Saturday 9: Best Day of Your Life

Saturday:9 American Authors

Thanks to Samantha, over at Saturday:9, for yet another interesting meme for us! Link up and join the fun on this last day of April.

Best Day of My Life

Welcome to Saturday 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme! 

Saturday 9: Best Day of My Life (2013)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

I have never heard this song before.

1) This song begins by mentioning clouds. Do you see clouds in the sky this fine Saturday?

The entire sky is overcast. 

2) Lead singer Zac Barnett sings that, "Everything is looking up." What are you looking forward to today?

Looking forward to seeing what the day holds. Maybe some visits from grandkids, going to church, seeing friends, doing some reading, or just a lazy day. 

Looks like this sweet boy will be with us today and tonight!

3) 2016 is not yet half over, but what's been your best day so far this year?

I really cannot say for sure. So far the year has been a good one. I did enjoy immensely the days on our cruise with the Gaithers. 

4) The members of the group, American Authors, met in college. When is the last time you heard from a school chum? Do you know them from grammar school, high school or college?

Thanks to Facebook, I hear from classmates on a daily basis. The last time I saw one in person was a few weeks ago when I met an old friend from high school for lunch. 

5) One of the all-time best-selling American authors is romance writer Danielle Steele. She's been writing for more than 40 years and has sold more than 800 million books. Have you read any of her work?

I think I may have read one of her books many years ago, but cannot remember anything about it, including the title. 

6) Have you ever dreamed of being an author?

Oh, sometimes I have wished I could write a book, but it isn't something I really dream about. The next best thing for me was my dream to work for an author, which did happen and I worked for her for ten years. She allowed me to do research and have input in her books. 

June Hunt, Author

A more sincere and real, kind and compassionate woman

you will be hard pressed to find than June. ... 

and loads of fun!!!

She is truly a woman of vision.

Hope For The Heart Founder and CSO June Hunt is one of the world’s leading biblical counselors. An author, singer and speaker, she founded Hope For The Heart in 1986. Her life’s work has yielded landmark contributions in the field of Christian counseling. The ministry offers biblical hope and practical help—through biblical counsel, coaching, and context for contemporary concerns—in more than 60 countries on 6 continents. She writes books, counseling materials, also sings, has two radio programs and travels extensively to share the truth. 

Read more: Hope for the Heart

7) Do you have an e-reader?

A Kindle Paperwhite. But I still prefer a book I can hold, highlight with a marker and flip back and forth.

8) American Authors rang in 2016 in Chicago, giving an outdoor concert on New Year's Eve on a stage not far from Lake Michigan. There are 5 Great Lakes in all,including Lake Michigan. Without looking it up, name the other 4. 

I can't remember any other than Lake Erie and Lake Huron. How sad. 

9) Random question: You see photos on Facebook of a dinner party hosted by a friend. You recognize most of the attendees, yet you weren't invited. How do you feel? Left out and angry? Do you wonder what you may have done to offend your friend? Or do you just forget about it and move on?

Just move on. Life's too short. But I will admit sometimes it looked like fun and maybe I would like to have been there. :-)

Pink Saturday

Today I'm linking up for Pink Saturday with How Sweet the Sound.

One of my goals each day these days is to get my DH out and about - moving around is key. So I'm thinking up things to do. I enjoy being productive, but I also am a homebody who enjoys almost nothing more than staying cozy in my chair with a book.

On Friday, together, we accomplished quite a bit and had some fun, too. After breakfast this morning, we got out in the yard and trimmed the PINK crape myrtle (which hasn't bloomed yet) and cleaned up the flower bed a little. I needed to run to Mardel to try to find a new Bible for one of our grandsons, so we both made our way there. Look what we found! I love it and hope he will enjoy it.

Front and back covers

Another thing I had wanted to check out was the adult coloring books which I thought we could do together.

Isn't this lovely?

Bought my colored pencils.

Now this is proof that I am no artist.

My flowers and birds are pretty much the same color,

but hey, at least I managed to stay in the lines!

For the past few months, I also wanted something to hang on the doorknobs of a shelf in the bathroom. 

Aren't these doodads sweet on each side of the cross?

Next on the list, we made a stop at Nothing Bundt Cakes to pick up my free bundtlet for my birthday! Red Velvet. And just because I have to make myself feel better about taking something for nothing, I bought a carrot cake as well. Lol! 

We stopped at the nursery and bought a couple of star jasmine, a pink periwinkle and a wandering Jew plant, then came home to plant them. Very timely, since we had a wonderful rain this afternoon.

