Monday, February 28, 2011

Unfailing Love

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.  Psalm 143:8

 





(A Thousand Gifts #326-346)

the smell of a warm rain

mom's potato soup...a full refrigerator

surprise at the comfy temperature when I step outside...anticipation

children singing...new friends...unanticipated provision...a full tank of gas

this smile...  

visiting with 92-year-old mommy and soaking in her grace, and gentleness, and selflessness

clear breathing...uninterrupted sleep...answered prayer

running into people I care about in unexpected places

plans to reconnect with my friend...having work to do, a purpose to my days

the book of lamentations

the dollhouse sitting in the corner...daughter-tweets

...and this face


Happy Monday!
Renee :)

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Five minute Friday Saturday: Five years ago

Yesterday was a wee bit busy and it was no longer Friday before I knew it!  Lisa-Jo's five-minute Friday topic was five years ago, and I spent a lot of the day trying to remember what five years ago looked like!  Might as well have been 35 for all the easy access I had.  After all that memory-diving I wanted to go ahead and take my five-minute leap, even though it is no longer, you know, Friday. 

Do ya remember the plan?  Sit down & write for five minutes flat, and then stop, and if you're me, completely and totally ignore the myriad of OCD tendencies that boss me around all the other days of my life - and hit publish!


{Start}

Five years ago I had one child in college and I was frantically trying to get my other child finished with high school.  We were homeschooling and it was fun.  I had a house continually full with my daughters and their friends and their dramas.  My days were filled with chaos and noise and music and joy. 

Five years ago I was living with an inordinate amount of stress.  Sometimes I found myself surprised I had made it through another day.  Five years ago I cried as much as I laughed, and I longed for relief. 

Five years ago God was BIG in my day.  I saw Him everywhere.  I held tightly to his hand and talked with Him constantly.  He was my Advisor, and my Dad, and my Husband, and my Best Friend.  I was afraid to take a step without following Him because I was so acutely aware of my smallness. 


Things are much quieter now.  The stress has settled considerably.  My beloved daughters are grown up and happy. 

I love today and find much joy in it. 

But sometimes I long with all that is in me for that sweet, chaotic, beautifully focused time of learning five years ago.

{Stop}


Now might I suggest you hop over to Gypsy Mama and give it a try yourself. 

(I think she'll forgive me for my Saturday-ness just this once ;)

Have a happy weekend!
Renee

Thursday, February 24, 2011

A little purple on a Thursday

It's dark and cold and rainy.  and I'm sleepy.  I contemplated a nap but decided I'd much rather ramble on with my pals :)

Hi pals! 

I also decided it might be fun to type this up in a more cheerful-er color in order to convince myself that it is not dark and I am not sleepy.

It is also my opinion that it's rather cold.

So I read a headline on my Yahoo page stating that people who like TV have more struggles with tummy...size.

Seriously?  I can't even count all the strikes against me in the ever being svelte again department.  So I won't. 

But I am considerably bitter to hear that now I can't even like my Netflix.  Jessica Fletcher will definitely miss me if I go.

It seems odd to me that the experts can be so sure that even liking TV will cause me to have a larger middle.  Am I the only one who feels this is highly suppositional and suspect?  I'm choosing to discount it as nonsense of course, but still it bugs me a lot.

I realized as I was stomping around the house grumbling about the aforementioned news bulletin that I haven't seen a bonafide news report in maybe even a couple of weeks?  Is that even possible?  I have no idea what's going on in the world other than the occasional Yahoo news bulletin. 

I fear this will only serve to make me even less fascinating. 

I used to watch Good Morning America, etc. nearly every day when I worked the early shift but now that I often crawl into bed at two in the morning, I sleep in.  and they hardly ever have the Pioneer Woman cooking or a Friday concert series on the six o'clock news

However, I suppose beggars can't be choosers, so to speak, so I guess I will have to lower my entertaining-news standards and act like a grown up.

Therefore, six o'clock news here I come!

I wonder if that will help my liking TV quotient a bit, therefore aiding me in my neverending and not-so-much-succesful attempt at svelteness?  I suppose it couldn't hurt :)

So I'm trying my leave-hair-in-towel-for-a-really-long-time-and-then-finger-fluff experiement again today, except without all the sleeping and THE SUFFERING.  I'll let you know how things turn out.

