Road Trip…Getting to Virginia Beach

“On the road again, just can’t wait to get on the road again”…who wrote that anyway?!  The only thing we “can’t wait for” is to get there! We repeated the lo-o-ong  day and arrived in Va Beach at 11:30 pm, after 25 hours and 1,809 miles of travel.  Missouri-Illinois- Indiana- Kentucky,West Virginia and finally a Starbucks!!  In Virginia we stopped at a really nice travel centre for gas.  This is kind of funny.  There I am in the ladies room, drying my hands and reading a sign above the dryer about homemade fudge that was being sold.  A door to one of the other stalls opens and out steps my husband!!  He made a wrong turn somewhere I guess!  :) 

Look what we woke up to this morning…ELAINE!!

Road Trip…Leaving Home

Our first day on the road was as I thought it would be…long!  It seemed we would never get out of Kansas, driving through 30 mph crosswinds. It killed our gas mileage and time. We drove to the east side of St. Louis, got a hotel and fell into bed.  I would like to say that I drove three hours, yes count them, three!! All the way from KC, MO to the west side of St. Louie.  Not bad for the girl whose idea of a road trip means snooze time!

All hooked up and ready to go!

Gypsy knew something was up as we packed and loaded!

Sylvester could care less!

Down the Garden Path

Just a note here.  I do not claim to know a lot about gardening or scripture. What I do “know” is what I “know” by experience; trial, error, correction, and seeking help kinds of experience.  So what I hope to share in my Garden Path Posts are just thoughts or lessons from the Lord that come my way while I work in my flower beds

A couple of years ago Wally expanded my flower beds in the back yard.  We thought we would take one area and turn it into just wildflowers.  We even took a class at Tagawa’s Nursery and picked out just the seed we wanted.  Well, you know what wildflowers are don’t you? Just weeds! The stuff that came up and where it came up at, just drove me crazy! Some of those wildflowers were determined to take over.  I was out there this week trying to clear some of the area, so the flowers I did like could be seen and have room to grow. This one plant was awful and I tried to pull it out. I could not believe how strong those roots were. You would have thought it had been there for years! I had to get a spade and work around the flower, loosening the roots. Finally, out it came! I kept thinking, “how did this get here?  This is not what I wanted!”

Then my thoughts hit my heart.  Those wild roots are just as hard to get rid of as my bad habits. I have let some things take over, just like my wildflowers.  And I look now and think, “how did this habit get started?  This is not what I wanted!”  Specifically, I thought of my time with the Lord.  While Bible Study was still in session, I guarded and disciplined my time pretty well.  I had told the Lord, “I will not look at email or facebook until I have had my time with You. I will give You my time while my heart is still quiet and undistracted.” Well, two weeks ago, Bible Study ended and I started staying up later and not getting up in the morning. (My seed was being planted).  Then I was just going to give my email a quick check because there might be new pictures of my granddaughter, Elaine there.  (Roots sinking down)  And then a phone call or some other interruption and guess what?  My first time of the day with the Lord was gone!

And while it has only been a couple of weeks, I have a habit that has put down roots and needs to be loosened and worked until it is gone. It does start with realizing the sin, like out there in the garden.  Then confessing it and going back to the good habits…get to bed on time, set the alarm to get up, and give my best time of the day to the Lord! That is where I am at today!

I have two peony bushes.  For some reason this one by the front door blooms early and fast.  It is a gorgeous pink.  My other bush is more pale and is just developing its blooms.  I will show you later.

I’m Running Out of Clever Titles for my Card Posts, So…How About…Here is More Cards!! ;)

A few more occasions that called for a card!  I am loving giving cards now more than when I frequented the Hallmark Store!

This little mouse card was a farewell card for a family in our church who is moving.

The inside:

I just love that little mouse!

This card was for a friend having some surgery. At first I just threw some stickers down.  But then I added the buttons and stickle and it really jazzed the stickers up.  I like it a lot!

A graduation card.  I haven’t had too many grad announcements this year.  That made me think that it was last year I really started making cards.  I had a lot of grads and I just decided to make the cards rather purchase them. So this might be like an anniversary or something!

Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong. ~Richard Armour

Wally and I attended the Republican State convention on Saturday.  He was a delegate and I was an alternate. It was a fun day and we were glad to see candidates we supported be elected.

                        

Wally, the delegate, waiting to cast his vote!

We made it a political day!! That night we had tickets to hear Sarah Palin speak along with Hugh Hewitt and Dennis Prager at Denver University.  In my opinion I thought it was Dennis Prager who gave the outstanding talk. I did enjoy Sarah also but Dennis seemed to put into words, not just issues but America’s greatness. Here is a link to what Dennis had to say in the Q and A time.http://www.mixx.com/videos/14838471/youtube_dennis_prager_q_a_at_university_of_denver.  It’s worth a listen!

This is Dennis Prager.  He was the first speaker.

 

Here is Hugh Hewitt

And Sarah!! Most of the time was given for her talk.  I saw her on the news the next day wearing this same necklace!

After all three spoke, Bill Armstrong hosted a Q and A time.  He prepared the questions in advance.  I enjoyed this.

CARDS

I had some people to thank this past week.  So why not make a card…

Here’s a couple cute skunks made with the Create a Critter Cartridge.  So many stinikn’ cute critters on that cartridge.

            

 

And one baby congratulations card.  I could not come up with a “boy” idea I liked.  Then, it just kind of came together and I really liked it…

How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. ~Carol Sobieski and Thomas Meehan, Annie

I like this saying except that I would use the word blessed instead of lucky.  I do feel very blessed even though I had several farewells last week!

First I am very blessed to be part of a wonderful ministry like Bible Study Fellowship.  Last Monday night we concluded our study in the Book of John.  what a wonderful year it has been!  I served our class with some wonderful women!

