SLEEPOVER

This week on the phone Jake asks, "Granny, can we have a sleepover on Friday night?" Now how can a grandmother say no to that! Dinner, swimming, Disney movie and lights out...

Movie watcher

This is a good likeness of me on the couch watching "Thor" on Netflix :-)

GOD SEES YOU

Isn't amazing? With the people on this earth, God sees each of us as individuals. He knows you, loves you and was even willing to die for you! You are special because the God who created the universe, keeps an eye out for you. How about you? Are you looking for God?

NEW DIET PLAN

With all the diets out and about, here is another solution to the ageless problem of "belly fat" :-) Picture taken at the ancient city of Philippi... from a 5th Century Church.

Friends

Happy Birthday to my  BFF

Ellie I Lytle

 

 

 

MORNING

Good Morning! Can you come out to play?

 

Taken at Disney Animal Kingdom

 

eyes

They say, "The eyes are the windows of the soul.

" What do people see when they look into your eyes?"

 

 

At first glance...

At first glance, this is just a dinning room table, odd chairs and checkered red table clothe.... not so special at first look. But to me it means so much more! I was coming out of a major ministry burnout. Dear friends, Laverne and Barbara, surrounded me with friendship and decided I needed to redecorate my home. They found this table for me and I loved it from the first sight! The odd chairs?.. another great friend, Ellie, took me to a Hospice Volunteer meeting in someone's home- It was there I grabbed  the idea of using random oak chairs instead of a matched set. My Mother bought one of these chairs at an auction, on my behalf. Another came from the chapel of my beloved Altoona First Presby Church. A thrift shop purchase brought the third and then Laverne added the fourth chair. My Dad influenced my love for oak furniture. And the red checkered tablecloth? Well Barbara once told me all shades of red blend together. You may only see a table and chairs...I feel the warmth of family and friends.

Down Memory Lane

I seem to be on a roll with shots from the past. Someone asked about the meaning of a "3/4 thoroughbred". My very favorite horse had a fancy name, but I called her "Pickles"!  Her blood lines were not pure thoroughbred...a non thoroughbred grandmother or father slipped into the gene pool!  My uncle raised and trained her  to run in "Point to Point" races. {Three points were designated in riding country...I am guessing a total distance of 1-2 miles. It didn't matter how the rider got to all three points, they just had to reach all three places. Fences, ditches, bridges, gates...whatever was in the way - Pickles jumped.} Yes she loved to jump and she loved to be out in front! Her boldness always made up for my lack of courage.   Come to think of it, God is a lot like that... You can always find him out in front and his courage is displayed in spite of our fear. Thanks Pickles, for all the lessons you taught me.

Lazy Days of Summer

I was about 11 when this picture was taken... "Tassie" my first pony, gave me a great start in learning to ride. She lacked that "ornery pony" gene!

"General"

As a teenager, I taught riding lessons at our farm. It was a way for me to combine two of my loves - horses and teaching. Since my 3/4 thoroughbred was way too much horse for beginners, we "borrowed" General from a family. He was the lead horse in a fox hunting club. An one eyed, gentle giant ... who had been retired from the hunt, General served my students well.  My Dad rode him in a Parent's fun competition at my Pony Club. Not bad form for a "farmer" occasional rider!

MEMORY LANE

I love this picture of my brother Lee and our Dad.

I only wish I had used a flash with the camera.

 

WORRY

Are you tied up in knots over worry? Does anxiety choke the joy and peace out of your day?
Most of us worry over things that are floating around in our heads ... the result of head splitting irrational questions, like "What if...?" This Sunday night at Orlando Presbyterian Church, we will explore Jesus' response to our anxiety. 6:00 pm at 309 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL

OWNERSHIP?

Who owns the beach?

POWER

Can you feel the power of this river in Bighorn National Park? May that kind of Holy Spirit power flow through Churches all over the globe on this Sabbath! May all believers hear the Word rightly preached and experience the sacrament's power to communicate God's redeeming love in Jesus Christ! And let it begin with each of us.

God will provide a way!

God will provide a way!

 {photo taken in Cluster State Park, S.D.}

 

 

FLYING NEXT TO A PREDATOR

To my surprise on my  plane to Orlando there was part of the Orlando Predator's indoor football team! Just a week before my grandson and I attended one of their home games, so when this young man sat down next to me, we struck up a conversation. He is Anthony Shutt, a rookie on the team, who graduated from Florida A & M. What a wonderful young man. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation. He injured his wrist in the last play off game. Pray for Anthony. 

FIRE

A most interesting end to my day of travel... Arrived in Orlando, went to baggage claim and while waiting for my checked bag, the fire alarm with off. We were directed to evacuate the area. As I walked out, I saw the smoke billowing in our direction. Fire trucks blaring ... cop cars buzzing ... smoke coming out of all the baggage claim doors... there we were lined up on the curb... our checked bags inside... traffic all blocked... It appeared to me that it was not worth waiting around for a bag, so I sought out another way to get home. 

All weekend my ankle/foot was quite painful with all the walking for the conference.  Now I was faced with walking the length of the airport, hiking up a two story non working escalator with my carry on bag, finding the other side of the airport and then walking back the length of the airport to catch my shuttle. Jesus came through! My ankle/foot held up... and a kind young man offered to carry my bag up the escalator. I arrived at church smelling a little rank and smoky! Just another day as the roamingretiredreverend! P.S. Still not sure how I will get my bag?

Louisville, KY

Spending time with my "Big Presbyterian Family" ... a convention center full of passionate Christ followers.... having fun being Presbyterian!  Yes, all those words do describe the PCUSA! Photo from my hotel room of downtown Louisville and the Ohio River