Complications in Life

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately... which is not unusual for me in between this busy life I am living. My son's school lost in the playoffs last Friday night so that means no more football games. Yeah! It means rest for us. It means less practices for him. It means less running, rushing and less use of gas even though gas prices came down here. Still praying they will come down more.

I noticed on Facebook that some of my friends were doing daily thankful posts which was nice. When I read them, I would have been 13 days behind if I were doing them. I didn't have a real urge to do those or try to catch up. That did not mean I wasn't thankful. I am thankful every day. On Veteran's day, I did post a thankfulness to my Grandaddy, father, husband and many uncles for serving our country. I only wished I could have posted pictures of them, but I have their pictures in my mind and heart always. Those thankful postings were just one less thing I had to do in my now busy life.

I had my ups and downs as always. I had things happen I only discussed in emails to my closest friends. As always I was thankful for all my friends who are always there for me; who have my back; who let me vent; who pray for me. Don't know what I would do without them. Don't want to find out. I have been disappointed a lot lately but it doesn't get me down.

I have noticed my picture taking has been few and far between, but I am not worried. I am just more selective about my picture taking. I still create small art whenever I can. I still try to brighten everyone's day with good emails and artistic ideas. Like I need more! LOL I have done a few good deeds and Random Acts of Kindness. I have developed my own style; my own signature art now. I like it. It makes me happy and that is all that matters.
Sometimes I complain a lot althougth I try not to complain much. Who wants to hear a constant complainer? Lately I have been thinking about the complications in my life. Nothing major. I always help everyone else but who helps me? Maybe I have been feeling a bit sorry for myself. I am entitled. I thought about these complications... like hHow my son makes me late. How he forgot his instrument when we are at the car this morning! Where is his brain? Then I thought , if I did not have all these complications, I probably wouldn't have a life at all. I would be all alone. So I will gladly accept all my of my man complications in life - thank you very much!

I was disappointed today but I didn't let it get me down. Instead I created my own art, displayed it so I can look at it. My art made me happy. I made it myself. I made art. I made my own happiness.

What are you thankful for this week? Care to share? Then please join us at the following...
http://womentakingastand.blogspot.com/
Now I had not read Laurie's post before composing mine but mine is sort of similar to her's. Love it when that happens as if it was meant to be.
~theRAV~

Ps. I tried to leave a comment on Laurie's blog but it wouldn't let me!

My BFF Penny

I have written of my very funny, talented BFF before. She always makes you laugh. She has the God given voice of an angel. Penny had breast cancer a few years ago but is a survivor. She had to leave her family in order to stay with her mom in another state because he mom has the dreaded Alzheimers. As if that wasn't hard enough being so far from her family, her loving hubby, and 3 growing daughters, tending to her mom, she recently has had a rare form of skin cancer come up on her back! She sent me an email which I read at work Friday morning. This was very uspetting for me. So much so that I was crying. No, this cannot be happening to her again! I cannot lose my BFF!  I can only imagine how it must be for her! Praying that they got it all and she won't have to have any surgery to remove more layers. Please keep my BFF Penny in your prayers. Right now she seems pretty upbeat. A friend told me that is a good thing; that it will help in the healing process. Hoping and praying for only good news for Penny. This made me realize my problems are small in comparison.

Rear Ended

Life was very busy being a band mom much less being a daughter, mother and the Dad the last two weeks. My life and art dreams were put aside so that my son could live his dreams being in his high school marching band. I was tired but I survived. Even the out of town band contest where I felt more than my age, discovered that it is nearly impossible to sleep on a school bus. Tired and very ill tempered last Sunday. No amount of sleep could catch me up. Hubby returned home safely and we were thankful.

Then it was back to the busy band routine of who picks him up what day only to be changed again by the band director on Monday! Such is the life of a band. Life had it's maddening moments but I got over some of them even though I was still mad. I am a mom dealing with a teenager now and I know this is only the beginning of a long road ahead. I have had to be the mean mom but I am thankful to be a mom; his mom. He really is a good kid and I love him with all my heart.

So you are going down this busy road that is now your life when BOOM! Out of nowhere you get hit. This morning I was headed to work when I got rear ended. I screamed!!! Still shaking from it. Thankfully no one was hurt. My car was okay but the poor girl that hit me has an even harder road ahead of her. Her brakes failed then her car wouldn't start. The policeman had to help her move it aside. She had to get someone to take her kid to school or the cop would have driven them. She will have to pay a fine now and probably cannot afford it. But we were okay. I am thankful.

Other drivers were very rude. One tow truck even yelled at the girl to get out of the road! A lady I went to high school was the only one who asked if we were alright. Later I called her personally to thank her for doing that small thing that meant more to me and the girl who rear ended me rather than thank her in an email. I told Cheryl that was her good deed for the day.

Wake up call. Take nothing for granted. Be thankful to still be here; alive. Be thankful Someone was watching out for you. Always pray and be thankful for safe journeys. Never take them for granted.   What are you thankful for this week? Care to share? Then please join us at the following...
http://womentakingastand.blogspot.com/
where Laurie had a wonderful post about a perfect life. I wish! LOL

Prayerful Not Thankful

This week I admitted to a friend I had not been as thankful for my many blessings as normal. I know that sounded bad. Instead of being thankful, I was more prayerful. I had two very specific prayer requests to begin this week... One was for my BFF Penny who had breast cancer a few years ago. She is a breast cancer survivor. She is staying with her mom in Savannah who has Alzheimer's and is many, many, many miles away from her family in Washington state. I cannot imagine being away from my child so I know her situation is very difficult for her. She has a history of cysts. She had a cyst come up behind her ear and had it removed but it swelled up so much that she had to find a dermatologist. More work was done on it requiring stitches which will be removed on the 9th. She also had another place that she thought might be skin cancer. Very scary when you have had cancer in the past. We are hoping and praying for the best. Prayers were my gift to Penny this week as well as a very special email.

