Reflections from one of my Praying Chairs

Glancing Back .... AND a Look Forward ...

2012-02-20T01:00:00.051-06:00

Funny year. My 75th. ‘They’ said it was because I could not be surprised on my 75th birthday.So ‘they’ pulled off a big surprise party for me last year on my 74th.*whew* Glad THAT is over and done with !!!!On my blog last year, I promised to post pictures.Pictures never got posted.Don’t know why. But, the party was fun!!! I’ll scatter some photographs through this post. J After that

Rest: from the Father's Heart

2012-02-13T17:44:00.001-06:00

There are times you just need it. A quiet day at home by the fire.Almost deliberately, we laid aside the world yesterday. Hibernation comes to mind. Yesterday was Sunday, but we stayed home—all day. The Texas hill country has had almost no winter this year, but yesterday was cloudy and cold and felt like a snuggle down kind of day.We did. We slept a little late. Till

Did You Hear the Quiet?

2012-02-01T12:15:00.003-06:00

What is good in your world? My world has been strange and I almost forgot that the Son is shining. Over the past three months, there have been many dark days around our house so I am determined to look up, give thanks with more gusto, and to see the sun and The Son through all the clouds. My computer screen has been blank. My typing fingers still. For 104 days. One hundred and four days hiding

My TWO Octobers

2011-10-18T23:13:00.000-05:00

October in Texas is often amazing. It is delightfully cool and gives me energy to do outlandish things such as prepare the soil for its winter rest, wash windows, and clean out closets. The best part of October in Texas is taking long walks under skies as blue as my grandson’s eyes. With those things in mind, our local writers group, Hill Country Women of Words, chose to write about

Giving Thanks in Texas

2011-10-09T05:36:00.000-05:00

RAIN. Real rain wet rain much rain steady rain. Water falling from God's Hands onto our dry, parched, thirsty land. No, the drought is not over but our dirt got a BIG drink tonight. Yes, it came with a bang. Lab Ava and I jumped five inches at the first out-of-nowhere-house-shaking-soul-straightening bang. But the water was wet. Twelve hours earlier, the bride was radiant, the groom adoring

Welcome Autumn

2011-09-24T21:48:00.002-05:00

Unbelievable. Another season has arrived in Texas. And it is an unusual autumn for us - - dull, brown, and dried up. Thankfully, my world is made so small and I'm brought into reality by my blogging friends who are amazing. Dawn posted about devastating floods from Pennsylvania where she volunteered with the Red Cross and shared God’s love. Beth posted from here in our

Summer Goes On. And On.

2011-09-15T22:56:00.000-05:00

It has been a long, dry spell.v In Texasv In my soulv In my words Other friends and places are washed away by floods and high water. Who said, "Feast or fammine" ???? As I hand-watered one of our hundred-plus year old oak trees, I admitted to God that we are a selfish people who want it all and who turn from Him. And I begged forgiveness. Maybe you know about the dry times. No medications. High

Summer & Grass Burrs in Texas: A Last Word

2011-08-15T11:37:00.005-05:00

- - - or a few thousand words..... a picture being worth so many.... <> The drought goes on. And on. To the point we let the grass go, even around the house. Our prayer is that we can save some of our old trees around the house. In the back yard, Cocoa & Ava innocently search for gopher holes Unaware the

Texas Grass-Burs and God's Armor

2011-08-09T22:18:00.000-05:00

Most things Texas are wonderful. People. Sunsets. Bluebonnets. Garden tomatoes for supper. Bare feet in the cool of an evening. Texans are especially known for toughness and in this record-breaking, soul-cracking drought, our toughness comes in mighty handy. We Texas humans are also known—on occasion—to beÓ StubbornÓ ObstinateÓ DeterminedAnd a few other descriptions that don’t fit well in this

My World Keeps Turning

2011-07-26T22:01:00.000-05:00

…albeit…. S L O W L Y. Perhaps the weather condition of my home state reflects in the condition of my blog posting—or lack thereof—over the past several months: 85% of Texas is in either extreme or exceptional drought, the two worst categories. My hometown of Fredericksburg is in the Exceptional Mode. Exceptional being AWFUL - - DRY - - - parched. In addition to drying up, our temperatures