Emily Young, Denise Christopolus, Me, Sue Muckley and Amy Randolph.  These ladies make up our administrative team. 

This is our class staff minus Debbie Roberts. (She slipped out before I remembered I had my camera and wanted to get a picture together), Gail Lotz, Me, and Alethea Wingert.  Wonderful friends, prayer warriors and co-laborers together for Jesus our Lord!

I am only saying good-bye to these ladies for the summer. We resume in September with the study of Isaiah. 

A wonderful blessing I have enjoyed over the last several months has been having Wes at home.  He left on Saturday to visit Kenny in NC before heading to the Bill Rice Ranch in TN to work for the summer as a camp counselor.  I’m not sure when it started, maybe February.  But chick fil-a had several free breakfast days.  They seemed to take place on Wednesdays, when Wes was off.  So I would get a text from him on Tuesday night sometime…”breakfast tomorrow?” When the freebies ended, we took turns buying each week. What a special time it was.  Well this past Wednesday was our last breakfast morning together…for awhile!

Not too bad of a pic since Wes took it by holding the camera out!

My last good-bye blessing was spending last Friday with Mom and sister, Robin.  We are all setting out on road trips in the next couple of weeks and Robin thought we should get together before saying goodbye!  We met for breakfast at the Original Pancake House.  We sat and talked over coffee for a good while.  Then we walked across the parking lot to Ross and did a bit of shopping.  Such fun looking and laughing!

 

Mom

  She and Dad are heading to Iowa for her 60th Class Reunion.  Then up to Union Grove, WI to visit my sister JoEllen. Then over to Springfield, OH to visit Grandkids and great-grands! Then “home again, home again, jiggity jog!”

Sherry and Robin

Robin and Terry are actually flying to Springfield, OH.  That is where their son Brian lives with their three darling granddaughters!  Stay tuned here to follow Wally and I on our road trip back east.  We leave on Saturday!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday Dear Wesley, Happy Birthday to you!!!!

Today we celebrated Wesley’s Birthday!  My baby is turning 21 tomorrow! Wow, the years certainly do fly by!  21 years ago God blessed our family with this baby boy! (Funny, he always smiled like this as a baby!)

This is Timothy, Wesley’s BFF!! I’m not sure if guys have BFF’s but these two have been friends since they were in the church nursery together!      

  

The “Cake”

Wesley and Grandma and Grandpa Paul. 

You Can Have Your Cake and Eat it Too!

I can’t even tell you how long it has been since I made a cake.  Probably the biggest reason is that I really don’t care for cake.  Cake is useful because it is covered with frosting and I do like frosting!  But I was looking at this recipe on Saturday for “Best Ever Chocolate Cake” and I thought, “I could make this!”  And hey, Wes is having a Birthday so why not?  Now I’m not really big on baking and I’m not sure I have made a cake from scratch since Home Ec class in Junior High, but it wasn’t too bad.  I had to borrow a cake pan from a neighbor because the recipe called for three layers.  (That made me a little nervous).  And it did stack up a bit crooked, but with enough frosting, (which I also made…from scratch) you can cover up quite a bit! 

Well, there it is!

…”But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised”

Friday night we got together and took Mom to “The Outback” to celebrate Mother’s Day. We had a good time, good food, and we have a great Mom!  Truly Mom fears the Lord and we all praise her and are very thankful for her! She is mother to six, grandmother to 12 and great grandmother to nine.

So many times as I have thought on what a blessed life I have been given, and I wonder why? I believe it is because of my Mom.  Not that she did everything right or raised me a certain way.  I believe it began before she was a mother or even married.  It started when she attended a Youth For Christ Crusade with Billy Graham and trusted Jesus Christ as her Savior. Then she continued to learn from God’s word and be obedient to what she learned.  Because my Mom (and Dad too) chose to love and serve the Lord, I have been given a very blessed life.  Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

  

Mom and I

Mom. Robin and I at a recent Ladies' Luncheon

Mother’s Day Cards

Cards I made for some special ladies in my life.

This one was for my Mom.  I took the picture in a hurry and it didn’t come out the best, but it was very sparkly!

This one was for my sister Robin.  I really liked how it came out.  Especially the butterfly, since I usually do not stamp so great.  The inside is below.

And this one I sent to Andrea for her first Mother’s Day!

Just in case you’re wondering if I forgot my Mother-in-law, I did not.  I sent her a card that I already displayed here. The lilac card with bling!

An Evening With Beverly Lewis

For a number of years my Mom and I have enjoyed reading a series of Amish stories by Beverly Lewis. The stories have given us a great interest in the Amish lifestyle. It's such fun to be reading a certain book together and get a phone call from Mom asking,”have you gotten to the part where…” Or maybe I’ll make the call “where are you at…can you even believe?…” Well, this past Tuesday night we went to the Englewood library and met Beverly Lewis in person!!  She told about her background, growing up in the heart of Amish country in Pennsylvania and her great loves…playing the piano, reading and writing! She told how she and her sister would play in the fields belonging to their Amish neighbors.  Her Dad would call out to them, “you girls get out of those fields before you get harvested!”  She has had many Amish women write to her telling how they love her books, and are reading them literally under the blankets! Or they share real experiences form their community and some of these experiences become stories.  I thought it was neat that she has a pen pal who began writing her when the girl was nine years old and she is now 24!

So if you’re in the mood for a good read this summer, or as the Amish say, “want a good tellin’”  then try one of Beverly Lewis’ books.  Mom and I started with The Shunning in The Heritage of Lancaster County Series.  (It was written from the experience of Beverly’s own grandmother’s shunning!) Happy Reading!