Right Here. Right Now.

A once a week post of what I'm thinking about in regards to my faith.

I'm not a deep-thinker, nor a Bible scholar,
so you can be sure this "Sweet Tea" sippin' girl
is just thinking simple truths.

* * * * * * * * *

I can go with this.
How about you?

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for each and every person who reads these words.  Please love on them and grant them special favor and blessings today.  Strengthen them where there is weakness and give them peace where there is distress.  Gladden their heart with the kind of joy that can only come from you.

~Amen

The "Fab Four"!

"Really Dah-ling, I have other things I'd rather be doing".

"Does this swim suit makes me look fat"?

My baby with her baby.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

The "Fab Four"!

What a joy to get all my Granddolls together at the same time!

Paige, Kaylee, Grace, Haylee Kate

Love! Love! Love! Love!

Face time.

On our trip back to Tulsa last weekend I had the rare opportunity to see my Bunko GF's.  I simply can't imagine my life without these girls in it.  We've been doin' life together for 25 years and each of them is special to me in a variety of ways.  "Oh the stories I could tell!", but I won't.  *smile*  Marriage, divorce, birth, cancer, moves, job changes, death, and every other challenge and celebration you can imagine. We've been though it all together. Nothin' better than spending "face time" with special friends!!

"And if you threw a party
Invited everyone you knew
You would see, the biggest gift would be from me
and the card attached would say,
Thank you for being a friend".

~Andrew Gold

Right here. Right now.

A once a week post of what I'm thinking about in regards to my faith.
I'm not a deep-thinker, nor a Bible scholar,
so you can be sure this "Sweet Tea" sippin' girl
is just thinking simple truths.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

We are so much more than our flip-flops.
More than our bank account.
More than the car we drive.
More than our job or our house.
We judge/and we are judged, each time we interact with people, like it or not.  Our appearance, our vocabulary, our attitude.  It's all out there for the world to see.

I hear someone slinging obscenities.
I make a judgment.
I see a pregnant woman smoking or drinking.
I make a judgment.
I see people leaving trash in public places.
I make a judgment.
I mention these things because these are things that come quickly to mind.

No.  I'm not proud of my list.

Wouldn't it be great to have a "Super Power" that enabled us to look at the heart of people.  Bet we wouldn't be making nearly as many judgments if we only knew the path that other people walk and all the things & people they are dealing with at the moment.  It would probably make for less judgment and lots more love.

This verse both comforts & stings when I think about it.
It's true, the word of God is a" two-edged sword".

*The Preacher has left the building.*  (giggle)

Thoughts?  Observations?

"BOO" and "YAY"

When I was in Middle School our school had an annual Fall Hayride.  It was a BIG deal in our small school.  One of the things we loved about the Hayride was the tradition of the "Boo & Yay Bit".  Have you heard of that before?  It went something like this -

Leader:    The Principal said we couldn't have hot dogs round the camp fire this year.
Students:  BOO!
Leader:    He said we could Hamburgers AND hot dogs!
Students:  YAY

Leader:    The Girls will all be required to ride on the Green hay wagon.
Students:  BOO!
Leader:    The Boys will all be required to ride on the Green hay wagon with them!
Students:  YAY!

Leader:    NO smooching will be allowed at the Camp Fire.
Students:  BOO!
Leader:    All smooching must be done in the hay wagon!
Students:  YAY!

And on and on it went. . .

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Here is my "Boo and Yay" bit for today.

"My favorite all cotton-"go-to" white Capri's accidentally went thru the HOT dryer cycle.!"
BOO!! (Boo Hoo Hoo Hoo!!)

"I signed up for an online Bible study."
YAY!! (I can wear my pajama pants)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

*At this particular time in my life I really don't have the time to do an in-depth Bible study, or even a study that requires me to "meet up" somewhere weekly outside my home.  Soooo, I accidentally stumbled across this Bible study online yesterday.  (I don't think it was an accident - I think it was Divine leading.  Really. I do.)  If you're curious or think this might be something you'd be interested in, you can read about it HERE.  I've never done anything quite like this, so it's a "first" for me.  It's called, "Faith Dare".  I don't think it's affiliated with any type of denomination, just a 30 day, Bible-based study for Christian women.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

So, got a "Boo" for today?

