Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
~Psalm 22:4
I am always amazed when I think of our country's forefathers. The first settlers from England have always fascinated me...their bravery, their fortitude, their inner drive to move to a new place and start their lives all over again for the sake of freedom--freedom to believe in and worship God, freedom to live the lives they knew they were supposed to live without persecution. How many hearts were broken when they boarded the ships to leave the only home they had ever known? How many women were blindly following the leading of their husbands? How many children didn't truly understand what was going on, but were being obedient to their parents? What was life like on those ships? What was life like when they first stepped on the soil of North America? How many fell to their knees and gave thanksgiving prayers unto God?
How did our nation become the nation it did? Through the suffering, the trials, and tribulations endured by our forefathers. Where did they get their strength? By crying out to God Almighty and asking Him to guide them, sustain them, provide for them, and lead them. And then they allowed Him to do so. That is the key. That is the principle this wonderful United States of America was founded upon. Faith in God, albeit blind faith most of the time, was the element most needed, and our forefathers followed through with that element. They trusted God. How many folks in America are trusting God today? And I do mean truly trusting in Him and Him alone. Trusting Him to lead them in the paths of righteousness, trusting Him to provide for all of their needs, trusting Him for their health, trusting Him to speak to our nations leaders, and then praying our leaders listen to Him.
It is my prayer today and every day that God will once again be Lord of this country and that our leaders will turn to Him in all aspects of their lives. Not just in the decisions made in the Senate or in the White House or in Congress, but in the day-to-day lives they live. What they'll eat that day, what they'll wear, what they'll say, what steps they will take to insure this nation is once again the thriving country it once was. I pray that our unborn babies are once again safe, that our infants and children will not know the horrors of poverty and perversion, that our young adults will forge ahead and become the future leaders and be the godly men and women they were created to be. I pray that once again God will look upon this nation with favor and be pleased with what He sees.
The Legacy of Home blog with Mrs. White is having Today's 20 Things and I thought I'd join in. Here are 20 things I've done today (and its not quite 1:00 p.m. here):
1. Spent time with God, finding out His Will and plans for me today.
2. Had my devotions.
3. Watched the morning news with my coffee.
4. Read emails.
5. Made a pitcher of iced tea.
6. Washed the bathroom walls and fixtures.
7. Cleaned the tub, sink, and necessary.
8. Washed the knick-knacks from the bathroom.
9. Visited with a friend who dropped by, and then another friend joined us, and all 3 of us gals enjoyed chit-chatting together for a little while.
10. Went downtown and picked up 2 cases of bottled water, giving one to a neighbor without a vehicle (free due to a water main break that shut down water to 90% of Huntington and parts of southern Ohio last night--we're now under a Boil Water Advisory until tomorrow morning--and yes, my tea was made with boiled water, my coffee with bottled water I already had).
11. Stopped at the produce stand and picked up some tomatoes, peppers, and cukes.
12. Tidied up in the sewing room a bit.
13. Made my bed.
14. Put away some laundry.
15. Called my son to tell him about the water advisory--no answer.
16. Balanced my checkbook.
17. Watched a home improvement show on the television.
18. Caught up my Day Planner.
19. Planned next week's menus.
20. Read the Legacy of Home blog.
What have you done today? I do hope that first and foremost, you are keeping God in control of everything that you do this day, and every day. Now I'm off to have a bit of lunch and then dust the living room and tackle the floors downstairs! After that, I'll sit down and return a call from a dear friend over in Ohio, have some supper, and then read a bit this evening. Have a blessed weekend!
Happy Father's Day! This is such a special day, and I believe that all of us around the world should honor our Dads on this day. My own Daddy isn't here any more (went home to be with the Lord after a prolonged bout with prostate cancer when I was a young girl), but let me tell you a little bit about him...
On a shelf above my monitor here on my desk is a picture of my Daddy. It was taken on Christmas morning, and he's sitting on our old couch eating candy. To me, this picture says so much about him! For one thing, he loved to eat candy (maybe that's where I learned to do the same??). Also, even though its Christmas morning (there are open packages and wrapping paper on the coffee table in front of him), he's already dressed in his dress shirt and slacks (although still in his socks and no shoes). He's watching TV apparently--his focus is aimed right where our old TV sat (the kind that swivelled and had a dot when you turned it on that eventually grew into a picture--we only had 3 stations back then--no cable TV, no remote controls!!!). He looks to be a man of utter peace and contentment--and yes, I do believe he was.
