It's Starting To Look Like Fall Y'all!

The outdoor colors are only just beginning to turn on the trees but I am feeling the need to decorate my house for Fall. One of my favorite times of the year for decorating~!

I am in between quarters in school right now and enjoying my break from the books this week. I studied very hard last quarter and came away with an A ! Thank you God! I really couldn't have done it without His continued guidance and support. HE is the One who is carrying me through this new journey I am on! Studying and retaining information at my age isn't as easy as it used to be! It is a constant struggle and I have to keep my face in the books constantly just to keep my head above water!

I am very happy for the needed break and have been having fun this week pulling out all of the decor for Fall. I don't have very much, and what I DO have will probably get moved around a bit before I am happy with it, but it has been fun to look at my old favorites, and new things that I have acquired from my trips to the thrift store.

I found this beautiful vase while at the Goodwill a few weeks ago and knew that I wanted to fill it with Sunflowers. Faux flowers fit into my lifestyle better at this time - this adds a little dash of color by my front door!

This little vignette sits atop a table in our entry way. ALL items were thrift store finds. I filled the glass candle holder with black and northern beans to add some color (an idea I learned from a crafty blogger friend) and stuck a candle inside.

I fell in love with this little guy - it looks dusty - but it isn't - I may have to paint this all one color because I am not sure if I LIKE the faux dusty look :-)

This tray is another great new find from the Goodwill. I love it! Just added some pinecones and candles - instant warmth!

I LOVE to decorate my home on a budget - why pay full price when you can make it look warm and homey for half the amount that you see in the stores and big name catalogs? It has become a hobby of mine to try to make my house a home for less - which THEN gives me more money that I can spend on my kiddos. Works for me!

It has been fun visiting all of your blogs this week! I look forward to getting caught up with you all and thank you for stopping by to visit - I enjoy getting to know each and every one of you and consider you all friends!

Blessings to you,

So Little Time

I have been wanting to share this with you for the last week or so - bear with me - this may be a wordy post...

As you know, I am now working as a Nursing Aide again - doing what I love, working with the Elderly. I hope to continue working with the elderly population once I BECOME a nurse , because I love these special people so much. I get WAY more out of working for them then I feel I give TO them!

I was privileged this week to work with a very special lady. I will carry her in my heart for a great while because she left me with a huge message that I want to share with you. A message I will not soon forget!

I was setting up breakfast trays, when I approached a bed in a darkened room. There was a small woman lying in her bed - surrounded by pillows which were propped all around her. As I moved them so that she could be turned, I was touched by how tiny and frail she was. She was so thin and as I moved the pillows I became more and more aware of how fragile her life really was. I sat her up in bed to help her eat. She was so weak that I had to hold the straw up to her lips so that she could drink from it. I held my breath as she sipped from the straw - hoping that the liquid would make it to her parched lips.

She tried to talk to me but couldn't quite mouth the words yet. She didn't need to though because her eyes spoke volumes - her soul seemed to jump out at me through her beautiful eyes! I was spellbound and couldn't take my eyes away from hers as she tried desperately to speak. I leaned closer to try to hear her. I asked her if she was comfortable and she blinked. I had the overpowering urge right then to pray for her! Around her neck she wore a beautiful cross. I asked her if it would be alright if I prayed for her and her eyes welled up with tears. She asked me if I could do it right away with her. Even though my time was very limited, I had SO much to do - I knew that the Lord wanted me to take the time needed to give this dear woman comfort. So we prayed -together! I pressed my forehead against hers and we prayed. I kissed her forehead and as I raised myself up, I saw huge tears well up in her eyes and she mouthed the words - "Thank you..."