A Friend's New Adventure

2011-07-26T00:43:00.002-05:00

Those of you who know me well, understand that I am extremely SLOW to say good bye. It is safe to say I prefer denial to the finality of an absolute end. Over the past three years, God called several of my friends Home to be with Him. One went suddenly in a violent car accident two days before she and I were to have a long-overdue lunch date. Two other friends fought cancer over a few years and I

Happy Birthday, Little Brother

2011-07-09T23:28:00.002-05:00

Sometimes, I must yell STOP and bring the daily grind to a screeching halt. Sometimes I just have to shout: God is good and life is sweet. I haven’t posted on a regular basis lately even though the restless leg curse is calming for the first time in a dozen years and sleep--restful, uninterrupted sleep--is returning. Because of that God-intended, beautiful SLEEP, my depression and anxiety and

Desolate Days of Summer

2011-06-28T22:29:00.001-05:00

My disclaimer must come first!! I am not a poet.I do not write poetry.Poems mystify me. HOWEVER.Sometimes, my brain goes beserk. (Could it be from the heat? Probably not ) PLEASE, no critiques :-) I welcome any and all comments but remember I make NO claim as a poet. I write prose. Long pieces. With LOTS of words. :-0 But, because it is summer and in Texas we are hot and we are dry, this is my

Catch-up Time

2011-06-24T21:49:00.001-05:00

Lately:my words have been sparce and my average reader does not check my web site on a regular basis where I posted some new words and my average reader checks in here at my blog and leaves messages of encouragement and even on the 3rd day of summer, it is a long, hot, dry summer in Texas... SO. I want to post here the summer message I left on my website, Liz Writes in Texas. Summer And Welcome

My WORD Famine and YOUR Faith

2011-06-02T22:26:00.001-05:00

My words dried up. About a month ago. Silence. The screen stayed blank. My fingers stilled. Flood or Drought. Feast or Famine. Rain or Shine. In health... AND in sickness????? In silence, I grieved with those in tornado and flood stricken states who lost everything. EVERYTHING.In awe, I heard the preacher in Joplin declare loudly on national television… BUT NOTHING can separate us from the love

Unexpected Encounter With a Cowboy

2011-04-30T21:57:00.003-05:00

I knew my car needed gasoline (you know… that expensive stuff a vehicle can’t run without) so at the end of Friday errands, I breathed a deep sigh of relief that the Buick and I made it home. Yes, I had watched the gas guage because for three days in a row Dear Heart had asked me to leave the old Buick at home so he could gas it up for me. He routinely does things for me like filling my car with

Things I Learned During 40 Days of Lent

2011-04-27T21:51:00.000-05:00

I can NOT do the daily grind alone I have NOT a clue as to how to “do” 74 I’m a people who needs others It is thorny for me to be stillIt is complicated for me to ponderIt is neigh on to impossible for me to meditate Yet in the quiet is where I meet God [does Elijah ring a bell??] Many people NEED me I do NOT know how to be a caregiver Giving GOOD care to my two dearest loved ones is the

He Is Not Here . . .

2011-04-24T01:00:00.006-05:00

... because HE LIVES ! The grave could not hold my Lord Jesus Christ. He died; he was buried in a tomb; He ROSE FROM THE DEAD. He walked the earth for 40 days, talking, eating, sharing, BEING ALIVE. Life is truly worth everything because HE LIVES. May you also share in the truth that Jesus Christ is Lord, Liz

No Name Saturday

2011-04-23T17:04:00.002-05:00

For the church—the body of believers—the fellowship of Christians, the days of Easter march by…… On “Ash” Wednesday, the 40 day journey to the cross began. On “Maundy” Thursday, Jesus prepared the table for us and washed the feet of his disciples. Even the feet of Judas. On “Good” Friday, Jesus hung on the cross. Then it is Saturday. Today is “

