Bits of This and That - Hello Monday

Good Morning:

Hope you are having a good day.  We slept in a little this morning and then we got ready and picked up some breakfast from Bob Evans and came to the church.  I did not get but a couple of bites of my breakfast when a couple stopped in to see us.  They used to come here to church,  but for the last couple of years they are going to a church closer to their home.  They had to drive around 40 minutes to get here and the husband is not in great health and she is now taking care of all of their home jobs that he used to do, plus all she already did.  We miss them, but they stop in every once in a while and that has been really good.  I so enjoyed catching up with them.  Then another couple from church stopped in and we enjoyed seeing them and talking with them too.  They are another elderly couple and they have some health issues too, and have decided, at least for a while, to attend a church nearer to their home.  We are a small church and it is difficult for us when we lose people, but we have to stay encouraged and keep doing what God has called us to with the people (whom we love dearly) we have.  We love our church and know that God will bring us more people when He sees fit.  And most of all, we know that He will never leave us.  If you pray, we would definitely appreciate prayer for our church. 

Now onto the weekend.

On Friday hubby and I had a chiropractor appointment and then I caught with my sister and we went to a School Supply Store and I got some things for the church bulletin board.  It's definitely time to change to a fall bulletin board.  I'll be getting to that this week sometime.  Then we went to Sam's and I got some stuff we needed. My favorite so far is one of their rotisserie chickens which I used to make a Chicken and Noodles recipe that my husband found.  Friday evening we spent at home and I worked this puzzle.

This was a really fun puzzle to work.

Saturday was a nice day.  We spent most of it at home.  I cleaned part of the pantry.  One shelf at a time works best for me.

This is much better.

I've enjoyed how the moon has been out still every morning for our walk.

We did go out for a bit.  We took Lucy to the groomers, which she needed really bad as evidenced by the below photos.  lol  

 

She definitely looks much better.

I took the rotisserie chicken from Sam's and deboned it and added some other things and made chicken and noodles.  It was pretty good, but I want to tweak it some before we make it again.  I did 4 loads of laundry and we watched Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  So it was a little busy, but not too bad.

On Sunday we had church very good sermon on Yahweh Shalom (pre-recorded video below). Then we stopped and picked up a sandwich from Penn Station for lunch, took a nap and then back for our evening Bible Study on Grace and Truth.  Very good study.

Well that's pretty much my weekend.  I'm linking this post with Holly and Sarah  for Hello Monday.

Thanks for visiting and I'd love to hear about your weekend.

Cathy

Thankful Thursday

 

Today I am thankful for these things:

    *Our new stove/oven delivered and installed last Thursday.

    *Our new dishwasher is supposed to be delivered and installed today.

    *The Bible Study my daughter and I are doing together - Kristi McClelland's Gospel on the Ground.     

I was thankful for the Starbuck drink too.  lol

    *I'm thankful to be blogging again. The break was good for me as I was just feeling overwhelmed. Then while I was on break hubby became ill.  We're still not sure what was wrong, but he was pretty sick for a bit.  He's much better now and is almost back to where he was before he got sick. 

    *I missed you all and I'm happy to be back again and catching up on your lives. I am very thankful for each one of you.

Cathy 

Thankful Thursday

Hello Friends.  It's time for me to be intentionally thankful again.  Being thankful and remembering, acknowledging, and sharing what God has done and is doing in my life is very important for me.  I also hope that it will encourage others.  Here is a short list of things that come to mind this morning that I am thankful for:

• Exercise - Continuing in to this 2nd week of exercising 5 times a week for 30 minutes.  I think already I am feeling better at the end of 30 minutes.  I've been praying some, listening to some of my daily scriptures and even singing a little bit (very quietly) while out walking around my neighborhood.  Mostly, I take Lucy with me and we get some time together and plus it wears her out and she's pretty quiet for a while after because she's sleeping.
• Crochet Circle - Still enjoy meeting with these ladies to crochet together and have lots of good conversation.  I'm still working on the baby blanket.  It's slow but it's coming along.
• The Gospels - I'm still enjoying Reading the Gospels along with Annie F. Downs each day.
• Prayer - I've been working on a slide-show to display on the screens at the front of the church.  On the first Tuesday in July, hubby (the pastor) is starting a new Prayer Open House Program.  He will be opening the church sanctuary for 2 hours on Tuesday mornings and anyone that would like to come and pray, may come.  They can come for 2 hours, or 5 minutes and pray, that's all.  The slide shows have some scriptures and will help us get our focus in the right place.  Then in August he will be having a 31 Days of Prayer for us as a church.  He will give prompts for each day so we can pray separately but as a group focused on the things the church needs to pray for.  I'm so excited for these prayer times and to see what God will do in my life and the life of each one in our church.
• Dentist Appointment - This morning and it's over and I'm so glad.  lol
• Doctor's Appointments - I think they are all done for this go around and all is good...working on a couple numbers from the lab work, thus the walking I talked about earlier.  lol  
• New Glasses - I got my new glasses on Tuesday and I'm still adjusting some to the new stronger prescription.  But their doing better.
• Haircut - Finally went and got a good trim.