This is probably a terrible day to suggest it because this is quite likely my lamest post ever, but I've heard from the random friend/acquaintance/stranger who've told me they've visited me here and I had NO IDEA.  This is fun and yet also makes me several kinds of curious.  So I am going to humbly request that you drop me a line in the comments today, only if you want, of course, and let me know who you are.  Thought it might be fun :)

Finally, the below picture is for my mother.  She needs it for her wall, bless her heart.  Mom, you know what to do.



Aren't we just PRECIOUS?  HA

Happy Thursday, Y'all!
Renee

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

In Christ Alone

...and as He stands in victory - sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
for I am His and He is mine, bought by the precious blood of Christ.





This, my friends, is how I can get out of bed in the morning :) 
Praise the LORD!

Renee

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

That Ethel was Underrated

(I desperately DESPERATELY wanted to title this nonsense Stay Loose and Drink your Juice, but after exhausting consideration I was afraid it would be in poor taste as it could be misunderstood in...at least a couple of ways.)

(I still think it's quite catchy, though)

* * * * * * * * * *

I have discovered over these last days that I tend to be my most brilliant, and clever, and just PRECIOUS when delirious from the fever and the misery and the SUFFERING that is the The Flu. 

In my humble albeit delirious opinion

Unfortunately, like most of my thoughts/observations/clever witticisms in general, the majority of those observations are probably not appropriate for the worldwideweb and should thus remain unshared.  Also, some of them are just downright unflattering and even stray toward the whiny. 

Burning questions such as -

If a grandma whines & complains and moans and groans
and no one is around to hear her does she really make a sound?

- should probably go unasked.

However, there are a couple of things I have noticed that just might be helpful to someone out there SUFFERING in a similar situation.

I care about y'all so much, and if just one person can learn from my experience then it will have been worth it all.

1.  I have discovered that if a 45-year-old lies around on her sorry...couch, for more than a couple of hours in a row she might just stiffen up and age approximately 10 to 30 years.

If ya have to lie around and suffer, make sure you get up every hour-and-a-half or so and do some stretching exercises, maybe a few jumping jacks, just to stay loose.

Trust me.

2.  If you take your first shower in two or three days, give your hair a good washing, wrap it tightly in a towel, lie down and sleep for two to five hours (waking up at some point during that time and pulling said towel off head and going back to sleep), when you rise and finger-fluff said hair, it just might look kind've well, intentional...and a little bit cute.

However, it will not look cute on day two.  Also of note, this is likely a one-time only type of success.  Kids do not try this at home on a day when the stakes are high, such as needing to go to The Walmart, or maybe TMBS.

3.  This one makes me sad, but I feel I should warn you that when at the peak of The Suffering, sodas - including my beloved Pepsi - might likely not hit the proverbial spot.  My beverage of choice when feeling all terrible-ish?  Well.  That would have to be the stereotypical - but always a crowd-pleaser - apple juice.  extra ice of course.

(Please note, I have no comment at this time regarding secondary issues that could potentially develop from the above-mentioned beverage.)

Apple juice.  It does a body good.

4.  I am also very VERY sorry to report that replacing your eating calories with said pepsi/apple juice/sprite/grape juice/sweet tea/smoothie calories will not, in fact, help you take off your winter chubby weight.  I KNOW!! Right?

Sigh.

5.  When feeling under the weather, Netflix can be your friend.  Oddly enough, when I have the most time, just lying around being completely useless and lazy, I have a hard time enjoying reading, or even watching the tube.  I guess it might have something to do with all THE SUFFERING.  That being said, Netflix is great with the options.  I've enjoyed me some Murder, She Wrote with a little Monk & Psych, as well as about 32 seasons of various Law & Order's, with a bit more Parks & Recreation thrown in. 

(Sidenote:  Apparently I favor the formula murder mystery shows in which the victim likely "deserved" it and didn't suffer at all and the mystery is neatly solved in approximately 43 minutes.  Hmmm.)