Our preacher had a mishap with his truck that was scary. He is very lucky he was not hurt. We know WHO was looking out for him. Trucks and buildings can be replaced but special people in our lives cannot be replaced. Of course I was very thankful Larry was okay. All week I was in prayer over these two people as well as my immediate family, our house and my vehicle because my life is so busy now with my son's band activities. My life is as non stop as my prayers were this week.

Previously I had asked for prayer requests for Casey and I am still concerned about her. Each week she reveals more to me. Being the middle child she is expected to be just like her sisters. Why do mom's ask "Why can't you be like your sisters?" No child is alike. Each are different. Parents should treat all their children the same; love them the same. Not compare. This week I realized I have been mentoring Casey with art and religion. A lot of my friends are so glad that I can be there for her. So am I. I only wish I could do more for her. But the best gift I can give her is prayer and more prayers.

My mom was not feeling well this morning. She got up but felt bad so she went back to bed. She said she got up too fast so I will worry about her the rest of the day until I can see her again this evening. Please keep her in your prayers. Thanks.

I hope to get some much needed rest this long weekend. I have a few fun plans I hope God won't laugh at like the Jr Leaque attic sales, church yard sales, possibly the Cotton Pickin' Fair in Gay, Ga., a housewarming where I will get to see my old friends Mike and Anne, a church fellowship meal, etc. Then an extra day of rest.

I finished reading Eternal by J. K. Forrester. I discovered a book at the $ store entitled Inked Up by Terri Thayer. Here is a link... http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6110910-inked-up
It is about stampers. LOL My friend Anne says I should write my own book I it gave me more ideas. LOL So many books to write so little time.

This week I am happy and thankful for the many things I was able to pass on to others that made them feel better. Prayers were one of them. What were you thankful or prayerful for this week? Care to share? Then join us at the following...
http://womentakingastand.blogspot.com/

I Geek Art

We have this new fun thing at our local library. It is called "I Geek..." You can go on line and add what you geek. There is a billboard downtown. The library turned an entire wall into a giant chalboard where you can write what you geek. Yesterday afternoon it was a nearly blank slate. I looked in the cup for a pink piece of chalk and just had to write "I geek art" and signed it, "~theRAV~ because that is what I geek and who I am. Of course I had to take a photo of it. I really needed a damp cloth to get rid of the previouse white chalk still lingering but it will be a neat effect. This made me happy. I will post the pic later....I promise.

Several free postcards were lying on a table. I took three that had a guy saying "I Geek Art". I haven't sent postcards to friends in awhile. I got a few more postcards today that has a woman on one side who geeks vampires! LOL Couldn't resist.

I am currently reading Eternal by J. K. Forrester and loving it.

Don has a knot at one surgical site that is worrying me. He has not been feeling well but is not really allowing himself to recover. He wanted to go to the new hunting land today, but figured we would be of little help to him. I just do not feel he should be putting up deer stands a week after having surgery! I think I finally got through to him. I think he should call the doctor on Monday for an earlier appointment.

My cuz Lance from Idaho sent me funny art cartoons from his home state that made me laugh, art articles that gave me a page full of links to look at later. One article was about Doodling which is one form of art I do. Who knew there are classes for this? Others were about art studios. Ironically he sent cards. There just happened to be a really cute turtle one I can give to Tiffany for her birthday. It seems like he sent a timely package that had cards in it for her birthday last year or one year! Loved the turtle. His Boise seems to have a nice artistic community. It made me want to go there! LOL Once I check out these links, I will add them in another post.

I did finish a small piece of art today. It was a modern fancy font of F with blue polka dots and circles. I hung up some of my many spools of ribbon on the new idea I discovered... A hanger that holds several pairs of pants.

What do you geek?

The Scare

We had a scare last Friday night. I thought D was just mad R's school was losing the game. We had to leave early because D wasn't feeling good. I picked R up from school once the band bus arrived. D told us to go on to bed. At 2:30 am he woke us up to be taken to the ER. He told me to punch it because he was dying. I knew he wasn't dying but I did drive faster. It was his appendix which would have to be removed even though he had hoped he could keep it! LOL

Took R to Mom's so he could sleep. I texted our other grown kids at 8 am. The girls came to the triage room where we had some good laughs that continued in the or prep. Surgery was scheduled for 11 am. I worried that I shouldn't have let R sleep; that he wouldn't get to say goodbye to his Daddy. Elisa said a beautiful prayer for her Daddy that had all of us crying. I did go get R after D was taken down for surgery. All went well. He did good; was able to walk around later that night. He didn't sleep much that night because he was constantly peeing. He was released by the dr at 10 am but hospitals run on army time.... hurry up and wait. I felt he stayed up too long that Sunday myself.

I was so tired and exhausted and no one seemed to see this except R later in the evening who told me to go lay down. Then I got my 2nd wind because I cooked supper and made a desert! Too tired to work. Felt like I did not have a weekend. D ran fever that night. Just thankful he is okay and still with us.

You will be happy to know that Casey Anne (the young girl I teach Bible class on Wed nites) is doing much better this week. I had worried about her all week long. She and her ex-boyfriend have apologized to each other. Not sure I could have done that after what happened. She is a smart girl though. I am so proud of her. She told him they can't be friends, can't be around each other and hang out because she cannot go thru what she went thru last year again. So your prayers worked! Thank you for them!

