Makeover Monday

Though I'm a bit slow posting this week, I did a Makeover Monday project on Monday.  I had some pots that needed "jazzed up" so out came the spray paint... (the green ones got a coat last year, but they'll be changing their color shortly).

The grey pot is really heavy & I have 2 of them which were new last year.  They didn't keep their color well at all!

I wanted something neutral & light, but that would still show the detail...

Turned out pretty well & is a nice contrast to the other black pots I have (that was last year's color for spray painting....)  Since I had some paint left over... well, stay tuned...

Meme

I've never done one of these before, but thanks to my friend, Coffegal, I'm going to do it today... Spending the day back in my garden & pool meant no "creative" blog fodder for me today...

What color are your socks right now? No socks. Just bare feet

What are you listening to right now? The Braves playing the Nationals (the best thing to doze to, so better keep busy to keep the eyelids open...)

What was the last thing you ate? Grilled chicken, squash, & red peppers; sliced tomatoes; raw red peppers & celery; peas.

Can you drive a stick? Oh yeah!  And made sure both our kids learned to drive a stick.

Last person you spoke to on the phone?  My friend, Debbie, calling me for a recipe we have both used for years... couldn't find it.

How old are you today? 62 (no, that can't be possible!  I feel more like... 48)

What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? I really don't like to watch ANY sports on TV!  And my DH loves to watch ANY sports on TV... But I understand baseball & basketball (but don't like pro basketball, & get tired of all the ACC stuff that is on for so long).

What is your favorite drink? Lemonade, especially the low/no calorie Minute Maid or similar.

Have you ever dyed your hair? Forever!  I don't even know what color my hair really is (though I have a suspicion it is mostly... wh...wh...white... I could hardly get that out!)

Favorite food? Ice cream!

What is the last movie you watched? Toy Story 3, last week.  Very cute & loved the 3D.

Favorite day of the year? Christmas!

How do you vent anger? Have a talk with the Lord about how unfair "whatever" is.  I was reminded by Him through a pastor 2 weeks ago that I am NOT entitled to be angry or to think I deserve anything... because if it were not for His grace, the only thing I am entitled to is death.
What was your favorite toy as a child? My dolls. I was a mama to all of them & loved them.  I still have a teddy bear that I got when I was 6 months old that I slept with every night until I got married.  I told him all my woes & cried into him when I was sad.

Favorite Season? I love them all for different reasons.  I'm probably one of the few who even loves NC summers, but I love the flowers blooming & swimming in the pool, and all the fresh fruits & vegetables of summer.

Cherries or Blueberries? Love them both!

When was the last time you cried? Probably in the early spring, out of frustration, not being able to do the things I ordinarily do, because I had hand surgery & was still limited.

What is on your closet floor right now? Way too much, as usual.  It is a never ending battle to keep it clear.

What are you most afraid of? I'm not aware of any fears.  I'm thankful that God has already decided my destiny.

Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Plain, cooked on the grill, or with mushrooms, peppers, & onions.

Favorite dog breed? Dachshund & lab (NOT bred together...)

Favorite day of the week? Sunday

How many states have you lived in? 4: IN, IL, SC, NC

Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds  What is your favorite flower?  Whatever I can get to bloom in my garden & whatever DH brings me.

Did you get an H1N1 vaccine?  Yes, & a normal flu shot. 

Proud to be His Mom!

There are proud moments in every mama's life and yesterday was one of them: my son graduated from Master Jump school (a 3 week intensive school for military of all branches, mostly Special Ops).  He is now licensed to be a Jump Master for both Static Line & Freefall.  He can plan & execute "drops" & sign off on them... which partially means deciding what altitude, wind velocity, etc. (much more than I know or understand) for a crew to parachute into wherever they need to go.
This isn't the only thing he is licensed to do: he is also a licensed paramedic & is licensed to pilot about any size yacht.

