Stop doubting and believe!

Did you ever have one of those experiences where you were going to just burst unless you told someone some good news? Well, that's me today.

Early this morning a friend was so upset and crying so hard that she couldn't even think straight. It all started yesterday when she was doing a good deed and baking cookies with a teenager who needed some extra tlc...When it was all over she could not find her set of engagement/wedding rings or her 40th anniversary diamond ring. She remembered taking the rings off so like any good Italian cook, she could use her hands to mix the cookie dough. She called the teenager to see if she had seen where she might have put the rings. My friend thought she had put them in the pocket of the top she was wearing, only to be devastated to look and find the pocket had a hole in it.

I told her I would pray. I got on my knees and had my talk with Jesus. I reminded Him that I knew how much he cared for people and their feelings. I visualized the little children climbing up onto His lap. I saw Him weeping with his friends over the death of Lazarus. I told Him how my friend was doing this good deed in His name, and how He had made us with the emotions that we have, and how much those rings meant to her because they were gifts from her husband of over 40 years. And I asked Him to let the rings be found QUICKLY.

She looked everywhere. She finally had to tell her husband, and he looked as well. She remembered that on the way back from taking the teenager home, she stopped at Subway to pick up sandwiches, so she called the store this morning to ask if by any chance the rings had turned up there. NOTHING.

But I KNEW the rings would be found. After an hour or so I even told my husband that I couldn't believe that my friend hadn't called me yet to tell me. It was one of those times when I just knew the prayer would be answered and while I thought about it, I wasn't wringing my hands or doubting at all.

Now, I need to tell you it has been snowing here last night and today. Probably two inches worth. Quite enough to cover up a couple of diamond rings that had fallen from a pocket with a hole in it into a parking lot of a Subway store. But my friend had an overwhelming urge to get in her car, drive a couple miles, and go look. A car was parked in the same spot where she had parked last night. She got out of her car and went and looked. There were the rings, about 8 inches apart, right where they had fallen and they had not been run over or touched.

Really, she shouldn't have gone by herself! She ran into the store, eyes swollen from crying and clutching her rings. To the kids who were working, she said, "I'm the lady who called you and asked about my rings!" Then she opened up her hands and showed them. One of the kids said something like "wow, those are worth something! where did you find them?" and she told them. As she was leaving, she turned around and said, "I just wanted you to know there IS a God, and He told me to come here, and I found my rings!"

Then she called me. As soon as I saw her name in the caller ID I knew she found the rings. I told her I had no doubt she would find them and was waiting for her call! Now that alone is a gift from God. Faith is a gift...not something we can muster up on our own.

God gave me the gift of faith to believe, and once again I am humbled to remember that He is FOR us. Why do we ever doubt?

This isn't about rings. My friend would even tell you that. This is about the everlasting love that a Father has for His children. For whatever reason, sometimes we just need to be reminded in a vivid way that He is THERE, and that He cares deeply for us. My faith has just been enlarged. Has yours? Oh friend, rejoice with me today!

My little Italian Grandma...

I was unbelievably blessed with two awesome Grandmas. Today I will write about "Little Grandma" as she was affectionately called. I am only 5 feet tall, and she came up to about my shoulders. She was born in Sicily on June 4, 1900, which means she would be 110 years old today if she was still living. As it was, Grandma made it to to age 93 in this life, and basically living independently until her final months.

This is the only family photo which shows my grandparents with all of their children. It was taken in 1934. My dad is on the far left; next to him is his brother, Anthony, who died at age 21; next to Anthony is brother Jacob, who died at 15. The remaining six children all survived into late adulthood and four are still living today. Grandma had just turned 17 when she married Grandpa, and she had all these children before she was 34 years old.

Grandma's name was Josephine and my family lived next door to her and Grandpa until I was 11 years old. Then we moved to a bigger house, but only 3 blocks away.

Between our houses was a home made concrete path that went through my grandparents' huge garden. I was free to come and go as I pleased, and Grandma's door was never locked. But there was something sacred about their home and I think it was all the praying that went on there. Grandma was a little hard of hearing, so she didn't know how many times I would walk in her house and find her on her knees, either beside her bed, or in front of the living room couch. In later years, when she lived in a smaller house and I would drive over to visit unexpectedly, I would bang on the door but she couldn't hear me, so I would look in the window and see her just praying away while sitting in her chair.

My grandparents didn't drive, so our family always took them to church. Those were the days before seatbelts and as many as 10 of us would pile into our station wagon, the smaller ones sitting on the laps of the adults. Grandma always carried Chicklets gum in her purse, and we kids couldn't wait to get on her lap and ask for some.

