Barn Charm #67

This barn was on the same bit of land as last week's long barn,

but this one was set back quite a bit and obviously in much worse shape.

As regulars have probably figured out by now,

I cannot take just one picture, so here's this week's collection of this barn.

All the photos show the slope this barn was built on, 

but I think this one best shows the buckling of it.

It seems to be holding on for dear life!

This is my favorite shot of it.

As you can see, spring has not come to this part of Ohio yet.

For more barn views, check out Barn Charm.

Bits and Pieces, Prayer Request, and Monday's Prayer

Texas grandson Aaron's 4th birthday is today.

I will call him later this afternoon.

I created a Smilebox card for him and sent it yesterday.

I love Smilebox because you can do so much with it--
I use it to create slideshow cards,

which a certain little boy loves.

This past Tuesday, 

I bundled up and walked up the hill behind our house to the old cemetery there.

It was hopefully our last big snowfall.

Here are a few pics of my town.

I used my zoom lens to take them.

Once again, I was reminded of how much I love this place

where I live.

This is my co-teacher for one period.

He is an inclusion specialist and recently turned 29.

He is a wonderful young man who quickly became like a son to me.

Oh how we have laughed together!

However, he is not teaching right now 

because back in January, he was diagnosed with stage 3 lymphoma.

He is undergoing chemo.

Next week he will have a scan to see where the cancer stands:

if it is gone, improved, or the same.

Obviously we are praying for it being gone.

He still will have to have two more chemo treatments 

as a safeguard,

and his doctor does not want him to return this year.

But he is on the roster for next year.

Please lift him up in prayer.

State testing begins today.

I will do practice testing with freshmen.

The other English teacher has the sophomores in class,

so she handles their OGTs (Ohio Graduation Tests).

It's a cra -a-zy week!

Monday's Prayer:

Thank You, Jesus, that because I have received You, 

You have given me the authority to become a child of God,

because I believe in, adhere to, and rely on Your name.

Adapted for John 1:12

God, I pray that You will increase and I will decrease more and more.

Adapted from John 3:30

(Guess what book of the Bible I'm reading right now!) :>)

Blessings to you as you begin the week.

Corner View: Hands

This week's corner view's topic is hands,

I took my camera and headed out during my 8th period prep.

(Each teacher has one period for alone preparation time.)

Here's the result of my search for a variety of hands.

I focused on the female hand.

First women teachers

Math teacher's hand.  She's around 30 and engaged to be married this summer.

The female history teacher.  

She is in her early 30s.

She was on her way to an all day meeting outside of the school, 

but still school related--thus the casual jeans and shoes.

The female physical education and health teacher 

who is in her early 40s.

 This set of hands belongs to our guidance counselor.  She is in
her mid-fifties.

This ring was her mother's class ring.

 This set belongs to yours truly: me,,
who recently turned 59.
My hands look much older than my face and neck.  I have taken great care of the latter, but have neglected my hands terribly.
I am not fond of hand lotion,
although I will apply lotion twice daily to face, neck, arms, legs, and feet.

I get my nails done professionally every two weeks.  If I didn't do that,  the fingers would be chipped and bloodied because I would chew my nails down to the quick.

 Now a variety of females students' hands----

18 

17

17

16

Of course, one of the boys wanted his hand photographed,

so I obliged.

He is 17.

To finish up my post,

my 7-year-old grandson's hand.

For more views on hands,

head on over to Francesca's.

Barn Charm #66

If you follow South Chestnut out of town,

you will find yourself in the country before you have gone a mile.

I went for a drive the other day,

pulled into the Sewage Plant parking lot,

got out of my car,

and snapped this looong barn.

I got all sorts of shots and several angles of it.

This is the end looking back at it.
I drove the car down the road,
turned it around, and then stopped,
leaned far out my window like an idiot,
and got these two photos.

This is from the opposite end.

The barn is perplexing to me, because it gives mixed messages.

Some areas seem in good shape and then others are looking derelict.

There was hay in the far end, but also lots of brush and brambles 

leading up to the hay storage.

This end appeared to be in the best shape, yet also deserted.

It's a "Hmmm." for sure.

For more barn views, check out Tricia's place.

Busy Morning Ahead and Monday's Prayer

Busy morning with IEP meetings--writing new Individual Education Programs

for students with learning disabilities.

I am the core teacher for the first three meetings.

We have a sub rotating all day as the meetings will last that long.

The general population will not be happy 

because the library will be closed all day.

Therefore, there will be no access to the library computer lab

for study hall kids.

Monday's Prayer:

Lord, 

Help me to always seek Godly counsel 

and not look to the world 

and ungodly people for answers.

Thank you, Lord, that You will give me the counsel

and instructions I need.

I delight in Your law and in Your Word.

Help me to meditate on it day and night,

to ponder it, to speak it,

to memorize it, 

to get it into my soul and my heart.