I felt very inadequate at praying, but I knew that God wanted me to do this for her - that it was important at this very moment to this dear woman. She whispered to me that she missed her parents. I told her that she would see them again - that ALL of the things she was going through right now were just momentary - but that she would be greeting her beloved family one day soon on the other side - in Heaven! Her beautiful eyes brightened and tears streamed down her face. All of a sudden the light faded and her eyes changed. She looked so forlorn and lost! I asked her what was wrong and she began to tell me about her brother. She told me that she wasn't sure if he was in Heaven right now. She told me that she missed him so much! She told me that he hadn't walked with God while here on earth and the pain that I saw in this dear woman's face is what I can't get out of my thoughts today! All I could do for her was hold her hand and let her cry out her pain and sorrow for her beloved brother. ...

Today I am thinking of MY life and all of the people whom I care about who are not walking with the Lord. I think of my children who are far from Him! Time is so short for ALL of us here on this earth! How much time has already gone by in my life and how fast my children have grown and are now walking the paths of THEIR lives with their new families. Many of them are apathetic when it comes to the Lord - they BELIEVE in God, but don't live their lives for Him - Is it enough? Or do God's words about being lukewarm apply to such as these?

16"So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.

20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.

22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

Revelation 3:16-21

I fear for the time that we all have left for none of us know the time or day in which the Lord will take us. I need to do all that I possible can - with the time that I have left to PRAY and pray without ceasing - as I have been called to do for the ones I love - while I still HAVE the time to pray!

I am reminded of the story of the mother of John Newton who prayed for her son for only seven short years before the Lord took her home. BUT SHE USED HER TIME TO PRAY! John floundered for a time after his mothers death but came back to the Lord later in his life and went on to write the famous Hymn - "Amazing Grace." If interested, you can read about his amazing life and his struggle to find his way back to the Lord, here. It is a long read, but VERY inspiring!

Prayer has always been my weakest point. I tend to procrastinate when I try to pray. Do you? I become so overwhelmed for all that I must pray about - that I give up! I need to remember God's words that EVEN though I may stumble with what to say - God can hear my grumblings and if I am faithful - even if it is just mouthing the person's name that I am praying for - God will hear the longings of my heart.

Lord, please help me to be faithful to the call to pray without ceasing - and let it start today so that I will have no regrets tomorrow!

7"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

Blessings to you,

All for Your Glory Lord!

"Praise be to you, O LORD,
God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.

12 Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.

13 Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.

14 "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 15 We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. 16 O LORD our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. 17 I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. 18 O LORD, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you".
1 Chronicles 29:10-18
Blessings,

Revelation Song

Cardboard Testimonies

I know that this has been shown before - I apologize - I don't know who to give credit to for showing this in the first place. Every time I see this I am amazed at God's grace in dealing with me - a wretched sinner saved by the Grace Of our Heavenly Father! I hope that if you have not seen this before - that it touches you - as it has touched me!

God is such a beautiful forgiving Lord! If you do not know Him - turn to His Word and start today - it is never too late to feel His wonderful forgiving LOVE wash over you!! If you are seeing this for the first time and would like prayer - please leave me a comment - I would LOVE to pray for you!



Blessings to you,

What A Beautiful God!

12Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.
13For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,
14because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Romans 8:12-17
NIV

Have a blessed day today,

Comings and Goings

I have been a VERY bad blogger of late! I have neglected to blog about the revolving door that has been happening here this summer. We have been blessed to have several of our children come to visit us and I have been so busy I haven't been able to blog about it! Because this is my journal of sorts, I better get to it!

As many of you know we have one of our sons living with us again. He is one of our twin boys - the other twin had decided to stay in Washington to live with his mom. They are the youngest of our 7 children - they are 16 years old now - my, how time flies!

Anyway, we have been enjoying BOTH of the boys this summer - they have both been here with us during the summer break which has been so much fun! I forgot how much teenage boys can eat! My food bill has doubled (tripled actually) since they have been home. I am definitely not complaining though - it has been lots of fun to bake for them as they LOVE to eat my homecooked meals! My son "A" who lives with us, is back in school now and the other twin doesn't start school until September. I can't believe our summer is almost at an end "P" will be leaving to go back home on Sunday. I will miss him so much when he leaves! It has been great fun to have them both here with us again.