My Daddy came from Virginia--the Hills of Dan. He grew up on a mountain, and learned the Appalachian way of life from birth. This stayed with him all through his life. He loved his biscuits and red eye gravy (you'll find the recipe for that over at Nanna's Kitchen--see sidebar for the link), and I still remember him pouring his coffee from his cup into his saucer to cool down enough for him to drink it (he liked it boiling hot, like my sis does). He was a simple man in many ways, clinging to the simple pleasures and values in life. I don't remember him ever discussing politics, but I'm sure he did--most of his children did, except me.
Daddy was extra special to me, for he adopted me. I was his granddaughter, and when the need arose for someone to take this newest addition to the family, he and Mama (my maternal grandmother) stepped up and took me in. I was quite sick at 2 weeks of age, and they nursed me back to health. Although they had already raised their family (they had 8 children), they were willing to take in a sick infant and make sure she received the care and support needed. When I was 2, they legally adopted me, and I was blessed by this, and continue to be blessed. It brings tears to my eyes, even now, of their sacrifices and hard work just for me.
Daddy was a firm believer in the Bible--and did his best to live by it every day. I remember when he was in the hospital, he took one of my crayons and marked key scriptures for me to learn and live by. I had that old Bible for years until it was destroyed and unsalvageable. However, by then I had learned those verses, and many of the ones I teach about today are those same ones!
Not only did my Daddy instill his knowledge and wisdom of the scriptures in me, he instilled in me a sense of right and wrong, principles in living, morals, and family. He also planted the seeds that grew into my love of Appalachia--telling me many times that I would live in these mountains when I was grown up. He and Mama had moved to Florida due to their health, but it was his dream that his baby girl would live in these hills--and that dream has come to fruition. Many folks have tried to get me to move away from here, and I admit there have been times I've been very tempted, but I still remain, and shall do so until the Lord moves me elsewhere.
This bit of blogging hasn't even begun to touch on the whole man that my Daddy was, but just consists of a few precious memories I have of him. To tell the whole story of him would require an entire book--which may or may not be written someday. But I do pray that some of these few words about this most special man who made such an impact on me will reach out and touch someone this day--with encouragement to stand up and be the Daddy that is needed for their own child. My youngest son grew up without his father, but the lessons I learned from Daddy enabled me to be one to him (yes, I've received many Father's Day cards as well as Mother's Day!). Live your life by setting the example to the younger generations, stand by the principles found in God's Word, live with high morals, and don't allow anyone to lead you astray. As you do this, you will find that you become the best Dad you can be!
Buy my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
~Philippians 4:19
This is absolutely one of my favorite verses in the Bible! Every single day of my life I have seen this promise come true--every day! And today was no exception...
My neighbor friend and I took off this morning to the Rummage Sales. We had planned this for a couple of days, as Thursday I saw a sign at the local Catholic church that they were having theirs from 7-1 today. Well, let me tell you, this church really does things up big! Their spaghetti dinners are awesome, their school is one of the best, and they're very active in the community in general. So I just knew their Rummage Sale was definitely not to be missed--and I was right!
For several years I've wanted a Cheval mirror. You know the one I mean...the freestanding head-to-toe mirrors on the beautiful stands. Well, I just couldn't bring myself to spend the $$ for a new one, but kept my desire to myself. Lo and behold, as I was ready to check out there today, I saw the one I've been wanting! Was it $100? No. Was it $50? Nope. It was only $15!!!! Yes, fifteen dollars!!!! Hallelujah! Oh, yeah, you know that right away I checked it out for scratches, nicks, or any other problem, but found nothing wrong with it. And yes, I bought that right then and there, and yes, it did fit in my big ole Cadillac after we took it apart! Woohoo!
However, the deals didn't stop there. Oh, no!!! I got a cast iron corn stick pan for $5 (in perfect condition and well-seasoned--ready to bake in), and 2 Corning Ware glass baking pans (9"x13" and the size smaller with the basket, too) for $2--in new condition, never used. More hallelujahs were going up!
We stopped at a yard sale as we left the church and my friend found a brand-new entertainment center, still unassembled and in the box, for $10 (which she's been wanting very much), and a lovely brass and glass vanity table for her teen granddaughter for $5. Yep, the Lord was truly giving us our needs and desires today!
