Hand Made

I am so blessed to have so many good pictures of Caleb. This page shows how careful he was to cut out the ornaments after the 'dough' was rolled out flat. I'll have other layouts to go with  this one, where he mixed all the ingredients and put the cut outs on the baking sheet to bake them.

Oh that we as adults would be so careful.  We've talked about history repeating itself. 

"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt.  People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance."

CICERO- 55 BC

It has been 2,604 years but the times, they are much the same.

While we can look back to before Christ came to earth, we can also look to England just 20 years ago, when the government first took away their guns.  

If you have a few minutes, I would encourage you to see what has happened to them since then. You will be able to better decide whether or not we should give up our guns. Watch it here.

Melting Snowman Cookies

Melting snowmen are sad to behold, but melting snowman cookies are quite a treat. I hope these pictures verify that statement.  At least the triplets really enjoyed making and eating them.

Circling the internet right now is the story of a farmer and his donkey. The story is something we should teach our children, after we've learned it ourselves. It is sad to see how many children are growing up without maturing in a manner that will help them face life and be productive. Check out the short story.

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

MORAL :
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.

2. Free your mind from worries - Most never happens.

3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less from people but more from yourself.

6. Teach your children to do the same...Happy children make happy parents.

Scouts

Ashley 'graduated' from Brownies to Junior Girls Scouts at a ceremony at Opryland. Scouts remain a good thing even though some have tried to distort their message. we are proud that Ashley likes scouting.

Opryland  Hotel is one of my favorite places to go. It is all inside, so it doesn't matter what the weather is if you've planned the trip.  However, two years ago there was a freak flood, what do they call them? a hundred year flood?  Anyway Opryland Hotel was ruined.  They were closed for a long, long time, many months before reopening.  Looking at these pictures, I realize I've never asked if it is as good or better than before. Guess I'll ask, but I really want to go down and see for myself...after all, I'd get to see the kids as well.

Last night I put a short section of Habakkuk here and tonight I'd like you to read another short piece and think about the fact that history repeats itself.

Habakkuk’s Second Complaint

¹² Lord, are you not from everlasting?
My God, my Holy One, you will never die.
You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment;
you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish.
¹³ Your eyes are too pure to look on evil;
you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.
Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?
Why are you silent while the wicked
swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
¹⁴ You have made people like the fish in the sea,
like the sea creatures that have no ruler.
¹⁵ The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks,
he catches them in his net,
he gathers them up in his dragnet;
and so he rejoices and is glad.
¹⁶ Therefore he sacrifices to his net
and burns incense to his dragnet,
for by his net he lives in luxury
and enjoys the choicest food.
¹⁷ Is he to keep on emptying his net,
destroying nations without mercy?

2 I will stand at my watch
and station myself on the ramparts;
I will look to see what he will say to me,
and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

The Lord’s Answer

² Then the Lord replied:

“Write down the revelation
and make it plain on tablets
so that a herald may run with it.
³ For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
it will certainly come
and will not delay.

⁴ “See, the enemy is puffed up;
his desires are not upright—
but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness—
⁵ indeed, wine betrays him;
he is arrogant and never at rest.
Because he is as greedy as the grave
and like death is never satisfied,
he gathers to himself all the nations
and takes captive all the peoples.

⁶ “Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying,

“‘Woe to him who piles up stolen goods
and makes himself wealthy by extortion!
How long must this go on?’
⁷ Will not your creditors suddenly arise?
Will they not wake up and make you tremble?
Then you will become their prey.
⁸ Because you have plundered many nations,
the peoples who are left will plunder you.
For you have shed human blood;
you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.

⁹ “Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain,
setting his nest on high
to escape the clutches of ruin!
¹⁰ You have plotted the ruin of many peoples,
shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.
¹¹ The stones of the wall will cry out,
and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.

¹² “Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed
and establishes a town by injustice!
¹³ Has not the Lord Almighty determined
that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire,
that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing?
¹⁴ For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.

¹⁵ “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors,
pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk,
so that he can gaze on their naked bodies!
¹⁶ You will be filled with shame instead of glory.
Now it is your turn! Drink and let your nakedness be exposed!
The cup from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you,
and disgrace will cover your glory.
¹⁷ The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you,
and your destruction of animals will terrify you.
For you have shed human blood;
you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.

