Fish - Fish - Fish

One first, two fish, red fish, blue fish

Dr. Seuss says fish, fish, fish!

 And fish we did

 Casting for crappies (phonetically say crop peas)

we had a good haul

and then the northerns started hitting

 Oh how exciting to have this big fish take your pole

and bend it until it looks like it will break

 One fish then two fish...

 then three fish and more!

My dad and brother were busy taking

the fish off the hook for me.

Yup, I haven't mastered touching the fish

after all these years.

For this post my dad and my brother get the 

Amazing Award for taking care of the

fish!

Loony

Recently we were in The Northern Woods.

While fishing, we had a visitor.

She swam around us as if we weren't even there.

I wish you could see the drops of water on her head!

And then plop, under the water she went, probably

in search of her supper.

And when she resurfaced, away she went.

What a treat it was to enjoy this beautiful

creation of our Amazing God.

Gray Hair

Confession time:  I color my hair.

The gray hair intermingled with my mousy hair color just isn't pretty.

The time I decided to be a red head was definitely a mistake.  

Those of you that saw me during that redhead-crazy-idea know what I am talking about.

I'm back to streaks of highlights for the summer and maybe some brown streaks for the winter.

Just enough to cover the gray.

In fact I was in the hairdresser's chair just this week for some Pick-Me-Up-Color to be added to my mop of hair.

Which is why this morning's daily devotional in my Grace For The Moment inspirational thoughts by Max Lucado caused me to chuckle and then to sit back and ponder.  This is the June 6 grace for the moment:

****

Even when you are old, I will be the same.  Even when your hair has turned gray, I will take care of you.  Isaiah 46:4

Growing old can be dangerous.  The trail is treacherous and the pitfalls are many.  One is wise to be prepared.  You know it's coming.... If growing old catches you by surprise, don't blame God.  He gave you plenty of warning.  He also gave you plenty of advice.  Your last chapters can be your best.... It could be that all of your life has prepared you for a grand exit.  God's oldest have always been among his choicest.

****

How thankful I am that my Loving Heavenly Father will be with me as I age.  He truly will never leave me or forsake me.  He promises to take care of me.  

Even if I cover up the gray.

Lord, thank you for Your promises of caring for us.  In Your Word you felt it was important to document that You will be there when our hair turns gray and that you will be the same and never change.  That is Amazing.  Your are Amazing.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  And I remain, Your So Amazed.  

Amen.

May 28

Psalm 145:3-6 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;his greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends your works to another;they tell of your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They tell of the power of your awesome works—and I will proclaim your great deeds. 

A dear friend recently gave me a book.  I had to chuckle as I unwrapped her gift as it was my very own copy of a book I'd purchased and given to other friends.   I had my own copy of Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.

The verse above was one of the verses for today along with the daily devotional.   May you be So Amazed by these truths:

Let me anoint you with My Presence.  I am King of kings and Lord of lords, dwelling in unapproachable Light.  When you draw near to Me, I respond by coming closer to you.  As My Presence envelops you, you may feel overwhelmed by My Power and Glory.  This is a form of worship:  sensing your smallness in comparison to My Greatness.

Man has tended to make himself the measure of all things.  But man's measure is too tiny to comprehend My majestic vastness.  That is why most people do not see Me at all, even though they live and move and have their being in Me.

Enjoy the radiant beauty of My Presence.  Declare My glorious Being to the world!

I Had the Best Day

I had the best day today.  It was my day off work and I decided to drive to the City-Of-3-Million people to spend the day.  There were three things on my agenda:

1)  Kidlet Two started a new job recently as Kitchen Lead with a catering company.  I wanted to see where he worked. When I showed up in the kitchen asking where he was all of the employees starting laughing that mommy is here to see you! Poor kid! My son was gracious and shrugged them off.  Right away he handed me a spoon to start tasting the delicious soup he was making.  How honored was I when he asked for my opinion on the salt content!  My arrival was just in time for his break so I enjoyed his potato soup, Bison sausage, couscous with beets, peach-glazed chicken, and a whole lot more.  It was a delightful visit and I am so proud of Kidlet Two and how he uses his cooking skills.

2)  Visiting with Kidlet One and Grand Baby C were also on my agenda.  We spent a fun afternoon together despite Grand Baby C having a sore throat and we could tell she just wasn't herself.  After a long nap she still wanted to snuggle with her Mama.  There were some smiles and giggles as we looked at books and played with some toys.  My Nana Love Tank was definitely filled up as I pulled out of the driveway for the 90-minute drive home!

