Bowling Is Entrenched in the Family

I spent most of this day in one of two bowling alleys.  The major part of my morning was spent in the Franklin Community Center at the Senior Olympics for Greater Nashville.  Walter decided to participate a few weeks ago.  He signed up for bowling and horseshoes.  Bowling was today.

Walter Modestly Showing Off 2015 Senior Olympics T-Shirt

He bowled three games for a total of 552 points.  This was a really good score for him but not good enough to win either of the top three prizes.  But he got a neat T-Shirt and can now go on to the 2016 state level if he chooses.  I think the program is a way of promoting physical involvement in senior adults.  Although he knew no one there, he had a good time and bowled a good set of games.  He has every reason to be proud of his accomplishment.

And to top off the afternoon I spent more time at the Smyrna Bowling Center.  Grandson Kash is now part of the Stewartsboro bowling team.  He bowled his second time this afternoon. Walter had coached him some.  At eight years old, he had bowled 11 without the bumper rails for his first practice.  But today he bowled a 64 which was good enough to get to bowl a second game.  For that game he bowled 67!  With more practice he will probably be bowling really well soon.

So the game is passing on to another generation in our family.  I better get me a warm sweater and get ready to spent a lot of hours in the future in a bowling alley!

God is good.

Our Truck Goes to Good Use

We have been dirty girls and boys lately.  Here is the picture to prove it.  We were covered in mud and sweat after harvesting several rows of corn.

Parkway Corn Pickers

Our church has a community garden. Yesterday we gathered to pick the corn.  With the workers assembled above we were able to fill three truck beds with fresh ears of corn.  Our truck is the white one on the far right.  It held 620 ears which we delivered to the Smyrna LaVergne Food Bank.  The other trucks went to the Journey Home mission in Murfreesboro.  We estimated the three trucks held approximately 2,700 ears.  HALLELUJAH!

I am happy to be a small part of this mission into our community.

Fresh Corn Just After 6:30 am

We took home a few ears of corn, too.  I made creamed corn that was so tasty and not a diet dish at all! Fresh is best.  I also took a few ears and boiled corn-on-the-cob for a couple in our church. The husband is dealing with inoperable brain cancer but is still at home.  We had a good visit with his wife, one of their girls and him.  He never complains, says very little but still makes it known that he enjoys seeing us.  What a dear man.

When Walter wanted a truck he told me he would use it to forward God's work.  He has been faithful to that promise as he hauls pastries and baked goods to the Right Road Ministry that works with people returning to the community after time in jail or as recovering alcoholics.  He also delivers to the food bank as mentioned before.  He takes off trash for our neighbors who do not have a way to do that themselves.  He hauls lumber and other supplies when the church group Helping Hands builds a wheelchair ramp for a family.

Thank God for caring people.  God is good!

Gardening Woes

I had let my garden beds go too long neglected. Too many other activities have taken my time and energy. Yesterday I decided to prolong my weeding no longer.

Grass and Weeds Overtaking the Rose Bed

I surveyed the rose bed.  The weeds had virtually taken over the bed.  Although the weather forecast predicted rain, I got out all my weeding tools anyway.

I worked for about thirty minutes and when my back pain overtook me, I went inside to rest for a while.  When the rain did come, I went inside to rest until it stopped raining.  After three sessions of weeding in between rest bouts, I was able to step back and see the results of my hard work.

The bed had been spaded and all the weeds pulled. Most of the weeds came out with their roots intact due to the wet earth or mud that made the pulling easier.  Some of the weeds were just chopped off, so I know they will regrow and the weeding process will have to be repeated.  But that is how it is with gardening.

Groomed Rose Bed

Oh how I wish one work session would last all summer, but I know better.  Maybe this time I will not wait so long to manicure the beds.  That will make the gardening chores much easier next time.

The mums are also in this bed along with some purple morning glories behind the bird bath.  At the end of the gardening session, my gloves were black from the wet dirt, my back was hurting and I was a nasty mess!

A hot shower and a hot cup of lemon tea relaxed me enough for a full lay down sleep of about an hour.  How decadent for me!

Gardens are a good thing.  God is good!

Life of Christ Presentation

These are some of the over 100 costumes I have been sewing for the past few weeks.  Several ladies and I have spent many hours cutting fabrics, sewing and surging tunics and vests for the many characters needed for depicting the life of Christ from birth to resurrection.

Costume Room at the Church

They are for the Good Friday and Saturday drive through drama at Parkway Church.  We are planning eighteen scenes which will be along the sides of the driveway at the church.  Dozens of people have been planning and working on the scenes for weeks.

It will all come together for the April 3 - 4 pm to 6 pm and April 4 - 3 pm to 6 pm presentations.  The church members are pumped for the dramatic large production that it will be.  In doing the work for this presentation, many of us have learned more about our dear Lord and what the world looked like when He walked the earth.

God is good!  Happy Easter!

Senior Adult Luncheon

Today Walter and I hosted the Senior Adult luncheon for our church.  Last year we reluctantly accepted the leadership of this group of church members.  Our duties are to hold monthly luncheons and provide either a program or a speaker.  Sometimes an additional activity is scheduled.

Our theme this month was a continuation of celebrating St. Patrick's Day since it was only two days after the holiday.  We decided to decorate with silver and green balloons.

Room Dressed with Six Tables-Before Guests Arrive

Almost everyone, regardless of age, likes balloons. I was very happy to hear the "wow" and "pretty room" comments when people started arriving.  We meet in the Town Centre of our town for a buffet style meal.  It is always of good quality.  Our church subsidizes the meal so the seniors have a low cost outing.