My good friend Gil gave me a dream catcher this week. I decided to pass on his Random Act of Kindness (RAK) and give the dream catcher to Casey. I am SO glad I did now because she said she has been having a lot of bad dreams lately. I asked her to tell me about her dreams. She dreams something will happen to her fave grandma; her paternal one that she is the closest to of any family member. Casey often dreams of the old house her other grandparents (the Kings) used to live in. I told her that was because she was the happiest there. She agreed and admitted she hasn't really been happy in a long, long time. Casey is hoping the dream catcher will capture all her bad dreams now. So thanks, Gil for giving it to me. Your RAK was passed on to someone who needed it. You never know what the power of a RAK will do for someone.   This week I let small things get to me like paper issues which seem unimportant compared to other things that are far more important. No sense in getting mad over used, lost or undelivered paper when you have a lot more to be thankful for. What are you thankful for this week? Care to share? Then please join us at the following....
http://www.eph2810.com/

Positivity

You pray real hard asking for certain needs. The next morning you receive small gifts in the mail in the form of free labels, a few free sheets of stationary with Bible verses on it. Those labels have a tulip on it that matches perfectly the tulips you drew on your ongoing doodle on your desk.The one you just did not think was finished yet. You cut one tulip off a label and draw a black picture frame around it that matches the other 7 small frames. Frames within my art. This tiny tulip has the word LOVE on it. You cut out one of the tulips from the stationary which fits right in next to one you drew yourself. Serendipity. How cool is that?

Today you get a fortune cookie that says:
"God will help you over come any hardship."

How can it not be a good day when you know the Lord is speaking to you?  

Yesterday evening I had my 1st free moment. I thought I could print pics of Rhett in his new band uniform at Walmart but NO! Their machines were down as always. I so miss Wolf camera! It is never a wasted trip to Wally world. I found a tie-dyed piece of felt for 97 cents, I got black paper plates for the same price. Black paper plates you ask? We all know I am way over the hill! LOL Because of my positivity yesterday, I wanted to pass that on to my Bible class. Have them start looking for the positive in every day. After my lesson, I had a few things I had received in the mail such as junk mail, flyers, etc. We were going to cut positive words out and glue them on the black plate which would become a piece of their art.

Had to get some gas which I got at Walmart because it is USA gas. Had to go by mom's. She needed milk. I went to Lewis Jones on 13th. I get in line behind a woman who had to put some food back then found she could buy one more item. Sad. Mom's debit card wouldn't work even after many attempts. As you know, I am not a patient person. I needed to pick up my guys and to be at church! I did not have time for this! No other cards worked. The manager finally took me over to "his" register and of course it went through!

As I was putting the milk in the mom's fridge, I saw she was not completely out. She probably would have had enough. This probably could have waited til tomorrow. I just hung my head like Tom Selleck did in "Magnum, PI". Been here, done this before. Probably will do it again. The story of my life.

So I was late to class. When I walked in the room, I could see that Casey was upset & crying. It was about a boy she had problems with in the past. This is the guy she loves; a guy she almost broke her hand hitting a wall instead of hitting him! Casey had other problems at school last year that resulted in going to alternative school. She just got out of it and is back in her regular classes with her grade. At least she was not put back in the same grade as last year. Because of all this, she is seeing a counselor and not just one at school. Last night wasn't just about this boy. Casey brought up the subject of her father. She was very close to him, they did everything together and he just left one day about five years ago. Didn't say goodbye, kiss my foot or anything. She doesn't understand how a father could do that. Nor do I. Like most Dads who leave, he says he will come see her and then never does; says he is too busy. How can you be too busy for your child? Because she loves him, she is still nice to him which her mom cannot understand. Casey said being ugly to him will not make him do better. Please keep Casey in your prayers. She really, really needs them.

So sometimes life isn't always about the plans or the lessons we prepared. We have to put things aside to be there for others, friends, and our fellow church members who are in need. My topic for today was going to be about being positive. The word of the day is positivity. I can see this word in a fancy font on my black plate. LOL But life isn't about just being positive. It is about seeing others are in need and helping them even if it is only listening to them; letting them vent their problems. You may be the only one they can talk to. Lord knows when we make plans, He changes them. Plan all you want. Life will surely throw you a curve ball which takes you in a different direction with many detours along the way. I have always enjoyed detours because you get to see something you have never seen before. Last night I would rather have seen anything than Casey's sadness. Life is about being there for others, our family our friends, our church members, etc. Even if we have to miss another aspect of church or fellowship with others.

Casey did make a piece of plate art. I thought it might help her in some small way; to help get her mind off her problems. She used a Bob Marley quote she wrote herself and added a few other words to it. I took pics for her and for me. I wished that Casey and I could create and sell art together. We stayed in our room rather than joining the rest of the congregation at Casey's request. I told her we could so she could get herself together. I explained this to our preacher later.

Last night Casey was my wing man and as many, many, many times as I have watched "Top Gun", I know you always remain with your wing man no matter what.

So what positivity did you find this week? Care to share? Then please join us for Thankful Thursday at the following...
http://www.eph2810.com/

Ps.  I read where you could take a simple piece of copy paper, fold it in 4ths like a card. I cut my copy paper in 4ths so the top of the fourth would fit over my cardstock. I tore out a center, placed it on my card stock. I only had a limited number of stamp pads available but just had to try it anyway. I picked blue. I got a cotton ball and dabbed around the torn circle. Once I had stamped it and removed the copy paper, it revealed a cloud! I'd stamped it slightly heavier blue on the bottom which worked out well. So cool!

Confessions of a Former Groupie

What has happened in my life that I am thankful for the last few weeks, 21 days to be exact? I had my share of life's ups and downs as always, but lately there seem to be a lot more ups. I am very thankful for all my ups. The downs certainly make you appreciate the ups more.

I guess my muse has deserted me again poetry-wise because the poems have now stopped. Others have stopped sending them or sending lines back. I haven't done much art, but I am not really worried. I haven't had time to create a new blog yet because.... We have certainly been busy with band practices, football games as well as an out-of-town Band-O-Rama last Friday night. I am loving being a band mom! I have a t-shirt idea but I have only shared it with close friends and family out of fear of someone stealing my idea although few would want it.
I am so proud of our son. I took a pic of him walking up from the field as he passed by me at the first game. I was so proud I almost cried. That is now one of my fave pics of him. When I told him this later, he simply patted me on the shoulder and whispered so seriously, "Everything will be okay" which cracked me up.