Lord, I know that:

"whoever trusts in his own heart is a fool,

but whoever walks wisely will be delivered."

(Proverbs 28:26)

Help me to walk wisely and righteously 

in obedience to Your commands.

In Jesus' name I pray.

GOD'S PROMISE

You have made known to me the path of life;

You will fill me with joy in Your presence,

with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.

Psalm 16:11

from The Power of Praying:

Help for a Woman's Journey Through Life

by Stormie Omartian

Blessings to you all as you go through this week!

Corner View: Begins with L

This week's corner view features the letter l.

I thought of this photo.

My Texas granddaughter recently turned two.

My daughter has a wonderful friend who takes incredible photos.

This is one of them and is one of my favorites.

Abigail leaving. 

She's off on an adventure.

I used this photo for the back of thank you cards I had made for her.

(My daughter is a big believer in writing thank you cards,

 which is one of many, many things I appreciate about her.)

For more corner views

head on over to Francesca's.

My birthday flowers share the love

This is a close up of my rose bouquet from my daughter and her family 

in Texas.

The previous post shows more.

It didn't register at the time as they were scrunched together for safe mailing,

but there were two dozens roses.

Two dozen pastel and white gorgeous roses.

My husband and I agree on how to celebrate my birthday.

He sends me flowers and takes me out to dinner.

This year he also bought me a cake from my favorite bakery.

It was delicious.

I was messing around with my camera options and tried this setting.

I have featured my posy vases before.

I'm a big fan of little vases or misc. containers that hold one or a few flowers.

So I got some of the posy vases out,

as well as some bigger options,

and began to divide the flowers and greenery 

after enjoying them in their original bouquets

 for almost seven days..

[I kept the roses together for four days

 and then only took a few out at a time.]

One of my favorite keepsakes--a crystal glass pitcher.

This is in the center of my dining room table.

This is the corner of the small chest of drawers in my grading corner.

The big arrangement is no more.

A favorite pitcher holds another combo 

and sits on a washstand in the dining room.

Kitchen.

Corner of the sink in our only bathroom.

My jewelry chest in our bedroom.

On one of the kitchen counters--the one where my coffee pot sits.

I also took several to school to two dear friends.

One had bought me my first birthday cake in years.

The other simply needed cheering up.

Several others graced my desk in my classroom.

The girls loved them.

I just divided them up on Friday--that's how long they are lasting--

going on the second week and still looking good.

Some of the roses have finally drooped 

and I have peeled off the petals to dry for sachets.

So thanks to my husband and daughter,

flowers are lighting up various corners of the house

and for awhile several 'corners' of my school.

I'm very grateful to both.

I am gradually coming out of my reclusive February world.

This week's Prayer of Grace:

Dear Lord,

Today I will honor You with my thoughts,

my actions, and my prayers.

I will seek to please You,

and I will strive to serve You.

Your blessings are as limitless as Your love.

And because I have been so richly blessed, 

I will worship You, Father,

with thanksgiving in my heart

and praise on my lips,

this day and forever.

Amen.

"God is not hard to please. 

He does not expect us to be absolutely perfect.

He just expects us to keep moving toward Him

and believing in Him,

letting Him work with us to bring us into conformity

to His will and ways."

Joyce Meyer

Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God 

has been miraculously given to us 

by getting to know, 

personally and intimately,

the One who invited us to God.

The best invitation we ever received!

2 Peter 1:3 MSG

The prayer, quote, and scripture 

are from 

"Day 77 Pleasing God"

in 

100 Days of Grace for Women.

Blessings to you all as you go through this week!

Turning 59

I turned 59 last Friday.

It was a wonderful day and a superb weekend.

I took the weekend off to enjoy 'being'.

[I am a bit anxious as to how much that will cost me this coming school week!]

I've included some different shots with different settings

of the GORGEOUS roses sent to me 

by my daughter Sara and her husband and children in Texas.

Folks, I love fresh flowers and esp. pastel and white roses.

I felt like maybe I'd been an esp. good mother this year. ;)

A box of chocolate candy accompanied the roses.

Yumm!

I have been absent from the blogging world.

It's typical early February reclusiveness.

My mother died 14 years ago this month and I miss her so much,

but esp. on my birthday.

She spoiled me so and no one other than my dad has ever made me feel

 so incredibly special 

as she did.

I've learned to just retreat some and meditate on my blessings--

it wards off the depression of the old days.

This Week's Prayer of Grace

Dear Lord,

when I open my heart to You, 

I am blessed.

Today, I will praise You, Father,

as I accept Your love and Your wisdom.

And, I will do my best to continue to grow in my faith

every day that I live.

Amen.

This is why I remind you to keep using the gift God gave you 

when I laid my hands on you.

Now let it grow,

as a small flame grows into a fire.

2 Timothy 1:6 NCV

Blessings to you all as you begin this week!