Laid Back

I told you I was getting more mellow as I aged, just like cheese ;-0! Anyway, I didn't panic today when my husband took the wet/dry vac up the stairs to the bathroom where he was trying to stop a leak. I didn't even ask why my toilet still doesn't work....I think we're just going to Lowe's for an upgrade....see how calm I am. Now, how many milligrams was that?

Where did those auburn highlights come from?

I am having a hair crisis. You know how you have a picture of yourself in your mind? In my mind I was blonde, then dirty blonde, then light brown with blonde highlights. (If I ever get my old pictures scanned, I can show you the blonde part, oh yeah.) So, as I have aged, ahem, my hair has gotten darker, and now that I am probably 30% gray, very mousey. I don't like mousey. I would like to be Paula Deen gray. Right now. A couple of months ago we had to have our picture taken for our new church directory. I wanted my hair colored, but didn't have $100 to blow, so I went to Ulta and picked out a DIY color kit. Everything went fine, the picture was fine, but I noticed that in a certain light I had auburn highlights that I couldn't see in my bathroom mirror. This irritated me greatly, no offense to anyone with red hair, I just didn't have or want red hair......then, you know how it is when you think you know yourself and then wham! Outta the blue! The last time I was at my mother's house I was looking at our senior pictures on the wall when I notice.....you guessed it, auburn highlights in my eighteen year old hair that had never been colored..........darn, I do have red hair.

Holiday Garland Carolina Style

Holiday Garland Carolina Style

This was such a fun project. I wouldn’t have thought of this without the inspiration of the “Nester”. Thanks so much for hosting this “Show us your garland” day!

I used four strand of cheapo garland from Michaels for $1.99 each, and one full strand of grapevine that I already had. The center angel is actually a tree topper from Southern Living at Home (previous life).

I also added magnolia leaves and pine cones from my yard and fresh sprigs of sage and rosemary from my herb pots. I love birdhouses so had to have one on the mantel with some ornamental balls and feathers.

I filled this hurricane from Crate and Barrel with copper, gold, and silver ornaments to pick up the colors in my ribbon.

I followed the Nester’s advice and kept adding until I could barely fit another thing. I used every dried thing I had on hand. The last touch was a perfectly shaped seashell.

And that’s my garland, Carolina style.

Holiday Garland

Check back on Wednesday, I should have pictures of the garland I am making for my mantle.

God's Vessel

I stood at the edge of the ocean today. Whenever I need reminding of God’s awesome power and majesty, my mind goes there. Water everywhere. Not just any water, but an animated, breathing sea that sustains a multitude of life forms. A seemingly uncontrollable, immeasurable profusion of water. How can this be? How do those pulsing, pounding waves stay just beyond the mound of dunes? Sometimes God lifts His hands and unleashes the water and it races forth, spilling out of its well defined boundaries causing roads to crumble and dunes to fall. And we’re always surprised at this daring display of power. Why is that?

The Holy Spirit is as endless and powerful as the ocean. We can fill ourselves again and again, and yet the supply never diminishes. We are the vessels for this mighty spirit. Every Sunday at our church, before we go our separate paths, we recite our commitment, “I will be vessel for living God’s purpose….”

God can fill any sized vessel, yet I bring a thimble, a tea cup, or if I’m feeling especially holy, a bucket. Whatever I bring, He fills it with His spirit like water overflowing and pouring down the sides. Why do I limit the spirit of God within me? Because I am small. I stand by the ocean and think I am insignificant, yet God’s power exceeds the size of the ocean and if I allow Him, His purposes, great and small, will be completed through me.

2 Corinthians 4:7 (New American Standard Bible)
7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;