Saturday, December 31, 2011

For Ourselves and Our Nation


Time keeps on ticking....into the future....
-
As the years come and go, one considers
or perhaps ponders life,
finding that not a single second,
moment or day
 should be taken for granted. 
We each have a destiny and
have been given a designated
amount of  time for life.

 I hear lots of grumbling and
complaining these days
across our land......
and most of it
selfishly unjustified.
Gratefulness,
self-worth and self pride
is no longer being taught to our youth.
Where's mine? 
 I want what is yours!
Seems some folks have been misdirected,
not yet realizing
 they've been blessed by God,
having been born here, 
 in this great nation
of religious freedom and opportunity.
We can achieve our goals with hard
work and obedience to
God's laws.
-
It is time for new beginnings of sort
for all of us.
 Come what may....
we move in our own directions.
With God's help, we
as a devided nation 
can come back together
and into 
His perfect will.
-
 God bless you each,
with a healthy and blessed
New Year
dear family and friends.....Dee Dee

Friday, December 30, 2011

When We Pray For A Baby.....

........it seems more like we're crying out to God.

I saw this beautiful painting by
Uasili Belyaev, a Russian artist,
 on another Blog this evening,
 and  thought it comforting and
somehow
a reminder of how our Lord,
while here on earth,
was willing to spend  time
with little children.
Luke 18:16
But Jesus called them to Him and said,
Suffer little children to come unto me
and forbid them not, for such is the
kingdom of God.
-
God's Holy Word is meant to
teach us and comfort us.....and so it has.
-
Trusting in Him.....Dee Dee

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Cottage Camellias

They begin blooming at Christmastime
each year.
I've tried really hard to capture how
beautiful they are with my camera.....
The afternoon sun found them
sitting on a table in a crystal bowl.
They are,
no doubt
beautifully
designed
by our Creator.
-
Have a blessed day everyone.....Dee Dee

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Orange.....Fashion Color For 2012

I was actually crocheting this
nice warm orange scarf, when
I heard this on the news...

"Yes, that's right....orange is the
color for the new year," the announcer said.


For the fringe, I've  used a
  fluffy variegated yarn with colors of
orange, brown and black.
 Finally, I've actually taken
the time and made
something for me..... I
couldn't be more pleased.
This will wear nicely with
shades of brown, lovely
creams, and perhaps  black.
That nice orange
vest that's been hanging in the closet
for a while,
 is begging to be worn
with my new 2012....
quite  in style,
orange scarf.
-
Have a blessed day......Dee Dee

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

All Things Calm Now....

I suppose I might refer to
 the day
after Christmas as the
"calm after the storm"
and that would be
 appropriate considering all the
excitement from packages
being opened.


We've had too much egg nog, the Mister and I, so  nice
cups of tea have been lovely today.

I've put away all the Christmas fabrics and
have that feeling of contentment, hearing lots
of sweet appreciative complements from the
recepients of my handmade gifts.


However.....baby fabrics are now
in plain view.
A new grandchild is on the way....God
just keeps on blessing us over and
over again. 
Seems I never tire of sewing for "little ones"
kinda makes my heart happy.
I'm thinking just a few more days left in
this year.  The Christmas tree will come
down this week and I'll make a few
changes....planning already to
attend a few January "white" sales.
How about you?

Relaxing today,  and enjoying the moments.....Dee Dee

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas......


Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace and good will toward all men.

God bless you, everyone.....Dee Dee

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Nativity

Millions of Christians visit this
holy place each year.....
 Bethlehem
 Church of the Nativity
-
And it came to pass in those days, that there
went up a decree from Caesar Augustus
that all the world should be taxed.
And Joseph went up from Galilee, out of
the city of Nazareth,
 into Judea, unto the city
of David, which is called Bethlehem,
 to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being
great with child.
 And she brought forth
her firstborn son,
and wrapped him in swaddling clothes,
 and laid him in a manger......
-
Good Blessings for all.........Dee Dee

Friday, December 23, 2011

Christmas On The Causeway.....

On our drive out to the island, we passed
this beautiful sailboat. The camera loved
how the sun was setting, reflecting on that
pretty white sail.  I did a little decorating,
as you can see.
Christmas blessings to all.....Dee Dee

Thursday, December 22, 2011

It Seems Christmas Is Everywhere

I did a little holiday candy making
earlier today....white chocolate
fudge with pecans, to be more
clearer on the candy making.....

Then we drove down to the island.
Looks a lot like winter out there.
The tall wispy willows have all
turned brown and we saw  
no signs of the Egret families.

