A SAFE PLACE TO BE

When you lose someone;
When your job is terminated;
When you find yourself lost;
When you are out there on your own, and it seems kinda dark and alone sometimes, remember this little analogy, as it has been a huge help for me.......

Sometimes you aren't sure which way to go, because the path seems so dark.You can't seem to find the direction to go, or where you need to be, in order to survive.It's at this point, you will discover, that God has covered you with the protective covering of His wing. It too, is dark under God's wing!
Very dark.... and it's very hard to see where you are.
You can't see where you are going, but He can......
It's also a very, very, safe place,under God's wing.
God, in His infinite wisdom, and compassionate heart will wait until "He knows" you are ready to stand on your own, and then He will allow you to stand under the "Shadow" of His wing. He's testing your strength,and giving you a little less coverage, but He's right there if You need Him! When He thinks You are ready for Your full dose of the "Son" again, He will fold back His powerful wings and allow the Son to Reign over You full force once again!

He covered me for a full year before he removed His wings, after David Jr. died, and I remember the day He removed it. He was my comforter, and will continue to be forever!
He trusted me enough, to give me something,so horrific, as the death of my son, knowing full well, that I would never, ever betray His love or faithfulness.
Isn't being under His wing wonderful?
Becky

WEEP NO MORE

When I was in high school,I saw a picture in the Orlando Sentinal, of Walt Disney, when he died. All of his creations were surrounding his picture, and they were pictured weeping, with tears falling from their eyes!
I was extremely moved by this photograph, and have never forgotten it.
I wondered what the world would do, if a photograph appeared in the paper today, of Jesus, with all the prophets around Him, and they were weeping too?.....
Well, I guess they wouldn't be weeping, afterall, now, would they?
They would be rejoicing in Heaven, with their Risen savior!
Becky

MARSHMALLOW BIRTHDAYS

When I was in the third grade,my teacher,Mrs. Maglauthlin,would give each one of us, a most unique birthday cake.She would present us with our very own marshmallow, with a candle in the center, surrounded by a lifesaver! The class would then sing "Happy Birthday" to the birthday boy or girl.I've never forgotten this most delightful way of celebrating my birthday, and some 52 years later,I do believe that she hit the nail on the head with the candle and life saver idea.....
Our Lord, truly does represent the "Light of the World", who came to "Save the World " too.
He's a pretty phenomenol candle and lifesaver, at that, isn't He?
Becky

MEMORIES

This needed to be shared.....
It was from my Grandmother's "Streams In The Desert," and is right on the money, folks! Crerdits are due to "CHM"(whomever that is)

"Are you encompassed with needs at this very moment; and almost overwhelmed with difficulties, trials,and emergencies? These are all divinely provided vessels for the Holy Spirit to fill,and if you but rightly understood their meaning, they would become opportunities for receiving new blessings and deliverances, which you can give in no other way.
What a source.........God. What a supply........His riches in Glory
What a channel.....Jesus Christ.
It is your sweet priviledge to place all your need over against all His riches, and lose sight of the former in the presence of the latter. His exhausters treasury is thrown open to you, in all the love of His heart;go and draw upon it, in the artless simplicity of faith, and you will never have occasion to look to a creature, stream, or lean on a creature prop."
CHM

This was something that Grandmother underlined out in the margin of her" Stream's", as having been a big help to her back in 1947(the year I was born!!!)
She wrote next to it:"Help me to do this,Lord."
Such cherished memories with my two favorite people....
Grandmother and my Lord.....
Becky

UNDERSTAND?

Abraham didn't understand why.....
but he trusted and finally saw God's Glory, when a substitute sacrifice was offered.
Moses didn't understand why.......
but he trusted, and finally saw God's Glory, when he led the Israelites out of Egypt.
Joseph didn't understand why.......
but he trusted and finally saw God's Glory, when he was reunited with his father and brothers, and when his visions proved to be the redeeming factor for Egypt's survival!
Jacob didn't understand why..... but finally saw God's Glory, when he was reunited with his son, whom he thought long since dead!

Many times, we don't understand,just what God is doing in our lives.
If we but trust in the one who created us, to mold our paths, and guide our footsteps, then one day, we will see the "why" of His decisions.
Even now, He gives me glimpses into what He is doing in my life, and I know it's much better than anything I could have created by myself!
Afterall, He created this wonderful world....
I could ask Him,.....why?
Afterall,He sent His Son to die on a cross for us.....
I could ask Him,.....why?
But then,I think I know the answer to that,
and it is humbling in itself......
Because He loved us sooooooo much!
I'm not sure I will ever understand that "why", but I will be eternally grateful for it, that's for sure!
Becky

KEEP ME!