Registration Table

We dressed up the room with a few simple decorations on the coffee table and the registration table.
The decorations were nice but the room looked the best when it was filled with the seniors.  We had a great speaker as one of the Sunday School teachers spoke on the constant and unrelenting love and presence of Jesus in the believer's life.

Following are some pictures of the group assembled.  Good conversations and hearty laughter was shared at each table.

I have a lot of fun when working and sharing with these good people.  God is good!

Iced In

Our first ice and snow storm of 2015 has been one for the record books as far as being stranded in our house.  When the first snow fell on Sunday night we awoke to much ice and some snow.  We live in a subdivision which is situated on multiple hills.  Having no four-wheel drive vehicles the decision to stay off the roads was easy.  We have been in for six days now!

We stayed in and did some cleaning and DVR watching.  I did a lot of cooking from scratch which included stir-fry, cauliflower soup, one pot spaghetti, pinto beans and corn bread and baked fish.  I also make fruit salad and strawberry sauce to put over some angel food cake.  Walter contributed coconut pudding.  We have eaten well!

The driveway and yard were too thickly covered with ice so Walter made a few pictures from the windows which will help us remember this icy year.

Cardinal Eating the Bird Seed Walter Laid Out

The birds gathered in our yard.  Walter had some bird seed that he put on our back concrete.  While the birds gathered to eat them, he took a few pictures of them.

Our Street From Our Kitchen Window (notice the screen over the window)

Our neighborhood sits atop a steep hill and while the main roads and interstates became clear, our street continued to not be addressed by the city.

The icing and snow fall have continued to plague our area.  We have made the best of the situation by working on craft projects we have in progress.  

No Fresh Water for the Birds

Our feathered friends have made their presence known by loudly chirping in the trees.  We have many types of birds in the trees surrounding our yard.  We have seen cardinals, robins, woodpeckers and many small brown birds.  They are so pretty against the white of the snow.

Bird Surrounded by Icy Tree Limbs

All the tree branches are covered in ice.  There is so much bird and squirrel activity around the house. Walter caught a shot of robins in a section of the trees where twenty plus birds were gathered.

Multiple Robins Sharing the Same Tree

Seeing the multiple of birds was inspiring.  I wondered how God had designed the birds so that they could withstand the cold continuous weather they were in.

Red Bellied Woodpecker Enjoying Suet Feeder

During the year we get to see numerous woodpeckers as we keep suet out for them.  We enjoy the rich color they bring to the yard.

Although the birds are mobile and able to fly from one yard to the next in search of food and shelter, we are not as lucky.  Thursday evening Walter took the car down the hill so he could go bowling with his league and was able to drive back up the hill to get home.  He said it was slow going but he was able to navigate it well enough.

Friday morning I had a doctor's appointment so we ventured out.  We slid some but were able to get off the hill again.  After the appointment we treated ourselves to a meal out and did a little shopping for a grandson's birthday gifts.  We had no idea what lay in store for us.  We approached the hill again and this time, after three attempts, we were not able to navigate up it.  We had to leave our car in a neighbor's driveway.  As we were walking up the hill, using the front yards, as the street was way too deep in ice to use for walking, a neighbor lady who works with the National Guard, offered to take us home in her four-wheel drive truck.  We gladly took her offer and were happy to be at our garage door within a few minutes.

She then went back down the hill and brought up two more neighbors who were also stranded with their vehicles at the base of the hill.  After watching us try the hill, they had stopped their efforts.

So here we are today, waiting on the rain and sun to maybe melt the ice that imprisons us within our home.  Out home is warm and we have ample food supply for several more days.  So thanks to kindhearted neighbors who have brought us milk, called to check on us and taken us home, we are content with our surroundings.

God is good!

Three Celebrations in One

On Sunday we had a great opportunity to be present while our grandson, Austin, was baptized.  He is thirteen. We are so proud of his decision. Before the month is over he will be fourteen.

So we went to the church and saw him baptized.  At such a young age he is already taller than his pastor.  After the service we went to his house to share a barbecue meal with him and the extended family.

Cupcakes Wait for Austin to Blow Out the Candle

Not only did we celebrate his birthday and baptism but also his father Chris's birthday is in February too.  So along with Austin's celebrations, we also celebrated his father's 42nd birthday.  As all of the family was together we saw this as a perfect solution to holding separate parties.

Several of the Guests Await Their Turn for a Cupcake

For Austin, we selected a nice key ring with a black cross charm on it.  It has a quality weight and a very classic design.  We also had his name engraved on it.  Our hope is that this key ring will stay with him for his lifetime as a constant reminder of his baptism day.

Austin Showing Birthday Card From Us Which Contained $50

Chris had recently bought himself a Corvette.  This is the second one he has owned and it is fairly new and really sharp.  A few months ago Walter and I ate at Cracker Barrel and while shopping the store, Walter found a history book on Corvettes.  We thought that was just the thing for Chris' birthday.  After purchasing the book we avoided any conversations which might tip him off that we had the book.

60th Anniversary of Corvette Manufacturing Brings a Smile to Chris

We also picked up a gift card to Hickory Falls, one of his favorite restaurants. He was happy to receive the gift card.  But when he opened the box holding the book, he was thrilled. 

Chris Lost in Reading His Book

We were so glad to see him peruse each and every page of the book while the rest of the party was going on.  He works so hard at his job that we are always glad if we can contribute anything to enrich his life.  I think we were successful with this gift.

Our family is special to us and we enjoy spending time with them.  These three celebrations were jam packed with fun.  We are grateful.

God is good.