The Band-o-Rama was awesome. Some bands were smaller but still had great routines to compensate for their lack of size in my book. Auburn University band was the best of all though. I figured Rhett would want to go there because of it. Even though AU did "Crying" by Arrowsmith as Rhett's band did, they gave his band credit which was nice. I still liked Rhett's band better because it had horn solos. It was funny everyone would stand up for AU's fight song except me, my son-in-law who is a die-hard Alabama fan and the lady next to me. I told her I was a Georgia fan and she just suddenly hugged me because she is one too! My husband looked at me so I explained why this strange woman hugged me.

My mom fell last Saturday, but she is okay thank goodness so I am thankful for small blessings. Our older kids lost their grandfather. I knew the visitation funeral would be really hard on me since it would be the first once since Daddy's death. I wasn't sure I could do it but the kids have been there for me in my losses. I felt I needed to be there for them. Even my husband's ex said she knew this was hard for me which I thought was nice. I did pretty good until they played "Taps" at the funeral and I lost it. It brought back so many memories of Daddy's funeral. It was also hard on my husband who lost his father-in-law. Our preacher was present and I worried how he was dealing with it since the loss of his wife Katherine a few years back but we survived. My friend Tracy cheered me on that I could do it; that I was a strong woman.

My BFF Penny FINALLY got on Facebook. She recntly told me an old mutual friend rode his motorcycle down to Savannah to see her at her mom's. While he was there, he called the lead singer of the band we used to be groupies for so she could talk to him. I could just hear his soft, sexy voice as if he was talking to her or me. It brought back some wonderful memories. David was one of Penny's FB friends. I befriended him and went into his friends list where I found other members of the band. I was so excited!!! I had not been this excited in a long, long time. I got to see old pics of the group. They had a reunion last weekend and had posted some videos. I got to hear old songs. I got to hear Ralph's voice simply saying, "Oh, No!" and it was like yesterday again. I was seeing old friends I had not seen in 30 years!

I admit I was a former groupie with pride. I am not ashamed of it for I did nothing wrong or bad. I had a past. One I would not change because that past led me to where I am today. It seems I have made a lot of lifelong friends along life's way and I am so thankful for them all. So very thankful to reconnect with them again.

Also on the way to work this morning, I crossed paths with Satan. I passed a car that had a Christian fish symbol only it had Darwin in the center of the fish with feet! I had no clue what it meant. I asked but was told it was a follower of Darwinism. Later I was told by a friend to google it which I did. I was told this, " Maybe they were our Jesus Christ feet carrying the fish that ate the darwin." LOL I said I would follow Jesus thank you very much. My friend Pat said this, I am happy and content to know that my Lord Jesus Christ carries me when I need Him. That is enough for me." Amen.


What are you thankful for this week? Care to share? Then please join us at the following...
http://www.eph2810.com/

Future Poetry Blog

Dear blogger

Hi ya'll! I have missed you. I have grown in so many ways since my last post. I have found that I do not need some things like I thought I did in the past. I have outgrown some things.

I have been really busy lately being creative, crafty, photographing and waxing poetic. I recently won a book from Leah's blog Creative Everyday ....
http://creativeeveryday.com/
I won The Year of Writing Dangerously by Barbara Abercrombie. Thanks again Leah! This book was really timely for me as I had this idea... which I also stole from Leah's blog, thief that I am. LOL I wanted to start a poetry round where I sent out a line and my friends would add another one sending it back to me or write their own poem using that line. Some sent a line; some sent more than one line. The next day my friend Mike E sent a complete poem. Mike always writes the most excellent poems and should publish them. Hint. Hint. Then I got a poem from the least expected person... my old friend David who I rarely hear from except for a rare occasional email or if one of our old co-workers are ill. His just totally blew me away! Still can't get over it. His was like a gift to me the day I read it. They all were but his most especially because I don't hear from him often. Then my friend Tracy sent a woman's point of view to add to the mix. My abstract artist friend Cindy send me a very artsy poem I really liked. My artist/photography friend Johnny was a line adder and I was also pleasantly surprised by him and his poems. I had no idea either of them had it in them. Funny that I heard more from men than women. LOL I am so loving it! It has really inspired me. So much so that I wrote three poems yesterday! I am on another creative roll.

So now we are toying with blog titles which I am still checking into before even mentioning them here. It has been years since I started a blog. There are the frustations of the beginning and setting up process as I am certainly no computer wiz. I need a blog that is very user friendly. Any suggestions?

Then there is the fact that I am really putting myself out there on the page as well as the world wide web for all to see but I am a sharer from way back. I am getting good feedback from my friends although I am not looking for compliments. I wrote a rather personal poem yesterday. The line I sent out for the poetry line of the day was "courting your muse" which came from the book I won. I didn't exactly court my muse, just told a true story of my life and sent it out to friends. I have been doing this for years so it is old hat to me. I did worry what our preacher would think and what he would say. I should not have worried for he was the most complimentary of all my friends. He is one of my biggest cheerleaders.

My friend Tracy couldn't get over the fact that I threw a line out there "indigo blue intertwining", later created art about it then wrote a poem about the art! I was getting responses for the line but I had nothing. Nada. And I am the poet! I may have been slightly intimidated by my friends much better poems using the perfect forms whereas mine are not. Mine come from the heart. It wasn't until I was at home in my fave spot where I do most of my art,  I pulled out my Crayola paint markers and began using the closest thing I had to an indigo blue but a deep forest green was dominating the page. A simple piece evolved. It may not be quite realistic as some artist would have done, but I am not out to please them or anyone else. Only myself. And my art makes me happy. So I had piece of my own art to go with the poem. Tracy thought this was neat and possible unheard of but somehow I doubt it. I am sure there are other poets who illustrate their own poems. I just sort of shrugged my shoulders at it and brushed the thought away. Of course only I would illustrate my own books anyway.

