One of the settings on my google home-page is Things to Ponder. Some of them are pretty funny, like: if a cow laughs does milk come out its nose? In my Daily Prayer book this morning, the reference was Psalm 111. In verse 2 (NLT) it says, "How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in Him should ponder them." Ahhh, now THERE is something WORTH pondering!
Such an amazing deed is our new grandson born just 20 hours ago! I held this "amazing deed of our Lord" last night and marveled just in looking at his beautiful face, feeling his warm little body next to my heart. We placed him back in the arms of his mother, and as my husband and I left, we both repeated aloud, "Thank God, thank God." We pondered, and ponder still: what JOY it is to be blessed with our 4 children and 6 grandchildren! Thank You, Lord!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Old Friends
As my daughter prepares for a visit from her best friend of 23 years, i think of the good fortune i have in several old friends. my twitter response was that old friends are a treasure beyond measure, and i believe it is so true.
Four come to mind: Nancy, Carol, Nita and JoAnne. If I total the number of years that I have been best friends with each of them, it comes to 151, if you can imagine such a thing! I was 13 when i met carol at summer baptist camp unami, so there's 53 years right there! And, nita and i were writing 12 page letters to each other when postage was 5 cents! (now we email) joanne moved to hawaii but when she returned to arizona and called me, we spoke like it had only been a week or so since our last contact. and nancy, well, she sums up everything precious that the word "dear" could possibly mean!
one of my early childhood memories is when my mother recognized that i had trouble remembering how to spell the word "friend." she said, "always remember that true friends are friends to the end, and you'll find the word end at the end of friend." (that's probably why i have ever since used "association learning" to help me recall things. it has served me well, even tho it sometimes takes 3 steps to put 1 in place; it works for me.) o my; friends to the end--how true and wonderful!
my "new best friend" of 10 years is my husband. we so enjoy each other's company, act silly together and laugh til the tears roll, share our thoughts and appreciate each other. he TELLS me regularly how appreciative he is, of all i do, big or small. he makes the mundane (like grocery shopping), FUN when we do it together. he can decipher in minutes, sometimes seconds, if something is bothering me. and he tells me "Happy Anniversary" on a monthly basis, like today, for instance. Quite special, he is, and I sure do love him! Friends to the end; thank you, Mom!
Four come to mind: Nancy, Carol, Nita and JoAnne. If I total the number of years that I have been best friends with each of them, it comes to 151, if you can imagine such a thing! I was 13 when i met carol at summer baptist camp unami, so there's 53 years right there! And, nita and i were writing 12 page letters to each other when postage was 5 cents! (now we email) joanne moved to hawaii but when she returned to arizona and called me, we spoke like it had only been a week or so since our last contact. and nancy, well, she sums up everything precious that the word "dear" could possibly mean!
one of my early childhood memories is when my mother recognized that i had trouble remembering how to spell the word "friend." she said, "always remember that true friends are friends to the end, and you'll find the word end at the end of friend." (that's probably why i have ever since used "association learning" to help me recall things. it has served me well, even tho it sometimes takes 3 steps to put 1 in place; it works for me.) o my; friends to the end--how true and wonderful!
my "new best friend" of 10 years is my husband. we so enjoy each other's company, act silly together and laugh til the tears roll, share our thoughts and appreciate each other. he TELLS me regularly how appreciative he is, of all i do, big or small. he makes the mundane (like grocery shopping), FUN when we do it together. he can decipher in minutes, sometimes seconds, if something is bothering me. and he tells me "Happy Anniversary" on a monthly basis, like today, for instance. Quite special, he is, and I sure do love him! Friends to the end; thank you, Mom!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Tea & Scones
Mmm, I wish you could smell the apple cinnamon scones baking in my oven right now! I have tea ready, c'mon over!