A "Yay"?

Or both?

"That's what I love about S_ _ _ _ _."

I don't think there's a single line in this song that doesn't raise a red flag in my memory bank.  Love. Love. Love this. Every time I hear it I feel "instantly refreshed".  (I can't say that about many things.)

Does any phrase from this song bring a memory/thought to mind for you?

"That's What I Love About Sunday"

Raymond's in his Sunday best,
He's usually up to his chest in oil an' grease.
There's the Martin's walkin' in,
With that mean little freckle-faced kid,
Who broke a window last week.
Sweet Miss Betty likes to sing off key in the pew behind me.

That's what I love about Sunday:
Sing along as the choir sways;
Every verse of Amazin' Grace,
An' then we shake the Preacher's hand.
Go home, into your blue jeans;
Have some chicken an' some baked beans.
Pick a back yard football team,
Not do much of anything:
That's what I love about Sunday.

I stroll to the end of the drive,
Pick up the Sunday Times, grab my coffee cup.
It looks like Sally an' Ron, finally tied the knot,
Well, it's about time.
It's 35 cents off a ground round,
Baby, cut that coupon out!

That's what I love about Sunday:
Cat-napping on the porch swing;
You curled up next to me,
The smell of jasmine wakes us up.
Take a walk down a back road,
Tackle box and a cane pole;
Carve our names in that white oak,
steal a kiss as the sun fades,
That's what I love about Sunday,
Oh, yeah.

Ooh, new believers gettin' baptized,
Momma's hands raised up high,
Havin' a Hallelujah good time
A smile on everybody's face.
That's what I love about Sunday,
Oh, yeah.

That's what I love about Sunday,
Oh, yeah

Itty bits

Here are a few of the itty bits of thoughts on my mind at the moment.  (this IS why we blog, isn't it??!!)

Have you ever noticed that on the "Pioneer Woman" TV program, her kids NE-VEH complain about any food she prepares?  I swear they would eat Scrambled Egg w/Tuna Hash and tell her it was awesome.  Where did she find these kids?  Surely they are not of this planet, OR they've been coaxed to say those things for the sake of TV.  Just sayin. . . Then again, if the Pioneer Woman was cookin' for me I'd say it was awesome too.  Hmmmm.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Today went from Plan A, to Plan B, to Plan C, to Plan D.  Still, it all worked out.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 

If my hot flashes get any worse I may need a tee shirt that says "Combustible" on it.  My Mom assures me they will go away someday, but I'm 10 yrs into this and still flashin' regularly.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

I have a Gift Card (which I received for Christmas) to a Spa for a massage & pedi and have still not used it. I know.  "Cra-Cra", as my daughter says.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

I've been having some bouts of sleepless nights (even after taking Ambien), then I realized that Coke Zero meant Zero calories, not Zero Caffeine.

I know a person who goes to the library every two weeks and checks out four books.  At the end of two weeks she returns them all, always unread, and checks out four more.  Over and over and over again.  What sort of "issues" do you think she's dealing with?  (Be gentle, I get my feelings hurt easily.)

Now I can go to bed and sleep peacefully, with out a single thing on my mind, since I left it all here on the printed page/screen.  Let the record show I won't be drinking any Coke Zero for a nightcap.

Right Here. Right Now.

A once a week post of what I'm thinking about in regards to my faith.

I'm not a deep-thinker, nor a Bible scholar,
so you can be sure this "Sweet Tea" sippin' girl
is just thinking simple truths.

* * * * * * * * * * 

1. Let HOPE keep us joy [filled].
2. Be CONTENT TO WAIT [with things that are troublesome].
3. PRAY [every time you you think about it & try to think about it often.]

