I'm going on vacation in my mind....

This morning, I'm taking a quick vacation in my mind to Charleston, SC. Twice in the last few years, we went to Myrtle Beach with my sister and her husband. Both times, we took a day trip to Charleston. We toured Boone Hall Plantation, took a walk at The Battery and Waterfront Park. Stopped to admire the world famous Pineapple Fountain and walked the cool interior of the Old Market. We drove around to look at the old Painted Ladies. We explored the Boone Hall Plantation and the Yorktown Aircraft Carrier. We stopped along the way to watch the Gullah women making their sweetgrass baskets. We had lunch at Jack's Cosmic Dogs. Alton Brown, on The Food Network, did a special there one time and we just had to eat at the same place he did. It was delicious. Here are some of the places I'm visiting in my mind today.......

When we realize we are old....

I've know for a long time that I'm getting old. I see the signs. I remember fax machines when they took 4-6 minutes and the paper turned around on a roller. I remember printing in high school on a mimeograph machine with the stinky blue ink.

But this "getting old" thing is new to my daughter. I think she just realized yesterday that she was no longer a young girl. I had ran into AC Moore and she elected to stay in the car with the kids and let the little one sleep. Her 7 year old sons climbs up front to sit with her while I'm gone. He's my little "investigator" so he is checking out the radio. He hits the eject button and my McKamey's tape pops out.

He looks at his mommy and says,  "Mommy, is this what they call a 'tape'?"

She says she's realized at that moment that her generation was past their prime. Nothing like an innocent comment from a precious child to make you feel ancient.

When faith walks in, fear walks out.

Why do we subject ourselves to so much worry about things in our lives we cannot control? Why do we question God when He points us in the right direction. This week, I've been working on our Beth Moore Bible Study about King David. On the first day of the study, we learn about Jonathan. One thing that really stuck with me was when he said "Perhaps the Lord will work in our behalf."

Jonathan KNEW what God COULD do, but he didn't know what God WOULD do.

How many times in our lives do we hand God a problem and continue to struggle with it. We "worry" it to death like a dog with a bone. We can't let go and let God. What does that change on the outcome? Absolutely nothing. That is where our faith MUST come in. We know God can do anything. He works miracles big and small everyday. But do we wait for our miracle? No, we want to take control and make it work the way WE want it to work, not the way God has it planned. How many times does He answer only to find we are so busy worrying with it that we don't see that He is providing us the answer.

Many people call me impulsive and wonder how I can make decisions without thinking about them. I don't think I'm rash or impulsvie. It's faith. When God points me in a direction, I know He has a reason. I just don't know what it is. I sometimes feel like Jonathan. I know what God can do, I'm just not sure what He will do. But I'm willing to take that leap of faith. 

That is why it is so important not to go to extremes when He asks something of us. Many times we want to pray about it. Ask others advice. Weigh the pros and cons. We are so afraid to take that leap of faith and do His will. It is such a simple process and we make it more difficult. There is an old hymn that says "wherever He leads, I'll go." That is how we should be. We should say "Here I am Lord, choose me." Do I always do that? No, I'm ashamed to say I don't. There are times when I willingly do His will and there are times when He drags me kicking and screaming to get me to do what He wants. I have always found that the blessings are there if we just follow His will.

I sound like I'm on a soapbox and I don't mean to be. But we are all surrounded by good Christian people who love our God and want to do His will. Yet, we all fail Him, myself included because we want to do His will, but we just want HIS will to be OUR will. It just doesn't work that way. We are so afraid to take the step He asks us to take. We are so afraid of failing. When the answer is so simple. By faith, let God lead you and those fears will be gone. My prayer today is that each and everyone of us develop a closer walk with the Lord and learn to listen when He speaks. I pray that we will each learn that a deeper faith will wash away any fears we may have.

Have a blessed weekend!

The fever.

It was over 70 degrees yesterday and we woke up to 61 degrees this morning. I actually wore flip flops to the store. Now, I've got the fever. The vacation fever that is. I'm plotting and planning. I've been researching hotels for our annual beach trip. Not sure where I want to stay this year. I am torn. I love the place we stay every year. It's older, but remodeled. This is the back yard and the beach view from our room. We are only 2 blocks from the pier and Big Daddy's so I love the location. They are so clean and everybody is so helpful and nice, it's like staying with family. But sometimes I think I want a change since we've been there for 6 years now. But I don't know.

