Blessings to You, Memorial Day

And 620,000 casualties from the Civil War.

DD went to the Union cemetery at Gettysburg on Saturday. Heart wrenching. Thank God for preserving our country through all these wars, even the one which threatened from within. Praying He’ll preserve us from turning our backs on Him altogether. A different kind of warfare.

It is Finished

(Image Credit: http://heycheng.tumblr.com)

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. 1 Peter 3:18

Still Gonna Die

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. -    1 Timothy 4:8  

Still Gonna Die by Old Dogs (1998)

So your taking better care of your body, becoming more aware of your body, responding to your bodies needs, everything you hear and read about diets, nutrition, and sleeping position, and detoxifying the system and buying machines that they advertise to help you exercise, herbs to revitalize you if your traumatized, soaps that will sanitize, spays to deodorize, liquids to neutralize, acids and pesticides, free weights to maximize your strength and muscle size, shots that will immunize, pills to reenergize you but remember that for all your pain and gain eventually the story ends the same

So you quit smoking but your still gonna die, cut out coking but your still gonna die
Eliminate everything fatty or fried, and you get real healthy but your still gonna die

Stop drinking booze and your still gonna die, stay away from Kool’s and son your still gonna die
You can cut out coffee and never get high but your still gonna, still gonna, still gonna die

Your still gonna, still gonna, still gonna die, still gonna, still gonna, still gonna die
You can even give a roller one more try but when the music is over your still gonna die

Put seat belts in your car your still gonna die, cut nicotine and tar your still gonna die
You can exercise that cellulite off of your thigh, get slimmer and trimmer but your still gonna die

Stop kissing and tell your still gonna die, you can eat a lot of oat bran but your still gonna die
You can search for UFO’s up in the sky, they might fly you to Mars where your still gonna die

Your still gonna, still gonna, still gonna die, still gonna, still gonna, still gonna die
And all the Reeboks and Nikes and Diggers you buy, you can jog up to heaven and your still gonna die

Drink Ginseng tonic your still gonna die, try high colonics your still gonna die
You can have yourself frozen suspended in time, but when they do thaw you out your still gonna die

You can have safe sex your still gonna die, you can switch to Crest but your still gonna die
You can get rid of stress, get a lot of rest, get an aids test, enroll if Estes
Move out west where it’s sunny and dry, and you’ll live to be a hundred but your still gonna die

Your still gonna, still gonna, still gonna die, still gonna, still gonna, still gonna die
So you better have some fun before you say bye-bye
Cause your still gonna, still gonna, still gonna still gonna,
Still gonna, still gonna, still gonna die

Have You Been There?

So today I get the following email from a "friend?" LOL Enjoy!

I have been in many places, but I've never been in Cahoots. Apparently, you can't go alone. You have to be in Cahoots with someone.

I've also never been in Cognito. I hear no one recognizes you there.

I have, however, been in Sane. They don't have an airport; you have to be driven there. I have made several trips there, thanks to my friends, family and work.

I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump, and I'm not too much on physical activity anymore.

I have also been in Doubt. That is a sad place to go, and I try not to visit there too often.

I've been in Flexible, but only when it was very important to stand firm.

Sometimes I'm in Capable, and I go there more often as I'm getting older.

One of my favorite places to be is in Suspense! It really gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps up the old heart! At my age I need all the stimuli I can get!

I may have been in Continent, but I don't remember what country I was in.

Today is one of the many National Mental Health Days throughout the year. You can do your bit by remembering to send an e-mail to at least one unstable person. My job is done!

Life is too short for negative drama & petty things. So laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly!

From one to another: I hope everyone is happy in your head - we're all doing pretty good in mine!

Mom's Clothesline

Well, hi, folks. Sorry I'm not blogging much these days, but hope all is well with my old friends. Got this email a few days ago, and yesterday my clothesline fell down, so it seemed appropriate to post this while my dear hubby right now tries to hook it to a different tree.

Love this one and yes, there were people who really did all the correct things in hanging clothes.

I remember my grandmother and mother doing all of these things.

Of course you washed the whites first, then the medium colored and last was the dark dirty work clothes. I've seen this done in during a drought, you used the wash water to wash the floor, then it was dumped on the few dried veggies you had growing. The rinse water you washed the kids feet and it also got dumped on the veggie patches.

Remembering Mom's Clothesline

There is one thing that's left out. We had a long wooden pole (clothes pole) that was used to push the clotheslines up so that longer items (sheets/pants/etc.) didn't brush the ground and get dirty.

You have to be a "certain age" to appreciate this one....

(But you YOUNGER ones can read about "The GOOD ol' days"!!)

I can hear my mother now.....

THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES:

(If you don't even know what clotheslines are, better skip this.)

