GOT A MINUTE OR TWO

The winner was Barbara and her most colorful and most creative masterpiece.  She used every thing on the "supply" table, from cloth ribbon, feathers, curly ribbon and topped it with a bird on top of a ribbon spool.  (Click to enlarge) We didn't wear our own hats in the parade because we wanted it to be judged on the hat, not the personality of the one wearing it.  It was a fun party, and the parade of hats was a favorite for everyone.   Congratulations Barbara...A job well done!!!

The theme for Creative Tuesday is "Easter Eggs".   This is a watercolor in pastel colors.  I used a wax caryon before I started to leave some white on the basket and eggs. The inspiration for the colors in the painting were from our antique lamp that belonged to Don's mother.  I love the colors in it and used them for the colors in the painting.  My little wooden bird is looking on. I just want you to know, I didn't stick my brush in my coffee one time!  Which is a miracle...this picture was sent to me by a friend who saw that I invariably stick my brush in my coffee cup. I trust you all had a wonderful Easter, and found lots of beautifully colored Easter Eggs. To see all the other participants and their eggs, just click on the CT badge on my sidebar.

When I saw this YouTube of the Bell Brothers singing "It's all about the Cross" I was moved as it speaks my heart, and it's what happened on Good Friday. Twenty 27 years ago on Good Friday, our youngest daughter, Jill was in a horrific car accident and her life hung in the balance.  She was still alive on Easter morning, and my dearest was giving the message at a Sunrise Service.   He said "She's Alive", and of course everyone expected him to say "He's alive", but he went on to tell that Jill had survived the night and was alive.  It was a long period in intensive care and the hospital, but God granted our prayers and today she is the mom of our youngest grandson, Tristan who will be three in June.  God is good all the time, and then some.  We will never forget that Good Friday. I pray that you will embrace the One who not only died on the cross for the sins of the world, but rose the third day to prove His diety and welcomes a...

  We hit the ground running this week, and it's only Wednesday, and we've already shared three meals with three different sets of friends and family from out of state, and country! Above is Les and Nancy.  Don knew Les back in High School days and they were coming through Southern CA on their way home in Idaho and we were able to have lunch Tuesday at Stonefire Grill. Then Tuesday evening we had dinner with Kris and Ted.  Those of you who have followed my blog for a long time know Kris as my lifelong friend.  We met as small children.  Lived across the street from each other and our friendship spans 70 years. Kris and I went to Biola College together where I met my dearest.  Kris met Ted a little later and they just retired, but spent their life translating the New Testament into Zapotec with Wycliffe Bible Translators and leave their legacy in villages where the work continues with those Ted trained to carry on. Then today, we had lunc...

Our oldest daughter, Michel has a birthday today, and her daughter, Monique planned an elaborate "Surprise" Birthday Party last Saturday.   I won't go into the details of the work it took and the lies that were told to pull it off!  But it worked and she was completely SURPRISED!  Top picture is getting ready to take the Limosine to the  "Twisted Paint" Party.  Nine gals in a Limo...that was a blast! If you've never done the Group Painting Party, it was so fun and we were instucted on each part of the painting.  We did a glass vase of lilacs.  The left painting is mine and the right is our Granddaughter Monique working on hers.  Another one of those events keeping me hopping!! It's so great living near our kids and participate in family activities.

Click to enlarge I know I've been scarce lately on my blog and visiting you dear friends, but March came into our lives like a roaring lion.  The calendar filled up faster than I could write down the events. Some were with our kids and some were with church, and some were at the Villa. On Saint Patricks Day, one of the ladies here hosted a Corn Beef and Cabbage luncheon for a group of us that have become good friends. After lunch we spent a couple hours decorating Easter Bonnets to wear next week at the Easter Party at the Clubhouse for all the residents.  There will be a contest to see who's hat was the most creative. Today is "tree trimming" day so there are saws buzzing all over the complex...Molly is not happy about it, and keeps barking.  Maybe she due a "4th of July" relaxing pill.  HaHa. Hope you have a great week.  Can't believe we are only a few days away from Easter.

The Triumphal Entry John 12:13 "Hosanna!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Blessed is the King of Isreal."  O Lord the cry was Hosanna! Save now!  Rescue us, Jesus.  We need Your help!  We need Your deliverance!  Hosanna, save now!  This is precisely what You came to do, but in a way we did not expect.  In order to save us You had to lay down Your life.  Before you could wear the crown of glory, You first had to wear the crown of thorns.  You heard our cry for mercy.  You answered our prayer for a Savior King. Today we join our voices with the song of the crowd and with the song of countless multitudes who are waving palm branches before the throne of the Lamb.  And we cry out to You are our King: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." Thank You for being the perfect Lamb.  We love and honor You!!  Amen. I wanted to share a prayer...

  My Saturday morning started out so well.  I pulled out my bin of summer clothes, and found a couple of nice skirts I had forgotten I had.  I really needed a couple of new tops to match them.  One in gray and one cream.  Off to the Thrift Outlet that is just down the street to see what I could find. In and out of the dressing room trying on tops and finally deciding on a nice grey one with sparkles, a plain cream one and a bonus turquoise one to wear with pants. Paid for my purchases and went to my car.  Reached in the zipper pocket where I keep my keys.  NO keys.   No problem, I'm always sticking them in the wrong pocket.  Searched every zipper pocket, no keys.  Looked through the whole purse, no keys.  I had dropped my purse getting into the dressing room, so thought maybe they fell out. Back in the store, ask if anyone had turned in any keys.  No.  checked the dressing room, no.  Went down every row lookin...