The tide appeard to be coming in
and I took some really pretty photos.
Something was missing.....I thought to myself.
It is.....Christmas
after all.

I had the solution.

With some help from Photoshop
and a steady hand with paint brush,
I did a little island decorating.

The Mister walked by, leaned
over my shoulder as I was posting,  and said
"Funny, I don't remember seeing
the wreath out there......"

"Really?"

Yuletide blessings for all.....Dee Dee

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Lovin' The Florin Street Band

I cannot begin to tell you how
beautiful this whole
Christmas musical production is....
Watch and share with others.....
Sit back, relax and enjoy.....  
Click here...... http://www.florinstreet.com/

Christmas blessings.....Dee Dee

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Star Of Wonder Star Of Night....



As an old brown sheep slept
out in the open on that night of miracles,
the snow came quietly
down onto the mountainside.
  The heavy wool
on his body giving him warmth,
he hadn't noticed or felt the soft
cold flakes that began to cover him.
Light seeping through his thick
lashes, had awakened him
and he lay still wondering
at the woodland shadows
 that streaked by him and
 the strange bright light coming
from the heavens.
-
Enjoying pencils and watercolors....
Christmas blessings for all.....Dee Dee

 

Monday, December 19, 2011

Camellias For Christmas


.....and they are scattered all over the cottage.
Up high on a bookcase.....


In the kitchen window......

....and even placed on a book
of Christmas poems.
This one was the first to
bloom, surprising us with
a variegated color.  We
likened it to the candy cane.
The  bush has hundreds of
blooms yet to open.....
So perfect for this time of year,
having nature celebrating and
giving us Camellias for
Christmas.
-
Have a blessed Christmas week everyone!
.....Dee Dee

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Miss Read

For many years, Miss Read has
been the standard-bearer of
wonderful English country village
novels. Her tales of thatched-roof
cottages and two-room schoolhouses,
dotty spinsters and genial eccentrics,
have more recently won me over
as a fan and happy reader.
In my stack of Christmas's books
to read....

 Miss Read's Christmas:
Village Christmas and The Christmas Mouse.

Mrs. Berry awoke as the children
burst into the room.  A cold breeze
set the Christmas tree ornaments
tinkling and rustled the paper chain,
which swung above the door.
The little girls' faces were pink
and wet, their bangs stuck to their
foreheads and glistened with dampness.
Drops fell from the scarlet mackintoshes
and their woolly gloves were soaked.
But nothing could damp their spirits
on this wonderful day......
-
With one week till Christmas,
you still have plenty of time for
this little read....
I promise, you too will become a Miss Read fan.
-
Have a blessed Lord's day,
sweet family and friends.....Dee Dee

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Wrapping Packages


I am pooped from wrapping packages,
but pleased that they look nice with
Christmas slogans and sayings. 
I bought the wrapping paper at last
year's Christmas sales bargain prices.
I'm posting early today and then
off to a family outing.....
holiday  ice skating at the mall.
Oh no, I won't be skating....
I'll be holding a two year old and
taking photos.
Have a blessed day....Dee Dee

Friday, December 16, 2011

Christ's Bell

THE BELL
I KNOW WHO I AM
I am God's Child (John l:l2)
I am Christ's friend (John l5:l5)
I am united with the Lord (l Cor. 6:l0)
I am bought with a price (l Cor. 6:l9-20)
I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. l:l)
I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts l:8)
I am a member of the body of Christ (l Cor l2:27)
I am free forever from condemnation (Rom. 8:3l-34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor. 5:l7-2l)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:l8)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
I cannot be separated from the love of God. (Rom 8:35-39)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Co9r l:2l-22)
I am assured all things work together for good (Rom 8:28)
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John l5:l6)
I may approach, God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3:l2)
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:l3)
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John l5:l-5)
I am God's temple (l Cor, 3:l6).  I am complete in Christ (Col. 2:l0)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3)..I have been justified (Romans 5:l)
I am God;s co-worker (l Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:l). I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:l0)
I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. l:
5)
I have been redeemed and forgiven (Col l:l4). I have been adopted as God's child
(Eph l:5)
I belong to God
Do you know
Who you are?
-
A dear sweet sister-in-Christ gave
our Bible study class this and I
wanted to share it with the world......
Blessings for all here at Christmastime....Dee Dee

Thursday, December 15, 2011

His Special Ornament

No matter that I put
my feminine touch into
decorating
 our Christmas tree,
one can,
upon  taking a closer look,
find evidence of the
"man-of-the-house."
Once
a sailor in the US Navy,
he was then and still
to this day, fond of all
that floats on the waters.
The small blue boat is
his special ornament this year.
Hmmm....
what gift for him
shall I place beneath the tree?
-
Tomorrow would be Christmas Day,
and she had only one dollar and
eighty-seven cents with which to buy
Jim a present.

