Mary's Tea Cottage

Spiritual Sundays ~ One Day At A Time

2010-05-16T15:11:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone.

I'm so sorry it's taking me so long to get back to my blog. I really want to come back soon and share things with you, but it is a slow process. Just know that I am okay, and thinking about all of you, missing your blogs and comments very much. The Lord is just working in me so many ways, and I'm somewhat overwhelmed, but I'm starting to see where He's taking me. I's truly ONE DAY AT A TIME!

I'm really late in getting this post on for Spiritual Sundays, but when I saw this, I didn't want to wait til next week. Please click on the following link and be uplifted! If it doesn't click on for you, please paste and copy...it's worth it!

http://www.frontiernet.net/~jimdandy/specials/onedayatatime/onedayatatime.htm

I hope it works because the words are wonderful. I've heard from a couple of you already that it didn't work, so tomorrow or the next day, I'll type the words out for you...not of the song, but of what is on this website. Confusing???

Love to all of you wonderful friends in blogland!

Mary

I Exalt Thee

2010-03-13T12:42:00.001-08:00

I'm happy to be joining Amy for Then Sings My Soul Saturday, and Charlotte and Ginger for Spiritual Sundays. It's taking me awhile to get back to blogging, which is funny, because I have so very much to say! Today, though, this is exactly where I am. In the midst of daily activities, plus the added chore of spring cleaning and decluttering, I find that everything comes to gentle stops throughout the day, as I reflect on PURPOSE and PEACE. What are they, and how do I find them? This is my answer.

Love to all,

Mary

Checking in

2010-03-04T22:39:00.000-08:00

Hello my wonderful blogging friends! I have to tell you that I had no idea I would be away for so long. What started as a two or three week declutting endeavor has turned into a miserable sinus infection, which has left me with a house full of clutter! I managed to do some decluttering and got several cupboards and drawers organized, but the infection has caused some dizziness, so much of what I brought out of the cabinets remain on my dining table until I can finish the job. Thinking it was a long lasting, bad cold, I didn't go to the doctor til two weeks ago, when the dizziness started to worry me...the first round of antibiotics didn't do the trick, so I'm on the second round. I am so ready to be over this!

Just briefly, I also want to tell you that during this time, I have been doing a lot of thinking, a lot of praying, and made some discoveries about life...my life and life in general. Sometimes it takes a "time out", getting off the treadmill, and stopping long enough to listen to God's voice...often, we won't do it unless we have to...getting sick seems to get our attention. Anyway, I want to share some of those insights along the way. We all have them, and I want and need to hear what God is saying to you as well. I've missed that these last two months...your blogs always encourage and inspire...I hope that mine will do the same for you.

I subscribe to "Wisdom from the Psalms"and receive emails each day, with a scripture and commentary ...this one came yesterday, and it spoke to me, as it is something I'm dealing with right now...my attitude in times of trial. More on that later. I hope you are blessed by this as I was.

Psalm 23:4
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

"To look at Bess and to listen to her talk, you would never have thought she was dying of cancer. She always had the same smile on her face and a kind word for everyone who came to see her. The other patients spent a lot of time with her, because her spirit seemed to be contagious. She ministered to her roommates by remaining cheerful and positive. Even the thought of death couldn't take Bess's dynamic humor from her.

The love of God can help us to endure many things. Circumstances that ordinarily knock us flat are a s nothing when face-to-face with the power of God. Cry out to God in times of affliction, and He will comfort you and lift you above the fear of evil things. Truly, our help is in the Lord."

Prayer: There is nothing in this life, Lord, that I cannot face as long as You are with me. Amen.

One of the greatest gifts God has given us is each other...it's no wonder He tells us to love one another as He loves us...and believe me, the love I have felt through your comments is overwhelming. I have finally read all of them, and will respond as soon as I can. I SOOOOO appreciate you!

Praying that the Lord bless all of you. So much is happening in our world...politics, catastrophes, war, disease and death...let's remember how blessed we are and continue to pray for those that have great needs right now.

Mary

Invisible Mom

2010-01-21T15:38:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone. It seems like a century since I last blogged or visited any of you, even though its only been a few days or so. What I thought was going to be a two to three week endeavor to declutter and get my house in order has made itself clear to me that we are looking at a much longer process. Because hubby needed to find things more readily, I decided to begin in the kitchen and laundry room, where I have cabinets and a pantry. Today, all of the food ended up on the counters and table, while I tried to strip old contact paper - don't even think about it - from the shelves. We are also making new shelves for the pantry, because hubby had installed louvered doors, but that cost some space...you know we need every inch of space, right? Isn't it interesting how cleaning makes everything look like a cyclone had just blown through your home?

I have another cold, so I'm in slow motion to do much of anything, so as I took one of my many breaks to rest, I found this email that I had to immediately post for all of you to read. I hope you enjoy it.

INVISIBLE MOTHER

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store..

Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously, not.

No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.

I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated sum a cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going; she's going; she is
gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England.

Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling
pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.'

It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe .. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To My Dear Friend, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.

These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam; He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it..' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.

It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'you're going to love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right; And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOM!

Take care, everyone...God bless you all...please join me in praying for Haiti...God must have His hand on this country, as it continues to remain, though much travesty has tried to destroy it. I believe there must be praying people living there, as God has revealed His grace many times in the face of such horror.

And remember our troops and their families...please cover them in prayer as well.

Mary

We're still alive!

2010-01-11T11:15:00.000-08:00

Hello, my dear blogging friends...Thank you, thank you, thank you, so very much for all your wonderful comments and emails of well wishes...hearing from you is just what the doctor ordered! There is such great comfort in knowing that people care about you. I only feel bad because I haven't been around to visit all of you and do the same...we all need to know that we are missed and that someone enjoys hearing from us...I really, really enjoy hearing from you!

I'm just taking a few minutes to let you know that we are doing much better, and my husband is just finishing his second round of antibiotics for pneumonia, and seems to be beating it this time. My daughter has escaped any illness...Praise God! Needless to say, I am exhausted, drained, pooped, and tired. The christmas tree is down, but everything is still up, and I have no energy to tackle it. Neighbors and friends have been wonderful about bringing food, and making sure we aren't starving...not that missing a few meals would hurt us!

I feel a very strong calling to get my house in order...since last September, when I had to go to emergency and then to urgent care two times, I've realized that I must get my head out of the sand and deal with important issues...one of which is to get a living trust and will prepared so my daughter will be provided for. I think 've lived in denial for years, but the thought occured to me, "What if I don't come home from the hospital...what will happen to my daughter?" I also need to take a serious look at all my "stuff", as my husband is having a difficult time finding things, or he's running into things, or he's breaking things. The cabinets need to be reorganized and everything has to be put in a certain place so he can find it...same thing with the refrigerator. Its easy for me to forget that he can't see like I do, and I just put things wherever there's a spot, but that doesn't work for him...I will find him standing in front of the fridge or the cupboard, searching for whatever, and I realize that it has to change...and I have to change it. I have to consider packing things up and storing them, or getting rid of them altogether. That will be difficult for me...I love my "stuff"...having pretty things around me, dishes and teacups, all those breakable things!...but they are in his way, so it will take some real creative planning to display them without having them out and in the path of destruction! Perhaps it is time to let go and feel the freedom...I'm ready for the "less is more" lifestyle...gaining freedom from the cares of the world is something that has been on my mind for a very long time!

There is a place in my heart that is not right about all this...perhaps I am on the pity-pot and a little resentful that my life isn't like that of my friends. I don't have the freedoms that most women my age have, and there are times the load seems too difficult for me to carry. BUT...I KNOW that isn't true...I am able bodied, I have sooooooo much to be grateful for...I want for nothing, and God has been so good to me, how can I complain? Yet I find that I do, and it has to stop. I have to stand back and take a hard look at my attitude and also my habits...lack of good organization can take me to the heights of irritation and depression...my daughter has a paper fettish, so I'm constantly removing papers from her grasp, and sometimes forget where I've stashed them...spending hours looking for a paper is frustrating.

Its time for some true new year's resolutions. I have to be careful not to get sidetracked and let the Tyranny of the Urgent control me. Have any of you read that marvelous little book? It is quite tiny, but is packed with important truths that can change lives. There is also a workbook, but I don't have it...perhaps its time.

Anyway, this year I will be 65, and I've decided that there is a fork in my road...I will either get healthier, both in mind and body, or I will slide into neglect and deterioration...its my choice. This takes much thought and even more prayer, because I don't have the knowledge or wisdom to get me through, but the Lord does, and my dependence is on Him. One thing I know...I must listen to the still, quiet voice of God, and immediately carry out His directions. With my family circumstances as they are, my future is truly in His hands, and that scares me, because I don't know what His plans are. I can't control any of it...I can't heal my daughter's brain or my husband's eyes, and I can't guarantee that I will outlive them...if I could outlive them, I could make sure they were taken care of...I could control it...but I can't, so my faith must be strong.

And so my blogging may be on hold for another week, or perhaps two, or maybe even three, but I do want to come back with a sense of peace and clarity, and with happy things to talk about. I will visit and post as often as I can, as I do miss all of you so very much. I want to tell you what is happening in my heart as well as sharing tea things and decorating with you. I so enjoy all of the beautiful stories and photos that you all share with me, and they lift my spirits so very much...I want to do the same for you...i want to re-do my blog background, create better photos, etc....for now, though, I'm just not there.

God bless you all...my prayers are with each and every one of you.

Mary

It finally hit me!

2009-12-29T23:58:00.001-08:00

First my granddaughter, then my husband, and now me...a very bad cold. Its not the flu, thank goodness, but I think its gone into bronchitis. Hubby has pneumonia and is on meds, and I'm taking vitamin C and benadryl, with an occasional Advil. Hope to be back to visiting and posting very soon...I miss all of you!

Hope your Christmas was wonderful, and that the new year brings many blessings!

Love to all,

Mary

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T00:24:00.000-08:00

Wishing all of my wonderful blogging friends a very joyful and blessed Christmas day as we rejoice in the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ!

Love to all,

Mary

Tea Things Tuesday at Tea

2009-12-15T09:45:00.001-08:00

Its Tuesday, and time to join Kim for Tea Things Tuesday. Kim has run out of tea things…can you imagine?…so today is our last get together…be sure to visit Kim and the other tea lovers and see what they’ve chosen to show you…I know you’ll love everything! Just click on that little teacup to the right, and you’ll be there!

The Rose Petal Tea Society had their December tea on Saturday, and I’d like to share some photos with you. It would have been great to have all of you there, too…this is a great group of ladies, and I know you would love them, and they would love you!

In case you don’t remember, the Rose Petal Tea Society is a tea club that we started over 5 years ago. In the first year, we went to tea, or had a tea in a home, every other month. By the second year, we had decided that we wanted to meet every month…we just couldn’t wait til the next tea! There are about 18 of us, and we usually see at least 14 in attendance, so we have to find extra chairs, put tables together, etc., to fit us together, but we always have a fantastic couple of hours together. Because this is our December tea, of course, it also became our Christmas tea, so we exchanged gifts…it was great fun…we were just like those little girls of years ago, waiting in anticipation to see what we got!

Do you see this gorgeous crocheted tablecloth? If I could have fit it under my jacket, it would have been in my house today! And the Christmas plates that are clear, but with an etched design were stunning…I only wish I could have captured the detail better…they were outstanding…and vintage… so we can’t just run out and buy them!

Is this teapot beautiful, or what? It isn’t actually a Christmas teapot, but the colors lend to the season perfectly, especially sitting alongside the Christmas cactus plants, just beginning to bloom…such a pretty sight!

Notice the little Christmas village on the sideboard behind the ladies, and the framed artwork on the wall…lovely vintage items in this beautiful home! No, no, I don’t mean the girls….oh, my, no way!

Keep your grubby hands off my gift!

“Afternoon Tea”…a book full of new ideas and recipes…YUM!

This is a real teacup made into a pin cushion…adorable!

Our lovely hostesses, Kathy and Sheila…thank you for a wonderful tea!

I hope you enjoyed our tea party! I’m sorry I didn’t show you last month’s tea…it was also beautiful, but my photos didn’t turn out, so I didn’t post them. Maybe a new camera will be under my tree this year?

I also had a small tea on Friday for my Bible study friends…here a few photos of the table before they arrived.

Ever since I changed my blog background to the three column, my photos have been chopped off on the right side…any ideas on that?

I have been really much more busy than I want to be, and haven’t had time to answer emails, or visit your blogs, but I hope to be caught up enough to find an hour tonight to do so…I miss seeing everything you’re doing, or writing about…visiting my blogging friends refreshes me, and I am really missing that right now! Just know that, even if I’m not leaving a comment, you’re in my thoughts and prayers!

God bless you all…have a wonderful day!

Mary

Spiritual Sundays~Santa Or Jesus?

2009-12-13T08:41:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday Morning to everyone. I'm joining Charlotte and Ginger for Spiritual Sundays...please join me by clicking on the blue sky to the right.

Yesterday, I posted a very moving video about Santa bringing the soldiers home...if you didn't get a chance to see it yet, I hope you will today. A sweet little girl's voice sings to us, as she asks Santa to bring her daddy home. It was her heart's cry to someone in whom she believed could bring anything she asked for. No doubt, every wish on her Christmas list had been filled by her parents, but she won't know that until she's older. I thought about it...we know who the true Giver of gifts is...do we have that kind of faith in Him? Do we trust Him enough to pray for our needs? Or do we receive gifts, and somehow think that they came from someone else...like "good luck", or "fate", or "our own hard work"?

Do we treat Him like a Santa Claus, and only talk to Him when we want something?

Why Jesus is Better Than Santa Claus

Santa lives at the North Pole...
JESUS is everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh...
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.

Santa comes but once a year...
JESUS is an ever present help.

Santa fills your stockings with goodies...
JESUS supplies all your needs.

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited...
JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters your heart when invited.

You have to wait in line to see Santa...
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.

Santa lets you sit on his lap...
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, what's your name?"...
JESUS knew our name before we were born. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.

Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly...
JESUS has a heart full of love

All Santa can offer is HO HO HO...
JESUS offers health, help and hope.

Santa says "You better not cry"...
JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you."

Santa's little helpers make toys...
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.

Santa may make you chuckle but...
JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

While Santa puts gifts under your tree...
JESUS became our gift and died on a tree...the cross.