That's it for now...it's no longer morning, but better late than never.  Link up with with Jennifer at Overflowing with Thankfulness, if you'd like to.  Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great day.

Cathy

Thankful Thursday

 

Good morning:

Today I am thankful for our Bible Study starting up again.  I really love these ladies that all come together to learn more about God's Word.  After all these years (I really can't remember when we started, but I know we were doing them in 2008), we have all grown closer and really love each other.  We have ladies of all ages (going from young mother with a 6 week old baby and ladies in their 80's), races, denominations and different walks of life.  We have those that are retired, those that are getting close to retirement and those that are just a few years into their careers.  We've been together for a long time.  Some have passed on, like my mom and several others.  We miss them, but we know we'll be together again in God's timing.  We use video driven Bible Studies by many different speakers.  We've had Beth Moore, Priscilla Shire, Kelly Minter, Angela Thomas Pharr, Lisa Harper, and now we are doing one called Amos, by Jennifer Rothschild.  I have loved them all and I am so blessed to be part of this group.

I have so much to be thankful for, but I think this is all I will post for today.  So what are you thankful for? Link up here.

Cathy

Thankful Thursday

 

Link up here.

Things I am thankful for this week:

**Beautiful skies and sunsets

  

**Another anniversary - 34 years together with my husband. I feel God blessed me so much by giving me this man.  I think hubby would say the same about me.  Thank you God for letting us meet each other and love each other.  Again, what a blessing.

**Scripture - I am enjoying reading the 4 Gospels along with Annie F, Downs.  In January we read from the NIV version and this month we are reading from the ESV version.  I'm noticing things that I don't remember seeing before.  I just want to know more about Jesus and where better to learn than in the Gospels.

**Ruth Series of Unexpected Grace in our Sunday morning sermons at Church.  Ruth is such a short book, but it is stuffed full of good stuff.

**Reading - I have read about 11 books so far this year and I'm currently reading another good one and I have several in the wings waiting.

**Crocheting - I'm really liking crocheting again and I am so thankful for the ladies that started a group and invited me too.  First of all, I'm loving getting to know them.  I'm so thankful for new friends.

**Journaling/Coloring Bible - I am still enjoying this so much.  This is the one I'm currently working on.  I am so thankful for the grace of Jesus and I can't imagine surviving in this world without His grace.

**New Garage Door Opener - Our old opener was having problems.  It only worked intermittently.  Hubby called a company we have used once before.  The guy came out Monday and several options were give and hubby decided we'd be better to get a new one.  We've had this one for a long time and trying to fix it would have cost almost as much as just putting in a new one.  You don't realize how much you use something until it isn't working any more.  So thankful to have it working again and it's much quieter too.

**Revival - I'm so thankful for the revival at Asbury and the outpouring of the Spirit.  It's so encouraging and I hope lives will be changed for everyone there and then that they will testify and share to all they know and that the Spirit will change many more lives through them.

That is all for today and I hope you have a great day and thanks for visiting!

Cathy

Thankful Thursday

 

I am so thankful for all Christ has done for me.  He is always good, all the time.  He is always faithful, even if I'm not.  

I've been talking with my sister a lot this week and we struggle with some of the same things in our faith.  It is so helpful to be able to talk with someone who truly understands.  The older we get, the more I appreciate her.

We had our second crochet get-to-gather yesterday.  So much fun.  I'm enjoying the crochet, but I'm really enjoying getting to know these ladies.  They are so sweet and they love the Lord and we have just been having so much fun.  I needed some friends closer to my age.  I guess we all can use more friends.

Today started out rather gray and rainy, but then the rain stopped and the skies turned blue with big white clouds and it warmed up and is beautiful!

I'm thankful for spaghetti too.  That's what I'm fixing right now in the middle of this post, for our dinner.  Hope you all have had a good day.  You can link up here if you'd like to.

