How to spend 2 days cleaning your house and end up with an unclean house

So a few weeks ago my next-door buddy suggested it would be great FUN to do our spring cleaning together on an upcoming Saturday.  She has a carpet cleaner and I had Windex and the sun was supposed to be shining, so it seemed like a good plan in the making and I jumped on board.

A few days before Spring Cleaning Day (SCD) I even drove way across town to buy a couple of springy linens to assist me in my endeavor to rid the home of all things snowmen, AND I bought lots of paper towels and toilet bowl cleaner with bleach.  I was ready.

The plan was to ditch all things snowmen and clean any surface in my presence.  She even has a steam cleaner-thing to assist in ridding the kitchen of that grimy buildup that I like to pretend isn't there 364 days a year.

Well.

Sometime along about midnight-forty-five on Friday night before SCD I decided I really want my bedroom in the back room.  Yup.  It suddenly became imperative and important to move my room to the back with the adjoining deck and trees and summer cooler-ness. 

I made some good points to myself, so I agreed.  After springing (haha, get it ;)  out of bed at the crack of 9 I set to work ridding my living room of all things cobwebby and scrubbing windows, and evidently breaking my Roku box mid Pandora song, causing me no end of frustration and aggravation and pent-up musical stylings.

About that time Sheri dropped in to say "Quick!  We must venture forth to the great shop on the other side of town because I doth need something springy!" or something like that, so I grabbed my keys and off we went into the sunshine.  Of course we had to detour for some Mickey D's tea, but then we were off.

After spending oh, I don't know, maybe 45 minutes or so, we both had done our small part to help the economy and felt ready to head back home, so out we went.  However, we did have to pass Frank's Pizza twice on this journey, so of course PIZZA.  As we sat there munching on our favorite pizza in town and dipping those requisite fries in ketchup, and slurping (it was a sunny spring day! slurping was in order in my opinion) even more iced tea...this pretty person with her hair all pretty and her makeup all pretty walked through the door, and then I remembered.  I was in SCD mode with no intention of leaving my house or interacting with other human-type people that day.

It's all fun and games until you remember you are a WRECK of a gal and you're sitting in public not even remembering you're said wreck. 

That never would have happened in my youthful days.

We persevered and endured the humiliation as we tried to avoid eye contact with anyone entering Franks, and then we scurried home as quickly as possible.

...to a WRECK of a house awaiting me.  I spent the rest of the day dismantling beds and desks and computer modems with routers, and it was not pretty, people.  I'm thinking it was major-ly the opposite of pretty.  Sheri dropped by at some point as I was struggling with that stupid desk that wouldn't fit through any doors invented ever and announced I needed some type of tool of which I've already forgotten the name but she had in her son's truck.  Score!  I won't even go into the tragedy and yet comedy of the two of us carrying large chunks of this very heavy desk down my narrow steps and to the street for pickup.  I will say there was much laughing and what in the world was I thinking's going on.  I was able to get my bed together and the furniture in place by dark-thirty and we then crashed in my mostly only tidy clean living room watching Harry's Law and eating taco soup from the freezer. 

The next day was spent getting the computer operational and coping with the CHAOS that had become my life.  I got rid of the majority of the mess and upheaval and disaster-area-ness as I limped around hunched over from all the bad-back infractions I had made the day prior.

And that is how a perfectly capable adult can spend 48 hours spring cleaning and never pick up a carpet cleaner, or her neighbor's steam cleaner...or even the dadgum toilet bowel cleaner with bleach.

Happy Thursday :)
Renee

She has my heart

Happy Wednesday!
Renee

Is it sad that my new favorite thing is cereal??

I am so not up with the times.  I've been known to "discover" things time and again...about a year or three after they came upon the scene.  I have no real explanation.  I can only speculate that I'm just not a bandwagon kind of gal.  I don't like to do things just because other people are, and I don't like to like things just because everyone else does.

Therefore, I've been known to not even try something just because it seems to be the popular choice. 

Weird, I know, since I really, really like to consider myself as quite the hip and happening.