So now Della's beautiful hair fell
about her, rippling and shining like
a cascade of brown waters.

"Will you buy my hair?"  asked Della.
"Twenty dollars," said Madame.
"Give it to me quick," said Della.

"Please God, make him think I am
still pretty."
-
Reading again, The Gift Of The Magi
by O'Henry
and pondering the message.........
-
The Magi that brought gifts to the
Baby Jesus, invented the art of
giving Christmas presents.
-
Yuletide cheer to all.....Dee Dee

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

All Decorated

The cottage is decorated in
celebration.....
......ring Christmas bells, merrily ring,
tell all the world Jesus is King.....

....come all ye people join in the singing
repeat the story told by the ringing.....

All is finally coming together....
the tree is decorated, the
shopping  completed, and
packages all mailed.
I bought some 60% off
ribbon today,
for family
gifts to wrap and put under
the tree.
This has been one of those
Christmases, so far,
 that all seems
to be going well and right
on schedule.
The basket beneath the tree is
filled with little gifts for a
nursing home Christmas party.
What to get for my sweet
brothers and sisters in Christ....
that are in the winter of their
lives, just trying to cope.
Something to bring a smile
to their faces.....gentle hugs
and kind words is what
they want more than anything.
Perhaps a pretty Christmas
snow globe will remind them
of happier times....I hope so.
Christmas blessings for all.....Dee Dee

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Martin Luther and the Small Fir Tree

There is a tale about Martin Luther,
 founder of the Protestant faith......
-
Martin Luther  was out
walking on Christmas eve, looked up
to the clear, wintry sky lit by thousands
of stars and suddenly was moved to cut
down a small fir tree and set it up in the
sitting room for his children. It had no
ornaments, but he lit it with "countless
candles as an image of the starry heaven
from which Christ would come."
To Luther, it seemed as though the
stars themselves had come down to earth.
Source: The Book of Christmas
-
Sweet thoughts to ponder today....Dee Dee

I Love Christmas

Our choir's cantata,
last evening, seemed
blessed by God.
At rehearsal
the day before we
had a few rough spots.
With the main lights in
the church lowered, the soft
light from candles
offered the perfect
ambiance for
Russell Mauldin's
"O Holy Night"
Christmas musical.
I felt it from the
beginning, something
quite miraculous was
happening to our little
choir.  The young
and some very old voices
were singing in almost
flawless unison to
beautiful words
of adoration to our Lord.
Emmanuel(Hallowed Manger Ground)
O Holy Night, Come Adore Him.
-
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Our Savior, Deliverer, Redeemer.....
the One God's people had
watched and waited for so long...
born on this holy night.
-
I love Christmas......Dee Dee


Monday, December 12, 2011

I Hear Tiny Little Christmas Carols

I hear tiny little
Christmas Carols,
or so it seems.
Sitting atop the bookcase
each Christmas
a sweet porcelain mouse
whose small voice
fills the cottage with
whispers of
yuletide songs....
Or so it would seem.
-
"Joy to the world,
the Lord is come......
And heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing......"

Have a blessed day.....Dee Dee 

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Contentment

Oh yes, I am  pleased with the Poinsettias.
They are the perfect color for the living room.

I spent the morning making more
Christmas pillows....
lovin' the little ball fringe,
red on one pillow

and green on the other.
(note bits of polyester fiberfill on fringe)
I actually made them to
give for gifts.
I placed them on the
sofa, stepped back to
survey my sewing efforts....
and began liking them way
too much.
Hmmmm.....I might
just have to buy a bit
more Christmas patterned
fabric.
I've really
enjoyed making several
of my Christmas gifts, at least
half of them.
My thirty year old sewing
machine is working like a charm.
The Mister wonders that I
don't want a new and better one.
At one time,  I
just might have liked a
newer fancier model.  I suppose
I've found contentment with what
I have. It's a good sewing machine,
old indeed but now my pride and joy.
-
Which reminds me......
Our Bible study is in Hebrews again this week...
Chap. l3 verses  7-12 ...Speaks
of having contentment, rather than
desiring more.
  That we should
relish what we have, rather
than resent what we're  missing.
Good words to ponder today....
Sweet Christmas Blessings for all....Dee Dee