¹⁸ “Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman?
Or an image that teaches lies?
For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation;
he makes idols that cannot speak.
¹⁹ Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’
Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’
Can it give guidance?
It is covered with gold and silver;
there is no breath in it.”

²⁰ The Lord is in his holy temple;
let all the earth be silent before him.

Habakkuk 1:12- 2: 20

It seems to me that God chastised nations that forgot him and lived to the beat of their own drums.

Could it be that our present government is not only a product of  materialistic, selfish voters, but also under the hand of God, a punishment for the way we have lived our lives...not  individuals, but the country as a whole?

History Repeats Itself

Caleb is very original with his art work. Here he is concentrating on his painting.

As I was reading my Bible online, I paused to think about what was happening in Habakkuk's time.
It sounded very familiar. History does repeat itself.  The scripture I read was quite long, but I'm breaking it down into bite sized pieces as they did on BibleGateway.com

Habakkuk 1-3

1 The prophecy that Habakkuk the prophet received.

Habakkuk’s Complaint

² How long, Lord, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
³ Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
⁴ Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.

The Lord’s Answer

⁵ “Look at the nations and watch—
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.
⁶ I am raising up the Babylonians,
that ruthless and impetuous people,
who sweep across the whole earth
to seize dwellings not their own.
⁷ They are a feared and dreaded people;
they are a law to themselves
and promote their own honor.
⁸ Their horses are swifter than leopards,
fiercer than wolves at dusk.
Their cavalry gallops headlong;
their horsemen come from afar.
They fly like an eagle swooping to devour;
⁹  they all come intent on violence.
Their hordes advance like a desert wind
and gather prisoners like sand.
¹⁰ They mock kings
and scoff at rulers.
They laugh at all fortified cities;
by building earthen ramps they capture them.
¹¹ Then they sweep past like the wind and go on—
guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”

Cart Before the Horse

As the old saying goes, I'm getting the cart before the horse tonight. The layout is of Ron and me holding up the ornaments that Caleb made for us using the ingredients applesauce and cinnamon.

Now I don't know if those were the only things he used. All I'm going on are the pictures Beth took of him emptying huge jars of those two things into a very large mixing bowl.   I have been wanting to make a  couple or more pages of him pouring, mixing, cutting and placing the ornaments on a baking sheet.  But as you know, I've been moving slowly because of my back and then I caught a cold that didn't want to quit.  I'm still behind, but trying to catch up with layouts at least.  Since I really hadn't made any layouts of Ron and myself that is at all Christmasy, I finally did this one today. 

This morning was the first time this year that Ron had to plow before going to the Y.  But he got up early enough to do it and was only 5 minutes later for his gabfest than usual.   We've had a little rain so some snow melted. We already had at least 2 inches less than our friends who live 15-20 miles north of us.  

Tonight when we  got ready to go out to eat, I put on my tall boots. Ron thought they were new. And they are, in a way.  I had bought them last year, but we never had enough snow to wear them. Because they wasn't much snow last year,  I didn't get to build a snowman and I'm looking forward  to  playing in the cold stuff this winter.

I'm not sure how much coverage this is getting in the news, but a newspaper in New York has published the names and addresses of all gun permit owners in four counties of that state. Not sure how you might feel about that...there are many conflicting views, but for one thing, it is an invasion of privacy. It lets everyone know who might have a legal gun.  That could be good or bad depending on what way one is looking at it.

Now what interests me is that a blogger, out of revenge, has published the names, addresses and phone numbers of the eleven news persons responsible for revealing gun permit owners.  Even though as a Christian we are not to seek revenge, it makes me chuckle.

Former domestic terrorist, Bill Ayers, now one of our president's best buddies, is telling the liberals their best bet is to change America through the schools.  While we slept, they have already done a pretty fair job of that.  One of their first moves was to put communist professors in the colleges and universities in positions where they would be teaching those who would become teachers and media people. That trickled down as they produced left leaning teachers for high schools and then grade schools. They have introduced subjects that should be taught at home, if at all to those in kindergarten and before. Parents have no weapon except to keep their kids out of these schools.  

If you have not actually kept up with your child's school curriculum first hand, you have no idea what they are teaching.  They start so early that the children do not notice anything. Their innocent minds are shaped, or I should say, misshaped before the parents realize what is happening. 