All of that being said, I have discovered the yummiest thing I've had in a while (except for all things cake at Katie's, you understand).  Seriously.  I picked this up at The Fresh Market last week because word on the street is that it is crazy-healthy and well CHUBBY, you know. 

...and y'all it was good.  GOOD is what I'm sayin'.  I have eaten it at least once a day since the purchase - and don't tell but one day I had it for breakfast and dinner.  The thing that makes me happiest is the way it makes me feel completely full and stuffed and satisfied...and 100% disinterested in all things sugar.  I just dump three or four or seven of those strawberries on top and YUM. 

I've always loved my Raisin Bran but color me surprised when I found out it is one of the sugary-est cereals ever invented, and frankly cereal for breakfast has always made me feel yucky anyway.  (I suspect I have an issue with the dairy portion of the cereal experience.)  But, the almond milk solved that little issue and all I feel after indulging in this little repast is happy - and did I mention the good?

So I just wanted to exhort you all, my friends, to be brave and adventuresome and a teensy bit open-minded.  Do not be afraid to jump into 2008.  Go forth and purchase some cereal!


Happy Tuesday :)
Renee

p.s.  I do not wish to be educated about the sugar in the milk.  I prefer to consider it hidden sugar and therefore nonexistent.  Don't judge.

Of crayons and a good night's sleep

I love how God takes the ordinary and fills up all the little nooks and crannies with all manner of GOOD. 

As is almost always the case (when I stop long enough to notice), I am amazed and astounded and terribly thankful for all He is doing to fill my life with color!

(A thousand Gifts #389-424)

a bowl full of crayons and a stack of clean construction paper, and newly-created pictures on my fridge...and the precious way she says "pik-ture."

smelling the wood while smoothing the paper onto clean cabinets...finding the bottom of a box, and the sound of the tape coming off, and breaking it down before tossing outside...finding that one tiny piece of the floor from underneath all the boxes

the flash of excitement when discovering snow on the porch, and the happy-happy of stepping outside to a warm spring day, and the smell of that first time the lawn is mowed...driving in the car with the windows open

my grandson all tucked into his clean jammies, and the smell of his head and the smile on his face, and the chubby little legs that get stuck in his bumbo...and the way he scrunches his blankie up against his face

watching the patience my daughter has with her children and watching the patience my son has with his family, and watching my other daughter and son love them all.

amelia's lemon tea and diet dr pepper and coke zero and chili's chips & salsa...and a bag lunch dropped at my door by my mom just because I'm tired

our first sleepover with just the two of us and sleeping all night long, and first-thing-in-the-morning snuggles, and successful  trips to the potty...and milk in sippy cups

quiet times to pray and read and reflect, and a two-hour drive with a new cd, and singing at the top of my lungs because Jesus likes my voice...and that occasional car dance for emphasis

sleeping and waking with the certainty that God loves me regardless of whether I'm at all lovable...because He is love.

and in my opinion, that's pretty much everything :)

Happy Monday!
Renee

So here's the thing...

I have missed y'all - a lot!  However, I am having a terribly hard time getting caught up on what I affectionately refer to as MY LIFE.  That confounded spring cleaning that I began a couple of weeks ago has me completely out-of-whacky, and I can't seem to catch up.  (Of course my side trip to help move my daughter's family didn't help my disorganization any.  Just sayin.)

Also, you might notice the ole bloggy home is looking pretty different - and not at all like I envisioned.  I tried something and it didn't work, and now I don't have 6 or 18 hours to try to beautify it, so I'm going with the simple.  I almost kinda like it.  For this week anyway...who knows what next week might bring, HA.

Anyhoo, you might remember I determined that I would put my Jesus ahead of all my little life-distractions during this season of Lent.  I'm sorry to report that is only going moderately well.  But I am trying to keep all worldwideweb-y activities behind my time with Him.

(By the way...how pitiful am I?  I'm pretty much certain that He should always be at the top of my "list.")

Sigh.


Be that as it may, I have to get back to my homework and my job and my chaotic bathroom situation, but I'll be back tomorrow with mucho thankfulness. 

One more thing - just a warning but the words? they are building up near to bursting! 

I fear much random is in our future.