Home Again

2011-04-10T23:18:00.001-05:00

Sweet Husband did it again.Sent me and precious daughter—via silver wings—to visit my son and family in Kentucky. Aunt Mindy on left... her niece, my granddaughter on right. *sigh* BUT... at every turn--going and returning, Mindy and I found help, graciousness, friendly exchanges, and awesome stories. Some experiences came from total strangers, others from selfless family. Dear Heart’s son took

Sweet Husband Spring Story

2011-03-30T04:08:00.001-05:00

Spring has teased us about its arrival this year. A lot. This is my prized Lemon Verbena coming to life on March 3!! This herb is the absolute ingredient for Liz's Luscious Lemonade and I thought it had died dead in our days-on-end of teen-degree freezes. Then, ZAP, another quick but heavy freeze took it out again two days later. B U T........Ah Ha! Here are BOTH of my brave, tenacious plants

My Toothbrush and the Lord's Prayer

2011-03-23T17:17:00.002-05:00

Spring has arrived OFFICIALLY but before I share a sweet, spring/husband story about the birds but NOT the bees JINTENTIONAL demands another visit as my Lenten prayers continue. I sort of wanted to believe I knew all I needed to know about being intentional. I thought I was being INTENT. About my walk with God. It’s a hard lesson for me to learn and it just would not go away. At bedtime that

Intentionally Intent

2011-03-17T16:44:00.004-05:00

Some words just won’t go away. My head is spinning with life: ¨ dwelling in the season of Lent¨ pondering things of the wilderness, the Cross, the empty tomb¨ keeping track of medical appointments and tests for three of us¨ thank you notes that must be written¨ cards that must be sent to friends fighting one battle or another¨ rearranging the house—downsizing—creating

Grappling with Contentment

2011-03-14T23:22:00.001-05:00

This year, Lent seems very long. Because Ash Wednesday came so late? Or because Easter won’t arrive until April is almost finished? To me, Lent is a time to sit at the feet of Jesus to learn and grow. Like most moms and great grannies, I do a high “Martha” season all through Christmas! Then I pack away my apron, the tinsel, ribbon, glitter, and manger just in time for the dark days of winter. In

Preparing for Ash Wednesday

2011-03-07T22:51:00.002-06:00

A couple of years ago, I wrote a Lenten devotion about trying to lean on the everlasting arms of my Savior—as I dealt with life and He headed to the cross. For me.Ash Wednesday is this week and we begin a 40 day walk to Easter morning. As I try to prepare my heart for remembering the perfect gift my Holy Father gave me at Easter, my mind flits back and forth from one worry to another, I interrupt

74 and Counting

2011-02-28T21:31:00.001-06:00

I can testify that God’s Word can be trusted. I've been carrying you on my back from the day you were born, and I'll keep on carrying you when you're old. I'll be there, bearing you when you're old and gray.Isaiah 46: 4 I am just one life. In all of creation, that is such a little thing. But, let me tell you how I know God’s Word is true. The one Triune God has carried me every single

The Day Before Tomorrow

2011-02-24T23:54:00.001-06:00

I wonder what my mother was doing 74 years ago tonight?I don’t remember any stories about February 24, 1937. The day before I was born. *sigh* WelL, TODAY—all these 74 years later—I’ve cleaned house. Over the course of the last month or so, I’ve had to sort through miscellaneous physical challenges and today was a really good day!! So, I tackled my house. Why? Oh, just ‘cause. Waking to a clean

Winter Prayers

2011-02-22T15:33:00.001-06:00

I wonder what you expect when you visit my praying chairs. Probably not grumblings, so you might want to stop now and choose another link. It has been a hard, dry winter. Often, my offerings on these pages are flimsy, meaningless, superficial.On occasion, the words uplift, encourage, and maybe even heal. Not today. It is a warm, cloudy, WINTER day in February. In Texas the land is brown, the