Cathy

Bits of This and That

Good Morning:  

It's been another good weekend for us.  On Friday, I met my sister in the late afternoon and we went to Joann's.  My sister was looking for some yarn for a project and a lot of their yarn is on sale right now.  She found some she liked and now she's ready.  I bought some yarn a couple months ago for a project I want to make, so I didn't allow myself to buy any more that day.  I come really close to being a yarn hoarder, so I'm trying to control myself until I use up some that I already have.  Anyway, a lady from my sister's church is trying to learn to crochet so she decided to start a small crocheting group.  I have always wanted to be a part of a group like this.  So when my sister invited me to join in, I jumped at the chance.  There are only 4 of us to start with.  Our first meeting is Wednesday afternoon.  I'm excited and a little nervous too.  I've met everyone involved but don't know them well.  I'm pleased to have a chance to make some new friends.  I'll let you know how it goes.

This is the yarn I'm using.

On Saturday hubby and I went to lunch at Texas Roadhouse and then I ran into a couple of stores to pick up some things we needed.  Lucy and I took a walk when we got home and then we mostly relaxed and had a nice evening at home together.

Sunday we went to church and had a good service. I'll post the video below.   On the way home, we stopped and picked up some lunch for hubby.  

I didn't get any because at 2:00 I was meeting up with some friends for lunch at a local restaurant.  These friends are all former fellow employees.  Six of us have worked together for many years and 2 of their spouses came along.  It was so fun catching up with them and we're planning to do it again.  Sometimes, I don't realize how much I miss people until I see them again.  

Also over the weekend I finished reading a novel called "Daring the Unthinkable" and started a new one called "Hooked, How Crafting Saved My Life" by Sutton Foster.  I don't know how this book is classified, but I'd call it an autobiography. I saw it when I was at Joann's and so I checked Libby and was able to get the Kindle version from the Library.  So far, I'm really enjoying this. 

Here's the pre-recorded video of Sunday's sermon.  The 4th in the series from the book of Ruth. 

Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a really great day.

Cathy

Thankful Thursday

 

Click here to link up.

I'm writing this Wednesday morning and I just received a text that a good friend and former co-worker/boss passed away last night.  Helen was such a wonderful supervisor at work, but more than that she became a good friend and I enjoyed her so much.  I worked with her from the time I started at the PD in 1976 until she retired in 2000 or 2001.  She is actually the one who trained me in dispatching.  She could be a little gruff when at work, but most people didn't get to know her as I did.  We both loved General Hospital and we talked about it and I remember going to her apartment to watch the episode together where Luke and Laura got married.  Do any of you remember that? But we both loved books, good food and we both loved Jesus.  She gave me such good counsel when needed and was probably one of the best friends I ever had.  I'm only about 6 years older than her daughter, but even with our age difference Helen and I had so much in common.  After she retired, we didn't see each other often or even talk much, but she always called me on my birthday and I always called her on her birthday.  This year in June she turned 86 and as always, I called her, but did not get an answer or even an answering machine to leave a message on.  But she did call me in December just before I retired and we talked then.  This world is a little sadder place without Helen, but heaven is even sweeter now.  I'm looking forward to the day I get to see her again, along with all my other friends and family.  It seems to me that heaven is getting sweeter all the time.

Thankful Thursday

Click here to visit Rebecca Jo from Knit by God's Hand. 

Today I am thankful for:

**Audiobooks from my library: I have completed two books this week. One was called Echo which was very interesting. It was about 3 different people that had come across the same harmonica over a period of years and how the harmonica impacted their lives.  These three did not realize the harmonica was charmed. Each of their stories were very interesting and then in the end they all came together but none of them knew the other had had the harmonica in a very trying time in their life. I would definitely recommend listening to this story. The other one I finished was only about an hour and half long. It was Dolly Parton’s Book called Dream More and she’s the one who read it. It was so good and very inspiring and also very funny at times. She also sang on it a little too.  I so adore Dolly and it was so cool getting a glimpse into her thoughts and ideas as written and read by her.

Photo taken from Amazon

Photo taken from Amazon

**Cooler weather:  While I know it’s not going to last, I’m enjoying it immensely while it’s here.  I took Lucy out for a short, quick walk this morning around 6:30 and had on a hoodie but I was still a little chilly.  Now that's not a complaint, just a fact.  It could stay like this year round and I'd be happy.