Because children learn most basics in the first few years of life, the socialists want to get them into daycare early so that they can start with such things as Heather Has Two Mommies.  Before parents have any idea what is going on, the children have been taught that Christian marriage is just another lifestyle.

Oh and since we learn from history, we need to be aware that in communist  countries like the Soviet Union, children were taught to tell on their parents.

Please be aware and keep up with your child's school, if indeed they must attend one. Better yet, keep them home if you can't enroll them in private school.  There are many very good home schooling organizations out there ready to help you. 

Your child's moral welfare is worth more than expensive sneakers and all the rest of the things they think they must have when they have to deal with peers who are highly materialistic.

What ????

As you can see from this picture, although we were promised a big snow, this is what we have here. Granted the lakes warm our climate a bit, but...  

Now this is the big question. What in the world is happening?  While we don't even have the ground covered,  our friends who moved to Dallas were having snow today that would supposedly give them 3 inches and then a freeze.  It doesn't make any sense.  Teresa was glad to be leaving the cold north and moving back to the south.   Honest, I didn't wish this on her and would have loved having the snow myself.

Now, we have been promised snow again tomorrow.  We hear that it is coming this way.  We'll see...

12 -12-12

12-12-12 slipped up on me. I would have never thought to celebrate it,  but  some knew a good thing when they saw it approaching. The Greene's have friends who threw a party for it.  

At the last minute the triplets were deciding what to wear.  While Mason painted the number 12 on his face...12 times and Ashley came up with lots of ideas...and used them all, Aussie was pretty low key about it and decided to appear with 12 imaginary friends.

We heard of a baby born in Cleveland on 12/12/12 at 12 minutes and 12 seconds after 12 o'clock.

Don't have proof of that, but it is entirely possible.

Since December 12  we've had lots of opportunities to party, spreading the Christmas cheer over a couple of weeks.  We've been Skyping and Face Timing.  Today we had our big dinner here with April and her family.

During dinner a comment was made about those who would make sounds of affirmation while eating.

Then I mentioned the movie, "What About Bob".  Lauren had not seen it.  So after dinner we all sat down to watch...not a Christmas movie, but "What About Bob".  We really enjoyed the silliness and now Lauren realized that she has heard bits from the movie before. It must be somewhat of a classic. Now she is glad when certain comments are made, she will recognize the quote and get a new laugh. 

Once again we spent quite a while sharing apps, since there were five of us and 5  iPhones. I learned that when texting other iPhones, there is no charge for the text. I was glad to hear that because texting is not really part of my plan and I have to pay extra for each one.  Many of the people I would want to text have iPhones as well,  cool.

Big Buck

Short and  sweet...well at least short... Our internet was down earlier and we have guests now. Don't really want to take the time to blog...but want to get a post up today.  

This layout is the completion of yesterday's post. It featuresTim, still in full camo, just after he shot the deer, and then as he measured the rack.   

Oh Dear, It's a Deer

My son-in-law, Tim is a hunter. When we were there for Thanksgiving he disappeared for a few minutes then returned with about a dozen pictures, saying that I had asked him for pictures for years and  he had found these down at the cabin. Wow. They were taken in 2008 and I was finally getting my fingers on them.  I could hardly wait to get home and do my stuff.  However, being up against the Christmas season, I got very busy and didn't get to them.  

Then I've been sick the last week and not really up to doing anything at all.  Finally today, I glanced at the pile of photos on my desk and it was time. I remembered his stories about being in his tree stand with the bow for hours waiting for the perfect shot.  To me that would be perhaps the most boring thing I could do.  But not for a hunter. It was his peaceful place.  

I was so happy to have the pictures here now.  

I kept most of the shots for page 2, but I'm publishing the first page tonight. Tim is in his pick up truck with the deer he shot. It's a big buck.  I remember seeing that rack after he got it back to PA. And I believe as well that was the same year he prepared a venison feast for us...my very first.

Oh, and I shouldn't mention this now, but I can't help it. I love deer. At our last house, they played in our yard. Deer have beautiful bright eyes and they look so very gentle. Once as a child, I was able to feed one out of my hand at a place in WV where a man had tamed several. If I allowed myself to dwell on this, it would break my heart to see this one here in the truck.  However, I realize  that one of God's reasons for creating animals was to provide food. It is all part of His plan. I have to look at the big picture, not just at the way they can turn me to butter with those soft eyes.