Monday's Random Thoughts

2011-02-21T18:18:00.003-06:00

Today I posted a new-old story on my “other blog,” Stories From Liz’s Heart. And, yes, you guessed it. There is a story about my story.I originally wrote, Freedom! vs the Pink Handkerchief circa 1976. I lived in Austin, Texas and studied creative writing from a local writer. Mike was a great nuts ‘n bolts teacher, but he did not like Barbara’s pink hanky story and asked me to write on another

A Sunday Sojourn

2011-02-13T10:31:00.001-06:00

The sun is shining in Texas this morning and the temp is almost 50°. Since I got only three hours sleep last night, the sun bothers me this morning. Dear Heart and Daughter went to church and the sun, along with an overly tired body, kept me from going back to sleep. Sort of like meeting yourself coming back. Never occurred to me to pick up the Word of Words. Finally, I snuggled into my

Virus Programs for Our Hearts

2011-02-08T17:30:00.002-06:00

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 NIV Ann Voskamp’s new book, One Thousand Gifts, is re-charging my life. Even though I often write about the giving of thanks, my heart

Update Update Update

2011-02-04T23:07:00.002-06:00

The Texas Hill Country finally got some WINTER this week. It was a doozie. Not bad like most of the rest of the country. Ours was dry, dry, dry but *shiver* *shiver* COLD. Monday night I was unable to sleep so got up about 12:30 a.m. and worked at my computer awhile. About 2 a.m., I decided to shut down and try for sleep again when suddenly, without a flicker of warning, the lights

Lost-in-Thought Tuesday

2011-01-25T23:26:00.002-06:00

Do you have days when your thoughts, emotions, prayers are scattered all over the spectrum? That's my day, today. ( :-D ..wonder if my annual trudge into the tax wilderness is to blame?? :-D ) At any rate. Early this morning, the sky was hazy-purple. Cedar pollen. Tonight I refuse to acknowedge the sore throat, blood-shot eyes, ringing ears. Last month, I put on my "good-girl" determination and

Cedar Fever in Perspective

2011-01-19T21:37:00.003-06:00

Once upon a time, I thought this time of year was simply Winter Doldrums. You know: yuk; blah; ug; etc. etc. and etc. Took a long time to piece things together but better late smart than never. Now I know that my winter ailes and woes are ALLERGIES. In Texas, Mountain Cedar does awful things in the winter. Especially a dry winter. And we have a lot of dry winters around the hill country. Which

Reflections from one of my Praying Chairs: Book Review

2011-01-17T13:51:00.001-06:00

Reflections from one of my Praying Chairs: Book Review

Book Review

2011-01-16T22:11:00.000-06:00

This is a departure from the posts I make now and then reviewing one of my EIGHT all-time favorite books. Before Christmas, I signed up with Book Sneeze http://www.booksneeze.com/ to write book reviews. Their system is simple: a member chooses a book to review, the book is sent at no charge, and the reader is asked only to post a review at Book Sneeze, on the reader's blog and on a book site. WOW

1-11-11 ... My Favorite Book List Returns

2011-01-11T21:14:00.003-06:00

Sorry, couldn’t help myself. I hit a brick wall trying to think of a clever way to use today’s auspicious date, so I popped it into my title! I've gotta hurry with this post because it’s a cold winter evening in Texas, Dear Heart has a fire going in the fire place, and our chicken tortilla soup is calling my name as it gently simmers. Guess what? I chose a book from the middle of my

For Eddy: I Blinked !!

2011-01-10T12:07:00.004-06:00

January 10, 1970Oh what a day. And, he is still an awesome man,a great husband, a devoted daddy,a good brother, uncle, nephew, step-everything, a faithful friendand a WONDERFUL SON.Yes, I could go on. However, let me SHOW you how fast it goes... January 1971 June 1972 My Cub Scout about 1977 My Baseball Hero about 1982 Eddy and his first fix-up Chevy about 1988 My Marine comes home

Clutter in My Heart

2011-01-10T01:54:00.001-06:00

It is taking longer than ever to defrock my home after Christmas this year. In that "other life" when my kids were young or when I worked outside the home full time or grandkids lived under my roof, everything was spit-and-polish shining by the end of New Year's Day. Yep, for real! Then life got even more crazy. I tried to understand retirement, got a new family, traveled and