We continued on to a couple more yard sales and found some more goodies (should I mention all the lamps my friend bought? LOL). For me, a bloomin' onion maker I've wanted for a long time, hair bows on the clips I like to use to keep my hair up (my hair is much longer than the picture in my last post showed--it's layered and that was just the front showing--I'll try to remember to post one showing all of it), lots of summer clothes for my granddaughter and a T-shirt for my grandson (seemed to be a shortage of boy's summer clothes for some reason), a pair of church sandals for me, and a lovely plain white diner cup to go with the one I have from Community Coffee! Some needs, and lots of wants were taken care of today!
We also stopped at a little produce stand and bought some lovely sweet onions for me to use with my new bloomin' onion maker as well as some other beautiful produce and fruit (including some cukes that Carol's going to fry up her special way and bring down to me--if I like them, I'll post the recipe over at Nanna's Kitchen).
We've finally unloaded the car and separated all of our goodies, and I've put most of mine away (the mirror will wait until someone stops by who can help me carry it upstairs), and now I plan to rest a little while and then tackle the laundry (oh yes, I got a new drying rack today for $1--never used!).
I pray you're having a blessing-filled weekend, too!
Oh, yes...here's a pic with 2 of my fav instructors--Mr. Mann in Accounting, and Mrs. Mann in Computers--
arrived yesterday evening....I graduated college (again!)!!! Yes, last night was our 2009 Commencement Exercises and it turned out wonderfully! I do believe I am finally finished with my college education (unless the Lord leads otherwise), and I, for one, am thankful. It was a joyous occasion, and I was glad to share it with one of my dearest friends and her family. My son, as well, was there--working. He was ushering, seating guests, and then led us out in our Processional, guided us onto the stage when we needed to go, and then led us out after it was all over. Afterward, the school provided a lovely Reception on the downtown Plaza, and I enjoyed mingling and talking with everyone.
This day has been a long time coming in many ways. Yes, it took about 33 months for me to get both degrees, which really isn't long. However, it took nearly 30 years after graduating high school for me to get to college! You see, first I got married and raised my family! Now the boys are all grown (and parents themselves), busy in their careers and raising their own families, and Mama is now spending her time enjoying being a grandmother and pursuing my own life. Most importantly, though, I continue to serve our Lord, I continue to be Mom and Nanna, and now am working and adding more areas to my life.
My writing has been "on hold" for the last several months, mainly because so much time and effort has gone into school. I didn't want to sacrifice my time with my grandchildren and my son who lives here, so I did put my writing to the side. Of course, I've enjoyed my time with the children--Allen and Cayla have both played baseball this Spring and that was a delight--and we have been tremendously blessed by our Lord providing a wonderful woman to care for them while I'm at work. She's a Christian treasure, and I give our Lord all praise for sending her our way. But I've gotten off topic here.....
As I sit and reflect back today on my time in school, I've also reflected much on different areas of my life that have led up to this moment. I must say, its been quite a journey! I won't say its been easy, but I will say our Lord has been with me through it all. Our vocalist sang a lovely song last night called Footprints in the Sand (a version I've never heard before), and as I look back, I see so many times when there truly are just one set of footprints in the sands of my life. The many, many times our Lord has carried me through one trial after another, one calamity after another, one sorrow after another. And yet, mixed in with them all have been times of joy, times of peace, and many, many times of refreshing. What an honor it is to serve Him!
I truly don't know what tomorrow brings, and that's just fine with me. I know Who is holding me and guiding me each day of my life, and I know that when God brings me to something, He alone with bring me through it, as well. I know He has much more for me to do--in His timing. I do know I will begin writing again--very soon! I've already begun making notes and such and there is much ahead. I do know I'll also begin sewing again--very soon. I have some quilt designs rolling around in my head waiting to be worked out on graph paper, some new apron designs being finalized, and much more. I do know that I'll once again be able to be more active in church once again--albeit in a new church now. ~sigh~ Sometimes the Lord moves us, and He also moves in mysterious ways. But He knows what lies ahead, and He alone knows the thoughts and plans He has for us.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.~Jeremiah 29:11-13
I'm looking forward to sharing more of my journey here with you and also in my newsletter (which should be out once again very soon). I leave you now with this picture of my youngest (and silliest) son taken with me last evening...