It has always been a mystery to me why this plant is called such, so like most everything else trivial, I went to Google. Here's the simplest explanation I found: "the Wandering Jew Plant and the Inch Plant. Both names are centered around its ability to spread and grow very quickly, with little care or intervention from people. The Wandering Jew is a legend which basically follows that a Jewish man was cursed to walk the earth forever, therefore like this plant the Jew will eventually go everywhere."

More pink! A new quilt for the pink bedroom. This is so sweet!

On our way home, we decided to stop at the new barbecue place called Hard 8! It gets high reviews from everybody and it is always packed out! Pretty good stuff for lunch.

Now, for the end of my pink Saturday, here I am in Charleston two years ago in April in front of these beautiful azaleas. It is hard to believe this trip is now two years behind us.

No matter what:

Friday Foto Fun with Friends

Can you believe it? Another week has passed and it is Friday again! Today is Friday Foto Day and everyone is showing off their blooms! You can too. Just visit Debbie at Breathing in Grace to check out the loveliness going on in other neighborhoods.

Peonies before the rain storm this week

Peonies after the rain storms

Pretty pitiful peonies!

They never last long enough and this year,

their blooms were there only a week.

In conversations with others, I have always been the "outsider" when it comes to pronouncing the word peony. It seems I have the Okie version, or maybe Arkansas, because I have always pronounced it "pe-O-nee", with emphasis on the O! Apparently that is quite incorrect as all my northerner friends have advised that it is "pee-uh-nee".  So, of course, while we were in the middle of the discussion, I had to google for the pronunciation to see whether it could possibly be pronounced more than one way. Ahem! I now stand corrected. They are right ... I am not. This will be a hard habit to break. 

 The lantana in pots survived the winter,

as did the begonias

Roses bursting forth

Knockout roses

Hibiscus I bought this year is blooming each day.

Happy Friday to all! 

Throwback Thursday to Now

Recently ... again ... in going through old things, I found the little white New Testament which my Granny gave me for my 12th birthday. It is worn, but I have treasured it because it was from her. She always encouraged us to memorize Scripture and one time she even offered me $20 to memorize all of Romans Chapter 12! Well, looking back, I can see the logic of memorizing that entire chapter because it is filled with so much good wisdom about living the Christian life. Even more importantly, I know my Granny knew the value of the Word of God and how it could impact a young girl who would be entering the teen years very soon. It is now one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. However, at the time, I didn't take her up on the offer. What was I thinking? ...  I never saw more than $2 at once until I began babysitting and earning money for myself. 

Dear Connie, Read a portion of this book every day - it is the "Book of Life" and will bring joy and peace into your heart and life. It is the pathway to heaven - a map to "hidden treasures" you might say. God bless you, Granny.

Above: Granny with my sister and me on my 7th birthday holding the Bible from my parents and wearing a pink dress from my Granny. God bless you, Granny.

Now we have grandkids and I want them to learn the value of and memorize Scripture. I have given them Bibles, but, knowing how kids can be kids busy with other things, a few weeks ago, I decided to make them a special offer. Three verses per week to memorize and $5 each will be theirs. They took me up on it, and each week I am receiving a phone call so I can listen to them recite! Brady memorizes his immediately and is ready, but this one is a little shy. Here is a clip from a video his mom sent to me of him reciting the verses. So far, both have done a great job! I am so proud of them!

April Hodgepodge

Joyce is back this week with questions for us on this last Wednesday of April! It's fun and you can join in right here with your own answers!

1. This is the last Hodgepodge in April. Share something you learned this month. 

I learned things about aneurysms, surgeries and memory loss I didn't really ever think I would need to know. 

2.  It's National Poetry Month, and we all know you can't escape an April Hodgepodge without a little poetry. Keeping the first line as is, change the rest of the wording in this familiar rhyme to make it your own - 'Hickory Dickory Dock...

Hickory dickory dock

I think I'd like a new frock.

But wouldn't you know,

The checkbook is low,

And that's why I'm gonna balk. 

3. What were one or two rules in the home you grew up in? 

No dating until you are 16. 

Growing up, did you feel your parents were strict?  Yes.

Looking back do you still see it that way? 

In some ways, yes, I think they were over-protective, which caused me to break some of the rules and do a few things I shouldn't have. However, the boundaries were clear and I am very thankful now that my parents were strict and I am able to understand their reasons as well as their fears much more. 

