"One day at a time--this is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering."

Ida Scott Taylor


Saturday, July 31, 2010

You Can't Take The Country Out of the Girl


I just came home from driving through the country 
from my sister's house. 
She sent me home with wonderful
fresh goodies from her garden.  
Green beans, corn, 
cabbage, tomatoes and cucumbers! 
Thank you Cindy!
It is a beautiful 75 degrees here and sunny.
I drove through the countryside  singing with
my windows rolled down
It was WONDERFUL!!!  

"You can
take the girl out of the country, 
but you can't take
the country out of the girl." 
That describes me for sure!
I was raised in the country and have
lived in the city for 34 yrs.


Me and my sisters, Melanie and Cindy.



Here is me (the oldest one!) and my siblings back in the day
of the very tight HOME PERMS!!!
(that's my brother Randy in the middle)
Don't you love how we are all dressed alike, 
courtesy of my grandmother's sewing skills?


Any way, I just wanted to leave a quick post 
with a song I love and heard
playing on the radio while I was driving 
through the countryside today. 
It blessed my heart and I hope
it will yours too!

Please scroll down to bottom & pause my music so you 
can hear this video 

Enjoy your weekend and I hope you
 take a drive through the countryside 
with your windows down.
Wave at me as you go by!!!

Smiles,

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

GETTING DOWN TO THE ROOT OF THINGS


I am here again today to tell you what I have
learned after 3 weeks of reading 
book called So Long Insecurity.

First of all I want to make sure and tell YOU
how much all of your comments
  have meant to me while doing this study.
At first when I started
sharing my vulnerable thoughts on this subject
through art journaling and letting you
all  see, I was reluctant! (for a second or two)

But then I decided if even one other person
is helped by me putting my real self out there,
then....  IT IS WORTH IT ALL.
Thank you my sweet friends!



This was a difficult one to get through because 
it brought up a lot of old baggage that
I dealt with and put behind me years ago.  Who 
wants to relive that depressing stuff? The thing is, 
I think even old stuff we've taken care of
and moved on from
needs revisited or given a quick check-up
now and again
just to make sure our roots haven't 
attached themselves to some old crabgrass that 
has disguised itself as a root of grass.

  
This is a view of my neighbor's shed window.

Everything I am saying here is from Beth's words. I've
just paraphrased them a little.

The fearful lie that no one will
take care of us 
can become rooted in even a child
if they've been the victim of any kind of abuse.
(emotional, mental, physical, verbal, or sexual)

It not only causes immediate effects, it also goes
straight to the core of our belief system and
seems as bad as our worst nightmare.
I'm on my own!  No one will take care of me.
The earlier this lie is confirmed, the louder it speaks.

The sense of being unprotected can destroy 
personal boundaries and mess
up our emotions big-time!  Trying to find another
soul-mate, friend etc.. who will
take care of us and not disappoint
is impossible.  No human 
relationship can handle that much pressure!

On my art journal page above, you will see Jesus 
hands touching the sides of my cheeks. Many times
when I am talking to Him I imagine 
my Heavenly Father warmly taking my 
face in His hands, and saying
I LOVE YOU LEE ANN.
This always brings me to tears as I thank
HIM for the comfort, love, joy, peace and security that
He alone has given me so fully.

My friend, if you struggle with this fear, please
know that no human being can fill 
that void and ache in your soul.  I hope you
will give it up today and let God
fill it as only He can and wants to do for YOU.

I know this post is long, but I want to end with
these quoted words from Beth Moore:


"If you've lived your life
looking for someone to take care of you
but always end up
taking care of everyone else,
your search is OVER
GOD has what you need, 
and
you'll  NEVER  wear Him out."


Hugs to you all,

Saturday, July 24, 2010

The Time I LOVE



I truly am a
"family time loving kind of girl".
I think TIME is one of my top love languages.
(along with words of affirmation)

Have you read that awesome book -
It's a great concept.

My time spent in Pennsylvania with my
daughter, son-in-law,  granddaughter
and grandson
was
memory-making- wonderful!
A big bear hug from my granddaughter just before
I had to leave to travel back home. 
I wish I could bottle these hugs up and take with me.


This trip was also taken 
so that I could help them while they
packed  up to move to their new home
2 hours further away 
in Pennsylvania.
  My son-in-law has been a Youth Pastor for 
seven or eight years and felt called to take a 
lead Pastor position in a new church.  So although 
we don't like that fact that they live even further away
from us, we are very happy for them and
the new ministry and adventure God has called them to.

Besides, you just can't argue with God about where,
what or why, when He decides to make changes. He
knows best. He understands my occasional
whining to Him about it though.
 My grandson, the cool dude, 
sporting his favorite sunglasses!

I also had a new adventure  while
on the road to seeing their new home.
  I drove through my first mountain tunnel!
(and many more after that) 

I have really been sheltered here in Indiana. I didn't
even stop to think (duh!) that some places in America
have man-made, very long tunnels which can be
  scary for a person like me with a little
bit of claustrophobia!  
I was driving my own car behind my daughter.
I remember seeing the sign that said tunnel and thinking
it was a small tunnel where you could see the light
out of both ends at the same time, so I didn't
give it another thought UNTIL......