Happy Sunday!
Renee

Still a little of the Busy

Happy Wednesday!
Renee

We Love Chick Fil-A!

Thanks for all the Happy-Happy, Mr. Smiley-Drink-Refill-Man :)

Happy Tuesday!

Renee



I'm thankful for...

having a life sometimes busting at the seams...

...which occasionally means the blogging just has to wait. 

I have some more huggin' to do!


Happy Monday!
Renee :)

Five Minute Friday: On Waiting...

It's Friday again Y'all!  Can you even believe it?  It is downright shocking how quickly time is flying but I'm just going to say it.  I am as glad as I can be that spring is in the air and it is no longer approximately 200 degrees below freezing.

(That had nothing to do with anything.  I'd appreciate it if you would just pretend it was relevant and we can move on, okay?)

So on Fridays Lisa-Jo picks a random topic, and I then sit down and write on that topic for five veryfast minutes.  and then I stop and go to bed because as usual it's way past midnight-thirty around here.  You can click her handy-dandy button above and put in your own two-cents' five minute's-worth if you'd like.  The whole project is a little HAPPY on a weekday, and seriously who couldn't use a little happy in their week?


{Start}

A short attention span can be a complication for someone who is having to wait for something she wants.  That someone would be me.  And yep, I do lean toward impatient when it comes to something I long for.  And I am longing with all my heart for something right now. 

I keep asking and asking God to just go ahead already and make it happen.  I know He's in charge and He loves me and He only wants wonderful for me...so what's the holdup?

Frankly I'm not hearing so much in the way of an answer. 

Fortunately, though, I know Him pretty well by now, and I do feel secure in His love for me and the certainty that He has a plan.  I know I can trust Him with my heart and its myriad hurts, and needs, and yes...even wants. 

So I'm thinking a little waiting...a little anticipation, makes untying that pretty bow on top of the gift of His answer all the more delicious :)

{Stop}

Have a great weekend, Y'all!

Renee

I love this picture

This picture makes my heart swell right up with joyfulness and thankfulness and the like.

This is my daughter and her nephew - my sweet Owen.

I personally believe they are both completely beautiful and wonderful.

I should know.  They're my kin.

Happy Thursday!
Renee


p.s.  It probably goes without saying that this photo was not taken by me.  Owen's mama caught it, and luckily for us all she has given me permission to share her pix with you willy nilly whenever the mood strikes.  Thanks Kate - for the photo AND for the baby boy :)

Next week maybe I'll hit eleven

Hi Y'all!

1.  It is now 1:17 a.m.  Work was what is sometimes known as a Nightmare tonight.  It just was.  Some days are just like that.  Question.  How come all the yuck of life, be it work or aggravating people at the grocery store, all tend to clump together at the same time?  HOW COME?  Anyway, it's over now and I'm both pleased and glad.  And now it's 1:19 a.m. 

2.  Because it's now 1:19 a.m. I am composing this post lying flat on my back in my froggy PJ's under my swell down comforter.  I'm pretty sure I can pull this whole bloggy edition together without sitting upright.  I'm somewhat gifted like that.  Let's try it, shall we?

3.  Tuesdays are still my favorite day of the week.  I almost tweeted about how Tuesdays were still my favorite day of the week, but it's beginning to seem a little repetitive and redundant.  So I didn't.  But it is.

4.  I have a weird, worsening pain in my LEFT lower extremity.  I KNOW, RIGHT??!!  I woke up a week or so ago with my heel hurting and I'm sorry to report that it seems to be not-at-all-better after many days of pretending it doesn't hurt and limping funny from time to time.  I'm wondering if I could have pulled something from all the foot pedal toe action that is my chosen career?  If you have any insight into my malady please feel free to help a girl out, would ya?

5.  Katie & Company are moving this weekend, and Audrey is going to meet Barney, and I am spending a little one-on-one time with Sir Owen.  Evidently he is teething.  I am a bit afraid. 

Okay fine.  A lot afraid.

6.  I spoke with Audrey on the phone today and as usual, HAPPY.  She performed a couple of tricks for me that I could not at all see, but she never seems to notice.  I sang our song for her and I'm pretty sure she loved it as always because she got very silent and then broke out into spontaneous applause, shouting Encore! Encore! 