4. Tell us about a kitchen or cooking disaster or mishap you've experienced. Do you have many from which to choose? 

Having invited friends at the last minute to come share a chicken pot pie with us, of course, there was a mishap with the deep dish frozen pie crust. It turned out to be way too small for the filling and having put all ingredients in and already pouring the sauce, I had an overflow going. Not pouring in all the sauce would have produced a very dry pie. So, I quickly pulled out two refrigerated crusts and rolled them thin to fit a 10 inch pie plate and discovered how to make a much nicer and bigger pie with that recipe. The mishap turned out great! 

The funnier one though was the time I turned my back on a skillet with vegetable oil. As I peeled potatoes, I heard a noise and turned around and saw flames coming up. Not wanting to mess up my kitchen by throwing flour on it, I grabbed a cookie sheet to smother the fire. While all this was going on, my husband was upstairs and I was yelling help. He didn't come! When he finally did come and I asked him if he heard me yelling help, he said no. When I told him about what happened, his response (as a fireman) was you never yell help - always yell "Fire"!!! Thanks a lot!

5. Plant a kiss, plant doubt, plant a tree, plant yourself somewhere...which on the list have you most recently planted? 

A kiss on my DH today, as is my habit!

But also a happy birthday kiss was planted this past weekend on this sweet boy's cheek. 

6. What's your most worn item of clothing this time of year? 

Black slacks. 

Are you tired of it? 

Yes. But black pants are a staple and until summer is here and I wear capris more, the black pants will remain the most worn. 

7. I'm wrapping up the A-Z Blog Challenge this month and our Hodgepodge lands on letter W. What's one word beginning with W that describes you in some way? 

At this time, it would have to be waiting. I am waiting for answers, waiting to hear from certain people, waiting to see what will be happening in the next few weeks. 

These days we do have a little something 

with which to occupy ourselves while we wait!!!! 

How about a word to describe your home, also beginning with W?

Wet, but wonderful. This time of year the yard is at its best and I love the view out the window of the green, green grass, the bright red roses, the flower pots with blooming plants, the beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and enjoying the rains. 

 Morning sky

Peonies blooming

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

Another descriptive W word for me right now would be the word wistful. Question number 3 has triggered that wistful feeling and wishing there could have been better communication between my parents and me. Ahhh ... Mom and Dad. They probably wished for the same thing. Sigh.

Saturday Song

I just discovered Pink Saturday and think I will link up with the others since I have a little pink to share today!

I know a place I can always run to

In times of distress, confusion, and fear

When my enemy surrounds me, 

I know in You I’m safe

for You keep me 

And hide me in the shadow of Your wings.

In the shadow of Your wings, I know I am safe

In the shadow of Your wings, I find relief

For You will hold me, You’ll guide me with Your righteous hand

I find rest – peace of mind, In the shadow of Your wings.

The Lord is my shield, He’s the healer of my soul

He’s the tower of strength, my redeemer my keeper

When my heart is filled with sorrow, For You’re a lifter of my head

You surround me with favor, And You satisfy my soul.*

*Lyrics by Nokozo Mbambo

In the Shadow of Your Wings

A Happy Happy Friday Foto Day

Today I am linking up with Debbie at Breathing in Grace for Friday Foto Friends!

Happy Anniversary to Debbie and her sweetheart!

Happy Birthday to Jack!

Jack is five today!

Bittersweet. He's growing up!

That's good.

But missing that sweet baby boy.

 Happy Anniversary to Jason and Amy

Today is also Jack's Mom and Dad's 10th wedding anniversary.

Oh happy day!

Father and son dancing to celebrate!

A couple of beautiful days this week.

A joyful dance performed by Erin.

One of the precious kids in our preschool!

So precious.

It has been a busy week chock full of moments of joy, moments of reunion, moments of discovery, moments of sadness, moments of waiting, moments of disappointments. But it is still a good week filled with life moments - evidence of living! And I choose joy today!

50's Road Trips Throwback Thursday

"Please, oh please! Say it isn't so!"

I have no idea why my cousin is covering his ears and I am in the car smiling. I also am not sure whether the baby Mom is holding is my brother, Phil, who had been born in March of 58. 

Going through photos the other day, I ran across this little group of pics. Do you remember when photos were put together similar to spiral notebooks? This photo brought back memories of the road trip taken one summer in the 57 Chevy pictured here. Would you believe my Dad, Mom, sister, me, my baby brother ... wait, there are more ... my uncle, his wife, and their son, (the one covering his ears) all of us! Yes, all eight of us rode in that Chevy from Northwest Arkansas to Illinois!

