Farm Frames...

Love This Story...

I arrived at the address and honked the horn.
After waiting a few minutes
I walked to the door and knocked.. 'Just a minute', answered a
frail, elderly voice. I could hear something
being dragged across the floor.
After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in
her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a
print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned
on it, like somebody out of a 1940's
movie.

By her side was a small nylon
suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had
lived in it for years. All the furniture was
covered with sheets.
There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils
on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard
box filled with photos and
glassware.
'Would you carry my bag
out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase
to the cab, then returned to assist the
woman.

She took my arm and we walked
slowly toward the curb.
She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I
told her.. 'I just try to treat my passengers
the way I would want my mother
treated'.
'Oh, you're such a good
boy', she said. When we got in the cab, she gave
me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive
through downtown?'
'It's not the shortest way,' I answered
quickly...'Oh, I don't mind,' she
said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a
hospice'.

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have
any family left,' she continued in a soft
voice.. 'The doctor says I don't have very
long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the
meter.

'What route would you like me
to take?' I asked.  For the next two
hours, we drove through the city. She showed me
the building where she had once worked as an
elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived
when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in
front of a furniture warehouse that had once
been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.
Sometimes she'd ask me to slow
in front of a particular building or corner and
would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.
As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm
tired. Let's go now'.

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was
a low building, like a small convalescent home,
with a driveway that passed under a portico.
Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were
solicitous and intent, watching her every move.
They must have been expecting her.
 
I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to
the door. The woman was already seated in a
wheelchair. 'How much do I owe you?'
she asked, reaching into her purse.
'Nothing,' I said 'You have to make a living,' she answered.
'There are other passengers,' I responded.
Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She
held onto me tightly.
'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said.
'Thank you.'
I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning
light.. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound
of the closing of a life..

 I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove
aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that
day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had
gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient
to end his shift?

What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked
once, then driven away?
On a quick
review, I don't think that I have done anything
more important in my life.
We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve
around great moments.
But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully
wrapped in what others may consider a small
one.

PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY
WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID ~BUT~THEY WILL
ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.

Morning Words...

And a pretty picture too...

Ps. 90: 14- Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love,

 that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Ps. 92:1-2- It is good to praise the Lord and make music to Your name, O Most High, to proclaim Your love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night.

Psalm 5:3- Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.

Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

Psalm 92:2- It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning,
your faithfulness in the evening.

Isaiah 26:9- All night long I search for you; in the morning I earnestly seek for God.

 

Mark 1:35- Before daybreak the next morning,

Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.

2 Peter 1:19

¹⁹ Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.

Blessings! Amy

New Wind A Blowin...

Howdy. We are about to start doing this again:

 My heart hates to leave this beauty and the incredible friends

we have enjoyed in this gorgeous oldest town in Texas.

 But...we will be closer to these crazies:

 And closer to this wonderful man and father...

 And these people so very close to my heart...

All is good but...I will miss walking here and living in all of this beauty that God created.

Can't wait to find a cute little kitchen like this...I can dream, right?

 I am just thankful that I get to hang out with this man. I am blessed.

Very appropriate "Jesus Calling" for today...

Make Me your focal point as you move through this day.  Just as a spinning ballerina must keep returning her eyes to a given point to maintain her balance, so you must keep returning your focus to Me.  Circumstances are in flux, and the world seems to be whirling around you.  The only way you keep your balance is to fix your eyes on Me, the One who never changes.

No Kidding...

Wake Up Oh Sleeper!...

I wanted you guys to "see" this song instead of just hear it. 

New favorite band...Needtobreathe.

This song makes me think of this scripture:

Eph. 5: 13-14

But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—

and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.

This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

I also REALLY love hearing the crowd sing and

especially love the bell sound toward the end.

(please pause the blog music at the bottom of the page to hear video.)

Slumber: Needtobreathe

Days they force you back under those covers

Lazy mornings they multiply

Glory's waiting outside your window

Wake on up from your slumber

Baby open up your eyes.