(It's somewhat possible I might have made that last part up)

7.  Sallie asked me today if I played softball.  It made me very happy and proud and pleased that she could even wonder such a thing about me.  It's been maybe never since anyone asked me to participate in a sporting event other than to throw some hot dogs on the ole George Foreman and/or yell real loud.  I seriously almost said yes just because she asked, but that would have required me to actually, you know, do softball stuff, and that would just never fly.

8.  As I might have mentioned above, work just about did me in tonight and I seriously considered the ramifications of quitting said job in mid shift and moving in with my children.  Then I remembered I need to save them for when I'm old and not as adorable as I am now, and then I remembered how much I enjoy shelter and food, and what a hoot it is to have a neighbor who has known me since I was line-free and thinks I'm a good cook because she enjoys such culinary delights as salads and taco soup, and I decided to stick it out.

Many thanks and kudos and well-done's to those of you who stuck with me through what might possibly be the longest run-on sentence in the history of the run-on.

9.  I seriously just checked the weather to see if I should be using purple font or not.  Dreary or sunny?  Dreary or sunny?  I don't even want to know what this says about me and my psyche and my neuroses. 

10.  It's 1:50 a.m. and I have decided to add one more thing because I had a post last week with nine things and I can't bear to be repetitive and redundant twice in the same post.  Also, except for Five-minute Fridays this might be my fastest post yet because well, TWO O'CLOCK IN THE A.M. people.

And still flat on my back. 

To quote the great Adrian Monk, It's a gift. And a curse.


Happy Wednesday!
Renee

Every Morning

Because of the LORD’s great love for us

we are not consumed,

for His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning.

Great is your faithfulness.

(Lamentations 3:22-23)



Happy Tuesday!

Renee

Short, yet also sweet

Taking notice and giving thanks for

that friend who wants to do work with me, and for me

sunshine after supper...budding tulips, budding trees...warm breezes

frank's...blackberry's...a crisp, unexpected $20 bill...mickey D's tea (unsweet!) with lemon

the sun streaming through finally-clean windows...climbing in between fresh sheets on a newly-made bed...clorox...swiffers

toddler pigtails...the precious sound of that child's voice on my voicemail (naynay, where are youuu???)...appreciation of a fresh discovery...joy in the whimsy

new pictures of the family to enjoy before sleeping, that love-flutter in my heart upon seeing them, and the talented daughter who takes them

Happy Monday!
Renee

(A Thousand Gifts #368-387)

  

A Little Rending

Yet even now, says the Lord, Return to me with all your heart,

With fasting and weeping and mourning.

...Rend your heart and not your garments

Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity.

Joel 2:12-13

As much I love Thanksgiving for the sheer family-ness and, well, gratitude involved, it pales in comparison to my favorite of all holidays, hands-down-and-barring-none, which would be Easter.  As I have stated quite often here, I do love my Jesus, so this is likely not terribly surprising to you...and a day celebrating His love! and Power! and Victory!?? Well, it doesn't get any better in my book for sure.

In our church we do not traditionally observe Lent.  We certainly believe that our salvation comes only from Christ's complete work on the cross and subsequent resurrection, offered on my behalf, and nothing I could do could possibly add or take away from what He has done.  Only faith required on my part.  Only the receiving.

Amen. and Amen.

Over the last few years, though, I've thought about observing Lent personally as a time of discipline and focus, but frankly my timing was usually off and I would let the time pass by.

Well here it is, another year, and the season is upon us once again.

I've been thinking a lot about the Christmas holiday season and all that crazy-crazy that makes me a little completely nuts and cranky.  That time frame is pretty much approximately 40 days or so.  Now that likely means nothing, but it struck me that I indulge, albeit involuntarily, in at least a little bit of the crazy during that time...how much more should I be willing to readjust my gaze to The One who Rescued Me?


Oh dear, I'm pretty sure I'm rambling...I hope I haven't already lost ya!  I'll try to get my thoughts together.


I have decided to observe Lent this year. 

I almost said nothing here because I believe fasting and what-not should be personal and not some kind of public spectacle or pride thing. 