**Friends:  I'm so thankful for time after church last night to talk with a good friend.  So many times we are in such a hurry to leave, we don't take time to talk.  It was really nice to just stand around and talk.  I think we both needed it.  Hubby was wonderful about it too.  He just got in the van and played on his phone and didn't make me feel rushed at all.  And yes, I am so thankful to have him for my husband.

**Blogging Friends:  I'm also thankful for each one of the blogging friends I've made over the years.  I'm thankful for the comments and for the memes you host, which gives me something to blog about.  I hope each one of you have a blessed day.

Cathy

Bluegrass and Snow

After work last night, hubby and I went to a little local pizzeria for supper and some good bluegrass music. Our friends, the Haddix Family were the singers. They are so good and we love to go whenever we can to hear them.

Not necessarily the best picture, but nevertheless the singing and the food was awesome, as always.

We got up this morning to lots of snow.  Well, lots of snow to me.  We probably have about 4-5 inches.  Hubby is working at home, but brought me to work so I didn't have to drive, nor walk too far in the snow.  He's such a sweetie. Here are a couple of pics of what it looks like outside my work windows.

It's supposed to drop down really cold tonight, so I'm glad the roads seem to be drying up pretty well.  Maybe there won't be to much ice.

So, how's the weather in your neck of the woods?

Girls in My Circle

I received this as an e-mail from a friend and I just wanted to share it with all my girlfriends.

Girls in My Circle

When I was little,

I used to believe in the concept of one best friend,

And then I started to become a woman.

And then I found out that if you allow your heart to open up,

God would show you the best in many friends.

One friend is needed when you're going through things with your man.

Another friend is needed when you're going through things with your mom.

Another will sit beside you in the bleachers as you delight in your children and their activities.

Another when you want to shop, share, heal, hurt, joke, or just be.

One friend will say, 'Let's cry together,'

Another , 'Let's fight together,'

Another , 'Let's walk away together.'

One friend will meet your spiritual need,

Another your shoe fetish,

Another your love for movies,

Another will be with you in your season of confusion,

Another will be your clarifier,

Another the wind beneath your wings.

But whatever their assignment in your life,

On whatever the occasion,

On whatever the day,

Or wherever you need them to meet you with their gym shoes on and hair pulled back,

Or to hold you back from making a complete fool of yourself ..

Those are your best friends.

It may all be wrapped up in one woman, But for many, it's wrapped up in several..

One from 7th grade,

One from high school,

Several from the college years,

a couple from old jobs,

On some days your mother,

On some days your neighbor,

On others, your sisters,

And on some days, your daughters.

So whether they've been your friend for 20 minutes or 20 years,

share this with the women that God has placed in your life

to make a difference.

To all my women friends, both "In Real Life Friends" and my "Blogging Friends", I appreciate all you do and mean to me.

May God richly bless each one of you.

Flashback Friday

Linda at Mocha with Linda says:  

We've talked about families, so it seems only natural that we should talk about the friends we had when we were growing up!

Who was your first friend? Did you have lots of friends when you were growing up or just one or two close friends? Share memories from your childhood friends. For women, were "mean girls" an issue when you were growing up? Or were you a "mean girl"?! How did your friends shape who you are today, for good or not-so-good? Do you still keep up with your childhood friends today?

So why not join us and click here to play along with Flashback Friday.

Cheryl was probably my closest friend in all our growing up years.  We are cousins and we are only 5 months apart in age (of course I always remind her that she's the oldest. lol)  We always went to church together until she got married.  I used to go home with her on Sundays after church sometimes.  Then for about 3 1/2 years we lived on the same street and went swimming together almost the whole summer.  As adults we haven't seen each other as much as we used to, but just in the last year or so, her and her husband have started to attend our church and it's so great to be together again.  Below are a couple of pictures of the 2 of us that she put on FB recently.  I had never seen them before.  I'm the one with the short straight hair and the big mouth opened in a smile.  Almost all my pictures of when I was young are like this.

Me - Cheryl

Cheryl - Me

Here we are with another one of our many cousins.  Colleen is about 2 years younger than the 2 of us.  I love it when we all get together, which we don't do often enough.  But when we do we always have a blast.

Colleen - Cheryl - Me

The Circle of Friends Award

Andrea of Arise2Write passed this award to her readers. What a blessing! I hope each of you will check out her blog.