For you mama's who have boys that are adventuresome, daring, ready to try things others would never think of... don't despair: you may have a young man in your future who will go where others wouldn't, do what others wouldn't try, &  excel at some things in life most of us would think too big a risk.  God gives all of us gifts & abilities in different ways, but He can use all of them for our good and His glory.
I am thankful and proud to be my son's mom!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

I haven't been blogging much this week.... because I've been so BUSY!  Chillin' at the beach...  Don't you love the hairdo?!!!

GRACE

Saturday in my time with the Lord I was reminded that "God's grace is His divine enablement, the basis for my commitment to the pursuit of holiness" (Romans 6:13)*
Isn't it interesting that holiness requires pursuit?  The natural tendency is away from holiness, which draws me away from God.  I have everything I need, in Christ, for right living... even when I don't feel like it!  And how is this lived out?  By loving more freely, giving more generously, taking some risks, saying "can do" more often.  How can I do that?!  Because God will energize me, guide me, supply me, and amaze me.  That is grace!


Sunday at church the sermon was titled, "Grace Builds Humility"... Coincidence?  I think not!  One of the most challenging thoughts was: "I am not entitled to anything!"  I am not entitled to be spoken kindly to by the clerk in the store; I'm not entitled to have my good motives understood; I'm not entitled to courtesy from other drivers; I'm not entitled to good health or wealth or satisfying work or a place of honor or.....  More importantly, I am not entitled to know God, to have the Bible, or to have the Holy Spirit.  These are all gifts of grace.  Christ is committed to my good and loves me.  That's why He gave His life on the cross!  I am only entitled to one thing: death (Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death,  but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.")  I don't deserve His love - it is His gift!


Another challenging thought was: humility attracts grace, pride is opposition to God.  How would pride show its rebellion?  By anger (impatience, irritation, & worry); boasting & self-pity (one to success & one to wounded ego); and envy (blind to grace & convinced of my own merit, self-promotion, expectant of kindness as wages because "I'm so worth it").  This is way too convicting! 
    What is a symptom of pride?  Being compelled to protect my turf and defend my every action.  Not praying, thinking I can handle it without God. 
   What is a symptom of humility?  Considering it an honor to serve others, including friends & family, with sacrifice even when they don't deserve it!  Serving with selflessness & being honored to do so does not come naturally!  Only God's grace can enable me to do that!  And the pathway to humility is faith in Christ, truly trusting Christ.
   I am so thankful that God's grace does not depend on my faithfulness or lack thereof!
Am I up to the challenge?  Only through God's grace!


(*The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges)

Makeover Monday

I got the inspiration for this blog but more importantly for doing this project from Angie  @ http://treaures.blogspot.com

 I purchased the planters & the trellis earlier this spring & decided to go ahead & give them a coat of paint before putting them in the garden.  The green lanterns were painted last summer, but I was ready for a different look for them, too.

  

The planter was terra cotta in color & is one of those really light weight ones (which are expensive when new!)  I decided to spray it with the "Stone" paint to give it new look along with some texture.  After I did the planter, I decided that stone look would be pretty neat on the lanterns, so I started spraying...

And really liked the results!

What I didn't consider was that the black tall planter was sitting within "range" of my spray can...

So it got a makeover too!  More or less spray from the "Stone" paint can gave a totally different look.  The one thing I didn't think to check before starting was the drying time... "Stone" paint takes 4-6 hours to dry!  So my car sat outside overnight to make sure everything set.  

All are ready to go into the garden to be "decorated" with plants & flowers.  For me, that's when the fun begins!  I'll give you a glance at the "finished product" in a couple of weeks when everything gets growing....

Sunday Reflections

"Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.
Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.....
Have compassion on your servants.  Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy."
Psalm 90:1,12,14

Give Away Winner!!!

Sorry I didn't get this on here yesterday, but after working in the yard from 7:30 AM till 4:30 PM (with a few swim breaks to cool off), then fixing dinner for company, I was too "pooped" when our company left at 10 PM!