However, I also believe in the beauty of accountability. 

I might have mentioned this before, but I live alone, and therefore have only the human accountability that I invite in.

I have already learned a little something about myself while just contemplating the giving up of, well, anything.  Not because I can't live without most anything, but because I know how weak I am in the follow through.  Which I'm thinking is already a good start in the right direction, huh.

This will likely sound silly to the majority of my seven readers, but I'm giving up sugar for the next 40 days.

I have to say it embarrasses me to even write those words; they sound so petty and small.  But my humble prayer to my beloved Father is that every time I reach - perhaps desperately - for that Pepsi, or M&M (yikes!) my mind will go right back to Jesus and what He has done for me and why, and maybe-just-maybe, what I can do for Him.

I am also convicted about how much time I spend not with Him, so I told Him that I will spend at least as much time with Him, loving Him & showing it, as I spend on things like the wordlwideweb or Netflix.  Generally speaking, I don't feel like I spend too much time actually blogging, but when you add in all the visiting and what-not it fills a lot of time.

...Not that there's anything wrong with that :)  God has filled some of that quiet time I have in my quiet house with loving all of you, laughing with ya, and praying for ya.

but still...

I just want to let you know that I likely will not be posting quite as often or as regularly until after Easter.  I've promised my Savior that if I haven't had my quiet time there will be ...no blog.  If I'm behind on my Bible study?  Again, no blog.  NOT that my absence will necessarily mean I'm being derelict in my "duties," you undersand :)  I just might be having too much fun with my Jesus to play with ya.

I just want to do a little heart-rending around these parts, is all I'm saying.


I love y'all so much!  Thanks for your prayers :)
Renee

Nine Things

I just love the owner of this face!

She's funny and wonderful and just all-around swell.  Wanna know why?


Four or nine reasons why I love Mary and think she is all-around swell

1.  She thinks I am funny and tells me a lot.

2.  She is a glass-half-full kinda gal.  I am not a fan of the whining and complaining, so I appreciate someone who doesn't, you know, whine and complain.

3.  She always makes me laugh.  Every time.  I am physically unable to spend more than two-and-a-half minutes with her without laughing. 

4.  I like to laugh.

5.  Mary is nicer than I am.  Seriously.  She's nice.  I find that in cases where I would prefer to just smack aggravating,irritating people around and tell them to just get it together already, she is kind, and patient, and ...nice.

6.  She has really cute kids who I like to pretend belong to me.  Along the same lines, she's a terrific mother.

7.  She loves Jesus and acts like it.

8.  She appreciates, dare I say even respects, my love of all things Monk and Pepsi.

9.  She thinks I am funny and tells me a lot.


Thankya, DF-o-mine, for making my whole entire life a good bit happier.

The end.


Renee

On sprouts and culinary failure

Y'all I had a terribly stressful experience while mired in dinner preparation last night, and in the process pretty much ruined my sweet potato fries.  THE FRIES, people.

I understand you are likely mocking me at this very moment for my deep love and commitment to all things sweet potato, but from where I'm sitting this was completely and without a doubt...uncool.

In a desperate, and quite possibly futile, attempt to end my acrimonious relationship with my new nemesis, the one I like to call Chubby-from-the-stinkin'-winter-Renee, I am trying to refrain from eating the cakes, and cookies, and pastas, and well, good stuff, more than twice a day.  This leaves dinner needing a sweet potato or two.  and perhaps some brussels sprouts because A FAN I am of the sprouts.

Anyhoo,  I'll spare you the tragic details, but suffice it to say, do not under any circumstances throw your sweet potatoes, and brussels sprouts, and that summer squash you froze last summer, onto the same baking sheet and toss into a 450-degree oven.  Even if you think there's plenty of room and they are separated all neat and tidy-like.  

Ugly, tragic, soggy, stinky things happen.

Trust me.

And the worst part of this sad tale?  I now have to get to TMBS...still smelling of the sprouts.


Here's hoping your Tuesday is full of only tasty things :)
Renee

Yep, even the hard stuff

It is very true that I am a person who almost always focuses on the positive.