I'm glad God cares not only about the hereafter, but about how we feel each and every day.  Glad that he cares enough to give us the secret to living a happy life, right now, in this very moment!

*That's what this verse says to me*

Thoughts or Observations?

Bye Bye Birdie.

A pair of Cardinals have nested in a fake tree we have sitting on our patio.  The phoney, fake, faux plastic trees sit pushed into a corner of the patio next to a large window outside our living room.  We've had lots of fun watching the nest take shape, the eggs appear, and then the little baby birds, four of them, mouths wide-open, up-stretched, waiting for the parents to come feed them. They were homely, skinny little things at first, then they turned "fluffy" and cute.  Each morning we peered through the window and watched them grow as the new "parents" flew to & fro feeding them.

Then yesterday we awoke to find this!

All the babies were gone.
We haven't seen the Mama bird either,
but the Daddy bird keeps flying by as though
he's looking for his family.

Don't know who/what invaded their little home.
We had no bad weather or high winds so some type

of critter must have found them.

Boo! Hoo!
You can tell I wasn't raised on a farm and/or exposed
to the circle of life very often.

"Bye. Bye. Birdies".

  

Louisiana Dreamer

I had one whooper of a dream last night.
I started to write about it then decided it wasn't nearly as exciting on the page as it was in "dream-vision".  It was one of those detailed dreams with lots of people and sub-plots and things that made no sense at all unless you were "there", and you weren't, as almost everyone involved were family members.  Strange.  It wasn't a scary type dream but it was a stressful dream.

I woke up nervous & jittery.

I'm glad to say my day went far smoother than my dream.

I know they say we dream every night, but often don't remember what we dream.  Do you tend to remember your dreams?

Right here. Right now.

A once a week post of what I'm thinking about in regards to my faith.
I'm not a deep-thinker, nor a Bible scholar,
so you can be sure this "Sweet Tea" sippin' girl
is just thinking simple truths.

Nine years ago, when we moved from Oklahoma to Louisiana, we set about finding a church home for our family.  I'm picky, so I knew this could be a "hard find" for me.  We visited several churches in our area.  The first Sunday we visited (what is now our church home) the Pastor went to the front and said, 

"I have great news, God is not mad at you!"

Everyone sort of smiled and looked around sheepishly. I've been in church all my life and heard a bazillion sermons, but I'd never heard anyone say exactly that in exactly those words.  

Friends may move away.
Family may disappoint.
People may misunderstand.
But GOD never moves away, disappoints, or misunderstands.
His love is constant and unconditional.

Do you love that as much as I do?

That's what I'm thinking about today.

Sundays

Hope you're having/had a good Sunday.
Today was a typical Sunday at our house - probably not very different than a Sunday in lots of homes across our great country. . .We got up a little later than we'd planned and had to hurry around to make it out the door to church.

Dishes were left in the sink.
But it doesn't really matter.

Home-grown, ripe tomatoes are waiting on 

the top of the counter, a gift from a friend.

Some after church fun with HK.

Then some snuggle time.
Always time for a snuggle or two.

Sundays "feel" different from any day of the week.
Do you think so?
We move slower.
We keep to very little routine.
Afternoon naps are an option.

Books and newspapers are sometimes read,
sometimes not.
The TV is on in the afternoon - sometimes someone watches, but sometimes it's simply background noise.
Very little is actually accomplished while we move in low gear, sort of "idling" along waiting for the week to really begin on Monday.

Did I mention I don't cook on the weekend?
After 44 yrs of marriage I feel I've earned the right to not cook on the weekends, so that means it's always cereal for breakfast,  lunch (or dinner) out, and a snack from the pantry for any other meal.  It works for us.  What's a typical Sunday like in your house?

Maybe I'm the only one who thinks about this sort of thing. . .

I find the details of ordinary days fascinating.

Rockin' my world!

Guess who is now 4 months old?

