Littlest Things

I don't know about you but I have

SPRING FEVER

Being cooped up all winter has been hard!

THEN . . .

Yesterday as I was getting ready for the day

I HEARD THEM!

The sweet sound of birds SINGING outside my window

I stopped and listened and a SMILE came to my face

I knew then that winter was coming to an END

The promise of spring was soon to come with flowers blooming and more little birds joining in the sweet CHORUS

Funny how sometimes in life it's the littlest things that bring so much JOY ~

Cathy

First Dates & Valentines

My very first date was to a Valentine's Banquet when I was sixteen years old.  The sweet memories of youth came flooding back to me this week as my husband and I attended another Valentine's Banquet.  This one . . . forty-two years later.  I got to share the evening with my beautiful sixteen year old granddaughter who was on a first date with a young man.  As I sat watching her, those memories of years long past slowly unfolded before me of a very shy, young girl who was just beginning to experience the world of dating and romance. And now, so many years later . . . here I was, a Grammy, watching my precious granddaughter begin that journey for herself. My heart filled with joy and happiness as I saw her smile and laugh throughout the evening and I wondered what wonderful and magical things were in store for her in the years ahead. 

I barely remember the boy I went to the banquet with . . . somewhere along the way I met and fell in love with another young man who I later married.  A man I still deeply love after forty beautiful years together.  

And so, my sweet granddaughter . . . someday (when you are much, much older) I pray the Lord will lead you to the young man of your dreams . . . and to a love that will last a lifetime . . . just like He did for me. 

BUT remember  . . .  it all begins with a first date!  

Cathy

Today I'm Dream'n Blue

  

        On this cloudy Northwest day . . . 

            I am dream'n blue:)

Heartfelt Kindness

Woke up this morning to the sound of chain saws and saw about twenty men working across the street in our neighbors yard cutting up downed trees and cleaning up the damage from the recent ice storm.  Just yesterday we had received a quote from a professional tree service for $950 to clean up our yard and take off all the mess we had.  So we thought . . . maybe the men working across the street would help us and possibly charge less than what was quoted yesterday.  Found out our neighbor didn't hire anyone - it was his church who had sent out the volunteers - free of charge!  Heartwarming to see people helping others like that.  Needless to say, we weren't able to hire them to work in our yard but another neighbor overheard my husband talking to them and volunteered to come over and cut up our trees and haul them all off for a fraction of the cost quoted us the day before.  Ended up he, his wife and three teenage kids all pitched in, gave up their Saturday and worked hard to help us.  We couldn't of been more grateful!

Then it occured to me - during the week of the snow and ice when our power was out for three days we were one of the few in our neighborhood who had a generator.  We had opened our home to our elderly neighbors so they could stay warm and have hot food to eat.  Now in our time of need, completely different neighbors, ones we hardly knew,  came to our aid.  I guess that is what the Bible means when it says . . .YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW!  Kindness does inspire kindness . . . and it sure makes the world a nicer place to live in.

Cathy

Delight

When I think of the word DELIGHT I think of joy.  So what brings me joy?  Playing with my grandkids - the smell of a newborn baby - the first blooms of spring - yummy food (of course) - cherished friendships - sunbathing on a beach in Hawaii - watching snowflakes come down - morning coffee with my husband - loving Jesus - these and many more things delight me and bring a smile to my face!  But . . . what DELIGHTS the Lord?  Since the beginning of the year I have been reading about the life of David in the Bible and I came across a scripture that jumped out at me.  David is writing and he says, "He (God) set me free and rescued me, for I was His delight!" 2 Samuel 22:20.  Immediately as I read that, I thought . . . I desire to be the Lord's delight too!  I want Him to take joy in my life and to smile when He thinks of me.  I want to live a life that is pleasing to Him so I can say, like David  . . . I am His delight! 

Cathy