1. You had to hang the socks by the toes... NOT the top.

2. You hung pants by the BOTTOM/cuffs... NOT the waistbands.

3. You had to WASH the clothesline(s) before hanging any clothes - walk the entire length of each line with a damp cloth around the lines.

4. You had to hang the clothes in a certain order, and always hang "whites" with "whites," and hang them first.

5. You NEVER hung a shirt by the shoulders - always by the tail! What would the neighbors think?

6. Wash day on a Monday! NEVER hang clothes on the weekend, or on Sunday, for Heaven's sake!

7. Hang the sheets and towels on the OUTSIDE lines so you could hide your "unmentionables" in the middle (perverts & busybodies, y'know!)

8. It didn't matter if it was sub-zero weather... clothes would "freeze-dry."

9. ALWAYS gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left on the lines were "tacky"!

10. If you were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did not need two clothes pins, but shared one of the clothes pins with the next washed item.

11. Clothes off of the line before dinner time, neatly folded in the clothes basket, and ready to be ironed.

12. IRONED???!! Well, that's a whole OTHER subject!



And now a POEM ...


A clothesline was a news forecast, To neighbours passing by,

There were no secrets you could keep, When clothes were hung to dry.

It also was a friendly link, For neighbours always knew

If company had stopped on by, To spend a night or two.

For then you'd see the "fancy sheets", And towels upon the line;

You'd see the "company table cloths", With intricate designs.

The line announced a baby's birth, From folks who lived inside,

As brand new infant clothes were hung, So carefully with pride!

The ages of the children could, So readily be known

By watching how the sizes changed, You'd know how much they'd grown!

It also told when illness struck, As extra sheets were hung;

Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe too, Haphazardly were strung.

It also said, "On vacation now", When lines hung limp and bare.

It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged, With not an inch to spare!

New folks in town were scorned upon, If wash was dingy and gray,

As neighbours' carefully raised their brows, And looked the other way.

But clotheslines now are of the past, For dryers make work much less.

Now what goes on inside a home, Is anybody's guess!

I really miss that way of life, It was a friendly sign

When neighbors' knew each other best... By what hung out on that line.

Merry Christmas!!

Many blessings to you and your family as we celebrate His first coming!

Thou didst leave thy throne 
And thy kingly crown 
ManyWhen thou camest to earth for me, 
But in Bethlehem's home 
Was there found no room 
For Thy holy nativity: 
O come to my heart Lord Jesus; 
There is room in my heart for thee! 

Heaven's arches rang 
When the angels sang 
Proclaiming Thy royal degree; 
But of lowly birth 
Cam'st Thou, Lord, on earth, 
And in great humility; 
O come to my heart Lord Jesus; 
There is room in my heart for thee! 

The foxes found rest 
And the bird its nest 
In the shade of the forest tree; 
But Thy couch was the sod, 
O Thou Son of God, 
In the deserts of Galilee: 
O come to my heart Lord Jesus; 
There is room in my heart for thee! 

Thou camest, O Lord, 
With the living word, 
That should set Thy people free; 
But, with mocking scorn, 
And with crown of thorn, 
They bore Thee to Calvary: 
O come to my heart Lord Jesus; 
Thy Cross is my only plea! 

When heaven's arches shall ring, 
And her choirs shall sing 
At Thy coming to victory, 
Let they voice call me home, 
Saying, 'Yet there is room- 
There is room at My side for thee!' 
And my heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus, 
When Thou camest and callest for me.

For Waltons Lovers

Giving Thanks

If these darling creatures can give thanks for God's provisions, then surely we can. Hope you are all well and your families blessed of the Lord. We are doing fine.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Cooler Corn

Photograph by Scott DeSimon This is one of those forwards I like to pass on from time to time, so here it is: Am I the only person who hasn't heard of "cooler corn"? As an obsessive food nerd, you'd expect that I would have at least heard of it, but over the weekend I was blindsided by the simple genius of this method for cooking loads of corn on the cob perfectly. I was hepped to it while visiting my family in Maine. Short story: We like corn on the cob. And with eight adults at the table, that means a couple of dozen ears. We would have used the lobster pot to cook them all, but the lobster pot was busy steaming lobster.Then my sister, a capable Maine cook with years of camping experience says "let's do cooler corn!" Before I can ask "what is cooler corn?" a Coleman cooler appears from the garage, is wiped clean, then filled with the shucked ears. Next, two kettles-full of boiling water are poured over the corn and the top closed. Then nothing. When we sat down to dinner 30 minutes later and opened it, the corn was perfectly cooked. My mind was blown. And I'm told that the corn will remain at the perfect level of doneness for a couple of hours. Turns out, Cooler Corn is pretty well known among the outdoorsy set But for those of us who avoid tents as much as possible, it's perfect for large barbecues and way less of mess than grilling. In fact, I may even buy another cooler just so I'm ready for next summer. Now that I'm in the know.

__._,_.___

Three Year Old Shana!

