one more time ...

... we did it again ... we got another kitten ... his name is scooter ...

leo was sooooooo wanting a kitty ... he really loves cats (i do too - but not as much as leo!) ... so on monday, we came home with the little guy pictured above ... he was born on may 10th ... seems to be very clean ... and quite independent (which i like!) ... i'm hoping this is a fit for us this time ... í'll keep you posted!

oh glory!

this pic was taken last night ... just one of the rocket bursts from the wonderful fireworks display here in our little town ... leo and i sat on our front deck and enjoyed the show ...

and ... just a few moments ago ... the canada day parade went by our front steps ... *grin* ... i am so enjoying our front row seat to our town's activities ...

i'm waiting for company ... so will post some more pics later ... blessings on your Sunday!

from the over-flowing heart of your blogging bud, saija

have Thine own way, Lord ...

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Search me and try me, Master, today!
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,
As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me, I pray!
Power, all power, surely is Thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit ’till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me.

Ad­e­laide A. Poll­ard

the incredible shrinking woman

have you ever tried soy ice cream? it's not bad ...
i bought some because summertime = ice-cream in my world ...
ice cream has lots of fat in it ...
i am restricting my fat intake because of my cholesterol problem ...
so it is a whole new world for me out there!

i have lost 4 pounds in 10 days ... :o(

i don't want to lose too much more because i'm not a very big person ... but i guess it is inevitable ...

did i mention how much i love chocolates?

i have barely had any ...

does anyone know of a good chocolate substitute that is low in fats? i do miss the taste of chocolate ... *sadly sighing* ...

other than that - life has been busy in our little town and here at condo central ... the big fire work display happens this saturday ... and the midway is in town ...

today i will be going out for lunch with my library buds ... so i won't lose weight today! though, i will definitely watch what i order!

blessings on you guys!

"And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:17

God of the second chance

leo and i are reading a good book by greg laurie called "the God of the second chance" ... we've read other books by greg (he's a pastor from california) and have been blessed by his writing ... thought i'd share a paragraph that spoke plainly about the condition of man - and how he/she can view God at times ...


"Why do we run from God? Why do we disregard His plan for our lives? Isn't it amazing that we break God's commandments, ignore His Word, and then - when we begin to reap what we have sown - actually get angry at God about it? In essence, we blame God for a mess that we ourselves have made, a problem of our own design." ...
page 17, The God of the Second Chance


i like his style of writing, it is brisk and no nonsense ... yet he really provides an encouraging view point about God being "the God of the second chance!" ... :o)

just sharing our readings with you this sunday morning ... blessings on you guys!

the trip

i had a good trip to the city ... though it almost started out as a royal pain ... the silly "low tire light" came on just before winnipeg ... "sheesh!", i thought - not ANOTHER flat ... i seem to attract flats! well i pulled over and did the walk around ... and before i could even complete the rotation of the car, a fellow driving a huge "cat" of some sort (i can't tell a front end loader from a dozer), stopped to see if i needed help ...

he checked my tire pressure (i have a gauge and also a pump in the car) ... and since the pressure was a bit higher in the front tires, we both assumed it was just the computer being sensitive ...

i thanked him very much for stopping and helping me out ... as i drove away, i asked the Lord to bless him with the best of days ... not only did he check my tires, but by stopping he provided safety along side a busy highway ... his huge machine was right behind my car ...

after the tire incident, i changed my route to the doctors' office ... i thought i would rather have a flat tire in the city - than on the perimeter around the city ... just in case the light on my dash really meant something! ...

sometimes the Lord takes us on these detours ... or what we think are detours ... instead they could be protection from a nasty situation, and He is keeping us safe ...

the rest of my trip went without a hitch ... my doctors appointment went well ... i will try to get my cholesterol down with diet ... then i visited friends & family in the afternoon and evening ... the next day i did some successful shopping ... successful meaning that i found some needed items at rock bottom prices! :o)

as always, i was so happy to get back to our little town ... but i needed some big city stimulation - just for a day - to give me that renewed love for the quiet of home and surroundings ...

so i close this little post with a picture of our town beach - taken today ... the clouds were majestic ... the weather was perfect ... it was another day that the Lord had made - i rejoiced and was glad in it ...

change

i'm off to the city for 2 days ... however, i did want to leave a new post ... i had fun making it yesterday ... the sky pic was taken from our backdoor - and the quote is an original thought from yours truly (God inspired ... i hope!) ...

blessings on ya!

another Father's day

i've been feeling a little meloncholy ... i'm thinking maybe because it's father's day again ... i still miss my dad alot ...

this is the first father's day for leo without his dad ... they weren't close - yet, i still think that there is that sadness of what could have been ...

so those of you who still have your dad's ... give them a little extra hug from me ...

just sharing my 2005 father's day post ...

once upon a time ... long long ago ...