Your loving kindness,is indeed great above the heavens,O God above. As I witness the stroke of Your hands, as they fashion this beauty tonight......
A blushing pink color painted upon a pastel blue easel.
My,my,my,You are not only clothed in splendor, and majesty,Great God and King, but You have chosen to array our heavens, in splendor as well... This You do, because You love us so!
I know You have created this beautiful sunset, Lord,because,You neither slumber, nor do You sleep, and the tiniest detail does not escape Your thought.
My help doth cometh from the Lord, so please continue to help me,all the days of my life, sweet Abba Father.......forever!
Becky

HE HAS PLANS!

This is another hard one for me to write, because it's so personal, but perhaps in writing it,I will help someone else, along the way, and that's what it's all about, isn't it?
After 34 years of marriage,I'm so very grateful that God didn't listen to my plea some 25 years ago, when I begged Him to change my husband. I wasn't a very happy camper, in my marriage then, and thought David needed alot of changing and I pretty much told God so!
Well, He did some changing alright, but it wasn't on David (at first).....it was on me! Yep! He got a hold of me in a big way, and shook the dust out of my brain, and refocused my eyes onto Christ. Funny thing happened too....... As soon as I took my eyes off of myself, and I started to change, then David started changing too!I began to work on my attitude in our marriage and he did an about face in his attitude.God honored my obedience and gave me the desires of my heart.
By that point, though, I truly knew, that my deep down real love, was my Lord, and always had been.He had always been with me, but as usual,I tend to "take off", on my own, but in His faithfulness,He always reminds me,that He's waiting!
He does it in neat ways too.
I don't know of many husbands who would stay by their wives, like David did, after the loss of a child........He has done so, faithfully.
I don't know many husbands who would stay by their wives' bedside for 2 months while they were in a coma, but he did!.....Every single day, for two months!
I don't know of one, but God did way back then, ............ and I got him!
God knew what would happen, and what we both would need, way back then. He choreopgraphed everything, to make me see my need to stay with this fella.
He gave me Ephesians 5:22, and I grew from that!
We are as different as night and day, but God has plans and I can't wait to see them unfold,folks!
Becky

SQUEEKY CLEAN

As a little girl, I learned to wash my hair in the sink, and I've been doing it that way, ever since!
In order to make sure that I've rinsed it well,I have to rub the ends and make sure that they "squeek."
Then, and only then, do I know I've rinsed it clean!
This is also the way I have to wash my hair,over at Edisto, because they have that soft,beach water there, and no matter how much you rinse it, you never "feel" like it's clean! You have to do the "squeek " test on it there too!
On our christian walk, we don't always "feel" like doing things all the time, but if we will step out in faith, and act on God's word, then we can be certain that we will be doing the right thing!
Feelings aren't trustworthy;
The word of God is!........All the time!
Becky

HER STREAM

Somewhere in the margin of my Grandmother Bouterse's "Streams In The Desert",is the word"Dad", surrounded by a circle, with an X over the word.
After inquiring why this was there,I was told, that my grandfather had left my grandmother, for about seven years, for another woman, way back when.......
They were both long gone, when I found this out, but it still nearly broke my heart, because you know how very much I loved this grandmother.
The thing that I learned from this whole episode, though, from reading my Streams,was that my Lord held her up during this whole time!
She had lines underlined, and little notes written, that meant so much to her then...... and to me now. The most significant thing, was, when Grandaddy came back home, she took him back, and forgave him....after 7 years!
What grace.... The margins would say:
"I'm all alone in the trailer" , and then an arrow would point to the margin, where she would have written:"Stay with me Lord." My,my,my, does it still touch this 'ole girl's heart!
She not only taught me about the Bible, but she lived it to the fullest!
What a testimony to stay true to your vows like that!
She's one lady I will be glad to see again.
She found her stream in the desert.
It was God's Living Water.....
Becky