We need to put Christ back in CHRISTmas, Jesus is still the reason for the season.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
~~~~~

NOTE: I posted this morning while getting ready for church and failed to copy and paste the link from which I found this...it is from http://www.thoughts-about-god.com/christmas/jesus_better.htm. A few of the first commenters thought I wrote it, and while I greatly appreciate the wonderful words of praise, I am NOT that creative! When I found it, I just copied and pasted it to my post, and had to hurry off, then all during the service, I thought about it and hoped no one would think it was me...I'm so sorry...I did not intend to deceive you into thinking that I wrote it. Whoever did write it did a wonderful job.

May your Sunday be filled with love and wonder...God bless you all!

Mary

Then Sings My Soul Saturday for the Soldiers

2009-12-12T08:34:00.000-08:00

I hope you are all doing great this wonderful pre Christmas week-end...that your shopping is finished, and you are enjoying a peaceful time reflecting on the gifts you've already received this year...health, family, food, and shelter.

Please join me as I fill my morning with song by visiting Amy for Then Sings My Soul Saturdays. I wasn't going to participate today, as I am still very busy, but I found this video and had to share with you.

We know it isn't Santa that brings them home, so please join me as I pray for our wonderful soldiers, that He will bring some home, and those that cannot come home for Christmas will feel the love of their families from far away, and that they feel the presence of God walking with them...that they are covered with a blanket of His protection as they sacrifice their comfort, and sometimes their lives, with their courage and dedication to the freedom that has been given to us by Almighty God.

May the good Lord bless each and every one of you.

Mary

White Wednesday~It Snowed! and Rednesday~My New Scarf

2009-12-08T21:51:00.001-08:00

Please join our lovely hostesses, Kathleen for White Wednesday, and Sue for Rednesday…you can find their buttons on the right…one click and you’ll be able to visit many wonderful blogs, full of colorful and festive items just waiting for you to see!

Yes, we had snow! We are just about an hour east of San Francisco, so snow is not something we see at our elevation, which is just above sea level, so you can only guess at the excitement we all felt when we woke up to SNOW!

What is interesting is that the snow didn’t come down on my city, but only on the neighboring cities! I’m not sure exactly why, but the only reason I can think of is that we are just a few feet lower, and it missed us. As we drove up the street, we could see the snow on the mountaintops, and when we got to the corner of the intersection and looked to the right, we couldn’t believe what we saw…there were blankets of snow right in front of our eyes!

For all of you bloggers that are showing photos of snow in your front or back yards, this is nothing, but for us, its wonderful! Its a miracle we didn’t get into an accident…I was snapping pictures as I was driving, often veering off to one side of the road altogether, and at some places, almost stopping dead in the center of the street! People understood, though…the drivers were all smiling at each other…we were gazing out our windows to catch every glimpse we could, knowing it wouldn’t last long. Amazingly, we still had snow on the mountains this morning, due to temps in the 20’s last night, but what had landed on front lawns was long gone.

Here are some photos. I was absolutely giddy…I just couldn’t stop saying “Look, honey, look at that beautiful snow!” And he would say “mmm-hmmm”

If it would snow at about 40 degree or warmer weather, I would welcome it…I love snow, but its the cold I don’t like!

Here is a snowflake that’s all warm and fuzzy…it was made by my good friend, Lynn, at www.lynnslovelies.blogspot.com . She does beautiful crochet work, and she made this for me as a gift…

when I bought this gorgeous scarf…I LOVE it! The photo does not do it justice…its much prettier in person, and so soft…it snuggles right around your neck like a soft blanky. I was going to model it for you, but hubby couldn’t get a good photo of me, and I didn’t want to ruin the prettiness of the scarf, so I hope you can tell just how lovely it actually is. It arrived in only a few days after ordering it from Lynn’s etsy shop, so if you need some beautiful handmade gift items, be sure to visit her and see what other lovelies she has to offer.

I do hope you are all enjoying these days before Christmas, preparing your hearts for a celebration of the birth of our Lord.

God bless everyone... continue to pray throughout this season for our military and their families, for the lonely and hurting, for the sick, and for the lost that need to know the miracle of Christmas Day, the day that our Savior, Jesus Christ, was born.

Mary

A Cup of Christmas Tea

2009-12-07T21:11:00.001-08:00

Welcome, friends, to my tea cottage! Its Tea Things Tuesday over at Kim’s blog, www.shabbypinkandpretty.blogspot.com, where you will find all things tea. I’m going there in just a minute, so please join me as I visit Kim and the other tea lovers for a look at their latest additions.

My dear blogging friends, this poem is long, however, if you’ve never read this before, you will not regret taking the time…it is wonderful! I received a little ornament book when a friend and I gave our car club ladies a tea about 12 or 13 years ago. We read it that day, and I’ve read it at every Christmas tea I’ve had since then…and I still cry. I know you will enjoy it and it will touch your heart. I have a few pictures at the end. Now let me pour you a cup of tea…English Breakfast, or perhaps Cinnamon Spice…and let’s get comfortable while we read this precious poem together.

A Cup of Christmas Tea

by Tom Hegg

The log was in the fireplace,
all spiced and set to burn.
At last the yearly Christmas race
was in the clubhouse turn.
The cards were in the mail,
all the gifts beneath the tree.
And 30 days reprieve till VISA
could catch up with me.

Though smug satisfaction
seemed the order of the day,
Something still was nagging me
and would not go away.

A week before, I got a letter
from my old great Aunt.
It read: Of course I'll understand
completely if you can't,
But if you find you have some time
how wonderful if we
Could have a little chat and share
a cup of Christmas tea.
She'd had a mild stroke that year
which crippled her left side.
Though house bound now,
my folks had said
it hadn't hurt her pride.
They said: She'd love to see you.
What a nice thing it would be
For you to go and maybe have
a cup of Christmas tea.
But boy! I didn't want to go.
Oh, what a bitter pill,
To see an old relation and
how far she'd gone downhill.
I remembered her as vigorous,
as funny and as bright.
I remembered Christmas Eves when
she regaled us half the night.

I didn't want to risk all that.
I didn't want the pain.
I didn't need to be depressed.
I didn't need the strain.

And what about my brother?
Why not him? She's his aunt, too!
I thought I had it justified,
but then before I knew,
The reasons not to go I so
painstakingly had built
Were cracking wide and crumbling
in an acid rain of guilt.

I put on boots and gloves and cap,
shame stinging every pore.
And armed with squeegee,
sand and map,
I went out my front door.
I drove in from the suburbs
to the older part of town.
The pastels of the newer homes
gave way to gray and brown.

I had that disembodied feeling
as the car pulled up and stopped
Beside the wooden house
that held the Christmas cup.
How I got up to her door
I really couldn't tell...
I watched my hand rise up and press
the button of the bell.

I waited, aided by my nervous
rocking to and fro.
And just as I was thinking
I should turn around and go,
I heard the rattle of the china
in the hutch against the wall.
The triple beat of two feet
and a crutch came down the hall.

The clicking of the door latch
and the sliding of the bolt,
And a little swollen struggle
popped it open with a jolt.
She stood there pale and tiny,
looking fragile as an egg.
I forced myself from staring
at the brace that held her leg.

And though her thick bifocals
seemed to crack and spread her eyes,
Their milky and refracted depths
lit up with young surprise.
Come in! Come in!
She laughed the words.
She took me by the hand.
And all my fears dissolved away
as if by her command.

We went inside and then before
I knew how to react
Before my eyes and ears and nose
was Christmas past, alive, intact!

The scent of candied oranges,
of cinnamon and pine,
The antique wooden soldiers
in their military line,
The porcelain Nativity
I'd always loved so much,
The Dresden and the crystal
I'd been told I mustn't touch.

My spirit fairly bolted
like a child out of class
And danced among the ornaments
of calico and glass.
Like magic I was six again,
deep in a Christmas spell.
Steeped in the million memories
That the boy inside knew well.

And here among old Christmas cards
so lovingly displayed,
A special place of honor
for the ones we kids had made.
And there, beside her rocking chair,
the center of it all,
My great Aunt stood and said how nice
it was I'd come to call.

I sat and rattled on about
the weather and the flu.
She listened very patiently
then smiled and said, "What's new?"
Thoughts and words began to flow.
I started making sense.
I lost the phony breeziness
I use when I get tense.

She was still passionately interested
in everything I did.
She was positive. Encouraging.
Like when I was a kid.
Simple generalities
still sent her into fits.
She demanded the specifics.
The particulars. The bits.

We talked about the limitations
that she'd had to face.
She spoke with utter candor
and with humor and good grace.
Then defying the reality
of crutch and straightened knee,
On wings of hospitality
she flew to brew the tea.

I sat alone with feelings that
I hadn't felt in years.
I looked around at Christmas
through a thick hot blur of tears.
And the candles and the holly
she'd arranged on every shelf,
The impossibly good cookies
she still somehow baked herself.

But these rich and tactile memories
became quite pale and thin,
When measured by the Christmas
my great Aunt kept deep within.
Her body halved and nearly spent,
but my great Aunt was whole.
I saw a Christmas miracle,
the triumph of a soul.

The triple beat of two feet and a
crutch came down the hall,
The rattle of the china
in the hutch against the wall.
She poured two cups. She smiled and then she handed one to me.
And then we settled back and had
a cup of Christmas tea.

You loved it, didn’t you? There is a sequel as well…if you are or know a tea lover, or really anyone at all, this would be a marvelous Christmas gift. It is something they will read for years to come, and it will warm them just as much as a cup of hot tea.

A miniature “A Cup of Christmas Tea” set that I purchased when I went to tea about 12 years ago.

A Hallmark Madam Alexander “A Cup of Christmas Tea” ornament that I found 2 of 3 years ago. You can still find them on ebay.

“A Cup of Christmas Tea” ornament…

and the little book that was given me years ago.

This is the full size teacup. I do not have one, but I’m hoping to win it on ebay this year. I find them, watch them, then forget to bid on them! And here is the teacup. I do hope you’ve enjoyed reading the poem while sipping on a cup of tea with me.

Do come back again on Wednesday for more pictures of Christmas decorations around my home…they will be in red and white. Remember to pray for our military and their families, for our nation, for the lonely and for the ill. Remembering to give to others with our time, our compassion, and our smiles is so important, every day, of course, but especially now, when people are so needy of someone to care about what is going on in their lives. We can get so busy with our own lives, seeing others can escape our gaze…let’s keep our spiritual eyes open so we can “see” what is going on around us.

God bless you all!

p.s. I do not know why my photos are cutting off to the right…any ideas? Also, I’ve lost the ability to change my font color…suggestions on that???

Mary

Show Off Your Cottage Monday~Family Room

2009-12-07T09:23:00.001-08:00

Good morning, friends! I finally finished, well, almost finished, my Christmas decorating, and am happy to share a little of my home with you while linking with our beautiful Cielo at http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/ . She has a wonderful blog full of wonderful goodies to share, so be sure to see what she has for you today…you will love it!

I have very little time this morning, so I’m not going to “talk” about my photos…in short, its our family room and part of the dining area!

God bless you all!

Mary

Spiritual Sunday~Homeless at Christmas

2009-12-06T00:32:00.001-08:00

Thank you to our lovely hostesses, Charlotte and Ginger at http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/ for Spiritual Sundays. Please visit this wonderful site…there are many bloggers that have shared something for you today. Just click on the blue sky to the right.

I’m also joining Lisa’s blog at http://www.extravagantgrace.net/. Lisa is hostessing “Bringing Holy Back to the Holidays”. Please visit her as well…lets find ways to bring HOLY back to the holidays. Her button is also to the right.

Please come in for a cup of tea…I’d like to share some thoughts with you.

As I bring out several boxes full of Christmas decorations, or as I think about the gifts I want to give my friends and family, or as I lay down in a very comfortable bed, after having a good meal, taking a hot shower, and making sure all windows are locked, my thoughts are drawn to images of the homeless that live up and down a long, busy street not far from my home. I only see adults, but I know there must be children out there, living on the street somewhere. What are they thinking about right now, with Christmas so near. Are they asking for toys, or a warm bed? Do they want a Barbie, or a jacket?

There are many organizations that help the homeless, both adult and children. We see those large, round bins at the different stores, where you can donate either toys or food. We receive requests through the mail for monetary donations so these organizations can provide a Christmas meal for a family.

In our busyness of decorating, baking, shopping and blogging, let us remember that we are to help those in need.

As I was researching different places that were offering help to the homeless, I found an article, and I’d like to share a little of it with you.

“What does the Bible say about the homeless and the poor? Does God have an opinion on whether or not the impoverished are society’s responsibility?
The word “poor” occurs 205 times in 197 verses in the KJV Bible. God’s view on the poor is very clear. Jesus is an excellent example of what a poor person was in his day. In fact, it is safe to say that Jesus was a homeless person at least some of the time (see Luke 9:58). The people that Jesus associated with were homeless and poor as well. Paul, who was a close follower of Jesus wrote “even until now we…have no certain dwelling place” (see 1 Corinthians 4:11). And finally, Paul writes that God’s only begotten Son became poor although he was rich for our sakes (see 2 Corinthians 8:9). It is very evident in just these three verses, that God loves poor people very much. If God made Jesus, his one and only Son, a poor and homeless person, then it is safe to say that God actually esteems the poor and glorifies them.”

It doesn’t seem to me that we think of the homeless in this way. Something to think about.

With Christmas so near, many people are feeling more sadness than joy, for any number of reasons. Even those of us with families and homes can feel sadness. I really think it is because we are focused on people and things rather than the reason we celebrate Christmas…the birth of Jesus. I know I talked about this before, but we seem to forget. One day, we’re thinking about the spiritual side of Christmas, and the next day, we’re stressing out over what to buy for someone. At least that describes me, and I suspect we’re all like this to one degree or another. I don’t believe the Lord would have us stop enjoying Christmas…He is the ultimate Giver of good gifts to His children, so of course, He is delighted that we give to those we love. But I have to remember that He loves the homeless as much as He loves my kids, and I have to remember to love them too.

Please continue to pray for our soldiers and their families. Pray for those that are in any kind of need, whether physical, emotional, or financial…we all need prayer for something…just pray!

God bless you all!

Mary

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

2009-12-05T00:10:00.001-08:00

Hello my dear blogging friends…I’m so glad you’re here visiting me in my tea cottage! I have the kettle on, so let’s warm ourselves with a cup of hot tea and listen to some beautiful music that will warm our hearts as well.

I’m very happy to be joining in today with our lovely hostess, Amy at http://signsmiraclesandwonders.blogspot.com/2008/03/then-sings-my-soul-saturdays-inaugural.html, for Then Sings My Soul Saturdays. You can join in as well, or visit her and the other participants by clicking on the button to the right.

I’ve also just discovered Lisa’s blog at http://www.extravagantgrace.net/. Lisa is hostessing “Bringing Holy Back to the Holidays”. Doesn’t that sound like a really good idea? Yes, I thought you would agree. Please take a few minutes to read about her inspiration and desire to make this Christmas holiday about Christ, not shopping, gifts, going into debt, etc….those are fleeting, temporary material things…its not about that…its about HIM. You can find out more by clicking on her button to the right.

This is a musical nativity sitting on the mantle in our family room, playing Oh, Holy Night.

This is my very, very, very favorite Christmas carol, and this rendition by Celine Dion is also my favorite. I first heard her sing this song when hubby and I were taking our grandgirls out to see the Christmas lights on neighbors lawns. I’ve heard it many times, before, but this time, as she began to sing, I wanted to raise my hands in praise, and would have, but I was driving. We all sang along…it was a night I’ll never forget. You might notice that Celine includes the words “Christ is the Lord”…many artists leave that out…how sad that is. I hope you enjoy it.

I do hope you enjoyed your visit here today…please come back again…with the cold weather coming upon us, its the perfect time for a perfect cup of tea with friends!

Please pray that the way we celebrate this Christmas season is pleasing to the Lord. Pray for our military and their families, that He cover them with a shield of protection and bring them peace and comfort. Pray for those that have lost a family member or friend to an illness…and pray for those that are battling disease. Pray for your lost loved ones, that they might know Jesus and His love this Christmas, and pray for our nation, that the Lord have mercy on us.

God bless,

Mary

~White and Red Wednesday~

2009-12-02T00:01:00.001-08:00

I want to thank you, all of my dear blogging friends, for your wonderful comments while I've been away these few days. When I said that I would be absent to get some rest and tend to my daughter while working on my blog and trying to get a little cleaning done, I didn't expect to get even one comment, but so many of you left sweet comments, wishing us well, and saying that you would miss me! That was so encouraging and just boosted my spirits so much...THANK YOU! My daughter is doing much better, and has returned to school, with just a little cough at night.

