With These Hands...

With these hands you have…

Held…Served…Blessed…Cared For…

Created…Written…Touched…

Cooked…Planted…Picked...Gathered...

Pitched & Caught Baseballs...

Assembled Toys…Stitched heirloom Christmas Stockings...

Gathered Her Family Around Her…Played with…Loved more than three generations of children (grand and great)...

One of the most precious memories I have growing up was tea parties officiated by my mom. Mom always made time for her children.  One day, my sister and I wanted a tea party outside.  Mother was thrilled to help!  First we baked the cookies, then we made the lemonade (with real lemons) and then we spread out a quilt onto the lawn outside.  We sat on the quilt laughing and sharing. I can still see it in my mind today.

In my treasure box of memories, I remember snowball ice cream, her house decorated for Christmas (seriously even the bathrooms!), her love of telling and hearing jokes, the way she made you feel like you were and still are the most important person in her world...and when she said, "I Love You," you knew without a doubt she meant it from the bottom of her heart.

My mom thinks that her hands are ugly.  Age and arthritis have taken their toll on these beautiful hands.  When I look at her hands, I do not see them as ugly… I see them as Heaven-sent to touch and bless more people than I can possibly name.  She is a treasure and I love her!

Most Times...Always Waiting For You

Growing up a "homebody, introvert, middle child, etc..." I find I am always surprised and in awe of the beauty in God's creation when I venture out into God's Kingdom.  Some of my best "aha!" moments have been while riding on the back of Steve's motorcylce.  Perched safely behind Steve, I am free to take in all the sites, sounds, and smells of the scenery.  Most times, my camera is pointed and snapping the view. Our headset plugged in, Steve will, most times, alert me to an oncoming "camera" moments.  The camera quickly goes up and click, click, click.  Sometime I do not realize the majestic scene captured until back home and editing the photos.  It is in the editing phase that my eyes behold the treasures that had been waiting for me. My breathing stops as I take in the beauty of what God showed this unseasoned traveler.  Had I not ventured out, I would have totally missed the beauty of His handiwork. You know, Life is like that...scenery like this does not come to you...you have to seek it out. Most times, our lives are filled with scheduling, "to-do" lists begat "to-do" lists.  We find ourselves pressed between meetings, phone calls, emails. Yet, it is during the holy moments on Steve's bike (when we finally get away) that God reveals what had always been waiting...not just for me...but for anyone who will take the time to "come and see."  It is in these times that I lean back on the bike, spread my hands out in awe and just worship!  It is not uncommon to hear me over the mic saying, "God, you are sooooo good!" or "Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!!!"  or "Honey, look...is God good or what???"  I've been teased more than once by those fellow travelers riding behind us as they observed my hands and my worship...especially if I am signing the words to the songs that are playing through the speakers on our Ipod.

Once home, the photos are edited and moved onto our digital frame that rests on the counter separating our den and kitchen.  From the couch you can sit and view each frame as it scrolls, rolls and appears.  It is like a virtual travel log and draws you in and reminds you what...had been there waiting for you.

Time lapses, children grow, scenery changes yet pictures of the journey and our traveling friends continue to record the miles and the sites around us.  It is holy time with holy people...family and friends...

When time permists, we load the bike and strike out on an adventure.  It is those times that I have grown to love and anticipate...to see what God has waiting to show us.   There is another adventure on the horizon. It is somewhere we have never been. SD cards and lens are packed, and camera batteries are ready to charge. I can hardly wait to "go and see." Quite a change from a home-body, don't you think? 

 

Is there something that God is waiting to show you? Will you go and see?

"Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man's behalf!"

Psalm 66:5



I Will Remember for You

When the scenes of outside summer tea parties with cookies on a plate spread upon a quilt are distance in your memory…I will remember for you.

When the mind will not recall the births and weddings which you celebrated…I will remember for you.

When you cannot recall the joy and wonder of watching your children and grandchildren play at the lake…I will remember for you.

When your memory skips around and the mind refuses to beckon the moments your loved ones have hugged you tightly…I will remember for you.

When your friends become strangers and your children’s name escape you…I will remember for you.

When your mind goes to a place that memories are safely locked away…I will remember for you.

When you are safely home and memories flood your soul…I will be here to remember.

Until then, rest your precious heart and know that all is not lost because…I will remember for you.