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What a true blessing Motherhood is! I remember when I was a young girl, I would play with my baby dolls, and then my Barbie dolls, and then my Dawn dolls, and just be entranced with them. I truly looked forward to the day I would become a Mommy!
Little did I know the true work and sacrifice involved in Motherhood! I never babysat when I was a teen--never took care of any children then. However, the day I gave birth to my eldest son (who turns 30 today--Happy Birthday Christopher!), I entered not only a new chapter in my life, but a whole new realm of womanhood!
I was completely lost--didn't even know how to change a diaper or give an infant a bath. However, my precious Mama was willing to teach me these things and guide me through the next few years as I had one son after another (I have 3 sons). What a blessing she was to me!
Now that I'm a grandmother, I truly understand how she felt, and how much she sacrificed for me and my sons. The prayers that she prayed, the hopes and dreams that she had--yes, I have the same for my sons and their children. Many tears have been shed through the years, many prayers have been uttered, many praises of thanksgiving have gone up to our Father in Heaven for such wondrous miracles. What an honour and a privilege to have the opportunity to earn the title of "Mom."
My own Mama, Ethel Marie, and my biological Mother, Mary Ellen, are both gone now. However, the legacy of both of these precious women lives on in me. Their wisdom, their advice, their examples, the knowledge they passed down--yes, they both continue to remain very much alive in my heart and my memories. I am so thankful to God that I was allowed the privilege of having both of them as my Mother. Hallelujah!
To all of the mothers reading this, I pray that you have a most blessed and Happy Mother's Day this year. I offer you my encouragement to keep on keeping on. I know there are many days when you may want to just sit down and cry, many days when all feels hopeless, many times when you feel overwhelmed, many times when you think you just can't go on one more step. However, I promise you it does get better.
All of a sudden, out of the clear blue, your precious (and contrary!) child will wrap his/her arms around your neck and whisper, "I love you, Mom" in your ear. You will hold on to that through the hard times until you're blessed to hear it again. If your child is away from you now (as are 2 of my sons--1 in the war zone, the other in Florida), you will cling to the memories you have. You will say extra prayers for their safety and happiness. You will cling to the promises of God found throughout His Word. This is what we do as Mothers--it is our job, our destiny, our right.
I leave you with these nuggets of wisdom from God's Word:
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. ~Proverbs 31:26-31
It's been a little while since I've blogged...well, 2 months and a few days. Even longer since I've put out my newsletter. Some of you have wondered about where I've been, some have even emailed me to ask. Forgive me, but my only explanation is "busy." Life seems to sort of creep up on me sometimes, and I lose track of the days and hours...sometimes even the weeks that have gone by. No, its not the onset of Alzheimer's--its just a very, very busy lifestyle. I would be totally and completely lost sometimes without my day planner, as well as my computer to let me know what day it is and what I'm supposed to be doing on that day. Scary, yes, organized, yes, comprehensible to others, usually not. However, its just the way it is here.
I am finally in my last quarter of college, and I have to admit, its tough! Don't let anyone ever fool you into thinking Accounting is easy--for anybody. Now, I admit, once I was able to get my brain wrapped around it and comprehend it all as a whole, it became much simpler. However, I have to spend a lot of time working on each new concept being introduced to me--a lot of time. There are days where I literally work on my homework and studying for more than 12-14 hours. This is one of the reasons I "lose" days! I get started and the next thing I know, it's bedtime! That's when I realize I haven't eaten, haven't done anything but schoolwork, and missed any sunshine that may have been outside. I do pick up my grandchildren from the bus 4 days a week, and set the alarm to remind me to do that on those days, and that does give me a bit of a reprieve. (It helps that my son usually calls me to talk--i.e. remind me of what I need to do on those days!)
However, by the 2nd week of June this will all be behind me and hopefully life will become a bit more normal then. I've arranged childcare for my grandchildren once I start working, and will be developing a more workable schedule then, so I should find more time for writing. I'm currently working on a "couple" of books--they're in various stages, but still have a ways to go before being ready for publication. I will most likely offer them online as downloads, and we'll see how that goes before I go into a printing process.
On another note....I have been talking with some folks recently about homeschooling. Now those of you who have read this blog for a while know that homeschooling is something I strongly advocate. However, I do realize that there are many who abuse this right, and it truly bothers me. I've heard of a couple of homeschoolers recently who thought that this choice gave them the prerogative to not educate their children at all, but instead chose to do nothing more than watch soap operas and have their children do the housework. This really bothers me.
