pEpPeRS & Punkin's ...

LQQK at those ever so colorful peppers ... I totally love the purple peppers!! and white pumpkins float my boat!! and look at dem small orange punkin's!! Happy Halloween! have a great weekend!! m

grief ...

To feel is to be alive. To be depressed is only to exist. Grief is always associated with loss, and loss is always associated with death in some form. The physical death of a loved one symbolizes, at a certain level, all that was or that could have been that is no longer. But there are other kinds of deaths. There is the death of dreams—of ideals to which we have clung, but which we must let go. This includes our longing for the parenting we needed, but didn't get (and fruitlessly seek out in other relationships, but cannot have because others are not our parents). Our aspirations to be model parents ourselves, and failures because of our own wounds. The marriage we longed to have but couldn't because of our own humanity and the humanity of our spouse.   
There is no life without death, and the accompanying grief that is natural to the experience of death in all its forms. But there is no death apart from the possibility of new life and transformation. Depression is the result when we identify with the pain in our lives as the whole truth, rather than as a part of the truth. We cannot open our selves to life in all its fullness and avoid the pain of death and grief.
The human experience of the apparent abandonment of God and the grief and even despair that are a part of that experience are very real for many people. Finding the courage to accept loss and death, and to enter into the grief they bring, is a sacramental act that allows us to participate in the deeper truth that, although evil and death are real, they are not ultimate. Rather they are part of a larger Truth that does not wipe away their consequences, but transforms them and brings out of them a new creation.

My dear dad is a Bible teacher/mentor to a class in Rowlett, TX. This week a member has passed away and it's been hard on  him and others.  We grieve in different ways, it's normal and natural and IT'S DIFFICULT. My memory verse this week is Rev. 7:17 "The Lamb at the center of the throne will be their Shepherd; and He will guide them to springs of living water. God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."  I have found such comfort in this verse! Tears ... we cry them for all kinds of reasons ~ and yet God promises to wipe them away! Life is hard ... I write this knowing my dad will never read this .. but as a way for me to process what to say to him, maybe there are no words just to say "dad, thank you for doing what you do!" grief ... everyone experiences it ~ I can't imagine go through grief without Christ. 

SHOO fly ... don't bother me!!

This is ridiculous. I had no, none, clue as what happen here in the valley and these flies. I can imagine what the Bible means by plagues. So .... what does one do when one is disgusted by the mass number of critters? She goes and buys more fly swatters. ATTENTION all flies: I am very precise and dangerous with the swatter so SHOO SHOO SHOO .. and don't bother me!! I even went as far to buy the more expensive stuff ... we'll see. Just leave ... NOW!!

whose TEACHING who??? YOU are!!

In every age there are those whose commitment to living 'spiritually' that brings transformation not only to themselves but to all those who are influenced by their witness. We call them saints – not because they are better than the rest of us, but because in spite of the myriad allurements and pursuits available in life, they have set themselves to the task of spiritual illumination in order to become more fully human, more fully alive. Because we were created to be human BEings not human DOings!! They would be the first to say that they are not special. They are connected to something special, to something beyond them, to God. Doing life with God!!  Sometimes they are people who have taken seriously Jesus' words, “as you did to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40) and have given their lives over to serving others. Or they are contemplatives who have set themselves apart from the rest of the world to follow the Gospel call to “pray without ceasing” (I Thessalonians 5:17), devoting their entire focus to the world of the spirit. Of course I am strange ~ an alien because I am NOT of this world and the world is NOT my home!!  Sometimes they are mystics who have heard the voice of God calling their name and respond by tunneling into their own soul, treading the roads of heaven while inhabiting earth. Or they are activists who have embraced the truth that we are all one in God and have fearlessly championed diversity in order to be a part of God's reconciling love in the world. Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said that holiness is not the station for a few but the simple duty of us all. Holiness is not moral perfection but openness to spiritual illumination. When we explore the lives of the people who have embraced holiness, we find that even though our circumstances may be different, there is still the possibility of deepening our own soul by joining in their practices. And celebrating with one another leads and spurs us onto enjoying the glory of God.  What about you?  thoughts, ideas or stories!! Whom are the saints in your life? Have a great weekend, m

pumpkin O' mine!!

I'll admit ... this is an ugly pumpkin ~ but I like it!! do you have any pumpkins? I apologize the pics didn't show up yesterday .. if you really wanna see them, I'll repost them! have a terrific Thursday! m

Reader (that's me!) Ramblings ....

have you ever seen Pineapple Mint bloom?!! me neither ... so, here YOU go!! this is it BLOOMING!!! and a bottle brush plant .. I've never owned one of these either until moving here ~ I call it the toilet brush plant! doesn't it look like a toilet brush? and a double (DOUBLE!) rainbow .. after we got rain! yep, S. Cali got rain ~ not alot but enough for God to send this rainbow. And lastly, LAUNDRY .. we all do it! So, I bought this silly 'steam ball' .. thinkin' NO WAY is this going to work (joyfully purchased at the 99  cent store!) ~ but, wallah ~ it did work! Oh, and BTW, I do use resolve on my spots! end O' ramblings!!

photos did NOT come through ~ another time then

couponing .... it's an addiction with a payoff!!

okay ... I've done this most O' my life! but now .... I'm addicted and I have MAJOR enablers!! Such as FabuLESSly Frugal, Krazy Coupon Lady and on and on!! If I can save money on the brands and exact items I already buy ~~~ WHY NOT save $$$.  And just think ... what I can do with the Xtra money. Let's see? vacations, vacations, .... do anonymous gifting!! So .. why not try it and BRAG about your savings!!! It's a lifestyle!

