Angels

 This is one of my top three favorite angels.

 It's set on a divider wall that has glass cabinets

set in on each side--one in the living room and one in the dining room.

There is a divider on each side of the opening

from the living room to the dining room--Craftsman style.

The tops of the dividers make for a great display area with angels facing the living room

and some facing the dining room.

This lovely lady with the manger scene

faces the living room.

The angels behind her are facing the dining room.

 I didn't get to crop this picture yet.

This angel was the first one my father bought me

with the "Love from Mother and Dad" note

the first Christmas without her.

                                                         Dad was eclectic in his angels.
                                                This was one of the last he bought me.

The little angel on the left was the angel Mother bought me

 for my first born's first Christmas.

Sara was born five days before Christmas in 1975.

The other angel  represents Mother's 'bell' stage.

I received  angel bells for several years in a row.

The middle angel came from an arrangement that my Grandpa Jarvis

gave me when I was in my teens.

The glass bowl broke, so now I just display the little girl.

The angel on the left was for my first married Christmas in our first home.
It was 1974.
(My first husband and I were married December 22, 1973, but spent Christmas on our honeymoon.)

The three in back are more of the bells.

The two in front came as a pair

and are my mischievous angels.

Two of my glass angels with one (on the far right) that has a stained glass effect.

 

These are just a few of my angels.

We are going to the late Christmas Eve service at the church

where my father was a minister

from the time I was nine until I was 17.

No doubt we will sing "Hark the Angels Sing" or "Angels We Have Hear on High"--two of many beautiful Christmas hymns.

I pray a blessed Christmas for you all.

To all of you faithful blogger friends and to the family members who read this:

Merry Christmas!

"Angels We Have Heard on High"

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o'er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

See Him in a manger laid,
Whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!


                                                        "Hark the Herald Angels Sing"

Hark! the Herald Angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King,
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinner reconcil'd.

Chorus:
Hark! the Herald Angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King.

Joyful all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies,
With the angelic host proclaim,
Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Chorus

Christ by highest Heaven ador'd,
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of a Virgin's womb.

Chorus

Hail the Heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings.

Chorus

Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

Chorus

Psalm and Monday Prayer Combined

These are my snow angels-most of them given me by my parents.

I just thought I'd feature them with this post.

I have not been blogging much--writing or reading.

So much else and many others have been needing my time.

Therefore, I may take a short break, but then maybe I won't.

Time will tell.

Meanwhile I'll begin the Monday Prayer with the scripture

that Stormie Omartian always pairs with the prayer.

It's from Psalms, so thus my weekend Psalm (a bit late).

Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart;

wait, I say, on the LORD!

Psalm 27:14

Lord,

I choose to wait on You instead of just waiting for things to happen.

I refuse to run ahead of Your perfect will for my life.

At the same time, I don't want to lag behind it either

because of steps I have neglected to take.

Show me where I have not been diligent to do things You want me to do.

I commit to trusting Your Word and delighting myself in You.

I rest in You this day and wait patiently for You to bring to pass

all that needs to happen in my life.

Bless me with patience in the process.

Amen.

Blessings to you as you begin this week!



a simple manger set



a purchase many christmases ago

this manger set graced my parents' home

for their oldest child's first christmas

later the youngest child--me

looked forward to the 'unveiling' each year

i remember carefully unwrapping each figure 

and placing them where i thought best

this became my most cherished christmas responsibility

i was married two days before christmas

so that christmas was not celebrated

in a home of our own

the next christmas we had settled into our first home

time to decorate

the tree and ornaments were easy

but

the manger scene?

mother solved the dilemma for me

she bought a new wooden creche set

and

gave me this simple creche

didn't cost much when bought

but as a little girl i thought it was beautiful

over the years pieces became a bit 'worn'

despite careful handling

but

i cherished them all

still do

it's the only creche i have ever had

each year i carefully unwrap each piece

and place them where i think best

there have been some additions

but no subtractions

this manger scene means the most to me

of all that i have of christmas decorations

for

it's not a decoration

its significance and worth goes much deeper

 representing

the savior who was born in a manger

the christian home in which i grew up

the mother who passed this tradition on

the father who preached the savior's message

but

most of all

love

simple love

manifested in a baby

given to us

by God

so that we might be set free eternally

i rejoice in that love

and

will continue

rejoicing

daily

part of blog carnival on the word rejoice

Monday Morning Prayer

I am not down, sad, or depressed, but can have those moments

especially

during the holidays.