Today was another good day and I am thankful for this life I am living and enjoying. My friend Anne can "hear" my happiness in my emails. I just finished reading Return of the Highlander by Sara MacKenzie. Here is the link to the book...
http://www.amazon.com/Return-Highlander-Sara-Mackenzie/dp/0060795409

And today I discovered a Dark Shadows book written by Lara Parker who played Angelique on the tv show "Dark Shadows" back in the day. I couldn't put it down so I had to buy it. Just reading the character names such as Barnabas was like a family reunion with an old friend. It was like yesterday again. Here is the link to this book...
http://www.amazon.com/The-Salem-Branch-Dark-Shadows/dp/0765304570

Also check out Julie Nuttings blog at the following...
http://julienuttingdesigns.blogspot.com/


Read this awesome post...
http://www.spirituallyunequalmarriage.com/my_weblog/2012/08/worship-with-feathers.html#comment-6a00d83451ee9f69e2017617214e26970c
So I am very, very thankful for this creative streak I am on. I hope it continues for a long time to come. I hope to soon be able to send you a link to the new poetic blog but please be patient until I can set it up. But never fear, I will still be here.

And like Laurie at the following...,
http://womentakingastand.blogspot.com/
I am taking a small risk by starting this new poetic blog venture. Wish me luck.

What are you thankful for today. Care to join us? Then go to the following....
http://www.eph2810.com/

Reconnections

Lately I have been thinking a lot about reconnections.... I have recently reconnected with an old classmate from elementary school named Tracy. I have known her that long! Almost as long as my BFF Genie. She commented on my Daddy's obit and we have been emailing since then. Tracy and I used to read the Dark Shadows books. Although we don't think we will like the new "Dark Shadows" movie with Johnny Depp, we agreed to go see it at the cheap movies but that hasn't happened yet. I have my official Dark Shadows t-shirt waiting and ready! LOL Tracy has dreams of being a writer too so we are finding we have a lot in common. She has made me want to write again. I have been sharing my poetry with her.

Then I ran into an old JCP co-worker, Pam, who shares my love of vampire/dark hunter novels. It was so good to see her and reconnect after all these years. We have become email buddies too. Who knows maybe some book cons are in our future.... Pam seems to be really lucky at meeting authors and winning stuff esp books on line. Must find out how she does it so I can start winning free stuff too! LOL

And I have reconnected with my friend Abby who I met on a blog years ago. I always loved going to Abby's blog and did it daily; religiously. Her's was one of the 1st blogs I found besides Susannah Conway's Ink on My Fingers blog. I love the way Abby writes. She is also very creative and crafty like me. Abby has two blogs now as well as being on Facebook. I am so glad she is blogging again. I tried to add her blogs to my blog but since all the new fancy changes, I am lost as to how to add them so I will just add them here now until I figure it out...

http://www.inmyboops.blogspot.com/
http://www.positivelyperservering.blogspot.com/

Who or what have you reconnected with lately?

My Heart Art

We all have our good days and our bad days but hopefully our good days outweigh our bad ones. Some days we just feel plain yucky. Thankfully those days are few and far between. Or what begins as a yucky day turns into one that will be well remembered in the days to come as a yucky turn semi golden day. Yesterday was one those that turned a lovely golden shade for me. My bursitis had kicked in big time. I could hardly lift my arm without pain. I knew I had to take care of me and I did. I took time for myself but still felt yucky due to the Mobic I had to take in order for the pain to finally cease. My mom’s good home cooking helped. Chicken soup for my body. The chicken soup for my soul would come later in the day. Catching up on things and running errands took my mind off my yuckiness. We all pray to feel better when we are feeling bad or down. It always seems there is some tiny little thing that comes along to brighten our days and help us feel better. That is God listening to us, hearing our prayers and sometimes answering them. Each day I pray that the good Lord will give me something positive that I can share with others and He usually does. He is faithful like that and I am so thankful. My son and I had stopped at the library where I picked two free older copies of “Guidepost”. As Always I was judging them by what was on the cover. More about this later... We stopped at the dollar store. He needed a pair of sunglasses for band camp. He told me how a fellow horn player had wore a pair of $150 sunglasses one day and an $80 pair the next. I told him “Sorry.” I did not feel bad that my son was wearing a pair that cost $1 plus tax. I needed baggies and saran wrap but I just had to stop at the book section first. My son asked me what was I looking for. I told him I’d know it when I saw it. It turned out to be a book entitled Letters to God which had been made into a movie. So I bought it take to Bible class. Everyone thought the photos of the handwritten letter written by the boy suffering from cancer were cute and amusing except for the reason behind the letters. Each letter had a Bible quote beside them. One quote sang out to me.... “And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all will hear and laugh with me.” Gen. 21:6. If any Bible verse was about me, that was it! As I read more of the letters to the class, the boy was getting closer to death. Having recently lost my Daddy, I cannot deal with death in books or movies. The tears started flowing. Casey asked if she could take the book and read it to her little sister. I told her she could, but I warned her Jamie might cry. Then this morning I reached for one of the “Guidepost”s I had brought inside our house. It was an older Christmas issue with Martina McBride on the cover. Someone had drawn on her face giving her eyelashes which were okay. That look worked for her but the mustache and the outline drawn of her lips did not! I thought of writing Martina to tell her she might look neat in video as one of those sad looking clowns with lots of eyelashes. The “Guidepost” opened to a page that had a maple leaf with heart cut out of it which looked like something I would photograph. The story was about a mom who had MS & was walking her daughter to school using crutches instead of using a wheelchair. The pain was the worst. Her daughter was playing in the leaves. Some wet leaves got caught on the rubber tips of her crutches. She had to get them off so she wouldn’t fall. One last leaf wouldn’t come off so her daughter got it off. That leaf had a perfect heart shape in it. The daughter pointed it out to her mom. Somehow that one leaf helped the lady reach back home pain free. They later laminated the leaf and hung it in a window in their kitchen to serve as a reminder. This story made me think I am on the right track with all my hearts I find in nature and photograph and all the hearts in my art. I feel as if I am doing what I am meant to do. I am thankful for a lot of things this week. That I still have my mom. That Rhett is loving band camp. That things were not quite as bleak as I thought and worried they were. That I have re-found old friends lately. This has caused me to want to write more again. That I made a wonderful Texture Art piece my mom loves. I used her old wash cloth! LOL I am thankful for my many, many blessings.

