Cambria, California

 

Precious Husband chose well for us when it came to picking out a motel in Cambria for our time on the coast.  

When I come to California the first thing I notice it the vibrant color of the flowers.  This motel is just over flowing with color.  So pretty.  

Today we are meeting my cousin Linda and her girlfriend Barbara for breakfast and then a day of antiquing.  Should be fun.  Seeing more of the coastal flowers will be an added blessing.

Good job Precious Husband***

 

Light in the Window

 

The guest room has been vacant since Aunt Jo left for her ultimate joyous destination nearly a year and a half ago.

Anthony sleeps in here amidst the roses and butterflies maybe once a month when he comes for the weekend otherwise the real estate sits unused.  It is a shame I think that it is unused so I add another light to the windows. 

A light has always been in the front window in this our new home and as long as I can remember in our previous home. 

I wonder often if my children know the meaning of the light in the window.  Do they know why mom has placed the little lamp that begins to glow with the last rays of light and the beginning of darkness all through the night in the window?  Do they know?

The little lamp (to me) is the symbol of love.  Welcome.  Hospitality.  Warmth - most of all love and hospitality. 

I pray the light represents hearts living here that are more than willing to share love and to share hospitality to whosoever would walk through the front door.  I desire more than anything that love, welcome, hospitality and warmth would be evident to anyone entering our home. 

Our children, our grandchildren and whoever else might enter our home - they are the reason for the lamp in the window.

So I pray and I wonder, Lord, who would you send to sleep under the pink rose covered bed with the light that glimmers from the recently added little lamp in the window of the Butterfly Room?  May they find love, welcome, hospitality and warmth evident in this little piece of real estate.

Latest Fav!

I Lift My Hands

Chris Tomlin | Myspace Video

Another amazing song by Chris Tomlin.  Love his music.

Precious Husband and I are looking forward to quality time on the beach in California this week.  We are leaving here on Wednesday early.  First stop will be Tony Roma's so Precious Husband can get his beef rib fix. This will be my third birthday in a row that we will celebrate with clam chowder at Duckie's in Cayucus.  Love to create memories and traditions.  After the coast we will head inland for family reunion at my brother's ranch in Tulare on Saturday.  Should be a great week.

Trust in the Lord

Tomorrow marks an anniversary for me.  Forty years ago God in an amazing way presented me with an eight month old baby boy.  Jason Thomas, often referred to at Sunshine Acres Children's Home as "Fireball" for his red hair.  Yes, June 4, 1971 was a very critical life changing day for me.  A day that would teach me love, patience, and most of all faith.  I am thankful to God this morning for a most precious gift - the gift of faith and the gift of Jason Thomas.

The following story was emailed to me this morning by my cousin Frani and I have read it before but in light of my special date tomorrow I thought I would share it here. 

You see the boy in the story could very possibly be Jason.  Anthony Joseph is a very fortunate young man to be blessed with a brother that loves him to this same degree.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding.  Proverbs 3:5  This is the verse God gave me 9 months after he brought Jason into my life.  Along with the verse He gave me an amazing heart of faith to go along with it. 

THE BRICK

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.

As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown.

The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, 'What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money.. Why did you do it?' The young boy was apologetic.

'Please, mister....please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do,' He pleaded. 'I threw the brick because no one else would stop...' With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. 'It's my  brother, 'he said 'He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up.'

Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.'

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat.. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took
out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts.. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay.

'Thank you and may God bless you,' the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home..

It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to
remind him of this message: 'Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!'

God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not.

Morning Walkabout

Anticipation as we watch for the cactus flower to open.  Not to brag, but I was right, it was there to greet me when I came down for my first cup of coffee and my morning walkabout the yard.

I grabbed the camera cause these flowers only last a day and then I snapped all the other various colors that are living out their calling in our yard.

And finally my Butterfly Bench in memory of Aunt Jo.

Tomorrow I plan to have my morning coffee here 

while the 4 TLC's enjoy the morning coolness in the yard.

Thanks Costco

My weakness is collecting books.  I am close to being the next star on "Hoarders" especially when it comes to cookbooks.  My beautiful home has a large cupboard that I felt was perfect for my collection but you guessed it - it is beyond full.  I added a basket of favorites on top of the fridge and now the basket too is full.  What to do?  Cull my collection?  Please!  

Costco.  Yep, last week I came home with my stuff in a box that was sturdy and looked like the perfect makings for a book holder.  $1.22 for cheap spray paint at Walmart and whoopee a place for my overflow made to order.  I am so happy.

The Beauty of Friendship is Everlasting

Teary mist clouds my vision for a moment but I quickly come back to the memory of the giver of the gift and I smile if only in my heart.