Well you can see early autumn is grandchildren birthday time in our family, and today it's Shana's time to shine. Three years old!! 

Shana, you are our sweet little cuddly girl. Always ready and willing to snuggle with the people you love. You make us happy when you look at us with those eyes and give us those hugs and kisses. You're a big girl. now!! For almost three years you've been the baby girl and the little sister, but now you're also a big sister. You really surprised some of us. Being the baby for all your life, I was thinking MAYBE you'd be just a little envious of the new baby that was coming to your house, But almost a month ago, your new little sister arrived and NOBODY loves her more than you do. I remember how you warmed our hearts the way you kept saying "Awwwww, look at her. Look at the little baby. Look at her little hands. Awww." Well you've always been one who loves baby dolls and now you have one who's living and breathing right in your house. And you're still as sweet to her as the first day, giving her lots of kisses. Someday, I think you're going to be a good mommy and your children will love you as much as you love your own mommy. 

Someday, we all hope you will be as accepting and loving to Jesus as you are to the people you care about. Someday, we all hope you'll live up to the Proverbs 31:30 verse your mommy and daddy have given you to live by, and that you will be a woman who fears the Lord, and that will make you beautiful.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Hugs and Kisses,

Nanna

Another Girlie!!

God in His kind mercies has added another girlie to our family. My husband and I are rejoicing to see yet another granddaughter added to the number. Now there are three!!! Sariah Grace arrived on Tuesday, September 13, 2011, weighing in at seven pounds, two ounces, 20 inches long, and adorable as all get out!

If you will look closely, you will see the loving hands of her big sister, Shana, who was the last arrival almost three years ago. (How time has flown.) Big sister, Selena, now five, was somewhere around too. I don't know which one adores her more! 

All you grandmoms are sure to know the excitement we're feeling right now. We are richly blessed.

Five Years Old!

I can hardly believe it was five years ago today. I heard your first cries from the other side of the curtain in the delivery room and waited so your daddy and mommy could have a few minutes with just the three of you. When I first saw you, you were only about three minutes old and I loved you right from the start. Actually even before that. There was a lot of excitement that day and there were many people who came to see you and they all fell in love with you as soon as they saw you. Of course for me, PopPop and Auntie Nee, our love for you has only grown as these five years have gone by. But that's because you're so easy to love. You have such a bright and happy spirit. You're so helpful and friendly and excited about learning new things. The Lord has given you a mind that likes learning new things which you are very good at. You are a blessing to all of us and we thank the Lord for bringing you into our lives.

Our biggest prayer for you is not so much that you be smarter than anybody else or that you can run faster or jump higher than anybody else, but that you will love Jesus with all your heart and that he helps you to be the kind of person that pleases Him. We kind of think we see  Him already working in your heart and that makes all of us very happy.

Thanks for wanting to share your big day with us. We had a wonderful time with you and Shae-Shae this weekend. 

God bless you, dear Selena, and may heaven smile on you this coming year.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Kisses and Hugs, 

Nanna

Beautiful Savior

Please forgive me my dear friends for my gross neglect of this blog and of you. Please be blessed by this reminder of the beauty of our Savior, which I posted before. He is worthy of all our praise.

To Kill an American

(Received in a forwarded email recently)

You probably missed this in the rush of news, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper, an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.
So an Australian dentist wrote an editorial the following day to let everyone know what an American is . So they would know when they found one. (Good one, mate!!!!)
'An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish , Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan.
An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.

An American is Christian , or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan . The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses.

An American is also free to believe in no religion.. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.

An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence , which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.

An American is generous.. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return.

When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country!


As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan .. The national symbol of America , The Statue of Liberty , welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built America.

Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11 , 2001 earning a better life for their families. It's been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists. So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo , and Stalin , and Mao Tse-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world.. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself . Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.

Are You Up for This?

THIS IS GREAT for wordsmiths! Read all the way to the end. This took a lot of work to put together. You think English is easy??? Read to the end ... a new twist 1) The bandage was wound around the wound. 2) The farm was used to produce produce. 3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse. 4) We must polish the Polish furniture. 5) He could lead if he would get the lead out. 6) The peasant decided to desert his dessert in the desert. 7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present. 8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum. 9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes. 10) I did not object to the object. 11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid. 12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row. 13) They were too close to the door to close it. 14) The buck does funny things when the does are present. 15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line. 16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow. 17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail. 18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear. 19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests. 20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend? Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France . Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig. If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it? In what other language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell? How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on. English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. PS. - Why doesn't 'Buick' rhyme with 'quick' ? You lovers of the English language might enjoy this: here is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is 'UP.' It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP ? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP ? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report ? We call UP our frie nds. And we use it to brighten UP a room, polishUP the silver; we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car. At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special. And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP. We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP! To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions. If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP . When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things UP. When it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry UP. One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP for now my time is UP, so........it is time to shut UP!