FAMILY AND FRIENDS GATHER TOGETHER.

CHRISTMAS EVE AT GRANDMA'S

THANKSGIVING WITH FAMILY

Henry the hamster.


This is Rachel's hamster. I hamster sat for them for about 2 weeks.
He was sitting on my lap We were out for some exercise.Isn"t he cute.

Cloudy Monday reflection.

Today is Monday and it is cloudy and cooold outside. Wayne and I went down to Grandmas today and got up her leaves and put away all her outdoor stuff for the winter. These days make me think of Papaw, because when he was alive, he did all of these things himself. He passed away in 2005 in December. He is still greatly missed especially around the holidays. He was so funny and the life of any get together. He would joke and laugh with the grandkids. He was always firing grandma when they worked together. She was never worried about getting fired because she knew he would always take her to work with him the very next day, only to fire her again. We had so much fun being together with them. Holidays are family times, a time for making lasting memories. A time to be thankful for all the time God has given us to be together .
We are getting together this Thanksgiving up at my brother and sister in laws house. There will be those that are missing because of living a distance away, they will be missed. There will be those who will be missing by choice, they will also be missed. Happy Thanksgiving.

The baby shower.

Thursday: I went up to my daughter Rachel's house in Allentown Pa. (3 hour trip). We went and picked up the baby crib. I spent the night with her and Samer (her husband). On Friday, her and I went to Penndel Pa.
(a 2 hour trip), to pick up the cake which was given to her for the shower by a dear friend of Rachel's. We then returned to my home in Maryland (a 3 hour trip). Samer came down after work ( 2.45 hours). Needless to say there was a whole lot of roadwork involved in this baby shower. Saturday was the shower day. We spent the day going to the store and preparing the food, decorating and such for the shower. It was great. Everyone had a wonderful time. They received many nice gifts for baby Benjamin. God has been so good to them and to us all. We serve a good and kind heavenly Father. You can view pictures of the shower on Rachel's blog- joyfulpraise, located on my sidebar below.

MARANATHA! Even so come, Lord Jesus! Amen.

This is my beautiful granddaughter, Gracie.

Dutch doll quilt for my Granddaughter Gracie.

This is a project I have been working on for some time now. I hope to have in finished by January 2009, so that I can take it to her when we go for a visit. My son and his family live in Monterey,Ca. My son is in the navy. I have one granddaughter and 2 two grandsons (with another grandson on the way. My daughter, Rachel (Joyful Praise) is expecting a boy in January.) When I started the quilt I thought it would be done a lot sooner, but a lot of things have kept me from getting it finished. It is also a bigger job than I thought. So be patient Gracie dear. Grandma will get it done for you sometime.

Gracie's quilt

Preparing for a bountiful grape harvest next season.

All that is left is to clean up the trash.

Satisfaction in a job completed

A Day well spent.

Today I woke up to the most beautiful weather anyone could ask for on the 7th of November. The temperature has gotten up to 70 degrees. When I raised the shades in my home I had an irresistible urge to do something outside. I live about 1 mile from my mother-in-law, who is 82 years old. I thought to myself, I think I will go down to Grandmas house and take care of some pruning she has been wanting done for a while. Well that is just what I did. She and I worked almost all day pruning a small tree and pruning her grapevines. It was a very pleasant job and made her very happy. When we can spend some time making someone else happy, then it is certainly a day well spent.

The best thing.

Psalms 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."(KJV)
This verse describes the best thing (the word of God) hid in the best place (the heart) for the best purpose (that I might not sin against thee.)

Leaf carpet next door.

beautiful fall colors.

One blackeyed susan still holds on.

Second cousins.

The top one is my grandson, Jude Daniel. The bottom one is my nephew, Zach. Jude is 1 year old and Zach is 16 years old (this is an old picture of him.) Thru my eyes they sure do look alot alike.What do you think?

Beautiful words of life.

The song says "Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life." There are many words and phrases which are used over and over in the word of God. One word, just the right word, can speak volumes. Proverbs 25: says "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."(KJV) It says a "word" not words. Let us try to be that one who speaks a word to the weary soul, or to the bereaved one, or to that one in need of a word of encouragement instead of tearing down with words of criticism.
Two of my favorite words in the Word of God are
lovingkindness and tender mercies. In all but one instance where these words are found they speak of our Lord. Many times they are used together . Doesn't this give us a beautiful picture of a forgiving, loving, kind Father.