Good Work Ethic

It pays to show good work ethics.  Already after being seen on Facebook,  Caleb has received commendation for his efforts and offered a job by his great aunt Diana.  In this economy, that is a good thing.

I pray that by the time he needs a job to support a family, this country can be rightened...take that any way you like, and he will have the same opportunities as anyone else to enjoy the fruits of his labor.

I hate to be so serious about these cute pictures of his obvious pleasure in a job well done, but I continue...We can read in the Bible  Luke 10:7 b "for, the workman deserves his wages",  and then in II Thess. 3:10  "For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat."

So why do you think the Bible would say that?  Notice the word, 'unwilling'.  It does not say that those who cannot work should not eat, but that those who are unwilling should not.  Think about it.

Well Caleb, you have earned a good dinner  tonight and at your house, I know you will get one. Your mom takes seriously her work and she prepares good meals for you. Eat up and kiss the cook.

Let it Snow

I was happy to find out that on iPhoto, I could send emails with the photos presented nicely, like this one...as a postcard.  Wanting to show that Caleb was out before daybreak, then back out later to shovel all this beautiful white stuff, I left the background picture dark.   You see the main picture and get the message that our little grandson is learning to work for his keep.  lol  I'm proud that his mom and dad work with him so much and teach him there is more to life than sitting in front of a boobtube  or video game.

Received an email yesterday with the subject 'We Made It'. It is a video of the way we grew up as kids.   

Young people now would wonder how we ever got this far alive.  Watch it here.

here    Those were the good old days.

It's Dark

I love these pictures of Caleb when he went to see 'Elmo'.  The ones taken while the lights were down show his enthrallment.  But, of course they are too dark. I could have lightened them quite a bit in photoshop; yet if I did, they would be grainy. And after all, it WAS dark in there.  

As it is dark in the theater, it is dark in the world as well...and getter darker year after year. 

Once again, I want to copy  word for word from Max Lucado in his Today's MP3 weekday email., for we need lots of encouragement in these times.

   God Stakes His Claim

I heard the announcement, “Your name is on the standby list!”  Groan!  The dreaded standby list.  Possibility but no guarantee.

Oh, to be numbered among the confirmed!  To have my own seat and departure time.  How can you rest if you aren’t assured passage on the final flight home?

Many live with a deep-seated anxiety about eternity.  They think they’re saved, but they still doubt, wondering, “Am I reallysaved?” Jesus promised a new life that could not be forfeited or terminated.  He says “whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned.”God stakes his claim on us.  Bridges are burned, and the transfer is accomplished.  Ups and downs may mark our days, but they will never ban us from his kingdom.  Jesus bottom-lines our lives with His grace!

“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.  John 5:24″

And again, I'd like to encourage you to check into wwwMaxLucado.com if you would like to receive his daily encouragement.  

Comfort Online

I'll start tonight with an apology to all of you who get my email as well as the blog. This poem has certainly comforted a lot of hearts today. I must have received it at least 7 times.  It is easy to understand why it is circulating so well.  The gentleman who wrote it , who at present is anonymous, at least to my knowledge, is a citizen of southern PA.  

I am publishing it here, because I could not write anything better. This fellow has a wondrous heart for comforting others. I pray that God will bless him richly, for he has truly blessed us with his incite.

"Twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38, when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.

Their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air, they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.

They were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.  They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.  'Where are we?' asked a little girl, as quiet as... a mouse.  'This is heaven.' declared a small boy. 'We're spending Christmas at God's house.'

When what to their wondering eyes did appear, but Jesus, their Savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same, then He opened His arms and He called them by name.  And in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring, those children all flew into the arms of their King.

And as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace, one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
And as if He could read all the questions she had, He gently whispered to her, 'I'll take care of Mom and Dad.'

Then He looked down on earth, the world far below and He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe.  Then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,  'Let My power and presence re-enter this land!  May this country be delivered from the hands of fools, I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!'
Then He and the children stood up without a sound.  'Come now my children, let me show you around.'
Excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran, all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.  And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,  'In the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."'

I'm not sure this layout is complete. I hurredly pulled it together, since I had nothing for this blog tonight.  God loves the little children.

Hard to Wait

It is hard for a little one to wait. This time, there was no waiting.  Daddy came home with the tickets for Elmo and it was off to the show. Caleb is very excited. He loves his Grover and he  is taking him with him to see the show.  