I just know I need a trip. We will probably take a few little jaunts to West Virginia for weekend visits with the family. We have two new babies coming and I'll want to see them. There is a niece and a nephew graduating high school and I would love to attend the graduations. We are planning a huge family get-together sometime in July before my nephew, Jake, leaves for the Marine Corp in August. He is being stationed at Parris Island and will graduate basic training in November. I'll be heading on a trip to S.C. for that for sure.

In the past 6 months, I've held two 31 parties and have accumulated some nice travel totes and weekend bags. I'm ready for a road trip.

But for now, I'll just enjoy my Saturday jaunts to Knoxville for shopping with my daughter. The next few days are supposed to be beautiful

Music....

From the time I heard Porter Wagoner sing A Satisfied Mind, I was hooked on music. I love the old country ballads moan and groan of love gone wrong or life gone right. I grew up on Porter, Buck Owens, George Jones, Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn. But like any child I had some of my own favorites - The Cowsills, The Archies. Then I hit the teen years and fell in love with Rock & Roll. I still have my albums by Three Dog Night, Bob Seger, The Bee Gees and many more.

As the years rolled on and I became involved in church, I fell in love with those old gospel hymns, Amazing Grace, Mansion over the Hilltop, The Old Rugged Cross. 

I went through the years with my children's music tastes. But instead of the usual "mom thing" of yelling for them to turn it down, I would pop into their rooms to listen as Bon Jovi sang You Give Love a Bad Name or Poison singing Every Rose has its Thorn. (I still have Bon Jovi CD's I listen to).

I always remembered my country roots and have stayed true to my country music. The old time greats will always touched my heart, He Stopped Loving Her Today by George Jones brings tears to my eyes. And newer ballads like Reba's I'll Keep on Loving You.

But nothing ever replaces the heart-felt love that comes from singing gospel music. It is a deep-seated love of God that brings true blessings from songs that sing of His Mercy, His Grace and the beautiful heaven He has prepared for us. Sometimes when I'm in the choir singing, I feel like God has sent angels down to stand among us, to help us lift our voices in heavenly praise. Some of the gospel songs, old and new, just make you feel like your feet are lifting off the ground. 

They say music soothes the savage beast. I don't think you have to be a beast to be soothed by music. It is my lifeblood and I cannot image what life would be like if there was no music.   

The 4 cent counter....

Back in the Sixties when I was in elementary school, Daddy would sit in his chair and we would rub his feet or back. He would pay us a quarter for doing it. At the end of the week, we would all walk into town to catch the "town bus" to go to the big city of Huntington. We would have our quarter burning a hole in our pocket.

There was a store there called the Bazaar. In the basement, was this big square counter with dividers sectioning it off. It was called The Four Cent Counter. Everything on there was four cents. We loved spending our quarters on items from there.

We always bought a new rain bonnet in the little plastic cases. Not having a car, those came in very handy if we were walking and got caught in the rain. Being young, it didn't bother us to be seen with them covering our head.

We always had to have the little elastic bracelets that looked like Chiclets gum. We thought we were tough stuff with our "jewelry." Of course there was always the collapsible drinking cups with pill holders in them. Even though we didn't carry or take any pills, we loved the collapsible cup.

There was also the set of watches that we had to have. It was a toy watch on an elastic band and you got one for yourself and one for your baby doll in the package. I always bought the one with a red band. I thought they were so cool.

No matter what we bought with our quarter, it was always something fun and special. And even though each item only cost us four cents, it brought us memories that are priceless.

Hmmm, interesting.

I learned something about myself these past couple of days. When it comes to sweets, I am selfish. Hubby bought me a pound of orange creams from the Apple Barn. I posted on Facebook about it, saying "Mine, all mine."

Then, today, Hubby took me to Applebees and here is what I had for dessert...

When I posted about it on Facebook, my comment was..."Two spoons? Seriously. Do they really think I'm going to share dessert?"

So, what have I learned from this? Not only am I selfish, but it is easy to see why I simply CANNOT lose those last 10 pounds. I also learned that I buy sweets at places with healthy names...Apple Barn, Applebees... do you see a pattern here?