My Kind of Town

And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent....1 Chronicles 15:1

I ran across this photo  taken in the Netherlands and just had to share it. I love the colors on these buildings!! The pastels are exquisite!!!  I could love living in this town. I love the colors. Just makes me feel happy to look at it.  I want to say that it's feminine, but that might be taken as a slight by those men living there, but the buildings do have a graceful charm to them.

 

The Delusion

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour...1 Peter 5:8

This week I have lost a wonderful friend and spiritual sister to a delusion she has begun to hold onto which separates her from me and from the church. I hope and pray that she will return to the flock, that she will see clearly the error that she has begun to hold onto and will repent.  Sometimes those who seem to be the most spiritually strong can actually prove to be the most vulnerable or so it seems to me. 

I never would have envisioned my friend misunderstanding and misapplying scripture as she has done. But that can happen to anyone if they don't remain close to God and depend on him, and not on our own ways of thinking. The Bible tells us that the heart (mind) is deceitful above all things. We should never begin to trust our own thoughts when it comes to reading the Bible.  God is the interpreter of his own words, not our minds or thoughts. 

All I can do now is pray for my friend and be ready to welcome her back completely when she returns to God and to the church.  The idea that any of us can fall into this trap of Satan is horrifying.  I miss my friend deeply.

Peaceful Reflections

Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth....Hosea 6:3


It's going to rain today.  A good day to be inside reading.  Many people will have to work outside in the rain, delivery persons, police, repairmen, and ambulance drivers, etc.  But rain is called an occupational hazard for those folks.  Rain also can increase work for others such as long-distance operators or even directory assistance operators. The call volume seems to increase when it rains or the weather becomes inclement.  People seem to want to be on the telephone more. Of course with cell phones now in existance less operators are needed and less work is to be had for them. Doctors may also see an increase in their work as more driving accidents may occur also during rain.

But rain is a blessing also. What would we do without rain?  We couldn't grow crops and we would all starve. We wouldn't see all of the beautiful flowers and plants in a profusion of colors. Life couldn't exist without rain or water.  God has taken care of everything. He has provided for all of our needs.

The Callaway Gardens in Georgia are so lovely, full of God's wonderful nature. Flowers and plants everywhere the eye looks in those spacious surroundings. Lots of hiking and biking trails.  They also have a Butterfly House with all kinds of live butterflies in abundance with hundreds of species. They fly all around in freedom in the Butterfly House and no one bothers or touches them.  There are plants all over the inside of the building for the butterflies and visitors to enjoy. 

A rainy day is also a good time to houseclean.  There aren't usually many interruptions when it's raining outside since most people don't travel to visit during the rain often. It's a relaxing time to enjoy a nice hot cup of tea or coffee and contemplate all of the blessings that God has provided me with.  I might perhaps treat myself to some chocolate ice cream today.  There's nothing more soothing as chocolate ice cream, a wonderful way to relax while the rain softly beats upon the roof of my cottage.

Whenever the temperature allows it's so refreshing to open the doors and windows and let the fresh rain-cleaned air flow into the rooms.  Days of softly falling rain remind me of childhood when on warmer days the gently falling rains would fill our home with lovely fresh scents wafting through open doors and windows.  It would be a glorious time to take a nap if I chose to. 

Sometimes when I sit in my living room as the rain comes down I have a sense of deja-vu. It's almost like I'm back in my mother's home when I was young.  If I'm very careful I can even imagine her being there also, just out of sight. That's how I choose to think of it. It's a lovely feeling that comes over me, quite strongly at times. I hate when it's ended and I have to realize that she's not there. Then follows sadness to a degree because I miss her all over again.

Rain is indeed a wonderful blessing from God to all of us in many ways.  I'm grateful for the rain that God allows us all to enjoy for a myriad of reasons, especially the memories it can bring back to me at times. 