The very first time i ever heard of scones was when my daughter baked homemade scones and brought them over. i had no idea what they were, but enjoyed them immensely. they have become a standard treat any time i've been away for a business conference. my breakfast every morning during those conferences always meant i headed straight for whatever coffee shop the hotel had and bought (at least one) scone and flavored coffee! since i am now "re-lifed" and have no more business conferences on my agenda, i couldn't resist buying a mix on our recent visit to a neat store in cape may called love the cook. i still have the bag that they put my mix in--what IS IT about my saving bags?! Big, little, in-between, paper, plastic, fancy, plain; i show no partiality. ever since buying all the "green" (re-usable) bags from every store i ever frequent (as well as those i don't frequent but went to once!), my supply of bags has decreased exponentially. (i LOVE that word!)
yesterday was the first i got out my teapot and cozy! all summer i've enjoyed using my iced tea maker, but it must be the official sign that the season is changing. i've now made the switch to hot tea, book, quiet music, & afghan with cat-in-the-lap. add a fresh baked scone to the picture and you've painted a picture of a little heaven on earth.
speaking of music, mine was anything BUT quiet this morning. whenever i need a jump or kick-start on cleaning, i just BLAST buddy holly, sing to the top of my lungs and go, GO, GOOO! it even gets the parakeets all stirred up and they chirp away! i love it! the story of buddy holly was the ALL TIME favorite play i ever saw in all my years of sitting in the front row center of the walnut street theatre!
it is time for an apple-cinnamon scone and another cup o' tea. i'll save you one, kay?
The very first time i ever heard of scones was when my daughter baked homemade scones and brought them over. i had no idea what they were, but enjoyed them immensely. they have become a standard treat any time i've been away for a business conference. my breakfast every morning during those conferences always meant i headed straight for whatever coffee shop the hotel had and bought (at least one) scone and flavored coffee! since i am now "re-lifed" and have no more business conferences on my agenda, i couldn't resist buying a mix on our recent visit to a neat store in cape may called love the cook. i still have the bag that they put my mix in--what IS IT about my saving bags?! Big, little, in-between, paper, plastic, fancy, plain; i show no partiality. ever since buying all the "green" (re-usable) bags from every store i ever frequent (as well as those i don't frequent but went to once!), my supply of bags has decreased exponentially. (i LOVE that word!)
yesterday was the first i got out my teapot and cozy! all summer i've enjoyed using my iced tea maker, but it must be the official sign that the season is changing. i've now made the switch to hot tea, book, quiet music, & afghan with cat-in-the-lap. add a fresh baked scone to the picture and you've painted a picture of a little heaven on earth.
speaking of music, mine was anything BUT quiet this morning. whenever i need a jump or kick-start on cleaning, i just BLAST buddy holly, sing to the top of my lungs and go, GO, GOOO! it even gets the parakeets all stirred up and they chirp away! i love it! the story of buddy holly was the ALL TIME favorite play i ever saw in all my years of sitting in the front row center of the walnut street theatre!
it is time for an apple-cinnamon scone and another cup o' tea. i'll save you one, kay?
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Criteria
Hmmm...seems strange to me that the criteria for hospice does not include two of the things that i myself cherish and hang onto as extremely dear: mom's singing and smiling! i mentioned in today's caregiver meeting that one time mom sang with a hymn and the hospice rep quick held her ears and commented that she "didn't hear that." (so i didn't dare tell her that at mom's BD party on saturday, after we had twice sung happy birthday to her, real soft, long afterwards--if i hadn't been right next to her i'd have never heard it--very softly she sang the last line: "happy birthday to you.") when i visit with mom i enjoy MOST that i can say something to make her laugh or smile, but listed on the hospice criteria checklist is "loss of ability to smile." even tho mom's doc told us that mom "may die within 6 months, based on [his] experience" if smiling and singing are reasons to "get kicked out of hospice" then i say, maybe mom's gonna enter Heaven's gates WITH a song and a smile!
That said, something sure made ME smile yesterday! while i was outside doing my pastel painting, just INCHES from my hand, as i held my drawing board, a humming bird came to the zinnia flower!! i could've touched him, he was that close. How exciting and thrilling is THAT!
That said, something sure made ME smile yesterday! while i was outside doing my pastel painting, just INCHES from my hand, as i held my drawing board, a humming bird came to the zinnia flower!! i could've touched him, he was that close. How exciting and thrilling is THAT!
there's a first for everything
my o my; this is a first for me! my very own blog. i almost always have something to say, just have never really "put it out there." i chose JOY because it's what i feel deep inside, and it's what i see (most) days. after choosing it, it reminded me of my early childhood days in church and sunday school where we were taught that joy stood for: Jesus, Others, You. haven't thought about that acronym for years, but it's a pretty good layout to start my blogging. if you're here, welcome. i'll be in touch.
(o...how cool is this! my very own blog!)
(o...how cool is this! my very own blog!)
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