One thousand gifts - more

I am continuing to log my 1000 gifts using the app on my IPhone. It is a struggle to be thankful for everything that I encounter in every moment. Like mean girls, I really have trouble being thankful for that!! I suppose the mean girls create a situation where my daughter and I can share and discuss the situation. I am thankful for that!!

As you can see I have not even reached 200 and it is now May. I need to be much more thankful!!!!! At this rate it will take me years to reach 1000 gifts!

137. Quentin and Cole in a video game match. Charlie is watching.
138. Full moon through the fog and trees.
139. "Think God" billboard on the way to SA.
140. Hunter snuggling with Chloe!
144. Powdered donuts for the kids at Mother's Day Out.
145. So much for sharing food!!!!

"He chose poorly" from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Do you remember the Indiana Jones movies? In the movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana gets involved when his estranged father, Henry Jones, is kidnapped by the Nazis.The Nazis are hoping Indiana will recover the cherished Holy Grail.

The story culminates when Henry gets shot. Indiana proceeds to the room containing the Holy Grail. He is followed by and Elsa and Donovan (the bad guys). The room holds the Last Knight who has been kept alive for 700 years. The room has several rows of chalices on display. Elsa quickly chooses the most lavish chalice and gives it to Donovan so he can drink from it. He disintegrates into dust. The Last Knight says, "He chose poorly."

Indiana realizes that the Holy Grail belonged to a humble carpenter and chooses the simplest chalice. He fills it with water and pours the water on his father's wound and gives him a drink. Henry's gunshot wound heals. As they prepare to leave, the Last Knight warns them not to take the chalice past the great seal. When the chalice falls in an abyss, Elsa tries to retrieve it and falls to her death. Henry is about to suffer the same fate, when his father tells him to let it go.

Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! ’
Ezekiel 33:11

This scripture reminded me of this movie. The Lord does not want us to die as wicked beings like Donovan and Elsa did. He wants us to turn from our evil ways and live. Indiana got caught up in the moment and almost went to his death by following Elsa.

I have seen so many people follow someone else and lose their way. I have seen good people do unexplainable things when influenced by evil.
Here are some examples:
Mean comments about a parent volunteering to help with a student dinner.
Mean tweets when a "friend" wins Prom Princess.
Mean comments on FB for no reason.
Mean texts by someone pretending to be someone else.
Mean letters pointing out every annoying thing about a "friend".
Mean words seconds before the Homecoming Queen winner is announced.
Mean words and actions spurred on by jealousy.

I am not a Bible scholar, but I am pretty sure this is not what God intended for our behavior to be like. Turn from your evil ways and live. Live like God wants you to. Let that meanness go and take the high road. If you don't change your ways, you will have to account to God for your behavior. He does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked, but want us to turn from those ways and live like He intended.  

Photo credits:
Photo 1: en.wikipedia.org
Photo 2: virginmedia.com  

Movie info:
en.wikipedia.org

Do Not Lose Heart

16So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV)

Yea, though I walk through the shadow of the valley of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me.
Psalm 23:4


These two Bible verses were part of my devotions last weekend. It never ceases to amaze me how God knows exactly what we need.

We had been to see Mimi and when we got back in the car, I opened my devotion. I was stunned and pleased to read the words of Paul. Her outer self was wasting away, but she was being renewed day by day. What a relief! This momentary (in God's time) suffering was preparing her for eternal life. It reminded me that even in difficult times God is there overseeing all of it.

The second devotion talked about the "shadow of death". It reminded me that this unpleasantness will pass. Death is inevitable. The path to death is inevitable. Maybe there is lingering unpleasantness or maybe death finds us quickly, but either way "thou art with me". That provides me great comfort.

If you or someone you know is suffering, turn to God. He is waiting, providing, comforting.


Photo credits:
© 2012 Zarita de la Cerda Interior Design

Another Bird?

Power belongeth unto God -
Psalm 62:11

It was a long weekend. My grandma, Mimi, is failing. My sister Donna decided that she would make a visit to Mimi. She would drive from Ohio to Missouri.

My other sister, Katie, decided she would drive up from College Station. She asked me if I wanted to "ride" with her. So at 8pm Thursday night Avery and I drove to College Station. We arrived around midnight.

The next morning, my nephews woke us up bright and early with alarms blaring!! Our plan was to drive to Missouri. It took twelve hours and about six stops!!! We got to dad's house around 8pm.

The next day we went to the nursing home. It was just heartbreaking. Mimi is very frail and slightly unkempt. Her hair is straight. She no longer does her weekly appointment to get her hair done (even in the assisted living and nursing home she always had her hair done). She does not recognize us and seems sort of lost.

We pushed her wheelchair to her room and helped her get in bed. Donna fed her some soup for lunch. She settled in and seemed to rest. I sat on the bed with her and held her hands. I told her, "I love you." She said, "I love you too." That made the whole trip worth it. I knew she always loved me, but it was nice to hear it one last time.