Now, don't get me wrong, please. Teaching children responsibility around the home is vital to every child--but so is learning to read and write. Allowing children the freedom to play is a part of homeschooling--and a vital part of the learning process. And every child has a different learning style and method by which he/she learns best (and its usually different for each child in a family, it seems!).
Homeschooling is hard. However, it is well worth the effort and sacrifices made to ensure that your child(ren) receive the special one-on-one attention needed to grow and mature as they learn more and more. Not only will your child learn valuable skills and master many "educational" concepts, but they will learn important life skills necessary in their adult life. You will be able to teach them about God and His Word, and incorporate that into every subject they learn.
There are an abundance of resources available at your local library, and even more available online (The Old Schoolhouse magazine--a link to it is in my sidebar ad--is a wonderful place to begin! I subscribe to it and use it often with my grandchildren as an "extra" to their education). I won't say you can completely homeschool your child for little cost, but there are many frugal ways and lessons available online. You will have to put forth a lot of effort--planning, teaching, and the routine, mundane tasks that many just can't seem to grasp in life in general. It is a major undertaking for everyone involved, but well worth the cost, both in effort and dollars.
You will not find me recommending public school to anyone (although, unfortunately, that is where my own grandchildren go-through no choice of my own--although I do supplement their education when they are here with me). When I meet someone who is choosing to homeschool, I offer an abundance of encouragement and resources and help in every way I can. This is what we all should be doing. There are homeschooling groups in every state that will enable you to make sure you child(ren) have the needed socialization that many are concerned about them having, as well as group field trips, activities, and organized sports.
Now, I will get off of that soapbox for now, and move on to another topic....Spring has finally sprung, and it is very welcome here in Appalachia! I am greatly enjoying the beautiful flowers and trees blooming (although my allergies have decided to try to take over my life for the time being), and have already planted more flowers this year (some petunias, pansies, and salvia). My lettuce is growing quite well, and will be ready for a fresh salad within the next 2 weeks. I've held off on planting any tomatoes just yet--our last frost date is May 15--but I'll probably have them in within the next week or so.
I have actually started the Spring Edition of my newsletter, and while I hope to have it in inboxes in the next week or two, I make no promises at this point. But won't it be a pleasant surprise when you do receive it????
Once again sorrow has come into my life. A dear friend and teacher has passed away. Tony Kessick taught me computer programming, database management, college math, and much, much more. He was a teacher at my college, yes, but became a dear friend and mentor in many areas. I will miss him very much.
Tony was not only a teacher, but a playwright. He had many of his shows performed on Broadway and many other areas. He was quite talented in several fields, and used his talents in extraordinary ways. He was also a member of the American Mensa Society, and his intelligence spoke volumes in many ways.
Tony was a quiet man. He loved to do crosswords and many puzzle games. He enjoyed developing them, too. He had the ability to wrap his mind around nearly anything and find the logic in it.
Tony enjoyed my writing. I was honored each time he mentioned something he'd read here on my blog, in my newsletter, or in one of the many magazine articles I've written. He seemed to always know when something of mine had been published and was eager to read it...and critique it. However, his criticism took the form of encouragement...urging me to write more and more, no matter how much time I had or other tasks that needed done.
Tony was diagnosed with cancer last Fall, first in his lungs, and then a brain tumor was found. The doctors operated to remove the tumor and he began treatments. However, those treatments had to be curtailed earlier this year due to low blood count. I have to admit, he went through much pain and I am glad he is no longer suffering. That may seem a horrid thing to say, but its just the plain truth. After seeing so many suffer through years of treatments and pain, I'm glad his was relatively swift--just a matter of months instead of years. The world has lost a great man this week, but I'm glad I had the honor of being allowed the privilege of coming to know him and learn from him.
As I've sat and mourned today, I've spent much time in the Word. God has been merciful and given me His peace, for which I am grateful. One of the many passages that have offered me comfort this day...
The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah. ~Psalm 24
This *blog* is a compilation of *Nuggets of Wisdom* I have been blessed to have been taught by the Lord throughout my lifetime. There are child-raising thoughts, relationship thoughts, recipes, craft ideas, and some other goodies thrown in here and there. I pray it is a blessing to all who honor me by reading it.
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John Robert Greene, USMC
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