Son-Day: Beautiful Ending

Beautiful Ending Barlow Girl ~God bless~

Son-Day: Our Great God

~God Bless~

Son-Day: You Were Always On My Mind

For my children.  All my love.  God bless.

Son-Day: 2 Chronicles 7:14

 


~God Bless~

Fourth Of July 2012

I will not be with my children today.
I will not be with my precious granddarlings.
I may not be going to see any fireworks.
It may just be the hubs and I chillin in the guest house.
BUT on the eight hour drive here last Saturday night,
I drove by a firework show that took my breath away.
As I got closer,
I saw SO many cars parked on the side of the road,
adults pulled over to watch the celebration.
Grown-ups.
Stopped for fireworks.
I love it when we 'adults' remember who we are.



We are awesome.


Maybe we should act like it:).


If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.  
(2 Chronicles 7:14)



~God Bless~

Son-Day: Here I Am

Here I Am
Downhere



~God Bless~

Son-Day: "He Didn't Have To Be"

For my sweet hubs, thank you for loving your babies and my babies the same. 
You were, and are, the answer to my unspoken prayers. 

Happy Father's Day

~God Bless~

Son-Day: "Yes, Jesus Loves Me"

Yes, Jesus Loves Me
Traditional, Words By: Anna B. Warner

Music By: Wm. B. Bradbury,Copyright Unknown

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He who died,
Heaven's gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! loves me still,
When I'm very weak and ill;
From His shining throne on high,
Comes to watch me where I lie.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He will stay,
Close beside me all the way;
He's prepared a home for me,
And some day His face I'll see.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Yes, Jesus loves me, the scriptures tell ME so:)
~God Bless~

Son-Day: "Every Move I Make"

~God Bless~

Son-Day: "Falling Down"

FF: Mormon Tea

For years (15+), I have kept an eye out for this plant

(from web)

Mormon tea, aka Squaw tea, Indian tea

I thought of ordering it online, but not knowing if it will do well in my area of Texas, I didn't want to waste my money.
As of May I am now staying (with the hubs) in a native area of this plant.
We are staying on a VERY large ranch in the hill country of Texas, and as I have been taking the dogs on walks I have been looking for the plant.
I even prayed that if it was around I would be led to it.
Later that same day, on the way back from town, the hubs (who doesn't notice plants-or at least he doesn't with me) pulled over to the shoulder and pointed out this plant he thought was cool.
(the hubs ALSO doesn't just pull off the road and take time out of his work day AND he did NOT know I  was looking for this.)

~3 beautiful babies~

It was my plant!!!
(Thank you Thank you God!!  You heard me, and more important, I heard you:)
Lots of babies for the taking too!!!
Wonderfully it had rained so the long tap root just pulled up.
Gonna take it when we go back home later this year and see how it does!!!

Happy Fertilizer Friday!!!

Info from ehow.com
Mormon tea is prepared using the stems of the plant ephedra nevadensis, which is native to the desert regions of the southwestern United States and parts of Mexico. This herb, which is a relative of the Chinese ephedra known as ma huang, was dried and used by the early American settlers to make herbal tea. It was also used as herbal medicine for headaches, fevers, colds and hay fever. Growing and harvesting the plant for use is not difficult, but requires patience.

In case you feel the need to warn me about ephedra:
{from ephedra.com:

There are currently 32 known species of ephedra, ephedra sinica (Ma Huang) and ephedra viridis (Mormon Tea) being the two most commonly used varieties. Ephedrine, the the most sought-after ingredient in ephedra, is responsible for the majority of ephedra's effects on the body. But not all varieties of ephedra contain it. Ephedra sinica is known for having the strongest concentration of ephedrine while ephedra viridis is known for  not containing any ephedrine alkaloid.}

TT: My Little HUGE Miracle

I am a Mormon, and have been for 16 years.
And for 16 years I have kept a look out for a plant called Mormon Tea that grows wild in the SW America  area.
I thought this would be a cool thing to have.
(I have a thing for plants, they are my love, and my addiction.)
This month we started staying in an area of our state of Texas where this plant grows well (according to the web).

I have been going for morning walks on this large ranch with my pooches.
(this is a gas well ranch, and has so many wonderful coliche roads we use)
I was talking to God, soaking up his wonders, and I asked if it was local please bring me to it.

Later that same day, hubs and I were coming back from an errand in town and he pulls over and wants to show me a plant he thought was cool.
He never does this sort of thing.
Usually when I mention plants he glazes over and just nods.
I had not told him about the plant or the prayer.
He also doesn't stop to "waste time" when he is on the clock.

I knew when we pulled over it was my plant.
I can not explain how special it made me feel that God spoke to me through my hubby.

I have a friend, a dear dear friend, who God uses me to answer her prayers all the time.
Like, a WHOLE lot.
When it happens, I first think, "YEAH I LISTENED!!"
Then I think, "WOW, God really loves you.
A lot."
And, of course, I know he loves me the same.
AND God speaks to me through others...
But not like this.