When we went back to Dad's, I called Quentin. Since there is no reception for my cell phone, I had to go outside. As I was standing there talking to him I looked at the shrub next to me and guess what? There was a little bird sitting there watching me. It was a baby bird and he was nervous. He sat very still as I talked and then as I took some pictures.

I think that little bird was there to remind that God was near. Even in the most discouraging situation, God was right there by my side. The power belongs to God and He supports me during the good and the bad times.

Bird Watcher

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; - Job 12:7

People who know me very well know that I have a thing with birds. Not a bad thing like my sister, but a God thing. Well yesterday, it happened again, only this time it was not a Cardinal, but a Scissortail Flycatcher. I was walking out to my car from Quilt Group. All of a sudden a Scissortail Flycatcher flew near me. He landed on a branch and then looked at me. I thought I should take a picture, but when I got close he flew to a sign in the parking lot. I snapped one picture and then went on my merry way.

Well, later after Quilt Group was over, I loaded my car up and was getting ready to leave. Well here came that bird again. He got pretty close and just looked at me. Photo op! He flew to a Crepe Myrtle and taunted me. I thought, "I know I will get in my car, drive close to the bush and then snap his picture."

I ease my car close to the bush and he flies to another bush along the drive. I ease up next to the bush and this time he flies across the parking lot to a bush facing the convenience store. So, I follow him. Well, while I am trying to snap his picture, some guy across the street is walking around his trailer. He thinks I am taking his picture. Oh, yeah, big grin!!! Well that is just embarrassing. Finally the bird flies back to a Crepe Myrtle along the drive. So, I do a 360 in the parking lot and stalk him one more time.

He just sits there as a slowly get closer and closer. I took several shots. He even squawked at me. What is he trying to tell me?

The message in all of this is slow down, take some time, enjoy the beauty God has surrounded us with. God is here with us in each and every moment. He uses all sorts of things to remind us of that. What is God using to tell you that He is near?

You're Blessed

"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are - no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought." - The Message, Matthew 5:5

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. - Bible NIV, Matthew 5:5

A good friend sent me a note yesterday encouraging me to keep writing. I have to admit the last few posts on FB have not been my words, but words from Good Morning Lord, a FB devotion. It made me pause and think about why I have not been writing.

For Lent, I decided to read my devotion every day. You heard right, EVERY DAY!! I then vowed to post one or more of the messages on FB. I did it! I only missed a day or two. The result is that I got into a new habit of reading and sharing God's word.

The bad news is that with all my other obligations, I have let my writing slip. I have a graduating senior and am busy with all of that - senior parties, dinners, graduation quilts, booking rooms, etc. So, I have relegated my writing to the back seat. But what if God is trying to use me to help others? I have just pushed God to the back seat. Whoa, not a good idea!

I am blessed to have friends who encourage me to keep doing God's work even when I am busy. I am blessed because I am content with who I am. I am blessed because God is using me to help others. Isn't that what it is really about anyway?

Note: The butterfly picture is courtesy of androidzoom.com

Real Life versus your Virtual Life

Well the new big thing is Pinterest. I was reluctant to get sucked into another time consuming internet group. After seeing my girls "pinning" cool things to their bulletin boards though, I have to admit, I was intrigued.

So, I requested a logon. I waited 4 weeks to be admitted as part of this exclusive group. I got my logon and had to think of a user name?? What the heck!! So I used my number one hobby and the two initials of my first name coming up with quiltbe. It had a nice ring to it. Quilt and Be. I can quilt and I can Be.

I logged on and created a few bulletin boards. I have to admit, at first, I found it completely confusing. But after spending HOURS on it, I finally figured it out!!!

I now have 16 boards and 503 pins. Can you imagine a room with 16 large bulletin boards that will hold 503 thumb tacked images??? Neither can I.

As I traversed Pinterest, I decided this was great and everything, but what was the real point? What good does it do to have all of these interests and desires, if you are not going to do anything about it?

So, I decided to step out of my virtual box and into my real box. I ordered the Jessica Simpson shoes I had been coveting on Pinterest. Yes they were expensive, yes, I am old, but I did it anyway.

I have to say though, I might have been spurred on by my teenage daughter who said, "Mom, your virtual world does not intersect with your real world" or something to that effect. I was appalled!!!

Well, that was all I needed to get me going. I bought some royal blue skinny jeans while shopping with my daughter. The sales girl, a mere teenager herself, told my daughter, "Your mom looks freaking awesome!" NOTE: this is not me in the photo below!!!

I have started a new goal. At least one day every week I will integrate my virtual life into my real life.

So I wore the Jessica Simpson shoes to a funeral on Thursday!!! I did get the worst blisters ever though!!!! I wore the skinny jeans all day last Friday. I wore my awesome hat from Carmel, California with an old crinkle skirt and crochet vest this week.

I am all about being real. I do not want to have this really cool image on Pinterest and then be this dowdy old lady in real life. So I am stepping up my game!!! How about you?