I am a classic under-reactor who persistently believes that things will be ok...I believe people mean well, even when they might not...When things are terrible and I say I'm fine, I'm pretty much mean it. 

I have always been acutely aware that even if things are kind've crummy for me at the time, many people's lives are much, much crummier at the very same time. 

For this reason I guess sometimes I can give the impression that life is simply fabulous for me all the time and that I spend all of my days skipping around while giggling and dispensing hugs.

Okay, the hug part is pretty accurate :)

What I don't often say is I have experienced a lot of not-so-easy through the years.  I have lost things I believed I could not live without.  My heart has been broken, and I have suffered through extended periods of intense stress. 

That being said, I have also basked in the comfort of Jesus.  I have felt his comfort, and direction, and that glorious peace that people talk about but must be experienced to believe.  In Ann Voskamp's post last Monday she made some points which I believe with all my heart.  I know that suffering is not only valuable, but actually desirable, because I have lived the precious experience of moving through the yuck with Christ's protecting and comforting arm around me. 

However, I realized I might be missing part of the point when she stated that

Counting the one thousand gifts means counting the hard things - otherwise I've miscounted.

As someone who doesn't usually give much credence to the hard things because I'm not a fan of all the dwelling, I suddenly realized I might be glossing over...skimming right past...some of the most relevant parts of my personal story.

So for that reason, I determined that this week I would try to reflect on some of the hard things in my life and include them in my list, also wonderful gifts from the God who loves me with abandon...





(A Thousand Gifts #347-367)

journals filled with pages upon pages of heart conversations with my Father, documentation of his never-ending faithfulness, while faithlessness seems to abound

losing the entire post on hard things, which pushed me to think about it all, again, gaining ever more joy in the focus

reveling in my daughters' faith, feeling the heart-surge when recognizing the growth that has come from their own hard things

financial need, which ensures my continued awareness of complete dependence upon The Provider of all I will ever have...memory of past provision

a silent house free of distractions from time with Jesus, the lover of my soul

the certainty that He is all I will ever need for as long as I will live...answered prayers

the empathy which comes from the enduring, and watching God use it...the joy that comes from being useful and knowing it wasn't all for nothing

waking to the rain pounding on the roof...baby hugs on a weekday...celebrating the birthday of a dear friend...successful surgeries...relieved mothers...chocolate cake and giggles with my daughters...unplanned salad suppers...long conversations with far-away friends

hopeful anticipation of what He will do next with this messy life that is all mine

Happy Monday, Y'all!
Renee :)

Guess...

...who came to see me Friday! 

Katie & company are moving in a couple of weeks (Yaay!) to a much better spot, saving poor Jeremy a zillion miles of driving.  So Katie made an unsatisfyingly-quick trip to town with a car full of rubbermaid storage for me to tuck away for her.

Alas, no Audrey.  Apparently Audrey likes to take potty breaks every 3.6 miles, as well the STAT requirements for multiple Mickey-D fries.  Oddly enough, Katie does not find this as adorable and wonderful and downright precious as I do.

Thus it was just my daughter and her son on this little visit. 

I have no suitable photos of the two of them together because I don't know why.  I have several pix, but Kate would be greatly displeased with me if I posted them here on the worldwideweb...so I guess won't.  She has custody of my grandchildren, after all, and I find it behooves me to keep that girl happy.

This is the best I can do this morning in the category of the mother with the son.

That would be Kate's arm.  And doesn't her hair look nice?  I cropped this one myself. 

(I don't know if I have mentioned it lately, but I just might be the world's worst photographer ever.  Just sayin.)

Kari also dropped by rushed over as soon as humanly possible because well, she is Wiwi and loves her some Owen. 

All in all, I have to say it was a mighty fine day.  I'm not gonna lie... I seriously missed seeing my sweet, talking-up-a-storm, potty-trained babygirl, but the one-on-one with my boy???  Well.  That was simply FABULOUS.

Later Gators!

Renee

p.s.  It is raining cats and dogs and buckets around here, so it seems only appropriate to pull out the purple font.  I have no idea why.

Five-minute Friday: When I look in the mirror I see...