The WINNER is Kellie F. (confusing since two of my "regulars" are Kellie, spelled the same way!) who suggested a Lowe's home improvement card!!  So give me a call, Kellie, with your address & I'll put it in the mail!  Kellie is a regular commenter on my blog, so it is a joy to send this.  Thanks also to all the others for your comments... reassures me that someone is reading...!

Last Days of "Camp"

After a week of swimming, eating, swimming more, eating more, the week of Mimi/Papa Camp wound down with some lounging...

While the king Papa "oversees" the lack of activity...

Welcome Home!

"Grandma/Grandpa (Mimi/Papa) Camp" was great & nobody missed Mommy & Daddy enough to get upset (well, little guy got a little weepy the last night;  after staying up until 10 PM the night before he was mostly just exhausted).

But Sunday there was a lot of excitement as we waited at the airport...

and lots of smiles....

                                   all the way around.............

DON'T FORGET TO READ THE JUNE 12 BLOG FOR YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO WIN...

Thanks, Harris Teeter!

Each year the Harris Teeter stores in the Raleigh/Durham/Fuquay/Garner area allow the USO to set up a donation opportunity at all their stores.  Volunteers from the USO "man (or "woman") the sites, which takes a lot of people!  This year these were my helpers...
There is no solicitation, just a box for donations & information about the USO at each site.

Thank you, Harris Teeter, for this opportunity!  And thank you to all in the community who contributed!

Bountiful Harvest... or Not

This is what I see looking out my kitchen window... an ornamental plum tree.    When my mom died 14 years ago, my sister-in-law sent me a gift to buy a tree to plant in memory of my mom.  I planted it where I could look out over my kitchen sink to see it, thinking we would be in that house for the rest of our lives.  Then 8 years ago we built another house so I bought another tree just like the first one.

                                           

Last year for the first time, it produced real plums!  Not knowing if they were edible, I researched it on the internet & found that they were.  One night I told Mr. M that I was going to pick the plums the next day...

But that night the deer ate every single one of them!!!

(The bent limb on the bottom of the tree is from the deer...)

SUBTITLE OF THIS POST: I BEAT THE DEER!

So this year when they appeared, I sprayed "Deer Off" (which has an obnoxious odor...!)

And then I picked them before the deer got to them!

These are not grapes... they are plums, about half the size of the ones you buy in the grocery, but just as luscious & delicious.

(Next to a peach...)

I usually have a great little blueberry crop, enough to have fresh ones on my cereal every day for about 2 weeks.

But this year my little bushes don't look so healthy...

The netting over it is to keep the birds from taking all the blueberries...

(The squirrels steal the tomatoes... gotta love the wild life!)

So here's about 1/3 of this years crop... & it's not a serving bowl or even a cereal bowl these are in... it's a tiny little bowl for dipping sauce.  There are 27 berries & they are about half the size of blueberries in the store.  Mine usually are at least as big as the store berries... I think the harsh winter affected them this year.
And that's my bountiful crop from this year....  I'll be heading to the grocery/fruit stand/farmer's market.

Blog Celebration Part 2

I realized that I wasn't really clear on my "qualifications" for the giveaway at the end of this week.  Each time you leave a comment (one per post) will be another entry.
I like the suggestions that have been made so far!
If this doesn't make any sense to you, go back to my blog on Saturday...

Now on to some fun blogging with pictures....

Sunday Reflections

"I will lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.  He will not let your foot slip - He who watches over you will not slumber... nor sleep."

The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand;  the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.  

The Lord will keep you from all harm - He will watch over your life;

The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."

Psalm 121

Blog Celebration

I had promised myself that when I hit 5000 on the "site meter" I would do something special, like a give-away.  Not that any of us bloggers check the site meter at all.....

But I actually did not notice when it got there some time over the last few days, because it now is at over 5000...