Their older sister Ashley came to visit during this time too. Ashley lives in California. As you can tell - my kids are spread out all over the place. Three of them live in Washington, two live in California, one lives in Alaska and one now lives with us here in Georgia. (did I miss anybody? ~smile~)

Ashley was only able to stay here with us for a week and it flew by so fast! I feel like she didn't get much attention from me while she was here because I needed to work and go to school in the evenings - but we did manage to do a few fun things while she was here.

We spent one day at Stone Mountain.

I found this cool aerial view of Stone Mountain on Google images.

It has this beautiful carving in the side of it, but we were not able to get out of our car to take pictures of this side of the mountain because it was so crowded and we could not find a parking space! After driving around for what seemed forever, we decided to give up and try another day. This park is VERY popular year round.

Here is Wickipedia's description of this beautiful mountain:

"Stone Mountain is a granite dome monadnock in Stone Mountain, Georgia. At its summit, the elevation is 1,686 feet (513 m) amsl and 825 feet (251.5 m) above the surrounding area. Stone Mountain granite extends underground 9 miles (14 km) at its longest point into Gwinnett County. Numerous reference books and Georgia literature have dubbed Stone Mountain as “the largest exposed piece of granite in the world". This misnomer is most likely a result of advertisement by granite companies and early park administration. In actuality, there are larger exposed granite landscapes throughout the world including the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the Western United States. Stone Mountain is also a quartz monzonite rock when described in geologic terms and is therefore not technically granite. Stone Mountain is well-known not only for its geology, but also for the enormous bas-relief on its north face, the largest bas-relief in the world.[1] Three figures of the Confederate States of America are carved there: Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis"

We were able to go on a hike up to the top of Stone Mountain and see the beautiful view of Atlanta in the distance. It was a fun hike up the mountain although it was VERY humid that day! I forgot to bring some water, so thankfully there was a small store at the top that you could purchase refreshments for the long walk down. I can't believe I actually went on a hike.... in Georgia..... in the summer.... in the extreme humidity....AND FORGOT TO BRING WATER! ~Sigh~ Needless to say, I won't be doing THAT again!

I am sure this would be a beautiful hike in the Spring and summer- with all of the different colors of the flowers and the trees.










Beautiful Picture of my wonderful kids!


I had to say goodbye to Ashley before I was ready. I miss you already sweetheart!








Now - my OLDEST daughter - Brandy will be coming to see me for a week! She is arriving this evening and I am so excited! I am loving this revolving door!









Isn't she beautiful? Can't wait to see her!
Brandy has always been my child that has made me laugh. She has such a great sense of humor and when we are together we laugh so much! I have been so immersed in "life" lately, that I am looking forward to great belly laughs again!




She will probably hate me putting this picture of her here- but hey - it's my blog right? This picture was taken a few years ago at my son's graduation and we were trying desperately to get a good picture of the two of us. Brandy was "cheesing" for the camera and we had to take so many pictures to get a good shot because she kept doing this. By the time we were through we were laughing so hard! This picture has turned out to be one of my favorites because it shows her silliness. I Love it!

This picture was taken last year at the Georgia Aquarium while she was here visiting us. NOT my favorite picture of me - don't know why I have a double chin thing going on, but I LOVE the picture of us together. She is a lot taller then me and had to bend down to get closer to her "little mommy" as she likes to call me.

We will drive out this evening to pick her up, and we will drive out to the airport on Sunday to drop off my son "P" who will be leaving us and flying back home to Washington.


I HATE goodbyes! I will miss you so much when you leave "P"! Thankfully God has been so gracious to allow me these visits. Even though they seem so far and inbetween, I cherish the time that I DO have with all of them.

Somebody ELSE gets so excited to see the kids when they come. Ginger thinks they are coming JUST to see her. She will be dancing this evening when her Brandy gets here!

Blessings,