A Near Perfect Saturday

Real Life is so much better than work! If I got paid for today it would be so worth more than a million bucks! We took mom to get her hair cut. Rhett & I both got shampoos. I took my hair products with me since it is my wet look season now. We were supposed to go over to Jena's to take their wedding gifts and let mom see their newly remodeled house that belonged to my BFF Genie's parents. The beauty shop took longer than expected so we had to reschedule the visit at 1 pm. For once we were early, but Jena & Colby were not back from their lunch yet so we rode around the block twice and passed them! LOL Mom loved the house. Jena has put so much of herself into it. She is so creative and artistic. So proud of her as if she were my own. She gave me lots of ideas. Like I needed more! LOL.

We got to see the photos the professional photographer took and they were absolutely amazing. Here is the link to their photos...

http://www.parismountainphotography.com/weddings/wed12/JenaV/JenaV.html

Today was also Jena's birthday. Along with the wedding gifts, I had a birthday card for her. I had my pics of the wedding for her along with copies for Genie. Jena really liked some of mine better than the photographer's! WOW! I just had to ask what this photographer cost. I am in the wrong business! I almost let it slip that IF we moved to Indy, I had thought about photographing weddings but remembered mom was sitting right there!
The gift I gave them matched their house perfectly as I knew it would. It was one of those memory board with a filigree background in dark browns with dark brown ribbon. Not my colors but Jena's. Jena said she could put the pics I gave them in it. I had not thought of that! Cool! Mom gave them a beautiful glass tray that has swans for handles on each side. Very unusual. Jena said they are having a house warming in August which I hope to be invited to attend.

We so enjoyed our visit with them. Then we went to the library so mom could get a library card which I can use so I don't have to pay the $30 fee for a card. After that we went to Country's. I wanted a steak sandwich. Mom got barbecue. Rhett got a steak sandwich too. They were HUGE! We could have split one. I cut mine in half. The rest will be Don's supper.

I have to tell you I have a wonderful son who has learned to pray awesome prayers. He wanted to say the blessing. I guess mom was so hungry she had already taken a bite out of her sandwich. There she was with this big bite in her mouth looking like she got caught with her hand in the cookie jar! It was funny. She apologized. Then Rhett said the prayer. He asked our Father in Heaven to be with his Grandma as she struggles without her loved one and to be with his mom as she struggles too. I lost it right there in Country's but I could not be prouder of him.

Then at times Rhett can get on my last nerve. I have gotten where I am constantly saying, "Stop acting like an igmoo!" I do this instead of saying the word idiot! Of course he wants to know what an igmoo is. I just tell him it is the way he is acting. I got a really good picture of Rhett with his head on mom's shoulder that will be her birthday present on 7/3. Just another perfect moment captured on a digital camera. She told him she loved him except when he is acting "afflicted". He didn't know what that word meant either. I was trying to explain that it was a much older person's word for someone retarded! About that time my nearly deaf mom said the word "retarded" really loud. We had such a good laughter about that. I went from tears of sadness to tears from laughing so hard. It was a good day.

We saw one of Daddy's old friends. He said he kept looking in the paper for my artwork. LOL I told him I didn't win anything at the show. He asked why not. I told him because I am not the apples, pears, grapes and fruit kind of artist. He suggested I take pictures of them instead! Great idea. Wouldn't that be something if I did that and won next year? LOL He told me not to give up. Never! I am not the giving up type. Then he and mom talked. He lost his wife to cancer not long ago. Rhett thinks he looks like Col. Sanders because he has that funny mustache. As we were leaving my comedian son said,"I didn't know Col. Sanders ate barbecue." Leave it to Rhett. But I love that he has such a great sense of humor. Just like his Momma.

I do hope you have had as great a day as we have had. Would that they all could be like this one was for us.

Another Turn

Daddy took another turn for the worse on Tuesday. It was a very difficult day for mom and I to hear that we are nearing the end; that he has the death rattle and today that his poor tired old body is beginning to shut down. My BFF Penny said maybe he will "rally back" as he did in the summer and then at Christmas. Well, he did rally back for one day only. Then he got worse.

Now I know how my mom felt when I was little and I had asthma. You so want to help them cough and breathe. You feel so helpless wishing you could do something to ease them so your loved one could be at peace. That is the prayer I have asked for for my Daddy.. that he be at peace and not suffering, laboring to take a breath without coughing or gurgling.

I am thankful for all my friends who have been there for me this week. I cannot truthfully say I am thankful this is happening to my Daddy. I want things to be the way they used to be but I know that they cannot be. So this is a very sad Easter weekend for our family. Someone asked me what our plans were for Easter. I have no plans except to be with my dying Daddy. That is all that matters. It doesn't matter if I have a new dress. I don't. I didn't have time to shop for Easter clothes. It matters not what we eat. Although I won a $25 gift certificate for a Honey Baked Ham. God was right on time with that one. I may not win the big lottery but, I KNEW I was going to win it! I realize I cannot win on everything but it is fun and exciting when you do win something.

Please pray for peace for my Daddy. Thank you. Hope you have a better Easter than we will.