Just a thought.

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful" Psalms1:1
The walk of a man speaks of his progress in this Christian life. It is important that he receive counsel from the right source, the Word of God.
The stand of a man speaks of his victory in this Christian walk. If a man stands with sinners he will not be able to live a victorious Christian life. I Cor. 15:57,58
The sitting of a man speaks of his finish. We want to be like the apostle Paul who said,"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."

Job 38:28 "Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?"
The gentle hand of God,
That feeds the little sparrows,
Also sends the dew
To freshen all the flowers. bjg

It's always good to have things in common with those you love.

Well, I have to tell you 2 separate stories for you to see what I mean. One day, about a month ago, I was talking with my daughter on my cell phone. I was going down to my mother-in laws, which is one mile from my house. As I got out of my car and approached the door to her house I was still talking to Rachel on my cell phone. Just as I was getting ready to knock on the door I said to Rachel " Oh dear, I have to run back up to my house to get my cell phone in case your daddy tries to call me." I was turning to go when I heard Rachel chuckle. Then she said "mom, you're talking on your cell phone," Both of us burst out laughing and got a real dose of medicine that day.
Story #2. This takes place at my daughter's house in Pa.. She was already in bed getting ready to dose off when she heard her husband come into the bedroom. He was on his cell phone and walking around the bedroom as if looking for something. He started out of the room again and just as he got to the door he paused and turned and came back into the room, with a little humph. Rachel then asked him what he was doing. With a sheepish grin he said " I was looking for my cell phone ." Again she burst out laughing and said " you are just like my mom."

A day spent with someone dear.

Yesterday my daughter, Rachel came down for a short visit. We have always been close and even though she has married and lives 3 hours away we still remain close. It is always a joy when she comes to visit. We talk and spend time revisiting the past, just like we did today through old pictures. I also have a son, Jason. Rachel and I and her dad (for he was off work today) spent the morning looking at pictures and remembering the good times we had when they were both at home. There are always bad things or unpleasant things that happen even in the best of families, but is is always better to remember the good things. We don't usually take pictures of the bad times but the good times. Birthday parties, special trips, Christmas, family gatherings, special achievements- all remembered in pictures. I would suggest to every family to get out the old photo box and spend some time looking over the old photos, you would be surprised the things that each one remembers about a special event. With the holidays coming up, it would be a great time just to pause and take a look back . As your family grows with the addition of grandchildren, the picture box gets fuller and the memories more numerous. Family is precious and those memories will be too for a long time to come.

Lord's day musing

This being the Lord's day , I have once again been reminded of the great cost of our Bible (KJV 1611). I am not talking about how much money you paid for the copy of God's word you hold in your hand today , but how many lives were given in order for us to be able to read the scriptures in the English language. God's word declares in Psalms 12:6,7 "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever."
God promised to preserve his words, and He has in the KJV 1611 bible. It cost many men their lives to allow us to have the word of God in a language that we could read and understand. Many men and women were martyred for their part in preserving the words of God so that you and I could hold it in our hands and read it and come to a saving knowledge of our Lord and Saviour. God's word is God's love letter to His people. Let us endeavor to be more faithful to the reading and hearing of His word.

Thrifty Day!

For all you thrifty moms out there, check this out! Today I went to my local thrift shop and made a great purchase. Every third Thursday and Friday they have a bag sale on clothing. Well, I bought a bag of baby clothes for my daughter for $8.00. I got 6 onesies, 7 shirts, 4 pair of overalls,3 sleepers, 2 vests, and a cute little cap for the baby expected in January. Oh yes, and a skirt for myself. Now is that not a thrifty day!

One of my favorite bible verses.

Psalms 18:30 "As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him."

I have found throughout my life of 55 years that remembering scripture verses helps me thru trying and difficult times. No matter what the trial, God's word has the answer. Take for instance this economic fiasco our country is going through, God's word tells us these things are to be, so "lift up your heads, your redemption draweth nigh." These times in which we live may be dark, but the future for the child of God is very bright!

Joining the blogging community

Hi everyone,
I have so much fun reading all of your blogs I have decided to start blogging myself. I would appreciate any help you can give.I look forward to blogging with you all. Grandma.