Hey There, 2011

2010-12-31T17:40:00.002-06:00

...Or, as one of my foster sons loved to say (oh so many years ago): "Come on in. I ain't scarit of you!"Put another way.... Greetings, 2011. With Great Gratitude, we welcome you, another brand new year! And to our new beginnings of: new days new hopes new achievements new hearts Now, precious readers, let us go bravely and expectantly into the new year and: …Draw near to God with a

Post-Christmas Blessings

2010-12-28T22:38:00.004-06:00

Christmas is still knocking on our door and keeps bringing many surprises and blessings to us. Tonight, our daughter-in-law drove up to our house with her computer in hand and hooked us up to our granddaughter's family for a (GET THIS!!!) cyber-picture-conversation-face-to-face introduction to our first great grand DAUGHTER. What an experience. Week old Baby is beautiful, Mama is awesome,

The Stockings Are Not Hung, But....

2010-12-23T11:28:00.001-06:00

Day-before-Christmas-Eve joy to each of you! Wonder fills my heart. We drove around town last night checking out our town's private Christmas lights. Even Ava went along and stood still for a Christmas photo !! After supper, I got the cookie dough made and it's chillin' away. We are going to mid-week noon communion in a few minutes. Somehow, stopping to go into the house of the Lord

Lunar Love from God

2010-12-20T22:57:00.001-06:00

The Creator of the universe and all that is or ever has been or ever will be is amazing. And to think, this awesome Triune God knows you and me by name!!!! Today is blowing my mind, so to speak. I KNOW that I WILL get up (or still be up???) around 2 a.m. cst to view the total eclipse of the moon. Why? Because it is an incredible event Because a total eclipse of the moon ON WINTER SOLSTICE has

Shepherd Sunday

2010-12-19T00:16:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow, the 4th Sunday in Advent, is sometimes known as Shepherd Sunday. I'm praying diligently that my shepherd heart will be open to those who need help, encouragement, time, and guidance and that I won't be afraid to go where my Holy Father leads. I'm also praying that I will allow my Shepherd to protect my heart and thoughts and time and energy. Sometimes keeping up with a flock of sheep--

Septuagenarian Scribe Search

2010-12-15T17:52:00.005-06:00

I’m intermingling other posts between Favorite Book List. The other six books are on my desk, ready to have their beauty described, but I'd like input from my readers about LIVING life in the Septuagenarian box. AND there WILL be a PRIZE! Okay???The story is not very long….. When I reached the age of 70, I barely noticed. I was still energetic, relatively healthy, and about as mentally alert as I

My Favorite Books - Entry Two

2010-12-12T21:55:00.001-06:00

Category: Christmas Books The Shoe Box - by Francine Rivers: The Shoe Box (A Christmas Story) by Francine Rivers (Tyndale Fiction 2010) I have little self-control when it comes to Christmas gift books. There are many on my shelves and though we have favorites, my family and I re-read our collection year after year. However, I believe The Shoe Box, new this

My Favorite Books: Entry One

2010-12-10T12:21:00.006-06:00

Category: Caregiver Devotion: Not Alone - by Nell E. Noonan: [My personal note: During this joyous season when we celebrate the birth of God’s only Son, Christmas adds additional stress for those who provide daily, on-going, grinding, and sometimes draining care for loved ones. If you need an extra gift, Not Alone is an easy to digest devotion book that will enlighten and encourage anyone

Coming Attraction: My EIGHT All-Time Favorite Books

2010-12-09T16:48:00.001-06:00

Those of you who know me are laughing. Out loud! Doubled over. What? Liz picks JUST EIGHT all-time favorite books? Yes! And just in time for your Christmas shopping! Well, perhaps “all time favorite” is a bit too broad. Will you believe favorites from the past eight years? Okay. Both my husband and I and most of our children, grands, and greats are, to grossly understate, lifetime

My Basil Plant and the Manger

2010-12-03T01:16:00.003-06:00

I posted my first advent blog late Saturday night. It lacked Advent Joy because I felt "down" and wrote about my blahs. Sure enough things would head down hill. But, during church the next morning I remembered: The 1st week of Advent reminds us to HOPE. Still couldn't shake the "yuk' feeling. I moped around Sunday afternoon, pondering Hope, and searching for my usual Christmas Mode.

