Tweaking, Floofing, Decorating!

Here's a picture from last year, to let you know what I've been up to today!  Mister has agreed to indulge me and set up our tree on Sunday.  (we usually set up in December)
Not sure exactly when it will be decorated, but it will be UP.

I'm out of photo storage again, so until I get that issue resolved my decorating inspiration for this year shall remain......unveiled.

I do hope each of you enjoyed a great Thanksgiving, and for those of you who dare to venture out on Black Friday, some great deals. 

Today was a great day to stay home, and we just finished a few pages of I SPY Christmas picture riddle book.

Have a most marvelous weekend!

Carol

A Winter Garden

I used to overwinter my geraniums.  I had the same plants for 6 or 7 years. 
This year, when Hurricane Sandy approached, I brought some of my pots indoors. 

The sunporch off the kitchen is not insulated for year round use, so the door is always shut.  But hopefully, it is warm enough to keep the plants surviving.

 When I work in the kitchen, I look out and see the blooms and greenery.

It's a beautiful, cheery feeling!

Just Keepin' It Real

I was laying on the bedroom floor, having my quiet time, and thinking.  Kind of feeling discouraged about some stuff.
So I looked out the window and saw the sun's dappled pattern on the tree, blue sky beyond.

 Sun lighting up the trees always lifts my spirit.

That's just how I roll.

Does anyone know why I can only enlarge the 1st photo on my posts these days?

Have a wonderful, sunny, peaceful weekend.

Carol

Live Like That. Grace. Love.

The election is over but emotions still run high.  As I have been spending time reflecting I have come to a conclusion.

Regardless of how each of us voted, regardless of the Electoral College votes versus the popular vote, we now have a choice.  A powerful choice.

• I choose to extend the grace that God has extended to me.  
• I choose to press in and PRAY faithfully for our president.
• I choose to no longer speak negatively of him as a person - instead I will speak life and light into his life and administration.

We KNOW what God can do.  We trust Him with what we consider the good, the hard, the difficult.  How is this different?

Pray.
Press in.
Be gracious.
Love.
Incomparable  Power......  Prayer. Changes. Things.

We still can uphold our principles, we still will obey God.  I was surprised at how distressed I was with the results.  But GOD is my hope.  My refuge.  My salvation.

And I hold on to Him, and like the Sidewalk Prophets' song says, I want to be LOVE......recklessly abandoned to Him.

Am I proof
That You are who you say You are
That grace can really change a heart
Do I live like Your love is true 

I want to live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You

If love is who I am
Then this is where I'll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back

 Below is the link to video with lyrics, and then lyrics below.  Beautiful, beautiful. 

Sidewalk Prophets, "Live Like That "  video link

Live Like That
Sometimes I think
What will people say of me
When I'm only just a memory
When I'm home where my soul belongs

Was I love
When no one else would show up
Was I Jesus to the least of those
Was my worship more than just a song

I want to live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You

If love is who I am
Then this is where I'll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back

I want to live like that
I want to live like that

Am I proof
That You are who you say You are
That grace can really change a heart
Do I live like Your love is true

People pass
And even if they don't know my name
Is there evidence that I've been changed
When they see me, do they see You

I want to live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You

If love is who I am
Then this is where I'll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back

I want to live like that
I want to live like that


I want to show the world the love You gave for me
I'm longing for the world to know the glory of the King

I want to live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You

If love is who I am
Then this is where I'll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back

I want to live like that
I want to live like that

Nuthin', but some Cape May Scenes

I feel like I've got nuthin' to blog about.
Here's a picture of The Mainstay Inn, a Victorian B & B that we stayed at in Cape May, NJ a couple of years ago.
All these pictures are from that trip.


I did post for 31 days last month, does that count for anything?


Mister had a very very busy, stressful week this week. He moved his office and had a Board Meeting and was away overnight. All in the same week.



Speaking of Mister, guess what? He has agreed to grow out his beard. I don't think he has ever done this before.
He doesn't want to do it now. But I asked him to. So he started.....TODAY!
I'm excited.



Our wedding anniversary is 3 days after Christmas. One year when we were budgeting, I asked him to shave his head, rather than leave the very short stubble that he usually keeps, for my anniversary gift.
And he did!
He is so much fun.
And I am so easily entertained.  And I did suggest his current hairstyle years ago, that was basically shaving things down pretty short.  And before that, I convinced him to keep his new goatee.  So I think I know what I'm talking about!

 
I took a fall this weekend. Landed very hard on my hands and knees, out front. Mister rushed to my side. Chickie was inside, but I guess she heard it, so she rushed and put yoga pants on (backwards, in her hurry) to make sure I was okay.


Isn't that wonderful? I felt very cared for. Chickie and I have this thing that we always check on each other if we think the other fell or got hurt. Quite solicitous that way.

 
And Mister? Well, he is crazy about me, so he always wants to help me out. I am blessed.



I do have some new pictures to post. But I have to use the other laptop for that. I have 2 laptops, and if you added them together you would get 1 not-so-great computer.



Each laptop has about 10 minutes of battery time. Only one of them can communicate with our printer. Only one of them can upload pictures from my camera.



So I take pictures and load them onto the Compaq, and then sort into blog posts. The Compaq burns my leg (literally leaves marks. Laptop Leg is real) So I don't use that computer much.

 
The Gateway was resurrected by Chickie after a 2 year sabbatical, for me. Many "plug-ins are out of date", and it can't be updated.



But if you add the 2 together, you get one computer's worth of function.

 
So now you know my little secret.



And we are still touring Cape May!



Did you know....



...that I am crazy in love with my husband? We are approaching our 11th anniversary and because of God, our marriage is better and stronger than ever. We share an extravagant love, a covenant relationship, God's example to us of His relationship with us and how He loves us.



In recent months I have learned how to truly respect my husband, how to truly be kind to him, how to encourage, support and pray Scripture over him.  I've been transformed and I am amazed.



A very godly woman commented to me on the love she sees in our marriage, and how I "look at him".

 
It's a process of transformation. It's a purifying of my heart. It's becoming the wife I always dreamed of being.


"I'm crazy for you", he whispers. He looks at me and I smile. He's holding my hand, as usual. Always holding my hand. We even watch TV that way. He loves my smile - it's a gift from God for me to give away, he says. And as I smile, he can't resist. He kisses me.