4 years ago, i made a Father's day card for my dad ... knowing in my heart that this would be the last one ... it was ... he died 4 months later, at the young age of 72 ...

it's funny how that *missing* feeling inside can still take over and make me so sad ...

a friend told me that even though her father had been gone for over 20 years, she still missed him terribly ... for me, the pain isn't as sharp anymore - but i would like to see his face and the way his eyes would light up at the sight of me ...

he loved me ... i know that ... tho' he wasn't a very demonstrative man ... in fact, the days he spent dieing - were the days he openly displayed his affection ... he held my hand, and even kissed my cheek ... that was a major show of love from this very stoic Finlander ...

my dad's addictions were something he battled all his life ... when he was in control of them - he was the best of fathers ... when they controlled him - well i won't go there today ...

i wonder why God gives us the particular parents that He does? it must be for an eternal reason ... so i do thank my Heavenly Father, for the lessons learned from my earthly father ...

this father's day i remember ... dancing with my dad, my little feet on top of his, as he waltzed a giggling little girl around the room ... i remember putting my hand in his hand and feeling secure ... i remember a wave and a crooked smile ... i remember isa ...

God never changes ...

(... copied ... i don't know who made this little poster, but i thought it was encouraging ... )

Springs in the Valley

i think everyone's library should have a copy of "springs in the valley" ... by mrs. charles e. cowman ... here is a picture of my copy ... which i've had for over 30 years ...
as you can see ... the pages have been turned a few times ... yet the blessings have been new with each reading ... it's a devotional inspired by God ... and the cowman's personal story is just as inspiring ...

here is a portion taken from june 9th's reading ... may it bless your heart ... as you begin a new week filled with challenges!!!

June 9th ... from Spring in the Valley

"They shall mount up with wings as eagles." (Isaiah 40:30)

Those we wait upon the Lord shall obtain a marvelous addition to their resources: they shall obtain wings! They become endowed with power to rise above things. Men who do not soar always have small views of things. Wings are required for breadth of view. The wing-life is characterized by a sense of proportion. To see things aright we must get away from them. An affliction looked at from the lowlands may be stupendous; looked at from the heights, it may appear little or nothing. This "light afflication, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." What a breadth of view!

And here is another great quotation: "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." This is a bird's-eye view. It sees life as a whole. How mighty the bird from which the picture is taken! "As eagles!" What strength of wing! Such is to be ours if we wait upon the Lord. We shall be able to soar above disappointment - no matter how great - and to wing our way into the very presence of God. Let us live the wing-life!

the week that was ...

yes, it's true ... when you "retire" ... or even semi-retire ... time seems to pick up speed! it must be something written into the law of nature ... *smile*
i meant to post these pics on monday ... when i had gone for a leisurely bike ride around town ... but here it is friday already and i'm just doing that now ... the beach is still quiet - no one swimming yet ... but that will all change soon, i'm sure ...
the town dock does get a bit more activity ... there is usually an older fellow, in his motorized wheel chair, fishing at the end of the pier ... and yes, that is my trusty old bike - my sister maria gave it to me when her health started to fail ... i've been putting it to good use in the past 3 years!
here is another place i like to stop ... it is usually all mine to enjoy ... other folks do use the parks in town, it just seems that we all have different schedules ... so it feels like a private sanctuary ... isn't that neat? ... !

and a picture of "moi" ... taken this morning before i headed out to a retirement party ... check out the new haircut ...

i will have to take my camera out for another ride soon ... we got quite a bit of rain today, so the fruit trees should be in full bloom and our whole little town will have turned lush and green ... YAY! i love when that happens ... *huge grin* ...

blessings on your weekend!

Why not learn to enjoy the little things - there are so many of them.

~Author Unknown

no respecter of persons!

here's the cover picture from today's winnipeg free press ... it made me smile ... then chuckle! so i had to share it ...

prince edward is visiting winnipeg and someone was able to capture this precious moment!

it is obvious to see that this little lady took the verse: "In truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons ... " quite seriously ... royalty or not, she didn't know this dude and he was in her space - she was not impressed!

God's care

i came across these blooms today ... on my bike ride ... they thrilled me! *grin*