I knew you when....

pine cones....useful and decorative

I find myself looking for the best little project on this rainy day when I spot some pine cones just off the back patio. Pine cone fire starters! I found this little project years ago when an advertising magazine listed it for a pretty penny-or two. it’s actually very simple to make and easy to use. I take a large stainless steel bowl and place over my pan of water to make a double boiler. Place wax in the bowl and let melt, I then take twine and tie around the pine cone, this serves as two purposes. one to use as a handle when coating the pine one and the second to use as a fuse to start the fire. Dip the cone in the melted wax, rolling the pine cone to get in all the grooves. I always double dip the cone. place the cone on a baking dish lined with parchment paper for easy clean up. To speed up the cooling process you can place the baking sheet in the freezer. when cooled place the pine cones in a decorative basket by the fireplace. Pretty and useful, now that I like!

Time everlasting...

Once again we spent a nice time with family, friends and perhaps family to be for Thanksgiving. As we sat around and talked it was nice to see the older generations reminiscing and the younger generations speaking of dreams and the future. I realized I was right in the middle of both, not old but not young. Now how in the world did that happen? I watched my own two little ones talk about college and realized it was just yesterday I was dropping them off at kindergarten, just yesterday my son was going to his first dance, just yesterday my daughter was playing soccer. So how is that they are today young adults talking about college instructors, discussing the best and worse classes and even more so, talking about graduating! Where has the time gone? Does everyone experience this same feeling of wanting to drag our children back around the play dough table and want to hold onto them a little longer? So now who has the answer to the long asked question where does time go? But most importantly how do we slow it down? Will I embrace every day as I should have years ago or just get to wrapped up in the details? Please Lord help to see everyday as you want me to, through eyes that capture every beautiful and awesome thing that is waiting!

leaving hades...check please!!

Have you ever had one of those days when nothing goes right? Not just with you but everyone around? Well that was my day! I took so many complaints, everyone either wanted something fixed or wanted to let me know how miserable they were. My office should have been entitled complaint department. Before lunch I thought ok after lunch it will  improve, it better because I let my nurse who we cover for each other, have the afternoon off. But no I was graciously greeted by one who said he understood why everyone was so hard on him and his mistakes only to want to dredge it all up again. That's when I started thinking, is he really assuming responsibility and trying to correct it or is he really just saying what everyone wants him to say? Then I thought, you know I should just greet everyone who comes into my little office with a sign that would describe it perfectly....Welcome to Hades...after all I kept thinking how much worse can it get? But then I found out, I was talking with one man who was upset that his physician wasn't taking care of him like he should, I asked did you tell him what you needed, knowing he hadn't because we are talking about one of my more superior physicians, no was the answer. At that point I wondered would the paramedics revive me if I wrapped this telephone cord around my neck? And why is it I can only find safety scissors when I really want a sharp object? I had one of my physicians so upset with me because his personal parcel was opened when it was publicly sent to the clinic. HHHMMM did you ever think to have it sent to your private mailbox at your private house. No? really? That 'welcome to hades sign' looks pretty good right now. BTW when it says 'this to shall pass' does it really have to pass at a turtle pace? So I think if no one has any more complaints, and seeing that the lights are off and no one else is here I think I will leave Hades and take a four day weekend...instead of the usual closed sign on the door, mine will now read...Leaving Hades, check please!!

by his stripes

Tonight in ladies group we talked about how by His stripes we are healed, its funny that people and by people and I do mean me first, believe that when we go through an illness or troubled time we expect instant healing. I have been there myself and expected instant healing, thank God he had enough mercy on me that he forgave my stupidity and arrogance. But we all ask why me? Well one time a good friend of mine, I sometimes referred to her as my conscience, said why not? What makes you so special that you think you shouldn't ever have a bad day? You know only sisters and good friends can ask something like that and get away with it. But its true, if Jesus suffered the way he did, and we know he did. I know some modern day pharisees that make me want to stomp my foot, let alone a whole church full. Why should we expect any better, I just praise God that we are healed by His stripes. Could you imagine in this economy how many of us would have gone out and sacrificed our good animal? Yeah don't think so. Thank God for Jesus and the work he did at the cross. Thank God by His stripes we are healed!

rise

My heart is heavy this week. Three weeks ago we found out my good friend was pregnant with what we hoped was a baby girl. An ultrasound confirmed what she feared, no baby had formed. If she is accurate with her dates, no baby is present. I wrote out a little note from Matthew 5:4, Blessed are the sad, for they will be comforted. I absolutely know about sadness when we lost our baby brother to a sad, unexpected accident a year ago. I  believe God sends his comforter for the broken hearted, but as I discuss this with my friend I also have to point out we must be at a place where we seek that comforter. You have heard people say 'well when I was sad, there wasn't any one or anything that would take away my sadness, God just didn't care'. I believe we have to at least make an attempt, we don't have to cross that road all the way, but we have to reach and at least make an attempt to meet him. That is when he pours out his mercy and grace on our lives and takes our broken hearted away. I listen to contemporary/alternative christian music, and Shawn McDonald has a song 'Rise' that says 'yes I will rise, out of these ashes rise, from this trouble I have found and this rubble on the ground I will rise, cause He who is in me is greater than I will ever be'. Beautiful lyrics for the broken hearted.

through the glass

I was meeting my daughter the other day at the resteraunt she works. We sat in the car catching up on the days events before going in, when I noticed one of the doctors I work with going in to get something to eat. He had obviously placed a to go order then was coming out the door. Unfortunately the door he chose was one that was locked. I watched as he struggled to get out the door, laughing so hard it brought tears to my face. I'm not sure why I found that so hilarious knowing the embarrassment because I have done the same thing myself. Nevertheless I found myself sitting there laughing with tears streaming down my face as he shrugs his shoulder and goes through the unlocked door.  I relayed the story to my friend and coworker the next day and she said oh Linda you are so bad, why didn't you go and open the door? I replied, first of all I couldn't have pulled myself off the floor fast enough, then I was blinded by tears so bad I could have never helped him. She said God must be so proud of you. I thought you know he's probably sitting on his throne, surrounded by angels and mighty people of the years gone by, shaking his head and proclaiming throughout Heaven; this girl, she's not there yet, she still has a LOT of work to do. Most days she ain't even close. (because I'm sure God uses slang) My response thats right, I have a lot of work to do....just not there yet!