I made a big boo-goo when changing my blog look...I deleted all of my widgets! I was having trouble getting the 3 column background on, so started a test blog..well, to make a long story short...now I have to redo my entire favorites list...so if you don't see your blog name on my sidebar, it isn't because I took it off...its just that I haven't finished putting them all back on yet! At any rate, I finally found something that I like, and managed to get a header photo that is complimentary...this little trio of carolers was one of my first Christmas additions many years ago, and I still enjoy them. They are singing "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" to you...not really, but it looks like they could be singing, doesn't it?!

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and have finally finished off the turkey! If you're like me, you're ready for the Christmas season...its my favorite time of year, next to summer, for many reasons...the first and most important is the celebration of our Lord's birth, then the get togethers with friends and family, the lights and decorations on houses and businesses...I love it all. I hope you do too. And this year, I am going to be able to visit all of your homes as well!

I do hope that all of us will not forget that this is the season for calm, thanksgiving, and reverence for Christ's birth. I hope everyone will say "Merry Christmas" when greeting someone, and reflect on the beauty of the season because we have a Savior that has given us something to be truly merry about...eternal life, the greatest gift of all.

I would love to show you a little of my Christmas decor for White Wednesday and Rednesday. This snow lady was a gift from my neighbor several years ago. She’s a favorite of mine…reminds me of ME!

A few decorations on the tree

This hand embroidered ornament was a gift from one of my tea club friends.

And now please visit Kathleen for White Wednesday, and Sue for Rednesday…they’re waiting for you!

Remember our military...please pray that our leaders will make sound decisions that will provide the best protection for our men and women while they serve away from home. Pray for their families during this Christmas season, that they may find peace and strength as they wait for their loved ones to return.

Stay healthy, and may God bless you all!

Mary

SO MUCH TO DO!

2009-11-29T14:24:00.001-08:00

This has been a hectic few days, with Thanksgiving, a sick daughter, feeling really tired and run down, and a granddaughter visiting for a few days, and trying to get some holiday cleaning done in preparation for Christmas decorating, has made it impossible to do any blogging. I also want to make some changes in my blog look, so will be AWOL for a day or two, or three, but will be back soon.!

God bless everyone!

Mary

Thanksgiving Blessings To You!

2009-11-25T13:02:00.000-08:00

My dear blogging friends...I am thankful to God for all of you, for my family, for His mercy and His grace, and I am so thankful that He is LOVE...because He loved us first, we also love others.

Wishing you the very best for your Thanksgiving Day. May the Lord bring abundant blessings to you and yours. May we all remember who is the Giver of all good things...let us give Him the Glory!

Please join me in prayer for our military serving away from home, on foreign soil or on American soil, for those that are separated from family, its the same. Pray for their families, that they will remember to keep their eyes on Jesus, who is the source of their joy in troubling times.

God bless America!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Mary

Spiritual Sunday~Lincoln Thanksgiving Prayer

2009-11-21T23:04:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to our lovely hostesses, Charlotte and Ginger, for bringing Spiritual Sundays to us. Please visit them by clicking on the blue sky to the right.

I found this prayer quite by accident, but as I read it, the words touched me so much...to have a president that would pray this prayer over his nation, his people...a man that understood the blessings of God, that understood what God had granted to this country, our indebtedness to God, and our need for Him to continue on in freedom.

I know its long, but well worth the read.

Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation
(from the collection of Lincoln's papers in the Library of America series, Vol II, pp. 520-521).

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People.

I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God; to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord.

- Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation October 3, 1863

May your Sunday be filled with goodness.

God bless you all!

Mary

Then Sings My Soul Saturday with Signature Sound

2009-11-20T23:01:00.000-08:00

The week-end is here! Let your soul sing starting right now by joining Amy, our lovely hostess for Then Sings My Soul Saturday for some real "soul" music and stories!

I really, really like these wonderful young men, not just because they have beautiful voices, but I sense they are beautiful people that sing what their hearts feel. They have been traveling with the Gaithers for a few years and also do their own concerts around the country. Unfortunately, they don't visit California nearly as much as I would like them to, but when they do come here, hubby and I are in the front row! I thought about saving this one for Easter, but we bought the dvd at one of the concerts we attended, and were watching it tonight. It not only speaks of the beautiful morning of the resurrection, but it also reminds me that His mercies are new every morning. What a wonderful grace we live under!

God bless everyone...have a wonderful, spirit filled week-end!

Mary

Friday Funnies ~ Maxine and Weddings

2009-11-19T18:21:00.001-08:00

We’ve been hearing a lot of depressing news lately about the economy, among other things, so are you ready for some laughter? I sure am. Come on and join me in bringing some fun into your day by visiting our adorable and friendly hostess Kim! Just click on her cute button to the right and you’ll be there!

Today, I have two funnies for you. Hope you enjoy!

SENIOR HEALTH CARE SOLUTION--ACCORDING TO MAXINE

Senior Health Care Solution:

So you're a senior citizen, and the government says no health care for you, what do you do?

Our plan gives anyone 65 years or older a gun and 4 bullets. You are allowed to shoot 2 senators and 2 representatives. Of course, this means you will be sent to prison where you will get 3 meals a day, a roof over your head, and all the health care you need! New teeth, no problem. Need glasses, great. New hip, knees, kidney, lungs, heart? All covered.

And who will be paying for all of this? The same government that just told you that you are too old for health care. Plus, because you are a prisoner, you don't have to pay any income taxes anymore.

IS THIS A GREAT COUNTRY OR WHAT?!

Okay, I know it isn’t THAT funny…because its SO TRUE. So here’s the other one…I hope this will get the giggles going!

Have a wonderful Friday…hope you have great plans for the week-end, and that you are safe, healthy, happy, and living life to the fullest. Remember to pray for our country and our military.

To my blogging friends in other countries, thank you so much for your support and prayers for America!

God bless,

Mary

Christmas in Red and White

2009-11-17T23:59:00.001-08:00

…and green!

Happy Wednesday, my wonderful blogging friends, and welcome to my tea cottage once again. I hope your day is bright and beautiful, just like you are, and that visiting some of your favorite blogs will warm you inside and out.

I wasn’t going to show you anything Christmas-y until after Thanksgiving, but with this being White Wednesday and Rednesday, how could I control myself? And besides, some of these little gems were thrift store finds that area screaming to be shared with you. Be sure to visit Kathleen at http://www.fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/ for more beautiful Whites, and Sue at http://suelovescherries.blogspot.com/ for some cheery reds! Click on the buttons to the right and you’ll be right there.

I found these adorable napkin rings, in perfect condition, for $4.00 at my favorite thrift store, you know, the one that I don’t even tell my best friends about. I don’t want any competition.

The red and white snowflake tablecloth is from Home Goods. What a nice backdrop for these beautiful little holly leaves and berries.

And these gorgeous Lenox salad plates are from T.J. Maxx…I just got them yesterday…had to go to 2 different locations to get all 4

And also another four with a coordinating pattern. I’m not sure, but I think I prefer more holly and less ribbon. However, in order to have 8 plates, I will have to mix and match.

And here is the pasta bowl…I’m not sure…do you think its supposed to be a serving bowl for pasta, and not an individual bowl? It is rather large…could anyone eat that much pasta? YES!

The white underplate is also a T.J. Maxx find last summer. Since I didn’t find the dinner plates to match, I will use the white…I think its just fine, don’t you? BUT…if I do find those matching dinner plates, they will be mine!

This beauty is also from my thrift store…”MY” thrift store! It is salad size, and also in perfect condition…I love the hexagon shape…I’ll probably hang it on the wall, rather than use it. Don’t want any crumbs on it, ya know! How much? Only $1.50!

I love the colors of Christmas, and since my house is primarily greens and pinks/rosy reds, its quite easy for me to decorate with these wonderful colors. I can live with them all year, with just a little softening of the shades for spring and summer.

I do apologize for jumping ahead of the season of Thanksgiving…that is a very important time for us in America to celebrate…and Canada too. I still don’t know much about the Canadian holidays, but am learning by reading some of the wonderful blogs from our neighbors. I do hope that Thanksgiving brings hope, joy, and thankful hearts to all of you…even in the midst of change and war, we still have very much to be grateful to the Lord for. I pray that we all remember that He is the giver of all good things, and that He walks with us when things are not so good…we just need to stay close and trust Him to lead us into the future.

Thanks so much for visiting me today…I absolutely love company…I do hope you enjoyed your time here, and will come back soon.

God bless you all!

Mary

Tea Things Tuesday ~ Tea For One

2009-11-16T20:01:00.001-08:00

Welcome to my tea cottage! You’re just in time to join me for tea…except that I only have a teapot and teacup for one today! No worries, though, it will just take me a second to grab another teacup for YOU!

Let’s sip for a while, then you will want to visit our pink and rosy tea and china loving Kim to see her wonderful tea things on this beautiful day, as well as the other participants of Tea Things Tuesday. Just click on that china cupboard to the right, and you’ll be right there!

This is one of my newest acquisitions…a teapot for one, purchased at Home Goods for only $4.99. Winter white is my favorite “color”. I honestly feel like I’m stealing from them at times…how can something this pretty be so inexpensive?

The leaf design is so Autumn looking, isn’t it? With these lovely placemats that I found at the same time, with their rosy red roses and pretty green leaves, it reminds me of my rose garden against our white house…the outside coming inside!

I found this set of 5 napkins at my favorite thrift store last week. The package said a set of 6, but when I got home and opened it, there were only 5. I bought them on Tuesday, which was 10% off day, so I paid a whopping $4.50 for the 5! I adore the brides basket accented by the 2 butterflies on either side…just too beautiful!

Hubby just lit a fire…we’re waiting for Dancing With the Stars to start, so I decided to make myself a cup of tea and have a scone or two for dessert.

I bought the rosy red rose stems years ago to use as napkin rings. They look nice with the place mats, I think.

I bought these plates at T.J. Maxx in June…this is the salad plate, but I also bought the dinner size…they are also winter white, and I really like the scalloped edges, along with the pretty trim. I managed to get 6 dinner plates, but only 4 salad plates…boo.

Time for candlelight…roses on the votive candle holders. Roses, roses, roses…I never get enough. They were another Home Goods buy. Love that Home Goods!!!

Hubby stretched out on his recliner in front of the fireplace, and Gracie getting comfortable on her checkered chair. It used to be my chair until we adopted her. Sometimes she shares…but not often. That’s okay, I’m perfectly content sitting here with my tea, scones, and candles. Now all I need is a good book to read while I wait for “Dancing” to begin!

Thanks so much for stopping by…I hope the fire and candlelight warmed you. Be sure to come back tomorrow to see more of my thrift store finds. Now don’t forget to visit Kim…she’s waiting for you!

God bless everyone. May you have a wonderful Tuesday, and please remember to pray for our soldiers. At this point, I just want them to come home…right or wrong…just bring them home. Please pray for our blogging friends who need to be lifted up for healing. And pray for our leaders to be literally slapped into reason by Almighty God, who must be asking the same thing we’re asking…”what on earth are you doing ?” It surely doesn’t look anything like “as it is in Heaven”.

Love to all!

Mary

Wedding Bliss for Then Sings My Soul Saturday and Spiritual Sundays

2009-11-14T11:30:00.001-08:00

Please join our lovely hostess, Amy, for Then Sings My Soul Saturday…TSMSS for short. Just click on the musical note to the right to visit Amy’s wonderful blog and to be blessed by the others that have something to share with you today.

And please visit Charlotte and Ginger, our lovely hostesses for Spiritual Sundays by clicking on the blue sky to the right. May your week-end be blessed by these two wonderful blogs.

Since my husband and I just celebrated 39 years of marriage last Friday, I wanted to show you some pictures.

One of the ladies that attended our church had a beautiful voice, and sang this song that Perry Como is going to sing for you now.

Please watch/listen to the video as you scroll through this post.

We were blessed when our son and daughter-in-love chose this song for their own wedding. I remembered what it meant to me, and I prayed as I heard it again, that the Lord would keep their love as strong as He had kept ours.

We had a very tiny budget for our wedding. I made my wedding dress and veil two weeks prior, and on the morning of the wedding, my maid of honor, Dori, and I were at the grocery store buying several gallons of Hawaiian Punch and ordering a cake that the bakery promised to have ready in an hour. I had my hair in those rollers you’ll see in the picture, and I was wearing a homemade granny dress. I can’t believe I did that!

My husband in 1969, just before we got engaged. Isn’t he handsome? Sigh…

This is me, rolling my hair on those big orange magnetic rollers on my wedding day…remember those?

Yes, my hair was dark…very dark! That’s my Irish heritage.

We didn’t have enough money to hire a professional photographer, so my hubby’s best friend took our wedding pictures with his 35mm camera. I could barely get a decent copy to post here today. The photos of me walking down the aisle, and the wedding party, the outside of the church, my parents, were so blurry, I couldn’t show them to you. I’m hoping there is a way to have them restored.

My husband’s oldest brother was, and still is, ornery. He took a lemon drop, put it in his mouth to make it sticky, and stuck it inside my wedding band before he handed it to the pastor. I was livid! This was the most important day of my life, and I wanted it to be spiritual and serious. I didn’t laugh. It took me years to get over it.

First kiss as Mr. and Mrs.

33 years later..while were on a cruise in the Caribbean.

And now 39 years and one week later, today…literally today, Saturday, my granddaughter took this picture of us.

My husband and I said the traditional wedding vows, but I also wrote this for him, as my personal commitment based on this beautiful passage of scripture.

MARRIAGE ACCORDING TO 1 CORINTHIANS 13

"...and now I will show you the most excellent way." (1 Cor. 12:31)

If I speak eloquently, with many words, to my mate, and I speak in my heavenly language continually to God, but have not love, I am only a repetitive nag and a harsh sound to his/her ears.

If God gifts to me vision and understanding, and reveals to me the mysteries of Heaven and earth, and if I believe in His word so strongly that I can move any obstacle from my life, but I do not love my mate as God does, I have lost my effect, my influence will be as nothing.

If I unselfishly give away my possessions to the needy, and sacrifice myself to Christian service, but love not my mate, I gain no reward.

Love means I am patient, waiting for God to change my mate's heart. Love means being thoughtful, tender and considerate of my mate's needs. It means I won't be envious of my mate's accomplishments and popularity; it means I won't gloat and exult myself when I am successful.

Love means I won't be impolite or curt with my mate, and I will not seek to make my life easier, but rather seek to lighten burdens for my mate. When I am angry, I will not allow Satan a foothold, but will take my tears and pain to God and petition for help in times of conflict, recognizing that troubled times are temporary and that God is the healer of our emotions; and I will quickly forgive my mates's shortcoming, holding no grudge in my heart.

Love means I will not gloat when my mate is wrong and I am right, or when my mate falls to temptation, pumping up my own righteousness, but I will rejoice when my mate finds strength in the Lord, when he/she lives according to the true Word of God.

Love means I will always defend my mate, never disclosing his/her fears to anyone, criticizing or belittling him/her, but will build up my mate's reputation to others and safeguard the private things of his/her heart. Love means I will have confidence in my mate and always presume the best from him/her. I will always hope for and anticipate God's blessings for our marriage, for our future, never holding onto past failures. I will continue to work at my marriage, laboring to fulfill the committment I made to my mate on our wedding day.

If we love each other as God loves us, we can be sure that His love will sustain us. All the gifts of God that are given us on this earth will one day be gone, and all of our days, with their trials and triumphs, will be gone; the only thing that will remain when perfection in Christ comes will be our love.

When I was single, I behaved in many childish ways, not having the responsibility upon me that comes with marriage. But when I became one with my mate in the sight of God, I became accountable to Him and to others to put away the thoughts and actions of my single days, to mature and behave as a capable and trustworthy adult, willingly taking on the care and concern for my mate.

I don't understand everything about my mate now, just as I don't have complete understanding of God; the mysteries cloud my ability to know it all; God designed it that way to test my faith, to depend on Him. But when I see the Lord face to face, He will open my eyes and I will see my mate and my own heart then as He does now.