Where IS Christmas ??

2010-11-27T23:32:00.000-06:00

Tis the Season.To shop.To spend.To travel.To forget our lives of quiet desperation. Mr. Thoreau searched diligently for hope, yet it is said he believed that most men go to the grave without ever finding their song. But, even old, worn-out Santa Claus brought hope and fun to a war-ravaged world in the 1940’s. Our family had almost NO “purchased-in-a-store” presents, but the junk bicycle Daddy

Sheep in our Hay Field

2010-11-22T23:23:00.004-06:00

Our adult Sunday School class has been studying Isaiah. Due to miscellaneous "stuff," Dear Heart and I have missed about every other class so God continues to find ways to drop His prophet right in my path! [see Gratitude Attitude post :-)] Yesterday afternoon I grabbed my camera to prove what I saw right in our own front yard: I had big plans for yesterday, the Sunday before

Gratitude Attitude

2010-11-19T17:15:00.002-06:00

Here it is the season to give thanks and I've been disgustingly groucy and out of sorts. No serious reason, just additional aches, pains, sleep problems, demands on my energy and time, and too many things to do that I can't do as easily as I once did. My bad humor got totally out of control this morning. My to-do list looked like a mountain of bricks and I could not even find my

Exchanging Blessings

2010-11-16T15:31:00.004-06:00

Did you know about the elephant in the middle of blog-dom that we don't talk about? VISITING EACH OTHER'S BLOGS.My goodness, gracious, sakes alive [as my Grandmother Alice exclaimed on a daily basis :-)] it is a HUGE encouragement and blessing when people [I prefer to think of my readers as people :-), don't you??] take time out of their extraordinarily busy lives just to read the simple words I

Lost and not Found

2010-11-06T23:44:00.002-05:00

Just so you'll know that you won't know.... There are three translations of Holy Scripture on my desk plus a 10th Edition of Merriam Webster. {Yeah, that really dates me; but it still helps} My post on the first verst of Isaiah 12 was almost finished. Brilliant. Inspiring. And surely it would have given glory and praise to my Father. Then in an instant, the whole thing absolutely, completely

Speaking of Time - - Again - - and Joyful Hearts

2010-11-05T01:55:00.002-05:00

Winterizing is well under way. Yes, even here in sometimes balmy Texas hill country. Very often and with little notice, a shivery cold norther blows in that kills beautiful summer and fall plants. Moving pots around these years isn't as fun as it used to be when teenage son lived at home before he became a marine or when teenage grandson lived at home before he went off to big city to get a

Wings of Time

2010-10-29T21:40:00.002-05:00

It's been said before on this blog: time just jumps up and sneaks off!! I can't believe I haven't posted for 9 days. Helllooooooo??? Hope some of my blog-buddies still remember my address! I don't have an excuse. No traveling. No hospitalizations. No more broken bones. Just the routine amount of restless nights, doctor's appointments, and visitors. I can happily report that I've taken

My Mother, Her Daughter

2010-10-20T15:00:00.006-05:00

Sometimes sweet surprises just appear! Let me tell you about one I found! As you know, it's been a couple of difficult weeks and today I'm in a hurry but decided to work on computer pictures while I took a short break. Looking at pictures, I remembered that last week, my mother would have been 98 years old. She died 16 years ago and there are days I think I can't navigate another step

Oops! Life DID Go On

2010-10-20T10:44:00.001-05:00

I sort of left you hanging. Time just picks itself up and flies away on me and although I've limped around some, but for whatever unknown and undeserved reason God poured out His sweet mercy on me and my knees survived my fall. I'm still able to get First Born's foot/leg into the boot to protect the broken bone in her foot. . . . boot that weighs almost as much as she does. The bone

Multi-Task Lessons Anyone??

