A Word on Grandmothers~

I am reading a book called,

Jesus 

Hero of my Soul

by Jim McGuiggan

First let me say it is a must own book.

Each chapter is a little story on its own.

The introduction has this quote, 

a quote that sets the tone for all that follows.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Look full in his wonderful face.

And the things of earth will 

grow strangely dim,

In the light of his glory and grace.

~Helen H. Lemmel

So little of this post are my words.

Just a beautiful short about Grandmothers.

One little boy put it well when asked what a grandmother was.

He said: " A grandmother is a lady who has no children of her own,

so she loves everybody else's.

Grandmas don't have anything to do except be there.

  If they take you for a walk, they slow down past leaves and caterpillars.  

They never say

'hurry up'.  

Usually they're fat, but not too fat to tie your shoes.  

The wear glasses, and sometimes they can take their teeth out. 

They can answer questions like why dogs hate cats and why 

God isn't married.  

When they read to you, they don't skip words

or mind if it's the same story again. 

 Everyone should try to have a grandmother, 

especially if they don't have television, because grandmas are the only grownups who always have time for you." 

~Jim McGuiggan

~

The best day's of this life for me are the days I've been,

Grandma.

Ellery Grace

Sweet Beans aka Khloe

Little Aubrie :-)

Dominic

Calib

Julia and Gavin


~

Those babies are what echos from my heart today.

Something to Consider ~

The world's greatest tragedy
 is unwantedness,
the world's worst disease 
is loneliness.

Mother Teresa


~

But there is one who came,
refusing to be ashamed of us.
This one offers us not only a meal, clothes, a bath and a temporary release,
 but he offers us his name, his permanent cleansing, and a permanent home-
we need not go back to our personal Skid Row.

Jim McGuiggan



Giving these some thought,

and implementing something positive

because of it ~

It's what echos from my heart today.

Must Read Books!

Happy Monday

My fruit smoothie with some spinach :-)

I hope your morning has started out on the right track...

I had to share that I finished up two books this weekend.

The first was, The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford.

What a great read....I promise you will love it!

It's one you won't want to put down.....

~

The second one is written by a Christian author, Donna Partow called,

SOON TO BE A MAJOR

MOTION PICTURE

NEW DIRECTION FOR LIFE'S DRAMAS

Really puts things into perspective as to how often we come close to making

a big deal " Motion Picture" of our problems...

No matter how big or small you may see life's problems,

this book is for you.

She is very real and funny too!

Happy reading!!

Let me know about your latest read!

Good books, echo from my heart today....

A Bit of Rambling ~

A change of scenery,

often brings clarity.

I was going through some photos last night and came across this one of a train.

How I love trains....

Something about staring out the window as you become one with the gentle movement that

rocks you into a state of relaxation.

The mind is suddenly clear, thoughts usually jumbled have slowed to a rate that 

allows each to be given the attention it should have...

 

 I can remember the day I photographed this butterfly.

It had gently landed on the petals of this particular Canna.

Whenever I look at these petals I'm amazed how each appears

to be hand painted....by God.

This day the Monarch butterfly that was equally amazing with its perfectly

drawn shapes and angles, as it took the time to be quiet.
 As though it felt safe enough to take the time and take in the beauty of the petal .

I photographed this butterfly for a good half hour....it had no reason to rush off,

it had found somewhere that felt safe, 

beautiful and safe.

 Do you ever feel as though your passing through a forever tunnel,

missing all that that God has out there for us to take in?

To really take the created into sight, to take a moment to allow that state of wonder and awe?

Love to photograph tunnels...memories of Dad honking his horn as we past through :-)

Quiet and safe, so under rated... I can't seem to shake the need for quiet.

It's in quiet I find clarity.

I know I've blogged on this before...but here it is again

not to be ignored.

I can focus on what God is attempting to teach me...

somewhere in the quiet is where I hear Him best.

I hear Him on a train ride,

I hear Him in the beauty of His creations,

otherwise missed, but not in the quiet.

Today rather than trying to reinvent the wheel,

or solve the problems of the world,

neither of which are my job or responsibility.

(Think of the amount of time I have just given myself in this day)

I will spend some time with the quiet beauty surrounding me,

the stuff I miss when I remain in the tunnel.

Find your seat on the train,

some quiet time with your thoughts...

Take notice of all you may have been missing.

Release that which is not your job or responsibility.

Once you release the job, is when God can handle it for you...

but not until you release it.

Have a great Friday !

Done rambling :-)

Take a seat, and listen....its what echos from my heart today.

Blessings ~

Blessings !

Our daughter Jackie made this sign for us, 

I love it.

~

We hung it on the arch that leads to our dining room.

She said she liked that it wasn't specific.

Specifically not listing 

family, friends or grandchildren...

It covers all,

 all who gather here,

all, we call blessings.

Jackie  has a nice little home business going that brings in another income for her family.
It helps as she is a stay at home Mommy to Julia, Aubrie and Gavin, and a wife
 to a husband that works long hours.

I hope you will check out her sight, she has a nice collection going.
Her busiest time is during the holidays, they do make for great little gifts!
I love that colors and fonts can be customized :-)

http://www.saltboxhousesigns.etsy.com

Tell her WSM sent you (Wicked Step Mother) :-)

She inspires me as she juggles three children all in school and involved
in outside activities, runs her business, all with a hubby who works long hours.

Jackie is a blessing to me,
She's the blessing that echos from my heart today...

Sweet Beans Wednesday ~

Sweetest of Beans !

Khloe's Momma is now on maternity leave, so I don't

have my sweet beans Monday through Friday.

But,

I do have her every Wednesday for the day.

Here's how we spent our first "Sweet Beans Wednesday.

Banana Nut Bread 

Her job was to stir and sample.

 Below is after her first sample :-) 

She did a fine job keeping her eyes on the bread.

 We had a little lunch and watched the birds out back while we waited.

 

Gram tried a new recipe, browner than usual and low rising?

Tasted great, moist !

Khloe has made cookies with me before, this time she kept repeating,

"what a mess".

OCD perhaps? 

She's a mess and I have so much fun every minute I'm with her.

All ready looking forward to my next

Sweet Bean Wednesday !

Baking memories, it's what echos from my heart today.......

Tea Cups, Pearls and Aquamarine ~

My special delivery !

This beautiful necklace sent to me from my sweetest of sweet friends Judy

over at  http://justalittlesomethingforyou.blogspot.com/

She occasionally has a drawing for something extra special
and my name was picked!

I love the phase written on it,

Each new day is a gift

Not truer words for me .....

It has a tea cup on it...

I have sweet memories of drinking tea with 

my Mom when I was little, milk and sugar please :-)

It has a pearl on it....

A pearl that starts as something not so nice,

yet develops into something beautiful.

A reminder I'm never done growing into something better....

A beautiful aquamarine is also on it...

It happens to be Judy's birthstone,

but is a reminder of Mom's blue eyes.

Wanted Judy to see me wearing it !!!

I hope you will stop by Judy's blog, it's one of my favorites.

She is an awesome Christian Woman, Mother, Wife and Grandmother.

I believe God put her in my life just when I needed her,

for that I am so thankful. 

 I have learned so much about the woman I desire

to be, from her example.

Thank you Judy, for more than you know.....

Tea cups, Pearls and Aquamarine

the memories they stir, it's what echos form my hear today...