 

Magnified Sand

O LORD, how great are Your works! Your thoughts are very deep....Psalm 92.5

How wonderful God is! He has made the sand of the earth so tiny, minute, but through a powerful microscope those tiny beads of sand become worlds of wonder as awesome as the planets in the heavens. There is an article in Mail Online which shows images of magnified grains of sand.  Here is one of the images of sand:

Just to ponder the power behind the creation of these tiny grains that each one is unique, probably unlike any other grain is so astounding! Behold the colors in each and the intricate design in each separate grain. My mind is filled with amazement. I would have never envisioned such beauty in sand.  Here is another:

Man in his own wisdom would say this is just something that naturally occurs, but it isn't. Nothing in this world "just happens". The Bible says that everything has a purpose in God's plan for mankind. 

Our lives have purpose in God's plans.  We were made in his image.  Not in the animal image or the plant image, but in God's image.  We are all different as the grains of sand.  We don't look alike, but we have similarities.  We all have arms and legs and minds.  We have brains that can think and make intelligent choices, unlike the animals who only act from instinct. Animals can't reason. A question for evolutionists is if man had evolved from animals over millenia and changed in form as he evolved, then why aren't there still various stages of evolution in existance now?  No evolutionist wants to be asked that because he can't give an answer to it because it's not happening just as it never happened before. 

Mama's Bible

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him....2 Chronicles 16:9

Today is a gorgeous sunny day.  It's warm for this time of the year for the south. We are having a mild winter as far as snowfall is concerned.  But we are certainly getting our fair share of rain.

This morning I listened to some of the Bible on tape from Gateway Bible.  I enjoy the sound of the reader.  But I will also read from my own Bible later this morning.  I'm reminded of my mother who had surgery for cataracts before laser surgeries.  That was when actual cutting was done and it took quite awhile.  She had to wear corrective lense glasses even after that and without them she was virtually blind.  She would listen to the Bible on tape. Sometimes she would turn a tape on as she waited for sleep to come and we would listen to the tape together.  She would turn it up loud enough for me to hear it in my room.  Listening to the tape this morning brought back memories of that. 

It's a sure blessing that God has allowed some people to have a desire to record the Bible and other books on tape or CD so that those who can't see have the privilege of hearing them read at their convenience and not to have to depend on the timing of others as to when it would be convenient for them to do the reading.  I, personally, am grateful to those kind strangers whoever they may be.

Keck Observatory

Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt...Exodus 22:21


One never knows whom one will meet from day to day and what experiences it will bring or what knowledge.  Today something was delivered to my door by a young man who looked to be maybe in his early twenties perhaps.  I'd just been viewing some images from the Hubble Telescope on my computer when he came to the door.  Although I didn't need to do so, I explained to the young man about what I'd been doing.  He asked me if I was interested in astronomy. I told him, no, that I just found the images to be magnificent and that I enjoyed looking at all the colors in the universe. 


He evidently studies astronomy.  We talked about the Hubble and various planets, etc.  Mostly he did the talking and I just listened.  I was impressed with his knowledge of things I'd never heard of before or only heard in passing on tv at times.  Today this young man, whose name I don't know, introduced me to a lesson on the Keck Observatory.  He explained that they have two telescopes at the one place. 


Later I did a Google search for "Keck" and found lots of information about that observatory.  I looked through the photos available. It was stunning to see that each telescope has laser capabilities.


He also shared with me a great place here in my city to go to observe the night sky more clearly. He lives out away from the city. He told me that he gets to see lots of falling stars because he's out of the city.  He says he gets to see falling stars a lot. I've never seen a real falling star in my life except on tv.  He explained that the city somehow obscures the night sky due to all the lights at night in it.  I don't know if I'm saying that just right or not.  He said it's much better to view the night sky in the country to see falling stars better.


This just goes to show that a person never knows who can add to the store of knowledge that God allows us to have.  I have learned about something new today that I'd never known about before.  I learned it from a stranger who seemed to be excited to run across someone interested in hearing what he had to say.  One just never knows....

Butter My Toast

Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good...Isaiah 7:15.


Poor Paula....I feel so bad for her.  The Food Police are all over her case now that she's told us that she has diabetes.  She can't catch much of a break this week.  Some are trying to make her sound like just the most horrible person who ever existed just because she waited to tell anyone in the media about her diabetes until she (according to some) had a deal with a company that makes diabetes medicine to be a spokesperson for their product, ie. to make money off of her disease.