3)  Visit this place:

Approximately 33 years ago I purchased a complete set of tableware from the potter, Peter Deneen.  Dinner, salad and dessert plates, bowls, mugs, serving bowls and other miscellaneous pieces in the brown and blue glaze shown here filled my cupboards.

My bridal registry was in the store that sold this pottery in My City.  For years our family used these -each-piece-handmade dishes and they held up beautifully.  Until piece by piece they broke or chipped until I didn't have enough pieces for a complete setting.  I still use the serving bowls but the plates and bowls were tucked away into boxes until recently.  I Googled the potter and found him in The Big City.  His family was very interested in getting back the pieces I no longer was using.

The company now makes mugs with name plates on them.  Each mug is handmade.  During my tour of the facility, I watched the clay being mixed, the potters with their spinning wheels making mugs, workers applying the handles, the kilns, the glazing, and the packing room.  It was so impressive.  Three mugs were given to me as a gift and I can't wait to have my morning coffee in one of them tomorrow!

For some reason I got choked up when I met the man who made each and every piece of my dishes.  I guess the reality of his talent and the memories of so many family meals being enjoyed with those dishes caught up with me.  As the tears streamed down my face I thanked him for using his gifts and making such beautiful creations.  The poor man seemed a little uncomfortable with me sniffling there!!  Later as I was touring, he caught up with me and handed me this personal piece that he had made.  As I carried it along on the tour, all of the employees commented on it and told me how special this piece was.  Several employees seemed surprise that I was given this piece. 

The last mug that was given to me has the company name plate on it.  If you own a company that would use mugs, I would encourage you to contact Deneen Pottery to have them design their one-of-a-kind mugs.

Spending time with two of my Kidlets and seeing a potter in action made it just an amazing day!

A Masterpiece

I am so excited and, so amazed, that a big project has been completed.

It involves family.

My house is a split-level and within the past year almost

all of the upstairs and foyer have been painted.

Yeah!

I really wanted to change up the pictures from the

past and just couldn't decide what I wanted

on my freshly painted walls.

Until a Pinterest post caught my eye and I decided to recreate it.

Michael's Crafts had a sale on picture frames last

week so I went shopping and

spent an afternoon reframing family photos.

Here they are all lined up on the kitchen counter.

With the tall ceiling in the foyer, the wall
going up the stairs was perfect for all of
the pictures I wanted to show.
Using black construction paper, I measured

each frame and taped paper on the wall to

simulate each picture.

 I left the paper up for a few days to visualize if

I really liked this plan.  I did move a few
sheets of paper around to play with placement.

The day of the 'hanging' I assembled the framing

tools on the steps.

 I think The Husband got a little nervous when I came out

with the drill.

He stopped what he was working on and

offered to help me.

 For the next two hours he measured, drilled

and hung all of the pictures.
Yeah for The Husband!

 From the left we have pictures of

Kidlet One and Favorite-Son-Law's wedding

The Husband's parents

My parents

Our family picture

The Kidlets

Our India-supported daughter, Kavitha

Grand Baby C

 Tonight I removed the last placeholder paper.

  Family is one of God's Masterpieces

 My family is one of God's Masterpieces

 I'm so thankful for this project to the completed.

I'm really excited at how it turned out.
Plus, there is room to add pictures of Grand Baby N
that will join our family in July!

As God continues to amaze me every day, it was

important to me that He be honored on this

wall as well.  After all, He brought us all together.

Amazing!

What Face Do You See

I arrived at my desk today and flipped the daily devotional to read the following.  I quote from Grace For The Moment, Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year by Max Lucado:

I stand a few feet from a mirror and see the face of a man who failed...who failed his Maker.  

Again.  

I promised I wouldn't, but I did....  

If this were the first time, it would be different. 

 But it isn't.... 

Your eyes look in the mirror and see a sinner, a failure, a promise-breaker.  

But by faith you look in the mirror and see a robed prodigal bearing the ring of grace on your finger and the kiss of your Father on your face.

Be strong in the Lord and in His great power.  Ephesians 6:10

*****

If you have asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, you are that robed prodigal bearing the ring of grace on your finger and the kiss of your Father on your face.  Don't give in to the lies that you are a sinner.

The Truth is so amazing!