Tongues are violent personal and focused

Tough to be with your steady mind

Hearts are stronger and are broken

Wake on up from your slumber

Baby open up your eyes

All these victims stand in line for

Crumbs that fall from the table

Just enough to get by

All the while your invitation

Wake on up from your slumber

Baby open up your eyes

Wake on up from your slumber

Baby open up your eyes

Take from vandals all you want now

Please don't trade it in for a life

Place your feeble with the fable

Wake on up from your slumber

Baby open up your eyes

Wake on up from your slumber

Baby open up your eyes

Oh sing like we used to

Dance when you want to

Taste for the breakthrough open wide.

Oh come on sing like we used to

And dance like you want to

Come on now open up your eyes

And sing like we used to

And dance like we want to

Come on now open up your eyes

Blue...

Just gorgeous Blue.

Graduation Idea: Scripture Tags...

 I had fun this morning getting a graduation gift ready for a sweet friend of mine.  I have made these tags before with scriptures on them just for myself but thought they would make a great gift for her or any graduate. Girls especially.

 I thought about printing the scriptures out but I think some of the sweetness about it is that they are handwritten.  Plus, I enjoyed writing the scriptures out. Kind of a labor of love.

 You can hang them anywhere that there is a knob or handle in the house. I guess you even hang them from your rear view mirror in your car. My sister in law hangs them from the little switch on her reading lamp. Doorknobs would work too.

All you need are regular shipping tags, card stock colored paper and a marker. I picked up the little tin cup and note pad at Target for a dollar each. I also stuck a Target gift card in with the tags.

 Sure hope she likes them.

What are some of your graduation gift ideas?

By the way (love this)...excerpt from "Jesus Calling"-

Bring your performance anxiety to Me, and receive in its place My unfailing love.  Try to stay conscious of My loving Presence with you in all that you do, and I will direct your steps.

Jeremiah 31:3

 Long ago the Lord said to Israel:
“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.
With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

 

Blessings on your day! Amy

What God Is...

Dad and His Coveralls...

This picture makes me smile.

I snapped it one morning a few months ago in my Mom's kitchen.

Dad was headed out to feed the cows.

We had a good laugh about his beloved coveralls. 

 He uses things until they just cannot be used anymore.

Somehow the sleeve got torn off and so he sewed an old jeans pants leg on the arm. 

Like I said, this picture makes me smile. 

Love this man.

He is one of a kind and really special. 

Smart too.
He could not have married a more precious person than my Mom. 

How blessed I am to be one of their children.

How blessed I am to have a father and Mother that point me to my heavenly Father.

I miss my parents when I don't get to talk to them.

I miss my Heavenly Father when I don't fellowship and talk to Him.

I pray that our hears and flesh will cry out for the living God.

That we are so in love with Him that nothing else compares.

Ps. 84:1-2, 10, 11

How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!

My soul yearns, even faints for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

 Better is one day in Your courts, than a thousand elsewhere.

O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You.

Happy Monday! Blessings. Amy

Come Swing With Me...

Without God's Word as a lens, the world warps.- Ann Voskamp

You Don't Have To Be Perfect...

I ran across this wonderful blog posting a few days ago.

If you are a Mom and sometimes feel that you can't measure up this will speak to you. Even with my blog I feel sometimes that it is not good enough, that so many other blogs are prettier or have more to say or get loads of comments, or actually punctuate paragraphs right. ha.

 (I am sure that is true without a doubt, but really...who cares.)

I struggle with not measuring up in my everyday life also.

  I think everyone would like to have a "Pinterest" life.
But the truth is, no one really does.
We are doing the best we can loving our families and loving our God.

This article was good...hope you like it. I loved it.  Our children want us. Us.
 Not some perfect woman that has it all together all of the time. Awesome.

Your Children Want You

Blessings. Amy

Sunday/Wednesday Christians...

Good morning!

I have a sweet friend that comes to our church and attends our youth activities. She is a lovely, warm hearted girl and I wanted to share with you her view of what home is...her church family. This just a part of the essay she wrote but I thought it was really beautiful. 

It made me think about being who I should be every day and every moment for Jesus.

Not just a Sunday/Wed. Christian.

Words from sweet Natalie:

Blessings on this lovely day. Let's be Monday -Sunday Christians. All in. Love you guys. Amy

Choose Life...Choose Jesus.