All that being said, my favorite viewing this week, hands down by a landslide?  A little Debbie Reynolds flick from 1963 by the name of My Six Loves.  In my humble opinion you cannot go wrong with Debbie Reynolds playing a starlet with a little technicolor and six adorable orphans and their accompanying mutt thrown in for good measure.  Although frankly, and I'm not gonna lie, my favorite in the whole movie was her sidekick, Ethel.  Every gal needs a sidekick and she was a DELIGHT, she was.


I am rambling on as I desperately try to think of a clever little way to wrap this up coherently, but I'm all out of coherence.  I guess the fever's down. 
So let's just try this shall we? 

In summary, don't lie around to long; drink your juice but don't expect it to make you svelte (just LOVE that word); when it comes to your hair there is always hope; and go forth and locate yourself a sidekick.

Happy Tuesday!
Renee

Monday, February 21, 2011

Sometimes the love looks like an extra-soft tissue

It's been a very, very quiet week at my house this week.  I've felt a little...unwell and have pretty much stayed to myself.  With a couple of exceptions it has been just me & my favorite black blankie (and my laptop...and my job.)  All in all, not a terrible way to get through a week in which you feel pretty awful. 

So my list this week focuses largely on the ways God has loved me even while I'm pretty much, shall we say unattractive

I just love Him!  :)





I'm so thankful for

my steady foot catching me from tumbling all the way down those stairs tuesday morning

my job that can be done in my jammies with the mentholatum smeared on my nose and the hair piled up in the clip

my sweet friends who care and check up on me, people who love me and forgive me for not responding to their calls

mentholatum, apple juice, puffs extra soft, grilled cheese, alka seltzer, campbell's chicken noodle and tomato, tylenol

that text informing me of the pepsi left at my front door

that sister who left the text and the pepsi

temporary illness, the perspective that comes from not always feeling well

the quiet and stillness that feeling yucky inspires, the awareness that even in my flu-ish discomfort I am blessed with far more than most of the world - my discomfort is much prettier than the daily reality of too many

unseasonably warm days, the warm february sun on my face while curling up in my chair under a blanket, those first beginning buds popping out on the tree in my backyard

watching water arrive in Ola Nagele, and then savoring my own hot shower


What kind of joy has God sent your way this week?


Happy Monday, y'all!
Renee

(A Thousand Gifts #306-325)

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Seriously?

sweetest. baby boy. ever :)



Happy Sunday!
Renee

p.s.  ...and a special thank-you/shout out to my very talented daughter, Katie, who took that adorable shot and birthed the aforementioned bundle-o-joy.  You can see more great pix of my boy and my sweet Audrey on her blog right here.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

The world according to Audrey

We took a little walk last week.  The weather was a bit chilly and Miss Audrey was sickly, but she was thrilled to be outside.  We played in the yard for a bit and then took a little stroll.  Her verbal commentary made me - and I do not exaggerate - seventeen different kinds of happy. 

I had so. much. fun!


Itsa Pup-py!


Itsa FROG!  (hehe)



March-march...


Itsa slide!!


One...Two...


THREE!!


Onetwo...


THREE!!!


Itsa moooon!


Itsa mailbox!


Itsa Naynay!!!



...It's the best day I'd had in ages! 

J

Happy Thursday!
Renee

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Ephesians 5:15-16


“Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise,
making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”


Time goes by so quickly, and I feel like I waste so much of it. 

As I mentioned earlier, I'm trying to refocus in 2011...to be completely intentional in how I am spending this year, my life. 

One of the ways I'm refocusing is to pick up my long-abandoned practice of committing scripture to memory...and it's time for verse number four! 

I'm doing fairly well so far.  My recall is fairly decent, but I'm not gonna lie, I'm still struggling a bit with it.  I will say it seems to be getting a little easier...maybe that memory muscle is loosening up at bit?  I hope so! 

I love Beth's suggestion to keep the verses in a spiral notebook of index cards.  I write the verses on one side and the reference on the other side so I can quiz myself.  That way I can flip through them as I go along, so even though I'm beginning a new one I'm not moving away from the previous verses.

I have to say, so far so good :)

The above is my next selection.  If you wanted to pray for me as I work on this I would surely appreciate it!

Renee

Monday, February 14, 2011

That Katie, I love her

We celebrated Katie's birthday this weekend.  She is now 25 years old! 