I was probably 10 or 11 years old and remember driving through the night non-stop. Well, except for those few necessary pit stops you have to make when traveling with two women and that many children in one car.

Other details of the trip aren't really necessary. It is simply amazing to me that in our world today of SUV's that are loaded down with all our stuff -- just for the two of us -- and that car held all of us, plus suitcases, baby gear and who knows what else. No AC in the middle of summer so more than likely the windows were rolled down! Yikes! All those hot, sweaty bodies. My memory isn't serving me well on this one. I am wondering whether my brother and little Lonnie Wayne (my cousin) slept through all this. Did my sister and I whine? However did Mom manage with diapers for the baby, and cloth diapers at that? Did Mother and Aunt Dolly complain? Did Daddy and Uncle Sonny take turns driving? 

Other than the fact that we survived that Road Trip and others like it, one thing I know for sure. If anyone were to suggest I take a trip like that now, I too would be covering my ears!!! 

Life's Little Bumps

A few weeks ago, my DH lost his wallet and, of course, everything in it! We did everything we could think of to retrace his steps for that day, and called places he might have been, to no avail. Sooooo, "you know who" had to begin the process of replacing everything in it. It took a couple of days to get it all rolling, a trip to the license bureau (which takes for-ever), making phone calls for insurance cards, getting new credit and debit cards, changing all the records where payments are made by credit cards, and a trip to the bank. Not to mention checking every day to see if anyone had tried to use any of the cards before finally shutting them down. (And we also won't mention the frustration, anger, and anxiety I felt in dealing with all this.)

Now, in the meantime, my prayer was that if the wallet isn't found, wherever the wallet happens to be, that the cash was all that was taken, and everything else is now residing at the bottom of a trash dumpster. I believe that God who knows and sees everything has protected it from any evil and I give Him thanks for that. 

DH has a doctor appointment tomorrow with a new doctor which means he needs all the credentials when we walk in. The only thing we hadn't yet received is the Medicare card which I was told would take approximately 30 days. This morning as I was running errands, I asked the Lord if somehow we might receive that card today so we would have it tomorrow. When I drove in the garage, DH was bringing in the mail. Guess what???? There it was. 

Thank You, Father!

Whether good ...

or bad ...

or in-between ...

the circumstances don't change the truth of God's goodness.

Blue Monday

I'm linking up today with Backyard Neighbor for Blue Monday. You can share your blue and link up too! 

In the past year, our church has made changes throughout to bring into all services and service, our youth and children. This is a wonderful chance for the kids to be more involved with "church" life, rather than being isolated in their separate groups. We still have youth meetings, children's church, nursery, and preschool, but now leadership is mixing it up. I think this is a wonderfully blessed learning and growing experience for everybody. Even the old folks. Last Wednesday evening at church, I noticed a new addition to the praise and worship team. This young man played and sang his heart out and I was so blessed. I wanted to take a photo of him during worship, but refrained as I felt that would be inappropriate. However, after the closing prayer, they played as we exited the sanctuary and I grabbed the opportunity to take a quick pick. I like that it is all blue!

There is so much blue in creation. When Moses and Aaron, his 2 sons and the 70 elders of Israel went up Mount Sinai to worship God, the Bible says they noticed under God's feet was a pavement appearing to be made of Sapphires. The gem reflects a beautiful sky blue color. Sapphires were also found on the breastplate worn by the High Priest and a special blue dye was used in the making of their clothing. The Sapphire also will be one of the twelve foundations for the New Jerusalem. (Revelation 21:19)

This is my nephew Billy with wife Crystal and their sweet Hunter in front of a pagoda in Japan with a beautiful blue sky behind them. I love these guys and look forward to them returning to America in the next few months. There should be a new addition to their family when I see them next. 

My sister had a lovely washbowl and pitcher set which she made in ceramics class. When I saw it, I made the comment that I would love to have one. I really wasn't hinting, but my dear mother signed up for ceramics class, and not too long after gave this to me. It will always be a cherished item as this was a special gift from her to me. A few years ago, I found this antique stand which really added to the specialness of the set. Recently I saw an identical one sitting in the Queen's Palace in the Bahamas.

Speaking of specialness, this is one of my favorite paintings from Kate. I love her little touches to her pictures. The sun wearing sunglasses is pretty cool, I think, and the bluebird flying over the house puts me in mind of the bluebird of happiness, which we hear so much about. I frequently use this on Facebook to wish people a happy birthday.

And while we are on the subject of specialness, I close with some of my very favorite blues.

The eyes have it!!

So, that's all the blue for today from me. 

Happy Monday!