All that will endure is my faith, my hope, and my love - and the greatest, most important gift I can give my mate and God is my devotion, my adoration...my love.

Our wedding took place in our little church, with our friends and family there to give us their blessings. We were married by our wonderful pastor, who had counseled us prior to the wedding, and believed in us. We believed in the words of that song then, and we believe in them now…”Because God made thee mine”. He has always been in the center of our marriage.

What is truly amazing to me is that Jesus is our Heavenly Bridegroom.

Revelation 19:7-9a [The Marriage Supper of the Lamb is the great Heavenly celebration of our marriage to Jesus.] Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9a And he [the angel] saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.

I’m sorry this post is so long…I usually try to keep them short, as I know there are many beautiful blogs to visit. Thanks so much for visiting me today!

God bless you, everyone!

Mary

Friday Funnies and a GREAT FIND!

2009-11-13T10:41:00.001-08:00

Happy Friday, my blogging friends! The week-end is upon us, so I’m joining in with Kim, our adorable Friday Funnies hostess, to bring you some laughter for a fun and family filled two days away from the work grind! You can visit Amy by clicking on the button to the right.

“The man who smiles when things go wrong has thought of someone to blame it on.” - Robert Bloch

“Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.”

“When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car. “

I’m also sharing my latest thrift store finds with you! These gorgeous depression glass plates were only $14 for the 5 of them….wooo-hoooo! I bought the darling Thanksgiving glasses at the Dollar Tree…they go perfectly together.

I finally have something in Autumn colors!

I put a paper towel inside the glass to show you the writing, but it still isn’t very clear . It says “FAMILY…Memories are made of this…smiles, laughter, hugs”, and “HOME…enjoy the little things…Home is where my heart is”. They are sooo sweet!

Now make yourself a nice hot cup of tea, and click on over to Kim’s! Hope you leave here smiling…come back tomorrow for photos of my hubby and me…we just celebrated 39 years of marriage!!!

Thank You to Our Brave Veterans

2009-11-10T21:05:00.001-08:00

PLEASE visit Connie at
http://connie-livingbeautifully.blogspot.com/ and watch her video...you'll love it!

I want to give my heartfelt thanks to all veterans that have served in the armed forces on behalf of my wonderful United States of America. My heart bursts when I hear our national anthem, or when I see our flag raised and flying in the air, or when I see one of our best in uniform...they represent freedom, they represent courage, and they represent America.

>

"It is the soldier, not the reporter,
Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the soldier,
Who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!

Tea Things Tuesday – Morgan’s Rose

2009-11-10T10:01:00.001-08:00

Happy Tea Things Tuesday, inspired and created by our beautiful Kim at www.shabbypinkandpretty.blogspot.com ! You just click on the darling tea cabinet to the right to visit Kim and so many more tea lovers!

I’m so glad you have to come to visit me at my tea cottage. The tea kettle is full, and I’ve already poured a cup just for you, plus added two flavors of freshly baked scones. I hope you like my homemade strawberry jam, made by a friend’s loving hands. Now, just sit down and sip as we talk about the important things in life…children, grandchildren, home, God, the little things in life that make us complete and whole.

Let me tell you about the teapot and teacup we’ll be using today. The teapot is a favorite of mine, and one of my first, purchased at T.J. Maxx several years ago. Its a Sadler teapot, made in England, and just the right size for about 4 to 5 cups of tea.

The teacups are made by Hammersley, also in England, and the pattern is Morgan’s Rose. The first time I saw one of these teacups, I fell in love with it…I think you will too!

Although the teapot and teacups aren’t a perfect match, they match perfectly, don’t you think?

My beautiful pink plates are vintage hobnail, another favorite of mine. I have 18 of them, and use them often. I’m not sure of the manufacturer…if you have an idea, please let me know.

These roses were given to me by my wonderful husband last Friday…we celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary. I’ll be sharing photos on Saturday, if you’d like to come back!

Isn’t the color outstanding?

This is a vintage sugar bowl…I also have the creamer and the underplate….I’ll show it another time.

I do hope you enjoyed tea today…I love having company for tea…I could do it every day of the week…well, maybe at least 3 times a week…I do need a couple of days to bake and clean!

I hate to see you leave so soon, but I really do want you to hurry on over to Kim’s…you don’t want to miss her beautiful tea things, and then you can click away and visit all the participants…I know they will have delightful tea goodies to feast your eyes on!

God bless you all…remember to pray for our wonderful military, their families, especially those at Fort Hood…pray for our blogging friends that are in need. We have the Christmas season coming upon us quickly, which is always a time of good will among men and women…let’s not wait til next month…every day is the day to give, share, pray, and spread joy everywhere you go.

Mary

Spiritual Sundays - Listen

2009-11-07T23:20:00.001-08:00

Many thanks of gratitude to Charlotte and Ginger, two wonderful and sweet ladies that bring us together on Sundays to share our thoughts, scriptures, testimonies and words of wisdom. Please visit them by clicking on the blue sky to the right, and may your Sunday be blessed.

From the Tea Lovers Devotional:

Listen

Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. James 1:10

God in His great wisdom created mankind with two ears and only one mouth. I'm sure that was because He wanted us to listen twice as much as we speak. Most of us are very poor listeners...I guarantee that if couples would take the time to become better listeners, their relationships would be improved through better understanding and increased patience. (It's important to remember, though, that women tend to be better listeners than men, probably because most men immediately want to fix what is broken and consider listening a waste of time. To them, the solution is what's important; they want to go directly to the bottom line.)

So be brave and ask several of your trusted friends how they would rate you on your listening skills. Be prepared to take their honest answers and act upon the information constructively. Don't get into the trap of thinking you are much better at listening than so-and-so. Almost everyone is below par in this skill.

We will become better listeners when we realize how people value being heard. It gives people an awareness that we care for what they have to say and that we truly love them. Our own spirits are lifted up when those around us know we care for them.

Listening is truly an art form that can be mastered if we practice. Observe yourself in a crowd, or even one-on-one, to see how you do. Change comes when you know the truth.

Heart Action: Listen to your husband/wife, your child, your friends, and to strangers with an attentive, caring mind and a compassionate, open heart. You'll discover how much more you truly hear!"

I always get something that I need when reading anything written by Emilie Barnes. She doesn't disappoint me with this little book that I so enjoy when taking a break with a nice, hot cup of tea. As I read this section, I wondered "Do I listen to God, or is my mind like my mouth, going a mile a minute, thinking my own thoughts, rather than listening to the mind of God?" I also wonder, “Am I letting the chatter of things around me drown out the voice of God?” I must first practice listening to God, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, and through the reading of His Word.

I'm so glad you stopped by for a visit today...how I would love to sit down with you and listen to what is on your mind and heart! I really think when we listen to God and to others, we're better than we were before. That's what we do here in blogland...we "listen" to each other, don't we? When we're reading someone's blog, we're not talking to them, we're listening to them...and we usually leave there with a fullness that we didn't have before. That's why we develop friendships here...no sounds, just hearts quietly speaking out to each other. I love that.

Let's all see how much we can hear today, by quieting our own voices, being still, and knowing that He is God! Psalm 46:10

May you all be richly blessed ...have a wonderful Sunday!

Mary

Then Sings My Soul Saturday - To God Be The Glory

2009-11-06T16:01:00.000-08:00

Most of you have probably heard of the shooting at Ford Hood, Texas yesterday, in which 13 people were shot and killed. I just read about a group called Soldier's Angels on Rhoda's blog at

http://asouthernlife.com/2009/11/southern-hospitality/.They help military families in times of need. Please visit Rhoda to read about it, and join them in helping the victims of this horrendous act of violence. Please keep our military in your prayers. They put their lives on the line every day for our country, and we are finding that the enemy isn't always in another country.

And please visit my good friend, Lynn, at

http://lynnslovelies.blogspot.com/2009/11/america-is-calling.html.

She has posted a wonderful video that I hope everyone will see and think about...America needs us. This is our country...we are the people of America...we need to speak out now, to protect the freedom that we enjoy.

Thank you to our wonderful hostess, Amy, for creating Then Sings My Soul Saturday...click on the musical note to the right to visit her and others for inspiration and comfort.

When I read the words to this hymn, and see the images being displayed as its being sung, I thank God for His grace and mercy.

To God Be The Glory
How can I say thanks
for the things you have done for me
Things so undeserved
Yet you give to prove your love for me
The voices of a million angels
Cannot express my gratitude
All that I am or ever hope to be
I owe it all to Thee

(Chorus)
To God be the glory
To God be the glory
To God be the glory
For the things He has done
With His blood, He has saved me
By His power, He has raised me.
To God be the glory
For the things he has done

(Bridge)
Just let me live my life
And let it be pleasing, Lord to Thee
And should I gain any praise,
Let it go to Calvary.

With His blood, He has saved me
By His power, He has raised me.
To God be the glory
For the things he has done.

I hope that all of you have a wonderful week-end...that you can spend it with your family and good friends, enjoying freedom and good health...and pray for those that do not have the privileges that we have.

God bless you all!

Mary

Red is Beautiful

2009-11-04T09:46:00.001-08:00

Thank you, Sue at http://suelovescherries.blogspot.com/ for hosting Rednesday! Today Sue is celebrating 100 followers…Congratulations, Sue!

I posted this yesterday for Tea Things Tuesday, but since my granddaughter is a redhead, and is wearing a red hat for her party, I thought I would just jump in here and show it again! There are a lot of pretty reds to be viewed today, so click on the Rednesday button to the right to visit Sue’s blog for more cheery reds!

~Tea Things Tuesday~Little Girls

2009-11-03T08:13:00.001-08:00

Its Tuesday and time for Tea Things Tuesday, with our gracious and lovely hostess, Kim, at www.shabbypinkandpretty.blogspot.com. If you love tea and tea things, just visit Kim and other tea lovers for more pretties!

Welcome to my tea cottage…Let me pour you a cup of tea and share some relaxing moments with you today.

My camera software is acting up, so I am posting some pictures of my granddaughters birthday tea party. I think she was 6. She is now 10. They are just toooooooo cute!

This photo is inside, opening gifts…no teacups, sorry…but I think its cute, so thought I would share!

Don’t be afraid to have a tea party for little ones with your best china…the children are amazingly aware of the delicacy, and handle it with care! They would pick the teacups so gently, and put them back down very slowly…it was adorable to watch. And they just love wearing the big brimmed hats! Being pretty and feminine begins very early, doesn’t it?

I hope everyone has a blessed day. I’ve been so busy lately, I am overwhelmed with medical letters, and “change in policy” letters from banks…and thinking about the holidays…I could scream! But I won’t…I’ll go look at some teacups over at Kim’s…bring your cup of tea and come join me!

Please pray for all of our blogging friends, our troops and our country.

God bless you all!

Mary

~Spiritual Sundays ~ How Long Has It Been?

2009-10-30T18:50:00.001-07:00

This was my post yesterday, but I'm going to add it to Spiritual Sundays, because I love this song so much, and I want all my blogging friends to hear it. Thank you, Charlotte and Ginger, for bringing us together for Spiritual Sundays...it always lifts me and gives me food for thought, as well as spiritual nudgings. Just click on the blue sky to the right to visit Spiritual Sundays.

Its Then Sings My Soul Saturday, with Amy at Signs, Miracles and Wonders. Thanks for being our gracious hostess, Amy!

"Then Sings My Soul". Think about that phrase...what makes your soul sing? I can't think of too many things that touch me to that depth...to my soul. Certainly nothing of this world. Yes, I love china and teacups, quilts and decorating my home. They make me happy, very happy, and I delight in making other people comfortable, sharing conversation, tea parties, and pretty surroundings. I don't know, though, if they make my soul sing. I can think of only one thing that I can't live without...the Lord Jesus...He makes my soul sing. Why? Because He is forever...he won't break, tarnish, wear out, or leave me...He is forever, and knowing that makes my soul sing. How long has it been since you talked with Him? How long since He made your soul sing?

Join Amy by clicking on her button on my sidebar for many songs and hymns, and may your day be brightened and your burdens lightened.

Pray in earnest for America. In December, a proposed "Treaty of Copenhagen" would, if signed by our president, bring about the destruction of our sovereinty. We would be controlled by a World Government with powers beyond that any government currently has. I'm not a political person, so I was unaware that previous presidents, such as Wilson and Roosevelt, were in favor of a one world government, but the people of this country stopped it then. Now its up to us. Please contact your state's representative...next year will be too late. You can find a video of this on youtube.

God bless you...I have found that there are even more people in blogland that are in urgent need of prayer...urgent...a young mother that has days to live, Melanie's son, Andrew, and so many others. Even if you don't know their names, God does..please take their needs to the Lord in prayer today.

Have a wonderful week-end, be safe, and make the most of every day that you've been given!

Mary

White and Red Wednesday Tea Quilt

2009-10-27T21:45:00.001-07:00

Its Wednesday, the middle of the week! Today I decided to participate in Rednesday along with White Wednesday, because, well, my quilt is red and white! Thanks to our hostesses, Kathleen at http://www.fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com and Sue at http://suelovescherries.blogspot.com/ . Be sure to visit both of these great ladies and all the wonderful contributions in white and red!

I made this Irish chain quilt for a dear friend as a Christmas gift about 3 years ago. Believe me, by the time I finished it, I had to really talk myself into giving it away! I did give it to her, and luckily, I have just enough left over fabric to make another one for me. In fact, my embroidery machine is peddling the needle to the metal as I type!

I found the teacup and teapot embroidery designs on ebay, but they might be on the web as well. I have seen them embroidered on tea towels and other projects, so they must be available someplace. Now that I think about it, I think I have the same set in a multicolor patterns as well…but I really like the red. I also made it in blue for another dear friend. I don’t have any more of this Mary Engelbreit fabric in blue, but I do have the same “FRIENDS” backing in blue, so I just need to find a matching color for the chain.

This is a crib size quilt. I quilted it using the stitch in the ditch pattern, and some free motion in the center block around the teacups. The center block says “Tea for Two, and Two for Tea”, but I forgot to take a picture of it.

The pattern isn’t wavy, as it looks in the photo…I just didn’t have it laying down flat…it was stretched across a chair, as seen in the first photo above, and was a little saggy here and there, so the squares look like they’re uneven, but they aren’t.

This is the back. Its also from the Mary Engelbreit '”FRIENDS” collection. Isn’t it the sweetest fabric?

I don’t know why I didn’t take a picture of the entire back of the quilt…its so pretty when you see it all opened out.

I also purchased some beautiful white linen napkins at my favorite thrift store last week, however, I haven’t found the perfect light to get the embroidered edges to show up well. I’ll keep trying so I can show them to you next week…they’re beautiful. I also have quite a bit of red in my house, so I’ll be back with more peeks into my tea cottage… The temperature is finally coming down a little, and the wind is blowing, knocking the leaves off the trees, so it looks like fall is finally here in the bay area…perfect tea drinking weather. I hope you’ll come back for another visit, and join me for a cup of tea and fellowship…its so nice to have a little tea with friends, even if its via blogging.

Thanks for stopping by!

God bless you all. Please continue to pray for our troops, especially since we have such a dilemma in our military…cover our young men and women with your prayers, and pray for their families, too…and please continue to pray for Debbie Ragan, that God will comfort her after the loss of her beautiful Amy Dawn. Several blogging friends have written beautiful tributes to Amy…I hope you will be able to read them.

Mary

Show Us Your Cottage~Roses, Teacups, and Scarecrows

2009-10-25T22:50:00.001-07:00

Last week, I discovered a new “party” over at http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/? It is
Show Off Your Cottage Monday” brought to us by our lovely hostess, Cielo. Well, since I have a “tea cottage”, and I love everything and anything to do with cottage, I couldn’t wait to join in this week. Please find your prettiest rosy teacup, fill it with your favorite blend, sit yourself right down, and take a few moments to smell the roses! Then click on over to visit Cielo for more cottage inspiration!

I’m also joining our very sweet friend, Kim at http://shabbypinkandpretty.blogspot.com , as she brings us “ Tea Things Tuesday”. There are some beautiful tea things waiting for you over at Kim’s, and more teacup lovers are sharing in the fun by participating, so be sure to visit them for a delightful tea party!