So I've decided to give you 6 days worth of "opportunities" to be eligible for the give-away.
Entries will be:
1. Leave a comment... any comment.
2. Tell me what kind of gift card you would like the give-away to be... within reason.
3. If you don't have a blog that I can connect to through your comment, leave an email address... in case YOU are the winner!

I'll be back on Friday to announce the winner & what the gift card is!

End of "Camp"

What a week this has been!!!!  In a good way, that is!
This evening as I tucked him into bed, little guy (age 6 1/2...) said, "We haven't worn many clothes this week."  Lest that sound strange, it is true because we have gone from sleep wear to swim wear then back to sleep wear most of the week.  Doesn't get much better than that!

Today was a "rest" day, with everyone so tired they wanted to watch videos (those 11 & under) or read (those much older).  So after no TV all week & only a couple of nights of one family video, we decided this camp was going for a video afternoon.

Proverbs 17:6 is SO true... "Children's children are a crown to the aged."  I don't feel aged, but I sure feel like we have a beautiful crown, for which we are so thankful to God.

"Grandma Camp"

After a day of swimming, showers, & then dinner how do we "round out" the evening?  By watching their favorite videos....

They have seen these several times, so they know how they end, yet love to watch them over again.  So for the ones we don't own, they go to the church library each Sunday & check out one or two of these.  And after watching one, they are calm & ready for bed.  It's a great time to snuggle, too!
  Still on the agenda is "Sound of Music"!  Yes, they've seen it several times, but not for awhile, so that's their next choice.  I love it!

3 Little "People"

Be at rest once more, O my soul,

for the LORD has been good to you. 

Psalm 116:7

Love this verse! I was thinking today how grateful I am for the 3 charges under my care this week & the wonderful relationship we have. Yes, God HAS been good to me. I decided to set everything aside this week (other than my one day at the USO) to just enjoy them. All the things that need done may have been calling my name, but if they were, I wasn't listening. It has been so much fun & though it requires a lot of energy, it is SO worth it. I'm getting my exercise by being in the pool with them (though I can't keep up with them!) It is satisfying & fun at the same time.
Being a "doer" I ordinarily would feel that I am neglecting things (& there are certainly plenty of "chores" around here that are being neglected...) But I do not have that hanging over me! I am cooking meals for them & the Mr. whom I love is keeping the laundry done up (we are talking 5+ beach towels & swim suits a day, plus the ordinary), but otherwise we are just having fun. I don't want their memories to be of a grumpy grandma who always had too much to do. I want them to be of a grandma who loved them lavishly & chose to have fun with them.


So next week I'll get back to the "things" that have been neglected, but they are only "things". People are SO much more important! Praise God for these 3 little people in my life! Yes, God HAS been good to me!

Wear 'Em out!

Yes, that's the ticket.... wear them out & they will go to bed,... easily!  Swimming ALL day (that would be 9:30 AM till 8:30 PM!), feed them plenty (wow, that swimming really uses up the calories!!!!), & let them stay up a little later than usual... and they can hardly stay awake to pray (I think God accepts my prayers for them tonight.)

Of course, with all that swimming there were food breaks...LOTS of them!  Two snack breaks before lunch: a hearty lunch... homemade macaroni & cheese, cantaloupe, grapes, & kiwi (yes, these 3 can eat a WHOLE cantaloupe & LOTS of mac & cheese!); 3 snack breaks before dinner (they usually eat at 5-5:30 & we didn't eat until 6:45 due to a project we were working on...); & dinner of tilapia fish (2 of the 3 really liked it & ate a lot), broccoli, baked potatoes with cheese on top, rolls (the 3 of them ate a whole package of crescent rolls), & tomatoes.  I think I'll need to restock the snacks SOON!  But I know they get hungry expending all that energy, so they need lots of calories.
   Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the Mr. & I are trying to LOSE weight!  This falls under the category of "life is not fair"!!!!  But I COULDN'T stay in the pool as long as they did being as active as they were.  Ah, youth.....