THE SOUNDS

There are sounds on the Branch tonight......
The pfluff mud is popping.....
The Katydids are clicking away, and some sort of bird is chirping away,but I can't tell what kind.....
The traffic going across the Whale Branch bridge breaks the nature noise.....
The sky is a pinkish blue,but I'm told we are to expect a storm,later tonight.
A crow just caw-cawed in the distance, and a hoot owl is hooting from across the river.
This is my favorite time of night.I wonder if it will be in Heaven?
As long as my Lord is there,it will be my favorite time of day!
Becky

THE VOICE

I'm lying here this afternoon, just listening to my beautiful music on "The Light." I think I've been going and doing too much lately;not resting enough, and my brain is telling me to slow down......
This is a nice respite for me, just lying here right now.........
Sometimes, though, God has to knock me in the head with a 2x4, to get my attention!
That's okay, though, just as long as He gets it, and I slow down.
This 'ole sheep knows her Shepherd's voice pretty well, by now.
Becky

LEAVE THE LIGHT ON

Motel 6 has a neat slogan.........

"We'll leave the light on for you."
Our Heavenly Father has invited us to spend Eternity with Him. He'll leave The Light on for us too..........forever!
Becky

HOT FUDGE SAUCE

My daughter,Kelly,gave me a recipe, for microwave hot fudge sauce, and boy howdy,is it ever delicious!
I use Splenda in it instead of sugar, and it works great.
One thing she reminded me to do, though, was to make sure that I dissolved the chocolate completely, before I added the sugar.Otherwise,it would be lumpy and distract from the sauce.Sure enough, the first time I made it,I didn't stir it properly, and it was kinda lumpy!
I thought about, how, even in our lives, we need to stir up those qualities in ourselves that make us who we are.
The hot fudge sauce adds butter and vanilla at the end, after it has been stirred, and the sugar has been added, but to me,I would add the word of God as my sweetener, and a good dose of His love at the end.
That makes all the difference when you are sharing your testimony and your life with others......
Hot Fudge Sauce will go great on anything!
The word of God goes great on anything too
Becky

WILDFLOWERS

I planted a small wildflower garden, the other day, after David added a bunch of dirt to the front of the yard. I've been watching the area where the flowers were planted, to see if they were any beginning to sprout, and I noticed that some of the grass nearby, was beginning to come up nice and green.
With as much water as we've had lately,it's no wonder, that I can see the results! With the scorching heat that we've had,there wouldn't be much of a show of any color, when they finally did bloom.......
On our christian walk, we too, have to be planted in good soil; grounded in scripture,and watered daily in the word of God, if we are going to grow into "children of the Living God".
He wants bright, growing specimens, not dead foliage!
Satan can put the heat on and wither you up, in a skinny minute, but the word of God is more powerful that a two edged sword, and can wipe away that withering heat, and restore you to your full strength, in one swoop!
I love to see the grass grow, and the word of God grow.....
Now, if something could only be done about my wildflowers!
Becky

VERY,VERY MUCH

Sweet Jesus,I love You.......
You have done so much for me, and I have given so little back to You......
I could never do what You did for me.
I am so selfish,Lord.
I can,however, tell You sweet Jesus,
That I love You so very,very much!
Becky

ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE

O Lord,I am so blessed to have You for my strength.
Your heart has become the highway of my travels Lord Jesus, and Your Righteousness reigns down upon me,sweet Abba Father, all because You first loved me.....
Oh, how beautiful that is.
Teach me Lord.
Teach me Your ways, and let me glorify Your Holy name, as I travel Your highway all the days of my life.
Becky

AGE DOESN'T MATTER

Hearing the little boy cry out "Daddy", on the radio,today, as his father walked out after the divorce,reminded me of myself, when my father left my mother.
I hollered out to Daddy too, at age 21!
It hurts at any age!
Becky

CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU

If you can't take anything with you, when you leave this world, just be sure you leave behind as much as you can.....
Leave behind everything you know about our Lord and Savior,Jesus Christ!
Becky

PLAN OF SALVATION......OR WN|HAT?