It is also very hard for adults to wait these days.  We have to have the news...RIGHT NOW. TV stations are there to dish it out as it happens. But alas, they don't wait to find out the truth.  They just start spouting off anything that  comes their way...truth or not.  When this horrible attack took place at the school in Connecticut, it was no different.  As I listened, the facts changed constantly. First it was the murderer's brother who got blamed over the airwaves as he sat at his desk hard at work. His mother was first said to be  a kindergarten teacher, then an aid, but in reality, she had nothing to do with the school. Those are just a few of the fallacies told that day.  It's about time that we insist on facts, and not just constant running off of the mouths in order to fill time.

We have been led to believe that this is the biggest attack of it's kind.  However, the deadliest school attack in American history was  way back in 1927. It was called the Bath School murders. There were 38 kids and 7 adults killed.  

You are hearing now a lot of clamoring to blame guns.  By the way, guns do not kill people...people kill people.  Now stop and think a minute. You will be surprised.  There were NO guns involved in the 1927 murders.  NO!  The man used.......dynamite!   

In other parts of the world, there have been equally heinous attacks, many used knives as weapons.

When a misfit wants to get even, or whatever his/her thoughts...he will find a way, unless the problem is discovered early enough to stop him.  

If someone in that school had had a license to carry a concealed weapon, he/she could have stopped this slaughter. someone may have lost his or her life....but many of the victims would still be alive.

Those who perpetrate these atrocities,  look for places that are 'safe' for them. where they are not likely to confront guns.

If we outlaw guns...only outlaws will have guns.   Criminals pay no heed to laws and will find a way to get one or make one.

Think about it and write your representatives asking them to protect our freedom, our right to carry guns. Someone legally able to carry a gun could someday save your life or the life of someone you love.

Tomorrow is a New Day

The triplets went to see Shrek the Halls, an ice show in Nashville.  They dressed warmly, but when they got there, they were all given parkas to keep them warm. Didn't think they would get very cold, but of course, they are southerners.  

We've had some balmy weather here in Ohio recently. No snow to speak of yet.  It almost makes me believe in global warming. (Even if it did, I would still know that God controls the weather and not cows flatuling in the fields.) But tomorrow brings a new day, and I've heard we are in for some colder weather.  They are getting it out in Colorado.  But so far this winter all the cold temperatures they get go north before getting this far east.

That is pretty sad... when a blogger starts talking about the weather.  I am still trying to avoid the really important issues  of our day, since they are so depressing now at Christmas time.  

I've been sick today, but  tomorrow is a new day and I'll be looking for the joy Christ brought to the world. It's here. We just need to look for it instead of groveling in the dirt.

Music

I'm not sure one could call this music, but I'm giving Caleb the benefit of doubt. He  sure does like musical instruments of all kinds. But I would think this is his favorite. 

His dad, who plays for him, taught himself  to play the guitar during his and Beth's  Peace Corps days in Bulgaria. 

Caleb has only seen his daddy play his guitar...maybe a little keyboard.  John's saxophone disappeared at college, so I doubt he's played one since...even though he was very good with it.

If you've been checking in here for a while, you know that when Caleb is in Ohio, he shows great aptitude for learning to play the piano, like his grandparents a his great grandmother, Gladys.

I wish Ron's accordion was in good shape so that he could show Caleb. I can imagine he would love all the buttons on that big music box.

Enjoy the good things in life.  Remember life is short...but eternity is forever.

Lego Competition

The Lego Competition is a great motivator and learning opportunity for young minds. The project this year was to build a robot and program it's movement.  Our triplets are part of the Antioch Innovators team, which took third place for programming, out of the 59 teams competing this year.  Programming is Aussie's thing and he is quite happy to receive the reward.   He jokingly said to his family," This is like the Olympics for Nerds. "

Our children are our best resource. They are our future.

It is  with flowing tears that we acknowledge the obnoxious act of a 'troubled' man who murdered his mother and then 26 innocent little children at school. We can not imagine the horrendous affect this will have on the children who survived this traumatic ordeal.  

What is wrong with these people who have no respect whatever for life? Has Satan been unleashed for a final rally  throughout the world?  It is time for us to turn to the Lord for comfort and to allow Him to lead us. I am asking God the Father now for protection for the innocent from these monsters.