~3 beautiful  Mormon Tea babies~

I feel noticed...and hugged...from the inside out:)



"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen -- even the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!" Psa 8:3-9

~God bless you~

Thankful Thursday

Son-Day: Who Am I

Who Am I
Casting Crowns

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I, that the bright and morning star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wondering heart?

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord You catch me when I'm falling
And You told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who am I, that the eyes that see our sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again?
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me?

Not because of who I am
( From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/c/casting-crowns-lyrics/who-am-i-lyrics.html )
But because what of You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord You catch me when I'm falling
And You told me who I am
I am Yours

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord You catch me when I'm falling
You told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours, I am Yours

Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?
'Cause I am Yours, I am Yours...


~God Bless You And Keep You And Yours~

TT: Sonora

Where in the world have I been?
Turns out, all over the place.
Mostly I've been at my mom's in East Texas (with no real Internet),
while hubby's been working in West Texas (finishing out a guesthouse so I could join him).
The first of May we flew to Maryland for the birth of our seventh granddarling, Makenzie Lynn.
Then flew back to Dallas, drove three hours east to mom's, loaded up and headed west.

 

Eight hours later we were in Sonora, where hubby is remodeling a house, and the guesthouse awaits me:). 

I come from the piney woods area of Texas, and this is hill country. 

Indian Blankets

First there were lots of Indian Blankets,
and Mexican Hat wildflowers on the roadside...

Then the landscape changed to sparser flowers, and more brush...

This is why they call it hill country, very hilly...

Prickly Pear

One plant that there just became more of was the Prickly Pear cactus in bloom.

Prickly Pear and Yucca

Lots and lots of thorny things.
Cactus, Mesquite, you even have to watch the flowers a lot of them are thorny too. 

The ranch we are on has a lot of similar views, there is a beauty here that is all its own.

Our little guesthouse is surrounded by massive Live Oaks and the views are wonderful.
We have seen a lot of wildlife not common in our East Texas area.

 

Sutton Co. Courthouse and Live Oak Trees

The town is the county seat and is small, but neat.
It has all the necessities, Dollar Store, Sonic, DQ, Pizza Hut, Grocery Store and Alco.
Real stores and church is a hour away.  
The weather here has been wetter and cooler than normal (which I LOVE).
Hubby will be here a while and I am SO THANKFUL (yes I'm shouting) to be with him.
We have a nice, safe place to stay and we are together.
My kids are grown and now he and I can really enjoy this place in life.
And this is a very good place. 
I am very, very thankful. 

{In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 
I Thessalonians 5:18}

Join others for Thankful Thursday

(NONE of these are my photos, my camera battery is dead (taking too many new baby pics I guess), and this little town doesn't carry them...so I guess I can wait til we go to the 'city'.)

Son-Day: Mother I love you

Mother I Love You
Mother, I love you;
Mother, I do.
Father in heaven has sent me to you.
When I am near you,
I love to hear you
Singing so softly that you love me too.

Mother, I love you;
Mother, I do.
I want to help you because I love you.
I want to mind you;
I want to find you
Happy and smiling because I love you.

Mother, I love you;
I love you, I do.

~To my mommy...Happy Mother's Day...God bless~

(these are not my kids, and they sing the song great, but no where near as AWESOME as our little primary sang this today in church!! )

Son-Day: "Courageous"

Courageous
Casting Crowns

We were made to be courageous
We were made to lead the way
We could be the generation
That finally breaks the chain
We were made to be courageous
We were made to be courageous

We were warriors on the front lines
Standing unafraid
But now we're watchers on the sidelines
While our families slip away

Where are you, men of courage?
You were made for so much more
Let the pounding of our hearts cry
We will serve the Lord

We were made to be courageous
And we're taking back the fight
We were made to be courageous
And it starts with us tonight

The only way we'll ever stand
Is on our knees with lifted hands
Make us courageous
Lord, make us courageous

This is our resolution
Our answer to the call
We will love our wives and children
We refuse to let them fall

We will reignite the passion
That we buried deep inside
May the watchers become warriors
Let the men of God arise

Seek justice
Love mercy
Walk humbly with your God

In the war of the mind
I will make my stand
In the battle of the heart
And the battle of the hand


God bless you and keep you and yours...

Son-Day: Count Your Blessings

Count Your Blessings

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,

And you will keep singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

Count your many blessings—wealth can never buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged, God is over all;

Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.





~God Bless~

Son-Day: Held

Held 
Natalie Grant 
 Two months is too little
They let him go
They had no sudden healing
To think that providence
Would take a child from his mother
While she prays, is appalling
Who told us we'd be rescued
What has changed and
Why should we be saved from nightmares
Were asking why this happens to us
Who have died to live, it's unfair
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was that when everything fell
We'd be held
This hand is bitterness
We want to taste it and
Let the hatred numb our sorrows
The wise hand opens slowly
To lilies of the valley and tomorrow
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was that when everything fell
We'd be held
If hope if born of suffering
If this is only the beginning
Can we not wait, for one hour
Watching for our savior
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was that when everything fell
We'd be held ...

~God Bless You And Keep You In The Palm Of His Hand~

Son-Day: "Nothing Without You"

~God Bless~

Son-Day: "I Will Lift My Eyes"