White Christmas 2010

Christmas day, 2010. So beautiful and white. So perfect. All my sons, their wives and sons, my wonderful husband, great brunch with them. Then playing in the snow. About 5, Lewis' family came over and we had a good visit with some more good food.

Lewis and didn't go anywhere for 3 days. Icy roads and we really didn't need anything.
Tuesday, we all went back to work. On the way home, Lewis was T-boned at the intersection of Ooltewah-Ringgold and East Brainerd Rd. Thank God he or Matt wasn't hurt. The truck wasn't messed up too bad. The other guys was.

Praise God for His marvelous care!!!

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful, long Thanksgiving weekend. As I was driving home from cleaning 2 houses on Wednesday, I was pulled over for speeding about a half a mile from home. I was so tired and thinking there goes the money I made today. I'm SOoo thankful to say the policeman let me go, telling me to slow down.
We had lunch on Thanksgiving Day at my niece's home. All of Lewis' brothers and sisters and his mother were there along with their families. Lots of good fun, food and fellowship. Sabbath, we had lunch at our home with all our sons, their wives and children, our nephew, Beau and our daughter-in-law, Bonnie's dad, sister, and brother.
Sunday, we went to the flea market, then to pick up some furniture to sell at the flea market later, back home to work around home - cutting wood, washing clothes, washing dishes. Then we sat down to rest and watch a good movie, "Karate Kid".
Today, it's back to the weekly routine for Lewis and Matthew. I got to stay home today and draw on a canvas to get it ready to paint.

Blessings

Such a beautiful, autumn day. Lovin' it. I cleaned 4 houses this week. I prayed for more work and God gave me more. Praise Him. Had fun buying groceries for a change. Went to 3 different stores, buying what was on sale, lots of buy one get one free. Now having to put it all away.

Got to get busy and cook some yummy food for the weekend. I've got several new recipes I want to try. Asian chicken salad wraps, Apricot-almond bars, Caramelized onion dip with fresh raw veges, Penne frittata with basil and ricotta and some kind of yummy muffins.

Going to play my guitar at Sabbath School tomorrow. Haven't done that in a while.

Matthew, my youngest son, started a full time job Tuesday. He has been working pretty regular but this is a 40 hr, get up at 5:30, punch the time clock kind of job.

Where did September go?

Wow, this month flew by. Last weekend I think was the highlight of the month. All my sons, their families, my sister Lorine and her husband and daughter all went camping with Lewis and me to our favorite camping place, Tellico River. Such a great time even with all the rain Saturday night and Sunday morning while packing. My grandsons had so much fun playing with rocks and sticks and in the water. Saturday night we sat around telling stories. We shared good food, good company and the beauty of God's creation.

Today, my mom is coming for a visit from South Georgia. Her first drive up here alone in a long time. It's been 2 and a half months since my Dad died. We are going to have a blessed visit. Tomorrow is Lewis' birthday and all my sons and their families will be together again for a wonderful, fun and food filled day of celebration of life.

Happy Birthday to my sister Lorine and me

It's my birthday. Wow! The years keep going by faster and faster. I had a wonderful visit with my mom last week. We went to a thrift store, a used book store, out to eat 3 times. That was the most one on one time I've spent with her since childhood.

Today I'm meeting my sister, Lorine for lunch. It's also her birthday. The best birthday present I ever got. My daughter-in-law, Yaha called me this morning to wish me happy birthday. My grandson, Braden and Yaha sang happy birthday to me. So sweet.

I'm enjoying my morning. Just taking it easy today. Cause hey, it's my birthday!!

Fasting from Words

My word fast last week was very enlightening, inspiring, uplifting. I was drawn close to God because I was drawing close to Him. Isn't that what He says will happen? I need to do that more often. I'll try for 3 days a month.

Making Granola

This morning I'm cooking granola. Had to have some to go with the yummy peaches we picked off our trees 2 days ago. It smells so good and it's so easy. Here's the recipe.
4 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups nuts(sliced almonds, chopped walnuts or pecans)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Stir dry ingredients together. Heat oil and honey in microwave for about a minute, add vanilla. Stir this mixture into dry ingredients. Pour into long, shallow cooking pan and bake 40 minutes stirring every 10 minutes.