I also ask that our God will comfort the hearts of those who lost their dear little sweethearts today to this fit of idiocy.

Reupholstered

Back on November 20th, I began this saga of the 'new' chairs that were covered in a pink and blue fabric that absolutely did not go with the decor of their present home...mine. It took me a while to get the job of reupholstering done and then more time to do a layout about it. The most time consuming part of the whole ordeal was the removal of zillions of staples.  (If I'm going to exaggerate, I may as well go big.)  

I forcefully jabbed a screwdriver into my arm twice. The second time left a scar. It looks something like a botched job of slitting my wrist. But with determination, I was able to remove ALL those monster staples.

If you check back at December 1, you will see the fabric I first  chose used as a background for the layout.  It was quite blah on the chairs, so that is why   I  was back at JoAnn's looking for a new fabric. 

There was a small victory today as Susan Rice ended her bid for Secretary of State. With her history with the Benghazi attack and cover-up showing her completely incapable of doing the job well, she did well to pull out of the 'contest'.

Matt. 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Barns

Don't know  why...it must be something from my youth...I love barns. I like red barns and white  barns, new barns and especially old barns that are showing their age with sagging roofs and bare walls.  

On the way to see our daughter in eastern, PA, we pass through some beautiful farmland, much of it Amish.  I snapped many barns on our trip across Pennsylvania the day before Thanksgiving this fall.  I captured an unusual site as well, with the Amish fellow driving a tractor. That's fairly rare. Most still rely on horses to do their work. 

 I have suggested to my husband that we move to Amish country here in OH. His comment was, you couldn't make it one day.  And he is right.  They do work hard... very hard. But I still admire their simplicity.

And the Amish have minimal contact with government. They are totally independent.  We, on the other hand, are continually up against rules and regulations and especially taxation.

We are living on social security,  yet we would not want to see those who make the most get trounced with even more taxes than they pay now. In this country, they already pay much more than in other places.  The president's plan to raise taxes on the rich would bring in only enough money to fund the federal government for nine days.   

Tea Party

If you've been here before, you were probably expecting a political blog tonight.  But not tonight. This is  a time for celebration of little girls and their sleepover activities...one being a tea party.

I have lots of new pictures of grandchildren activities. However, this grandmother is very tired...to the point of falling asleep at the keyboard. So I'm saying, 'Good night." Keep watch here for  cool pictures.

Pleasant Trip

April has a beautiful home. She has an artistic touch and she likes to shop. She acquired my knack for finding good deals.  We were happy to join her family there for Thanksgiving.  It is a pleasant 6-7 hour drive across PA and through Amish Country.  Ron has figured out how to get me to drive through all four of the tunnels we have to cross on the way. The first year I hated it. It really frightened me. I don't know if it is claustrophobia, or what.  But now,  it really doesn't seem that bad.  Of course, I've had lots of good practice...all with Ron sleeping away. Well at least he trusts me to do it.

I neglected my camera during Thanksgiving, even though I had both my purse camera and my iPhone. Since April was cooking, she didn't think she looked good enough for a picture, so I never got one. I didn't get  a picture of Hope either. Hoping that next year, I get plenty of pictures before the cooking begins...or that we stay long enough to catch those who care to get ready.  

I'm shopping for a  small lap dog, in case anyone has an opinion. I'm ready to listen.

Mo Bro

For several years there have been pink ribbons everywhere to make people aware of breast cancer.  Recently  a movement has been started to do the same for men with  prostate cancer.  Men wear mustaches to show their support for research. I'm not sure how they came up with the term Mo Bro or what it means, but it goes with this movement. 

While Aussie had a Chinese class and Ashley had a friend over for a sleepover/tea party, Mason got to go to STARBUCKS with his dad. Watch out, Dad, I think he likes it.  Could be an expensive habit.

Our country has a lot of expensive habits now and we are driving ourselves right into bankruptcy. No one wants to give up all their freebies. Everyone wants their acrylic nails and Starbucks coffees. People have become so spoiled that they have no idea what it means to sacrifice, or to even to pinch a penny.  When they are no longer able to hold down a job, sometimes because they are too lazy to show up to work on time and put in a good day's work and other times through no fault of their own, they still want their goodies.  They want them badly enough to demand that others supply them.  Sorry, but it doesn't work that way for long.  Eventually, you run out of other people's money and then it is all over. The whole country goes down the drain.

