For the love of family

It has been an amazing day. We had family visiting from out of town so we elected to play hooky and do the "tourist" thing. We started the day with a leisurely breakfast at "THE" pancake place in Gatlinburg. This was followed by a beautiful day of exploring Dollywood, savoring the fine foods, enjoying the shows and shopping.

We then returned to Gatlinburg to walk up and down the streets, checking out the many shops. I found this beautiful angel to watch over my kitchen. Everywhere we went we could see the signs of fall. I picked up some of my favorite milk chocolate orange creams from the Smoky Mountain Candy Kitchen. We finished the day with a drive to The Chimneys followed by a filling supper in Pigeon Forge.

I must say that it was a very relaxing way to spend "over-the-hump" day. Never knew Wednesday's could be so fun.

So thanks to our family for inviting us along today and making it a time to remember.

Oh, what a beautiful morning

Today is one of those Kodak moments you want to freeze in time. The weather is absolutely perfect. It's one of those moments where everything seems a little less stressful. One of those calming days when you can stop and see the glory around you and appreciate the wonder of God's handiwork. Our Sunday night sermon was on one of my favorite verses, Psalms 46:10 - "Be still and know that I am God." Human nature is to worry. We'll get behind in our jobs because we worry about the bills that are due. We'll eat chocolate and drink Pepsi's because we are stressed about being behind at work. We'll worry about our health because we ate the chocolate and drank the Pepsi. And on those rare beautiful moments, when life is serene and happiness surrounds us, we worry because we don't have anything to worry about!! We wonder if it's the calm before the storm. We wait for the next dilemma to arise or the next calamity to hit. We are a nation of worriers. When in reality, all we have to do is be still and know that He IS God.

Moody Monday

Do you ever have one of those days where you just wake up in a "Mood"? Not sure what mood you're in? I call that the "blah" mood. It usually happens on Monday. It is my belief that Monday is the worst day of the week. Weekends are a time of relaxing and enjoying life, but Monday's are a day for facing reality. It' back to the same old/same old, day in/day out grind. But does it have to be that way? Is Monday really a day of the week or is it an attitude? If you face those Monday morning blahs, try this simple technique. Don't focus on the negative things you have to accomplish in the week, but reflect on the good things that happened over the weekend. Find your joy where you can. Turn your "blahs" into bliss. For me, I think of how good it was to listen to rain as it hit the roof top over the weekend. I think of the blue, clear skies and the gentle soft breeze that blew the rain away. As I sit here and look out the window, I watch the weeping willow limbs swaying in the wind. We need to be more like the weeping willow. It's roots are deep and it is very strong. However, it knows to keep its strength, it needs to go with the flow and bend so it does not break. So may your Monday's be blessed days and your life be like a weeping willow that stands straight and proud and accepts what it cannot change and just moves in the way in needs to go.

I'm amazed

Our choir recently starting singing I'm Amazed. Such a simple statement with so much meaning. Take a moment and think of the times in your life when you didn't know where to turn or who to talk to. Moments of such overwhelming emotion that you just didn't know how you were going to survive. How many of us turn to God in times of turmoil? Or do we try everything and everybody and when nothing else works, we take it to the Lord? There are times when I am like a young child learning to do things on my own. I don't think I need any help. It's like I stomp my foot and say "I can do it myself." Do we ever really learn that we don't HAVE to do it ourselves? I had a dear friend who was very fond of saying "Let go and let God." If we will just practice that simple statement, we will find our problems may not go away, but there is someone who is there to carry the load or ease the pain. No matter how hard we try to make things difficult, His amazing love and amazing grace are available to us. All we have to do is ask; then step back to watch him in action. It truly is amazing.

Rain Rain Go Away....

What a rainy day this has been. I must say, I'm not the "stay at home kind" on the weekend, no matter what the weather. But today even made me wish I was inside. One thing I have learned through my life is that God blesses us as much on the rainy days as He does the sunny one. It never ceases to amaze me that everything he does has a reason. We don't know the why's or the how's, but we know that the rain was sent from His hand and that someone somewhere received a blessing from His hands, all because of the rain. So I guess we'll just say Thank You Lord for another beautiful day and not worry so much about getting wet. After all, we will dry out.

Finally Friday

What is it about Friday that makes us want to work less and play more? Though I have many tasks that need completing today, I find myself thinking "What can wait until Monday?" I think there is a little procrastination in us all. Friday's are the eve of the weekend. No matter what your plans - shopping, working in the yard, relaxing - Friday's provide a special day to get ready for your big plans. As with any "eve", there is great anticipation for the day or days to follow. So sit back, prop up your feet and make those plans to enjoy the weekend. For me, I think I'll get back to work and finish today what needs done today. That way I can enjoy my weekend, too.

Reflections...

Well, I finally bit the bullet and started a blog. As autumn arrives, the air is fresh and crisp and my memory wanders back to the days of high school football, Oktoberfest parades, and the smell of leaves burning in the backyard. I've always thought of fall as a time of quite reflection before the onslaught of the holidays, before the resolutions of the new year, before spring cleaning and summer vacation. But I apparently don't remember things very clearly. Rather than the quite reflection time I expected, I am swamped. New clients coming on board, company coming to town, choir practice for Christmas is starting. There is something going on every Saturday during this "quite time" that is going to keep me a' hoppin' and a' jumpin'. So I guess I'll be neglecting my reflecting until things slow down some. But that's the joy of living.