I can’t imagine a cottage without several teacups, and this is my newest addition, purchased only 2 days ago at my favorite antique store.. You won’t believe what I paid for her…$6.00! Yes, can you believe it? Would you like to know why? I was told that there is a teensy weensy chip just under the foot of the teacup…chip? Where? I don’t see any chip! Someone’s poor eyesight made a very good bargain for me! It is now one of my favorites, with the dainty pink and dark yellow roses that are very similar to the roses at the bottom.

I can’t tell you how much I enjoy sipping tea from a beautiful china teacup. Since I was a little girl, my eyes have delighted at the sight of the floral patterns in colors of the rainbow, the curves of the handles, the scalloped edges of the saucer, trimmed in gold leaf paint. When I’ve finished cleaning and putting things away, I reward myself with a moment or two of quiet bliss with a cup of tea. Whether rain or shine, it soothes my nerves, and makes me feel as though I’ve just begun my day anew. And if I’m fortunate to have a rose or two in bloom, all the better.

To welcome you as you walk toward the house is this cute little scarecrow…now tell me, does he look scary to you? Of course not. Every cottage also needs a scarecrow, and I think he’s the cutest little guy!

Oh, I guess he was a little scary after all…a few of the blooms on my petunia plant have up and died! Shhhhh…don’t tell anyone else…maybe they won’t notice.

Here’s his little friend, hanging on the side of the front door. Love that crooked smile! I thought about using him to sweep the cobwebs from the windows on either side of the door, but I just couldn’t get him dirty, now could I? Ooops, looks like he’s scary, too…look at those dead and dying stems on the geranium plant!

I'm afraid this is the extent of my autumn decorating, at least so far.

We had our first rain of the season a couple of weeks ago, and just as it ended, I tried to capture the raindrops kissing the roses…I hope you can at least a little…

it was warm and sultry, giving the roses such a romantic air about them.

This beautiful lavender tea rose seems to be too lanky, but I’m not sure why…she gets plenty of sun and water…perhaps I should sing to her…I’ve heard that helps plants grow. On second thought, my singing might not be the answer I’m looking for!

Looking out from the front porch. First sign of fall is the yellowing of this birch tree’s leaves.

The day before the rain was due to come, I went out and cut several bouquets of roses and brought them in…here are two of my favorites…sorry, I don’t remember the name of either of them…one might be a double-delight, but not sure.

Isn’t this color just gorgeous? A peachy tangerine on the inside, bordered with a beautiful “hot” pink!

The picture below is untouched…I have no idea how it turned out this way…sort of transparent, as if you can almost see through it The vase holding these two beauties belonged to my mother…I received very few of her things when she passed, but I did manage to get two of these bud vases, and another one a little larger…I don’t think they are that old, but they were hers, and that’s what matters…I love them.

Oh, what a delicious PINK!

As you can see, my kitchen table needs refinishing, but I’m waiting until the last grandchild grows out of carving pictures in the wood!

I am so glad you dropped by my cottage and I hope you enjoyed my roses …they are my favorite part of having a cottage style home. .. its a delight to have the color and fragrance fill my the yard and house all summer long, and well into autumn.

Don’t forget to visit Cielo on Monday and Kim on Tuesday…I know you are going to enjoy all the other cottage and tea things …so many beautiful rooms, gardens, heirlooms, or just things are loved for what they do for the owner…enjoy your adventure, and be sure to come back next week for more peeks inside my tea cottage home!

God bless everyone…God bless and protect our wonderful troops, so dedicated to their country, their flag, and OUR freedom, keep them safe, and bring them home soon. God bless their families, and bring peace to their hearts.

Mary

Spiritual Sundays~One Note Musician

2009-10-24T22:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday, everyone! Please join me for a cup of tea and chat for awhile, then click the beautiful sky to the right to visit our lovely hostesses, Charlotte and Ginger, for Spiritual Sundays.

I would like to share a page from God's Little Devotional Book.

"A series of illustrations in a popular magazine once depicted the life story of a "one-note" musician." From frame to frame, the tale revealed how the women followed her daily routine of eating and sleeping until the time came for the evening concert. She carefully inspected her music on the stand, and tuned her instrument. As the concert began, the conductor skillfully cued first one group of musicians and then another until finally, the crucial moment arrived. It was time for the one note to be played!

The conductor turned to the violinist and signaled her to sound her note. She did, and then the moment was over. The orchestra played on and the "one-note" woman sat quietly through the rest of the concert - not with a sense of disappointment that she had played only one note, but with a sense of contentment and peace of mind that she had played her one note in tune, on time, and wtih great gusto.

Sometimes, "one-note" people are criticized for being limited or narrow in their perspective by those whose lifestyle requires the wearing of many "hats". But a job well done by others is valued by God, so it certainly deserves our recognitition and respect."

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might. Ecclesiastes 9:10 NIV

Did this speak to you about someone you know...yourself, perhaps? I've been on both ends of this story...thinking I wasn't doing enough, thinking I was doing too much, and just wanting one note to play. Either way, what matters is that whether I play a note or a one woman symphony, that it would be only as God has called me to do...no more, no less, and nothing on my own.

Have a wonderful Sunday, all of you, and may god bless you. Please remember to pray for our troops, for our military, for our president and for our great nation. Remember Debbie and her family as they grieve for their beloved Amy Dawn.

Mary

Remembering Sweet Amy Dawn

2009-10-23T23:37:00.000-07:00

Its almost midnight, and I just checked for new posts from my blog roll. I have been very hesitant over the last week, because I didn't want to see this one. We have lost sweet Amy Dawn, daughter of Debbie, niece of Sherry, and cousin of Heidi, our dear blogging friends. You may visit Sherry's blog by clicking on the angel to the right, and you can visit Debbie's blog by clicking here:

http://debbie-jeremiah3017.blogspot.com/

I am dedicating this wonderful song to Amy for "Then Sings My Soul Saturdays", because I know she is now gazing into the eyes of our beautiful Lord. We will miss you, Amy, and we will always remember you.

Please go to "Then Sings My Soul Saturdays" by clicking on the musical note to the right to visit many other uplifting and inspiring posts that will start your week-end with a song in your heart.

Mary

Are Girls Born This Way?

2009-10-22T22:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday, blogging friends…so glad you’re here today for a cup of tea and fellowship. While you’re here, let me tell you that my friend Lynn, at Lynn’s Lovelies is having her 100th post giveaway! Her blog is always uplifting and encouraging, and she is just great! She has some beautiful handmade items for the lucky winner, so don’t miss out…go on over there right now by clicking on this link…you’ll be glad you did!

http://lynnslovelies.blogspot.com/2009/10/thanking-youmy-1st-giveaway.html

Ready for some laughs? Then join Kim at http://homesteadersheart.blogspot.com/for Friday Funnies, and make your day! I found this online and thought it was very cute…some of them are actually funny, too…enjoy!

Someone sent this to me in an email...I can relate!

God bless you, everyone. God bless our troops and God bless America!

Mary

Government out of Control

2009-10-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

I'm posting this late morning on Thursday, but I still have hope that some will read this...its very important. Its long, but please read and share it...very important.

Back in 1992, I purchased this book, "The Coming Economic Earthquake", written by Larry Burkett in 1991. Mr. Burkett is widely known and respected as a financial expert that follows biblical principals to achieve debt free wealth and Godly lifestyle. Here is just a little of what is inside this book. Remember that it was written in 1991.

"Peace and Safety"..."That's the economic news and forecast from the White House, the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Treasury, and a web of enormous banks and insurance companies. The fact is that America faces its greatest financial crisis in history during the 1990's. As massive government debt exceeds the total net worth of the United States government, the ever-growing need for new revenues will bring massive tax increases and soaring interest rates. Inflation will influence the daily decisions of every American as we seek to maintain eroding lifestyles." (inside cover)

"There is approximately $600 billion stored in private IRA's...it is possible that the total may reach $1.5 trillion. That great hoard of money will simply be too tempting for the politicians to pass up). It is very likely that privagte retirement accounts will ultimately be absorbed into the Social Security systemand their owners given "equivalent" benefits." page 138

"The Health Care Deficits...When the costs of Medicaid are included, the total cost of government provided health care represents nearly 30% of all taxes paid. Because of this and the escalating costs of private insurance, it seems certain that we will adopt some form of government sponsored health insurance over the next few years...What is the probably source of funding? Business taxes. Unfortunately, what the government doesn't seem to grasp is that bsinesses don't pay taxes...they simply pass the added costs along to the consumers. If the laws change to prohibit passing these costs along (as some politicians suggest), then the businesses will simply pack up and move to more amenable countries to make their producgs. Small businesses that cannot do this will end in bankruptcy. Then we will lose the tax revenues they generate and add more people to the entitlements system." page 140-141

"...I suspect that our less-than-conservative politicians will sell the public on more debt to fund their social programs. I can already hear the politicians' appeals on the evening news: "Its clear that the alarmists were wrong about the debt. The economy has recovered, and now we need to get on with the business of government: meeting needs. I recommend that we raise the allowable budget deficit to $6 quadrillion..."

"It is my assumption that some event will initiate a massive spending cutback on the part of consumers. This could be a stock market crisis or an oil embargo, but more likely, it will be the collapse of several "mega-banks", insurance companies, or large corporations." Page 152

NEGATIVE INDICATORS:

Crack #1...THE DEFICIT CANNOT BE FUNDED BY ADDITIONAL BORROWING

Crack #2...MONETIZING THE DEBT...it should be noted here that the printing of money to pay the government's bills will be one of the last, and certainly the most desperate, measures because of the potential severity of the consequences." Friends, this is already being done!

Crack #3...TAXES, TAXES, TAXES. (Google Value Added Tax...this is what our government is already proposing.)

If you can find this book, you will have a much better understanding of what is happening, and what is coming, if this administration isn't stopped NOW! What is interesting about this book is that Mr. Burkett wrote this in 1991, thinking we would see these monetary changes by 1999. In 2003, he wrote an article where he said that although his timing was off, this collapse is still eminent without intervention by the American people. Unfortunately for us, he died of cancer shortly after that, and we no longer have his voice to warn us of the future catastrophe...we just have this book. We also have Fox cable news...watching for just one day will open your eyes...watching mainline news will keep you in the dark.

Thanks for reading this...please pray for our country.

God bless you all. Please continue to pray for our military...they are in great need of prayer covering.

Mary

White Wednesday and WOW!

2009-10-20T20:18:00.000-07:00

Happy White Wednesday, brought to us by the queen of white, Kathleen! Just click on the vintage lady to the right to visit her and other white loving participants for more beautiful whites.

I have some pretty pictures for you at the bottom of the page...but first:

Many of you know Queenmothermamaw. She has a wonderful blog, and I always enjoy visiting her for her humor and her wisdom. She has three blogs, but due to time, I have only visited one...until tonight. I discovered another beautiful side of Queen, aka Peggy, and that is her love of people and of our country. She has dedicated one of her blogs to people that also care about people and our country. It is Woman of Wisdom, and you can find it by clicking on the WOW pin on my sidebar. I have an award and tag free blog, because I just don't have a lot of time...my life is very busy and stressful, but when I received a comment on my post about this award being offered to me, I had to accept it. Thank you, Peggy, for thinking of me. There are so many others that are deserving of recognition for the courage they have, for the love that they give, and for the heart that beats for the needs of others. I hope they will all visit this wonderful blog and let Peggy know how much they appreciate her...this is her ministry, and she is truly a woman of wisdom, and a blessing to us all.

I love White Wednesday...I love all things white! Unfortunately, my son took my computer with him to get it up to "speed", literally, so I'm using my laptop and can't download my pictures, but I found some darling rooms for you to oogle. I hope you find some inspiration in them!

May God bless you all!

Mary

~An Autumn Tea Party~

2009-10-19T19:56:00.001-07:00

Today is Tea Things Tuesday, brought to you by our lovely and very shabby, pink and pretty hostess, Kim! Click on the tea cabinet to the right to join her and the other participants to see some beautiful things that are all about tea.

I’m so glad you are here, because I want to show you some photos I took at our monthly tea party . When I first started my blog back in late June, I told you about the tea club that I’m part of…the Rose Petal Tea Society. We all love tea, some of us more than others, but we all share in the love of getting together each month for a tea party. Sometimes we go out, and sometimes one of the “girls” will have the tea party in her home.

This month, we were blessed with perfect weather for an outdoor tea on the deck. It was all autumn, and we were also asked to wear a straw hat decorated with an autumn theme. I tried to get pictures of all of them, but I must have been moving more than I thought, so several of them were blurred, but I do have a couple to show. Some of us, like yours truly, forgot to wear hats, but we sure enjoyed seeing the creativity of our friends!

Once again, I forgot to take pictures of the delicious food that was served. We started out with homemade potato soup, followed by a spring green salad, then we were served wonderful open face chicken salad sandwiches, spread on a leaf or pumpkin shaped piece of bread. Our tea choices were ginger peach and apple cinnamon…delish!.

All three tablecloths were made by our hostess, Karen, just for us!

I have no idea how I got this picture at this angle!

And she used her green and yellow depression glass…so beautiful!

We all received a bag of daffodil bulbs along with these two copies of lovely verse and information.

Isn’t this a pretty yellow teapot?

Sheila shared with me that she and her hubby just celebrated 50 years of marriage! Congratulations, Sheila!!!!

Are these beautiful autumn colors, or what? Good job, Linda!

Lois decorated her hat with real leaves from her yard! Look at those beautiful colors of purple and gold!

Kathy had surgery on her hip recently and uses this cane for a little extra support. Having to be right in style, she decorated it for the occasion!

Kathy delightfully says “I won, I won! I won the door prize…go, me!”

Perfect floral arrangement for an outdoor autumn tea!

There are about 18 in our club, but a few were not able to attend, so we had fourteen on Saturday. I wish all of you could have been there with us to share in a beautiful day of fellowship, giggles, political talk…yes, I said political talk. We might be cute and frilly, but we’re women of substance, and we will fight for our grandchildren. Don’t mess with us!

Seriously, our government is not governing at all…only they know what they are doing, because the rest of us do not. Logic and common sense have been abandoned, as has morality and honesty. Do you remember being a kid and having someone bigger than you hold you down on the ground, or tie your hands behind your back? Do you remember how you felt? I do. I felt very angry and vulnerable. Guess what..I feel that way now. Someone bigger than me is holding me down. My question is this…what happens to personal freedom when they refuse to let you go?

So I return to my tea cottage, put the kettle on, take a scone or two out of the freezer and warm it up, then pray that God will strike a match under our complacency. Thinking back to some old westerns, I recall that the good guys always won. I wonder…maybe we need the Calvary to come along waving the American Flag. Who is the Calvary today? You and me.

If you’re weary of the constant dismantling of our constitution, come and join me for a cup of tea. We will have a moment of contentment before the Indians scalp us.

God bless you all. God bless our troops, and protect them from harm. Thank you.

~One Anothering~

2009-10-18T00:13:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Charlotte and Ginger, we are enjoying another wonderful “Spiritual Sundays“, please join them and be blessed! Just click on the blue sky to the right.

From The Tea Lovers Devotional, by Emilie Barnes

“When we join forces with others, we become stronger, and it becomes difficult to weaken our positions. There is great strength in unity. This concept is at the center of why we need to be in a church that’s teaching God’s Word every time we meet. We need the support of others if we are to grow in Christ. We can join up with a mentor to learn the faith lessons they have gleaned from their experiences. And we can become mentors to share our stories, our failings, and our victories as Christians. This is how we strength our journey and built up the body of Christ.

To impress upon you the importance of oneness, today I want you to examine various scriptures from the book of Romans:

* belong to one another (12:5)

* be devoted to one another (12:10)

* honor one another (12:10)

* share with God’s people who are in need (12:13)

When has someone come alongside you and offered to help you through a difficult time? It is amazing how much lighter the workload becomes when there is one other person tackling it. Just think how much can be done when you share your load with God! I know it isn’t easy to ask for help, but give it a try. When you help someone, you feel good. When you allow someone to help you, you give them the opportunity to feel good.

Prayer: God, let me realize how important it is to have a support system of fellow believers who have kindred spirits. I cannot walk the journey alone – I need friends who will encourage me and lift me up. I am not an island unto myself. Amen

