Friends

What is a Friend?

Over the years, we've moved a lot and lived in a lot of different places. We've met loads of people. Well, I should say Larry has gotten us to meet loads of people! ha ha!  He's definitely the extrovert and I'm the introvert.

Some of the friendships that we've made have continued and some have waned. Some were dormant for a while and some have renewed.  I do enjoy all my different friendships.  As I was sitting having lunch with some friends today I was thinking about what a friend is.

F - Fellowship The dictionary describes fellowship as a "friendly association with people that share one's interests." I remember talking to someone one time who didn't go to our home church and describing how our church worked.  I said that we fellowship for and hour or so.  He looked at me and said "Fellowship for an hour!" I don't think I can do that!  -and then he said "Wait, what's fellow-shipping?"  Haha!  As friends, I think our first thing we love to do is laugh and talk with each other. Those are  some good fellow-shipping times.

R - Remembering  Another great thing about friends is remembering.  We can get together and reminisce about the past.  We can tell stories that only we know and laugh at those things or cry. It's good to bring to mind the things of the past. It's good to have people with me who bring things to mind.

I - Inspiration  I love to be around inspirational people.  Sometimes just a little word or action one of my friends does or says will catapult my life in a whole new direction.  Or maybe I just start to see the world a little differently.

E - Encourager Friends seems to always know the right word to say to lift my day or help me see the sun behind the clouds.  My Eeyore self really needs a good encourager at times and I'm glad I have friends that will do that!

N- Need I hate to be that "needy" friend.  But that's how friendships work.  Sometimes we need stuff from people and sometimes they need stuff.  It goes both ways.  It shouldn't be weighted on one side.  I want to be the friend that can come over when you need, or talk when you need, or just listen.

D - Different Thank goodness all my friends are not just like me.  We all have different interests, tastes in things and temperaments.  But that's what makes it great! We can sharpen each other and keep each other on our toes!  And I can learn not everyone's does things the way I do (or should!)

It's a New Year!

So it's a new year and everyone's making resolutions.  I'm not a big resolutions fan.  I'm super goal oriented and if I don't think I can make my goals then I don't want to resolve to do them.

So if you aren't making any New Year's resolutions this year, how about this:

Start:  think about starting one new thing this year. Maybe it's trying to knit? or start reading the Bible, or start walking at lunch?   You don't have to commit to a whole new lifestyle but maybe just a start will nudge you in the right direction.

Stop:  think about stopping one thing this year.  Just as easily as it is to start new habits, it's hard to stop.  But maybe we can just stop one thing?  maybe stop interrupting when someone is talking?  or stop buying those donuts?  or stop complaining?  stop checking your phone. There's always something I need to stop doing.  It's being mindful of those things that will help.

Continue:  Think about continuing one thing this year.  What did you do last year that was a good thing?  Continue it!  Continue walking, continue building friendships, continue praying, continue serving others.  There are lots of good habits that we can keep doing!

That's my resolve for this year.  Start one new thing, stop doing one thing and continue doing something good.

How about you?  Any resolutions?

2016 Year in Review

Just a few snapshots to sum up 2016!  

Lots of fun stuff including:

Trip to Okinawa, Japan to see my Marine son!

Cruise to the Caribbean with our friends

Found out I'm gonna be a Grandma!!!! (Ok this is definitely the highlight!!)

Trips to Austin, Virginia, Pittsburgh!

Friends from Pittsburgh came to visit and we gave them a Texas tour!

Lots of geocaching!

Lost some friends and family too :( 

Biking and Hiking!

So much laughing!

Lots of little weekend adventures too!

Fun and games with nieces, nephews and great nieces & nephews!

Continuing to work on memorizing Philippians

Got a (new to me) car! 

Praying you all are blessed and have a fabulous 2017!

 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,  always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,  being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:3-6

Memories of Christmases Long long ago...

I was reminiscing today about Christmases from my childhood. I love Christmas today! I love the traditions, songs, gift giving, decorating, cookie baking, tree decorating, present wrapping....I love it all! I think it's due to the traditions that were instilled in me when I was young.

We used to get two weeks off for Christmas break. The whole two weeks were usually spent at my grandparents house. We called them Maamaw and Pop. My sister and I went up to their house first before my parents came up. That week was so much fun. These were the days before internet, cable tv and iphones. We had to make our own fun. And we did too!

My grandparents lived out on a farm so there was always places to explore and things to get into. The first thing we'd do when we got there was go out into the forest and cut down our Christmas tree. Now you have to realize that it's my grandpa and us 2 little girls that are going to cut this tree down and drag it back to the house. That's why I love Charlie Brown trees! It's almost always what our tree looked like! We'd pick some scraggly little thing and be so excited about it, "This one Pop! Let's get this one!" Pop would chop it down and we'd drag it home all proud of our selection! We'd get back and Maamaw would have her work cut out for her to make it beautiful. She'd put it up on a table and drape a pretty cloth around the bottom. Then we'd get to work stringing popcorn or cutting out construction paper chains. Whatever we had around the house to decorate the tree. We didn't go to the store to get our decorations we just looked around the house and made stuff! Sometimes Maamaw would cut out an article out of a magazine and say "Do you girls think you could make this?" "Of course!" we'd say..just find us some scissors and tape and maybe an old magazine.