2010-10-14T18:10:00.001-05:00

I just THOUGHT I could no longer do several things at one time. Guess I should not have bragged in my last post. This morning, I kept my coffee cup from spilling hot coffee onto me, I kept myself from dropping and breaking the mug, and I went down most gracefully onto BOTH knees. Yes, I'm a mess. No, nothing is broken but I'm sore and tired and hurting and trying desperately NOT to complain. Not

Multi-Task No More

2010-10-13T22:49:00.003-05:00

I remember the old days when I could.... but never mind. These days, I can STILL single-task and I'm grateful! I have a lot of posts in the "draft" stage. Prayers and praises and wonderful people and fun blogs I want to share with you. But for the time being, even my knitting is "on hold"--except for the times we're in a medical office.... waiting!! Why??? Because I'm learning QUICKEN,

Praise

2010-10-07T15:00:00.003-05:00

New Living Translation (©2007) A psalm of David. Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Today at mid-week communion, Pastor read Psalm 103. I remembered that yesterday I did not praise my Holy Father...I was too tired. How lame can that "excuse" be???? Doesn't get much worse than that. In my weakness, when I'm tired, when everything is going

Wednesday

2010-10-06T11:11:00.001-05:00

I'm tired. Thirsty. Spent some lengthy time this morning reading blogs written by younger, more talented, and much wiser writers. I know most of them on a face-to-face basis...when time permits. When time doesn't let go, I'm glad for their blogs to know their hearts. I highly recomment all the blogs listed that I follow--these are just a few. I'm supposted to do so many things today but I'm just

Good Girl, Ava !!!

2010-10-05T16:45:00.001-05:00

Exactly one week ago we drove into our garage, exhausted, worried, anxious, and seriously doubting the wisdom of our decision to adopt a rescue dog. Ava would NOT get out of the car. She had cowered on the floor of the back seat all the way home, refusing to even sip water when we stopped for us humans to hurriedly eat a hamburger in the car. What HAVE I done? After unloading

In Lieu of Football

2010-10-03T06:00:00.003-05:00

Saturday was a clear, sunny, crisp morning so I decided 'TODAY IS THE DAY.' I finished taking Ava through her exercises (and trying to instill a small tad of obedience), and cut a "bunch" of basil. After washing, draining, and wraping my precious ingredient in a damp towel I placed it in the fridge and settled down with my red and white knitting to watch Saturday afternoon football with Dear

My Time . . .

2010-10-02T13:58:00.002-05:00

Those of you who read my former blog at Typepad might remember the post I wrote on Itzhak Perlman, world famous violinist. By way of reminder...Did you see Schindler’s List? John Williams wrote the score and Itzhak Perlman, an Israeli-American violin virtuoso, was the violin soloist for that 1993 film. Perlman’s performance won an Academy Award for Mr. Williams for best score. It is

Weary

2010-09-30T22:58:00.003-05:00

I went to http://bible.cc/ to search for scriptures on weariness. The page opened to the "special of the day." ... If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. ...2 Corinthians 11:30 You see, I wanted to whine and complain about how hard EVERYTHING is and how TIRED I am and how............. well, you get the boring picture that any one of you could draw. Actually,

From Expections to Hope

2010-09-28T18:52:00.002-05:00

I completely understood that this happy relationship Melinda has with our Grand-dog, Cocoa is beautiful and unique: Melinda & Cocoa playing Fetch Cocoa comes to see us often and has been visiting for five days while her family is away. She and my daughter are bonded tightly. They play games and Cocoa obeysperfectly. Life has been sweet. Today, the three of us drove an hour and a half

Foster Mom Role Reversal

2010-09-27T23:25:00.002-05:00

When human foster children lived at my house 30-plus years ago, things happened in the blink of an eye. Just at supper time, you shoved one bed against the wall and added another from a friend's spare room, set another place at the table, and during the silence of little strangers figuring out whether to be friends and new siblings for awhile, you wondered how to stretch the budget for new

