my new wheels!!

i got 6 new wheels!!

here are 4 of them:

judy gave me the little red wagon!!!!   now i need to go buy some plants to put in it & find the perfect place for it......don't know if i'll put it in "texas" or "the virgin islands" -????

here are the other 2:

i bought a new bike!!!

and it's very "virgin islandy"! 

 i stopped at walmart yesterday after prayer meeting for something else & all of a sudden i found myself in the bike section!!!  i saw this baby & the next thing i knew it, i was standing in the checkout line with her!!!!

i haven't had a bike since the kids were little.  when grant was a baby i rode him all over on the back of my bike.  when suzanne was little it was too hard to ride with her because grant wasn't real good on a bike because of his balance problems.  i couldn't go slow enough to keep up with him & i couldn't go fast enough to balance suzanne on the back of the bike, so we just didn't bother.  a friend wanted a bike so i sold it to her.  i've wanted a bike for a long time, but never saw the one i wanted!

i wanted an old fashioned looking bike with big chunky tires & there she was!!!!!  i'll have to think of a virgin islandy name for her!!!!  i love the "retro" colors, pale yellow & green & the "wood" trim & handle bar grippers!  the leather carrier case & water bottle holder are pretty cool too!

i can't ride it in the virgin islands though ---- but i've been all over the neighborhood with it. 

i have muscles in my legs that i forgot i had!!!!

i figured i could work on my tan & some exercise at the same time!!!!

ok, now for the "be a blessing" story:

a new "hobby" of mine is reading blogs--i like the ones that are written by people about my age, the simple life, country life, decorating, crafty ones.  there are a bunch that i read daily - they're like visiting friends.  a bunch of us all read each other's blogs & after awhile you get to really think of these ladies as friends. 

have you noticed that i usually end my posts with "be blessed -- i am!" ?  well, one of the bloggers wrote about me on her blog a couple days ago without even knowing that she was writing about me!!!  she wrote about "those bloggers" that end their posts with "be blessed" -- "that's all well & good, but they should write "be a blessing" because we're ALL blessed! "

i commented on her blog that she has written about me--- well, she read my blog & commented on a post i wrote.  it's really nice when these "new friends" care about what's going on in your life.  thanks for the words of encouragement, sandra!  i had a much better day today. 

please pray for another of my blogger friends, brenda.  she lives in east texas & is having a really rough time.  i've commented on her blog a lot.  she has really inspired me in several areas of my life.  i hope to meet her in person some day.  she's very talented in the writing, decorating, gardening departments.  she's one of those "i want to be you when i grow up" people!!!!

 

so, i'll probably still sometimes say "be blessed", but more importantly, we should all

be a blessing!!!!

p.s.  had another fantastic proverbs31woman devotional again today!!!!  God is SOOOO GOOD!!!!!!!   

oh---i almost forgot all about this:   yesterday on the way home from work i almost died.  seriously!!   i was stopped at a red light & while waiting i was reading something for VBS.  the light turned green & instead of immediately going, i paused to put the papers i was reading on the seat beside me.  i looked up to go & a SEMI truck & trailer  ROARED through the intersection!!!!!  he was going super fast & ran the red light!  if i had taken off 2 seconds earlier, he would have creamed me & i'd be sitting at Jesus' feet right now................it was pretty scarey!  (but now that i think of it, sitting at the feet of Jesus would be a very good thing!!!!!  i'm a wimp about the whole accident/pain thing, but i'm sure the pain would have been over in an instant sitting at THOSE FEET.......!!)  made me realize how quickly our lives could be over & done with!  we've got to be sure we're living them right so we can answer to Him positively......

be a blessing.....i'm trying to be!!!!

be a blessing.......

i KNOW God is in control of my life - i also think He purposely has these women write EXACTLY the devotional i NEED at the very moment i need it!!!   you know how 2 days ago i wrote that i needed to clean my heart.......well. lookey here at today's 

"proverbs 31woman devotional"------->

june 29, 2011
Dead Weight
Karen Ehman

“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” James 1:21 (NIV)

Ever have a reoccurring bad attitude drain the life right out of you?  It can cause your spirits to wither and your joy to die, leaving you limp and lifeless like a water-deprived plant.

