One Thousand Gifts and a Scripture – 5

http://www.aholyexperience.com

36. Visiting Friends at Donner Lake

37.  Oldest grandson that always gives me a hug when we meet.

38.  Watching squirrels

39.  Little girl learning to say words.

40.  The counter is free from clutter. (It isn’t clear now but I love it when it is.)

41.  Gift of Geraniums from a friend

42.  Bouquets of leftover flowers

43.  Watching Iris open

44.  My favorite yellow rose, Golden Celebration

45.  Being content on Cozy Acres

46.  Sharing a craft with daughter-in-law, love you

47.  Suffering with a grandchild during ‘time-out’

48.  Love his FEET, Seemore Toes
1Timothy 6:17  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;    and I’m thankful.

Published in: on May 9, 2011 at 9:40 am  Comments (1)  

Spring on Cozy Acres

After two nights of the Farmer and I kicking off the winter weight comforter, I brought out a lighter weight blanket for our bed.

Someone laughed.

That night the delta breezes of Sacramento came blowing into the valley.  The Farmer came to bed and immediately turned on the heated mattress pad.

Someone is laughing.

A little while later, I heard ” Is there another blanket, I’m shivering?”

I got up and pulled the winter blanket out of the bath tub. (Only if you are a full-timer RVer while you understand that showers and bathtubs are used for many things besides showering and bathing.) The comforter was laid over the lighter weight blanket.

Someone snickered.

After the Farmer and I warmed up, he slept comfy and warm, I, on the other hand, tossed the comforter and enjoyed the lighter blanket.

Psalms 121:4  Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. (. . .but He might chuckle)

Published in: on May 7, 2011 at 7:47 pm  Leave a Comment  

If I knew I could, I would

This is Friday, I attempt to write on the topic the Gypsy Mama chooses. I am always surprised at what comes out of my fingers.
Join me if you dare

http://thegypsymama.com/2011/04/five-minute-friday-if-i-knew-i-could-i-would

Go

If I knew I could I would TRAVEL!

a driving trip to Alaska

and across Canada

over to PE Island

down through the New England states

follow east coast south and then west.

I would observe and see and look and learn.

I would live in Washington State and North Carolina.

I would observe………

I feel narrow and limited……by my owns fears

I would lift the top off the box; slip out; peer around and SMILE!
You know what, my hands are raised,
I’m starting to push…and…
LOOK
there is a glimmer of light
just a small crack
but it is there
I CAN, IF I WOULD……..

Stop…..breath, it always seems like I’m holding my breath, when the words start coming fast.

Image borrowed from – http://ezine-engine.author-engine.com, thank you.

Published in: on April 29, 2011 at 11:52 am  Comments (1)  

Hard Love

I couldn’t get the button to copy. Here I am again on Friday,
spreading my fingers wide and seeing what will fall out.

http://thegypsymama.com/2011/04/five-minute-friday-the-hard-love/
Write five minutes, no fixin’ gulp!
Five Minute Friday — Hard Love

Go

Hard love is going the distance love.
it’s praying, crying, for the right words love.
its knowing the words will hurt, because the words are hurting you.
It’s writing the words,
repeating the words
living the words, doubting the words, coming back to the words.
It’s standing on the porch love,
it’s waiting love,
it’s struggling love,
it’s dark love without sometimes a glimmer of hope love
it’s preparing love
it is hoping against hope love
it is knowing that if you could read the last chapter of the story,
knowing all the tears, doubts, prayers, disappointments,
you would live the story anyway because hard love is worth it all.

especially from the porch you look down the road and see her coming home.

stop

now I can breath it seemed I was holding my breath the whole time five minutes.

Published in: on April 22, 2011 at 10:48 am  Comments (3)  

One Thousand Gifts and A Scripture – 4

                                 

One thousand Gifts   April 18, 2011

24/25. this washer and dryer, large tubs and a light in the back of the dryer. . . (for finding things in the dark?).


26.  my shed, also known as fabric shop, yarn barn, pantry, puzzle and game place. office supply, and goodwill collection box.


27. flowers from Lincoln Avenue to be planted at Cozy Acres.

28. I love chocolate cake with ( as Corbin says) bo’nilla icing and ‘sprinklers’


29/30. chickens and fresh eggs are a special.

