I Can See Clearly Now...

glass vases... ideas galore

sleek simple beauty

chic and unique

elegant and understated

Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful; for beauty is God's handwriting - a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

The most beautiful view is the one I share with you. ~Author Unknown

Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty - they merely move it from their faces into their hearts. ~Martin Buxbaum

That which is striking and beautiful is not always good, but that which is good is always beautiful.  ~Ninon de L'Enclos

This is clearly...THE END

Friday's Fingerprints...a Little Pillow Talk about Life lessons

Well friends, it's Friday and I wanted to talk about two things...you know me - gleeful and grateful.

Psalm 145:9, "The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works."

I've been thinking about restfulness. I've been stressed in the last few months while trying to pull joy and appreciation from my world and God's gifts. Have you ever questioned why when your life is filled with so many loving people,you're learning, listening, growing, feeling, breathing - there is chaos? That's been my question. 

My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. (Exodus 33:14)

I read, meditate, pray, listen, talk and yet I still feel bombarded by

my personnal struggle to make a decision in my life I have been pushing away.

 I attend a Healing Circle where we gather and rest, revive, renew, breathe.

 It's enabled me to stop the negativity of my thoughts and give the ok to just BE.
Well, I consider it, am thoughtful about it, believe it is powerful.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

                                                                                                               Psalm 19:13-14

At last nights women's gathering I listened. I heard other's stories. Sometimes it's so healthy to hear someone else speak of a pain, growth, a Life lesson, concerns.
It was for me.

I could no longer hide my fears and not live. I saw I was holding myself back.

John 10:10, "...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

I am pushing forward without regret. I remember a story about a child that was given a luscious cupcake at a party. She held it so tight and as she was offered other wonderful desserts she was so afraid to let go of her treasure she passed up many delights. When she finally decided to enjoy her treat - in the fierceness to hold on .... it was crushed and inedible. I love trying new things. Escargot, green nail polish, speaking Italian....

 



i loved cuddling with my kids

watching them play

smelled the flowers

listened

laughed

and learned

Now it's time for me to end the cycle of abuse and not be afraid.

To take a step outside the box and trust in what I know.
I know I am a survivor. I'm a loving woman. Intelligent.

thank you Miri for showing me a glimmer of light and what it can be for me, Jennifer

here's to new faces

quiet places

and sleeping in my own bed    jenn
p.s. I can be fruggle if it means independence

Does it Matter How We Say It? Why Not Limes?

why flowers?

roses?

tulips?

daisies?

candy?

cards?

why can't we give limes?
I mean I can't picture myself giving someone a bunch of bananas - or a bag of popcorn. I love bringing big bouquets of flowers to friends fresh picked from my garden. Home-made cookies. I have been known to give herbs to fellow cooks.

so why not limes?  ( or a jar of marbles, or seaglass or...)  

I shop at Asian markets most of the time. I went with my son Todd and his wife Ravy after a fab Korean lunch yesterday. Limes were 8 for $1.00. I bought 32. Mangoes, a Pineapple (.99 each), Fuji apples, Nectarines, Peaches, Oranges, Strawberries = $16.00. I made my stuffy nosed hubby a big fruit salad. Autumn and Spice like apple cores and strawberry ends.

Today I brought in a basket full of limes to the main office of the high school I work in.

next time..... when I go to a friend's

why not give...

balloons!

I mean why do there have to be rules?

I would like a balloon - wouldn't you?

Love, Jenn

On The Edge - God Only Knows

on the edge....a story

the story began in the garden....my garden.
Great plans were in Jennifer's vivid imagination for pots and herbs, posies and ferns. Tools were assembled for the extended weekend and the skies were blue. The copper colored Daschund gazed from her table perch pushing the tender summer screen shaping her pointed nose to find freedom. Thomas, the puppy's furry feline toyed with her emotions and temper under a nearby shrub. Elderly, somewhat dazed Spice lay panting under the dining room table not sure where she should be or who she was.
It was to be a day of joy and energy. A day of progress and toil.

 The gardener tilled and pulled and tugged and crawled, snipped and dug and planted. Pots were filled and blooms were lovingly placed. Somehow, through it all her husband slept peacfully,clueless to the excitement!
Manicures meant nothing! Full speed ahead, nature was at work.

Three kinds of hot peppers, cilantro, Thai basil, 2 kinds
of parsley, tomatoes of 4 varieties. Cell phone be damned!
Glass after glass of water was inhaled. Nature's milk.
Is this a little much?   Too bad it's MY STORY.