I was feeling that way recently when I remembered something my husband’s mom had taught me. She is famous for growing wonderful herbs and colorful perennials. In fact, her garden boasts an array of color from the first hint of spring until late fall.
One day I asked her to share her green-thumb secret. She explained that the secret to helping plants thrive is called “dead-heading.”

Here is how it is done: As soon as any beautiful blooms begin to whither, fade, or turn brown, they must be removed.  I’ve discovered it is a tedious, never-ending task. Just when I think I have removed every dried up blossom, the next day a dozen more appear. But if I want my flowers to keep blossoming, I have to dead-head daily because the deceased blooms sap nutrition and strength from the core of the plant. They rob the flowers of energy that could be used for new growth.  However, if the dead and debilitating weight is properly plucked, the stems will give gorgeous petals throughout the entire life of the plant.

As I pluck my dead flower heads, I am reminded of my life with Christ. There are places in my heart, thoughts in my mind, and actions in my will that stem from bad attitudes. And they are nothing but dead weight to my spiritual life.

Often these deep-rooted thought patterns and their companions — doubt, fear, wrong choices, old habits, nursed grudges, or current conflicts — threaten to choke our growth and prevent us from displaying the splendor God intends for us to show.
We start our day hopeful yet give in to the hurtful. Our self-doubts or judgments of others often take root in negative thoughts and counterproductive actions that not only have the potential to ruin our day, but also affect those around us. However, if we are intentional in nipping these at their first appearance, we will be more likely to experience new growth in our walk with Christ and health in our relationships. 

Today’s verse from James tells us to get rid of such issues and instead to humbly plant God’s word deep in our hearts. So, instead of dwelling on a temptation in our thoughts and allowing it to morph into sin, we quietly focus our hearts on a truth from scripture such as “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet he did not sin.” (Hebrews 5:14)

Dwelling on scripture empowers, rather than drains us. It is spiritual dead-heading at its finest. This switch in our thought pattern can save us from wrong choices, unhealthy relationships and self-inflicted heartbreak.

Could your heart use a dead-heading session? Are there faded blooms you have been carrying around that are sapping your spiritual energy and strength, causing heartache and tears? Get rid of the bad. Plant God’s good Word in that spot instead. Then stand back — patiently now — and watch beautiful blooms begin to appear.

Dear Lord, I admit to You the faded flowers of my heart that I have been carrying around for much too long. Grant me courage to pluck them for good. Replace them with Your word planted seriously in my soul in an intentional manner. Let me drink deep of your bottomless nourishment so that the blooms You choose to grow and display in my life might point others to the Savior. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Power Verses:
Psalm 40:11-13, “Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me. For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me. Be pleased, O LORD, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me.” (NIV)
Psalm 66:18-19, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.” (NIV)
Psalm 119:10-11, “I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (NIV)

© 2011 by Karen Ehman. All rights reserved.

the Lord is so good! 

i asked Him to clean my heart. 

He told me how!!

be a blessing!  (i'll tell you about THIS tomorrow!!)

do you decorate your house? how about your garage??!!

i have these posters in my garage - yes, i decorate my garage!!!!  i'd like to paint the white walls, but that's low on my priority list!!!!

 

(can't get these 2 pictures to go  bigger - ????- )

just feeling a little blue today...................

need to remind myself that i'm blessed...............

you can be blessed & still feel a little sad - gotta be honest:  even in "blog land" life is not all happy & perfect. 

i was talking to a friend the other day & she asked if i had heard about such & such crime or catastrophe & i said, "nope!  since i don't have tv service anymore, i don't listen/watch the news so in my little world, everything's perfect!  there's no crime, no disasters, no tsunamis, etc.!!!!  i have no clue!! i like it that way!!" 

but in my little world i still hear about friends who are having problems & that makes me sad.  i still have problems, & that makes me sad.  life is not perfect because WE are not perfect.  but we have to strive for it..........

i'll be better tomorrow.

need to go spend some time with the Lord...............