31. volunteer viola in March, same viola last week

33. a favorite motto

34. my re-arranged corner ready to sew

35. the beginning of garden, 2011

Isaiah 61:11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

Published in: on April 18, 2011 at 11:24 pm  Comments (1)  

On Distance

Got five minutes? Let’s write. Let’s finger paint with words

http://thegypsymama.com/2011/04/five-minute-friday-on-distance/

Ready ……Set……….GO

The distance …going the distance

from a beginning….from a start

there is an end

I want to go the distance

it doesn’t matter how long the journey

It doesn’t matter what road I have to travel: supper highway or country lane; but to behonest I prefer the lalne

I’m a voyeur, an observer in a nice kind of way

I watch and wonder

I’m learning to appreciaate all the things I see along the way

I don’t want to miss a single thing.

but to go the distance ….takes

time

determination

preservance

stick-to-it-ness

stubbornness

focus

love for what is the distination!

I am going the distance, one day at a time, meeting the new, learning, improving, and yes

even though, I love to travel alone

would you like to travel a way with me………….

Stop

Okay a couple typos, it’s all apart of the distance.

Published in: on April 15, 2011 at 10:20 am  Comments (4)  

At Grandma Crain’s

I spent a week this spring staying with Grandma Crain while Shirley and William went on vacation. I always take a lot of  projects that have been sitting around a while, because I know I’ll not be distracted by life while I’m staying there. Life doesn’t intrude here. There is a doctor’s appt occasionally and the need for food, church once a week,  garden club meeting once a month, but that is about all if you’re Grandma Crain, and when you stay with Grandma: you are on her schedule.

Grandma’s schedule: Up about 7:oo, breakfast, devotions, some hand work (embroidery or crochet, mending by hand), get the newspaper and read it, a little gardening, lunch, nap/reading time, get the mail and read it, more hand work and gardening and reading, supper, more hand work or reading, 6:30 get ready for bed, about 7:00 lights out in the master bedroom.

So I have much time during the day and the long quiet evenings to catch up on UFP’s. (unfinished projects) This is where I worked on the quilt projects:

Grandma’s is a two acre plot of ground on a pot-holed paved lane off a main road outside of Redding, CA. The front half of property is developed with circle driveway in front of a 3 bedroom 2 bath ranch style home. Sounds fairly normal, right—but you’d be wrong. It is hard to describe the Flower Garden, Grandma’s on going project of almost 32 years.

I’ll try to give a small picture tour of what I saw this spring, March, 2011.

This is the view east from the front porch.

From here I walked down the driveway to left, back up right side, then to  behind master bedroom, the back garden and undeveloped area, flowers by the side patio door and the humming birds at the feeder.

The pictures got a little mixed up in the uploading, sorry. As you can see Spring is here. If I went back this month and took more pictures the flowers would be different and more plenteous. Each month more and different flowers to always have fresh flowers for church arrangements.  Yes, every Saturday flowers are picked and made into 4 bud vase size arrangements and one large arrangement placed in front of the stage.

I always enjoy staying at Grandma Crain’s, there is a peaceful serenity here where life doesn’t find a place to intrude.

Published in: on April 10, 2011 at 4:04 pm  Leave a Comment  

If you met me

Got five minutes? Let’s write. Let’s write in shades of real and true and unscripted.
Let’s just write and not worry if it’s just right or not.

http://thegypsymama.com/2011/04/five-minute-friday-if-you-met-me/

1. Write for 5 minutes flat for pure unedited love of the written word.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Go leave some comment props for the five minuter who linked up before you.

OK, are you ready? Give me your best five minutes for the prompt:

If you met me….

This is a first for me on Friday (Saturday), I’ve read many of your inspiring posts. Not sure just how to do this or what is going to happen:

Hold my nose    JUMP

Go

You would approach a closed door probably surrounded by a moat full of alligators.

I’m hard to met

I appear judgmental

I am afraid of saying the wrong things

I am afraid of you

but if you bravely persist or you think it worth the effort  —

You will find a heart that wants to help: but procrastinates until it’s too late.

You will find good intentions with varying urgency to get things done.

You will find a great starter, and a slow finisher

You will find imperfections  and a deep trust and confidence in the One who loves me just as I am

Stop

After time stops: Again, this is the first I’ve done this and what a topic to start on– as some one said – “I don’t know until I write what I am going to write.”