It's sad. Paula is such a lovely southern lady. True, she does seem to over-do it sometimes with the butter in her recipes. But anyone with an ounce of sense knows they will need to either alter the recipe to some extent or not have it very often,  *smile*,  or eat a lot less of it. But I don't think she warrants all of the attacks. 

I hope that in the future Paula will perhaps edit her recipes to use less butter however so all of the hoopla over it can end, not to mention that it would really be much healthier. Surely not all of the butter she shows being used is truly necessary for the taste of the food.

Personally, I don't like the taste of butter that much.  And I don't use much of it. I am amazed at times at the amount of butter Paula throws into a recipe and I think, wow, no way could I use that much even if I did like the taste of butter.

I believe that her son, Bobby Deen, may be about to alter some of the recipes to show how to make them healthier. I have seen ads for it on The Food Network. I think his program will be called "Not My Mother's Cooking" or something similar to that.  That will be very interesting to see.

I love Paula's wit and fun-filled recipe programs.  Her smile is just so lovely.  And her southern accent is delightful!  I enjoy her programs even if she does use too much pork and butter sometimes.  It's fun when Bobby joins her to cook up some fun.

I do hope that in the future Paula will indeed make some healthier recipes on her show. Just hold on a little while, Paula dear, and soon the Food Police will find something or someone else to pick on and you can be at peace again.

Paula, may I have your autograph....

UPS

Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand...Galatians 6:11

I truly do appreciate all of the hard work done by the wonderful UPS men and women.  I order a lot of things online and I'm always happy to see that big brown van pull into my driveway.  I know they are bringing such wonderful things for me.  Yes, I do know what they're bringing so it's no surprise, but it's exciting to anticipate the arrival of a new package. Just to know that it has arrived safely and hasn't been stolen or misplaced is a comfort.

Most of the UPS delivery persons know me by my first name. That should indicate how much stuff I do order online. *laugh* They know me because I've been doing business with them now for years.  It's nice to know the people who "work" for you. I admit that I don't know all of their names but I do know most of their faces. They're always so kind and courteous to me. Some of the UPS men call me "Miss Bridget" which here in the South is only natural.  Men do address ladies that way here when using a first name, especially if they're gentlemen.

The USPS (United States Postal Service) is a horse of another color.  I almost cringe when something I've ordered is shown on the tracking as being delivered by the post office. The problem is that I live in a small city and the mail service here isn't the best. 

The Postal Service here has been messed up for as long as I've lived here. I know that they have a lot of mail to deliver in a short period of time, but would a little more attention to what they're doing be too much to ask?  Some of my mail and that of others around me are always ending up in the wrong box. I don't know how much mail may have never arrived to me personally because of misdirection.  I'm not the only one who has problems with the post office.

Federal Express is another nightmare for me as well. They are always using the local post office to do their deliveries. Only once in a great while do I ever see FedEx actually bring something to my door directly.  FedEx/post office is also bad, bad, very bad about leaving my packages on the doorstep when I'm not at home. 

I hate to come home from someplace and find a cardboard box sitting on my front porch drenched in the rain that had fallen earlier. It also seems dangerous these days to leave packages on doorsteps due to the crime that continues to grow. UPS doesn't do that--as far as I know. UPS usually will leave a note on my door telling me that they will try to deliver the box again the next business day.

I was so happy to hear that the government is considering allowing the mail to be delivered by UPS. Wow! Now that would be great!  As more and more post offices around the country close, the idea of UPS delivering local mail is fantastic! Yes, the mail may be slower in reaching us that way but maybe not.  Even if it is slower it will be more dependable than what I encounter at this present time with the USPS. 

I would be willing to pay a higher price for UPS delivery but there is no choice in the matter of who will deliver from stores online.  Some stores offer free shipping if you buy $25 or more.  I don't like that.  I find that since FedEx and the USPS are cheaper the stores will use one of those first if they can before UPS. 