the simple life

for the past few months, since i got sick, i've been really trying to simplify my life.   boy do i have a LONG way to go!!!!!!   i've got entirely too much junk!!  i want to get rid of things, but i'm finding i'm really attached to my stuff.  i've got a lot of work to do - in my house & in my heart.  i need to let go.  i need to stop telling myself "but that cost x$ & if i get rid of it, i'll have to pay xx$ to replace it if i need it."   i need to tell myself "if i have had it all these years & haven't used it, i probably won't use it in the next few years either!!"  

 i think i've got to clean my heart out first.......

i know someone who has NOTHING in her house except for 2 beds, a kitchen table & 4 chairs (she might not even have 4 chairs, she might only have 2 chairs, come to think of it!!!), a tv & tv stand, & some clothing.  i don't think i could go THAT SIMPLE!!!!! 

really makes me see how blessed i am. 

or spoiled. 

or selfish.

God, clean my heart.

when i decorate, i usually keep the same stuff in the same place forever.......well, you get to a point that you're so used to seeing something that after awhile you don't "see" it anymore. 

that's how i am in my house, so i decided to change up the fireplace mantel.

the fireplace mantel a few weeks ago:

changed to this:

not a real big change, but just a little "lighter" for the summer.

(& no, it didn't take a whole hour to do that!!!  i got busy with something else & forgot to take the picture!!!!!)

 saw this cute idea on one of the decorating blogs i read; goes PERFECT with my mason jar collection!!!

you put pictures in mason jars!!!  the one on the left is me when i was about 4 or 5; the one on the right is my dad when he was about 4 or 5 with his grandma.    i love this idea!!!!

well, i need to go put clean sheets on the bed.............& then get in it!  too bad it's not raining!!!

be blessed - my dirty heart is!!!!

i just got back from THE MOST fun birthday party EVER!!!!

today is my friend LaKiesha's 28th birthday.  she had a party at the cheesecake factory at the galleria & it was THE MOST FUN birthday party ever!!!!   we laughed so much that our faces hurt!!!!!!!  LaKiesha was my secret sister at church this past year & 28 is my favorite number, so this was a special day!!!!!   thanks "L" for having a birthday, for having a party, & for inviting me!!!  thanks "mrs. holman" for having LaKiesha 28 years ago!!!!  (p.s. do call me - we'll have to go out & have some fun while our daughters are at college!!!!!!!!)

on june 22 it rained in texas!!!!!!!!!!!!

on june 22, it rained in the virgin islands!!!!!!!!!

                                          it looks like snow, but it's RAIN!!!!!!!

                                                     BEAUTIFUL RAIN!!!!!!!
                                             it hasn't rained here since may 12

             this is the coolest it's been at 7:30 in the morning in a LONGGGGGGGG time!!!!

it was a beautiful day!!!!!!



 be blessed - i really am!!!!!

today.......i got a little red wagon!!!!!!!

today we had our annual ladies' tea @ church.  sarah & i come up with a theme & plan it all out - i help with the table decorations, the programs, & favors.  (this year others did the favors while i was in the hospital.)  everything always turns out so beautiful & the fun & fellowship of all the ladies is great.  when each one is over, i'm a little sad because we have to wait a whole year for the next one!!!!

but one of the benefits is the secret sister ministry!  each year we choose a secret sister randomly from a basket.  then over the next year we shower that lady with cards, small gifts, prayers & whatever we want to encourage her but it's a secret & she doesn't know who the person is that's blessing her.  at least she's not supposed to know!!!!  some people figure it out.  i kind of had a feeling who had me this year, but then i wasn't real sure.  the lady who had me this year was judy!!  (funny, i had her last year!!!)  a couple weeks ago i was at judy's house & some of us were talking about decorating.  i mentioned i wished i still had my kids' little red wagon because i wanted to put it in the backyard as decoration.  judy said she had one, but it was all rusty.  i said that would be perfect because i wanted it rusty!!!!  she didn't say she'd give it to me & i didn't ask for it.

well, today at the tea when she revealed that she was my SS, she gave me this:

and told me she was going to give me the big wagon from her garage too!!!!!   how cool is that????