I know others do also,

thus the following prayer

to begin this week.

Monday Morning Prayer

Lord,

I confess to You that sometimes I feel down, sad, or depressed.

But I know You have joy, gladness, peace, and fulfillment for me right where I am.

Help me to put my hope in You and praise You in the midst of whatever I experience.

Help me to look to You for everything,

for You are my God who puts a smile on my face and joy in my heart.

Amen.

Why are you cast down, O my soul?

And why are you disquieted with in me?

Hope in God;

for I shall yet praise Him,

the help of my countenance and my God.

Psalm 42:11

from Prayers for Emotional Wholeness

by Stormie Omartian

Both photos were taken from my car on my way home from school.

The road in the first one leads up a hill to a sheep farm.

The house is late 1800's and was restored by a friend and her husband.

You have no idea at the bottom that a whole vista of astounding beauty

awaits at the top.

The last one was taken from the front parking lot of 'my' high school.

The hill is across Rt. 147 (Seneca Lake Road),  a major roadway

for 'getting around' back in those hills.

I took this photo mainly for the sky view.

Blessings to you all as you begin your week!

Decorating, To Kill a Mockingbird Projects, and the Weekly Psalm

Last weekend hubby put the lights up outside.

He put up the tree and put the lights on it. 

I then put the 'garland' and the ornaments on the tree.

I also decorated the fireplace mantle.

I have a collection of Santas and a garland through which hubby winds lights.

It makes for a bright display.

Here are a few of the Santas.

Tonight I put out all my angels and the manger scene.  I also finished putting out my snowmen collection (a small one).

I had a tough time with my mouth this week.

My nerves got a bit frayed as my two  freshmen Advanced English classes finished up their

To Kill a Mockingbird projects and presented them.

It's a three-part project: presentation, visual, and written.

There are three grades for a total of 300 points.

Much work is required from the students and me.

[Then the grading begins.]

The stress was palpable.

But it's always worth the work and stress--at least I think so.

The experience is one of educational growth

as well as a stretching exercise in responsibility and patience

for all of us.

I will show pictures and tell more about it next week.

But here's a verse I needed.

It works well for the end of the week and beginning of the weekend Psalm.

I SAID, I will take heed and guard my ways,

that I may sin not with my tongue;

I will muzzle my mouth as with a bridle . . .

And now, Lord, what do I wait for and expect?

 My hope and expectation are in You.

Deliver me from all my transgressions;

 make me not the scorn and reproach of the [self-confident] fool.

Psalm 39:1, 7, 8

And He has put a new song in my mouth,

a song of praise to our God.

Many shall see and fear (revere and worship)

and put their trust and confident reliance in the Lord.

Let all those that seek and require such as love Your salvation say continually,

The Lord be magnified!

Psalm 40:3, 16

Blessings to you all!

i miss them

 he could fall asleep 'at the drop of a hat'

one minute with us

next minute

head back

jet fighter sounds

erupting

i'm like him

that way

i have to pull over sometimes

to take a 10 minute nap

so i don't

 run off the road

 he often had to do that

some days

i lock my door after school

get my square pillow for my feet

the little one for my head

my lap blanket

2 chairs

(one for torso/one for elevated feet)

and

snap!

i'm asleep

must not be any jet sounds erupting

the custodian would mercilessly tease me

if there were



then i'm up

 ready to finish
organizing for the next day
and

 drive home

just like him

 he loved gifts

we loved giving them to him

much more fun

watching him open his

than us opening ours

he didn't have much as a child

christmas gifts were sparce

mama always got him a special gift

fooling him into thinking

there wasn't one

then

surprise!

