Merry Christmas

Just dropping by to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

Due to illness in family I don't have the opportunity to post but I do continue to enjoy reading your wonderful blogs when I can steal a few moments.
May God Bless,  Annette

Separate from his creations

He stirs up the sea with His power, and by His understanding He breaks up the storm ... these are the mere edges of His ways.
Job 26:12, 14

I have always loved and adored the seashore. Even as I child I marveled at the vastness of the ocean and remember looking out into those miles and miles of water and thinking of the old song "... He's got the whole world in his hands."     ...  marveling at how huge He must be.
Now, as an adult, I continue to marvel at the beauty of His creation. It is at the seashore in the early morning sun or late evening sunset, after most of the folks have gone off to seek adventure elsewhere that I feel most at peace.
However, I must remind myself that although He created the oceans and the beautiful sunsets, God himself is not in the sunset anymore than an artist is in his paintings. While I may see reflections of the artist's in his work. The person himself is separate from it. Likewise, I see the reflections of God's personality in a sunrise or sunset but He Himself is not in either one. He is separate from His creation. This is such and important truth! It means:
When something is hurt He can heal it.
When something is wrong He can right it.
When something is broken He can mend it.

It is so good to know that nothing can deplete or weaken the the power of God or His love for me.

Joining Charlotte forSpiritual Sundays

Thrifting and a little cheating

Hope everyone had a wonderful week-end. It was sunny here but cold... well cold to us here in the south. Sending warm wishes to those of you in the north east. I can't even imagine dealing with that much snow.
It has been a lazy week-end here but I did manage to get in a little thrifting. When I went in my favorite thrift shop the first thing to catch my eye were these glasses.

I loved the color and knew that they had to come home with me. I stopped in another little shop and  spotted these beautiful toile pillows. I already had some toile fabric and plans to make some but this was even better, they were already made! I'm sure I'll find a use for my fabric but for now it will go in my fabric stash.

Sorry about the quality of this shot but the sun was  pouring in through the windows.

Sun???     windows???         That gave me a great idea!

I have mentioned earlier how I was so ready for spring so I decided I was going to cheat a little. I was going to have spring in one room of my house now! I set about replacing winter pillows and throws with the new pillows and some shabby shams across the back of the chairs.

I removed the little snowman vignette and replaced it with a bucket of spring flowers and eggs. Yes, I said eggs. If I'm going to cheat I may as well go for some spring eggs as well. I then decided to print Spring in blue and place in a small frame just in case anyone had any doubts about the season.

I even added a few daffodills to the crystal vase. I am really trying to hurry spring along here.

The rest of the house may be dressed for winter with snowflakes and snowmen but this little room is ready for spring. I think this will be the perfect place to do my morning devotions. I can set in the sunshine, and pretend it is already spring. Maybe I should get out the sun glasses and lather on a little sun screen just to help convince myself it is spring. Do they make candles with a sun lotion scent? 

Thanks for dropping by. I would be delighted to share my little sun room with you. Y'all come back now.

I'm linking to Motivate me Monday

                    Blue Monday
                    Sunlit Sunday

 Come join me for some fun.

                   

Something old, something new

something borrowed

something blue

I know you've all heard this traditional rhyme which details what a bride should wear at her wedding for  good luck. Ever wonder when or where this tradition started? 

I wonder about things like that but I am a curious one and prone to wild goose chases... hmm... I wonder where that term originated too. Anyway . . .

Each item in this poem represents a good-luck token for the bride. If she carries all of them on her wedding day, her marriage will be happy. "Something old" symbolizes continuity with the bride's family and the past. 

"Something new" means optimism and hope for the bride's new life ahead. "Something borrowed" is usually an item from a happily married friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. The borrowed item also reminds the bride that she can depend on her friends and family.

As for the colorful item, blue has been connected to weddings for centuries. In ancient Rome, brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty, and fidelity. Christianity has long dressed the Virgin Mary in blue, so purity was associated with the color. 