There are lots of things I would like to go on and on about, but she is a very private person, and I'm not gonna lie... she told me in no uncertain terms that she did not want me to wax poetic about all of her wonderfulness. 

This is so hard because one of my favorite things to do in the whole world is to wax poetic. 



I want to say things like, "Isn't she beautiful?" 


 



















...and, "She's such a wonderful mommy..."



But it is her birthday, so I'm going to respect her wishes and refrain from the like.  Therefore, instead of all the bad poetry, and bragging, and maybe even sliding toward the gushy & sentimental, I'm going to do as I do each Monday morning.  I'm going to share a few of the lovely ways God has brought beauty to my life...this week through the life of my beautiful birthday girl :)


 






















So on this sunny, Valentine-y, Monday morning I am feeling particularly thankful...

for my daughter, who loves Jesus and wants to make Him happy...who is principled, and strong, and has a clear sense of right and wrong

for her sense of humor, and patience, and love of family

for her understanding of priority and willingness to sacrifice the convenient for the eternal

for the pure joy I experience as I watch my daughter mother her babies

for staying connected with our kinda/sorta regular chats about sometimes a lot and sometimes nothing much

for giggles on road trips, sharing large quantities of chocolate, and enduring the teasing when my two girls team up to mock and ridicule...me

for remembering again, for perhaps the 42-millionth time, how completely, and beautifully, and undeservedly I have been blessed with the gift of being a mom



Twenty-five years ago Katie was my miracle baby...

and today? 

Well.

Today I still find her completely miraculous!



It's not even a cliche, my friends....I really am most abundantly blessed :)

Happy Happy Monday!
Renee

(A Thousand Gifts #291-305)

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Happy Birthday, Katie!

  

I may or may not have more to say on the subject tomorrow,
but for today feel free to join me in thanking God for this
awfully-special daughter of mine :)


Love you Kate!
Momm

Friday, February 11, 2011

A little somethin' in the way of followup

Y'all.

I am chagrined and embarrassed, and dare I say, somewhat discouraged, to inform you that @pepsi is no longer following yours truly on twitter.  Evidently we broke up and nobody told me.  I know not where I went wrong.  Our twitter time was so brief I'm pretty sure it couldn't be my fault for Pete's sake. 

It's all fun and games on The Twitter until you get dumped by your favorite caffeinated beverage without so much as an explanation.

Just sayin'.

On a happier note, THE BABIES ARE HERE.  And Miss Audrey is simply brilliant in the world of potty training.  Seriously, she is a potty-training prodigy.  I may have mentioned this before, but that granddaughter of mine is special, I tell ya.  She is going to be really somethin' once she gets tall enough to run the world. 

I plan to stay on her good side.


You may or may not be relieved to know that the chocolate pie was every bit as yummy and delicious and basically TASTY as I predicted.  I ate two pieces yesterday so I should know.  There is at least a 96.2% chance that I will partake of two pieces again today.

I'm not even embarrassed or ashamed because it is just that good.


I have to work tonight, but I will spend a large portion of the today-part of the day enjoying my loud, messy, and mostly potty-trained family.  Tomorrow we're loading up the motor vehicle and taking off for the glorious world of The Outlets near Kate's home to do some window shopping and birthday celebrating together.  Word on the street is the temperature should be above freezing and sunshine-y.   

I'm thinking it's gonna be a smiley weekend all the way around for me and mine...



...seriously folks, with this child in my arms how could it not???


I hope your weekend is of the smiling variety as well :)

Happy Friday!
Renee

Thursday, February 10, 2011

On Pepsi and Pie

Well.

It is now 1:04 in the a.m. on a Thursday. 

I finished work approximately 34 minutes ago and have decided I should take care of my bloggy business before I catch some shut-eye because the family, THEY ARE A'COMIN later in the morning.  or early in the afternoon.  or whenever they get the stuff and the two babies and then THE STUFF loaded up, and they hit the road, and they stop at the two Micky-D's along the way, and they drive for two hours as Kate alternates between hugging Audrey's feet (don't ask), and standing on her head to attend to the extremely low-maintenance, roll with the punches Owen.  HA!

or not.

Just in case you've forgotten how stinkin' cute my not-even-a-little-bit-low-maintenance grandson is, let's take a quick reminder-peek...


See?? Cute!!! 