they each tried to make up

for what had lacked

in their childhood lives

some don't see it that way

but i do

christmas is tough

for me

while it's joyful

i have wonderful:

 husband

children and their spouses

grandchildren

brothers and families

sisters-in-law and families

friends

i have a home

food

job

love

but i miss them

dad and mom

i put up her tree

again this year

he was thrilled the first year i did

he didn't decorate

after she died

that part of christmas

went with her

but he enjoyed

our decorations

especially 'her' tree

he found joy in those around him 

but

he never stopped missing her

just like i never stop

missing them

(no pictures of mom)

as i read folks' blogs

thoughts of christmas

the meaning

one thought centers tonight

i miss them

my next task --

putting out all the angels

she bought me

over the years

beginning with the december

my daughter was born

she made dad promise

to keep the tradition

he always signed the card

"Love from mother and dad"

he must have made my husband promise

because i still receive one

every christmas

i cherish them all

but

they make me

miss them---

mom and dad

yet where would i be

without those cherished memories?

i could have been

a "throw-away" child

like the one boy taken to the hospital last week
from my school

no one wanting him

memories can hurt

but

i can't imagine

not having had the love

that made the memories

yes, i miss my parents tonight

as tears roll down my cheeks

but

i'm grateful they were precious

to me

so that i have

reasons

to miss them

a glimpse of mama's tree and two of the ornament angels

part of imperfect prose on thursdays

On my way home

"An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language."

Martin Buber

 On my home last week, this cow's eyes 'beckoned' me to stop the car.

I'm not sure what was being said, but I felt certain it was speaking to me. 

 " I hope to make people realize how totally helpless animals are, how dependent on us,

 trusting as a child must that we will be kind and take care of their needs."

James Herriot

"Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." (Job 12:7-10)

Scruffy helping decorate and the Monday Prayer

 Scruffy thought she would 'help' me decorate.

Then she thought she'd just claim some of my decorations for herself.

 But after awhile, this decorating business became too taxing for her

and she fell asleep on the job.

Later that night as I was almost done decorating the tree,

I wondered where Scruffy was.

Then the mound of tissue paper on the couch moved.

Aha!

I found her!

Sleeping on the job again.

Tomorrow begins another week.

Here's the Monday Prayer:

Lord,

 I open my heart to receive Your perfect love into my mind, emotions, soul, and spirit.

Help me to understand the depths of Your love at all times.

Jesus, I know You are the Son of God,

and because I have received You into my Heart,

You live in me and Your love dwells in me.

Help me to live in Your love and not doubt it.

Help me to grow more and more secure in Your love

so that I can grow and thrive the way a child does with a loving parent.

Amen.

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God,

God abides in him, and he in God.

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.

God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God,

and God in him.

I John 4:15-16

From one of Stormie Omartian's books of prayers

Blessings to you as you begin a new week!

 One more view of my sleeping buddy.

Two simple joyful acts and the End of the Week Psalm

 I think my expression says it well

"If this is where and how I can drink my coffee, then fine, I'll sit here

and drink and watch and find exceeding joy."

And I did!

I'm supervising my son's youngest(the redhead) with her cousin from Texas(the one pouring), who is the youngest grandchild--

until his sis arrives in February.

Both kids love bath time and I enjoy the time with them.
This was the night of our Thanksgiving dinner together.

It's been a hectic week.  Much has happened with "the bad boys."

One was removed from school this week and taken to the hospital

for treatment of mental problems.

He went ballistic on a sub

and had a mental and physical breakdown in the office.

He's a 'throw-away' in that noone from his family is either capable or wants

to take care of him.
He's in foster care right now
and it's not the best.

Three teachers have bonded with three of the other five (I'm one of them).

We are working with each boy and seeing some improvement and hope.

We need prayer for Loads of Patience.

That leaves two plus this one in the hospital.

I have a busy weekend ahead.

I have the entire house inside and out to decorate this weekend

 thankfully with husband's help

and 65 tests to grade (short response, not multiple choice)

plus other misc. worksheets and such to grade.

I'm only to Psalm 63 of my Psalm reading, because I'm not doing it every day.

But I'm not allowing myself a guilt trip, but rather a joy trip on the days I do make it

through another Psalm
on top of other devotions.

O  God, You are my God,

earnestly will I seek You;

my inner self thirsts for You, my flesh longs and is faint for You,

in a dry and weary land where no water is.

So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary to see Your power and Your glory.