HEART ACTION: Remember the “one another” scriptures and try to follow them during your day. Reach out to others and allow others to connect with and support you.

Almost every day, I read another heart wrenching blog, another person that has lost a job, or had an accident, or has been diagnosed with a life threatening disease. And they aren’t just telling us about their need, they are reaching out to us for prayer. They are counting on us to support them, to encourage them, to pray for them, to expect a miracle with them. We have a military that needs to be encouraged, lifted up in prayer, asking the Father for protection and safe keeping. I pray that, in even a small way, I am an encouragement to all of them, and to my friends and family here at home. We are hearing so much about “spreading the wealth” lately, but let’s spread the LOVE, and be a light to those that are in darkness right now. Let’s be a blessing out of the abundance that has been given to us.

Mary

Then Sings My Soul

2009-10-16T20:39:00.000-07:00

I can't think of a better way to begin the week-end than with hymns and songs that get right into your heart and spirit. That's why Amy has brought us "Then Sings My Soul Saturday"...visit Amy at http://signsmiraclesandwonders.blogspot.com/ and let your soul sing along today!

One song that moves me to tears is this one. There are many versions on Youtube, and they are beautiful...it was difficult for me to choose which one to post, but I chose this one because of the audience. Notice that they are all young. This was probably a live concert, though I have no idea where or when, but I am struck and moved by the worship of these young people. They don't need rock music, or drugs, or alcohol...they are on a spiritual high that is beautiful to behold.

Allelujah,Allelujah
For the Lord God Almighty reigns

Allelujah,Allelujah
For the Lord God Almighty reigns

Allelujah, holy, holy
Are you Lord God Almighty

Worthy is the Lamb, Worthy is the Lamb
You are holy, holy

Are you Lord, God Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb, Worthy is the Lamb
Amen

Allelujah, Allelujah
For the Lord God Almighty reigns

Allelujha, Allelujah
For the Lord God Almighty reigns

Allelujah, holy, holy
Are you Lord God Almighty

Worthy is the Lamb, Worthy is the Lamb
You are Holy, holy
Are you Lord God almighty

Worthy is the Lamb, Worthy is the lamb
you are holy, holy
Are you Lord God almighty

Worthy is the lamb, Worthy is the Lamb
You are holy, holy
Are you Lord God Almighty

Worthy is the Lamb, Worthy is the Lamb
You are holy, holy
Are you Lord God Almighty

Worthy is the Lamb, Worthy is the lamb
You are Holy, holy

God bless you all, and God bless America, land that I love. Blessed the courageous men and women in the military, both the United States and other countries that fight with them to win the war on terror. Be with them, and guide them, by Your light, and by Your Word.

Mary

~Halloween Funnies~

2009-10-15T23:52:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday, blogging friends! Yesterday, I felt compelled to share my concerns with you about a serious matter, but today, we’re going to lighten up, so please join Kim at http://homesteadersheart.blogspot.com/ for some fun and laughter. So, are you ready for Halloween? I’m not, but this little funny is getting me in the mood. Hope you get a giggle out of it!

A man is walking home alone late one foggy Halloween night, when behind him he hears

BUMP. . .
BUMP. . .
BUMP. . .

Walking faster, he looks back, and through the fog he makes out the image of an upright casket banging its way down the middle of the street toward him.

BUMP. . .
BUMP. . .
BUMP. . .

Terrified, the man begins to run toward his home, the casket bouncing quickly behind him.

FASTER . . .
FASTER . . .
BUMP. . .
BUMP. . .
BUMP. . .

He runs up to his door, fumbles with his keys, opens the door, rushes in, slams and locks the door behind him. However, the casket crashes through his door, with the lid of the casket clapping.

clappity-BUMP. . .
clappity-BUMP. . .
clappity-BUMP. . .

on his heels, as the terrified man runs.
Rushing upstairs to the bathroom, he locks himself in. His heart is pounding; his head is reeling; his breath is coming in sobbing gasps.
With a loud CRASH the casket breaks down the door.

Bumping and clapping toward him.

The man screams and reaches for something, anything, but all he can find is a bottle of cough syrup! Desperate, he throws the cough syrup at the casket. . . .

The coffin stops.

Happy Friday, everyone…don’t forget to click on over to Kim’s for more laughs. Have a wonderful week-end…God bless you!

Mary

~Let Freedom Ring~

2009-10-15T09:52:00.001-07:00

I hope everyone’s Thursday is going great, and that you are either taking it easy today, or being very productive, whichever suits you…some days are better than others for either of these “activities”, so do what your body is asking from you.

I’m not posting anything of my own today, but I would love for anyone that is visiting to go over to Lynn’s blog at

http://lynnslovelies.blogspot.com/2009/10/power-of-one-voice.html

and read what she has to say. I know there are many people that would not agree with Lynn or with me, but I have to say this…our government is going off the deep end with this so called “health care reform”. Its a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and needs to be stopped before it passes…if it should pass, we will regret it for generations to come. Please educate yourselves on this issue…it is NOT what this country needs. There have been signs for several months, signs of corruption, lies, concealing facts…its unbelievable that we have a band of thieves running this country! I keep wondering why Congress is continuing to push this phony bill through, and I’ve determined there can be only one reason…enough of us are not crying out “NO, NO, NO, YOU CANNOT DO THIS TO US”. Where do they get the right to give money to corrupt businesses, to not pay their taxes, to cohort with Socialists and Marxists and Communists, and somehow retain the privilege of staying in office? We have to stand up for morality, decency, honesty, purity, and get back to the roots that this country was founded on! It doesn’t matter who you voted for, or what political party you prefer, this is about American FREEDOM. Our Constitution , the instrument that insures we stay a free country, is being totally ignored. We need to get our heads out of the sand right now, and start speaking up. Take a few minutes, or maybe an hour, and read The Bill of Rights…then you will know what this country is supposed to look like…we are losing everything that America was built on…its being taken from us, and we’re letting it happen!

Okay, my blood pressure is up, so I’m going to get this published before I change my mind.

God bless you all, God bless America, and God bless our troops…who still believe they are fighting for freedom…let’s not let them down!

Mary

~Time For Tea and Thank You~

2009-10-12T23:11:00.001-07:00

I feel so fortunate to have met some wonderful people through this blog. , and I want to thank all of you that left comments for me on Sunday, when I shared with you that my husband has lost almost all of his sight due to retinitis pigmentosa. Your kindness and prayers mean the world to me…I am so blessed to call you friends. It meant so much to me, also, to learn that so many of you, or someone you love, is experiencing vision loss due to various conditions. We really don’t know what we have until we lose it, and eyesight is something so precious, that it is very devastating when you feel it slipping away. As so many of you told me that your heart goes out to me and my husband, I want you to know that mine goes out to you, and that I am praying for you, too. Without miracles, what has been lost seldom returns, but we know that we gain in spiritual sight…we can see in another dimension what we could not see before. Our senses are awakened to what really counts in life, so our loss is lessened, and in most cases, we are better for it. My husband knows that, and even though there are moments of frustration, he counts his blessings. Again, we both thank you very,very much!

Tuesdays are a favorite time to share all things tea with Kim @http://shabbypinkandpretty.blogspot.com/. Since I love tea and all the wonderful china and silver, flowers and linens that accompany a tea party, whether for one or for a hundred, collecting those things has become a favorite hobby of mine, and I love sharing them with you.

This little teapot with its matching creamer and sugar bowl are made by Coastline Imports. I bought them at Home Goods earlier this year…now you Home Goods shoppers know that so often, you will find the teapot, or the cream and sugar, but seldom do we find complete sets…unless you just happen to be there the day they put them out! I never saw any matching teacups, so I don’t have them…yet…but I’m working on it!

The pattern is Petite Fleur…don’t you just love that name?

I love the border of a black swag adorned with tiny pink roses.

My roses decided to give me one last huge burst of blossoms this past week, on almost every busy I have. Since we’re expecting a storm in late tonight, I went out today and cut every rose that had begun to open, leaving only those small buds that I felt would survive the rain over the next couple of days. My house is full of the beautiful aroma of roses. The roses pictured with my tea set is a soft peach. All of a sudden, I can’t remember the name, and its dark out so I can’t go look. It is a tea rose with huge buds and blooms, with a wonderful fragrance, too. I love the color… one of my favorites, and I think they look so nice with this sweet little tea set.

From the Tea Lovers Devotional, by Emilie Barnes:

Heart Action…"Practice integrity in all that you say and do. Work on making promises only when you are certain you will keep them. Become a woman that others can trust.”

Thank you so much for joining me Tea Things Tuesday. I’m going to put the tea kettle on right now, and warm the scones, so please join me for a little tea party, and we’ll sit by the fire as we sip, taste, and enjoy watching the rain.

I know I always ask you to pray for our troops. I’m asking again…we can’t forget about them. They need our prayers and they need to know we care. There are many organizations that you can join and help by sending needed items and writing letters. When I think of how encouraging it is to read your blogs and to receive sweet comments from you, I can just imagine how encouraging it would be for them to receive little notes or cards from people that they haven’t met, but who tell them that their courage and dedication is appreciated so very much. Pray that they return home safely…and soon.

God bless everyone, and God bless our troops.

Mary

Can you See Me Now?

2009-10-10T23:52:00.001-07:00

Its Sunday and I am so happy to be particpating with Charlotte and Ginger in Spiritual Sundays. Just click on the blue sky to the right to visit these sweet ladies and those that are also joining in. You will find uplifting and encouraging words here.

These are pictures of my granddaughter’s face. I’m showing you just a piece at a time. This is the way my husband sees her face when he looks at her. Sometimes, he doesn’t even see this much. There are times that I will be sitting in the room with him, and will get up to get something. From the kitchen, I can hear him quietly speaking to me. He thinks I’m still there…he doesn’t know I’ve left the room.

This is the way people with eye disease might see you. My husband has retinitis pigmentosa. The blood vessels leading to the eye disintegrate, so that light cannot be brought to the retina. It is heredity. He has no vision in one eye, and only 20% in the other. He has no peripheral vision…he cannot see above, below or on either side…he sees only what is directly in front of him.

From these pictures, you can only imagine what my granddaughter looks like. You can’t see her sweet face, her cute laugh, or the twinkle in her eyes. When we don’t see the whole, we miss the fullness of the beauty.

We, too, have a hereditary disease that destroys the light that streams to our spiritual eyes…. It leaves us with limited vision. We don’t see the fullness or the beauty of God. Spiritually, we see just as my husband sees…in part, and only what is directly in front of us. We don’t see above or below, or to the sides. We don’t see past our small circle of self. Our vision is limited by prejudice, or by busy-ness, or by selfishness. We see actions of people, but we don’t see their hearts. We see their skin, but we don’t see their spirit. We see their accomplishments, but we don’t see their wounds.

We don’t even see ourselves, if light is not shed on the hidden parts of our hearts and minds. Our perception of ourselves can be blurred and blemished.

In 1 Corinthians 13:12, the Apostle Paul tells us…

“Now we see a blurred image in a mirror. Then we will see very clearly. Now my knowledge is incomplete. Then I will have complete knowledge as God has complete knowledge of me” (GWT)

While on earth, we are incomplete in our understanding. We strive for so much knowledge, and so much wisdom, and so much spiritual knowledge, but Paul wanted us to know that until that day when all is revealed to us, our goal is to love.

verses 4 through 11

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.”

I pray for God’s love to fill my heart…that my actions and words are loving and encouraging. I think as we pray this prayer, and obey the command to love, our spiritual vision is increased.

God bless everyone…have a wonderful Sunday!

Mary

Glory, Glory Hallelujah

2009-10-10T00:14:00.001-07:00

Its Saturday already...seems like the week is flying by so quickly. Autumn has finally hit this part of California. Cooler weather is here, and rain is on the way. During this week, I've read some wonderful blogs, some inspirational and some that were fun. There are so many blogging parties where we can connect, I can't keep track of them all. I have to make choices, something that is often difficult for me to do, but I have found a few that I feel I must be part of, and this is one of them.

I am happy to be participating in Then Sings My Soul Saturday, or TSMSS for short, again with Amy at http://signsmiraclesandwonders.blogspot.com for Then Sings My Soul Saturday. I know you will enjoy visiting all the participants for inspiration music and words.

This is one of my favorite hymns. In the current climate of our world, it really speaks to me like never before. I remember standing beside my mother as she sang with a Salvation Army band on a street corner in Chicago. I can still see her in her blue uniform. We truly are in the Lord's Army, and His Truth will march on!

Please pray for our troops and their families. Pray that they are protected by an invisible blanket that covers them, by an invisible shield that reflects the bullets back to the sender, and by an invisible force, the Army of the Lord, that will fight along side each and every one of them. Pray for the families that have lost a loved one that bravely fought for freedom, both ours and that of oppressed nations that have suffered under harsh dictatorship. This country has always had the greatest compassion and concern for the needs of the people of this entire globe. We, the people of the United States of America, have always believed in fighting for the rights of each person, to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I am so very proud of this country's brave men and women that are willing to fight and die for freedom.

God bless them all, and God bless you, dear blogging friends. Please come back again for another cup of tea, sharing, prayer, and a moment of serenity.

Mary

**NOTE** Blogger is playing tricks again. Somehow, this post got published twice, so its showing today, Oct. 10th and also on Oct. 7th. I wrote it and saved it as a draft, but it didn't publish , or so I thought, so I guess I published it again. People have left comments on both posts...I have no idea what is going on, but if you've left a comment and don't see it, don't worry...I'm seeing it! Thanks!!!

**NOTE #2** These comments were left on the other post. I'm going to delete that one, since most are finding this post, but I don't want to delete the comments so am pasting them here:

chicamom85 said...
What a beautiful post and thank you. We have 2 very good friends who have daughters in Afghanistan, we pray every day.

God bless you Anne

October 10, 2009 12:14 AM
JesuLalaine said...
I had goosebumps while listening to the song and reading your post...

God's truth is marching on! Amen!

Lalaine's World
From Asia and Beyond
Day to Day Miracles
Trying to be Fit
Not a Shopaholic

October 10, 2009 12:38 AM
Fairy Footprints said...
Mary how lovely. This is a wonderful way to start out the weekend. Blessings to you and your family. What a lovely post.

Hugs,
Heidi

October 10, 2009 12:47

Friday Funnies

2009-10-09T10:59:00.001-07:00

Its Friday Funnies here at my tea cottage, and I’m so glad you’re here to laugh with me. I don’t know about you, but right now, the world, especially our own country, seems to be going a little off-sides, to use a football term, and it just seems to me that if all of the leaders around the world would trade their anger in on a little laughter, we might get somewhere. Alright, that’s just a little naive, I know, but its a good thought, anyway, and even if they don’t, we can…so come along the happy trail today, and let Kim at http://homesteadersheart.blogspot.com/ and all these great participants cheer you up.

I can’t tell you how many funny stories and videos I’ve come across this week that I wanted to share with you, but then I got this in an email, and thought it was too cute to pass up. Enjoy!

OLD FISHERMAN

A 72 year old bachelor who loved to fish was sitting in his boat
one day when he heard a sexy female voice say, 'Hey, handsome, pick me up.'

He looked around and couldn't see any one. He thought he was dreaming so he returned to his fishing--when he heard the voice say again, 'Go ahead, Good Lookin', pick me up.'

He looked in the water and there, floating on the top , was a frog.

The man said, 'Are you talking to me?'

The frog said still in that sexy female voice, 'Well, Yessss, I am talking to you.
Pick me up, then kiss me and I'll turn into the most beautiful woman you have ever seen. I'll make sure that all your friends are envious and jealous because I will be your bride!'

The man looked at the frog for a short time, reached over, carefully picked it up, and placed it in his front pocket of his shirt.

Then the frog said, 'WHAT? Are you crazy? Didn't you hear what I said? I said kiss me and I will make your dreams come true.'

He opened his pocket, looked at the frog, smiled and said, 'Nah, at my age I'd rather have a talking frog.'

With age comes wisdom

When I first read this story, I did laugh…I wasn’t expecting the punch line. Now, if you’re like me, and I know you are, you will find a “moral” to this story…I would love to hear it, so please share your thoughts in the comment section… funny or serious…whatever comes to your mind.

Okay…I’ll go first.

Because this story ends with the words “with age comes wisdom”, what came to my mind was “temptation often comes to us looking very beautiful and appealing, with promises of wealth, fame, power, or whatever your desires may be.” However, it often disappoints and brings more heartache than its worth.

What do YOU say?