Ageless

There are some things that are just ageless...

Like roasting marshmallows...

Puts a smile on the face, no matter what your age...

Roasting just right takes concentration... & some times a fire extinguisher.

Yep, puts a smile on the face....!

Sunday Reflections

"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, 'Your God reigns!' "

Isaiah 52:7 

Do It Quickly!

I just found a fun blog that is having a give-away... but the winner will be announced tomorrow!

http://etiquettewithmissjanice.blogspot.com

Love It!

It's that time of year again...

And I LOVE it!

A Day to Remember

Eleven years ago today was one of the most exciting days of my life: I saw my first grandchild enter this world.  The depth of love I felt for her immediately is beyond description & really surprised me.

Watching her grow has been one of the biggest blessings of my life, just as it has been to watch her sister & brother being born & growing up.

There are many facets to this sweet girl:

She is daring & loves the outdoors...

She loves to play soccer...

She's a little monkey....

And loves to "hang out"....

Did I mention that she loves the outdoors?....

She is fun & sweet, is a great sister, loves her family, loves her friends, & loves Jesus!

She is growing up into a beautiful young lady and has given us 11 years of pure joy in being part of our family.  Thank You, God, for choosing us as her grandparents!

Gladitude Wednesday

1. Glad to "know" Gretchen-from-the-west" as a bloggy friend! (That's her beautiful header that I borrowed for today).

2. Glad to be healthy enough to really enjoy life! (Hands are still healing but I can do most everything now.)

3. Glad that I have a Godly daughter who is following God's calling (even though Satan is trying to derail her...)

4. Glad that she has been blessed with a loving husband & 3 precious children... & thus, I also am blessed!

5. Glad that I am going to have a new daughter-in-love!

6. Glad that she was so considerate to take her new "sis-to-be", "nieces-to-be" & me shopping for the most important dress she could ever wear... her bridal gown!

7. Glad that after 42+ years of marriage, we still have fun together & love each other so much!

8. Glad to have the opportunity to serve at the USO every week, where I get the privilege of ministering to young men & women who are serving our country to protect our freedoms.

9. Glad that the Lord has provided a loving Church Body where we can serve, worship, & have family with whom our lives intertwine.

10. Glad most of all that God loved me (& YOU) enough to give His only Son, Jesus Christ, so that we might have a relationship with God forever!  It cost Him all He had, yet He freely gives it to us when we put our trust in Christ alone.

Check This Out

There is a fun give-away going on @ http://44thstreetfabric.blogspot.com

Simple Pleasures

  What small things in life can give such pleasure?  Well, one is visiting the original KK in Winston Salem where the assembly line process of making donuts is available for viewing while you eat your treats.

I LOVE that they didn't think they were "too old" for this!  They loved the hats & even wanted to wear them into the grocery later (they decided not to, but not because they were embarrassed...)

This sure beats any movie theater!

Horsing Around

As we turned onto the road leading to our mountain house, we saw something that made us turn around & go back, then turn into the driveway & stop...

The girls got out & I got my camera out!  

Yes, that is a horse on a leash!

This little fellow was 3 weeks old & being bottle fed every 4 hours (because "his mama didn't make it...)

He is pretty "slim" (as you can see from his ribs showing) but his caretakers are doing all they can to nurse him to health.  

This horse is the same age, but much "sturdier" looking...

This horse is only one week older, but quite filled out...

However, they both have their mamas right there with them, feeding them & caring for them (when we tried to walk up to the fence, both mamas started stomping their feet, which in horse language means, "Stay away!")

All the horses live here...

At the farm where we got our Christmas tree last Nov.

The barn across the road (not in this picture) is over 100 years old & was owned by the grandfather of the man who built this new barn.  The lower level is a beautifully maintained horse barn/stable, & the lady with the baby horse & her husband live in the upstairs.