I'm quoting from Singing Rachel as she took the words right out of my mouth.......

"I'm tired of seeing my old post but until I have time to  get my thoughts together......"

I want to wish each of you a very meaningful  and lovely Thanksgiving Day!   

 My thankful thoughts go today to one of the promises my Heavenly Father gives to each  of us...."I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."

There's a wonderful peace in just knowing that God never leaves us alone,

And whether we feel He is with us or not, He loves us and calls us His own.

His Word is our hope and our comfort, a refuge when life brings our way

Those times we need wisdom and guidance and strength to sustain us each day.

~Emily Matthews

Blessings!

An Easy Sunday School Lesson to Teach?

No.

"Growing Patience!"

Patience is hard enough for an adult.....as we wait on little things and large things to be answered in prayer. This was the lesson for my 6th and 7th grade girls. My study book suggested making cookies....but taking them out of the oven before they are finished to bring out the point when we are impatient, we may ruin something; we may miss what is best.

I was prepared for some of the girls to say they like unbaked dough and therefore would like the cookies just like this.......because our children, Barb and Brian, enjoyed eating the cookies before they entered the oven!!   How could I still make a point with these doughy cookies? The eggs were my answer! (When I was a little girl, that was never a concern.....all the homemade ice cream we made.....the recipe asking for 8 or 9 raw eggs.....we never got sick!)

The cookies that took patience to wait on, while baking completely, are on the right! Several girls were missing today so we had lots of cookies to eat! These girls are a JOY to teach - very attentive and offer thoughts about the lesson. Sarah, I'm sorry I snapped this just as you were coming out of a blink!!

Several years ago I did a lesson similar to this....unbaked cookies....and as I was leaving church I passed one of our deacons. At that time I had the unbaked cookies on a cookie sheet. When I explained to John what this was all about, he said, "Oh I like them just like that!!" and helped himself to several!     He, also, grew up like I did - not worrying about raw eggs! I am more concerned about that today.

This was back a month or so ago - if you notice the corn in the neighbor's field at middle right of picture, right now that is brown in color and is ready to harvest. But this experience was practicing a minor bit of patience for me as I waited and waited on this little treasure to come to my feeder - AND - capture a picture! This summer we had the privilege of listening to a hummingbird expert speak on their habits, etc. I found it interesting to hear that their nests are the size of half a walnut! How would you begin to find one?!  I would love to!

He is coming in for a landing!

Thank you, Lord, for eyesight as this was a joy to observe!

In our Sunday School lesson we talked about the fact that patience doesn't come naturally for most people. We eat in a hurry; we can send messages in a hurry; with a digital camera we can see pictures immediately! So it becomes difficult for us to wait for something. We discussed King David. For over ten years David patiently trusted God to keep His promise so that he could become king. I'm so thankful for the Psalms as we can feel the emotions and comfort David felt as he wrote in times of trouble and heartache.

But WHY didn't God make David king right away? Don't you believe David learned lessons he would not have learned otherwise?  I would far prefer to learn these lessons without going through trials. Somehow it doesn't seem to work quite that way. We had a stillborn baby daughter, Christy Joy, in my 7th month. That was very, very hard - especially since our other two children were older so I explained a lot to them while carrying her and they also were looking forward to this baby just as Nevin and I were. I then carried their grief plus my own. It has given me a new compassion for other mothers - that I know I would not have had otherwise. Yes, I would care deeply but now I know how they feel. I believe sympathy is caring but empathy is knowing and caring....knowing with our heart. 

Today, if you are waiting on something, I pray you will have the strength to "Cast your cares on the Lord" for scripture says, "He shall sustain you." Psalm 55:22    ~Blessings, as I wait also

Especially For My Children, Nieces, and Nephews:

We Made Some Fun Memories Today.....

Memories We Weren't Planning On!!

We girls set aside today to celebrate Grandma's (Mother's) 83rd birthday. We met at 7am (you know Grandma, an early riser!)  Then we drove 45 minutes for our breakfast.

It was a relaxed and enjoyable breakfast - just taking time to sit and visit together. Life gets too busy and this was meaningful.

On the way home your very organized, precious aunt was heard to say from the back seat in rather weak expression, "Oh No." 

"What happened?" I quickly asked!  She replied, "I forgot my keys."

We pondered what to do. Call Caleb - he might have a key in his pickup at work. He didn't; they were in his pocket.

As you know both Grandma and Connie are spunky so they started looking for a window that might be open. Did they find one?

The neighbors, who are also my friends, were outside. I thought I could ask them for a ladder. Connie doesn't like to bother anyone so she said, "I can scoot up!"

She did - with assistance!!

