Our Valentine Friends
Treated us to a dinner
At Blue Moon Cafe
Driving to Cameron,
The setting sun was gorgeous
Happy Valentine
How did you spend your Valentine’s Day?
Did you go out to eat?
Did you meet up with long-time friends
or share the day/evening with family?
Tell me about it!
I have a journal titled, “I Can and I Will … Watch Me!”
I don’t write in it every day; just when I am inspired by something else “I Can” do that “I DID!” Some of my topics are I CAN:
You get the idea…
Today my topic was I CAN “Cherish Aging.” I was inspired by my experience last Tuesday at Big Sky Ski Resort while I sat at the bar, sipping my Irish coffee, and enjoying my book.
“You remind me of my grandma,”
The young waitress smiled and said,
“She was a little, compassionate lady
Who loved me dearly – and was too soon dead.”She told me of her virtues, her illness,
And her faith. Tears filled her eyes.
She told me how she missed her hugs –
And their long talks. Grandma was quite wise.Then, wiping away the teardrops,
She went on about her job.
Soon she returned with a piece of apple pie
On which was a big whipped cream blob.“I thought you’d like this little treat;
My grandma sure loved apple pie,”
She gave me a hug and rushed away.
Now it was my turn to cry.I don’t mind t all growing older
If my wrinkles and my silver hair
Can bring cherished memories to someone
And make them know: Us Grandmas Care!
Look at these wonderful Pexels.com photographs of various grandmothers:
The one above is my daughter-in-law, Monika, with my great-granddaughter, Cosette. Monika’s a young, loving grandmother … See, not all gramas are silver-haired and wrinkled!
Look back at those grandmas. Which one touches your heart the most? Do any of them remind you of YOUR grandma? Tell me about her!
Do CHERISH AGING!
It brings with it
many blessings and joys.
And the alternative?
Don’t go there young!!
See ya later.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
I love you!
It’s a day for love. Love is so easy to SAY… but while saying it is important (when it is sincere), it’s not the word that counts. It’s the heart and the action behind that word. You know that! So, what did you DO this week, what did you do yesterday, what did you do today to SHOW your love?
Bob Goff is one of my favorite authors. About 8 years ago my granddaughter gave me his book, Love Does, as a Christmas gift. Have you read it? Do you know this zany, whimsical, amazing man? Check him out at this link… Google it – and listen to him. He will inspire you to DO LOVE!!
176,359 views • May 11, 2012
Yesterday our Madison Valley Woman’s Club had a Valentine party. My friend, Kittie, came dressed for the occasion. I love her spirit! Don’t you?
We decorated chocolate covered strawberries to take home to our loved ones, and we created/decorated Valentine’s cards to give to someone special in our lives. (Oh, and we got to eat some of those strawberries, too. Yum!)
It was a fun activity… but the real fun was delivering our gifts to our “Special Valentine” today.
Of course, you know who mine went to… but I also decorated an extra couple of the strawberries and made a card for our pastor, Steve, and his wife, Elaine, and delivered them to their house yesterday afternoon. Love does! Love shows. Love cares.
Last Sunday Steve & Elaine hosted a fellowship at their house after church.
Our mutual friend, Christine, created these skewers to add to the goodies we all enjoyed. Someone else lovingly made the bean dip.
Jim led us all in singing some of our old favorites. “Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam, where the deer and the antelope play.” Ah yes, music is an automatic transmitter of love, don’t you agree?
I inherited a book from my mom. It is tattered from loving years of use. It is titled, The Modern Hymn Book. It was printed in 1924. There is a bookmark on the page where my mom’s favorite hymn is, “Blessed Assurance.”
Ah yes, on this Valentine’s Day, this song is a great reminder. There is no greater love than the love of our Savior who demonstrated LOVE DOES with His whole life. How blessed I am to have had a mother who marked the page, loved the song, and knew that story well. The song was copyrighted in 1873… and its words are as pertinent today as they were then. The tune is known around the world. Let’s sing it!
And let’s remember the Truth of real AGAPE love on this day of LOVE.
John 3:16 – my favorite verse: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Yes, God is the ULTIMATE example of Love Does.
“I love You Lord,
and I lift my voice
to worship you,
O my soul rejoice.
Take joy , My King
in what You hear;
May it be a sweet, sweet sound
in Your ear.”
Go out today – and DO LOVE!!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
See ya tomorrow.
This morning’s Bayside Refuel message from James Powell was powerful and important. He suggested we need to “Disconnect to Reconnect.”
Text 563-16 to get Bayside Refuel. Look for bit.ly/devo021320
Then, after you listen to James, put down your cell phone. Log out of this computer. Go out and enjoy the sunrise…or mid-day sun… or clouds …or rain … or snow… or sunset … or stars!
It’s pretty from the inside looking out… with the icicles hanging onto the eves out my bathroom window.
It’s even prettier from the back porch looking out over the snow. But, brrrr … it’s cold out there!
So disconnect from this media and go out to meet friends. Go out to reconnect with folks you care about. Share the beauty of the day with them.
It’s my friend, Phyllis’s 88th birthday today. Shirley is visiting with her. Her daughter, Avis, is there. I am on my way…
Disconnect
and
Reconnect!