A Single Suitcase

What is it about a single suitcase that makes you feel lonely? For the past four months, I have
lived more of a suitcase than not. Thephone would ring and I would go. So much happened during those long hours I drove back and forth. So many things happened during the time I spent there. Before I finish packing, I could feel God nudging me toward my computer. He wanted me show me something. As my fingers skipped across the keys, I knew God had something to show me. Feelings of peace and quiet settled over me. It was time for an assessment.

So, tentatively I opened my heart and looked inside. My (false) heart me told that there is simply no room for anything else! Enough is enough! But, my (where God lives) heart told me there is always room to grow and to give. Know that God would protect me, I opened my heart…and looked inside.
My!!! Look at the shelves of boxes in here! Most are clearly marked and dated. Oh my, that is an old one there! And right beside it is a new one. An organized person would look at this heart and say, “My goodness, girl! This is a mess!” But, I don’t see a mess…I see my life…
There is fresh tape on an old box. Wow, I must have visited that box a lot. As I lift off the tape to peek inside, a smile flashes across my face. It is my memory box. Wow, it is bulging with pictures, momentos, scrapes of paper…each one bearing a tag, “To Keep.” Right near the top is a
diary. My hands are trembling as I turn the cover and look inside. There, in my own handwriting are moments in time that I wanted to remember. It looks as though the ink is still fresh on
this entry, “Time with Papa Jack.” My eyes become blurry as I attempt to read the entries. Eyes are leaking as I pour over the God-given moments with Papa Jack! Wow, what precious time God gave me with this man I grew to love.
Seeing that the diary is indexed, I quickly move to the next section marked, ”Mother.” Laughter
bubbled up as I read the entries, one by one. God had given my mom and me so really fun and lasting memories. How long I stood in that chamber reading the entries, one by one, I do not know. Good thing I had tissue in my pocket! What I realized was that I had been blessed
mightily by God. What a great life I have had. It has been the best kind of adventure. Yes, there have been scary parts, funny parts, sad parts and hilarious parts! In my hands held memories that had been tenderly journaled in my heart. Just I as I turning to leave, my eyes suddenly caught a tapestry hanging near the back. Gently I made my way to the back and beheld something that only God could do. There before me were faces of people who, at some point, were in my life. It was the most intricate piece of work I have ever seen. It held every moment of my life – good and bad. There was no way that I could avoid touching it. I reached out and touched the fabric…so delicate…finely woven but containing great strength. My eyes moved from top to bottom…it was then that I noticed threads blowing gently. It was unfinished.
There at the bottom of the tapestry woven in was another suitcase. I was going on, yet another
adventure. What lies ahead, I do not know, but this I do know…God’s hands are holding every thread of my life. Every thread is being intricately woven in to a beautiful design by the Master designer.
Packing a suitcase will never be the same again. This time, I am excited…what is it that God
has planned? I don’t know. I just know that His Word promises great plans…plans
to prosper and not to harm me. (Jeremiah 29:11). I know that God sings over me (Zephaniah 3:17). I know that God is faithful (1 Thessalonians 5:24). I know that God will never leave me (John 14:18). I know that God will give me strength to climb whatever obstacle is placed in my path (Habakkuk 3:19) I know that God is totally aware of my circumstances and is never away
from me (Psalm 139).

Home is...

One definition of home is, “The locality where a thing is usually found, or was first found…” The locality where a thing is usually found, or was first found…home…what does it mean to you?
Over the past couple of months, the word, “home” has been in the forefront of my mind and my actions. My parents after 39 years in one home made the decision to move to an assisted living facility. I stood with my mother looking at the walls of her den filled to capacity with books and treasures she had accumulated over the years. The apartment is a small, one bedroom apartment. What to take? What to leave? What to save? What to throw away? It was too much to take in emotionally! Home wasn’t home anymore. I realized that my mom could not make the decision right then. So I took her back to her "new home" to care for my step-dad. I lost track of the trips we all made moving those things that were necessary and then the final trips were for the things that made the new location feel " homey."
With a hammer and a few nails the rooms began to take shape. It was finally becoming a home. Isn’t it funny (not really) but interesting that sometimes treasured items can change a barren wall into a place where love lives? The new “home” began to take on an identity unto itself. Home was finally looking like home to my mom.

This past weekend our youngest son and his family came to celebrate his birthday. At his request (a yellow cake with chocolate icing), his youngest daughter and I made cupcakes. Our son LOVES “Star Wars.” You will note the decoration are the heroes from the “Star Wars” Movie. He loved the cupcakes and the decorations. It touched his heart and made him smile. Home…where there is a thing usually found or was first found…love.