Friday, December 9, 2011

Christmas Juniper

"Poinsettias For Sale"
He's there every year....
I've noticed, but then passed by.
It was my good fortune that
I stopped by today.
I found, much to my amazement,
that the
 large white tent was covering  a sea
of Poinsettias, Christmas trees,
Christmas wreaths,
Christmas cactus, Juniper trees
and bunches of
beautiful arrangements
using traditional Christmas
plants and flowers. 
Grown local and close by, in
Tampa Florida, I was
pleased and amazed at how fresh,
lovely and perfect they each were. 
 I had one of those,
"I want one of everything"
moments, unable to choose.
I did finally make my
selections, one being a
sweet little juniper tree with
red bows... for the kitchen.
"How's your business doing?"
asked the Mister. "Not good,
the economy, I suppose."
On the way home, we made
a few calls to family and friends....
"Go here to buy your
Christmas plants.....you won't
be disappointed."
-
Blessed by the
Christmas sunshine,
our natures, perhaps
long leafless, bring
forth new love,
new kindness,
new mercy,
new compassion.
~Helen Keller
-
Christmas Blessings for all.....Dee Dee

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Enjoy Being Alive

Life is what we are alive to.
It is not length but breadth......
Be alive...
to goodness,
kindness,
purity,
love,
history,
poetry,
music,
flowers,
stars,
God,
and eternal hope.
~Maltbie D Babdock
-
Blessings to all....Dee Dee

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Let The Stable Still Astonish

Let the stable still astonish:
Straw-dirt floor, 
Dusty flanks of donkeys, oxen;
Crumbling, crooked walls;
No bed to carry that pain,
And then, the child,
Rag-wrapped, laid to cry
In a trough.
Who would have chosen this?
Who would have said; "Yes,
Let the God of all the heavens
and earth
Be born here, in this place?"
Who but the same God
Who stands in the darker, fouler
rooms
of our hearts
and says,
 "Yes,
let the God of Heaven and Earth
be born here....
in this place."
-
Leslie Leyland Fields
~Patches of Godlight...Jan Karon
-
Me thinks....a lot to ponder,
and  wondering
at this kind of love.....Dee Dee

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Another Prayer Scarf

It takes me a while to crochet
a nice long scarf.
I'm at it again tonight, one stitch
 after another, slowly
but surely, it's coming along,
a prayer scarf.  I've made quite a few of these.
When my grandson was
in Afghanistan, I sent him a "prayer scarf". 
 I  used  a camouflage yarn....
green and black.  I prayed
for him  off and on the whole
time I crocheted,
asking God's protection for him. 
 The day he received it, he
began showing it to the guys in his company,
calling it a prayer scarf. 
One by one these young marines
began asking if he could
get his grandmother to
make them one.....so long hours
of work  began. Day after day,
week after week, month after month, I
stitched  and prayed.  Each young
soldier that received a scarf,
 made it home from the war.
I like to think my prayers
encouraged  each one of them,
 I know the scarf
kept their necks warm during
the cold Afghan winter.
Not long ago, my friend's
daughter was diagnosed
with lymphoma cancer....
I made her a beautiful scarf,
prayed for healing
asking  God  restore her completely
to good health. She loved her
scarf and I had
oddly enough selected her
favorite colors. My hope
is that each time she wears it
she is reminded of
God's faithfulness
and love for her.
I've selected a nice brown/beige
tweed yarn for this scarf.
  It's  for someone very close to me,
 a man of God, a pastor who serves 
our Lord with all his heart
and soul.  I'm asking for healing and trusting
in His promises as I watch the stitiches
form into a scarf of encouragement.
-
Please Lord, restore your servant to full health.
Remove all fear and doubt from his heart by
the power of your Holy Spirit and may
you Lord be glorified through his life. Amen
-
Blessings for all......Dee Dee

Monday, December 5, 2011

Christmas Sketching

Angels and  archangels
May have gathered there.
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air;
But only His mother
in her maiden bliss
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.....~Rossetti

"Though I don't understand the purpose of your plan,
Here I am.....be it unto me..."
These beautiful words are part of a  solo....
Mary's reaction when told
she would give birth to the Christ child.
Our choir practiced today, and I'm finding it a bit
overwhelming emotionally, when I hear all the
parts blending together.  I sing soprano ....the
tenor section is behind me, the alto
to my right. 
My sketching of Mary and Child, seen here,
 is heartfelt....
very much on my mind,
the Christmas message.
Blessings to all.....Dee Dee