THANK YOU MARY :)

I'd like to thank Mary Hutchins, of "Visits with Mary" for choosing my blog as a recipient of this award!

I am certainly humbled and appreciative.  You would do well to visit her blog by going to this URL: http://www.visitswithmary.blogspot.com/. 

It has been obvious to me by the posts and comments she has shared that she has a true heart for the Lord and all things beautiful and pure.  Make sure you visit her site, it's beautiful!

In accordance with receiving this award, I am to share with you seven things about myself that you may not know............so here goes!

1.  When I began piano lessons at the age of 7, I never had to be prodded to practice----I found out that I was the exception to the rule after teaching piano for 30 years :)

2.  I love the Lord so much and am blessed beyond measure with His grace and mercy!

3.  I went to Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for ONE semester.......actually looking for a husband...lol.......when he was right back here where I grew up.  We met very shortly after I returned home and got a job as organist at the church he was attending.  I knew I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, for all the wrong reasons.  It wasn't until I said, "Lord, I gave my life to YOU, so I'm going home to serve you, and if you want me to get married, I will, if you don't, I won't."

4.  Now I know this may be weird, but I've always had a fascination with planes.........I love watching them take off and land.......

5.  I am the oldest of 3 siblings, two younger brothers.  It was hard being the oldest, because Momma and Daddy always left me "in charge" when they left the house.  Which, needless to say, was fruitless.  I tried Brubber and Gwee.....lol

6.  I don't know if you'd call me a "trekkie", but I have always been a Star Trek fan, all the way back from the first t.v. episodes, right down to the big movie sequels:)

7.  I tried my hand at planting gourds for the first time this past Summer.  It was very successful with varying shapes and sizes.......what I really want to plant is  GIANT PUMPKIN seeds and have a winner at the fair!

I've been asked to forward this "Stylish Blogger Award" on to 7 bloggers.  I'm not sure I can pick out 7 right at the moment, because I only have 11 followers right now, but these are the ones I have picked to receive the "Stylish Blogger Award":

1.  http://www.youcanfacetodaybecausehelives.blogspot.com/.

Toyin O.  is a special lady with a beautiful testimony.  She has great insight into God's Word and it's evident she wants to glorify Him in everything she does.  Please visit her blog, she has some wonderfully thoughtful posts!

2.  http://www.janelleflint.blogspot.com/   

Here is a beautiful young mother with 5 children making her way one day at a time with God's help.  She's more talented than you can imagine.  She is homeschooling her children and has a real heart for Christ's will in her life :)

3.  http://lauraboggess.blogspot.com/  

Laura is a wonderful author and a woman of great faith in the Lord.  She has a special gift when it comes to penning her words.......they fall like liquid gold!

4.  http://www.goodmorningmarysunshine.blogspot.com/. 

This lady's name is Joy and she certainly lives up to her name!  Her blog is a sheer joy to go to and so colorful, refreshing, with lots of tidbits about life and her family.  It is, indeed, a JOYful experience to visit her blog.  Joy, you may already have this award, but you got it again!

All to whom I send this award to, please follow the instructions as were sent to me.  Tell 7 things about yourself that probably your readers do not know.  AND, by sending it on to 7 more bloggers that you feel warrant this award.........thx:)

Again, thank you Mary for thinking of me as a recipient of the Stylish Bloggers Award!

AS YOU GO TO WORSHIP TODAY.......REMEMBER.......

"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn--  shout for joy before the Lord, the King.  Let the sea resound and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.  Let the rivers clap their hands, and let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord, for He comes to judge the earth.  He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity."  Psalms 98:4-9









I TURNED 62 YESTERDAY! - HOW I SPENT MY DAY:)

PLEASE PAUSE MY MUSIC AT BOTTOM OF PAGE AND TURN UP YOUR VOLUME, THX:)



LOOK FOR #11- MY GRANDSON JESSE!

The alarm went off at 6:00 a.m. this morning, and there's very few things I would get up for that early on a Saturday,.....but we were going to see our grandson, Jesse,  play basketball and his twin sister, JoyAnn , cheer!

JOYANN IS THE ONE WITH SHORT BROWN HAIR AND SLEEVELESS BLOUSE IN FRONT

After the game, hubby took me to the Folkart Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway, where you will find some of the more exquisite works made by craftsmen in and around this area.  I got a basket making kit and a "birding" book.  You know how I love my backyard birds, but now I'm wanting to extend my experiences to areas close by that are known for other different species.

THEN, we came home for a nap!!  LOL

Oh!  Did I mention I get my first Social Security check next month!  Woohoo!!

All in all, it was a wonderful day, but I have to say that hubby treats me each day as if it were my brithday.  I love you honey:)

And if that wasn't enough, I received these beautiful mums from my brother and sister-in-law!



From Filling in the "O's" to Being Filled to Overflowing!

My experiences with the Church began even before I was born.  As far back as I can remember, I was taken to church by my parents and given a "living witness" of the love of Jesus Christ through them and others in our church.  As with a lot of children, possibly, (can only relate my own experience), I was somewhat bored with church and preaching and so I would amuse myself and try to sit still by "filling in the O's in the bulletins" each Sunday.