....I then began repeating the 23rd Psalm
and deep breathing
and even contemplated whether I should
get out of the car and run back to the opening
on the tiny sidewalk that I saw along side of the road.
 Next thing I knew,
there was light at the end of the tunnel.
Hurray!!

(Yale Cohen photographer of this photo) 
Of course not the view I saw 
at the end, but isn't this one beautiful?


  After that the other tunnels
were a real breeze for me since I knew 
there was an ending and I learned to play my
music CD loud and clear while zooming through
and sang along, smiling. 
Another hurdle overcome! Woo Hoo!

Actually the mountain view is so beautiful to me. 
Pennsylvania has some gorgeous landscape....
and some gorgeous children.... (grin)

The cute box movers!


It was a busy but wonderful time.  I came home tired
but a very good kind of tired. 


Thank you my friends
for allowing me to share my loves with you today.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Do you have a False Positive in your life?


On with what I am learning from Beth Moore's book




I had to search my heart to answer this question:
What is my "false positive" that I have
chosen to believe in my life?
We all have them at one time or another in our lives
and they can trip us up and keep us from being
all we were created to be.

For me, I think because I started out in life with
very little material wealth and security in 
my home growing up, I would have to admit that
my prominent "false positive" is 
probably the "successful, nicer big home, lots of
money (to give away of course)
kind of thing. Oh and under all of this is the 
need for Approval. OUCH!
I hate to admit that out loud!!
Why for some crazy reason do I think that would
complete me and bring me happiness?


"Security in any
earthly thing simply cannot be sustained."
Beth Moore

The truth is, I have a small home
that is over 100 years old
but it is warm and cozy and God has helped me
over the years to make it cute and welcoming.
We have raised our family here and have
wonderful memories from 
our simple life.

God knows what we all need, and that includes
YOU my friend.

In order to say So Long Insecurity, you, just like 
me, will have to search your 
heart for any false ideals that you think
would make you more secure in all things and then
let them fly away!  Quit believing that lie.

"When we allow God's truth to eclipse every
false positive and let our eyes spring open
to the treasure we have,  there in His 
glorious reflection will also see the treasure we are."
Beth Moore

"And the beauty 
of the Lord our God will be upon us."
Psalm 90:17 (NKJV)

Then you and I can SOAR like these birds!

Let's FLY my friend,

Friday, July 16, 2010

Letting Go!


I had a wonderful time 
while away visiting my daughter and family.
I was helping them pack up to move to their new home
and didn't realize how tired I was physically
until I got back home.
But I'm all rested now and 
ready to get back to my normal routine. 
I'll post some pics soon of my visit.

Today I began reading Beth Moore's book called

I think we all probably have some insecurities 
that we deal with from time to time,
but I must be honest with you
when I say that I have a few that have plagued me
for most of my lifetime. I've learned to cover them
well but know that God never intended for us
to live with even one insecurity in our lives.

As I read this book,
I'm going to try and be honest with
you about what God is asking me to change and 
how he shows me to do it.
Since it's late tonight, I am going to let you see my
thoughts through an art journal page that I made
this evening. It's a simple and not too fancy of
a created page but (away with those insecure words!)
it helped me to get my thoughts
out in another way  tonight.


As the old children's song goes: 
"I'm just a kid under construction,
God is not finished with me yet"

How is your construction coming along?

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Whistling While I Work


I am busy whistling while I work around
the house today.  I'm whistling because I get to leave
 on a trip tomorrow where I will be visiting with my
Pennsylvania family, who I am missing so much!
(daughter, son-I-L, and grandchildren!)

I cannot wait to hear new stories
from this sweet one....

and hear jabbers and giggles from
this handsome little guy..


.....and of course
lots of hugs and kisses in between!

Why is it that all of the picture taking
seems to be of
these sweet little two and I have very few
of their mommy and daddy??
Hmmm....I'm going to have
to remedy that and make
mommy and daddy
pose for my camera on this visit, 
whether they like it or not!!!

Only sad part is that my "hubby" doesn't
get to go on the trip with me this time. 
Along with working he
he cannot get away because of the 
college classes he must attend.
(he graduates in December 2010--YAY!!)
I'm working around the house to get everything 
ready for him since I will be gone almost 9 days.

I know I haven't posted more than a few times
in the past 2 weeks due to life
being crazy busy. Now I will be gone again
from blogging for another couple of weeks,
but....please know 
I will miss you
and that I will be back to blogging
and catching up with your blogs
again very soon!  

Oh and before I go I wanted to show you
my new summer doo...



Oops, wrong picture!

 I should have probably baked a pie
for my hubby though
oh well...

here you go!

Oh and have a wonderful 4th of July!

Now back to whistling while I try to work.

Hugs and keep whistling ya all!