Oh my! It's been awhile...

Sorry everone! Life caught up with me this weekend.

Saturday night we jammed in our 'new' basement studio. My grandkids came down with the chicken pox on Monday and last night we jammed again.

It is such fun, learing to play instruments especially when you have other people with like desire. I think we started around 7 pm and no one left til 10:30.

Even my dog enjoys the music. She guards the 'mosh pit'. Sometimes though, we catch her napping. I don't know if that's because of the sounds or she's just tired.

I tossed and turned all night, reliving the music and fun. When my husband got up this morning I told him 'I'm too excited to sleep.' (TV commercial about Disney)

If anyone out there is bored with their life, learn to play guitar. It's a blast.

WHEW!

It's the third week in a row that I've entered the writing challenges on Faithwriters. They keep my mind busy with writing. They sure aren't on the top 40 list but at least I am putting something on paper (or computer screen, anyway).

Had music practice last night. They're encouraging me to sing louder but I don't want to step on anyone's toes.

My husband and I love the song by Josh Turner called 'The Long Black Train'. I can't believe that my husband loves and sings a Christian song. God sure does find the exact way into a man's heart. My husband's is music.

If we leave it up to God, He moves through the desires of those He's trying to reach. It may be through video games, songs, books, science or whatever a heart desire is crying.

Will I never cease to be amazed even though I know God is above all and in all.

The more I know of Him, the more there is to know. Praise God, You're amazing!

Public Display

We'll we did it! My husband and I debuted at a local nursing home on Saturday.

Thankfully we weren't alone and the rest of the group carried our feeble attempts as backup.

Inexplicable joy filled our hearts as we watched the residents tapping their feet, clapping their hands and singing along. We may have been out of tune a few times but they wanted more.

We felt that we gave them a little of the sunshine of remembered times and tunes. Many wanted to know when we were coming back.

We only lost one resident during the performance. The ambulance attendents came and took one out on the stretcher. They assured us it was a routine pickup and nothing more. As they wheeled out the gurney, the one attendent danced a jig out through the doors and into the hallway. What fun!

It's a Dandy

This spring is truly blessed by God, that is, unless you have allergies.

The trees are engulfed with masses of blossoms turning trees into total color.

I hope for abundant fruit this summer. I can't wait for cherries, blackberries and pears. But that will mean that the season has started its downhill climb to fall and winter.

One thing for sure, we have piles of dandelions. How can my mown yard have myriads of yellow bursts and the wild fields have just a little?

Does that mean that the more exposed you are, the weeds grow all the more? I don't know. It sure is tough to get rid of them...dandelions.

I'm just going to enjoy the month of May. May flowers, brought by April showers, refresh my soul and cause a stirring of adoration for my Creator.

Even if they are just dandelions, the Lord God made them all.

Nailed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

'Tis the season of prom. Prom, prom....prom.

This world is getting scarier all the time. Have you seen the new fashions?

Where are the parents when these girls make the dress decisions? I can't imagine schools letting girls in the door with their stomachs and thighs showing.

I came across this picture, the other day and wondered how a person could balance themselves.



Agree?

Apprehended At Last

Someone has been eating my young hosta plants.

He exposed himself yesterday evening and we got him on film.

HURRAY! USA!

Ya know, I'm getting very tired of the news and politicians these days. I'm fed up with the propaganda fed to us about the war in Iraq.

There was a time that it was honorable to support our troops in their efforts to give freedom to some one else. It was patriotic to be in the military, to serve your country.

There are also people who say we are a country that will disintegrate from within, as most 'empires' have in the past. Sure, we're experiencing a lot of internal problems, mostly of our own making.

One aspect that cannot be denied, is that the MAJORITY of Americans are inherently STRONG, MORAL, COURAGEOUS AND PATRIOTIC. It is an undeniable fact that we can and will rise up together to defeat any threat to our country.

We all want peace and isn't peace worth any cost? Isn't the laying down of our personal lives for the lives or life of another, valuable? Of course it is.

Without the laying down of ONE life for the lives of ALL, we would have no hope of a BETTER life to come. It's what we are all striving for, if we are honest with ourselves.

That's the problem...SELF. The power-hungry want it all. They want control.

But, that's where they go wrong. You cannot control the 'will' of a person. The person has to give up their 'will'. There is no way anyone can do that because they always maintain possession of their will.

One thing about Americans...you can kick us, abuse us, attack us, buy us out, accuse us, threaten us, defeat us...BUT WE WILL ALWAYS GET BACK UP TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY. And watch out...because the old saying goes: Beat me once...shame on you, beat me twice...shame on me. We don't like shame because we have pride in what we stand for as a country.

Americans still believe that we are One Country Under God. Just take a look at the pictures below, courtesy of Ray "Bubba" Sorensen, artist.

I'm told that there is a huge rock near a gravel pit on Hwy.25 in rural Iowa. For generations, kids have painted slogans, names, and obscenities on this rock, changing its character many times. A few months back, the rock received its latest paint job, and since then it has been left completely undisturbed. It's quite an impressive sight. Be sure to scroll down and check out the multiple photos (all angles) of the rock. I thought the flag was draped over the rock, but it's not. It's actually painted on the rock too.

Legacies

Do you ever wonder how you look to others? I do.

Can they see Christ in me?

As I wandered through the flea market on Sunday morning, I came to a stand with a lot of books. The seller had arranged the books on a table, along with jewelry and little oddities.

My husband asked her a question about a cd she had for sale.

She said 'I don't know. They were my sister's.'

Just from what she said, I assumed that her sister has died. I looked closer at the books and thought 'Is this her legacy? Is this all that is left behind for a stranger to get a glimpse into her life?'

She certainly had a seeking heart. Her book interests were laid bare to the world. Such topics as Buddha, inner peace, healing, how to get in touch with your inner self and so forth. I only saw one book about God.

A man standing next to me purchased a gold cross for $40 from the seller. Was that her sister's too?

I would have liked to know the story of this woman. If there was an ending, I hope it was salvation.

When I'm gone, what will my belongings tell others who didn't know me? Will they look at my writer's manuals and say 'She should have read them more'?

Will they find my unfinished cross-stitch pieces? How about the treasured items of jewelry from my mother?

I hope that they 'read' more than earthly objects. I pray they know that I knew Jesus.