AUGUST 20. 2022!!!

Look who turned 3! OUR SWEET GOLDIE!

TRUSTING!

TALENTED!!

TERRIFFIC!!!

...& added LOTS of sprinkles to her birthday cake!

CHOOSE: TO CELEBRATE THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT 2017

For Christians, Advent is a time of waiting. Waiting for the Lord. Celebrating His birth at Christmas.
After seeing the movie "Star" with two of my grands we walked through the neighborhood to see decorations.
After seeing lots of Snoopy and Grinch Christmas decorations we came upon a large Nativity tableau.

Peering into the manger, Lucy, somewhat stunned,  asked, "Where is the baby?" My response was that maybe since it wasn't Christmas yet,  they would put the baby in the manger on Christmas Day.
Recently, I mailed Lucy info to explain the way we, her daddy's family, celebrate the 4 Sundays of  "Advent," even including some carols we sing and a small gift to open----as a way of focusing on the One who is the "reason for the season." It's a way pf making the "waiting" for Christmas a little easier.

Tonight we had our first Advent with grandson, Owen. Hubby read the Isaiah 9:6 scripture, "For unto us a child is born..." I shared the story of advent and then he, as his mother had always done on the first Sunday, lit the "candle of faith." We sang , "O Come all Ye Faithful" and then he "Scrooged" the candle out and opened his gift.

What a blessing to choose to celebrate "Advent" with grandchildren.

A Love Transfer

Love isn't put in your heart to stay;

Love isn't love 'til you give it away. (Unknown)

Not sure when or where I learned that little ditty, but it was ringing in my heart this morning after Andrew, our rough and tumble 5 yr. old grandson, (ck out the bruised eye & band-aids) came sneaking up on me while I was having a "quiet time" on the patio.

Hiding something in his hand behind his back, we played a guessing game of sorts and he revealed he had found something special on his walk with PopPop.

Eventually, I gave up and he showed it to me announcing, "This is for you."

A treasure---just as he had said. A heart-shaped leaf.

God's gift of creation (Gen.2:9a) lovingly transferred through the grimy hands of a young boy.

Brown and a little crispy.....and I loved it! Of course I did.

Next week when we head for home, I won't leave my heart in Texas. 

I plan on taking it home with me, pressed between the pages of my journal.

SNOW DAYS

Memphis' snow fizzled but I stayed in and read a book anyway----the magic strings of Frankie Presto narrated by the voice of "Music"---an interesting read. The blind Maestro said to his young protege Francisco, "The secret is not to  make your music louder, but to make the world quieter." (p. 137)

Lucy's snow took on blizzard proportions and she stayed in and read to her "friends."

READING-----a perfect pastime for literary ladies, both old and young!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY---NOAH JOSHUA

Happy 12th Birthday to Noah---actor, athlete, artist, author, musician, brother extraordinaire!

Where have the years gone! Love & Birthday Prayers!

Gift Extraordinaire

I know there is probably no such thing as a "perfect" gift but for needed a key-chain, "map lovin' granny" who loves her kids and grands where ever they are----this one is pretty close!!

A key ring map that shows all the places closest to my heart---New York---Lucy, Tennessee---Owen,

Texas---Nathan, Noah, Caleb, John Parker and Andrew. (Proverbs 17:6)

Thanks Day----this is truly a gift extraordinaire. A gift that touches my heart!

Giving and Receiving--More than an Adage

It is better to give than receive. An old adage that researchers say "proves" to be correct.

I had visual truth of that tonight as I saw grandaughter Lucy open and put to use the "gift" we sent her. Lucy is so-o-o "into" decorating this year. Her "gift" was a box of "treasures," her daddy's childhood ornaments---handmade, received and collected for many years. 

FaceTime with watching Lucy decorate and find just the right place on her tree was the BEST gift!

Lucy shows her favorite of Daddy's ornaments---an aluminum foil star made by him as a pre-schooler.

It is indeed better to give than receive but it's more than an adage, it's scriptural! And....the wording goes even deeper. (Acts 20:35)

Lucy received a gift. I received a blessing!

SAD-urday

Pinkness came......in her pink tutu pajamas.....

....Pinkness.......captivated her cousins from the youngest to the oldest.....

......and all the ones in between.

Pinkness conquered....right down to her pink-tipped socks in the cousins' "good-by" picture.
Saying good-by to all these "grands" made this a real SAD-urday!

BOY COUSINS' DAY

Cousins' Day is really July 24th but tonight all the boy cousins were together at dinner to give a "wave out" to cousin Lucy, the only female in this cousins' camp.

So to our sweet Lucy in Brooklyn these "waves" are for you!!! 

We miss you and will see you in Texas at Thanksgiving! 

Love from Nathan, Noah, Caleb, John Parker, Andrew and Owen.

DONUT DAY

What a way to begin a day--- donuts with Lucy from Doughnut Plant in Brooklyn.

Oh my....so-o-o many choices.

Guess who chose chocolate!

A yummy way to begin our day!

Sharing Memories

Headin' to Brooklyn New York to see family. If I don't post til next weekend, you'll know why.

Taking Lucy some old faves from our family including the "Lady with the Alligator Purse" ditty and of course the "old" person to go with it. 

So excited. Haven't seen Lucy since last Christmas----and pre-schoolers (3) grow so quickly.

"I'm late. I'm late......"

11/2/13 "I'm late. I'm late for a very important date......" said the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. A storybook rabbit who understood that "time is of the essence." Alice chased him thinking that the very important date must be a party.

Lateness seems to be the character trait of many. Excuses vary but usually have a commonality...running out of time.

Well tomorrow all of us get an extra hour in our daylight. Some will sleep through it, some will overwork in it and some will miss the opportunity completely because they forgot about the Day Light Savings time "fall back" instructions. 

"Time is the Measure of Life Itself" was the intro Donna Taylor wrote in her monthly newsletter. I paraphrased some valuable "time-life" snippets I gleaned from her:

• Time is God's gift and should not be wasted. (Ephesians 5:16)
• Busyness that robs us of time....can rob us of important things left undone because we ran out of time.
• Twice a year when we adjust our clocks and watches for DST, maybe we should check our inner clock and see if it needs adjusting.

Evaluating our time usage my keep us from being late for important events. I dare not run in to church in the morning saying, "I'm late, I'm late......" because it's important not to give up meeting together...so we can encourage one another. (Hebrews 10:25) 

**Fun pictures that just appeared in my email---so 

"timely" and adorable that I just had to share them!

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  Lucy, our own Alice in Wonderland

  

   A very important event---experiencing the Sweet Rewards of learning to say "Trick of Treat" at local businesses 

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: that make me smile

"Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers."
Proverbs 17:6

 8/26/12 Nothing brings a smile to a grandmother’s face much quicker than seeing her grands----and when they live faraway, a GOOD picture will have to suffice.