One man's trash is another man's treasure

Here are pictures of my new trash can or rather my new trash canS. I have two. How fun! Andrew and Taylor surprised me with them while I was in Valdosta. I just laugh at being so excited over a trash can. I got them out yesterday and now they are just a part of the family! If you want to come on over and throw something away...Be my guest.


Isn't this little one oh so cute?

A day in the life of the flu

My girls have the flu. Here is what yesterday looked like

I bought new toothbrushes for them and lots of hand sanitizer for them and me
I bought fun soap so we would enjoy washing our hands
They have had lots of hot tea
and halloween candy
I am pushing the fluids and drinking through a straw helps it go easier
We watched lots of this
and movies like these.
I washed lots of clothes yesterday and today I plan to be nurse Ellen and fold clothes. The girls feel very bad- headache, fever, bad cough, runny nose but we are all thankful they don't have the stomach flu! I love this time that I can love on them and serve them because they do so much for me.

Bible Study

I went to the Women's Bible study today. I missed last week as I was out of town. Our study is by John Stott, The Beatitudes- Developing Spiritual Character.

Today Clare taught and it was amazing. She taught on Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. John Stott teaches that this mourning is the mourning we should feel about our sin.

Some thoughts from Clare's lecture

Sin from God's perspective= separation, death, costly, final judgement and universal. There are no 'respectable sins'.

The story of the Bible is about sin- Genesis is the entrance of sin and Revelation is the eradication of sin.

The mission of Christ is dealing with sin. John 1:29 "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

Sin always leads to death-physical death, death of relationships, death of enjoyment of the world as God created it, sin destroys everything and it is 100% fatal.

Darwin Jordan said that the person you are in the world has to do with how you deal with sin.

John Piper said that sin is powerfully and suicidally appealing.

Is there any hope?

Indeed!

We need a helpless dependence on Christ and absolute confidence in the work of Christ. II Corinthians 5:17 says Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.

David is known as a man after God's own heart. His sin with Bathsheba led to many deaths of many kinds- her husband Uriah, their baby, Amnon raped Tamar, Absalom killed Amnon and on and on and on.

But David mourned his sin Ps 32 and Ps 51 show us this.

Clare challenged us to really ponder the question- Do I really believe that sin causes death? Am I appalled at my sin? Do I understand the cost of my sin?

I was so convicted. I have never mourned my sin to the depth that they need to be mourned. Wow, My prayer this week is for God to show me my sin (gently please, Lord) and for me to own it and not blameshift or justify it or excuse it. I'll be on my knees lots this week.

I saw Six Flags under water

My friend KimR came to get me at my motel on Monday. It was raining some but we thought nothing of it really. My motel was about an hour from her house so we drove along in her zippy fun car. I'll take a picture next time. She was sad that we couldn't have the top down on her cute car as we drove down the interstate. She took me to her house. It was the most darling house and subdivision I have ever seen. It looked like it belonged on Walt Disney World's main street. This picture doesn't do it justice. I loved seeing it.
Then she and I went to lunch in Buford. Food was wonderful, fellowship with an old friend was priceless. Kim and I met as Freshman in high school. I spent lots of nights at her house. We were in each other's weddings. It is great to have a friend that you can pick right up with no matter how many years have gone by.
After lunch, KimR drove me back to my motel. I was in a motel by the airport. She was going to come up to my room but because of the rain she felt she should head on back.

Boy, we are glad she did. She made it through I 85 and then heard on the radio that it was just closed. Carl's flight landed with no problem that night.

We got up at 5 EST to head back to LR. We did ok on I 85 and the little bit of 285 we were on was open. We got on I 20 to head east and well.... It took us 3 hours to find a road that was open that would lead us to I 20. That was a long 3 hours. Carl, Mr Nerves of Steel, went in to spy mode and used his blackberry to find us a road that was open. I, on the other hand, was in panic mode. At one turn, I asked if we could stop so I could 'powder my nose'. The bathroom was closed due to no water. That didn't help me at all.

After we got out of Atlanta the trip home was very uneventful which was fine with me.

It is good to be home.

I went through my newspapers today and the mail.

Riding in the car is hard on my back so I knew today would be a painful one. I had a dentist appointment today because of a cavity. My dentist has a massaging chair. I am a chicken and need gas to have my teeth filled. Get this picture- back pain + massaging chair + gas = a great, no, I mean, a GREAT visit to the dentist. I asked if I could visit them again tomorrow. Dr Bob and his assistant just laughed.