NUGGETS FROM CALM MY ANXIOUS HEART LESSON #6   God's standard for our possessions Remember:    Everything belongs to God Heart attitude is the issue God comes first and possessions second Possessions are to be used, not loved Money has never been the problem....it's where it is on our priorty list.  God has given us all things to enjoy. LESSON #7   Set your course ~ What is your personal Mission Statement? Have you given thought to who you are, what God has called you to do and your purpose in your world. Remember:   "Live life, then, with a due sense of responsibility, not as women who do not know the meaning and purpose of life, but as those who do.  Make the best use of your time, despite all the evils of the days.  Don't be vague but grasp firmly what you know to be the will of the Lord." (Ephesians 5:15-17) Everyone's mission statement is different.  It's personal because you determine it.  What d...

This is my little work station where I do my blogging. Just had a craving for scones this morning, so made a double batch of Cranberry/white chocolate/walnut.  Was out of powdered sugar so no drizzle... how sad is that? The balcony is looking so nice.  All my plants are sprouting new leaves and life! This is the first time in years I haven't decorated for Easter.  The only thing I did was put my Bunny Welcome sign on the balcony. I took a "selfie" today, and then noticed the back of my head in the mirror behind me.  Can't believe how much my hair has grown since my cut. Made an old fashioned oven dinner tonight.  Meatloaf and scalloped potatoes.  The taste of home.  Growing up we had this at least once a week.  When raising our kids on a tight budget, we had it often too.  No one complained.  I love leftover meatloaf in a sandwich.  That will be lunch tomorrow. That was my Thursday!  W...

Have you ever had a one hour vacation.  I had just that today.  I needed to make a bank run and our bank is in Old Town Monrovia.  After my banking, I stopped at the Old Town Bistro and enjoyed a Monte Cristo sandwich, fresh fruit and a steaming cup of coffee with cream.  I sat at a little table outside, the town clock above me and that's when I chuckled to myself and said I feel like I'm on vacation, a ONE HOUR vacation. With my hour vacation over, and half of my sandwich and fruit in a take home for my dearest, I resolved to take one hour vacations more often.  It was delightful. When I got home, I was refreshed and smiling as I did a load of laundry, balanced my check books, fixed a nice chef salad for dinner before we got ready to go to Wednesday night church. It was a very good day.   I would encourage you to take an HOUR vacation soon.

There is a sign up sheet for the refreshments at my Tuesday morning Bible Study.  You can sign up for baked goods, fruit or juice.  Most of the time there are coffee cakes, donuts, I've made scones, but yesterday, I just wasn't in the mood to bake. I made a platter of itsy bitsy chicken salad sandwiches.  It was a great change of pace and every one enjoyed something different.  I did stop at Yum Yum Donuts and took a dozen and cut them in half for those who needed a sugar rush. I look forward to Tuesday morning and getting to share with the ladies of our church.

The walkway at the bottom of our stairs is bursting with color. The recent rain brought new life here at the Villa I had almost forgotten how beautiful the Villa becomes with the Spring weather. The trumpet vine is now blooming on the fence of the Pool area.  I saw several humming birds...they love it here, so do I. What blooming in your area?

Stormy weather in Southern California can be beautiful.  I had to pick up a few things at the store and was fortunate to get some shots of these clouds.  I love the contrast of stormy clouds and palm trees. It was a perfect morning to light all the candles on the coffee table as I did my morning devotions and reading.  I love that the rain washed all the dust off the trees by the balcony and gave my plants a good drink. I read this morning in Psalm that the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving is pleasing to the Lord.   So my sacrifice of thanksgiving is for the rain, the beautiful sky and the soft light of the candles.  What a good way to start the day.

NUGGETS FROM "CALM MY ANXIOUS HEART" Last week I shared a couple of "nuggets" from my study of Calm my Anxious Heart, by Linda Dillow.  I will share the nuggets from Lessons 3 and 4 and 5 today. LESSON #3 Our bodies are merely frames to hold God's art work. Remember:   You were created to fit the unique plan God has for you.  No one can fulfill your purpose but you.  And God's plan for you and His plan for me embrace far more than the events or circumstances that happen to us. We get hung up on our "frame" or our outward looks, but remember our bodies are just the "frame" that holds the canvas which is the real you, God's artwork. LESSON #4 The most important ROLE you have is SERVANT. " Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20;28) "So then, men (women) ought to regard us as servants of Christ, and as those entrusted with...

It happens every time.  You get in the shortest line at the grocery store.  Stack everything from your cart on the counter.  You have one lady in front of you with a few items, and the man checking out!! But the man checking out has a problem.  First he forgets something when she is in the middle of checking his groceries, so he squeezes by me and the gal in front of me and runs to find something he's forgot.   He gets back with his item, and she continues to ring him up.  She notices a expired date on his milk so sends him for another.  He comes back with the wrong size.  (I'm not kidding)  Another trip to the milk section (at the back of the store) and returns with the correct size. I notice the young lady in front of me is being very patient, but almost looks like she's going to cry.  I put my hand on her shoulder, and smile with "Patient is a Virtue" but you look like you day isn't going very well".  She said "I'm on my w...