Cleaning out my nightstand drawers this morning and there it is.  The small tin that once years ago held a fragrant candle.  Special friends, once in a lifetime friends know what you like and the gift or accompanying card always have just the right words.  So it is with this empty can.  My dear friend Dolores gave it to me.  Dolores has gone to be with her Lord and Savior and my misty eyes are the result of no longer having her here.  But then I read the message: the beauty of friendship is everlasting and then I smile.  It is true; I will always have her friendship in my heart.

TLC X4 Coming Soon

Looking forward to the 4 AZ TLC's coming for the weekend and then hosting our church family on Monday for a big backyard cookout.  Yippeee!

Wish the Kentucky grandkids and their folks could be here too but hopefully we will be there for some summer fun in July.

God is amazing and each day I pray for a grateful heart that shows my appreciation to Him.  In the good times and in what we would deem bad times He is amazing in His love for me.  

Just bought these popsicle makers at Walmart last night in preparation for fun in the backyard.  Speaking of backyards Precious Husband has ours looking beautiful!  He is so enjoying his labor of love there too which makes it even nicer.

Check out my rose from the rose garden:

Who but an amazing God could create such beauty?

Retirement

Precious Husband is most certainly enjoying retirement and our back yard is all the happier to have his delightful attention.

When we were away for the weekend Precious Husband said that what made the weekend more enjoyable than those in the past was that he did not have to worry about what needed to be done for work when he returned home.  I am so happy . . .

 

This beautiful delicate butterfly was a gift from Precious Husband this weekend.  This photo does not do it justice - it is so pretty.

 

We just returned from a wonderful few days in northern Arizona.  Beautiful blue skies, gentle breezes, all just perfect.  I am so thankful for my Precious Husband who enjoys spoiling his wife ***

 

As I sat down this morning for my quiet time I realized I had not changed the calendar in my sanctuary.  Look what came with the turn of a page.  

It is a wonderful life but in my opinion it is only wonderful when we give praise to God all through the day for the amazing things He has done, is doing and plans to do in our lives.  

Lord, give me a grateful heart that is full of praise and thanksgiving to You.

Amen

Thought For The Day

"Life is too short just to use black or blue ink.  Especially too short to use permanent black markers."

My original quote for the day.  Can you tell : - )

Watch and be UTTERLY AMAZED

The Lord tells Habakkuk, "Watch and be utterly amazed."

Habakkuk 1:5 "Look at the nations and watch-- and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.

Habakkuk's prayer of faith:

Habakkuk 3:17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. 19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.


This little book of Habakkuk gives awesome encouragement this morning.  Thank You Lord.

Watch and be utterly amazed!  Oh, this sounds exciting.  This sounds encouraging.  This prompts my faith to agree in prayer with Habakkuk and say, no matter what I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.  The Sovereign LORD is my strength!

Watch and be utterly amazed!

My Heroes

Such a day of mixed emotions.

Last night we were blessed to take part in celebrating Pastor Walt Rattray's 70th birthday.  What an amazing man he is.  Pastor Walt is the man God has used to establish Church on the Street a ministry that has been duplicated across our country and overseas as well.

Truly I look to Pastor Walt and see the heart of God.  He has ministered to the down and out, the crazies of the world, those who no one else gave the time of day.  He has done this day in and day out with an amazing sense of energy and zeal that most certainly comes from the Lord.  When other men may have been enjoying retirement for 6 or 8 years now this man of God has not even shown signs of slowing down.  Paul and I were both snapping pictures from the front row but were hard pressed to get a good one - most came out in a blur because the man does not stand still.

His wife Louene, my friend, has been by his side through out the years of ministry and is truly one of the role models of a christian woman for me.  She too is amazing and words will never be adequate to describe the woman referred to as "Miss Louene" by all the disciples of Church on the Street.

The birthday cake was ablaze but more so were the hearts of those in attendance - ablaze with love for a very special man.  My hero, Pastor Walt!!

Yesterday we celebrated the birthday of one of my heroes and on the same day grieve the loss of my other hero.  David Wilkerson 79 years old was killed in an automobile accident in Texas and his wife badly injured also.  

This is the man that established Teen Challenge Ministry that is very similar to Church on the Street.  He was the "Skinny Preacher" that led Nicky Cruz to the Lord and was the basis of the movie, The Cross and the Switchblade".   I watched this movie when I was a teenager in our little youth group in California.  

David Wilkerson too had an amazing heart for the hurting and an amazing ministry.   I have kept all the newsletters I received from his ministry and they are never old or yesterday's news because they are full of the Word and full of God's encouragement to the hurting.  They spur me on in my faith.

5/http://www.christianpost.com/news/christians-honor-david-wilkerson-as-true-hero-via-twitter-facebook-50025/

Yes, I have mixed emotions this morning but so thankful to God for such godly examples to me for these many years.  David Wilkerson is basking in the Lord's presence today for which I praise God and Pastor Walt is again today doing what he does best, loving and winning people for the Lord.