Before the late 19th century, blue was a popular color for wedding gowns, as evidenced in proverbs like, "Marry in blue, lover be true."

I have heard these rhymes all of my life but I never new about the blue wedding gowns. I guess your never to old to learn.

Come join me at Blue Monday with Smiling Sally

A path less taken

Now the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip,saying,

"Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down

from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert.  Acts 8:26

If you visit friends who live on the coast, they will know of a local path to the beach.  You may walk over wooden planks instead of beautiful boardwalks, and the occasional thorn may stick you, but chances are good you're at a prime beach location. It's a spot barely dotted with locals who quietly allow rows and rows of tourists to pack in from an entry point at a much farther distance.

     Crowds were packing in to hear Philip preach and see him perform miracles. He had no plans to leave Samaria. Then, just like that, God sent word to Philip that he must hit the dessert road. . . and he had no idea why.

      How many of us would have said, "But have you seen the crowds who are coming to worship? Why am I being sent to the desert alone?"

      In Philip's case, we know why. God wanted him to encounter the Ethiopian official. 

      Following Christ involves taking a less populated and often lesser-known path. Sometimes this path is not well-defined, so you find that your steps are more hopeful than sure.

       Phillip was drawing crowds, but was suddenly sent to the desert to talk to a single man. How many of us would walk away from the admiration of the masses to travel to a desolate place for one conversation?

God didn't send Philip to the desert forever - just for a moment.

     The path less taken does have its advantages.  It gives you an opportunity to view God's creation as He intended it - wild and free, not safe and manicured. Without all the noise, you hear His voice more easily.  You're not fighting crowds who have chosen an easier, more traveled route. No, this less-traveled path gives you quiet solitude, populated only by those who reside there or who have walked this same path previously.

And you learn that, if you must, you can travel this path alone. Because if you know who is leading you, you know where it leads.

     Lord, I may choose a different path to the beach today as a reminder that Your path is different from all that the world offers.  Yours is the only path to eternal life.

Source: Devotions for the Beach

Linking to Spiritual Sundays  Hosted by Charlotte  

J is for Jerusalem

Just sharing a few shots of Jerusalem . . .

This is a view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives looking across Kidron Valley. 

Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount

... evening shadows over the Old City

. . . camel rides on the Mount of Olives

Enjoyed having you visit. Y'all come back!

Joining Alphabet Thursday  

Come along for more adventures

Spiritual Sundays

The Church Goes On

He really planned to go to church.
He knew it was important, and would help him in his life,
Because of all the turmoil that he faced, and all the strife.
But somehow days just slipped away, and then the months and years,
While he kept struggling with his guilt, his problems and his fears,
And so, the church went on without him.

He said he soon would go to church.
He oft recalled the childhood times he went to Sunday School,
And how he learned John 3:16, and said the Golden Rule.
And he remembered pictures taken with his blushing bride,
While at the altar vows were said, as they stood side by side.
But now, the church went on without him.

He truly meant to go to church.
He worked so many hours each week, and when the weekend came,
He needed time just to relax, or practice his golf game.
And there were dozens of small tasks that he alone could do.
Before he even finished them, his weekend time was through.
And so, the church went on without him.

He promised he would go to church.
When friends and family begged him, he had lots of reasons why
The time was not convenient, but it would be by and by.
Soon things would settle down, and he would have more time to do
The countless tasks that he'd put off, and some that were brand new.
But still, the church went on without him.

He finally went to church.
His friends all came to see him, and to say a last farewell.
And many eyes were teary as they heard his funeral knell.
They thought of all the wasted years, and blessings cast aside,
Because he thought he'd find the time for church before he died.
And still, the church goes on without him.

Source - Betty Jo Mings

This poem really got my attention. It is so easy for me to get caught up in the "busyness" of
life and fail to do what I was placed here to do,  worship him and witness
to others. 