See ya later!
I posted earlier today from my cell phone while we were up at Big Sky. Bob was enjoying a day of skiing with Nancy, his ski buddy, while I was inside making new friends, keeping warm, and reading the book that our Ennis Book Club will be discussing at tomorrow’s meeting.
I also browsed the shops at the Big Sky mall and photographed a few things (taking them home in my camera is way better than buying them!).
I enjoyed the trip to Big Sky from Ennis. The snow was so beautiful!
But once we arrived at the ski area, I was more than happy to avoid the cold and stay in the lodge. Some of you may think that’s crazy; others of you may relate. I didn’t learn to ski as a child, broke my leg as a teen, took a long time to heal, and have a fear of falling down and breaking it again. I prefer to stay in the lodge!
A Guy Named Kenny
Before Bob & Nancy could get from the parking lot to the lodge (where they had dropped me off), I met a guy named Kenny. Well actually, he met me. I was sitting quietly in the corner with my book when he approached me. Told me I reminded him of his grandma. I learned all about his family … and was in deep conversation with him when Bob & Nancy arrived. Even got his grandma’s chicken soup recipe! (Should have taken Kenny’s picture for you!) Nice guy!
Montana Jack’s
After Bob & Nancy went up to ski, I went to Montana Jack’s for an Irish coffee. I was sitting with my book at the bar, sipping my drink when a guy about my son’s age sat down and struck up a conversation with me. I found out he was from Colstrip, MT and his wife is a child psychiatrist working with Autistic children. The darling, young waitress treated me to a delicious piece of apple pie to go with my coffee. She adopted me as her Grandma and so did my new friend from Colstrip (I love it).
Back Home Again
Returning home, we nearly got stuck in the drifts that had blown onto our driveway. I was reluctant to go out again, but Bob really wanted to treat me to a Happy Anniversary dinner at our favorite Ennis restaurant, The Alley Bistro. So, we braved the weather and had a great evening. We managed to return home and inch our way through the snow drifts safely. It was a Happy Anniversary indeed. Thanks for all your good wishes.
Bedtime
Time for bed…
but first I have to finish that book.
Somehow today I didn’t get much reading done.
Had too much fun making new friends.
Can you relate?
See ya tomorrow.
Good Night!
No, I am not practicing for divorce!
After 58 eventful years of marriage, it’s too late to give up now!!
But life is not a bed of roses (or carnations!)
And marriage is not easy!
Nobody promised it would be.
Sometimes we get mad at one another.
Sometimes we disappoint one another.
Sometimes we don’t understand
where the other one is coming from!
What Families Know
In his devotional today on Bayside Church’s on-line “Refuel,”
Andrew McCourt talked about marriage and relationships.
He titled his message, “What Families Know,” and he said,
“People who aren’t married do married things…
they are lovers practicing for divorce.”
Love Without Commitment
For as long as life began – back to the days of Adam and Eve – men and women have found a way to “find each other’s cracks.” And eventually pouring into that crack can burst the container!
Eve found Adam’s crack!
And look what happened…
Andrew McCourt offered some suggestions for how to relate to one another in genuine love that does not seek to “find the crack” – but rather seeks to FILL AND FULFILL.
Andrew said something to this effect,
“What successful married folks know is this:
there is an order to successful relationships.
First, you stand together shoulder to shoulder
(Don’t let kids or anyone else get between you).
Second, you stand or sit together face-to-face
(You look each other in the eye and you communicate).
Third, you do the bellybutton-to-bellybutton thing
(You love each other emotionally and physically).”
Reverse Order
Andrew said, “When we get that order of things reversed, that’s when we start Practicing for Divorce.”
When did this whole thing of living together first to try it out before getting married come into being?
I have a biased (informed, of course) opinion about that! I think “Three’s Company” is the culprit.
Living Together Out of Wedlock
I couldn’t find a picture of those three folks (a guy and two gals) who lived together in an apartment in NYC on a TV show back in the 70’s or early 80’s, but it was funny and popular and it made it look like it was okay for unmarried people of the opposite sex to live together. “Three’s Company” was one of my mom’s favorite shows. And she would be considered a prude by today’s standards.
When my niece lived with a guy before marriage in NYC, my mom said it was a great idea because it made her safer in an unsafe city!
See how media can change our idea of right and wrong?
Ah, here: I found a video. It was a darling TV show!
Bayside’s “Refuel” Podcast
If you want to hear Andrew McCourt himself
and his actual words on the subject,
try this link:
bit.ly/devo021020
I have that on my iPhone and it takes me there.
On With My Day
‘Tis time for me to get on with my day. Tomorrow is our actual anniversary… 58 years. It’s not always been a bed of roses, but the key ingredient always has been there:
RESPECT
Yup, that’s the bottom line!
So, whatever your relationship…
whether it’s three’s company,
living with your lover,
or married,
keep that RESPECT alive!
And there are a few other tips
for how to keep from practicing for divorce, too.
I’ll save those for tomorrow.
What is something
that makes you laugh out loud,
or at least grin,
or chuckle? Share it with me!
Hugs to You !!
Inspire to Love
Let the SonShine!
You inspire me to respond
Learning to Live; Living to Learn; Learning to Love; Living in Love