I read a lot of last Friday’s posts and knew if I wrote how far below the standard I would be. This writing has shown me that it’s time to find homes for the alligators, plant water lilies and buy swans for the moat; exchange the door for one painted red with small diamond shaped glass panes. . .

Published in: on April 9, 2011 at 7:25 pm  Comments (2)  

Just a Little Oil, Please

Yes this is the presser foot that is attached to my Singer Featherweight sewing machine. You wouldn’t think that an item that small would be the object of frustration, well, it was. Ideally, you press on that shiny bar and the machine starts sewing. Not this one, it stalled, it caught, it hesitated, it started and then wouldn’t stop.  I could tell what was suppose to happen; on the bottom side there are little slots that the little prongs are to slide through to allow contact with something inside to make the machine sew. The little prongs were not sliding, but catching, or not going through at all. After three sessions trying to sew and becoming more frustrated (mechanical I am not)


I thought of asking Elmer to look at the presser foot, I was in the middle of a project with a nearing deadline. I hesitated because sometimes the cure is long and drawn out as only a perfectionist can make it, but the sewing was not going well at all  I took the foot to the workshop sea crate and showed Elmer the problem, saying he had about an half hour to fix it. I left, I heard a little grinding then silence. In about 10 minutes I had the foot back, “ I oiled it. I don’t think there is any extra oil to get on the floor.”

I finished making the meatloaf, put it in the oven and went back to my project.  That little foot stopped it grumbling and grouching, stopped its complaining and trying to rush ahead with out any direction. Just a little oil from one who knew what things  need to make them work smoothly.

I finished my project, I thanked my husband. I began to think sometimes I’m like that little presser foot without the blessing of the oil of the Spirit on my attitude. One my favorites from  “Streams in the Desert” February 1 devotion states:

“My child, I have a message for you today; let me whisper it in your ear, that it may gild wit glory any storm clouds which may arise, and smooth the rough places upon which you have to tread. It is short, only five words, but let them sink into your inmost soul; use them as a pillow upon which to rest your weary head,

This thing is from ME.

This day I place in your hand this pot of holy oil. Make use of it free, my child. Let every circumstance that arises, every word that pains you, every interruption that would make you impatient, every revelation of your weakness be anointed with it. The sting will go as you learn to see ME in all things.   Laura A Barter Snow”(1st and last paragraphs)

I know that every time I get out that little black sewing machine and put its presser foot on the floor two things will happen: one, I’ll again be thankful Elmer oiled the presser foot and  two, I’ll check, am I oiled with that holy oil of God’s strength and grace?

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. 2Corinthians  12:9

Published in: on March 3, 2011 at 7:17 pm  Comments (1)  

One Thousand Gifts and A Scripture – 3

One thousand Gifts   February 21, 2011

19.  sleeping baby snores

20.  the heavy warm weight of a sleeping child

21.  trees wearing foo-foo waiting to put on their leaf green dresses

22.  trees waiting still and silent for spring

23.  acacia trees abloom with  bright yellow flowers

Genesis 1:14  And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

Published in: on February 22, 2011 at 12:42 am  Leave a Comment  

One Thousand Gifts and A Scripture – 2

One Thousand Gifts   February 19, 2011

11.  Curious cat named Buster

even more curious

12.  Cats are just special, especially their tails, love petting down their backs and up the tail.

13.  Bars of sun on the purple spring hyacinth

14.  Gentle reminder that God has ‘this’ day under control

15.  My shed in it’s winter attire

16.  Spring ready to shine

17.  My children, gifts from God

18.  My grandchildren, extra-special gifts

(Aren’t they the GREATEST!)

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD:
Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them:  Psalms 127:3,5

But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;   Psalms 103:17

What a precious promise from the Lord.

Published in: on February 19, 2011 at 4:23 pm  Leave a Comment  

A Living Sacrifice

January is rose pruning time. I spent part of an afternoon learning the basics of rose pruning. One principle is you can’t kill a rose. Another one is that there is no absolute right or wrong. way to prune.

I was dealing with some very over grown, chopped at roses. I doubt if any cost much, but they did have some pretty roses. We did some drastic cutting.  Dead wood, broken branches, cross-over canes and suckers had to go. The bush had to be opened up for good air flow; shaped for a pleasing appearance; and healthy wood to produce roses.