Please join me atSpiritual Sundays

Blue Monday

January is the time of year when my thoughts go to new beginnings. I start to think about changing things in my life. . . diet, exercising, organizing, and decorating. Since the first two things on the list haven't happened in the past I think it's safe to say they won't. If you see me running, you need to call the police because you can bet someone is after me! That said, I have decided to concentrate on organizing the home and doing some frugal decorating changes.

On my quest for inspiration, I found some beautiful blues and wonderful ideas for organizing

                                                                    

                                                                    Source - Woman's Day

                                                              Source - Pinterest

                                                                   Source - Pinterest

I can probably only be this organized in my dreams. I have purged files in the office area and organized all of my spices this week. I think some of them were as old as me... but that's a start, right?

I have one last photo to calm and organize the mind . . .

                                                               Source Pinterest

Please join me at  Smiling Sally's for Blue Monday

Glad you dropped by and Y'all come back!

H is for Hope

Last night while surfing the net I came up with what I hope is a cure for the cabin fever I have. Mr. Vintage has been battling a kidney stone for some time and finally gave in to surgery this week. The surgery went well he is smiling again and I am ready for a change of scenery.
What better to battle cabin fever than a trip, the mountains and a beautiful cabin?

I came across these beautiful cabins in the mountains of Tennessee.

They look so quiet and peaceful nestled in the mountains.

I might not even mind cooking in this kitchen.

Now all I have to do is get Mr. Vintage strong enough to go on a little adventure.  If you are interested, I am 

including a link. The cabins range from one bedroom to humongous!

http://www.firesidechalets.com/

This is not an ad.... just one vintagesouthern mema dreaming!

Please join me atAlphabet Thursday  for some fun adventures.

Blue Monday

200 foot Skywheel in Myrtle Beach features 42 air conditioned gondolas.

Each time I go the lines are so long I won't wait. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

Just wondering. . . will there be room for Mr. Vintage and my parachute in one of the

gondolas?

I'm joiniing Blue Monday  Please come join me and Y'all come back!

Hope for the winter blues

This is the time of year I like the least. The holidays are over, the last presents have been opened, family has returned to their homes and the decorations have been packed safely away. I know it's coming and I try to avoid it by keeping busy, planning my flower beds and yes, dreaming of a sunny warm destination.

but then it hits, the Winter Blues!

What is it about this time of year that makes people sad and more depressed than the other months? Seasonal affective disorder is a diagnosed psychological disorder that affects many individuals during the holiday season with its colder weather, shorter days and dark mornings. Animals even act differently in the cold seasons as well. They tend to eat and sleep more as do humans. People do not like darkness but desire sunlight and their bodies need it physically and psychologically. When combined with the stress of interrupted routines overloaded with tasks and long shopping lists and limited budgets, it is no wonder that this season is known for the highest suicide rates. Human beings were made to live in the light! We are Children of the Light! Have you been getting enough “Light” to satisfy your soul? We cannot change the weather conditions of the world but we can change the spiritual condition of our soul. Maybe all we need today is a dose of the Light of God’s Love to cure those winter blues.

I Thessalonians 5:5 (NLT)

For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.

I am claiming this verse, putting the blues behind and looking forward to a new day and a new year.

May your New Year be filled with light and God's love!

Please join me at Spiritual Sundays 

G is for germaphobia

I don't know about you my friends but I am quickly developing germaphobia. With all of the viruses, flu, and nasty bugs going around. I am starting to identify with Dr. Shelton Cooper of the Big Bang Theory show.
I am holding up folks getting into stores as I withdraw my hand into my sleeve and attempt to open store doors without touching them, frantically wiping down shopping carts, and I always use a napkin to pick up the salt and pepper shakers in the restaurants. If that doesn't get enough stares from strangers  whipping out my gallon container of hand sanitizer always does!

I'm thinking this may be my next purchase ...  effective yet stylish!

 I  had to laugh at Tim and myself when I saw this video.

Hopefully I'm not that bad... yet. Wishing y'all a Happy Germ Free New Year!

Please join me at Alphabet Thursday