3 Gifts Entwined

Early Friday morning.

Outside. Backyard with my dog, Freddy.

Thankful I am for the old flower arrangement tied to the arbor. HA! It has survived a few big snow storms and wind storms and rain storms.

Thankful I am for the Clematis. Soon I hope to be outside in warm weather cutting it down to the ground so new growth may birth.

Thankful I am for the twisted wreath on our back door.

3 Gifts Almost Gone

March 26!

What happened? What about that saying?

March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb,

The wind howls as I wrote this afternoon. It still feels like winter outside---even my dog doesn't want to go out for too long of a walk. I don't either!

But Spring-like weather will come to us soon as surely as this wind blows the acorns down from the pine trees in our backyard.

There is the gift of the lifeless and frozen garden:

I know in my heart and soul the garden will soon be warm and full of life (And my dog, Freddy, will be back playing in his pink plastic pool!):

July 7, 2013

There is the gift of the rose bush, dormant, strong:

I know in my heart and soul the rose bush will soon explode with color, beautiful and fragrant:

August 8, 2013

And there is the gift of our garden in the front yard still somewhat covered in snow:

I know in my heart and soul the daises and zinnias will soon once again bloom: 

Thankful I am.

To every thing there is a season.

Gifts Found In His Word; Doves

"And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth."
~Genesis 8:11

"And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” 
~Matthew 3:16-17

"Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” 
~Luke 3:21-22

"Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful; your eyes are doves."
~Song of Solomon 1:15

Thankful I am.

Then he sent out a dove from him, to see if the water was abated from the face of the land; but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, so she returned to him into the ark, for the water was on the surface of all the earth. Then he put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the ark to himself. So he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dove from the ark. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/doves#sthash.FdrHIlUT.dpufG

Then he sent out a dove from him, to see if the water was abated from the face of the land; but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, so she returned to him into the ark, for the water was on the surface of all the earth. Then he put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the ark to himself. So he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dove from the ark - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/doves#sthash.hOVyDT8m.dpuf

Then he sent out a dove from him, to see if the water was abated from the face of the land; but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, so she returned to him into the ark, for the water was on the surface of all the earth. Then he put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the ark to himself. So he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dove from the ark.  - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/doves#sthash.hOVyDT8m.dpuf

Then he sent out a dove from him, to see if the water was abated from the face of the land; but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, so she returned to him into the ark, for the water was on the surface of all the earth. Then he put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the ark to himself. So he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dove from the ark.  - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/doves#sthash.hOVyDT8m.dpuf

Then he sent out a dove from him, to see if the water was abated from the face of the land; but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, so she returned to him into the ark, for the water was on the surface of all the earth. Then he put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the ark to himself. So he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dove from the ark.  - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/doves#sthash.hOVyDT8m.dpuf

Then he sent out a dove from him, to see if the water was abated from the face of the land; but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, so she returned to him into the ark, for the water was on the surface of all the earth. Then he put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the ark to himself. So he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dove from the ark.  - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/doves#sthash.hOVyDT8m.dpuf

Then he sent out a dove from him, to see if the water was abated from the face of the land; but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, so she returned to him into the ark, for the water was on the surface of all the earth. Then he put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the ark to himself. So he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dove from the ark.  - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/doves#sthash.hOVyDT8m.dpuf

A Gift Salty, Sweet, Just Right

Susan said, "99 is selling Lobster Rolls. Let's Go!"

And we went.

And the funny thing is we ordered steak and fish.

I ordered  a small steak with onions and Susan ordered salmon with a balsamic glaze. My steak was as good as the one I had at a very expensive steak house a few weeks ago.

Gosh. Both meals were so good. And the service was excellent. Thank You Jim!

We gave each other a taste of our dinners.

HA! We'll go back for a Lobster Roll some day for lunch. And we will.

But count our blessing. Here we are struggling to make ends meet and we are eating out.

Why? Because we have prayed. We have given thanks. We are counting are blessing.

We know something is coming. Something good. Something Grand. Something from God.

And the desert? A Gift so salty. So sweet. So right.

A Tin Roof Sunday with Salted Nuts. YUM!

Thank You 99.

Thank You God.

Thankful I am.

A Gift, Salty, Sweet, Just Right

Thankful I am!

3 Gifts That Make Me Laugh

Freddy:

Sock Monkey:

Susan:

Thankful I am.

3 Gifts Eaten

March 19.

Breakfast.

Lunch.

Dinner.

Counting blessings. How can we not???!!!

We are blessed.

Thank You God for these gifts which we received

through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Breakfast:

Olives and Cream Cheese on English Muffin. Have you ever eaten one of these?

I grew up eating them. Love!

My mom would pack my lunch of olive and cream cheese sandwiches when I was in elementary school. I never traded these for a friend's lunch. I loved them.

Lunch:

Homemade Split Pea Soup (The ham-bone a gift from my sister, Michelle, at a family get-together a week ago in New Jersey; don't worry--I froze it for one week!) and Sliced Chicken Breast with salad and pickled jalapeno peppers on toast (The chicken leftover from last night's dinner of baked chicken breasts with capers and artichokes.)

Dinner:

Slow-cooked Pork Tenderloin with rice and roasted green beans with walnuts.

A little bit leftover for pulled pork sandwiches tomorrow!

And if you enjoy cooking, check-out Bruce's Kitchen.

Thankful I am.