Monday, November 21, 2016

The Village with Hope.....

I wake up each day and my mind is already hours ahead of the moment that really exist.   My thinking has exceeded the present hour of the day and has forwarded itself into the zone of busyness!

This is the norm for me and for many others who are engaged into this very busy world along beside me.   :(

Not all who surround us are geared to this type of living.   My sweet precious niece is one of them.  Tammy is one of God's forever children and she attends the day program at Breckenridge 
Village, which is a Faith Based Community for adults with mild to moderate intellectual and developmental disabilities.   



Each November, BVT prepares for their annual 
"Christmas in the Village"

At this event......the village has a bizarre where guest can purchase many of the handiwork's and art pieces that the residents have made.  They also have a lighting of the Village as well as games and entertainment.  

I attended this event on Saturday and it was truly a beautiful experience.






This is one of Tammy's paintings which was on display.

This painting was also made into Note Cards that turned out so cute!


This is another purchase that I made.....

HOPE.....this 4 letter word is  "Confident Expectation"
and this is exactly what this Village is all about!

Confident Expectation for a better life.....a life that is filled with love and compassion..... a safe haven..... and being able to experience a normal life with others who live this same kind of normal life as you.

This truly was a Blessing and I wanted to share it with each of you!
I am so very Thankful for Breckenridge and for the difference that this place has made in the life of my niece!

Blessings to each of you..
Shug....







Friday, November 18, 2016

sweet morning scenes

It's a happy....Rainy.....day around here!   I woke up to the sound of thunder this morning.    The gentle sound of rolling thunder makes me want to stay in bed and sleep more!  

The morning scenes around here are such sweet Blessings.   



A nice gentle rain.........This speaks Fall to me......



~ Pumpkins ~

and a Breakfast table FULL of shelled pecans!!!

Just letting the pecans air out a bit, before bagging them up to go in the freezer!!  

******

As we near Thanksgiving, may we  realize that there are people all around us who are hungry.  Not only are they hungry and in need of something to eat, but many are hungry for love and for a compassionate smile!

Random acts of kindness on our part can change the outlook of the season for not only the person we Bless, but in our own lives as well.

"Give and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."
Luke 6:38 kjv

Shug







Wednesday, November 16, 2016

A detour in the road...

I just heard the news and we are set to reach a record high today in our temperature.  87 degrees in the middle of November!!!  YIKES!!  




If only we could have a true Winter!  I would really love to have a Cold Winter this year!!
  
                ********

I don't know about you, but I'm not really good at dealing with Detours in life!  However....Detours happen to ALL of us throughout life.  

Detours of any kind bring ME a lot of anxiety and stress.   The questions that pop in my mind are mostly filled with big questions. 

1.  Where is this detour going to take me?       2.  Is this detour going to be safe or kind       to me?  
3.  Is this detour going to be bumpy and rough?   
4.  Am I going to like this detour?
5.  What is going on?  

Oh yes....the unexpected Life detours!
Detours happen:  right in the middle of our great plans for the future, a detour will take us in a different direction. Sometimes, this happens due to choices that we have made...other times, it is God leading us in a very different direction.

Just as we are not sure about where the detour in the road will take us, the same holds true for the detours of life.  If we don't allow ourselves to travel a different  road from the one that has been blocked....then we will never know what other options await us.

Take the detour....it might lead right back to original goals that we have set for ourselves...OR...it could lead us to a road that is filled with nothing but beauty and unexpected blessings!!   

hugs to all...
Shug


Monday, November 14, 2016

Praise God in the difficult times

Happy Monday all......

Once again, it is a gorgeous day here in East Texas!

I was reminded today of just how Blessed I am.   As I was looking at my Facebook this morning, I came across a post that was made on one of the trading groups for which I am a member of.   It was posted by a young woman, a single mom, looking for a church that might possibly, help pay her utility bills.

I don't know this young lady....I don't know anything about her situation, but I know that she needs help.   There are so many people out there that struggle day to day and I can only imagine how difficult these kind of situations are for the children in these families.   It's really heart breaking!