I feel like a bit of levity is in order, but I'm not sure I can summon any cleverfulness at this hour without another infusion of caffeine, and that would be downright ridiculous.

Since hilarity and witty-ness and hijinks are out of the question and off the table for today, I think it would be a great idea to, ya know, empty my head of the clutter.  Perhaps then I will sleep the sleep of, well...a person with a less cluttered head??

So here's what's weighin' on my mind.  Thank you kindly for your pretend patience and fake support.  It really does mean the world to delusional me.

1.  I'm really really hoping that Audrey brings her big girl pants.  Her mama is so proud of her potty-using skills & I think it will be great fun to watch all that baby girl pride a'goin on. 

I'd rather avoid the whole accidents thing though.  

I'll keep you posted.

2.  If you follow me on twitter, or glance about an inch to the right of where we are right now, then you know that I received an email today informing me that PEPSI is following me on the twitter.  It's downright absurd the level of DELIGHT I experienced with the aforementioned email.  I have no idea how PEPSI HIM/HER/ITSELF learned of my existence, I can only speculate that they follow anyone who mentions their product approximately 2000 times on The Twitter. 

3.  I'm finding that I really can't concentrate on anything other than all that chocolate pie that is cooling in my fridge at this very same moment in time.  I always cheat and take a little tiny piece or four while it's still warm just to make sure it's edible, but it feels wrong to eat Katie's birthday pie before she arrives in the Great State of Virginia, so I'm trying to distract myself. 

This is harder than it might seem because ya know, CHOCOLATE PIE!

That's it.  That's all the clutter I care to share with the worldwideweb at 1:28 a.m. in morning, so I have to go now and sleep real fast before I remember that I forgot to tell you about the SNOW that started a couple of hours ago...

Love,
Your friend, and Pepsi's,
Renee

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Looky what I found

Y'all.


I honestly cannot remember the last time I was so excited about the release of a book. 

Actually, I'm pretty sure I've never been this excited about the release of a book. 



You just know a book will be special when you find great delight in reading someone's simple statement of faith.   I mean, seriously, I've read a few in my day, and although the doctrine in a person or organization's statement of faith can be beautiful - just keepin' it real here - it is rarely poetry.

After waiting for what has felt like a really really long time, it arrived a couple of weeks ago.  I was literally watching for the mailman since I had received my trusty e-mail informing of shipment.  I'm not even kidding when I tell you I was happy when it arrived.  It felt kinda like my birthday, or Christmas, or some other EXCITING TIME.

And then I let it sit there for a week or so without reading the first page.

I knew it was going to be special.  And I knew it would be a book I wouldn't want to skim through distractedly.  I also suspected I might shed a tear or six, because, well, HER BLOG!

I was not wrong.  ...nor have I been disappointed.

I made it all the way to the second paragraph before looking for my highlighter...and I forged ahead to page three before those infernal tears came. 

...and they just kept coming.  I was going to say they continued to fall until I closed the book at the end of chapter one. 

But basically I was a teary schmuck-of-a-mess all. day. long.

In chapter one of her book, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, Ann shared some heartbreaking experiences, but the tears were as much from recognition as from empathy. 

Different experiences.  Same pain.

Shocking how easily my own forever-and-a-day-buried heartbreaks came popping to the surface with just a few words. 

The first chapter is hard.  Because her story begins with pain and pain is hard.  And we may not have suffered the traumatic death of a sibling, but I for one am certainly not unfamiliar with trauma.

...and even though I haven't struggled with blaming God for the hurts to my heart, the trauma in my story, I can say I have felt puzzlement at times, trying to make sense of the senseless.

I was so encouraged by her every sweet word in chapter one ...and can't wait to hear how God continued to grow her into the brave, God-appreciating mama that she is today.

I can't even get over my incredulity at how God delights to use little us to encourage and grow each other....

...but I'm so glad that a painfully shy, hurting and sad mama living on a farm in Canada was willing to let Him :)

One chapter in and I give this book an enthusiastic and thankful two thumbs up. 

Just thought you should know. 

