O (little) Christmas Tree, O (little) Christmas Tree...

How lovely are your (little) branches...



This year I didn't get out the big tree.
I'm supposed to be packing to move.
So,
I didn't want to set up the tree when I was really going to be packing up stuff.
(turns out, I didn't pack anything either:/, but that is a different post.)

Sooooooooooooo...
I bought a little second hand tree ($1.50),
added this years (.25 cent) angel and called it good.
THEN I added a string of gaudy star lights ($1.00),
and blue beads ($1.00).
Not good enough.
THEN I added gold foil stars (.50 cents),
covered the base with tissue paper,
and attached this years 'couple' ornament Mr. & Mrs. Claus (.25 cents).
(gotta do my part for the economy and supporting my local thrift stores)



Ta Da!!! Perfectly Shiny and Gaudy!!
This little tree will go to its new home in the camper when I find the perfect box.

Merry Christmas,
Big or Small,
To One and ALL!!!

Temptation Thy Name is Home Depot...

I have purposely been avoiding plant nurseries.

See, I'm moving from my home of two years to my "dream" home (on my mom's property on the lake).

So, no more plants.

NO MORE.

(famous LAST words)


Well...hubby was shopping at the Home Depot, and I thought looking at the plants would be safe.


After all I already have everything Home Depot offers.

Right?

Wrong...

Our Home Depot is now offering a dwarf Chinese Fringe bush, a Purple Pixie Loropetalum.
Something I have dreamed of...


AND a red to purple dwarf nandina:

(this photo shows new Flirt Nandina, Harbor Dwarf Nandina, and Loropetalum)

I.MUST.HAVE...I.NEED.THIS.

..ok...

actually...I...don't...NEED...it

...but...I...sure...do...WANT...this

...B.A.D...


Fertilizer Friday

Son-Day: "Lead Me"

“Lead Me”
Sanctus Real

I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling
But on the inside, I can hear her saying...

“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone”

I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They're just children from the outside
I'm working hard, I tell myself they'll be fine
They're independent
But on the inside, I can hear them saying...

“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, but what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone”

So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I'm called to be
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won't You lead me?

To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can't
Don't want to leave them hungry for love,
Chasing things that I could give up

I'll show them I'm willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this our home
Lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone

Father, lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone...

Good Golly...

Can you believe this?
Totally untouched, and it STILL does not do the color of my sunset justice!!

Thank you, God, for sunsets, for colors, eyes to see it, and my heart to rejoice!!

Have a Great Great GREAT day!!

Son-Day: "Shall We Gather At The River"

Shall We Gather At the River?
Words & Music: Robert Lowry

Shall we gather at the river,
Where bright angel feet have trod,
With its crystal tide forever
Flowing by the throne of God?

Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
The beautiful, the beautiful river;
Gather with the saints at the river
That flows by the throne of God.

On the margin of the river,
Washing up its silver spray,
We will talk and worship ever,
All the happy golden day.

Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
The beautiful, the beautiful river;
Gather with the saints at the river
That flows by the throne of God.

Ere we reach the shining river,
Lay we every burden down;
Grace our spirits will deliver,
And provide a robe and crown.

Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
The beautiful, the beautiful river;
Gather with the saints at the river
That flows by the throne of God.

At the smiling of the river,
Mirror of the Savior’s face,
Saints, whom death will never sever,
Lift their songs of saving grace.

Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
The beautiful, the beautiful river;
Gather with the saints at the river
That flows by the throne of God.

Soon we’ll reach the silver river,
Soon our pilgrimage will cease;
Soon our happy hearts will quiver
With the melody of peace.


Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
The beautiful, the beautiful river;
Gather with the saints at the river
That flows by the throne of God.

Blooming Tuesday: 05/11/10 Clematis

I'm so happy to share all these Clematis blooms!!!
First multi-blooms I have EVER have!!
I think I planted this two years ago, and not only am I happy its alive, but even more happy about the blooming!!
WooHoo!

Happy Blooming Tuesday :}

Son-Day: "Through Heaven's Eyes"

This song has really been on my mind lately, so much I had to dig out my vhs tape and watch the movie it came from, "The Prince of Egypt".
I'm so aware I can't see the whole picture, or my part in the 'plan', but my Heavenly Father can, and does, and is right by my side as I travel, just waiting for ME to turn to Him for guidance.
Thanks God!!
God bless...

Through Heaven's Eyes

A single thread in a tapestry-
Though its color brightly shine-
Can never see its purpose
In the pattern of the grand design.

And the stone that sits on the very top
Of the mountain's mighty face-
Does it think it's more important
Than the stones that form the base?

So how can you see what your life is worth
Or where your value lies?
You can never see through the eyes of man
You must look at your life,
Look at your life through heaven's eyes.
Lai-la-lai...

A lake of gold in the desert sand
Is less than a cool fresh spring-
And to one lost sheep, a shepherd boy
Is greater than the richest king.
If a man lose ev'rything he owns,
Has he truly lost his worth?
Or is it the beginning
Of a new and brighter birth?

So how do you measure the worth of a man-
In wealth or strength or size?
In how much he gained or how much he gave?
The answer will come,
The answer will come to him who tries
To look at his life through heaven's eyes.

And that's why we share all we have with you,
Though there's little to be found.
When all you've got is nothing,
There's a lot to go around.

No life can escape being blown about
By the winds of change and chance,

And though you never know all the steps,
You must learn to join the dance-
You must learn to join the dance.

Lai-la-lai...

So how do you judge what a man is worth?
By what he builds or buys?

You can never see with your eyes on earth-
Look through heaven's eyes.
Look at your life,
Look at your life,
Look at your life through heaven's eyes!

Stephen Schwartz's comments

Question (posted on his forum at stephenschwartz.com) ... Do you have any interesting memories or things you could share of either the process of writing the lyrics and/or music to Through Heaven's Eyes and/or the process of getting it recorded? And did you choose Brian Stokes Mitchell to play that role or did somebody else?

Answer: ... "Through Heaven's Eyes" is my favorite of the songs in PRINCE OF EGYPT. It was actually the fourth song I wrote for that spot in the movie! The first three were more comedic and were essentially plot-driven, encompassing Moses' time in Midian. The first was called "All in the Attitude" and was kind of a comic number about how poor they all were, and the next two, called "Don't be a Stranger" and "One of Us", were about welcoming Moses into the tribe. For a while, we were going to go with "One of Us", but as the picture developed, Jeffrey Katzenberg began to feel that we needed something more philosophical and thematic in that spot. As we all began to think about it, one of the directors, Steven Hickner, came in with a poem called "The Measure of a Man", and I based the lyric for the song on the philosophy in the poem. The casting of Stokes was partly at my suggestion, since I knew him a bit, but it was a group decision.

Some of the specific images (the "stone on the mountain-top", for instance) were certainly influenced by my trip to the Sinai desert in Egypt.