What I'm trying to say is...we can't all have STARBUCKS and 60 inch TVs.  If you take all the money from those ultra rich dudes...oh and movie stars would be some of the ones to lose their stuff...they could run the country a very short time and then  POOF!...  because China will not keep lending money to a country that cannot possibly pay it back.

Dance Party

I had a great time working on this layout. Started it a couple of weeks ago. It got really involved and I put it on hold until tonight. It's been a lot of fun, so I hope John and Beth like it all right. I know it is over the top...and a little feminine. I was going on the dance party theme.

Life doesn't always turn out like a dance party. What do you do when things don't work out as you     planned or wanted?

Rick Warren asked that question in his email mini-lesson on Wednesday. He mentioned 

 II Corinthians 4:8. In my New International Version, it reads, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair."  I like the wording he used from the Living Bible. It is much easier to understand... "We are perplexed because we don't know why things happen as they do, but we don't give up and quit."

Rick explained it this way: "It’s good to know that we can trust God and that he knows things we don’t. He has promised that one day he will set everything right. One day he will bring everyone who trusts in him together.

Until then, there are two ways you can live your life. You can live feeling like God owes you an explanation, or you can live realizing God has given you great gifts.
If you live life feeling like God owes you an explanation, you will only wind up in a constant state of bitterness, because God doesn’t owe you anything.

But even though he doesn’t owe you anything, he has given you everything. He gave you his own Son. He gave you the gift of eternal life. He gave you the promise of being together with him forever."

Rick Warren

If you would like to read his messages daily, get your own free subscription here.

Squid at Two?

Caleb is a very good eater. He is not the least bit picky and will eat many things that I would pass up gleefully. Squid is a perfect example of that. I have never tried it.  Don't know that I've had the chance, but I'm sure I would decline if asked. 

Perhaps I should try to post earlier in the day so that I don't sit here and fall asleep at the wheel. I would, if it were not that I'm very busy all day. 

Tonight I was searching for old Christmas pictures of Chelle for something she is doing and found pictures of John on tractors when he was 2. I scanned both pictures and sent them on to Beth and John. Beth said she asked Caleb who that was on the tractor and he said, "That's me."  John was a little blond as well, so there is a big similarity.  I may as well add one here.

Santas

The triplets have started their Christmas fun...Santas all.   They are pretty cute grandchildren., in my opinion. 

When I see all the decorations at their house...through pictures, I'm amazed they get so much done.

I'm praying for their mother, my daughter, since she is quite overwhelmed with work this week. Christmas can be hard on a mother, but it can be especially hard on one who home schools and keeps her children active.  

I am proud of them all.  

Just have to add a little something I read from Max Lucado today.  He said to avoid a church of perfect people, because you wouldn't fit in anyway.  lol  Of course we know that no one is perfect, so no church is perfect.   Jesus said, "If we say we have no sin, we're fooling ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  But if we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what's right.  He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done." (I John 1:8-10)

This is from an email I received  from Max today. If you would like a little short encouraging email each day, you can get them here.

It's a Wonderful Morning

The triplets  had a good time at the zoo with their friend.   It's good to see Aussie and Mason get along so well. I surely do love those kids.   Wish we all were closer together, especially at Christmas.

I've been shopping, picking up little things here and there, but still don't have the whole picture  together yet. I like to spend about the same on each one, so I'm always trying to find one more small thing for one or more of them.

I realize my blog has been lacking recently. I've pretty much lost my zest for  doing my best. It sees, these days that one is better off if he just doesn't think but jumps in the wagon and lets someone else pull it.  I'm fighting the feeling though. We can't just keep trying to hold up our heads while the ship sinks.  We need to try to swim.   Perhaps I'll get myself back on track one of  these days...maybe after Christmas.  In the meantime, I'll try each day to count my blessings.  There are many, for God has been good to all of us in this Christian nation.  The poor are so much better off than those in other countries. Of course  to hear it from the press, we are a no good country with a few people who are stinking rich and then all the rest of us who need to be jealous of that 2 %. 

I'm not sure what the motive is for insisting the very rich 2% have their taxes raised. If indeed those taxes were increased as much as the president wants, that amount of money would run the government for only 8i days. That is pitiful.