I don't think I truly understood it to be "the Plan Of Salvation"......
No.....
I think I understood,that I was at my Grandmother's trailer, listening to her tell me all about God and Jesus!
In her endearing way, she told me how,if I loved God so much, and wanted to be with Him in Heaven one day,that I would have to believe and have faith, that God loved me enough, to send His one and only Son,Jesus to earth, to get to know us, so that we could believe in Him, and by believing in Him and His death and resurrection, we could have everlasting life!
Well, since Grandmother never lied to me,this was a simple thing for me to believe, but she backed it up, with scripture, so I knew it had to be true!
John 14 was our verse, and I loved imagining Jesus going back and preparing a special place, just for me, and then coming back,one day, and taking me home to be with Him.That will be a day I look forward to.
To me, this wasn't a plan of salvation.It was simple faith, and it has never left this 'ole girl's heart.....ever!
God probably planned it for that, as a little girl, because I never forgot that lesson, and probably never will. He doesn't waste anything,does He?
Becky

SCRIPTURE SAYS

Have you ever noticed the people in the grocery store lines, with all the coupons? They have a variety of sale ads from different stores, just to make sure they get the best deal, and save the most money!
They have taken the time to find out all that "profitable" information......
Seems to me,it would be a whole lot better,if we spent more time studying the Word Of God, so,"we wouldn't gain the whole world, and lose our souls," as scripture says!
Becky

WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED?

When Daddy died, at age 90, he had never had a cavity, and he had all his original teeth. He was as healthy as any 90 year old man could be, and he died without ever having taken an aspirin in his life!
I'd say he was pretty healthy, but then, if you've got God, what else do you need? :p)
It's kinda like he has just changed residences from Earth to Heaven.
That's all! And his landlord happens to be a King!
Can't get much better than that!
Becky

WE ARE STANDING ON HOLY GROUND

As I lie here, listening to this wonderful harp music.....
"On Holy Ground",I am suddenly reminded of all those friends, and family members who have already gone on to be with the Lord.
It just hit me full force.
They are right now, at this very moment, while I am listening to this song, standing in the very presence of Jesus,himself!........Wow!
"We are standing in your presence,on Holy ground".....
And they are.....
How very awesome!
Becky

THE FIRE

On Christmas Eve, at my church in Aiken, we always ended, with a candlelight service. The sanctuary was totally dark, and we would light each others candles. The darkened room, soon came alive and filled with the radiant light from all the candles burning!
There would be no glow, without the burning.
In the same manner, we are to be individual lights for Christ. We can brighten dark places with His love, and with the truth of God's word......
Our candles can be a match; a light bulb; a torch.....
The choice is ours!
There will be sacrifices on the part of your match;light bulb,or torch.
Something has to be expended and sacrificed, for the testimony of Christ to shine through.
When it does, though, it is one glorious shine!
Whether you are a match......
Whether you are a light bulb.......
Whether you are a torch........
Just make sure you turn on for the Lord....and Shine!
Becky

MY LORD

We had such a storm in Beaufort tonight that the electricity even went off during our Wednesday night church service.
Quite an experience too...... Yet the experience waiting for me, was when I arrived home and watched an absolutely breathtaking color display, that God had displayed for me on the Branch!
It was absolutely magnificent. The whole sky looked as if it was on fire. It started out as a pale pink, but quickly turned into forest fire orange.
The silhouette of the pine trees made it stand out that much more.
When I see displays like this, I am constantly reminded of how awesome our God is, and just how creative He is, in His love for beauty.
Is He not just the most wonderful God? He is Just and All Powerful, and can create a storm that can knock the power out, and at the same time,He is creative, and can with a gentle touch of His hand,
paint a beautiful and very endearing sunset scene,like He did tonight!
My,my,my.......
How I do love my Lord!
Becky

THE FANTASTIC VOYAGE

You know,sometimes, when we are confronted with change, we balk!
We don't like it one bit!
I know I don't, but this little analogy surely makes it plain to me.Hope it helps you......

A baby often doesn't know when it needs to be changed, but the wise love of their parents, knows what is best for the baby,(and those around it) and will do what is necessary to correct the situation.
Well, you and I, are no different from that baby, when you stop and think about it.
When we get ourselves into messes, and don't know what's best for us, God will often intervene, and change our course, but so often we balk, and fuss.
Why?
Because we aren't in control, and don't understand that things need to be changed!
Our Sovereign God in His infinite wisdom does, because He has the big picture. He has been directing and changing things to suit His travel plans for us, even while we are "stewing" over our problems, and our course of direction.
He's already gone into action!
If we could trust our Father enough to know when we need to change, and trust Him to change us, and things around us, then we would be so much better off.That would be one fantastic voyage to go on, wouldn't it?
I love stewed apples, but "stewing" over my problems, is not my cup of tea.
God gets things done, without "stewing" over anything.Wouldn't I love that?
Becky

