The Simple Life!

Who would think that college students could still have fun like this? It wasn't planned, but some how we ended up with pumpkin carving, seed roasting and candy eating at our house tonight. My youngest and her friends made up their own entertainment and ended up here for the night. I couldn't believe they had so much fun carving these pumpkins. I sent them outside to do the deed. It was a cold dark night and they still persisted. When I suggested they bring in their finished product. You couldn’t have seen a more delighted group. They proudly displayed their creations, lit their candles, and ooohhh and awhhed over their work.


Makes me happy to see their joy in the simple things of life at their age.


And they were ever so happy and grateful for me to roast them their seeds. I really couldn't quite get over all their enjoyment from such a simple event.


They even cleaned up the mess!!!!!!!!!!!

Sandy 4 Reluctant Entertainers, this is what you can look forward too, when you share hospitality with your kids when they are young. They catch it too!

Mr. Wilson

Popeye and his buddy. (my oldest Josh, and youngest Jenna )

So proud they all took pictures with their cell phones, too cute!
The Great Pumkinteers.

Fall is not my favortie, but this year...

Court Yard

I don't know why this season seems so lovely to me this year. I have been blessed by the wonderful weather,the long harvest, and the beautiful fall foliage. Spring is my all time favorite, but this year something is different for me. I can't quite figure it out. I have even had some fun with fall decorating. Went on a mission to find white pumpkins to go with my new black hall table. Even the colors this year intrigue me. I have never really liked orange before. Now I love it with all the dark burgandy's, hot pinks, yellows, gold. I have even been to the nursury buying the most vibrant fall colored plants I could find. At times like this I wish I had more room to plant...So I will take you on a little tour of what's been happening around here.

Front Entry

Remeber my new October Glory I planted this spring. Well it sure lived up to it's name!

Three little white baby pumkins

One big white pumkin

Now for the latest updates on Puddin Toes. We had a birthday for Grandma, and my husband last week, but once again, it was all about the baby. :>) We love her so!

Three generations!

Focus

We have a saying in our church, “You give power and strength to what you focus on." For years the Lord has convicted me to completely grab a hold of
Php 4:8 Finally, my brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are right, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think on these things.
Sometimes it is a real struggle for me to stay focused on what is good. Slowly and surely the Lord has been correcting me line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little there a little, decade after decade. For a good long while now I have been able to stay focused on the good, and stay victorious even through some really tough times. Matter of fact, I was kind of surprising myself and my family. I even blogged about it. Than last week, hormones and life hits me full upside the head, and I defaulted to that negative, glass is half empty mode. Oh, I hate it when I blow it, and full well know I am blowing it while I am doing it! That’s the worse.
Well tonight I was reading a friends blog who was making a choice to trust God in some difficult circumstances. Don’t you love the body of Christ; we need each other so much! I was encouraged by her example. So I have decided to join her and get back on the wagon and refocus back on what is good. I learned a long time ago that there is no hope with out Him. He is my hope, my strength, my strong tower, my very sure Rock. He is good!

2Co 12:9 and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness.

Faithfold

I have to put a plug in for my son in laws new business venture. I am so proud of him and all that God is doing through his life. Of course he produced the greatest little baby in the whole wide world. He is launching this new product that he and his partner developed, during this holiday season. It is a men’s wallet that incorporates a small New Testament. It is a great way to carry around the Word. The Faithfold is also designed to be able to give away the Bible inside as a witnessing tool, that can be replaced and given away again and again. So go check out his great web site.

And here is the lastest on Baby Eden

First Smiles!

He Brought Me to His Banqueting Table

When I was a young Christian we use to sing this song in the 70’s. "He brought me to His banqueting table; His banner over me is love." It's from Song of Solomon 2:4. It was a sweet song and reminded us all of Gods love for us. Recently a similar scripture in some ways, but with a different setting has been speaking to my life. The scripture in S.S. has the feel of courtship and almost a love feast that the Lord has invited us to. The other scripture in Psalms 23:5 "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies", is set in the midst of a battle field. Two different settings but the motive to feast with Him I believe comes from the same place of love and care for us.
In January this year one Sunday at church we were having a time of ministry. A friend of mine prayed for me. After she was done praying she told me she had a word for me. Now the interesting thing is that this gal and I had known each other since we both had been saved in the early 70's. She shared with me what God had impressed on her to tell me. It was this verse in Psalms 23:5. She encouraged me that God was going to prepare a feast for me in the midst of some of my battles this year. I remember looking at her and shaking my head, realizing in shock really, that I had never had this experience in all my years as a Christian, at least not that I was aware of. She looked me in the eye and said I have, just this past season, and I know God is going to do this for you too. I remember walking away kind of stunned, and surprised by it all. I did mark the verse in my Bible 1/20/07. Recently in the last few weeks, God has been showing me that this past season I have walked through, I did indeed experience this scripture in my life. I walked through a season this summer where I did feast at a banqueting table in the midst of my enemies. I mean, I have had some tough personal battles that normally would have taken me out. Down and out,but instead of defeat, there was victory, instead of exhaustion there was rest, instead of lack there was provision, instead of hunger there was nourishment, instead of frustration there was even new strength being built up in me for the very next battle. I am once again stunned. Only this time I am not stunned by my lack and short comings; but I am amazed and count myself blessed at God’s great love for me.

In the book of James there is this little scripture that had actually made me mad from the first day I had read it as a new Christian. I am just being honest here :>) Jas 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. My frustration was that in myself I realized that I could never count a trial as joy. God and I have gone back and forth about this verse many time. Some people play down the word joy and say it really doesn't mean that. As I studied this scripture it did. I knew that it was far beyond my reach. Only a miracle by the hand of God would I ever face a trial with joy. Now I am not talking the little stuff, but some of the really tough things in life. There have been times when looking back on a really rough trial I could say, yes God used it for good. I didn't like it, and I certainly wasn't joyful, even though I could admit to the benefits of God being able to shape my character. I just have to say though, that this last season was really different. I was feasting with the Lord in the midst of my enemies. I don't think there is any better joy on this planet than communing with the King while all the time incoming is hitting the ground all around you. What an experience. Even in the midst of deep sorrow there was such a sense of victory, which did produce joy. I am referring to the loss of my father this Aug. and also to the birth of my first grandchild just ten days later. I referred to it in an earlier blog but couldn't put into words at that time what I was experiencing. The Lord has been very graciously bring this whole ordeal to my attention, and I have to say ,Yeah Lord Jesus, you have truly done a miracle in my heart and in my life.
You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing. Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of GOD for the rest of my life. Ps.23:5&6 The Message

For those of you that have been asking for more Eden pic's

Eden has friends...Ellie, and Ethan Waters.