This morning I learned that my step-dad is having to move again. His doctors have recommended that he be placed in hospice. We will be helping him choose where he will “live” until he makes the final journey…home. While I don’t know where he will choose to “live” for now, I do know where his final home is…Heaven.
Scriptures promise us that this world is not our final home…we are simply passing through.

Home means many things to me. It means where you are safe, accepted, loved, where your requests for your favorite treat is there when you arrive. Home is where Jesus is.
Please post your thoughts on home?

An Apple Pie is like a Church

This weekend was a fun one for the most part. My cherisher and I had a date on Friday night and met a friend for dinner and a movie. It was a great movie and we will definitely read the book. Saturday seemed to fly by…one project birthed another one and before I realized it, I had cleaned out 6 cabinets and made a homemade apple pie! Now that is a productive day!

The apple pie was the most fun and satisfying…for it was a practice run for next week. My daughter invited me to come over and help one of my granddaughters’ class make an apple pie. How fun is that???? Seeing that I had never made an apple pie, it seemed prudent to practice. I have to admit it really was fun!!!

I work for a wonderful company that sells kitchen products (to include pantry, cookware, etc.). Having the right tools makes the job fun and easy! That is exactly what the pie turned out to be! Even my cherisher got into the pie making but taking photos as I completed steps from making the crust, slicing the apples, decorating the top crust with pastry leaves and finally the final shot – the finished pie!

It occurred to me as I worked in the kitchen that God’s church is a lot like an apple pie. You have your crusty people – they are necessary, so don’t throw them out! Then you have the fruit – also necessary to flavor and substance of the pie. My favorite part is the seasoning – because without them, life would be dull and uninteresting. They spice up our lives and give us wisdom – in other words – they are necessary, too. The recipe I used called for a tablespoon of butter to be placed on top of the seasoned apples. We all know that butter adds that necessary richness and depth to a recipe – yep, gotta have it! The top crust was a little different. In lieu of the traditional basket weave design or a cover over the fruit with slits to allow the steam from the juices to escape, I opted to use tiny special cutters. Since we are finally into Fall (do not argue with me…my heart is set on this!) a leaf shape cutter was selected. It took extra time, but then isn’t that the way things are in the church? It takes time for God to work His plan and that means being patient and expectant! When the last leaf was placed upon the pie, I couldn’t help but smile. It really surprised me…it looked good! I mean, like really good…like one of those pies you actually pie that doesn’t come in a box! The final step was to brush the top crust with a bit of milk and then sprinkle sugar on the moistened crust. Talk about good! Like the milk and sugar are the last ingredients that complete the pie, there are those that come late in the harvest of the season in the church. My dad and a very good friend returned to the harvest near the end of their season. No wonder, it made the finished project so sweet!

Church is like an apple pie! You need to have one!

Saying Goodbye...Saying Hello...

Saying Goodbye

Last night was our last night for our summer Bible study on the book of Esther. The group requested a recipe that is one of my family's favorite recipes. Normally, this recipe calls for a 3-layer cake. Feeling creative, decided to try my trifle bowl. It was a hit! So here you go:

Mandarin Orange Cake

1-Duncan Hines Butter Yellow Cake Mix

4 eggs

11 oz. can of Mandrain Oranges plus juice

3/4 cup canola oil

Mix ingredients gently together in a classic batter bowl. Once mixed together, pour into three round cake pans.

Note: Since I was using my trifle bowl, the cake mixture was poured into a 9 x 13 prepared baking dish.

Bake at 350 until done - roughly 30 or so minutes. Check it with a cake tester for doness. Allow to cool thoroughly before icing. If you try to ice it before the cake cools, you will find your icing sliding effortlessly off the cake and onto your countertop!

While your cake is baking mix your icing.

Icing includes:

1-15oz. can crushed pineapple (drained)

1 large package Instant Vanilla Pudding mix

1 large container of Cool Whip

Mix pineapple and pudding together first. (Note: do not add water!) After the pineapple and pudding are incorporated, fold in the Cool Whip. Keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

Note: Keep cake chilled until time for serving.

New Beginnnings

Our neighborhood is growing!!! Three new babies are expected very soon...in fact, one of our expectant moms delivered early. This mom was very pleased! So, to welcome Miss Elizabeth "Ellie" Bradley Hoover to our neighborhood, I made her some Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. While Miss Ellie will not be able to enjoy her cupcakes right now, I am thinking her mommy and daddy are going to be very excited! We will go over tonight to meet our newest neighbor and deliver our "Welcome to the Neighborhood" gift! Here is a sampling of Ellie's cupcakes!