Penny's Point of View

from my BFF

Hi Beck,
I had to tell you that the phone you heard ringing on your dream that woke you up was God's alarm clock that He uses when you have to wake up and your own alarm doesn't wake you up. I've been woke up by that cool phone at least two times. I don't know if you remember what it sounded like when it rang but the phone that He used for me sounded a lot like the phone on several of our kid's toy phones. It sure woke me up though. I would've overslept big-time though if that phone wouldn't have rung and woke me up. I thought that it was so cool that God would do that for me ! How's your daddy doing ? I've been praying for y'all.
Love you,
Penny

"The Gem"

No offense but,
Today I do not want to read any sad poems about death and dying
from weird poets at a Poem-A-Day.com
I want to read and write only happy thoughts.
I think I have succeeded thus far.
I want to laugh
not cry.
I have done enough crying lately.
I may like some of the weird words I read
but not all
So I guess I just need to write my own!
I did like these words...
"I placed a few nouns
in beautiful cages
then let them out..."
by Matthew Zapruder
But the rest you can keep.
I'll write my own.
These here are not the ones though
Just a test run.
The others will come...
when needed
and wrap around my like loving arms
like a hug
most needed.
Today may not be my day for writing poetry
but it is still my day for writing much needed words to friends.
That accounts for something, doesn't it?
Contributing to all the things that I am.
Today I am a gem to a friend
but what color?
A diamond in the rough
I sparkle with laughter
Certainly not perfection
I have flaws.
But I bring SPARKLES!
Yeah Me!
I speak in Disney speak
I am forever young because of my son.
~Becky Bristow Voyles~ aka theRAV~

I Am Bookie

I did not post a Thankful Thursday post because I was having a bad day. I know I shouldn't have let that stop me but I did. Still I was ever thankful for my many, many blessings. For instance all the links I found to my Windham's ancestral home Felbrigg Hall in England! I shared those links with my friends. MY BFF Genie, a history buff thought it was all very interesting. Another friend shared his family history links with me. I hope you find it all interesting too...

This week I was lucky enough to get a free copy of a "National Trust Magazine" which is from England! I was drawn to it's cover because it was so artistic. It looked like it had been created with rubber stamps. Cindy, you would like it. Very colorful. I scanned it but it doesn't do it justice. It is in yellows, greens and the butterflies are stamped in oranges, reds, pinks and golds. It is the Summer 2011 issue. I tried to google the cover, but was unsuccessful. Sorry.

Imagine my surprise when I thumbed through to the 13th page on 3/13 to the 2nd line which said:
"From our Twitter followers...
Felbrigg Hall! The Wyndhams! Scandals, intrigues, fortunes lost and made. LJBarton"

I told Don, that is "My Windams!" LOL Anne, I am starting to sound like you! Anywhoo... it made me want to get a Twitter account right then! So I got one. And of course I would not have known Felbrigg Hall was our ancestral home on my Grandmother Florence Ethel Windam Graddy's side if it had not been for my prayerful friend Anne. So thank you again, Anne!! I know you will love this tidbit as much as I did. It made me excited. But it is a bit of a let down to know I cannot find out more about the "scandals, intrigues, fortunes made and lost."

I joined Twitter, but didn't find anything interesting about Felbrigg Hall there. Just some photographer who had a great day shooting photos there which made me envious. I am now following Felbrigg so I can be in on the latest about it. Cool.

If you haven't googled Felbrigg Hall several summers ago, when Anne 1st sent me the info and links, please do so to see what a beautiful place it really is. No need... I'll make it easier for you... here are the links...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felbrigg_Hall

http://norfolkcoast.co.uk/articles/felbrigghall.htm

http://www.villagesignsociety.org.uk/felbriggcolincuncliffe.htm

http://www.touruk.co.uk/houses/housenorf_felb.htm

the church...
http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/felbrigg/felbrigg.htm

This one gives you some view of inside the hall...
http://www.holidaycheck.com/things_to_do-travel-information+Felbrigg+Hall-zid_40873.html

a little bit of new & old history...
http://www.edp24.co.uk/norfolk-life/norfolk-history/13_felbrigg_hall_1_214374

the haunting... and a Mad Windham
http://www.countryfile.com/days-out/felbrigg-hall-norfolk

There are more links if you still want to google it, but I think I have just about exhausted them all! LOL Guess I missed my calling to be a research persona.

Isn't it beautiful? Be sure to check out the town/village sign & read about it on the 3rd link. Ok this is now on my Bucket List to go there someday...., Darryl! And it is said to be haunted! COOL! They wrote about a "Mad" Windham named William. There is a William Windham that lives in town. We shared an email once from a genealogy sight. He said something about "IF you are who you say you are..." My Uncle R. F. told me this William was strange. Every time he saw William, he had on the same suit. It was so old, it shined. Of course it may have been the only suit he owned or he could be a spendthrift.

That is your research assignment for today. Enjoy. Today is a great day. Life is good.

I guess I am now semi-normal. I have joined Twitter but posted no tweats. I didn't have anything really to tweat about at the time. My days got better. I now have something to tweat about and will do so later.... after posting here first.

My friends worry about me. They keep telling me I need to do something for myself and I do. I steal tiny moments for myself. Aren't we all always stealing time anyway? I have been reading Lyn Nielsen's 2nd book The Road Back to Sage. I probably should have re-read the 1st one to refresh my memory, but I didn't want to go through a box of tissues again! LOL

I checked the book out at the libraray on Monday. My husband had told me they were holding a book for me. I figured it was just the 1st book. I picked up what I thought was the 1st book and was going to turn it in as I'd already read it. Then I saw the second book and it was like a gift. It is smaller than the 1st book. It took me 5 days to read it.

Friday I got off work early. I had no bills to pay. I had plenty of time to pick up refills on scripts for my mom. I went to McDonald's, got a glass of their good sweet tea and proceeded to finish the book. Earlier in the week I had been teary-eyed reading it at Mickey D's and Wendy's. I couldn't put it down. I could also predict what was going to happen next! Lyn, I love it!!!!! I am so glad you wrote it and I read it.

It is a book about dreams. Lyn and I are email buddies now which I still cannot get over that fact. I once had a dream about meeting her and emailed her my dream. Lyn hopes we can meet some day as do I. If not in this life, then in Heaven.

Last night I asked the Lord to show me something in a dream.... I dreamed I was in the kitchen at my mom's. My deceased Uncle Bert opened the back door with a very different hair style than he wore. It was more like a flat top. His curls were gone. He was ever smiling. He was wearing a soft, light baby blue shirt. I don't think I had ever seen him wear this color before. I said "Uncle Bert" then I woke up. I wondered why I woke up so abruptly. I haven't asked my dream team what this one means yet.