This lady wasn’t one of the worst, but did look neglected.

John 15:-1-2  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

My pruning was a work of faith. Open, now to fresh air and sunshine healthy wood, and it is still alive.

John 15:6  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Lots of brush was burned this day, and some were the rose prunings.

This burning wasn’t left unattended, but carefully watched.

When I first looked out at this fire pit filled with burning brush, I thought of the prayers as a sweet incense before God. Then I pondered what was being burned – trash.—that which was good for anything.

What does God want from me , a living sacrifice, a daily offering to God. If I find I’m being heard or seen instead of Jesus, then I must be pruned until the image of Christ can be seen

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 1Corinthians 3:12-13

Verse 16 of Psalms 116 is often  read during the memorial service of one who has served the Lord faithfully. As I read this Psalm it seemed like the verse was stuck in the middle of a description of what I needed to do daily in service for the Lord. I wondered isn’t  it precious in the Lord sight when I die out to myself and become more like his image; when I pay my vows; when I am God’s servant; when I offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving. So when I present myself a living sacrifice, the prunings burning are a sweet smelling savor before my Father.

What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?
I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.
I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.
I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.
I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the LORD’S house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.                 Psalms 116:12-19

Published in: on January 31, 2011 at 10:40 pm  Leave a Comment  

One Thousand Gifts and A Scripture

One Thousand Gifts   January 29, 2011

1.  Sunshine breaking through an overcast gray sky

2.  Poinsettias polka-a-dotted with dew drops

3.  Seymore stretching to drink from the bird bath

4.  Roses pruned ready to blossom with the warmth of the sun

5.  Quietness in my home

6.  A shed ready to create and play in

7.  A heater in the shed to chase the cold away

8.  A kind hearted Brother Bob’s gift of a clock for my shed,

even though it frightens me, when it bird songs the hour

9.  A duplex across the fence still wearing Christmas lights

10. A spider web found in the top of an often used fence post

2Peter 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

 

Published in: on January 29, 2011 at 2:52 pm  Leave a Comment  

Genesis 6-9

God saw how sinful the world had become and was sorry He had created man. God was ready to destroy everything, then He found Noah, ‘a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.’ So God made a plan to save Noah and his household and the animals and flying birds Noah would need to live his life after the flood. Noah did as God said, even though he had never seen rain; he didn’t understand the need for an ark like he was asked to build; and his neighbors didn’t understand and mocked and jeered. Noah build the ark and gathered and planned by faith in God.  At God’s time, Noah, his family and all the animals entered the ark. God shut the door. The rains came and the floods arose. Then Noah waited. He didn’t know what to expect next; God had said build an ark, He said enter, Noah could hear the rain and feel the motion of the flood. What Next? According the plan of God as He designed, the rain had to stop, the flood had to be absorbed into the ground, grasses and trees and bushed had to regrow, flowers and seed pods had to form for food for the animals. then when all was ready for man and beast it was time to exit the ark. What a clean fresh world it must have been! I can see animals leaping, hopping, running, stretching their legs after such along time in stalls. How good the new grass must have tasted! Noah and his family, fresh air, deep lungs full of cool fresh air! Fresh clean water! Flowers, vegetables, fruits ready to enjoy! No wonder Noah’s first thought was to thank God then only way he knew how by sacrifice.

But God wasn’t finished. A Covenant, A Promise, A Rainbow.’ I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth’. Not just with Noah, but with every living creature and every fowl, every cattle, every beast.

When we see the bow, we remember the flood and the destruction and the promise. But see in verse 16, I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; even God remembers when he sees the bow.

1.  God has plan for each of us.

2.  God will supply all our needs.

3.  We need to keep our faith in God, unwavering

4.  God never forgets.

5.  God never fails.

6. God never changes.

Published in: on January 24, 2011 at 12:28 pm  Leave a Comment  

Post?

So I had saved part of a post on Genesis 7-9.

I finished the post Saturday, feeling pretty good that I had done three now in my reading series.  I clicked on publish…..all that apppeared was part of the saved ‘draft’.,

‘Pride goeth before a fall’,   but where did my post go?

Published in: on January 23, 2011 at 4:25 pm  Leave a Comment  
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