Then we'd have little bitty presents to open each day before Christmas. Sometimes it was just a small Hallmark calendar that Maamaw had gotten for free. To us it was a wonderful new toy to play office or school! We'd spend hours invented new games and plays with our new found treasures.

Then the baking would begin and Maamaw would make our favorite little individual pecan pies! We thought we were queens!

Then we'd go shopping at the Walmart to buy our presents for our parents. Maamaw would always direct us to something we could afford or something we could put both our money towards.

Then our parents would come up and we just could hardly wait for Christmas morning to come! We'd go to bed late and wake up every hour just waiting for it to be daybreak so we could wake everybody up! Then we could hardly stand it...we would decide that we'd waited long enough and head down the long haul to announce to everyone that Christmas has come! Wake up everyone! Everyone would drag out of bed all cock-eyed. But I knew they were excited too! We'd run down the long hall and into the dark living room with just the glow of Christmas lights from our scraggly tree. The cookies we'd left Santa were gone! Pop would go out to get wood for the fireplace. Even though most Christmases it wasn't even cold..Pop would start a fire in the fireplace. It was Christmas after all!

Then the paper would start flying and the games would start playing! Pop would gather all the trash and feed the fire. You'd have to be careful the directions to your new game didn't get caught up in that fire!

So as we get closer to Christmas enjoy every minute of it! Make new memories. Keep the old. Tell your kids your Christmases past. They will love it...if not now then someday :)

Remember that the Saviour of the World came to seek and save the lost! That's us! Without Him there would be no hope!

27 Years!!

It's our 27 year anniversary on Friday!  Here's a little tribute to being married to this guy!

27 things I love about being married to Larry:

1. My life is a constant adventure.
2. I have grown out of my comfortable box in many ways.
3. I get to laugh and laugh and laugh.
4. He gets my puns.
5. He melts when I put on perfume.
6. He cooks me the most amazing gourmet meals from leftovers.
7. I've learned what really matters.
8. He tempers my temper.
9. I've learned about the stars and the moon rise/set.
10. I get to really know the words to those Journey songs.
11. He plays Word feud with me.
12. He can usually cheer me up from a bad mood.
13. He will take on my hobbies as his and enjoy them! Hooping!
14. He loves to go with me geocaching in cemeteries.
15. I never need to worry what I'm going to do on the weekends.
16. He's taught me to march to the beat of a different drum.
17. He shows me the importance of evangelism.
18. He's my biggest cheerleader.
19. He fully trusts me.
20. I know what 100% commitment is like.
21. He gets on board with my crazy ideas when I get them!
22. He doesn't mind me shopping on Amazon every day 😊
23. He's my fun multiplier.
24. I get a best friend.
25. He rounds out my rough edges.
26. He's the Tigger to my Eeyore-ness.
27. He challenges me to grow closer to the Lord.

Thank you for the last 27 years Larry!  It's been great (and sometimes not!) but that is life! I pray we have many more to come! Love ya! 💗💗

Thankful heart is a happy heart

Giving Thanks this season for....

(in no particular order)

a job that I love and the ability to make money

a husband that encourages me

kids that are grown and responsible for themselves

My Savior Jesus

a memory that is holding in Philippians so far

beautiful fall weather

time to be able to research things

people that encourage me
a new grandbaby on the way

friends that make me snort when I laugh

bacon and all things keto

pounds I've shed

music and hooping together

a good book I can get lost in

a big comfy bed and going to bed early

a hubby who loves to go on walks with me

the beautiful full moon and a hubby that takes me to see it rise

1 Thessalonians 5:18

in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you

Leviticus 22:29 

And when you offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord, offer it of your own free will.

1 Chronicles 16:8 

Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!

Psalm 69:30 

I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

Ah....vacations...

Ah, the vacation life.  No place to be, no commitments, no bad news...just pure bliss and relaxation. Yes, I love vacations.  I love the traveling, the relaxing and most definitely the getting away.  

We just got back from a cruise with 4 other couples!  We went to the Caribbean and it was blissful!  If you haven't been on a cruise yet--I highly recommend it!  It's super cheap for all that you get!  The food!!  And there's so much to do..or if you prefer to just sit in a chair on the deck and read a book --you can!! That's the best part!  I love going with our friend every year.  The best part about going with a bunch of people is that's there's always someone to hang out with!  

We played lots of dominoes, danced, ate, snorkeled, swam, hooped and laughed. 

If you haven't tried a cruise! Do it!  It's amazing!