Canning Peaches

Yesterday afternoon, my friend, Cheryl came over and I showed her how to can peaches. It was great fun, lots of good conversation and inspiration from her. Such a godly woman. I have been praying for something to do like this. Teaching the younger women things they maybe didn't learn growing up. I'm so thankful my mom, dad and grandmothers taught me such useful life skills. I hope to start another Bible study soon and teach bread baking, painting and along with my husband and sons and daughters-in-law we can have a teaching place for all kinds of skills such as woodworking, pottery, cake decorating,... So many ideas. I pray for God's help in making them happen.

Midday Connection

I listened to a really good radio program Friday, Midday Connection. It comes on 88.9 FM at 1 PM weekdays in the Chattanooga, TN area. On this program, Jane Rubietta talked about going on a word fast. A word fast is fasting from so many words we listen to every day and trying to focus on hearing words from God. Fasting from reading blogs, Facebook, magazines, books, e-mails, tv, news, etc. and reading only God's word. Maybe just a few verses in a passage. Dwelling on it. Not moving on until you understand what God is trying to tell you. I started today. So far, I haven't read any blogs, books, magazines. I have read my Bible. 3 times today so far. I've got such a habit, though of sitting down with my husband and watching the news and veging out for several hours before heading to bed. I do enjoy spending time with Lewis, but I think sitting in front of the TV is a waste of time when there's so much more worthwhile to do. So, I'm going for it. We'll see how it goes.

Gratitude

Today, while eating my lunch, I read as I usually do if I'm home alone. The last two days I have spent most of the day alone so I've had lots of time to think. Mostly thinking a lot about my daddy. He died last Wednesday. I'm so grateful to God for giving me such a wonderful father who always treated my mom, my sisters and me so special.

I decided to pick up a book I hadn't read in about a week.A really thought provoking, inspiring book. God in the Yard by L.L. Barkat I've been reading her blog for several months and got her book. It's a different sort of Bible study with artistic people in mind.

This is a prayer she has at the end of the chapter on gratitude. "God of good gifts, please open me, to give and receive in gratitude, by helping me face my fears and struggles. Deepen my trust in You." Amen.

My Daddy

It's hard to believe how life can change in just a day or an hour. I saw my dad alive 3 and a half weeks ago. He was weaker than I'd ever seen him but still kickin' hard.
Then last Monday my sister, Laura called and said my dad was being taken to the hospital in an ambulance. He was dehydrated. He hadn't been to the table in 2 days for a meal. Just Ensure and yogurt. Hadn't been able to go to the bathroom himself.
The second day he was in the hospital we thought he was improving then came Wednesday and I guess God said his time was up on this earth. My mom called at 5:45 AM said he's gone. What a shock! He will be greatly missed by my mom, my 3 sisters, many grandchildren, great grandchildren, lots of other friends and family.

There was a visitation in Bainbridge, GA where he lived on Thursday evening then his body was brought to Chattanooga and there was a graveside service yesterday. Then friends and family came to our house and ate and visited and talked about my daddy, Billy Bramblett. He was such a fine man. A man of honor, great character, great daddy and father, gardener, hard working man, loving husband to my mom for 59 years. I am so looking forward to seeing him in heaven looking like he did in pictures I have of him when he was young and strong and healthy.

Please Lord, Come soon and I pray that we all stay close to You, trusting You, following the way You want us to go.

July

Can't believe I haven't written here in 2 months. Been busy. Gardening, working, cleaning out closets, canning... My dad has been sick. Yesterday he went to the hospital dehydrated. He was really weak. Hadn't ate at the table for 2 days. Just Ensure and yogurt. I talked to my mom this morning and she said the doctor said they think he can get better. Praise God.

Went to Harrison Bay St Park on Sabbath to visit my son Lewie and his wife, Bonnie at their campsite. We had a really nice visit and lunch. Brought back some nasty seed ticks. Still trying to get rid of them.

My youngest son, Matthew left this morning to go to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to work remodeling a house. He will fly back in 2 weeks for the weekend then fly back down for 2 more weeks. Lewis and I will have an empty nest again for a little while anyway.