HE STAYS THE SAME

I bet I was the only little girl in
Mount Dora, who embroidered Jesus;made Guava Jelly Jesus;played Dominoes Jesus;played Scrabble Jesus;sang Jesus, and when we finally got around to reading the Bible(which was all the time), we read Jesus too! It seems, that everything I did, while at Grandmother Bouterse's trailer, involved Jesus! If there were a certain number of dots on the Dominoes, she would relate it to the Lord in someway.
Even the "blind" stitching she taught me to use on my hems, she used to teach me about Jesus giving sight to the "blind"!.......
Even after all these years,I can still remember it like it was yesterday! Jesus was always a joy to Grandmother, as it should be for all of us, so, naturally, it became joyful for me too!
When the seed is planted at the beginning and cultivated throughout your life, it's kinda hard not to have it with you,later on.
I am so thankful that I do.......
My embroidery isn't too good anymore, and I usually get beat at Scrabble. I don't have Guava's(wish I did!) here in Beaufort, nor do I remember how to play Dominoes, but I do have Jesus with me, and His word has said that He will NEVER leave me, nor forsake me!
He never changes. He stays the same, and I like that!
Becky

SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST

As a little girl, I loved to bake. I did more baking, than "Carter had little liver pills." I even had one of those Easy Bake Ovens!
I loved mixing the ingredients, and having something wonderful come out.(Especially if it was a fresh Coconut Cake)
Ingredients are very important, but that's all they are.....Ingredients!
They won't become a cake, until you put it in the oven and bake it! Then it will form into that wonderful new creation, that you can devour!
Just like that cake, we as Christians, are just "ingredients", until Christ comes into our lives............... We kinda exist on a "so-so" plain. It's only after our Salvation, that we get poured into the mold, that He so designed for us, where we're baked in the furnace of affliction. This is where the real results come forth!
When we are taken out, all the good and exciting things we want to do for the Lord, rise to the top and they become the frosting on our walk with the Lord!
Hopefully, others will see our cake, and want a slice!
We can tell them how to get it,can't we?
Becky

BROKEN THINGS

When you get a brand new car, it seems like it doesn't take it very long, before you find something wrong with it,does it?
Or how about when you buy a new home, and everything seems so nice, for a few months, and then all those little "things" start to show up.......
Ofcourse you love it, but you suddenly see all of its flaws.....
It seems like everything in our lives starts out that way.
A new outfit where the stitching becomes unraveled;a new blouse that has a loose button; food spoils that is brand new;a new watch battery dies...... This is just the way everything in our lives happens to us.
When we started out, at the beginning of creation, God designed for us to be sinless, but satan finegled his way into our thought patterns, and , well........
You know the rest of the story!
Thankfully, though, the very God who created us, also loved us,inspite of our flaws. He wanted us with Him in Heaven,but knew we had to be sinless to be with Him, and since we now were NOT, He did one of the most loving things a Father could ever, ever do for His earthly children......
He sent His Son....His very own Son, Jesus, to earth, so that He would replace us, and our sins, on a cross, just so we could come to Heaven and be with God. He knew we weren't perfect; that we were filled with sin, but He did this for us anyway...... even while we were sinners!
If this isn't love, I don't know what is!
On earth, we may have things go wrong.....
In Heaven, this will be one time, when nothing......
Absolutely nothing will go wrong with anything.
It will be perfect, forever and ever, amen!
Becky

KNOCKED SENSELESS

I woke up during the night, with a lulu case of vertigo, and have spent most of the day,doing absolutely "nothing"!(For me that is hard too!)
If you've never had vertigo, then, be thankful,folks.The last time I had it,I wound up on the stage at "Jukebox Journey" in Savannah, with the Primetimers, right after I moved here! It's an awful feeling where you can't get your bearings or go the direction you want to go. I usually have to take something for it too.......
Satan is alot like vertigo!
He creeps in when you least expect it, and will knock you off balance everytime. Your sense of direction gets knocked out of balance too, and you can't tell where you're going either.
About the only thing I've found that will get me back on the right track from satan, is the word of God!
For my vertigo,I can take some medicine, and call the doctor in the morning!
For satan,I can call my Heavenly Doctor right now, and I've already taken the perfect medicine!
Becky

OUR GIFT TO GOD

The way we live our lives, can be our thank you to God, for His gift of Salvation!
Becky