I truly wish that the stores online would offer you a choice of how you want your items shipped. Only one online store where I shop will let me do that.  Why don't all of them let you choose to pay for your own shipping and use whatever service you want to? I would choose UPS every time! *smile* Maybe that's why they don't.

UPS is the best delivery service in the nation as far as my opinion stands. Go UPS! I love those guys!

The Painter of Light

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light...Genesis 1:3.

It has snowed. The sun hasn't risen yet, but the ground is covered with soft white.  There's no wind blowing so it didn't feel like below freezing when I opened up the door a short time ago to look outside at the wonderland. 

But there is danger and deception in the snow.  Black ice.  It's beneath the snow. Deadly and silent, it lies, waiting.  I won't have to go out into it, but I think of those who will, friends and neighbors.  The temperature won't go above freezing today so what's there will be around through part of tomorrow.
 
What I see makes me think of the beautiful snow in the paintings by Mr. Thomas Kinkade.  He did such lovely snow-filled paintings.  There are others as well who paint in a similar way to Mr. Kinkade too.  I enjoy Mr. Kinkade's work because of the cottages he created on canvas.  Some of them are so beautiful. I love cottages, as you already know.  My computer wallpaper is of a country cottage inn painted by Mr. Kinkade (see image below). It's a summer scene with lots of lovely flowers and trees around the cottage-like inn.  I love looking at this painting with all the pastel colors in it.  I think that if I were a painter I would want to paint like Mr. Kinkade. 


I wonder where he got the inspiration to have drawn the cottages that he did?  They're different from one another in his paintings. Many of the cottages were given specific names by Mr. Kinkade.  He was called "the painter of light", by his friends because of the way he used illumination in his paintings.  The pastel colors he used were so bright and colorful and soft. 

God is a Painter of light too.  Look at all the lovely colors in the world around us, especially in Spring.  The colorful flowers make one feel happy to look at them. One feels alive again following the winter when it is dark most of the 24-hour day.  I'm so happy to see that the sunset hour is slowly moving back so that there is more daylight available. True, there's not a great amount of it yet, but it's on the way.  *smile*

Mr. Withington's Photographs

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver....Proverbs 25:11

I have been enjoying photos shared by Mr. Geoffrey Withington.  Mr. Withington has added a written dimension to the photos he shares that makes viewing the images purely delightful and uplifting. I enjoy them tremendously.  I have been going through the photos and savoring the joy of nostalgia at times as some memories of the past come to mind that I haven't thought about for a long time, such as lonely train whistles blowing in the night. Trains today have horns not whistles.  Those who have no memories of the lovely and sad sound of a train whistle being blown in the night as the train approaches don't know what they have missed and don't know what I'm talking about.  There are many, many other photos to enjoy on Mr. Withington's site.  The words he pins to them are also exquisite and make one search deeply inside one's own soul. 

Mr. Withington's photographs include a couple of shots of children that include a cat in each photo that make the images more intresting as well.  In one, sitting beside the young boy, is a cat sitting on a mat of some kind.  The boy doesn't seem to be too happy that his photo is being taken or maybe it's the sun in his eyes making him squint. It's hard to tell which one it is. But the photo is captivating to look at and think about.

I have some photos of family members of my own during the Depression era who look quite similar to the photos of the children in Mr. Withington's collection.  I remember hearing stories passed down from family members who lived during that time of the hardships they had to endure. Now just about everyone from that time is dead and the memories are fading quickly. The stories don't continue to be passed on.  It doesn't take more than a couple of generations for the memories to disappear and then those who were once much beloved and cherished don't even have their names recalled any longer by anyone. It's sad when you stop to consider it.

Those who have died were once vital, living and thriving persons with personalities and adventures to talk about. Unless they were heroes by the world's standards or had some reason to be written about in history books, those wonderful people seem to have never even existed anymore, but they did. God knows them all and will resurrect them to live again very soon.   

This makes me want to be more appreciative of all those whom I know and love.

In Praise of the Slow Read

So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading....Nehemiah 8:8.