Just came in from working for about an hour in our garden. Weeded and thinned beets. The song "I come to the garden alone" almost always comes to mind when I work in the garden, especially in the morning. It's so peaceful listening to the birds singing, knowing they have no worries and I would do good to copy them in that way. I know my Lord can and will take care of all my needs and I'm so very thankful for that.

I came inside for a water break and was reading a blog. Very interesting. Seedlings in stone by L.L.Barkat http://seedlingsinstone.blogspot.com/ From her site, I went to another one very worth checking out. Artist Andy Goldsworthy

Springtime

My favorite season of the year. I love Spring. So many beautiful flowers, trees budding, hummingbirds returning. I think of new life coming up from the ground like Jesus coming up with new life from the ground after His death, burial and resurrection. We can have that new life in us by spending time daily with God reading the Bible and praying and listening to Him.

Lewis and I went to see his brother in middle Tennessee a few weeks ago. A beautiful drive and a beautiful place to live. I think this picture of Guy's barn will be my next painting.

Happy Sabbath

Today, Matt and I went to church. Helped with refreshments then went to Sabbath School. Had a good discussion on self-control. I certainly need improvement on that fruit of the Spirit. Lewie and Bonnie came over for a little while. Lewis, Matt and me went fishing in the afternoon. Beautiful day. I didn't catch anything but had a lot of fun. Came home around 6 and fixed some pizza. Good day.

How much better

I read a really inspiring prayer this morning by Chuck Swindoll that I need to remember and pray daily, "How much better to begin each day thinking victory, not defeat; to awaken to grace, not shame; to encounter each temptation with thoughts like, Jesus, You are my Lord and Savior. I am Your child - liberated and depending on Your power. Therefore, Christ, this is Your day, to be lived for Your glory. Work through my eyes, my mouth, through my thoughts and actions to carry out Your victory. And Lord, do that all day long."
I definitely need this daily because my thought and actions need guided.

Attack

We had more snow this past weekend. I was wishing for more.

This weekend I was being attacked by the enemy, Satan. He was attacking me full force with a spirit of anger, failure, bitterness. I'm better now, praise God.

I woke up this morning about 3:30 with anxiety, thinking about money. Ugh!!!
I started praying. Finally got over it.

This morning, while reading the Bible and a couple of devotionals, praying, journaling, I was able to move beyond this bad mental attitude.

We had a beautiful day of snow on Friday. Our church was canceled and we had a great day at home relaxing with my Mom and Dad who got here Friday afternoon. It took them 2 hours to go 25 miles from my sister, Lorine's house. The snow was really falling heavily. On Sabbath, Zach and Yaha and their boys came over and Lewie and Bonnie and we had a nice lunch of spinach salad, lasagna and garlic bread. Then we built a snowman.

February already?

I can't believe it's already February. The older I get, time seems to speed up. Our family had a great time on January 23. We all went fishing to Eldridge Landing. My daughter-in-law, Yaha and my grandson, Braden both caught their first fish. We built a fire and cooked hotdogs and marshmallows. We had some salads and other foods too.

Lots to do

I can hardly believe this is already the second Monday of the new year. I've lost a lot of cleaning jobs over this last year, about 2 thirds of them. I keep praying that God would send me more cleaning jobs, but I keep losing more. I think maybe God has something else He wants me to do. I'll just keep trusting my Lord, He will never fail me.

We had a great weekend. Lots of friends and family visiting. Good food and fellowship. Today, there's lots I want to get done here at home. I need to exercise, clean, work on budget, cook. I never run out of stuff to do here.

Happy New Year!

Well, it's already 7 days into the new year and I'm posting my first blog of 2010. I'm finally feeling well after over 3 weeks of being sick in December. Went to doctor on December 23 after feeling so bad for too long. Cold, turned into sinusitus, I don't know what else. Got antibiotics. One week later, woke up with a rash, hives. Went back to doc. Got an epinephrine shot and prescription for prednisone. Got worse before I got better. Praise God I'm better.

I've lost a lot of cleaning jobs over the last year. Over two thirds of them. Every time I lose another one, I say to God as Job did, The Lord gives, the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord. I'm praying for more work and also if God wants me to do something else, I'm praying He makes it clear to me. Maybe He wants me to spend more time painting, or with my grandsons, or teaching the younger women to be good wives and mothers or some other ministry. I don't know. But I do know this. I'm willing. Lord, show me.