Grandma is laughing and trying to talk at the same time!

I was laughing so hard I thought these pictures might be fuzzy from a shaking camera!

Too bad someone wasn't on the inside taking a picture of Connie's face!

This is my dear sister (and your aunt) from a different angle - and an earlier time of year.

I came across a poem titled "Co-operation" which fit Grandma and Connie so very well!

 The poem doesn't apply to them; the title does. But I think you will enjoy the poem so I included it.

Co-operation

Two tough old mules (not us I hope!) Were tied together with a piece of rope.

Said one to the other, "You come my way, While I take a nibble of that new-mown hay."

"I won't," said the other. "You come with me; I have some hay over this way, you see."

So they got nowhere, just pawed the dirt, Pulling each way - how that rope did hurt!

Then faced they about, those stubborn mules, And said, "We're acting jut like human fools.

Let's pull together - I'll go your way. Then you come with me, and we'll both eat hay."

So they ate their hay, and liked it too, And said, "Let's be comrades, good and true."

As the sun went down, they were heard to bray, "Ah, this is the end of a perfect day!

~Author Unknown

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."

Welcome Grandparents!

These are the words that greeted us on our bulletin! 

Inside, two highlighted sentences caught our eye:

"We hope you enjoy your morning with us! Thank You, grandparents, for being an important part of our lives. We love you!" If you are a grandparent,  you know the gratefulness you have to the Lord for the privilege of this joy of grandparenting!

Matthew is our oldest grandchild. The 8th grade class helps throughout the morning - some with parking the vehicles, some handing the programs to each grandparent as they arrive, and later helping all these "lost" grandparents find the correct room to their grandchild! Some grandparents have several loved ones to visit in a 45 minute slot of time. This was our only glimpse of Matthew until their choir presented their songs to us.

Seth's teacher had some activities for us. Seth  had to draw hands on a clock and we had to guess what Seth does at that time of day. Then we had to do the same thing and Seth had to guess. It was a fun interaction.  I just love spending this time with him.

Looks like Seth has an organized teacher and is passing this skill onto her students. Each student has this note on the corner of their desk! I was thinking a note like that might help me early morning to stay on track!

Seth's cousin, Christina, is also in the same classroom. (This is our son-in-law's parents and of course, Seth's grandparents.) We really appreciate Joann and Luther so much as we all pour our hearts into our grandchildren.  It was fun to take this picture of them. They were so involved in helping Christina on this little project they never saw me take the picture.

At 10 am a bell rang to encourage us to leave the classroom and go back to the gym.  We then had a program given by each class.  As one class left the platform after finishing their songs,  the next class entered on the opposite side. During this transition, we had piano solos and duets.

This is Lindsey; you might recognize her as one of my Sunday School girls I was sad to see leave my classroom. She is really, really focused;  we had an impressive turnout of grandparents!  You had to be focused!  She did a lovely presentation of  "My Jesus I Love Thee."  Thank you Lindsey. And  I thought you might appreciate if I tell my friends that you do not have a permanent white spot on your lip!!

This young man must have good side vision as he told his Grandma later that he knew Nevin took this picture! But he never turned his head; I was watching as I was so concerned that it didn't  disrupt his concentration. He had two beautiful piano solos - "Fiesta Espana" and "Legend of Madrid."   Great job, Andre'

I was so very disapppointed to have missed getting a picture of one of their great encouragers - their music teacher. I thought I would take you here to see who she is! Thank You for all your dedicated work, Jen!

I almost didn't put this picture on as you can hardly see who the students are. But I had to have one more picture of our favorite Matthew! He is the second to tallest young man! Both the students who had piano solos are on here also - both in the front row.

We appreciate Mrs. Balmer 's (bottom right of picture) work put into this day and her choice of songs!  They were truly meaningful. We could see a lot of time went into this and we are grateful to each one who made it possible for  grandparents to attend this special morning.

It is a tradition for most of the students to then leave school with their grandparents and have lunch together. It kind of feels sad to know this is our last year with Matthew at this school. Did you ever feel like you wanted to stop the clock of time?! I know you did. We want God's best for them and that means continuing to move forward with prayer. I loved this day!  Thanks for experiencing this day with me via pictures.

Here in PA. we are experiencing beautiful Autumn days and with it breathtaking sunrises and sunsets! You all know pictures don't do justice to what your eye and heart captures as you stand in awe of what you are seeing! (I do want to mention this sunrise is especially for dear xanga friend richgem as she is not a morning person! )

I worship before You, dear Father, as the all-wise Creator, the One who made heaven and earth and all that is in them, and saw that it was very good!

"Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be over all the earth."