I was serious, oh well, I do feel better tonight.

Hail Him who saves You by his grace

On Sunday morning, I went to church with Andrew and Taylor. The Pastor's talk was about the Sovereignty of God. He talked about our understanding of sovereignty. Do we fully realize that God is in control and we are not? I needed to hear that because I often think I am in control. He quoted Proverbs 21:1 The King's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he (God) turns it wherever he will. So my boss or president or teacher or anyone who has some control in my life is really doing what God has commanded.

Pastor Danner asked if we lived like we believed in the sovereignty of God. Do I give thanks in all circumstances like I Thessalonians 5:18 tells me to do.

We also sang a song that had a line that really struck me. The song is "From the Inside Out" by Joel Houston. The line is Your will above all else my purpose remains, The art of losing myself in bringing You praise. I am usually so busy in making a name for myself and getting what is mine that I was convicted about losing myself to bring God praise.

After lunch it was time to leave.

How hard is it to leave a baby you love. Wasn't it just yesterday that he was born? Now he has a wife and a house and a life apart from mine, which I am all thankful for but I still am a mama and love to have all my babies close. I am glad I can practice the above the sovereignty of God. Plus I am glad to leave when we are having fun as oppose to them and me wishing I had only stayed a week.
Supper with my brother and sister in law, Charles and Frances in Atlanta. What a laughing good time we always have. We had hoped to have Meredith join us but the weather kept her from us. Next time, Mev!Today I plan to spent the day with KimR and I am so excited. She has been my friend for over 35 years. How fun is that. I last saw KimR two years ago at Andrew and Taylor's wedding.

I hope your day is fun too.

120 pages later

I finished! I finished the scrapbook I was making for Andrew and Taylor and their NYC trip. 120 pages. I can't really believe that I finished it.

Below are Andrew and Taylor looking at the scrapbook. Andrew enjoyed the camera and was working it.




I have so enjoyed my vacation here with Andrew and Taylor. It has truly been a vacation. Andrew and Taylor have cooked, I spent days just scrapbooking and when I needed a break, I read. I got to see Andrew before he left for work every day. I got to see the day to day workings of Andrew and Taylor. I got to see them solve problems and work together. I enjoyed watching their TV shows and eating the food they like. I even lost track of what day it was most days. Kudos to Taylor for having her mother in law in her home for 2 weeks.

I am ready to head back home. I am ready to get back into my routine but next week I will probably be looking at that greener grass again. I will be thankful for the wonderful vacation I have had and the girls at home that won't let me stay away any longer.

Scrapbooking continues

I don't know why the pictures are not turned the correct way. sorry. I am up to page 89. I am on day 6. I think I may get finished. Day 6 is the Bronx Zoo, a Yankee's game and a tour of the stadium.

SB you made my day with your comment!

Blog silliness Part IIII

Do you see 5 of us?

54 and counting

Day Three done, working on Day Four today. I am up to 54 pages. Andrew and Taylor say all the right things when they look at the scrapbook so I get fired up to keep on going.

The pictures below on the lower right are of Gramercy Park. The statue is of Edwin Booth, younger brother of John Wilkes Booth. He was a Shakespearean actor in the 19th century. Gramercy Park is one of two privately owned parks in NYC. Those that own houses that face the park can have a key.

Andrew is standing in front of a picture of Babe Ruth made out of baseball cards.Today in the scrapbook I'll be scraping Top of the Rock viewing, NY library and lunch at Pop burger plus a boat tour...stay turned

Blog silliness Part III

Can you find us?

last post on Savannah

Here is our motel in Savannah. I kept forgetting to get a picture so this is as we are driving out of town.
See the four columns ? That is Button Gwinnett grave. He signed the Declaration of Independence for the state of Georgia. He was killed in a duel, I believe in a land dispute.

Julliette's house
Another shot
Independent Presbyterian, which is across the street from Julliette's house. Monica, is where you got married?

scrapbook

I have finished Friday evening, Saturday and now Sunday. I have 35 pages so far. We went to Michael's last night to get more adhesive so I can keep up the process. My goal today is to do Monday and Tuesday and get the layout ready for Wednesday! I have no idea why some pictures are turned on their side. Oh well, mac tech support is on LR.