Happy Tuesday!
Renee

p.s.  If you want some encouragement right now you can click above where I linked her statement of faith.  She just makes me want to hug God every single time I read her writing. 
I mean, Yaay for the God who created the whirling galaxies!  :)

Monday, February 7, 2011

One Thousand Whispers

Today is Mamaw Farmer's birthday.  She isn't here with us today.  She went to be with Jesus in November.  I'm so very glad she's with Jesus & certainly wouldn't wish her to be back here in her tired, centenarian body, but I have to admit things feel just a little emptier here on terra firma. 

She lived more than 100 years.  One-hundred years.  She lived for decades after her husband died.  She buried most of her children.  She worked harder and suffered more loss than I can fathom.  Yet I can't recall a single time when in my presence she was complain-y, or whine-y, or otherwise a big ole baby.  I always thought she was so strong.  Clear as day I can feel both of her hands enthusiastically patting mine in love or reassurance, or as was quite often the case, sheer emphasis ;)  Like it was yesterday I can smell the rosy lotion from her bathroom and feel the chair beneath me as I sat in her kitchen, querying her about her sons who were in the war and other such histories of her life.  Even as a teenager I remember being amazed at all she had experienced. 

More bittersweet, perhaps more precious still, I can hear her emphatically, pragmatically, reminding me that I was loved...declaring that nothing as inconvenient as fractured familial relationships could make her unlove me. 

She always reminded me.  She somehow recognized that reminding was important.

I loved her so much. and I miss her. 

...and I am so thankful we do not mourn as those who have no hope :)



God whispers His I-love-you's to me in countless ways every day of my life. 

He showers His love upon my head endlessly. 

Seriously, it's raining abundant good blessings around these parts.

So on this Monday morning on the seventh of February, the day we celebrate the life that Elsie Farmer lived, I again choose to reflect on just a few of those love-you's, and thank Him right out loud emphatically...perhaps a bit pragmatically, for them :)




Thank you thank you, sweet Jesus, for

the reminding

the strength she exhibited...the warmth she enveloped us in...the example she left in her wake

memory, another precious, living-color gift that You give that breathes beautiful life into mere existance

that sharp prick to my hard heart that is YOU speaking, bringing fresh awareness

fresh tears falling in response to hearing You speaking

unplanned festivity

five-year-old Elijah's hand tucked into mine

that very same boy inching ever closer until practically in my lap...his response to the sheer JOY of the excitement that is his first circus

...and the occasional thumbs up sign he turns to give me???  priceless

revelation 21:4

sweet sweet music that inspires me to hug Your neck...and get busy!

Your unfathomable desire to change me from a saul to a paul...not just willingness but desire! You love ME, and You want to take my pitiful self and use me for YOU!

the gift of hearing with my ears...and hearing with my heart

the gift of another day with which to honor You

Happy sweet Monday,
renee

(A Thousand Gifts #274-290)

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Overheard

...at the circus, sitting beside one seriously sweet, small boy.



It's like going to Heaven!

I hope he doesn't bust his head open.

They need to put some clothes on.

That is dangerous.

Is that really happening?

Do not try this at home.

and finally, my personal favorite...

They are dancing on the poopy floor.



Nite Folks!
Renee :)

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Rebuilding muscle

So I keep meaning to tell you about my Bible verses!  I think I mentioned at some point that I'm trying to wake up my long-neglected memorizing muscles and get some brand-new verses under my proverbial belt this year. 

I'm ashamed to report that the above-mentioned muscles have atrophied to a horrifying degree. 

The plan is to memorize a new verse twice a month, and so far I have succeeded...I think.  But I have been shocked at how hard it has been for me in the cold-recall-department.  Even when I think I have it down I find myself stuck when I try to pull it out of thin air.

I blame it on age.

Come to think of it, I blame much on age.  I'm fine with that.

Anyhoo, I wanted to record my verses each time, but so far haven't, so we'll call this my memory-verse-catch-up-post, shall we?

I like this first one because it kind've ties in with the ole blog.  Possibly it's because I am a lover of symmetry.  or not.  whatever.


You crown the year with your good blessings, and you leave abundance in your wake.
Psalm 65:11

And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me."
Luke 9:23

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer
Psalm 19:14

I've gotta say I'm not sure why I've gotten so lazy about this because I'm loving the whole process.  There is unarguably great value in regularly meditating on the Word.  I don't know what I've been thinking by neglecting it.  Fascinating, isn't it, how God gives such great instructions and I still act like I know better.