When I was eight years old, I gave my heart to Jesus, with all the faith an eight year old has.  As with many early professions of faith, there comes another time in your life when you actually learn what it means to have a CLOSE relationship with a risen Savior!  To actually walk with Him and talk to Him:) That time for me came when in college.  Won't get into all the details, let's just say I had a bad experience there which left it's scars for years.    I'm sure that all of you know what I'm talking about.  Those kind of scars that hurt deeply, but scab over and you kind of forget them, but the scar is always there to remind you--in my case, what never to do or where never to go again. 

It was during this time that my walk with the Lord became a very real and integral part of my life.  Oh, I've had plenty more scars come along during the years, but with each one, His mercy and grace have always been right there to pick up the pieces and teach me more about His Love!
I could tell you of many times through my life when Jesus has had his hand on me and protected me, even when being unaware. 
Our pastor said something this past Lord's Day that should have us all thinking.  "Are you any closer to your Lord now than you were a year ago?"  Oh, yes.........but it's a daily walk.  Because of the outpouring of His love into my life I strive to be more like Him in my everyday walk.
He has definitely filled me to overflowing, even though I am so undeserving.  When I'm "being still" and thinking of what He did for me........I mean REALLY thinking of what He did......taking my place on the Cross; dying there in my place for my sins; how do you say "thank you" to an act of love so profound?  He went willingly to the Cross.......so that his shed blood applied to my life makes me clean before the Father.  And because he did not stay in the grave, but arose, He is still alive today, and sits at the right hand of God the Father.
As I grow older, I care for "religiosity" less and a closer "relationship" with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords more!
I wish this type of relationship for you today.  Do I still stumble along the way?  YES!  Because I am human.  And in my weaknesses, He is made strong:

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee:  be not dismayed; for I am thy God:  I will strengthen thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."  Isaiah 41: 10

Why not ask Him to be your source of Strength and your Savior today:)

HUBBY IN COOKING MOOD!!

Hubby got into an APPLE PIE cooking mood this a.m.  and, believe me, they're as good as they look!
This past late Nov. or early Dec., I've forgotten- we went to a local apple orchard and were able to spend all the time we wanted picking apples, ALL KINDS OF APPLES, from off the ground for $3.00 a bushel!  We picked McIntosh, Yellow Delicious, Red Delicious and Romes.  Of course, you know when they're that ripe, they won't last long, so they were cut up-put into freezer bags-and put into the freezer.
What a treat to have these FRESH apple pies today at the end of January when they are calling for more SNOW! 
I'd love to be able to pass all of you a piece right through the computer, but trust me, they are good!

PAW IN THE FACE!!

As I indicated in a post not long ago, we have been out of town on an emergency visit to help family.  Well, we are back home!  There really is NO PLACE LIKE HOME:)  As some of you know, I have a cat named "Leon".  He did not take too kindly to our leaving him home alone for three weeks, as was made most evident last night while trying to sleep.  First, he'd lay on me, then go over and lay on hubby, than back to me, back to hubby.......you get the idea. 
I realized he was suffering from "cat anxiety" and wanted to make sure we did not try to get up and leave again.

However, the old cat paws and LOUD purring at 3:00 a.m. - 4:00 a.m. is what had me up so early this morning. 
 By 4:30 a.m. I could take it no longer, so I got up and sat down with God's Word!  You know, some of the most precious, intimate times I've had with the Lord Jesus have been early in the morning (in Jewish tradition-during the 4th watch- 3:00am-6:00am).
I am getting ready to make a very difficult decision in my life and I need His guidance and could use your prayers! 
When I was a junior in High School, I gave my life to total service to the Lord with the musical talent He gave to me.  I went to a Christian college and received a Church Music degree (which you cannot get there now).  I have played the piano or organ somewhere every Sunday and Wednesday since I was a teenager.  My husband and I have longed to work in a ministry TOGETHER.  You see, I usually end up in the music ministry at church and he ends up working with children's church or young people's class.  We have a deep desire now in our latter years (not too latter...lol), 62 and 63, to either work together in a nursing home ministry or somewhere where we can minister to others in a one-on-one situation TOGETHER. Please pray for me as I plan to resign from my current position at our church and branch off into another area with my husband.  Please don't misunderstand me, because I think traditions are a good thing to a certain point-- but I am beginning to think we have "traditioned" the Holy Spirit right out of our services.  I, at this point in my life, am not so interested in belonging to a denomination, as serving a living Lord.  That doesn't mean I've not been able to serve Him in a denomination, I have.  But I have a sense of urgency about sharing Christ with others in more ways than just with my music.  HE IS COMING SOON!!  And we, my husband and I, want to have a more "hands on" approach to sharing  Christ with others. 
When Joshua was at the point of assuming Moses' responsibilities and lead the Jewish people into the promised land, the Lord said, "Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified: do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Whenever I have earnestly sought God's will, He has never led me astray.  So I am trusting Him to take us in the direction He wants us to go.
He can do the same for you, my dear readers.......just have faith.........and if you don't have enough faith, He will give you that too!  He says, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."  Don't forget to spend special time with the Lord each and every day!

COLD MORNING - BUT BIRDS DIDN'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE!

This is what I woke up to this morning..........

Now who but me could find beauty in red-winged black birds:)  I'm enamored by all God's creation!

And let's not forget the Robin, first sign of Spring to come!

"Let Everything that has breath Praise the Lord!"