Have a wonderful Friday, everyone…may the good Lord bless you. I pray that He blesses our beautiful, free country, the United States of America. I pray that we stay united in our fight for an honest government that is truly for “we, the people”. If you’ve followed the news, you know that our voices make a difference…speak up, stand up, pray up!

Don’t forget our troops and their families. Pray that they are protected by an invisible blanket that covers them, by an invisible shield that sends the bullets back to the sender, and by an invisible force, the Army of the Lord, that will fight along side each and every one of them.

Mary

Blue Irish Chain

2009-10-07T22:26:00.001-07:00

I thought I would be brave today, and show you one of my first quilts. I made it for my niece’s 40th birthday. At the time, I had not learned to free motion quilt, so its done by stitch-in-the-ditch method. This was also my first irish chain. I’ve made a few more since then, and also purchased a Baby Lock Quilter’s Choice Professional sewing machine. It has a larger opening of 9”, and that allows me to quilt a queen size, though it doesn’t help my arms and hands at all…they still get quite sore and tired, and my back has some degeneration, so it can be quite uncomfortable if I spend too much time in one spot. I set three folding tables up in the garage, then I pin baste the sandwich, then put the machine on the table near the edge, and quilt the sandwich as it lays out open on the tables. Not the easiest way to do it, but since I don’t have a long arm, it will have to do. Needless to say, I don’t do a lot of queen size quilts, but I will do at least one more, for our bed…I still haven’t made one for hubby and me!

This one is full size.

Still no where near a pro, but I’ve become much better in the last 4 years. Even though it isn’t heavily quilted with pretty designs, this was one of my favorites…I like the blue and white, and I love the toile. I made a queen irish chain in burgundy tones for my son and daughter-in-love, several baby quilts, another full size quilt using horse pattern fabric for my horse loving granddaughter, and three or four crib size for my youngest granddaughter. She uses them as rugs for her stuffed animals…all that work for a stuffed animal! I’ve also made tea themed quilts for three of my tea club friends, and crib quilts for baby showers.

Here’s one:

I also have a Brother PC 8500 with the embroidery attachment…I have so much fun with that! I’ve embroidered on my granddaughters’ clothes, quilts, and tea towels. I’ve also started hand embroidering again…last time I did that, I think I was maybe 10!

I have enough fabric to make about 10 or more quilts, but I really don’t have the “passion” that some quilters do…I just love going to the fabric store and buying the fabrics, organizing them, and then just standing back and admiring all the beautiful colors and prints. I do enjoy cutting and piecing, but thinking about doing that quilting gives me pause. Maybe that long arm is in my future somewhere. My only other option is hand quilting. I love the look and feel of hand quilting, but I’m impatient…I want it done NOW! Maybe some day.

God bless you, every one!

Mary

~Everything Tea~

2009-10-06T01:05:00.001-07:00

Happy Wednesday, and welcome to my tea cottage. I should have posted something white for Kathleen’s White Wednesday, however, some time late yesterday afternoon or early evening, my internet stopped working. I played with it all evening, and again this morning, but still no internet. Finally, a light bulb went off, and I called my service provider to find out what was going on. As it turns out, my granddaughter has been using my computer…she’s in a year round program at school, so stays with me during vacations, while mom and dad are at work, and she has a bad, bad, bad habit of twirling on my swivel chair. She’s done this before, so I should have suspected right away…the cords on the back of the computer had been disconnected…no doubt, as she twirled, her feet hit the computer, which is sitting on the floor, and knocked the power cord loose. So I didn’t get to post my whites for today, but I do have my white cabinets from yesterday, so I hope that will be okay. I think I had to do double duty last week for both as well…she was here last week, too, and just keeps me sooooo busy!

Be sure to visit Kathleen for more White Wednesday inspiration! Just click on the lovely lady to the right, and she will escort you to Kathleen’s blog.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Welcome to my tea cottage! I’m joining Kim at www.shabbypinkandpretty.blogspot.com for another Tea Things Tuesday party. Click on the pretty teacup to the right to visit Kim and other lovers of all things tea!

A few days ago, I visited Kathryn at http://bonafidesouthern.blogspot.com/, and she was sharing all of her china storage areas. That inspired me to do the same, so today, I’m showing you a few places that I store my tea things, starting with my “tea” armoire. I bought this armoire at an antique store about 10 years ago, long before I had a collection of teacups. I was told that it was made in America around 1920, but who knows? I don’t care…I just know that I like it very much and it holds a lot of teacups, teapots, plus serving plates, etc. It isn’t always this messy…I do put things in order quite often, however, after I’ve had a tea, they tend to go back in there somewhat disorganized, since I just want to get it all off my dining table and put away. Its always so much fun to take it all out and set up, but when the party is over, time to put everything neatly, or not so neatly, back in their place.

This is the top of the hutch I bought and painted in June

and this is the entire china cabinet and hutch…

after rearranging things a little…not sure what happened with the color on this photo…not too good…the wood floor underneath looks warped and rotted, but it’s not, honest. I think I like the arrangement on the top photo best.

Not sure if I posted this sweet cabinet before or not…I bought it at my favorite store, Room With A Past, a delightful store full of shabby furniture and accessories. I love the chicken wire! I’ve also rearranged this one several times with different colors of teacups. I’m trying to decide whether to paint the kitchen green or yellow, so I just stare at the teacups to see what appeals to me the most.

After two months, I still have those yellow swatches on the wall…will I ever decide???

I took my granddaughter, on the left, and her friend, in the middle, to tea at Christmas a couple of years ago. They asked to be excused to the ladies room, and when they came back, they were donned in these darling hats! It was a great day. Hmmm…I’m looking at that pink, white and black thing kinda in the middle of the girls, and have absolutely no idea what it is! Oh, my granddaughter just came in and told me that its a snowman and his hat…silly me.

I hope you enjoyed this mini tour of my tea cottage…I enjoyed showing you some of my tea things…I’ll have more next week, so be sure to come back for another cup of your favorite flavor of tea…the tea kettle is always on, and you are always welcome!

Please pray for our blogging friends…so many are struggling with cancer and other health issues…some have had major tragic accidents, while others are facing family issues and financial burdens…they need our prayers. Pray for our president, that he will turn to God for direction as he serves this great nation and the people that live here.

God bless everyone…God bless our troops and their families. God bless America, land that I love…stand beside her and guide her, allowing her light to continue to be a beacon for the world, a beacon of freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Mary

~Faith Like Potatoes~

2009-10-03T19:09:00.000-07:00

Please join Charlotte and Ginger for Spiritual Sundays. Just click on the blue cloud to the right.

It seems like this is my week for posting videos. The change in the weather has put me into a mental and physical state of vegetation. All I want to do is make popcorn, curl up with a blanket, and watch movies. Hubby and I decided to let the week go by without worrying about projects, and just enjoy a few, one of which I have to share with you. The title is "Faith Like Potatoes". It is based on a true story. I always think I have a strong faith, but I wondered if I would have had the faith to face the challenges that this family faced. Maybe you've already seen it...if not, please take a peek at this preview...it speaks powerfully of a faith in God that brought miracles at every turn. I hope you'll enjoy watching these couple of minutes, and then rent the movie...it is one you won't want to miss.

I'm making this post short today, as I'm having trouble with blogger...hope to write more next time.

God bless everyone.

Mary

~Forgiven Again~

2009-10-02T20:57:00.000-07:00

I just discovered this wonderful event, Then Sings My Soul Saturday,with your hostess, Amy, at http://signsmiraclesandwonders.blogspot.com/ and am so happy to join in. As of right now, I can't seem to get Amy's address to highlight so it will take you to her blog, nor the button on the side, so you might have to copy and paste it in the address box to get there...sorry...I'll keep working on it.

Perhaps you know of the Bill Gaither Vocal Band. I've been to their concerts several times, and have had the privilege of seeing these young me in person. Believe me, you will be blessed by the powerful message as Signature Sound sings the words written by Bill and Gloria Gaither, based on the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32.

NOTE: I just discovered that if you wait til te video is ending, there will be a group of related videos scolling across the sceen...you can click on any of them and see more wonderful Gaither videos!

God bless everyone, and God bless America, land that I love.

Please remember to pray for our blogging friends that need the hand of God to touch their lives. Pray for our troops, and pray for our government officials, that they hear and heed wise counsel.

Mary

Friday Funnies

2009-10-01T23:04:00.000-07:00

Time for Fridy Funnies...ready for some laughter? Then join Kim at http://homesteadersheart.blogspot.com/
and other participants that have something funny to share today.

I feel bad about posting this video, I really do, but it is so funny, I laughed til I cried. Have your kleenex ready!

Have a wonderful Friday, everyone, and may God bless you!

Mary

~Kids Say the Funniest Things~

2009-10-01T22:54:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday, blogging friends…so glad you’re here today for a cup of tea and fellowship. While you’re here, let me tell you that my friend Lynn, at Lynn’s Lovelies is having her 100th post giveaway! She has some beautiful handmade items for the lucky winner, so don’t miss out…go on over there right now by clicking on this link…you’ll be glad you did!

http://lynnslovelies.blogspot.com/2009/10/thanking-youmy-1st-giveaway.html

Ready for some laughs? Then join Kim at http://homesteadersheart.blogspot.com/for Friday Funnies, and make your day! I found this online and thought it was very cute…some of them are actually funny, too…enjoy~

Kids say some very funny things

A little boy was in a relative's wedding.
As he was coming down the aisle, he would take two steps, stop, and turn to the crowd.
While facing the crowd, he would put his hands up like claws and roar.
So it went, step, step, ROAR, step, step, ROAR, all the way down the aisle.
As you can imagine, the crowd was near tears from laughing so hard by the time he reached the pulpit.
When asked what he was doing, the child sniffed and said, "I was being the Ring Bear."
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One Sunday in a Midwest City, a young child was "acting up" during the morning worship hour.
The parents did their best to maintain some sense of order in the pew but were losing the battle.
Finally, the father picked the little fellow up and walked sternly up the aisle on his way out.
Just before reaching the safety of the foyer, the little one called loudly to the congregation, "Pray for me! Pray for me!"
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One particular four-year old prayed, "And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."
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A little boy was overheard praying: "Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it. I'm having a real good time like I am."
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A Sunday School teacher asked her little children, as they were on the way to church service, "And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?"
One bright little girl replied, "Because people are sleeping."
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A little boy opened the big and old family Bible with fascination, looking at the old pages as he turned them.
Then something fell out of the Bible.
He picked it up and looked at it closely. It was an old leaf from a tree that has been pressed in between the pages.
"Mama, look what I found," the boy called out.
"What have you got there, dear?" his mother asked.
With astonishment in the young boy's voice he answered, "It's Adam's suit".
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The preacher was wired for sound with a lapel mike, and as he preached, he moved briskly about the platform, jerking the mike cord as he went.
Then he moved to one side, getting wound up in the cord and nearly tripping before jerking it again.
After several circles and jerks, a little girl in the third pew leaned toward her mother and whispered, "If he gets loose, will he hurt us?"
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Six-year old Angie, and her four-year old brother, Joel, were sitting together in church.
Joel giggled, sang and talked out loud.
Finally, his big sister had had enough. "You're not supposed to talk out loud in church."
"Why? Who's going to stop me?" Joel asked.
Angie pointed to the back of the church and said, "See those two men standing by the door? They're hushers."
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My grandson was visiting one day when he asked , "Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?"
I mentally polished my halo, while I asked, "No, how are we alike?"
"You're both old," he replied.
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A ten-year old, under the tutelage of her grandmother, was becoming quite knowledgeable about the Bible.
Then, one day, she floored her grandmother by asking, "Which Virgin was the mother of Jesus? The virgin Mary or the King James Virgin?"
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A Sunday school class was studying the Ten Commandments.
They were ready to discuss the last one.
The teacher asked if anyone could tell her what it was.
Susie raised her hand, stood tall, and quoted, "Thou shall not take the covers off the neighbor's wife."

Have a wonderful Friday, everyone…May God bless you!

Mary

~Ten Commandments of Tea~

2009-09-29T00:09:00.001-07:00

I am so short on time this morning, so will pull double duty by combining my post for both Tea Things Tuesday and White Wednesday. Visit our lovely hostesss, Kathleen, to see some beautiful whites by clicking on the lovely lady to the right.

Happy Tea Things Tuesday! Please visit Kim and the other participants who are sharing their tea interests. You can find Kim by clicking on the teacup to the right.

My husband, granddaughter and I went to Arizona for 4 days to visit family, and just returned tonight. After driving 14 hours on Friday and another 14 hours today, with only two days in between, I am exhausted, but it was so worth it…family is so important, and we just don’t see each other often enough.

I haven’t had a chance to take new pictures, answer emails, or leave comments on my favorite blogs, but hope to catch up within the next few days. In the meantime, I did want to show off a couple of my teapots, but first, here’s just a little “instruction” on tea!

The Ten Commandments of Tea

Thou shall not call it brewed; tea is steeped.
Thou shall select water with care. Avoid hard water or even a hint of chlorine.
Thou shall respect tea; it is all-natural.
Thou shall understand the three different types of tea: Green, Oolong, and Black.
Thou shall sanitize equipment before each run.
Thou shall use Tea Essence as a flavor supplement to help avoid the formation of unsightly sediment in the container.
Thou shall read the Templar Tea Update.
Thou shall be guilt free; tea is healthful.
Thou shall know how to spell Polyphenol.
Thou shall drink tea often.

This teapot is probably my favorite, given to me at Christmas by my Daughter in Love…I had never seen this pattern before, but since getting it, I have added 6 teacups and saucers. It is Royal Albert Old Country Roses Green.

You can see just a peek of the teacups behind the teapot, but I’ll have a better picture next week.

The second teapot was in the antique store that I visited with my tea club when we went to tea a couple of months ago. It is vintage, with no maker or pattern name… I just love it!

I hope you had a wonderful week-end with family and friends, or just quietly enjoying your favorite pastime or hobby. The older I get, the more I know life really is short! I’m trying to enjoy every day, and make every day count.

Please pray for those needing physical healing, and those that have other needs, such as financial, family, employment, etc. Please, please pray for our troops…they really need our prayers!

There is much we can do nothing about except vent and share our anger, worry, and wait, but there are things we can do something about…I hope everyone will continue to become educated about the issues of this country, and speak out…it makes a difference.

God bless you, and God bless America, land that I love. I know there are many countries represented in blogland, and I pray that each and every one of them are pleasing to God so that they, too, will be blessed as this great nation has. I pray that the United States of America will remain free. I remember a quote of Ronald Reagan, that was something like this…we are only one generation away from losing our freedom…He knew how fragile and precious freedom is. I really wonder if we do. Or is it like the old saying, “you don’t know what you have til you lose it”. I pray we don’t find out.

Now…come on over to my cottage and we’ll fix the world’s problems over a cup of tea!

Mary

~My Teacup Overfloweth~

2009-09-21T21:00:00.001-07:00

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Please join Kim and her tea loving participants at www.shabbypinkandpretty.blogspot.com. Just click on the picture of the teacup to the right and you’ll be there in a jif.

I have around 100 teacups, and love them all, but they don’t hold enough to wake me up, and the tea cools quickly, so I found these darling floral tea mugs that are perfect for my morning tea. Purchased at Home Goods last year, they were $7.99 each, except for the center one…I think it was $9.99. Quite a lot for a mug, but I couldn’t resist.

The pretty white and soft yellow are my favorites.

DRINKIN' FROM MY SAUCER

I've never made a fortune
And it's prob'ly too late now;
But I don't worry 'bout that much,
I'm happy anyhow!

And as I go along life's way
Reapin' better than I sowed.
I'm drinkin' from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed!

Haven't got a lot of riches,
And sometimes the going's tough;
But I've got loving ones around me,
And that makes me rich enough!

I thank God for His blessings
And the mercies He's bestowed.
I'm drinkin' from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed!

I 'member times when things went wrong,