I would like to thank Mr. Jeremiah Jacques for sharing the link to a lovely site, "A Time To Cast Away Stones", on his Twitter page. This morning, at that site, I had the pleasure of slowly digesting an article about reading. It is entitled, "In Praise of the Slow Read" .  I am grateful to the author of this article for his eye-opening comparison of two 10th grade students, one from the year 1995 and the other from 2011, both assigned the same homework: To give an oral report on "Sherpas". 

I have heard news reports that many graduated students today are coming into the work-place unprepared for the process of actually working. This is because they have become so accustomed to having everything handed to them in school and at home and they have become spoiled and expect the same treatment on their jobs. The mentality of some of the younger workers is that they are doing their company a service by even being there. And they seem to question what the idea of working is all about anyhow. 

The ability to create a hand-written letter is becoming obsolete as well in our society. The technology of today is teaching people to write in a shortened script that contains abbreviations for words instead of actual words.  How sad that we are losing the ability to communicate with one another outside of phone texting lingo or chat room abbreviations.

I enjoy words. I enjoy writing.  I love the feel of words on the page of a handwritten letter that I'm composing.  It's a wonderful experience to compose your own thoughts and add them to paper one real word at a time.  It's like having a glass of really good wine and sipping it slowly savoring the scent and then the delectable taste. It's like seeing a new recipe for a great tasting dish come together in your own private kitchen. 

Reading, writing and even spelling are studies that most of the young people today are not learning properly.  That's sad.  To think about all the wonderful books that they are missing out on reading, fine books, like Jane Eyre. 

I hope that some day in the World Tomorrow the art of reading and writing will
be restored.

The author of "In Praise of the Slow Read" wrote that we should not try to fill our minds with everything there is to read in the news, etc., but that we should take a few of the best books and read them over and over, studying deeply those few books so that they have an effect on our lives.

Potato Candy

Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness....Ezekiel 3:3

The kitchen in my cottage is feminine and charming.  There are bright colorful curtains at the window above the sink.  The window ledge holds three small pots with purple African Violets. The room is cheery and inviting.  I love to cook wonderful foods in it.

One day in my cottage I will make some potato candy.  It's actually made from a mashed potato, but one can't taste the potato.  Here is how to make it.

Potato Candy

Ingredients:

1 white potato, peeled
white powdered sugar
peanut butter

Directions:

Peel and then boil the potato until soft. Mash the potato and then begin slowly mixing in white powdered sugar with the mashed potato until the mixture forms into a bread dough consistancy.  Roll out the dough to the size and depth desired but not too thick. With a knife spread the peanut butter over the top of the candy dough.  Roll the dough into a jelly roll shape.  Then using a sharp knife, cut off slices of the candy and lay on a sheet of wax paper to finish cooling. Refrigerate before serving so the candy can harden.

That's all there is to it. It's simple and delicious! I think one can also make two layers of the dough. Then put peanut butter on the bottom layer and cover with the other layer so that the peanut butter is in the center.  Then use a small square cutter of some kind to cut out boxed candy size pieces of the Potato Candy. 

That would make a nice gift to someone.  And it would be simple and home-made.  One could put some of the candy pieces into a pretty container and serve it at a party or small get-together. 

My mother used to make this candy when I and my sisters and brother were all small children.  It was a special treat.  

In The Garden

And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it....Genesis 2:15

Some day maybe I shall have that little cottage of my dreams. To be able to decorate it the way that I envision it.  My cottage would be surrounded by lovely fertile land for farming.  Perhaps there would be a small community of people who live nearby but not too close that one couldn't enjoy some privacy and quiet.  That would be nice.  There would be farms nearby and maybe a small grocery store with fresh produce and all kinds of fresh fruit and grains would be grown and sold in the local area. 

I can imagine walking down a tree shaded lane to visit with one of my friends in the community.  I would love to wear long dresses then.  Not the kind of the early American women with the long skirts that drug along the ground, but dresses almost to the ankle but above the street.  I would love to sew some lovely feminine dresses in pastel colors of light blue and pink and yellow.  I would put pretty white collars on the dresses with maybe some tiny cross-stitched flowers on them. They would also have some tiny lace trim. 

