Talk to the Hand

The wise woman builds her house, 

but

 the foolish one tears her down.

Proverbs 14:1

Linking with Met Monday

The Wise Woman

There is this scripture that has been talking to me for a couple years now.  It speaks into my heart about my past, it reminds me of the things that fell down around me.  In my heart I know it was me, I am the only common denominator in all those circumstances that swirl through my memory.

But, God's Word never mocks, there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus, so these memories are not mocking or condemning me, but rather reminding me of the place He found me, keeping fresh the memories.

Maybe they are here to help someone who struggles or to find their way to a canvas that will whisper the Word of God to ears that hear.  God's Word will not return void . . . but always accomplishes what He intends, where He intends.  They'll do the work I sent them to do, they'll complete the assignment I gave them.  Isaiah 55:11 The Message.  You never know who the Holy Spirit is convicting and re-constructing.  Amen.

It completely heals and fully restores, even to tiniest of details.

I had a best friend when I was young, during our fourth, fifth and sixth grades, she lived one block away.  Her Dad was the youth minister at the Methodist church, we attended a Baptist church, but when he noticed, or maybe it was her, that we weren't going to church on Sundays, they arranged it so that when they got to the corner they would honk their horn and I would come running out to ride to church with them. They moved and I never saw her again.

About ten years ago, I began to long for that friendship, the one that was clothed in innocence, all caught up in the youthful exchange of summers and so much laughter.  I began to ask God, in prayer, if I could find her again.  Just a few weeks ago He did provide and we we are now trying to catch up on forty years of living.  The point is, what has been tore down can be re-built, what is lost can be brought back around.

God's Word, through faith in Christ Jesus, restores and redeems my soul and my losses.  God created us for the love of us.  What was meant for evil, God used for good, for those who love Him, who earnestly seek Him.  He Loves us. ( present-active participle verb) I'm believing God.  :)

 The wise woman builds her house, 

but

the foolish one tears hers down.

Proverbs 14:1

My life experience with God shows 

that if you have been the foolish woman 

and tore your house down, with your very own hands, 

with God you can be the wise woman who builds hers.

Amen and amen.

Salty Sister Decorates Last Years Christmas Mantle

Hey, all you blogland decorators  yes I'm calling you.  Not yelling at you but speaking loudly to you.  It is almost that time again, yes it is, to decorate for Christmas and then show the rest of the world.  That's right, it puts lots of pressure on us here, but it helps me get it done.

So, to help us get our Christmas decorating party hats on and link with this years Christmas blog parties which, by the way, start on November 30th - hello!  Where did the time go?  Ya'll, I'm still stuck in August!




The talented and oh so clever Beth at "Stories from A to Z", is hosting a linky party featuring last years Christmas mantle.

This is an easy one for me since the work has already been done.  I've always been quick to link up with a no brainer, I"m just sayin.


Okay so, this is last years, simple, clean, I don't feel like messin' with it and I got no new ideas, Christmas mantle.

I spy a little soot that needs to be cleaned up on the front, oh well it was cold last year and we burned a lot of fires.

And this little dandy was my Christmas tree from last year and the reason I am including it in my Christmas mantle from last year's post is, it was my favorite story for the whole year.

I seriously didn't want to decorate, Rickey has just be diagnosed and we were beginning our walk through cancer, so I pulled this tree out and put a few large ornaments beside it and called it good.

Danya and her family came up the weekend before Christmas to celebrate with the Grands.  I won't bore you with pictures of the kids from that weekend but know this, I'm tempted.  Anyway, sweet Sarah Kate eye spies Nanoo Christmas tree and I overheard her tell Tyler, "Oh no!!  Look at Nanoo's tree!  Let's fix it."  So they pick the little tree up, sit it on the floor and hung the over sized ornaments on the small branches.  I watched as they stood back, cocked their heads to one side and said, "oh well, shrugged their shoulders and giggled as they ran off to finish building their fantastic blankets tents.