My prayers are that this woman will be able to get the help that she needs, and that she will try to move forward and give God the Praise for her Blessings!  


When hard times come our way, it is important to pray....ask God for help....and offer our Praise to Him for EVERYTHING that comes our way.  

If you have a special need today, focus your full attention on the goodness and greatness of your Father rather than on the size of your need.   Your need is so small compared to His ability to meet it....

Shut

Saturday, November 12, 2016

This and That

This day has been absolutely gorgeous.   Sunshine with cooler temperatures.    I usually wear my shorts and flip flops for as long as I can.....even into Fall.   Of course, in Texas you can easily do this.   

This morning, I had to put on jeans and "real" shoes!!  I also had to put on a jacket while I sat out at Mylee's softball game.  It felt so nice to be out in the morning air.   

I made a trip to Hobby Lobby, to gather a few more things that I need for my Christmas Tree.   YES, I have my tree up in the living room and I do know that Thanksgiving hasn't even come around.
I have already apologized to the Turkey!!!



The lights are on my tree.....ALL 1200 of them, but I'm not decorating it until after Thanksgiving.....I promise!!

I so wish that we had the kind of weather where I could get a REAL tree.   I love the smell of Christmas Trees!

I figure that I can throw a few orange bows on the tree and maybe add a few stuffed turkeys to it, and Wa La.....I can have myself a beautiful Thanksgiving tree....

Our family tradition is going to be broken this year as we celebrate the Thanksgiving holidays.   Always, always, always.... my daughters and I go shopping the day after Thanksgiving!  {Black Friday}  We shop from about 4:00 A.M. until about 10:00 P.M.   For real!!    C R A Z Y......
{The rest of the family meets us around 5:30 that evening to eat Mexican food, and then we go back to shopping.}

This year....we will be eating our Thanksgiving meal on Friday!  No shopping that day.    This is going to be a year of spending 4 fabulous days with family.....telling all kinds of stories, eating, playing a few games and eating some more!!  I am sooooo excited to do so.  After all, isn't this what it's all about?

A thankful heart opens our eyes to see the Blessings that surround us!!

Shug






Sunday, November 6, 2016

I can't wait.....

Oh my goodness.....Oh my goodness.....Oh my goodness!!

I am SOoooooo Excited!!  


   
I'm traveling.......my family is traveling........we are all traveling for Thanksgiving!!

I know this doesn't seem like a big deal to most of you, but for me.....it is huge!  

We are so very Blessed!!  All of our family lives within 4 miles of each other.   Like, even including our brothers.  Wait....I take it back, I do have a Brother-in-law that lives about a hundred miles away.   Most of us see each other Every day!!   I do realize how great of a Blessing this is.   

Many families are scattered all across the Country and even perhaps the world.  This can be a good thing, and it can be a difficult thing.

I remember as a child {I think I was maybe 8 years old}    ......we traveled from East Texas to some town in Oklahoma to spend Thanksgiving day with one of my uncles and his family.   I will never forget that special time.   It was a wonderful experience....a very special time, and a great childhood memory!

I love the holidays and I can only imagine how awesome it would be to travel to Colorado, Virginia, the hills of Tennessee, North Carolina, or just any place up North....especially for the Christmas Holidays.   

You can see why I'm so excited.   The other reason is because we will be spending a few days with our new Airman!    We are cautioned not to talk about where he is stationed, so I can't really say where we are going.....But, we will be traveling through a few different states to reach our destination.   

Since Tyler is unable to prepare a Thanksgiving meal on base.....I'll be taking the turkey, ham, dressing, gravy, sweet potatoes, veggies, bread and a big selection of desserts, to assemble a fabulous Thanksgiving meal for my family!  

I can't wait!!!

Shug

Sunday Thinking

  Happy St. Patricks Day!   🍀 Tomorrow, I will be filling my hummingbird feeders.  The little beauties should be arriving any day now.  I a...