I often maneuvered to get invited to Grandma's for lunch on Sundays after church, because she always had a big pot of spaghetti sauce bubbling on the stove, usually with some chicken pieces in it. My grandparents always prayed both before and after their meals, and they also used little cards with scripture verses on them which were read before every meal.

Grandma may have been little in stature, but she was a no-nonsense, capable woman who raised eight children who were all born at home. She cooked, cleaned, gardened, canned, sewed, and did all the other things a homemaker did in those days. She was generous with her produce from the garden and her fruit trees through the years of the Great Depression, never turning a beggar away. She kept the household running in spite of losing two sons to diabetes within a couple of years, and without any income when my Grandpa had to go away to a sanitarium for months, suffering with TB.

When Grandma turned 90, our family had a huge birthday party for her in the church fellowship hall. Her six living children each stood up and called her blessed, sharing memories and stories. The grandchildren and great-grandchildren (and there are many) blessed her with music and other talents, and each one stood in line to give her a rose and a hug. There were many displays of her handwork and photographs, and a video playing of an interview my sister had with her to document some of her life.

I have not one single memory of my Grandma ever being anything but loving, kind, and hard working. Seems she always had an apron on, and her hair was always rolled up in a little bun in the back of her head. All I have to do, even now, is think of her and my eyes fill with tears. I miss her so much. When she was dying, I had a terrible time of letting her go. I remember the last time I saw her at the nursing home, the night before she passed. I knelt beside her bed, holding her soft little hand. I cried till there were no tears left, and prayed like I had seen her do so many times. The release finally came, and I thought of Proverbs 31:31,

"Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."

I have no doubts that her soul entered the gates of heaven and I will see her again.

Being a grandma is one of the most precious blessings I have received in life. I've always wanted to be a grandma, even before my own kids were grown up. I just knew it would be something very special. When I think of grandparenting, this verse comes to my mind:

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him..." I Cor. 2:9 NIV

So as I remember my little Italian Grandma today, not only do I count my blessings, but I am challenged to be the best Grandma I can be to my own sweet grandchildren. I hope someday they will be able to remember me as a Godly woman who influenced them for good, because that's how I will always remember my Grandma.

Picture from Memorial Day weekend 2010. From left: Owen (2), Deacon (4), Ethan (18 months), and Elylah (4).

A million reasons to believe...

This is a Christmas shopping bag that Macy's used a couple of years ago. I found it in my closet and it got me to thinking. Maybe it's just because I cannot remember a time that I did not believe in God, and know instinctively that He is the Creator of all things, but I still find it difficult to understand how anyone can observe nature, or look up into the sky, and not believe. It is so much easier for me to believe in an intelligent designer who is bigger than me, than it is to try to imagine that everything we see in this world was some kind of random joining of cells and molecules that evolved over billions of years. It just doesn't even make common sense, because even if you took that theory all the way back to as far as you could imagine, there still had to be "something" to get things started. When God created, He made something out of nothing.

Last week I shot this simple photo from my kitchen slider window. I just happened to glance up at the sky right before sunset, and my heart was filled with awe, as it always is, to see this breathtaking beauty in nature.

Here is a wonderful passage of Scripture that I happened to read the same day I saw that moon from my kitchen window. The beautiful sky alone is a witness to the glorious Creator.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.

There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.

Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.

Psalm 19:1-4

God was so intent on revealing Himself through nature that He even says that mankind is "without excuse" not to believe. I can't read Psalm 19 without remembering what is written in Romans 1. Because not only do the heavens declare God's glory, they also reveal His wrath. Have a look:

"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools..."

Romans 1:18-22.

Not believing in God through His revelation in nature makes man a fool, He says. When we don't believe, our hearts become dark and our thinking becomes futile. Though we can see Him clearly through nature, man has forgotten to give God the thanks and praise He deserves. Won't you take a moment to look around at God's creation today and give Him thanks?

Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.

Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,

praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,

praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.

Psalm 150

Memory-making in progress...

Please go over to my other blog to see what's been going on with us lately. And if I don't get back to blogging for a few days, I want to wish everyone the merriest Christmas ever! I'm grateful for the new friendships I have made through this amazing technology! Looking forward to getting to know you all better in 2010 and catching up with your blogs as well. God bless us, everyone!

Highlights of a busy month in pictures...

Before I move on to Christmas things, I want to document a little of my life between the buns in the past month by posting some photos of the highlights. With this post I will officially say "good-bye" to a wonderful autumn season. I have been blessed by reading many wonderful blogs and seeing beautiful pictures that many have posted. I am so thankful for this technology that offers the ability to join lives across the nation and even around the world. I'm also very grateful to those more techy than I who share their gifts so generously. A heart felt THANK YOU to all who have chosen to link your lives with mine in the blogosphere. You have blessed me more than you can know! This past month has been an extremely busy one, as you can see by these highlights!