Jennifer felt as if she were on the edge - it was all coming together - getting so much done. The roses were blooming, yuccas shooting up to the clouds, honeysuckle fragrant to the bees buzzing. Loving it all. Pee breaks for the doggies. Autumn barking at air.
John gathering piles and piles of weeds weary and asking what he was supposed to do with it all. Exhausted after 10 hours of sleep.
Alas, the day is done. The grill is lit and all is well. Time for laundry, dishes and an ice cold shower for the garden fairy.
Ahhhh, feet go up and a smoky hot dog is consumed by the maker of mayonasy (word?) potato salad. Jennifer finishes her book with great satisfaction but a touch of sadness because she loves Jodi Piccoult as an author.

Darkness comes. Sleep is pleasant. Morning arrives.
Time to harvest the chives for winter. They are snipped,

cleaned, chopped and frozen. Oregano and basil - the same!  More weeds to pull. John is catching his 10 hour zzzzz's. It should be said by this author that he works a 70 hour 6 day week. Not a whimp by any means.
He smokes ribs, hot dogs and hamburgers are grilled.
Crispy corn is cooked. More weeds are pulled while the dogs gaze panting from their special grassy spots.

There was a brief period when Jennifer was taking her life for granted and sweating the small stuff. Not putting her faith in God and letting HIM handle her worries the way she usually would. Then a Hemmorrroid appeared - she saw the pain in it's pain and presence and had a conversation with God. It went like this "OK Lord, I get it - I see that things CAN be worse and I will come to YOU in prayer as I need to. " and she smiled. Things CAN be worse.

 LIFE continued, the garden bloomed.
Somehow in the busy times of work, school, LIFE - it was fast approaching the 1 year mark of Jennifer's CT Scan for her Kidney Cancer recheck. A Ct Scan every 3 months - not fun. She forgot her conversation with GOD, momentarily. She worried on her own.

she was on the edge
This woman of faith had spent a great deal of her glorious weekend fretting about her upcoming CT Scan instead of truly enjoy 3 days of furries, hubby and God's gifts. KAPOW! Scratch, scratch, itch, itch, itch.
POISON IVY! Even on her, well, on her...well...um, ahhh...hoo hoo.

   Jennifer looked in the mirror at her bubbling neck and her blooming arms and chest and just couldn't believe what was happening to her! She called her husband in to the bathroom and said "Is this what I THINK it is!!??!!". And he said "Poison Ivy?" as he stepped back in fear. This was new. This was different.
"Oh God, you do have the best sense of humor!" Jennifer said. She wasn't quite sure if others saw it that way. But HE knows her so well. I'm sure the radiologist will find it amusing to hear about the poison ivy story. Jennifer does not think the two huge bottles of white icky stuff she has to drink is very funny but then she talked God about it several times and they're at peace with it. No discussion of private parts or hoo hoos were brought up.

I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much. ~Mother Teresa

P.S. Yesterday was Ct Scan day and Jennifer arrived a little stressed for her appointment. Not because of her concerns, but because of the 32 oz. of Barium she was told she had to drink. She had questioned this procedure through several phone calls because in the course of 1 year - this was new. "Yes Mrs. Ingram, yes, this is correct - drink it!" So, Alice drank the magic potion.... Later in the day Jennifer was brought to the Ct Scan area - to be greeted by the two lovely techs that had been there for her during her last year of the "waiting game". "Hi Jennifer, did you drink your WATER?" - "No, Barium" - "Why, we always have you drink WATER" .... we move along to the waiting game. Thank you Lord for my sense of humor. Who invented that white stuff!

GOD BLESS YOU

Monday - Marvelous Weekend... All The Chores Did NOT Get Done!

HAPPY MONDAY!!!

it's ok, i say it's alright

no house work for me this weekend!

because....I transplanted

hostas   black-eyed susans

ferns

peonies and basil too

how, what, where, why?

well, my friend Ann said I could have some ferns,

I transplanted some hostas and black-eyed susans to a new location,

my friend Pauline gave me about a dozen peony plants

that were growing in her woods and never bloomed along with

about 100 daffodil bulbs that needed to be separated,

and I love basil!

my husband was the digger of holes - my savior!

yes, Autumn ran away...

 and spent most of the day watching from indoors

My Mom is doing well - thank you for your prayers.

It's supposed to rain most of the week -

Thank you Lord for watering my gardens!

JENNIFER

P.S. Black-eyed Susans are Maryland's State Flower