the lady i had as my SS this past year was lakiesha.  she & her husband have only been coming to our church for a little over a year now i think & this was a great way for me to get to know her better.  i loved how excited she got every sunday that there was something on the table for her!!  she would go around showing it to everyone, asking, "is this from you? are you my SS?"  i had to LIE to her several times & say "no, but i'm not going to say....."  it was hard to keep a "poker face" - i have a very hard time with a poker face!!!!!  i've already repented & asked for God's forgiveness - i'm pretty sure He understands the reason for the deceit!!!!!!!  i forgot to take a picture of the final gift i gave her, but is was a plate with daisies on it & some honey soap with a cute little bee on it.  and this is what she gave me.......

                                                             DAISIES!!!!!!!!!   

that's what

i call a "God-incidence"!!!!!! (rather than a co-incidence)

(i usually kill potted plants - so pray for these!!!!!  it'd be so nice to plant them on the shady side of the house where they won't bake in the sun.   is that where they need to be??????  or do they need to be in the sun?   gonna have to "google" that!!!!!)

after i got home from the tea, i waited a little while to go to the virgin islands.  it was just soooooooooooooooo hot!!!  and i had a pain - it felt like i had a rope tied around my ribs & it was being pulled very very tightly.  i don't know if it was gas or heartburn or what but i felt like my ribs were being crushed.  i tried to lay down & couldn't find a comfortable position.  i sat outside for a little while & the heat was almost unbearable!  there was a nice "ocean" breeze but it was hot, so i came in.  i need a pool!!!!  i'm taking donations - if you need my address so you can send your donation in, just let me know!!!!!

be blessed & have a great rest of the weekend!!!

texas in june........

in june in texas, our favorite color is brown!!!!

because this is the color of the grass after over 6 months of no rain --well we had rain on May 12th.  a little.  not much.  not enough.

in the shade!!!  5:15 pm.......it's 8:15 as i type & the temp is slightly under 100!!!!

                                                              my babies

                                                          a little droopy

the black eyed susans are just about finished -- i water them & a few of them are still perky.  poor little babies!!!   i've given up on watering the grass.  i was watering everyday & it still turned to brown straw, so i've decided to conserve water. 

but

that's summer in texas!!!!  and it's ONLY june!!!!  we have another  5 months to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!

there IS a LITTLE patch of GREEN - in the Virgin Islands!!!!!!!!  

strange!!!! -----i think someone's buried under there!!!!!!!!!

be blessed - i am!!!!!  (even when i don't realize it or believe it!!)

here's a fun thing to do!!!!!

grab the book that's nearest you, turn to page 56 & write down the 5th sentence on that page!!!

mine is:

"let some nice amish boy court you, settle down some, get married in a year or so."


ha ha ha!!!!  that's exactly what i want to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(edited:  this picture was supposed to be here earlier - don't know why it didn't show up!!)  these are amish dolls from pennsylvania that i have in my living room.  that was suzanne's rocking chair when she was a baby!)
write your page 56 sentences in the comments below.  i'd love to see what's going on in your reading life!!!!


in the meantime, i'll be painting the house in the virgin islands!  i have part of the back & part of 1 side left to do since LAST YEAR!!!   i keep putting it off, but it must be done & must be done NOW before the rain hits.  (gotta be optimistic!!!)   if anyone wants to help, come on over!  i've made a big pitcher of tea!!!!

just some randomness to get your mind off the virgin islands...

.............did you know that your foot is the same length as the distance between your elbow & wrist?


it is.


for most people.


i checked!


*


do you know what a "butt call" is?   

butt call

n. An unintended phone call placed by sitting on one's cell phone.

 

i got 2 today from the same person!  good to know his butt was thinking of me!!!!!

*

it's almost "friday eve"!!!!  (that's the only good thing about thursdays!!!)



i'm going to mow my friend's grass this weekend.  i owe her - big time!!!!!  but she's a good friend & i don't mind.  in fact, i'm looking forward to it!


that's about it.............................& just so you'll know.........i'll  be in the virgin islands again this weekend.    anyone want to join me??????


have a blessed friday eve!!!!!