Because Your loving-kindness is better than life,

my lips shall praise You.

So will I bless You while I live;

I will lift up my hands in Your name.

My whole being shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness;

and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.

For You have been my help,

and in the shadow of Your wings will I rejoice.

My whole being follows hard after You and clings closely to You;

Your right hand upholds me.

Psalm 63: 1 -5, 7, 8

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

I finally got to hold Aaron as I put on his pj's after his bath.

I put the picture here despite the red eye, because I still like it,

and it vividly shows one of the simple acts that I consider

 some of the best moments of my life.

The calender in the background is one his mama made for us grandparents
last year

It's all pictures of  his first year of life with all our birthdays and anniversarys noted.

It was one of my best gifts ever!

who is that?

 he pointed to the boy with the donkey

who's that?

his daughters answered

dillon

his older son answered

dillon

dillon answered

dillon

he grinned

no

 it's not dillon

he pointed to the boy leaning against the wall

and the questioning began again

the same answers: dillon

now his grin was huge

no,

it's not dillon

it's me!

 dillon is the one in the photo above

with little sis addison

his daddy the blond-haired charmer

in the first two frames

two of my favorite photos

of a little boy who won my heart

before he was born

i learned to toughen up

against those huge, warm, brown eyes

that smiled mischievously

a twinkle reaching out to grab my heart

oh he grabbed my heart all right!

still has it

as do the munchkins who call him daddy

four of them

one looks like him

guess who?

well of course---dillon!

 the older two
peyton and colton together

the four grandchildren
are now
 11, 7, 5, and 3

and

my 'baby'

is 32

a husband, father, son, brother, businessman, friend, son-in-law

he wears all the 'hats' well

proud am I

of all of him

my darling blond imp

here he is with wife
he's not quite 30 in this picture

his equally wonderful sis and hubby

are to the left

and

i can't forget the youngest

aaron
now 20 months old

and
mama (daughter mine)

is carrying
his sis

abigail elizabeth

due in february

 they all own a piece of my heart

i keep the photos out

keepsakes
in beaten, worn frames
knocked down
by
cats and grandchildren
outdated photos
but
not to me

nothing grand
just bits of memories

smile starters

on even the gloomiest days

a non-rhyming poem and tribute to photos

and the wonderful folk in them

i'm still working on taking good photos of photos!

part of one shot wednesday

and imperfect prose on thursdays

Who would have thought? Not me!

 when i turned 50

my husband surprised me

with a trip to ireland

we would celebrate

turning 50 together

in the land

from which his ancestors came

the land of my favorite authors and novels

i chose ardmore

for the first bed and  breakfast

after leaving dublin

i was told  of a trilogy by nora roberts

based on a real family from ardmore

though she's not a favorite
i read the tirlogy before arriving

then

had to see the pub
and
 celtic shrines

featured

in the novels

hubby patiently hiked with me
taking pictures

we were on an adventure

but we had begun one at home

as well

i had been hired by a rural school district

near our home town

i would 'batch' it a year

to see if i really did

want to go

back home

then he would move up

3 sick parents

and

our first grandchild

sealed the deal

but our lives took a different turn

we lost his parents within 14 months

of me being hired

he ended up staying in cincinnati

to earn his pension

and more money

it's been a long 7 years

and

i've known a loneliness

like i've not experienced

since elementary days

our situation was unique

no one understood it
some even hinted at possible divorce
that was never a consideration

the teacher friends i made at school

were my age

but single all their lives

so

we could be friends to a point

add to that fibromyalgia

osteo-arthritis

stenosis of the spine

the sum is a woman

who has to catch up

on weekends

what teaching takes out

during the week

while spending time

with

an every other weekend husband

(who finally lives in our hometown
with me)

in the midst of these 7 years

i had 3 close friends lose their husbands

in their 50s

suddenly

what if that happened to me

can you imagine the guilt trip?

but the decision was taken out of our hands

when his company

began a phase out of his department

i had to stay here

for health insurance reasons

so where am i going with this?

