Pearls and Grace

It's happening this weekend!  Can't wait........




  I couldn't sleep last night for thinking about it.  So I stayed on my Mac and read most of Sibi's posts, and reread Edie's and Paige's and now my eyes are all bloodshot...

  I'll be the one wearing sunglasses tonight.  :)

  I am really wanting to meet the "other Nonny".  http://www.lovebeinganonny.com/ (She and her hubby are Nonny and Poppy, and WE are Nonnie and Poppie.) She blogs-mostly about her precious grandchildren.  Sound familiar?  So, likely we will run into one another.  Maybe we won't squeal.  I would embarrass my darling daughters....

  Happy Pearls and Grace event weekend!

EXTREMELY random news...

     Actually, no news.  I seem to be slipping so bad in the blogging department that I just thought I would list a few... few...few what?  I have no clue.

   1.  Paisley will be two this week!
   2.  Why is that when you don't wash and style your hair you always see people out and about that you never see, and you wonder if they are thinking if I always go out like that?  NO, is the answer.  Rarely.
   3.  The sun finally came out for ten minutes right before sunset this afternoon.  Not complaining, just stating.
   4.  My buttercups are blooming.  They have been for over a week.  That means they bloomed in January.  This has never happened before, (here).  Really.  NEVER.  I don't know whether to be happy or concerned.
   5.  We have new neighbors from Switzerland.  Yes, the European country.  They even have an accent and are extremely friendly.  Talk about culture shock.
   6.  I am looking for a good book to read.  Always looking, as a matter of fact.
   7.  I drank a Sunkist Orange yesterday for dinner.  I was awake until after two this morning.  I think the cola plant mixed up the Sundrop and Sunkist caffiene ingredients.
   8.  I rarely drink soft drinks.  Really.  I like water.  I really do. Honest.  Mr. G thinks I am crazy.  He cannot stand water.  Really.  Honest.  He really hates it.
   9.  We have a natural stand of wild strawberries in the dog pen.  In the WHOLE dog pen.  If they were the good strawberries, we could put a "U-PICK" sign in the yard.
  10.  Have you seen the talking dog on Youtube?  You must.  It is so funny that I laugh even when I just THINK about it.  Here's the link:  http://youtu.be/nGeKSiCQkPw
   11.  I ran into Naomi Judd today.  I really did.  With my cart in the store.  She is prettier in person than on t.v.  Honest.  She smiled at me and was friendly.
   12.  Mr. G is watching the old movie 'The Longest Day'.  I have renamed it.  'The Longest Movie.'
   13.  Has anyone really had a LED light bulb last for seven years?  I don't think they have been on the market that long.  So, I guess the answer is no.
   14.  Are you addicted to Pinterest?
   15.  I don't know why we are buying the huge tvs, paying for multiple channels through cable or satellite, and there is nothing on tv or cable or satellite to watch.
   
                Have a great week!

Rejoice, for He knows your name!

Have you ever been somewhere and others there knew each other, but you were not familiar with anyone?  No one knew your name?  How awkward that feeling is.  While people are talking in their own groups, milling about, laughing, meanwhile you are alone and standing out like a sore thumb.

How comforting it is to know that our Savior knows our name.  He knows everything about us; the good, the bad and the ugly!  He created us, He formed us, He chose for us our appearance, where we would be born, and who would be our parents.  He set a path for us from the beginning of time.  He truly knows us and He knows our name.

Isaiah 49:1 states that the Lord called us from the womb, and He named our name.  In context here, the Lord is referring to Israel.  But, this verse is a great reminder of how intimately he knows us, counts our heartbeats, and listens to our thoughts.

Isaiah 49:16 tells us the Lord has engraved us on the palms of His hands.  Taking some creative license here, think about it this way: How painful would it be to engrave something on the palms of our hands?  I am reminded of the 'Home Alone' movie when the robber touched the hot doorknob and it left a burned engraving on his palm.  Our sin, our neglect of our Lord, our betrayal and disobedience are the pains our Savior felt from the nails through His hands.  Christ willingly did this for us as He suffered on the cross to save us.  He knows us.  He knows our names.

Just as sheep know their shepherds voice, Christ knows us and we know Him (John 10:14-15).  

Rejoice!

For our Savior who created us, knows our name!

Isaiah 43:1-3

But now thus says the Lord,

he who created you, O Jacob,

he who formed you, O Israel:

Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name, and you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned,

and the flame shall not consume you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 While cleaning out some things this morning, I found the narrative above that I had written last year
for a women's event leaflet.  The verse from Isaiah 43 was one that a Bobkitten gave our group of high school friends to meditate on and keep in our hearts through our trials.  It was a timely reminder to day to read this and see how God has brought this verse to my mind last January 2011, and again in August, and today as I read it.  Thank you, Lord, for laying before us your wonders and comfort!

*Sheep picture borrowed from Pinterest via flickr.  manyfires (Danielle Hughson)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/manyfires/6324316271/

A new year begins.....

The decorations are put away.  The house seems lighter and brighter.  Could be that the sun finally came out for a few hours this afternoon.

The fog I have been in seems to be lifting a bit.  It has  just over three weeks since Mama passed away.
The days have been so busy with cooking, shopping, cleaning, Christmas gatherings, and doing things at my parents house.  Yesterday I spent the day lounging around, and it helped me refocus.

As I put away my treasured Nativity scene, I thought about the shepherds in the field, the Wise Men from afar, and Mary-the blessed Mother of Christ.  She had none of the conveniences we have as modern mothers, yet she birthed our Savior.  I wonder how she cleaned the Christ babe, kept him dry and warm, in that dirty, smelly and dusty place.   Do you think she and her mother packed a few soft cloths for swaddling clothes and maybe a sheep fleece for a blanket?

Maybe we will have a chance to ask those questions someday.  But, maybe it will not be something we will care to know once we see Christ face to face.

I am grateful that He came to this sinful earth and saved us.  How hard it must have been to leave the heavenly realm.  Thank you Jesus for such a selfless act.

The world is moving on to a new year.  May your days begin with some time in thankfulness to Him, who came to us.  Let's start the new year off with continued praise and adoration to our King.  Glory to God in the Highest, and Peace, Goodwill, toward men.

Her journey here is over...

  Dear Friends,
    I have been absent here in blog world for a while.  My focus and efforts have not been here, but with my mother who passed away last Friday.
   
    Mama slipped out of this earthly world into the heavenly realm surrounded by her family.  There was such mixed emotions as we knew she was beholding the face of her Savior, but we were losing her here in our tangible existence.  

   I have had so much comfort in knowing that she followed her Lord and is walking the streets of gold, and breathing easily and likely feasting on heavenly food.  I know I will certainly see her again when my journey here is over.

   I plan to write about her at a later time.  For those of you who have been here to support and offer comfort to our family, we are so grateful.  Keep us in your prayers as we adjust to this life without her presence.  She will be so missed!

Mama and Daddy meeting Paisley, 3/2010