I remember years ago when "Granny Dresses" as they called them, were in style for awhile.  How lovely some of them were. I would love some petite white sandals with a small heel on them.  And a sunbonnet perhaps, a light brown weave with multi-colored silk flowers on it. 

It would be so nice to feel like a woman. The clothing today is not so pretty.  A lot of womens clothes are tailored for business. There aren't any graceful dresses anymore.  It's disappointing.  

Yes, I would love to take a quiet walk to visit with some of my family, perhaps my mother.  We would talk about new recipes that we were trying out or about how lovely the tomatoes are in the garden in her backyard.  She would put some bird food into the feeder in the yard.  And, as we walked talking together, we would water the plants. Then we could have some refreshing lemonade together as we sit outside near the garden and enjoy the sound of the birds singing and scratching in the feeder. We would recall days gone by and memories of family and friends.  

It would not be hot, but a nice warmth, like early spring. And we could smell the scent of the different kinds of flowers wafting in the fresh clean air.  That would be lovely.  There would be no need to hurry with anything. We could sit and talk and laugh to our hearts content.

My Dream Cottage

And they shall build houses and inhabit them...Isaiah 65:21

The talapia turned out very nice.  I had it with some green beans and whole wheat bread. 

I've been thinking today about cottages.  I love cottages.  There's a lovely little cottage-type house that I used to pass by every day years ago.  I believe it's still there probably.  It was set back off from the road and it was made of a light colored stone. I could tell a woman lived there. It had a woman's touch to the look of it. There were lovely little flower boxes outside each window and in the summer the boxes were filled with all kinds of flowers with billiant colors.  There were lacy curtains at the windows.  I used to think how blessed the lady of that little cottage was to have such a house.  It looked so inviting.  But I never went to it. I just passed by it as I drove to places where I was going. 

I think that I would love to have a nice little place like that.  The inside of it would be filled with lovely overstuffed furniture with flowers on tables. There would be a flower pattern teapot and tea cups for company to make each person feel right at home whenever they visited. 

Everything would be so colorful and bright.  No drab colors for me. Bright country colors in the furniture and on the walls.  Country blue, peach, and cream.  It would be graceful and feminine.  And there would be the smell of fresh-baked bread coming from the small kitchen.  And perhaps a roast with potatoes and carrots wafting on the air as well.  I imagine for my cottage a flower pattern slip cover on the couch tied with pretty bows at the bottom of each side.  It would have a lovely shiny wood floor with colorful rugs here and there.  I can't think of anything more lovely than a house like this. 

First Day

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger....John 6:35

First day...

I have been Tweeting part of the morning.  Gasoline has gone up due to the instablilty of the Iranians. Thanks to A...jad. 

Today is sunny and bright. Yesterday there was some snow here. Not much snow, just enough to cover the car windshield and lie on top of the handrail that runs alongside the cement walk here where I live. Very pretty to look at.

I love snow. It makes everything around take on a special quietness.  Like one is shut inside a snug cocoon.  All wrapped up. Snug as a bug in a rug kind of feeling.  Time for hot cocoa and a good book, especially if there's a lot of snow.
I haven't eaten yet, and there are still things to do that I haven't done today.  I can't seem to drag myself away from the computer screen.  I'm fascinated by the blog adventure that I've just begun. I watched a movie the other day entitled, "Julie/Julia" about a young woman, named Julie, who went on an adventure in cooking. She decided to begin cooking all the recipes in the Julia Child recipe book that she owned until she'd completed trying all nearly 600 recipes. Her goal was to complete all the recipes within one year. She also began a blog about her adventure.  And the blog was picked up by newspapers and television. Julie became an Internet sensation and a movie was made about her. Her husband and friends were ecstatic over having surprising new recipes to savor every day.

I'm having some baked Talapia today. Time to get off of the blog and get my lunch started. 

P.S.  This is not a cooking or food blog.  So...keep searching if that's what you thought you'd found. Sorry 'bout that.