Lord,

Have mercy on us. 

Life Is Confusing

The past few weeks have been kinda crazy and depressing. But I am focusing on the blessings :) First I'm looking forward to the entire holiday season. Second, one more discussion post and I'm done with this  school term and have 10 days off YAY! Most of all I get Miranda and grand baby love soon (Corey, too :) Tomorrow I get to spend with Tracy. YAY again!

But most of all how about this picture of enthusiasm? Enough said...

And in the Spirit of the coming season, O come let us adore Him as we move closer to Christmas Day.

The Autumn Spirit

 

Autumn has arrived and I am back!  I have missed writing here, writing just what I wanted to say instead of selected topics and assignments.  Oh my gosh, life is crazy! Change walked in the door and decided to stay.  I can't even describe it all.

One day Miranda mentioned that she thought I should go back to school for the ten millionth time.  Guess what?  I sent off for some information that night and the next week I was in my first courses.  I am now a student at Walden University and I am pursuing a Master's in Nursing with a focus in nursing education.  Okay, let me admit it now! I should have done this a long time.  Miranda, YOU WERE RIGHT!!! lol  I am super thrilled by school and all I am learning.

Oh yeah, the week after I started school, I started a new job.  Kinda, well, I went back to The Medical Center, to the ER.  Yeah, I knoooooow!  Crazy me, thinking I would leave ER forever.  Tried that before and it never works.  Let me say that it is wonderful to be back!  I missed the variety of patients and I am constantly applying school to work and work to school.  Quite exciting, huh?

Tracy is finishing up three more weeks of classroom study and in November, he starts his nursing practicum, which is a month, working as a nurse in the clinical setting.  I am so excited for him and so very proud of him.  He will be the best kind of nurse, one that is smart, but also caring!  He is so precious to me.

Miranda is in school!!!  Imagine after all these years, we are in school at the same time.  Such a sweet and loving girl she is!  I am proud of her and Corey and thankful that they are my children.  Our precious granddaughters are growing so fast and I long for the day we can spend more time with them.

Another big change is my new commitment to seeking God's presence and allowing Him to make me more and more like His Son!  I am 52 years old, it is about time I quit squirming.  LOL  I can't even begin to share all the glorious happenings that are going on inside of me but I will share more of the goodness of my Father in the future.  I won't be able to help myself!

While considering the sun above me, I thought about how bright it is, the biggest energy and power source we have here on earth.  Heat, fire, shining over the earth.  We respect that power, that force.  If someone offered to drop us off there we would cry, "No thank you, I would burn up completely!"

But God, the Creator of that same sun, that sun that is a mere spark compared to His light, God gets no worship from many, no fear from His people, no consideration, no supremacy.

Humans are perverse and their minds are crooked.  And He loves us still...Teach me to love like that, O Lord.   May the truth of Your kingdom reign in us!

Well, maybe we have caught up but I doubt it...will do better to keep up here and I hope you will stay tuned for the exciting happenings yet to come!