NOT WORTH IT

It seems like whenever I walk over to Mike's,next door, and go through the woods to get there,I always manage to pick up some Beggars Lice on my clothes. Those things use to drive me crazy when I was growing up....
I would come in, with them all over my socks, and the cuffs of my blue jeans!
I've never actually seen where they come from........just that they show up and attach themselves, when you least expect it!
Satan has a way of doing this very same thing.....
He is the master disguiser. I can't say as I've actually seen him comin', until he's attached himself, and then it's too late! I have to stop!
Pick him off!
Just like I do for those Beggar's Lice. It's much easier,if I take Jesus along to begin with, because satan doesn't attach too well to the "Light". He wants to attach himself to you anyway he can to disrupt your walk with the Lord .
Don't let him! Take the time to pull him off!
God's word is the best repellant yet!
Becky

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

My middle name came from my Daddy's sister,Margaret, who accidentlly shot herself, while cleaning her shotgun, as a teenager. The name Becky,came from our Methodist minister's wife, Becky Doggett, who was our minister, before I was born.
Names are important to us, and can reveal alot about a person's character.
I have a dear friend, in Aiken, who is 91 years old, and has stitched me the names of God onto a sampler. It is hanging up on the wall, and everytime I look at it, I am reminded of how dear May is, but also, how dear my Lord is too!
He is my "Adonai,"(my Lord Master) yes, but I think to me, He is more my "El Shaddai", because He is most definitely my "All Sufficient One."
I was given two names.......
Names that remind me of these two people!
He has been given many names......
Names that remind us, of just who He is!
Really awesome names; A really Awesome God!
Becky

THE PRESENTATION

For the believer:
The main course in a dessert, is always:
Jesus Christ
The presentation on the plate,is always:
You & me!
Becky

TEACHERS

The neatest thing about turning 60, on this trip, was I finally got the chance to call three of my high school teachers by their first names...........
And I couldn't do it!!!
Nope!
I had supper with my Home Economics teacher (Bobbie), her husband (George) and my 8th grade Social Studies Teacher,(Buck).Mind you, they were still Mr. and Mrs. to me! They are all only 13 years older than me too!
This was a treat for me, as Mr. D was the only class I ever cheated in, and then turned myself in, and we laughed about that too. His favorite phrase was "on God's green earth", and how he did love our Lord's green earth too!
Bobbie and George are still as sweet on each other as they ever were, and what a hoot she still is!
I learned alot about sewing from her, but more importantly, I learned alot of good character. These folks were from Mississippi, like my sweet Nellah......
The salt of the earth!
When you put a little salt, on food, it adds just a bit of flavor. I think these folks add just the right touch of flavor too...... The flavorful touch of Christ's love to my wonderful weekend in Mount Dora.......
Becky

COMIN' HOME

Whew! What a week it has been.
I've been at the Villages;A Historic B&B;Visited Friends;eaten everything in sight;gone to Jacksonville........
And now, I'm good and tired, and finally ready, and........
I'm coming home!I'm glad you'll be there waiting for me.......

Whew! What a life this has been! I've been here on this earth, in SouthCarolina,Florida and all over this country.
I have visited friends and enjoyed everything You've given me.My body has been a temple to You,Lord, so hopefully, I have used it for Your Glory along the way.
I'm tired now, and think this time, I am really ready to come Home to You.......
Are You waiting for me?
Becky

COUNT ON IT!

I went to Curves today, in a building, that once was Romer's Bakery, in the 1950's....
Roseborough Elementary has been torn down, which nearly broke my heart......
The "new" (four lane) highway 441, which was built back in the '60's, is now a 6 lane highway......
There's a doll shop, where we use to stop and pick up the key to the "Crane's House" at Daytona Beach.......
The B&B we stayed in belonged to friends of my Mama's,in the early 1950's.......
Mama's Knit 'N' Needle Nook Has Been sold, and remoldeled....
There are now, all these little islands in the middle of the roads, through out town.......
The "Walk" signs chirp when you can walk in downtown......
It's amazing! So much has changed in this once small town, that housed maybe 6000 people........
It's all change though......
One thing that will never change, no matter what, though.......
The word of God!
You can count on that!
Becky

SOLID & FIRM

The second two nights before our fabulous five weekend, I stayed at Patti's house, and she offered me her guest room, with two beds.She gave me the choice of two beds, stating that one was a little more soft, while the other was decidedly more firm.
I had to chuckle at her choice of words, though.....
A soft mattress for sleeping!
A firm foundation built on the word of God, for living!
Thank You very much.......
I thanked her, and chose tthe softer mattress.
I had a pretty good nights sleep too!
Becky

