Years ago, I memorized Psalm 91 when my mother-in-law was sick. It was her favorite Psalm. After I memorized it, I recited it for her and she loved it. Not only because it was special to her, but  because I now had it in my brain. Do I still remember it word for word? No, but it would be fairly easy to do it again since it’s still there, and I instantly recognize when someone shares any part of that Psalm. I also learned Psalm 1. 

 It always makes me sad that we can quote verbatim  whole sections from a movie, or entire songs when these have no eternal value. I’m guilty myself. But wouldn’t it be better to know scripture in the same way? 

For me, writing something helps. Remember writing your spelling words three times each?  You may prefer verbally repeating, flash cards, or any other way to memorize scripture.  Find what works for you. I just want to encourage you to memorize a  passage or chapter in October. Let’s try for Psalm 91. It’s a large portion, but I think we can do it! Or choose any passage that you really love. 

Have fun, and add something worthy of your time and effort to your life.  Something that will matter for eternity.  I promise, you’ll feel wonderful when you do. You might just be surprised at how often those verses will come to your mind. 

Hello Again

Just wanted to drop in with a quick update.  I can't even believe it has been SIX years since my last post!  As I've said before, life happens, and this blog is pretty much a place of reflection and not meant to make me rich (at least not for now),  so I suppose that's okay.

To bring you up to date, here are some of my life events in the last six years:

• All three of my children are now married to the most wonderful people!  God has truly blessed me with daughters-in-law and a son-in-law that are just the sweetest ever.
• I now have three grandchildren ages 5, 3, and 2.  They are the most joyful part of life so far.  Thank you to my kids for these gifts.
• I keep my grands during the week while their parents work.  It is honestly like having my grown kids back as little ones.  They look and act so similar, and I even have two boys and a girl, just like my own kids. 
• My husband has retired, and is now self-employed.

I may have forgotten something, but really, that pretty much sums it up.  I guess with all these changes, including Face book, I just got sidetracked.  But I started thinking that this might be a more permanent way of reflecting on my blessings and adventures.

I look forward to visiting here more often.  Not exactly sure I'll commit to a regular schedule of posting, but definitely more often that once every six years!  God has been so faithful to me and my family and I'm sure there are many things to write about here. 

An Unexpected House Guest

This week I had a visit from an old friend.  Murphy...as in Murphy's Law.  You know, the one that says anything that can go wrong, will?  Dave Ramsey even teaches about Murphy in his baby steps.  In fact, it is baby step ONE.  We know from time to time Murphy will show up at our door, totally uninvited and usually unwelcome.  However, we are taught to be responsible and plan ahead for him just as we would for any other unexpected guest.  Only, I was unprepared.

First on the agenda for his visit was my dishwasher.  Now, for some reason I'm known to have issues with dishwashers.  One was even fatally struck by lightening.  I still just continue to be amazed at the Curse Of The Dishwasher (insert evil laugh)  in my home.  At least this time I was prepared.  When I purchased the current dishwasher, you can believe I also purchased the biggest, baddest extended warranty out there.  That baby is covered until 2017!  So, until the repair person can come, which will still be another week or more, I'm happily hand washing my dishes and using my dishwasher as a very expensive drying rack.  And yes, for some strange reason I wash and re-use my disposable plastic cups.  (Smile)

We also had a day or so of very steady and at times, heavy rain here.  That is when event number two came around on the agenda.  Now, while lots of heavy, steady rain did wonders to re-fill my sweet pond, which had suffered some water loss because of our dry weather, my roof didn't fare so well.  I immediately noticed a large, wet area on the bedroom ceiling. Not good. The stars you see in the picture above are left over reminders from when my sons shared the room.  They glow in the dark.  Knowing that our roof is about twenty years old, I'm sure it needs replacing, but for now if at all possible, we will opt for repairing.

That brings us to the third, and hopefully last item on Murphy's agenda.  My dryer.  I may or may not have the extended warranty on it; I'll have to check.  Regardless, knowing the lead time in getting someone out to repair it, or waiting until next payday to buy replacement parts, I know I'm looking at a couple of weeks.  Rather than complain and whine, I just very nicely told hubby that I'd need a clothesline put up and today would be just fine for that to be done.  In no time at all I had a functional clothes line strung up between a couple of trees.  I love it!  I love hanging clothes out.  I really do.  Gets me outdoors, saves on the power bill and, well you get the idea.  My sweet little Jack Russell loves it too.  And when I can't go outdoors to dry clothes, there's always creative clothes hanging indoors.

These are the everyday things that happen in my real life.  Stuff breaks.  Stuff leaks.  Life goes on, and I have to be flexible and not gripe and whine and complain.  That wouldn't do anyone any good.  We work with what we have.  We are thankful for what we have.  I'm just thankful that Mr. Murphy doesn't visit too often.

Hello To You!

Welcome to My Sweet Pond!  This is the view from my office window, and it makes me happy.  How can you gaze upon such a sight and not be?  It calms my soul.

Of course, there is a real world that happens all around my sweet pond, but of all the spots at my home, this is the one that calls to me, whether I'm indoors or out.  If I could, I think I'd spend my entire day just watching.  Maybe I'll see birds at the feeder or lively fish splashing at the shore.  I might even see a goose or two enjoying a morning swim, or a Kingfisher perched on a wire looking for lunch.  And then there are the occasional turtles who poke their little heads up here and there, as if they're playing "Marco Polo".

I treasure this place and the quietness it has.  You see, I didn't always live in a place like this.  For the first sixteen years of my life I live in suburban Southern California, and I loved it.  Our town was nestled between the sparkling Pacific and the gentle, rolling hills.  But the homes were very close together, and to see something like my sweet pond, I would have to make a trip and go somewhere on purpose.  Surely not anything I'd see in my daily life.  Certainly not something that was my own special, quiet place.

So here I am, now having lived more than half of my life in rural Alabama with this beautiful view from my front window.  I couldn't love it any more that I do right now.  I love living in Alabama, but more than that, I love the way of life here. Slow, and only as hurried as you want it to be.

 My husband and I have raised three grown children here.  They've had the freedom to park a four-wheeler right outside, next to the house and be able to go for a ride whenever they wanted.  Or park a backhoe in the front yard overnight if needed.  Or take a walk into the woods behind our house, even getting lost a time or two, but always, eventually finding their way back home.

I'll soon be a Grandma for the first time, later this year, and that sweet little bundle of joy just can't get here fast enough!  It may be a while before we can play outside and feed the fish, but it will come soon enough.  In the meantime I'll be here, at home, enjoying all the loveliness that surrounds me, including my family, my pets and my sweet pond.