I loved it so much that this is exactly where it set for the rest of the month.  In my memory, though, I thought the branches were all bent over Charlie Brown style, but still a great story.

Happy decorating ya'll, let's do this thing.

From the Craft Room

Recent inspirations.

Three "Believing God" hands.

God is who He says He is.
God can do what He says He can do.
i am who God says i am.
i can do all things through Christ.
God's Word is alive and active in me.


My largest size canvas to date.

The first ones, playing with texture.

Linking up with Susan at BNOP for Met Monday.

To My Lovelies

image from gingerella

I found this on the blog "Room to Inspire"and then I borrowed it.

It is exactly and perfectly what I want to say to my children.  I have found that raising grown children is hard, harder than raising young children, they're easy.

I am owning and understanding that they will always be my child and I will always be their mother BUT they don't need to know what I know.  What they need is space to learn what they need to know.   And the assurance that when they want to ask I am there for them.

What I need to know, is that even though they ask doesn't mean that they will do what my advice is.  And it also doesn't mean that I should ever ask how things are going. *@%#!   Can anybody testify?  Just sayin.

Seriously, this is the hardest part of parenting, for me anyway.  Anybody else at this stage of life know what I'm talking about.

And just when I got really good at it.   

Believing God

Wednesday's dr. appointment went okay for my honey.  We knew that he would have to take a "shot" every six months as a maintenance for the cancer treatment, but what we didn't know is that it was starting this week.  He must go every week this month to get the "shot", which is really not a shot but a mini chemo treatment, along with the possible side effects of chemo.

So far, Praise God, he has experienced only mild side effects, such as being tired.   We do not know the results from the blood test yet, we will find that out next week, but we are feeling confident and encouraged.

We do have a lot going on this month, but it may a blessing that we are too busy to be tired.  Amen.

I know everyone involved loves him and we will all do what needs to be done to make things go as smoothly as possible.

I have started the Believing God bible study.  I know, I'm behind, but I bought it a couple of years ago and did the first page and then didn't keep it up.  Then I bought another one and then another one but never did any better with them.  It dawned on me the other day that maybe God was not honoring my attempts because He wanted me to finish the first one, sooooooo. . .


I've started this one again, and I must say it is going much better.  I am sticking with it and doing my homework.  Yea, God!!!!

So with that said, I am believing God and He is the inspiration for these:

God is who He says He is.
God can do what He says He can do.
i am who God says i am.
i can do all things through Christ.
God's Word is alive and active in me.

Thank you all for your caring comments.  They are uplifting and they make me smile and some just make me laugh right out loud.  Your the best.

Love you girls.
See ya.

Checking In

Girls, how many things can one person have going at one time????  Plenty!  I know everyone is busy, and this is just crazy, but did you know that November is here, already????

I have been elbow deep in paint lately, canvases to show soon, went on my first all girls weekend, fun and interesting all at the same time, went to the Texas Rangers vs. SF world series baseball game this weekend, we are having a bull sale at the ranch this coming weekend, women's bathroom reno in process,  guest coming to stay with us, menus flying all over the place, sometime in here I've got to go grocery shopping, walk to Emmaus next weekend, family coming in the week after that for 10 days (!), and then THANKSGIVING!!!!!! and then Christmas decorating and then . . .   Whew, life is good!

Rickey goes to the doctor Wednesday for his first cancer check up, we are confident that God has us in the palm of His mighty right hand and whatever the outcome is, there is rest in Him.   Who am I kidding here, I am praying that his cancer is still not active and we will remain in this place of peace and ease.

Jeremy is being moved to Germany in July.  What????  Did I say that was okay?  What was I thinking?  I know what I was thinking,  vacation!

Other than that I have been on the couch eating chocolate.  What have you been doing lately?  As soon as I get my photobucket account opened back up I'll post some new pictures.  Evidently I post too many pics and now I must pay.

See ya, I've missed you guys lately.  And welcome and thank you to the new followers, I promise I post more than once a month.