LOSING THE WAY

Patti and I drove to Eustis today, to visit one of Mama's "remaining" friends. Mary Lib, is now 86, and was waiting for us, and I was pretty sure I could remember how to get to her house.We drove right by, what I thought was the entrance, but it didn't say "Dogwood", so I hesitated turning in.After turning around and noticing the bricks on the pavement,I immediately knew this was the correct road! I had just forgotten the name of the subdivision......
Scripture tells us, that in the latter days, we will be given all kinds of confusing signs on our journey;
we are told to make sure we know what God's word says, and who we are following on our journey.
I was fortunate to have recognized those bricks, on the entryway, just in time.
Hopefully, we won't lose our way,on our journey to Christ.......
Becky

DEL & ED

There was Del and there was Ed......
Two fellas I grew up with in Mt. Dora. One from first grade, and the other was probably in 2nd grade, because he was a year behind me!
Today, though, I am seeing the graciousness of their mothers shining through them, in their kindness to the fabulous five friends. As Del so kindly entertained us in his home,I was reminded of how he stepped in for his brother, and presided over the graveside services of his mother. That took alot of strength and character, which doesn't just happen over night. This was a trait Del was taught by his very dear mother, at an early age. This kindness touched us so very much.
Now, Ed and I go back a long way too. Our dad's were in Lion's Club together, and every time I come home, he rolls out the red carpet for me, as if I were someone special. He always makes me feel welcome, when we laugh and reminisce, about the old days!
His mother,like Del's mother,taught them this trait of common kindness, and that's what has made all the difference in these guys........
These are just two fellas I grew up with......
Neat guys.......
One's a lawyer;One's the head of the Savings & Loan.......
Long ago, God decided, that for a short time we would enjoy seeing what true,kind and gracious character looks like, when a mother chooses to teach her sons, at an early age, because they are all in the qualities of Del and Ed.......
Becky

...AND WE HAVE!

Well, the fabulous five friends, met up today, in Mount Dora, at the cutest gingerbread house "B&B", for our weekend get together. (Actually, the house originally belonged to the parents of a classmate of my brother's!) We've been walking and shopping and amazing everyone in town, with our knowledge of the original Mount Dora, and the fact that all five of us had come back for a weekend together!
We walked down to the yacht club and said "hello" to more friends, and another classmate bought us dessert at the Pisces Rising Restaurant.
Tomorrow is lunch with my high school Home Economics teacher;her husband, and my 8th grade Social Studies teacher.
A drop in tomorrow night at the home of still another class mate,Del Gene, and his wife Sandy........Such graciousness on his part.A more honorable lawyer, you will never find...... (well maybe my brothers!)
I managed to stop by and have a delightful visit with Ed, who was a year behind me, but still a delightful friend, and the President of the Savings and Loan, at the First National, in town.He and Jack(the President of the bank) sent us a basket of goodies .That's small town courtesies folks!!!
One lady in the store we were in, gave us coupons for ice cream, when she found out we were all celebrating our 60th birthdays!
That's been the neat thing about growingup in a small town, like Mount Dora. God brought Tara from Tallahassee;Jeannie from Pompano;Judy from Titusville;Patti from Mt.Dora and me from Beaufort, but somewhere along the way, back in the 50's, He decided we would all become friends in first grade, (and include Judy a little later on!) just so we would have something fun to do when we turned 60........and we have!
Becky

Quiet Time

This was so neat folks!
I spent my first night with David's sister, at the Villages, and she has this adorable picture on her "fridge", which is of her great grandaughter,Hailey.
She told me that Hailey's Mom,Kara,will spend every night, in a wind down mode, with Kara, before she goes to bed, getting her to slow down, and "be still".
She has done this,now,since she was a teeninesy thing, and she's almost two now!
Kara says she obeys without hesitation too.....
This reminded me of when we used the old 78lp records;then the 45lp's, and the 33and 1/3 lp's.
The 78's went lickety split, followed by the regular beat 45's, and then the 33 and1/3's went real slow!
If we slowly take the time with our children,at the very beginning, they just might respond like Hailey.
Just think what a tribute to the Lord we could give, if we would start each day by teaching our children all about the Lord, in that still small voice......
In that quiet time, we could make one loud noise for the Lord!!!
Becky