Sheesh.

Happy Thursday :)
Renee

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Thank You, Waving Hardee's Guy

I like living in a small-ish city for a-whole-bunch-of-years in a row.

I was reminded of that today as I was driving down Peter's Creek and passed the Hardees on the corner.  Lo and behold, there was the sweet Happy Hardee's Guy.  If you live in the area you may be familiar with who I'm talking about.  This fella has been hanging out at this Hardees for YEARS and I'm not even kidding.  I can't remember when he first appeared, but he has been there since my now-grown-up daughters were little. 

and I loved him even then :)

He seems to be a bit mentally challenged in some way, but he is one of the friendliest, most cheerful people I have ever ever seen.  And his work ethic certainly puts mine to shame.  I suspect he isn't geting rich on it but rain or shine, hot or cold this guy stands out on the corner greeting passersby.  Literally, he. just. waves. at everyone.  Sometimes when I would go through the drive-through he would come by the car and greet me personally, but mostly he just stands at the corner. 

I hadn't seen him recently, probably because of the FRIGIDNESS that has been January, but as the sun came out today there he was, waving BOTH HANDS at everyone driving by - in all directions - like his life depended on it.  It made me all smiley inside.  Perhaps the most fun part was seeing all the drivers smiling and waving back.  I'm not sure why Hardee's has let him hang out for years and years, but I'm so glad they have.  I've learned a thing or two from him, and Waving Hardee's Guy has made my neighborhood a little bit more connected, and I think maybe a little nicer to each other.

Again...all smiley inside.

Happy Wednesday!
Renee

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

I want to live next door to Andy and have my own horse named Patches

Book clubs have been springing up in abundance in the wake of New Year's around these parts, i.e. on the worldwideweb, and as a self-described book lover I feel compelled to participate.  I'm working on another kind've serious and real-life-ish one right now that I will tell you about later, but today is all about the whimsy.

Now I'm not gonna lie.  When Melanie suggested Half Broke Horses I thought whaa?  Where was the glitz?  The glamour? The drama?  I was a little, how can I say this...lukewarm about reading a book that is described as Little House for grown-ups.  Now I love me some Laura Ingalls Wilder, but frankly I have yet to see an episode of Little House on the Prairie that does not make me cry.  And now I ask you, who wants to cry in January?  I'm already suffering from my self-diagnosed SAD and am barely hanging on until the sun comes back out.

That being said, Half Broke Horses = MUCH FUN!  I've literally laughed out loud (pardon the cliche) several times already.  That Lily is one spunky chick, even if she was born back in the olden days, and she really, really makes me want my own horse named Patches. 

Not that I would want to actually, you know, take care of it or anything...or work that hard...or live in a cave-y like home with muddy walls.  But she makes it all seem like this great adventure.

I'm thinking that's what's behind living an extraordinary life...acknowledging, yea EMBRACING the adventure in our ordinary.

Whoa, too heavy...back to the whimsy :)

(Whoa...horses...Haha - I'm out of control this morning!)

Oh how I love me some Andy Griffith, LOVE me some Andy.  Yesterday afternoon I happened upon the episode where their freezer was dying and Aunt Bea kept trying to take care of it without hiring the charlatan-who-charged-too-much to fix it.  Andy was getting more and more exasperated with her, and she was sweet-talking the longtime town butcher into storing all the mediocre beef she got on the cheap from the new guy.  Andy saying to her in various tones and moods throughout the episode to just CALL THE MAN makes me happy and nostalgic and just a touch weepy-eyed.

I can't explain why so I will not try.

Hey - that rhymed!

(sorry again)

The other day I caught an episode of Parks and Recreation on Netflix.  I don't know a lot about this one.  I've only seen a few episodes, and like most everything tv-ish it is probably offensive more than once at some point, but the episodes I have seen have initiated more than a couple of giggles.  That Leslie Knope is just so doggone earnest all the time.  I've gotta say I'm loving her dedication to the Great Town of Pawnee.  You have to appreciate someone that unflappable. and well-meaning. and downright kind.

I suspect she would have gotten along extremely well with Lily and Patches.

Happy Tuesday - I'm off to TMBS!
Renee