Now I am supposed to tell 5 things I love to do and these are not necessarily in order:

1) Go to Disney World (like you didn't already know that if you've been around for very long! lol)
2) Read a good book which includes going to the library and/or bookstores to find the good book.
3) Take pictures and share them on my blog.
4) Play the piano
5) Do Beth Moore Bible Studies with the wonderful group of ladies in our Bible Study.

I am passing this award to each of you, because indeed you have become a Great Circle Of Friends!

"A friend loves at all times." Proverbs 17:17

Thanks Andrea!

Peep of the Month

Guess what!?! I won the Peep of the Month at Pieces of Me! I just love winning things. Miti picked me to win a header for my blog that she designed just for me. She also designed a matching button. Plus she's going to do a digital scrap page for me too.

Now, as you can see, I don't have the header displayed yet, but stay tuned I will get it all done sometime in the near future. This is just so exciting. I've never had anything specially designed just for me. Just wait until you see it. It's beautiful!

Miti is just so talented. You need to check out her blog when you get a chance. Who knows maybe you can be the next Peep of the Month. Also check her out at the Five Mom's Blog. She's part of that fun group too.

Thanks again Miti!!

The "Love Ya" Award

I won this "Love Ya" Award from my Bloggy Friend, Trish at "Me & My Boys...our life,one story at a time". Trish and I have just recently become Bloggy Friends and I am totally enjoying getting to know her more and more. Thank you Trish!

So here are the rules...

"The "Love Ya" Award is bestowed on to blogs that are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers.

Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

So with out further ado.....here are my 8 lucky winners. Blogs that I love to read and their owners have become my friends!!!

Erica @ Scottsville (Erica I know Trish bestowed this award to you, but you definitely are my pick too. So now you have won it twice and no I don't expect you to have to pick 16 people. I just want you to know I count you as my friend and you deserve the Love Ya award!)

Fringegirl from the Domestic Fringe

Janna from Blondie's Bits

Linda at Mocha with Linda

Mimi from He & Me + 3

Tarah at Eyeglasses & Endzones

Sara at Make Music from Your Heart to the Lord

Beth at Playing with the Paulsens!

Some of you ladies I have been sharing with for almost the whole time I've been blogging and some of you it has just been a few months or weeks. I count each of you friends and I hope all my other bloggy friends know that I love you too, but the rules are for me to only pick 8. Please check out these 8 blogs, they really are awesome people. I hope each of you 8 ladies will enjoy passing this on to your friends old and new.

Prayer Request

Please pray for our good friend Herchel. He starts 2 weeks of radiation today for cancer in his hip area. He and his wife are good christian friends that we love very much. They are true warriors of the faith and we are all trusting God for complete healing for Herchel. She gave me permission to post this prayer request and we are asking for you to pray and trust along with us for his healing.

Thank you!

I Won!!!

I won a copy of the book "Holy Roller" by Julie Lyons at Mocha With Linda ! I'm so excited and can't wait to read it. Check out Mocha With Linda. She does great book reviews and has quite a few give-aways too. Plus she just seems to be a really neat lady and I really like her blog! If you love to read, this is the blog for you!

Books to Read

I was given 2 books to read tonight. I walked into church and 2 ladies had books for me. Everyone knows how much I love to read. One is "Finding Favor with the King" by Tommy Tenney and the other is "The Relationship Principles of Jesus" by Tom Holladay. They said they are great books that they couldn't put down. I can't wait to read them. Thanks Jan and Ida!

Have any of you read either one and if so, what did you think of them?

Easter Bonnets

Last Sunday all the ladies in our church were challenged to wear an Easter bonnet this week. And believe it or not, most of them did it. Now we are a small church (we had 45) for Easter morning. But still most of them participated.

The girls and I shopped at a Thrift Store to find one. KJS and I found one there. KLS got one from Walmart. We all had so much fun. Most of the ladies actually took theirs off during service, but then after church we took lots of pictures.

This is KLS, Hubby, KJS, Me, My Mom and My Dad
See even my dad wore a hat so he could join in the fun.

This is the lady who thought up the idea for us to wear hats.
See, her hubby joined in on the fun too. These are two of the sweetest people you could ever want to meet.
This is my Dad, my Mom and my dad's Sister. Aren't they cute?

Here's a group shot of all the ladies. Again, we have the most wonderful people in our congregation. I know being a pastor's wife is really hard in some cases, but these ladies make it so easy for me. They just love me and my family unconditionally. They are totally the greatest!!!

Here are KJS and KLS in our backyard with their Easter Baskets and Bonnets!!