"Haylee Kate"

Ready for a "Girl's Day Out" with her Mom.

Good Morning world!

 Going to church.

Cruisin'.

Sweet Feet!

~Sweet Tea, aka "YaYa"

Right here. Right now.

I've been told I "shoot from the hip" and I'm a "straight talker".

Thank you very much.

I talk about all sorts of things on this blog, but I seldom talk about my faith.  No, I'm not gonna start preaching or throwing out judgement like it's candy on Halloween, but I am gonna start posting, once a week, what I'm thinking about as it relates to my faith.  I hope you find it interesting, and maybe even helpful or inspirational, just as I do.

Here's what's speaking to me
"Right Here.  Right Now".

I'm just a girl who can't say NO!

"I'm just a girl who cain't say no,
I'm in a terrible fix -
I always say "come on, let's go",
just when I oughta say NIX"!

Do you recognize this song from the musical, "Oklahoma"?  I'm originally from Oklahoma and boy does this song ring true to me these days.

"I just can't say no to . . ."

I've gotta find a way to "step away from the sweets", but that's not happened in a very long while.

Can I get an "Amen"?

Just wondering, "Are you a healthy eater?"

Do you eat your greens and lots of colorful antioxidant rich foods on a regular basis?  Do you seldom eat sweets?  Are you aware of your fiber intake, etc. etc. etc.  I would love to be a "Health Nut", and I mean that in the most respectful way.  I wonder how one begins that process?  BTW, I accept "anonymous" comments, just sayin. . .

Crystal Ball Gazing

"What are you doing the rest of your life? 

North and south and east and west of your life? 

I have only one request of your life

That you spend it all with me."

    ~Legrand/Bergman/Bergman

Does anyone remember this old Streisand song?
I've always loved Streisand music, still do.

Mister and I have been having this very conversation more often as of late.  When we moved to Louisiana 9 years ago it was our plan to live here until he retired, then to move back to Oklahoma, where we are from.  It never occurred to us that we would fall in love with Louisiana and want to stay here.  Then it happened - we love it here!  So we began to think that perhaps we would simply stay here in our new "comfort zone".  Now, considering our issues with Mom, we see the importance of living near at least part of one's family, if at all possible.  Sooooooo, we have the "where should we plan our future" conversation with more frequency.  We still have several years before we need to make this BIG decision. 

When you look through your crystal ball where do you think you'll be living in 10 years?  Are you firmly planted where you are, or do you foresee a possible change of location for you?

Picture Perfect

July 4, 2013

Very few days in life are "picture perfect"

but this one was.

I'm very thankful for good friends to "do life with".

I'm also thankful to have spent the holiday with my Mom.

July 3 1/2

I made a Lemon Drop cake to take to a 4th of July potluck at our friend's home tomorrow.  I've never made this exact recipe before but I figured with all the yummy ingredients it was bound to be good.  I'll let ya' know.  It's not fancy but I'm hoping taste trumps "beauty".

I also made a BIG pasta salad - no photo as it's still in the making.

I've got "Loreal', light brown" marinating on my hair at the moment as I blog and sip me some rum punch.  Yes Ma'am it is a good day!

That said, the house is a little too quiet for my taste.  Lil' Mama, Haylee Kate, and Lil' Daddy left here this morning bound for the lake to visit with his grandparents for the holiday.  I hated to see them "head out" but the grandparents love HK, as well as Lil' Mama, so I'm glad they get to spend some time with them.  It wouldn't be nice for me to be stingy, now would it?


Enough about me - what are you doing for the 4th of July?
I know many people work on the holiday and if you are one of them please know you are appreciated by me, and many others.  Some of you will travel and I pray that angels ride your bumpers (or your wings), whichever may be the case.  If you are enjoying the water please be safe - and remember the sunscreen.  I think of those wonderful people who are serving our great country at this moment.  May God bless you for your service and your sacrifice.  Really.  I pray BIG blessings for them and their families!!