My Front Porch

2010-09-26T17:57:00.003-05:00

I gently rocked back and forth on the front porch this afternoon and pondered. I smiled as I watched my grown daughter run and play with Cocoa. She is "sitting" this beautiful chocolate Lab for our son/daughter-in-law while they are on a rush trip gathering materials for the new home they are building down the road. But my mind would not stay on my front yard. In church this morning, I got a

Knitting The Scarf

2010-09-25T23:27:00.002-05:00

Just so you'll know I'm serious..... I got another six inches done tonight on the red and white scarf. Funny about knitting. Even though I do ONLY plain and simple, no-thinking-required knit stitch, every piece is different. Well, yes: I use different size needles sometimes. And, yes: I use different yarn. Yes: I don't always have an even-same-as-before tension. But, there is more. Something

For a Special Teacher

2010-09-24T23:01:00.002-05:00

I began a new knitting project tonight. I am knitting together two skeins of yarn, one red and one white. My grandson's favorite junior high teacher retired and I want her to have something special because she helped guide him through that impossible sixth grade year and loved him anyway! Then she embellished his existing love of books, authors, language, and reading in an endearing

Changes Keep Changing

2010-09-23T18:02:00.007-05:00

Am I the one who recently blogged about how much I HATE change? Probably so, because I definitely and absolutely insist that things MUST STAY familiar--stationary, fixed, unmoving, THE SAME. *sigh* In these volatile silver years, I'm finding that life is upside down most of the time. (RT: another meaning of "volatile" is unpredictable .... AND explosive. Nuff said on that rabbit trail!)

Old Glory Waves On

2010-09-10T23:32:00.004-05:00

Sunday, September 9, 2001 was a blessed and beautiful day for me. I spent it with my brother, his wife, their three grown sons, my daughter, and my grandson. My "little brother" was ordained into the ministry that morning. A truly joyous day for our family. Funny that I have absolutely NO memory of the evening of Monday, September 10, 2001. But, along with almost every other American, I can

Changes Don't Stay the Same

2010-09-08T21:50:00.002-05:00

I've never liked change and I've always had to live with change....lots and lots of changes and I try to roll with the punches. :-) Don't you know: change can HURT. But, I admit that some can be fun. I am in a struggle to rearrange and renew and cut costs on my web appearance. (Don't you just love that phrase???) And in so doing, I am creating even more changes and confusion for

Another First

2010-09-01T23:11:00.002-05:00

This morning we woke to a brand new month. Suddenly. Abruptly! It used to be hours that rushed by quickly. Then whole days evaporated into weeks. Now, sometimes I almost miss a whole month. Seems I can't trust my inner calendar and I am highly suspicious of the one on the wall. We won't even go to the "where-have-all-the-years-gone" thing. But today is a new month of many new beginnings! This

Writing on the Back Porch

2010-08-29T17:41:00.003-05:00

It's been a busy week on our hill. Dear Heart's daughter from Dallas and his daughter and grandson from Ohio arrived to check up on their brother/sister-in-law/uncle's new home building site down the road from us. AND to breathe some fresh hill country air. The girls took in our County Fair and shopped downtown Fredericksburg while some of the guys took the boat over to Canyon Lake. All of

Drooping August

2010-08-25T22:21:00.004-05:00

They say confession is good for the soul. Always wondered if “they” started with my grandmother! However, on my new web page at http://lizwritesintexas.yolasite.com/ I’ve written glowing reports—and shown awesome photographs—about life on our little mound in the Texas Hill Country. Actually, the pictures and words are true; I just forgot about August. August in Texas: Brutal. Dry. Put another

Another Welcome

2010-08-24T03:16:00.004-05:00

My head is brimming over with ideas of things to do, projects to complete, stories to weave, and ways to spread the joy of miracles God has worked in my life. Sometimes I think everything will explode in brilliant colors all over my kitchen. Instead, while the soup simmers, I slip off to the office to try to create an all-encompassing blog that will bless others. So, this place on blogspot is yet