Here are some cute trick-or-treaters that came to our house...

Even the OSU coach stopped by...

And we met some new neighbors...

My grandaughter Elylah loved being Sleeping Beauty...

And my grandson Ethan was a skeleton...

While I was busy passing out candy to all these sweet children, a familiar car pulled into my driveway! My other two grandchildren arrived from South Carolina to spend a long weekend with us! I was so excited to see my daughter-in-law, Ellie, grandson Deacon (Thing One) and grandson Owen (Thing Two)!!! Wasn't she brave to drive 10 hours with the two boys? My son Andy couldn't get away this time.

So, here's the bunch that keep me young, or at least young at heart!

From left: Deacon, Elylah, (both 3) daughter-in-law Joanna, son Sam holding Ethan, (just turning one) daughter-in-law Ellie holding Owen (who will be two in Jan.)

While the boys were here, there were plenty of nice days left to play outside in the backyard. This picture of Deacon is one of my favorites:

And you can always count on Owen to smile for the camera:

Ethan won't fit in the baby swing next spring!

How about some "fall ball" with Deacon?

Elylah would really rather play in the leaves!

Three little monkeys...

Two budding artists...

Lunch with Amma Stager

And a visit to GG's condo...

(Deacon and Owen with my mom and my hubby)

How awesome they have two great grandmas here in Ohio!

Pretty soon, I will be taking all my techy questions to Deacon...

or to Elylah...

Shortly after the kids returned to SC, I had a friend over to make cut out cookies...

She has cerebral palsey so it was a bit of a challenge...but we managed and had a great time.

But the real challenge came when my son and daughter-in-law went away on vacation for 5 days and 4 nights, and we kept the two kids. We played musical beds, and they ate ice cream for breakfast one day. (I know, I can't believe it either!)

We baked cookies for Pre-School...

Made Christmas ornaments with GG...

Generally played and made lots of messes...

And at the end of the five days I definitely needed some rest!

But...it was time to celebrate Ethan's first birthday...

We had the party at my house, and Joanna and her mom furnished all the (yummy homemade Asian) food. Here I am with the other Grandma as Ethan enjoys his cake.

A few days later, it was Elylah's Pre-School's Thanksgiving luncheon and program.

And then, last but not least, Thanksgiving Day was celebrated in the party room of my mom's condo this year. It was different, but it worked out well. There ended up being 26 family members present. Before dinner, my nephew Robby gave a devotion.

Then he had each of us come up one at a time to place a piece of fruit in the cornucopia and tell one thing we were thankful for.

We had an elegant dinner on one side of the big room...

and there was plenty of space for all kinds of activities on the other side.

It was really a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!

This morning we woke up to this beautiful scene from our front door:

Our first snowfall of the season...

Which makes it easier to say good-bye to a lovely fall and begin to focus on what is ahead. I can't wait to get decorated for Christmas!

Are you getting ready? The holidays are upon us!

graphic from www.penniwigs.blogspot.com

*Thanksgiving memories, recipes, and tips will be posted every day this week at www.mistressofmydomain.blogspot.com and then Christmas items will be posted after that. My hope is that readers will also share their items of interest! It's still not too late to be making up a Christmas jar to give away to someone anonymously. If you don't know about it, click here:

http://mistressofmydomain.blogspot.com/search/label/Christmas%20Jars

Oh how my heart is beginning to feel the joy of the season...Thankfulness and giving. What a wonderful combination of attitudes. This year the holidays will brings lots of changes as many folks, out of necessity, will be cutting back on spending. Us included. I feel so challenged to look beyond busyness and commercialism and turn my focus to the real legacy my heart wants to leave for my children and grandchildren: a truly grateful heart for all of my blessings; giving the gift of quality time to those who are dear to me; a cheerful heart and countenance throughout the season in spite of a more crowded than usual calendar; less time spent at the mall and more time spent at home making memories; opening my eyes to see those in need all around me and doing what I can to ease someone's burden. Smile more. Stress less. Pray more. Worry less. Being more sensitive to those for whom the holiday season brings painful memories, especially those who have lost family members and loved ones. Being more intentional about keeping a sane margin around my life to save time to nourish my soul with books, music, and quiet time. Remembering with gratitude the pilgrims who sacrificed so much for the sake of religious freedom. Contemplating the old, old story of the Christ child, the shepherds, the angels, all the miracles of that holy night. Realizing that as we look forward to Christmas each year, we also look forward to the day He will come again, not as a babe in a manger, but as a victorious ruler in power and great glory!

Be blessed my friend. And give thanks with a grateful heart. Every day of this season I intend to ask God to show me something new that will help me to grow in producing the good fruit of His spirit in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Won't you join me?

graphic from www.penniwigs.blogspot.com