My faith wore somewhat thin;
But all at once the dark clouds broke
And light peeped through again.

So, Lord, help me not to gripe
About tough rows I've hoed.
I'm drinkin' from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed!

If God gives me strength and courage
When the way grows steep and rough,
I'll not ask for other blessings;
I'm already blessed enough!

May I never be too busy
To help others bear their loads.
I'll keep drinkin' from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed!

That is the way I feel about my life. When I find myself complaining about the responsibilities I have, I remember that my cup is overflowing, and my saucer is too.

God bless you, everyone. Remember our blogging friends that are in need of healing, employment, encouragement, peace and comfort as they face the loss of loved ones, financial hardship and many other life challenges.

Please pray for our troops and the troops from other countries that are still fighting…will it ever end…and their families who miss them.

God bless America, land that I love.

Mary

~Change in Perspective~

2009-09-19T16:21:00.000-07:00

It's Spiritual Sunday, brought to us by Charlotte and Ginger at http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/. Thank you so much, both of you, for giving us this opportunity to share our hearts with one another. Please click on the blue sky to the right to visit the other participants of Spiritual Sunday.

I was thinking all day about what I would contribute for Spiritual Sunday, and then I received this today from a friend in an email:

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.
One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.
His bed was next to the room’s only window.
The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end.
They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.
Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.
Although the other man could not hear the band - he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days, weeks and months passed.
One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.
He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.
It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.
She said, “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.”

Remember: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.

Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.

In the world we're living in, there is alot to be concerned about, and on the top of that list are concerns that our nation remain free and safe. I ask myself, "What can I do? Who can I call? Will God intervene, or have we strayed so far from Him, that we have invited His judgement?" I don't know the answer to that, but I know there are people that would like to put a brick wall in front of my window, blocking my view of the beautiful world God created, and attempting to make me think and feel that I am wrong for wanting to have freedom to choose how I will live. I will not allow my spirit to be pressed down. I will determine to see the world that God created, not the hopeless brick wall that the enemies of freedom want me to see.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (Daniel 3:16-18)

God bless all of you.

Mary

~AAADD~

2009-09-18T14:14:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday , everyone. It’s almost the week-end, and I hope everyone has plans for either having a great time with family and friends, or just kicking back and resting from the busy work week you’ve had.

I’m adding this link to my post…just discovered Friday Funnies, and joined in with Kim at http://homesteadersheart.blogspot.com/. Nothing like having a good laugh to usher in the week-end, so be sure to visit the other participants…some of them will have tears rolling down your cheeks in laughter!

I have really been having a lazy week, and little motivation to do much of anything. I painted half of the hallway, but was afraid I would run out of paint, so went to Lowe's to get more...four days ago...and haven't finished it yet! I also bought some new plants for the back yard, then totally forgot about them, so found them today, deader than a doornail.

My husband was teasing me about having ADD, and I remembered that I had received the following in an email, and had saved it in my documents...thought you might get a laugh...and maybe even identify with it!

AAADD- KNOW THE SYMPTOMS!

Thank goodness there's a name for this disorder. Somehow I feel better,even though I have it!!

Recently, I was diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D. - Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder. This is how it manifests:

I decide to water my garden.

As I turn on the hose in the driveway, I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.

As I start toward the garage, I notice mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier.

I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full.

So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first.

But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only one check left.

My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house to my desk where I find the can of Coke I'd been drinking.

I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Coke aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over.

The Coke is getting warm, and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.
As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye--they need water.

I put the Coke on the counter and discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning.

I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers.
I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table.

I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I'll be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.

I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on the floor.

So, I set the remote back on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill.

Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day:the car isn't washed, the bills aren't paid, there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter, the flowers don't have enough water, there is still only 1 check in my check book, I can't find the remote, I can't find my glasses, and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.

Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day, and I'm really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail....

Don't laugh -- if this isn't you yet, your day is coming!!

I hope you got a laugh out of this…it is funny, even if it is frustrating at times. Interestingly enough, I have friends under 50 that experience the same forgetfulness. Do you suppose that we just have too much on our plates, and aren’t prioritizing properly? Hmmmm?

Please remember to pray for our blogging friends that are battling disease or other problems, and pray for our troops and their families. Also, pray for our president and Congress...we continue to learn of more corruption than I ever imagined. We are divided, and there is much chaos in our nation...pray that God will hold us together and bring this to an end, protecting our constitution and our borders from terrorists or any other dangers, from within or without.

With all the turmoil in our world, wouldn't it be nice if everyone would stop talking, listen to one another, and sit down for a cup of tea...perhaps they would have a new perspective on things! Can tea solve the world's problems? Perhaps not, but at least we would enjoy a moment of sanity once in awhile!

God bless everyone!

Mary

~White Wednesday Proper~

2009-09-16T08:05:00.001-07:00

It’s White Wednesday, brought to us by the lovely and Kathleen at www.fadedcharmedcottage.blogspot.com Visit Kathleen and other White Wednesday participants if the color white makes your heart throb…and if it doesn’t!

It’s a week after Labor Day, but here in California, even though we had a good rain last Saturday, including thunder and lightening, we’re still experiencing very warm weather, and I’m still wearing white. Every time I get dressed, though, I wonder if I’m out of style, so I decided to look up the proper etiquette for wearing white. This is what I found:

The following article is courtesy of:

http://www.allthingsfantabulous.com/2009/09/white-after-labor-day.html

The new rules on wearing white after Labor Day:

1) Fabric matters- Summer fabrics must go. (Think linen or anything breezy). This is unequivocal. However, classic winter fabrics: wool, cashmere, angora are acceptable and often quite chic. Also, it's probably a good idea to move away from the really bright white. Winter white is there for a reason.

2) White outerwear is HOT as long as you keep it clean- I can personally attest to this. I had a white puffer coat with a faux fur hood that was absolutely darling; that is until it got dirty. Afterwards, not so much. There's nothing worse than dirty white. White outerwear needs routine maintenance so plan accordingly. However, if you find the right white coat-- Magic.

3) Nix the head-to-toe- white ensembles- White, when worn in the fall or winter, should be paired with traditional fall/winter colors to create balance. Rich greens, ambers etc. are great for fall, and of course, black brings instant sophistication.

4) White denim is now "in" year round- I know this one may scratch a few heads, but many fashion experts dig white denim after September, particularly when paired with boots and a nice plush sweater.

5) For the love of GOD, NO white legwear- Okay this one's mine. I once heard someone say that only two kinds of people should wear white hosiery, that's little girls and nurses. Truer words have never been spoken. Sorry.

6) At the end of the day, its really up to you. My mantra is that it's all about personal style. (That is, unless you are thinking about wearing white shoes (shoes, not boots)). That's where we absolutely must draw the line. :)

Ladies, what do you think ? White after Labor Day? Yeah or Nay?

God bless everyone, and God bless America, land that I love. God bless our troops, their families, our government leaders, and those that are out of work.

Please continue praying for all of our friends in blogland…there are many, some with very serious conditions and waiting for a miracle.

Mary

~Tea Things Tuesday~

2009-09-14T15:49:00.000-07:00

You know I love tea and all things tea, so I hope you will join me and Kim as we share our tea inspirations with you. Be sure to visit Kim and other participants after your visit here, and see what they have to share with you. Just click on the pretty teacup to the right.

We enjoyed the company of family from Southern Californis this week-end, including their 3 yr. old and 1 yr. old daughters. They are just adorable and kept us laughing at their sweet antics...we went to the little farm at Tilden Park, where my husband worked for 35 years, and then on to the carousel...it was a good day and a good week-end. I haven't had a chance to post or read any blogs til today, but it was really a nice break, and I found that, even though my body was on the move constantly, my mind was resting from the sometimes overwhelming thoughts of home projects. Even as I watched the girls as they swung a little chair over the top of my teacup holder...even as I bit my tongue as they clanged the lid of my silver sugar bowl against the glass top of the coffee table...even as I held my breath while they insisted they could put the grape jelly on their toast as they sat at the dining table, covered with my white battenburg tablecloth, I thought, "All of my decorating efforts are for a time such as this...to offer hospitality to my loved ones. After all, they are the reason I do this in the first place."

I am at a somewhat slow and lazy pace today, so I decided not to get my camera and tea things out, but instead will share with you a pretty picture and a page from a book I received for my birthday, "Everything I Know, I Learned Over Tea", by Emilie Barnes. Especially since we just spent a few days in remembrance of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, I thought these words were timely.

"Teacups are fragile...and resilient"

"I learned something wonderful about teacups while watching a program on archaeology - ceramic objects may be breakable, but they are also amazingly resistant to weathering and corrosion and age. Much of what we know about ancient civilizations we have learned from bits of pottery they left behind. China dishes recovered from shipwrecks are often good as new, long after the ship itself has dissolved in the saltwater.

In other words, porcelain is fragile, but it's also remarkably durable.

Like life.

Like us.

Humans are beautiful and breakable, like china cups...yet we are also strong and resilient. And unlike my cups, humans can heal and grow and move beyond disaster. We can reach out to one another in courage and comfort.

So what will I do if or when disaster strikes?

I'll do what other resilient humans do - I'll try to help someone and accept help if I need it.

And then, somehow, I'll have another cup of tea."

Running to the kitchen for a cup of tea while in crisis may seem silly, but I was thinking about the movie of the Diary of Anne Frank. As they huddled together in tiny quarters, hiding in isolation with little to eat, they still had hope for a moment in their fearful existence; they escaped to a serene place as their hands surrounded a warm cup, and as they quietly and slowly sipped. Though I have never experienced anything remotely as horrible as that terrible time, I have often found that sitting with a cup of tea in times of distress brought a sense of peace, which is truly a luxury we cannot afford to live without.

I'm so glad you came by for a visit...my tea cottage is always open, and you are always welcome. If you aren't a tea lover, then no matter what your beverage is, I hope Emilie's words have touched you.

God bless you and God bless America. Please join me in praying for those in our blogging community that need physical healing, and please continue to pray for our nation. There are changes coming that we need to be aware of...as my sister says, this is not a time to be a ostrich, with out heads buried in the sand...it won't go away just because we refuse to see it.

Please remember our troops...they desperately need our prayers as they move forward in the face of danger every single day, sacrificing the comforts of home to protect freedom. And their families, who wait for their loved one to come through the door once again.

Mary

~Never Forget~

2009-09-10T22:02:00.001-07:00

The three firefighters, William Eisengrein, George Johnson and Daniel McWilliams, had discovered a US flag on the back of a yacht inside a boat slip at the World Financial Center. They took the banner and decided to raise it as a statement of loyalty and resilience.

We shall never forget
We shall keep this day,
We shall keep the events and the tears
In our minds, our memory and our hearts
and take them with us as we carry on.

I was looking across the internet to find some pictures and tributes to the Americans that lost their lives to terrorist activity on September 11, 2001, and to the Americans that answered the call of the heart to help in any way they could. So many of our brave fire fighters and police officers also lost their lives, as they bravely tried to save others from harm.

Please click on this link to a website that will help us honor those that died on that horrible day, at the hands of murderers, and remember what we may be forgetting. It is well worth the few minutes it will take to view it.

http://attacked911.tripod.com/

And please visit Eileen at:

http://www.ummasworld.com/2009/09/god-bless-america-september-11.html#comment-form.

She is a New Yorker with some wonderful words and pictures for you today.

This was the saddest day I have ever experienced in my lifetime. I pray I do not see another day like this, ever again.

Please remember to pray for our troops and their families, and pray for those families that have lost a loved one. And remember to raise your American flag.

God bless you all, and God, please protect and bless America, land that I love.

Mary

~Tea Things Tuesday~

2009-09-07T23:15:00.001-07:00

Welcome to my tea cottage, where tea is always the main item on the menu! Kim at www.shabbypinkandpretty.blogspot.com is our lovely hostess for the newly named Tea Things Tuesday. She’s waiting for you to join her and other participants that have some wonderful tea things to show you!

The lazy days of summer are quickly slipping away, and I’m sorry to see it go. On the other hand, even though I enjoy taking tea in any weather, there is a certain advantage to sipping a hot cup when it is a little cooler outside. There is an ambiance when candles are lit, warm scones sit atop a laced doilied plate stand, and the teapot steam is filling the room with the fragrance of ginger spice, or lavender, or wonderful Earl Grey tea. I can’t think of anything I enjoy more than my morning, afternoon and evening tradition of tea.

This is one of my most recent buy from Home Goods. Even though I have very little blue in my living areas, because this tea set is a creamy white color and adorned with pink flowers, it fits beautifully in my house, and I enjoy using it very much. The teapot is a perfect size for two, because we tend to drink several cups of tea, or for 4, if you can stop at only 2 cups!

We’re having tea in the living room today. I’m using the “coffee” table that is the “tea” table in my house! This lovely Quaker lace tablecloth was purchased from ebay for $8.00 plus shipping of $3.00.

The little glass bowl that I’m using for honey came with the spoon. I got it at my favorite thrift store for $8.00.

I fell in love with this tin watering can. It makes a pretty centerpiece for this tea table setting, matching colors to the teapot perfectly.

This picture was taken on a different table in the living room, but I found that it was too crowded, so I moved everything to the larger table in front of the sofa.

These two darling little ladies are a Dollar Tree purchase. I also bought them in green…I can’t wait to use them for a tea that I’m planning that will serve 6..they will be the favors I will give to my guests…that is, if I can bear to part with them!

Is she sweet, or what?

These lovely creamy white teacups and matching sandwich plate was a gift from a good friend. The matching cake stand was a Home Goods buy.

The teapot warmer has been discontinued, but can still be found at tea parlors occasionally.

More pictures on the smaller table by the window..it’s really nice sitting here in the wing chair, where I can look outside onto the yard and pool…very relaxing.

I do hope you’ve enjoy visiting my tea cottage today. I would love to put the tea kettle on and fill this pretty teapot with your favorite flavor, take the scones out of the oven, and enjoy a wonderful conversation with you…even if we just sip and don’t talk at all!

Do come back and visit again…I’m always open, and you’re always welcome! Now be sure to visit Kim for other pretty tea things!

Please continue to pray for our country as our leaders make serious decisions that will have long lasting effects on all of us. And please continue to pray for our troops…the war seems to have moved from one country to another, but not any better. Pray for their safety, their quick return home, and for peace for their families, who wait anxiously till their loved one is in their arms once again.

God bless you all!

Mary

2009-09-07T13:08:00.001-07:00

Wishing Everyone a Wonderful Labor Day Celebration!

"Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country."