Time ....

Psalm 27:14 "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord" How do you do this? Oh I can think of many ways ~ I haven't worn a watch since 2006 ... not that it matters but it was one thing the Lord lead me in ... maybe He wants you to sit and rest, maybe He wants you to go and do for another ..... Be strong and take heart!! You can do this ...  and BTW, do you know what time it is?  have a wonderful monday, m

Pumpkin Patch Parable ...

  by Liz Curtis Higgs. This is one O' my very FAVORITE books. It looks like a children's book but ... it's not. It gives the 'plan of salvation' using a pumpkin (from the seed) to a jack-O-lantern. I so enjoy this book .. I've used it many times and I'm sure I'll use it many more times!! it's worth the read. What's so fanTasTic about this little gem is all the scripture is written and incredibly illustrated on each page .... let me know what you think!! happy harvesting ...

HARVESTING still

tomatoes ... I love tomatoes!! and I'm still harvesting! I did pull up the corn and cucumbers. The cucumbers were absolutely the very best ever. And the tomatoes are a very very close second. The long shot of the garden is for Miss Pat to see my side yard!

Route 66 ....

Route 66 has ALWAYS fascinated me! I even have a Rte. 66 cookbook. We've been to the beginning and to the end of it ... and lived in the middle of it!! YOU GOTTA love Route 66!! What about you ... have any stories or memories on Rte. 66? have a great day, m

from A - Z ... just had to share

for a very very long time ... I've pondered, prayed, considered, mulled over ALL what Jesus is! to me, to my family, to my friends, to my world.  And as a 'teacher/mother' I've used the A - Z method of teaching it. Well, this week within my personal study time I decided to type out (b/c I can type almost as fast as I can think) all the attributes, characteristics and/or names of Jesus or God.  Oh I had too too  much fun!! literally!! At times I would be smiling ... other times I would be in awe and speechless (yes! this does happen to me to those of you that know me well!) ...other times I would be in tears of joy, sorrow, sadness and of celebration, reflection, remembering and pondering!  Throughout the MANY groups (JOY, MOPS, MIT, M&M, BSF, CBS, etc.) I've either participated in and/or lead, God Himself continues to reveal these attribute, characteristics and names to me over and over.  Go on .... think of a letter of the alphabet and what attribute, characteristic and or Name (that is above all names) do you come up with???????

LUNCH .... great place!!

I'm still highlighting Vallarata food store. These are only in CA ... so I gotta brag b/c it's one thing I have in town that YOU DON'T!!! Lunch ... what a great place to grab a quality meal and at a great price. And the salsa is excellente' ... if I say so myself!! So, you grab a plate lunch, sit and enjoy it ... then meander (that's a slow walk) to the bakery and a piece o' pie ~ the selection is overwhelming ... however, YOU make your selection and sit and enjoy! Then go ... shop for the food you need to take home! The meat market is amazingly surprising ~ fresh made and tons of selections. It's worth a visit. I'll be honest ... some things are a GREAT deal, some things are just metza metza (just okay), and some things are NOT a good deal at all. Wise shopping ~ is an educated consumer!!   Oh .. and BTW, I do NOT work for them ~ I just enjoy a good food store!! know what I mean???

Reader (that's me!) Ramblings ....

Darlin' D fondly remembers his mother drinking A&W creme sodas! And I just had to purchase the Diet A&W rootbeer! it was 1.99/ 12 pack! I loved rootbeer as a kid!! and it's caffeine FREE (sp?) .. sometimes, don't cha know I need LESS stimulus! Next photo ... I take these ~ and only ONE store in town carries it. DARNITALL ... they were out! Well, shuck my corn .. what am I to do now???? I called all over ... I mean ALL OVER ~ even, into Fresno. Then an idea popped into my brain (see, I take these for a 'more sense of clarity') to search online. So, I did. I found a site that is more than half the cost and a small shipping charge. Duh Duh Duh ... call me blonde (naturally), call me sillyNilly or just call me!!! okay .. next the last 2 photos ~ took Darlin' D to the new food store in town (I love it!) and this is what I saw. Crawdaddy's ~ don't we use this as good fishin' bait? and then ... octopus ~ I ain't NEVER (I can say NEVER cause I know!) NEVER gonna cook it. Now, I may eat it but never in a blue moon will this girl COOK it. Enjoy your Monday .. have a happy week. m