Today I went with my sweet friend Patti to hear Robert J. Morgan speak/preach at her church. My friends Gil & Brenda were there. Gil hugged me so hard I thought he was going to break me! I also saw Ina from the CAG artist guild. Of course I could not find his The Red Sea Rules book at home when I needed it. I bought two copies of them today. One for me and one for Patti because she has been such a good friend to me lately. I wanted to get a signed copy anyway. I will give the copy Gil gave me to a friend who really needs it as much I did.

Robert Morgan talked about Angels today. I was sitting right next to two... Patti and my son. He is very witty and had Rhett really laughing so I knew he was enjoying it. During a break I was able to meet Robert Morgan. I was a bit nervous. I told him I had read his "Red Sea Chronicles" (LOL) only I didn't go into as many wordy details. I just told him about what occurred while reading his book at Wendy's and how I felt Jesus actually sitting at the table with me! Lunch with Me! Jesus! I did not go into details about the color of his beige robes, but I did tear up as I was talking. He said, "Isn't it wonderful when he talks to us like that?" He thanked me for sharing and was so glad that his book could be a blessing for me. Me too. Later I realized as I was talking to him, it was as if all the people around us moved away just so I could talk to him. It was kind of weird.

Then he spoke more til almost lunch time. Afterwards he signed our books. So I am now a official bookie or book groupie! LOL Following that Patti, Rhett and I went to Cracker Barrel to eat an enjoyable lunch. I thought there was an art show at a small local gallery, the Front Porch on Wildwood, but it is next Saturday. I was early for a change. Still Patti got to do and see something new. I feel trully blessed by these book events that ended my week so well. Would that they all could be like this.

So if you get a chance, check out Felbrigg Hall, Lyn Nielsen's and Robert J. Morgan's books. He also has a blog which I plan to link to mine ASAP. Hope you have had as great a weekend as I have had.

Ps. I have since received an email about her book today 3/29/12! Yeah! I am just now linking to today's Thankful Thursday post at the following...
http://womentakingastand.blogspot.com/

Sorry it took me a week to do this, but I felt this was a post well worth sharing. Thanks Nancie for your visit & comments! Made my day today! I hope you all will read my poem posted after this.

Today I am thankful for my friend Anne's interpretation of my weird dreams I have been having lately.

Missing?

No, my photo is not on a milk carton. I am not Missing. I have just been MIB (Missing in Blogging)LOL . My Daddy got worse. He got really sick prior to Christmas. He was out of his head, telling me to call certain people. He really scared me to death when he said the word "pall bearers". We almost lost him. He had a uninary tract infection which explained him talking out of his head. He was not eating; very weak. His potassium was low as were other things. He was placed in ICU for several days. I got berated that we did not stay at the hospital that 1st night, but my mom was exhausted. I KNEW I wasn't going to lose my Daddy. Still we were very worried and concerned.

I made the decision to put in feeding tube since he would not eat. I caught flack from some folks about that. I don't regret doing what I thought was the right thing to do. What was I supposed to do? Let him die? I couldn't let my Daddy starve to death.

We had to learn how to feed him thru the tube. It was easy for me, but the hospitals do not spend a lot of time teaching and my mom had a hard time with it so he had to go to Hospice where they had more time for her learning. Everyone told us we would love Hospice; that it is wonderful; that it was FREE. WRONG. Hospice is not always free. Sure they provide some things and we are indeed very, very grateful for those things, but they do not pay for all of his medicine only what pertains to the condition he is in now. His failure to thrive. They do not pay for wipes, but thankfully they provide other things we need. One thing we do need to find is sheets for the hospital bed mattress.

Then I had a husband who was bound and determined to go to Indy with or without me at Christmas with my Daddy in the condition he was in! He did wait til after Christmas to go though. But Christmas was just not the same this year. It did not matter what we ate, where we were. We still had Daddy with us. That was all that mattered.

All my friends cannot believe I haven't had a nervous breakdown by now with all I have been through. I come from a line of strong women. I am a "Steel Magnolia" as my friend Bob put it. I turned another year older and felt it on many days. There were some days where I thought I would lose it, but thankfully I got through those days without going there.

I am now President of the PC Arts Council. I am still creating my art which keeps me sane. I am thankful for my art outlet. I take an occasional photo now and then. We have good days and bad but, we keep on. We are still thankful to have Daddy with us.

I have missed going to many of your blogs as I have missed out on a lot of things lately. I haven't had time to upload pics like I used to although Paulie will probably say I never did upload any here! LOL At least I haven't lost my sense of humor. It too keeps me sane. I love to laugh. I need to laugh.

I am ever thankful for my mom who keeps on going because she has to. It is just the two of us as caregivers with occassional help from some cousins. I am thankful for my friends who have been there for me on this bumpy road we are on right now. I am thankful our preacher Larry is back with us. I pray for a more understanding husband. Please keep my Daddy in your prayers. We have seen improvement in him. We have been told we are doing a good job with him. I guess we missed our calling to be nurses, but I will remain an artist instead.

I see the need to help the elderly, but I am just too tied up right now. I have enough on my plate and tend to spread myself far too thin as it is. I tried something new that had to do with art for Alzheimer's in the early stages, but each time I went, I felt like I was taking away time I might need later for when my Daddy gets worse again. We need more advocates for the elderly. I pray for a more artistic job in my future. My friends are praying for this also.

I visited Leah's blog today at Create Every Day. I am to help teach an art class this Saturday. I was looking for an idea and her blog provided me with one. Found objects. I can hardly wait. Thanks again Leah for having such a wonderful artisitc blog I could go to for inspiration. I hope mine will be like your's someday...

I hope to visit you soon as I can. Until then, count your blessings. Keep the faith, Keep on creating, Keep on laughing and Keeping on. I'll try to be here more, but I cannot make any promises I can't keep right now. One day at a time.

What have you been missing out on?

No longer missing.

love, Becky

PS. I decided to let this also be my Thankful Thursday post as it lists the things I am stil grateful for. If you would like to joing us, please go to the following....
http://womentakingastand.blogspot.com/