 Good Monday morning! He Is Risen!! I think everyday should be Easter! What if we woke up every morning proclaiming the resurrection of our Lord? We just might change the world!

We can change the world and give hope.

"Just checked: The tomb is still empty, death defeated, the grave overwhelmed." -Louie Giglio

The words out of my "Jesus Calling" devotional book this morning were powerful.

"Since I have invested My very Life in you, be well assured that I will also take care of you."

We had a great Easter weekend. It's funny, I heard of several families that hunted Easter eggs even though their children are grown. Fun. Next year that will be on our schedule. These were the boys Easter gifts on Sunday morning. You have to have chocolate right?

I have enjoyed the Jesus Calling book so much I thought our guys would love it too. Hope they do.

 Love these men.

 More encouraging words:

Deut. 30:16- For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are now entering.

19- Now choose life so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice and hold fast to Him for the Lord is your LIFE...

Yes, HE is risen...to be proclaimed everyday in our lives. 

We choose life. We choose Jesus.

Blessings! Amy

He Is Risen...

Saturday So Far...

Love, love, love having everyone under the same roof for the weekend.

It has been a while.

Thank you Father, God!

You are Good.

 Homemade Cinnamon rolls.

They were pretty good but need to be tweaked a bit. Enjoyed a fun 

breakfast with three goofy men that I love dearly.

 Our no sugar eater. Could not eat C.rolls so after eggs and

bacon he had cold pizza from last night. Hmmm...

 Studying...

 Couch potatoing...

How is your Saturday going?

We watched "Courageous" with our guys last night. Such a powerful movie.

Here is a thought for us as Mother's of young men and women.

Blessings! Amy

Hello Out There!

 Hi. 

Sometimes I just don't have much to say.

This dry blogging time stems from having a few conversations where I have felt

completely stupid or quick to speak when I should have been quiet.

I like to blame my strange personality quirks and foot in mouth episodes on menopause...(I am sure there is something I need

to just learn instead of blaming

 my big mouth or opinions on something like menopause.)

I have needed to be quiet and found myself curling up

when I could with some good books seeking some wisdom and keeping my mouth shut. 

 I finished the Hunger Games a few days ago.

It is interesting and violent and a little scary with alot of heart.

 Love this series by Karen Kingsbury.

I have not started this one yet but very, very soon.

 This book is kicking my rear end.  Way hard on me but I am sure that I need it.  What IS it like to be married to me? Not so fun sometimes I am afraid, but I hope pretty good most of the time. Great book to make you take a frank assessment of what kind of marriage partner you are.

  My sister in love, Jan gave me this sweet frame for Christmas. I have probably shown it to you already but it is worth another photo. I so agree with the statement. I like our love story the most. And if you think about it...shouldn't we all love our OWN love story the most? I think so.

   Look at this photo above! Dallas and Ft. Worth were taking cover this afternoon.

Several tornadoes were throwing big things around.

My honey was over there today. So thankful he was safe.

 We spent the weekend with our boys and it was parent's weekend at A&M.  We went to a special "Breakaway" on campus. It was really wonderful to sing and to listen to so many voices praising the Lord together. Very inspirational message. A great evening.

This is my little friend that plays in a tree right outside my window where my computer sits. He stares at me and then forgets me and tries to jump from the tree onto our bird feeder. Duffus.  He has not made it yet that I have seen.

Well, I guess this post has been long and boring enough. I will leave you with these thoughts from the middle of another book I am reading..."One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp

Is the busyness of our lives leaving

little room for the source of our lives?

Through all that haste I thought I was making up time.

It turns out that I was throwing away time.

Hurry always empties the soul.

I don't really want more time; I just want enough time.  Time to breathe deep and time to see real and time to laugh long, time to give You glory and rest deep and sing joy and just enough time in a day not to feel hounded, pressed, driven, or wild to get it all done-yesterday.

I just want time to do my one life well.

(We can find it but we have to be looking.)

I only live the full life when I fully live in the moment.

Wherever you are, be all there.

The real problem of life is never a lack of time.

The real problem of life- in my life- is lack of thanksgiving.

(When I give thanks intentionally-

time slows down- I can live in the moment.)

Blessings friends. Love, Amy