fellowship

i desperately needed it

i marveled at the new friends

my daughter made blogging

about her pregnancy

the support she received

awed me

meanwhile

God kept nudging me

to create a blog

i scooted away

He followed and nudged some more

eventually i stopped scooting

and began writing

the world that has opened up to me

is

phenomenal

sisters in Christ

who fight depression

who deal with chronic illness

or a physical handicap

who have had their worlds turned

upside down

and

yet have kept and continue to keep

 their faith

thanks to susie

i picked up my camera

and

found a creative release

that blended well

with writing

while her character strength

has upheld me

nancy makes me laugh

i marvel at her playfulness with words

i never know what to expect

and

love not knowing

sweet leslie shares the chronic illness walk

with me

we find solace in each other's

support
her gentle spirit, gift of words,
and experimentation with the camera
uplift me

there is caryjo

who emailed me through

a tough spring

last year
and understands
that
second time round
can bring
the love of your life

linda who supports me in prayer

along with glenda

we are grandmothers

dealing with life

we relate

then there is retired teacher betsy

who takes me traveling with her

almost daily

her posts restore my mind, heart, and soul

she too is a grandmother

she understands change

her comments continually cheer me

also
there's the younger emily of imperfect thursdays
who has introduced me
to a free-spirited style
that has shaken this english teacher's
foundation
in a good way

bridget whose carnival
challenges me

these are the main ones

though there are others who have commented support

whose blogs i enjoy

whose thoughts

have caused me to think and rethink

whose photos

inspire me

to become better

with a camera

whose words
insprire me
to  stretch my writing horizons

my world is broader, deeper, richer

fellowship

who would have thought it would come

from the internet?

not me!

yet i'm exceedingly grateful

it did

 different views of a shrine at ardmore

a country road in ireland---

yet another path

i never thought i'd take

but have meandered over

after all

A new commandment I give unto you,
That ye love one another;
as I have loved you,
that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another.
John 13:34, 35

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart,
 and of a good conscience,
and of faith unfeigned.
I Timothy 1:5

part of one word at a time carnival 

Floral Simplicity and the Monday Prayer

One thing I miss about the city is a grocery store:
 open until at least midnight;

one that has a health food section

stocked well enough

that a visit to Whole Foods isn't necessary,

except once in a long while;

 a freezer section where you could get a headache

making a decision

instead of getting a headache figuring out an alternative;

and

a produce section that guarantees a good salad

even in November.

Actually there is one like that twenty minutes away on interstate

in a county seat town.

But that turns into a forty minute round trip and on a school night that's a lot.

In the city I'd drive right past several big grocery stores
on my way home from school, but not here.

I see lots of cows, sheep, horses, bales of hay,
but grocery stores? Nah!

However, there is so much more I don't miss about the city,

like not driving past cows, sheep, horses, and bales of hay.

The main reason I miss a big Kroger's or Meyer's or even Walmart

is the readily available bunches of fresh cut flowers
in different sizes and prices.

I would regularly plunk a cellophane wrapped bundle

in my grocery cart.

Once home, I'd arrange a pretty mix in a glass vase for the center of the table

and stick several here and there in my collection of posy vases.

Wa Lah! Floral Simplicity.



The twenty minute away Kroger store supplied me with two bunches of fall flowers
to decorate for Thanksgiving.

Here are pictures of the main vase for the center of the Thanksgiving table.

The photos of the posy vases  I filled will wait for another time.

Instead, I'll show some close ups I did for fun.

I have a limited photo program on my computer and a limited camera, so I can't play as much as I'd like.

But I still have fun.

Now it's time for the Monday prayer.

I've got laundry in the washer and the dryer

and papers to grade before I go to bed.

This prayer goes out to a very special friend.

"When I Need Help in Tough Times"

Lord,

I cry out to You today and ask You to give me relief from the difficult things

I am facing.

Bring them to a good conclusion as only You can do.

I know You understand all that I am going through,

and You see all I do and what I am up against (Psalm 139:2-3).

You even know my thoughts about my circumstances right now.

Help me to navigate these rough waters so that I can not only survive,

but come through victoriously.

Amen.

In the day when I cried out, You answered me,

and made me bold with strength in my soul.

Psalm 138:3

From Prayers for Emotional Wholeness: 365 Prayers for Living in Freedom

by Stormie Omartian

Hope you have a blessed week.