It's time for our five-minute writing extravaganza!  In just a sec I will set the timer and spend five minutes trying to summarize what I see when I look in the mirror.  I don't know how Lisa-Jo comes up with these topics, but this one? making me a bit uncomfortable. 

I'm not a big fan of the introspection. 

Anyhoo, feel free to click on her snazzy new button to my right to hop over to her site and maybe even contribute your own little ditty.  Enjoy the liberation! and freedom! and speed! which accompanies this little exercise....and then please thoroughly enjoy the weekend to follow :)

TTYL!

{Start}

When I look in the mirror I see a face that is oddly familiar and yet a bit of a surprise.  The face staring back at me is a bit rounder than I expect, with hard-earned lines in stereotypical places that contradict my certainty that I'm still 25 years old with my babies in the other room.

I don't regret those lines.  Most of them have come from laughing and living, and of course a few of them products of the inevitable suffering along the way. 

I appreciate all the living that has gone into making me...me.  After all, who would really want to have lived 45 years and have nothing to show for it?

However, much more than the lines around my eyes, or the gaps in the teeth, or that crooked smile that makes me crazy sometimes, when I look in the mirror I see a mom who loves her family passionately...a daughter who wants only the best for her parents...a sister who is crazy about her siblings.  I see a grandmother whose greatest joy is found in her grandchildren.  I see a loyal friend who values the time that seasons the good and evens out the not-so-great. 

I see a person who loves and is loved.

When I look in the mirror I see the same Me! that I've lived with all of these years.

But praise God, now there is a whole beautiful life reflecting in that face looking back :)

{Stop}

Happy Friday!

Renee

p.s.  I inserted the pictures outside of the 5-minute window.  just so's ya know :)

Isaiah 42:8

I am the LORD; that is my name! 

I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.

Isaiah 42:8

 

It's time for me to begin a new verse.  I have already memorized five more Scripture verses in 2011 than I have in the last few years! 

I'm feeling encouraged about the whole one-step-at-a-time thing :)

I want so badly to remember all throughout my day that my God is the one and only LORD, and only He should be receiving my devotion...my praise...my worship!

This was my sky yesterday.  I surely hope you're enjoying a sunny, SPRINGY day in your neighborhood this morning :)

Happy Wednesday!

Renee

A little suggestion of the lunch variety

Once upon a time I visited a pal of mine.  We were chatting it up, and before we even knew what happened, lunch was upon us.  Or maybe it was dinner.  I guess it could have been an afternoon snack.  Who knows now...it was a long time ago. 

Anyhoo, the point is we were visiting and then we were hungry.  D. made a seriously simple and quite tasty little pizza-type thingie that I loved a lot.  I'm not sure how often she eats it these many years later, but I tend to have it on a somewhat consistent basis.

Because of the yumminess & all.

Since I've enjoyed this little pizza-type thingie again this week I thought I would share the "recipe" with y'all so you can enjoy as well.  I use the term recipe loosely, because it's more of a list of ingredients.  This works for me because I enjoy a little ADVENTURE in my day. 

I call it feta pizza because it needed a name on my recipe card.

D's recipe for feta pizza:

Place a whole pita onto a baking sheet.  I use a cookie sheet.  I suppose that might be considered a baking sheet in some circles.  Swirl a little olive oil around and then sprinkle some thyme and cracked red pepper on the "crust."  After that I add a bit of deli ham...just a bit - not too thick. 

Now this is just me, but I have started adding a bit more thyme mainly because it seems like a good idea.  This is a pretty mild dish other than the bit of cracked red pepper, so I like to have a fair amount of thyme.  Who knows if it's a good decision or not.

On top of the ham I then add crumbled feta cheese, and then top the whole shebang with Parmesan cheese. 

Then ya just bake it up for oh I'd say maybe 8-10 minutes at around 350.  The cheese just needs to warm up thoroughly and you don't want it to get too brown.  I always keep a pretty close eye on it during the cheese-melting phase.

And that would be it!  The pita crisps up pretty quickly and is all kinds of yummy.  No kidding it's one of my favorite things ever :)

Thanks D - I owe ya! 

Happy Tuesday :)
Renee