Contented puppies, home for the night

Good Evening, or whatever is the best greeting to you, in your part of the world!

We went out for a dinner that we had been looking forward to, for some time. We spent the evening with my son; and it was a delightful visit. The food, the atmosphere; and of course the company, was totally excellent!

Should mention that when I was going through 'old' stuff; ie clothing...I came across a beautiful soft turquoise long rayon swirl skirt, with a complimentary matching top; which my dear friend, Lynn gave to me, just a few tid months before her unexpected death. She was cleaning out her closets and she wanted me to have this particular outfit; because she thought it would a) look good on me; and b) it would match the colour of my eyes. She was one of my closest friends; and as per my recent posts (Aug 16th & 18th), Lynn was one of my special friends, I could easily count on one hand.

Tonight I wore 'Lynn's' outfit; along with gold heeled sandals that were my Mum's. I also adorned a ring and bracelet from my Mum; so in all, it was a meaningful and sentimental combination. Love the above bit photo image; that is how we feel now; glad to be home again and to enjoy a good night's sleep, oblivious to the pitter patter of the rain upon our skylights.

Tidbit - Appreciate the gifts that you have been given and warmly enjoy them!

Bittid - 'Praise Him in ALL Things'.

Good Night and God Bless.

In Appreciation

Good Afternoon, or whatever is the best greeting to you, in your part of the world!

Today it is raining; but we are thankful for the cooler temperatures and relief from the recent muggy nights etc. Plus all the flowers / plants are being watered naturally.

Have been going through some clothing of my Mum, who passed away in the summer of 2005. There is not a day that goes by, that I do not think of her. (or for the most tid part). I am remembering our good times together. As I write, am enjoying wearing an old plaid coloured short sleeved comfy shirt, along with a pair of sporty teal green shorts; and this classic ensemble, just makes me feel good! I have finally organized and rearranged my closet(s), so that I can readily enjoy her 'movie star' clothing, as opposed to leaving them buried in hibernation. With the way things cost today, I am hanging on to her quality clothing (the outfits that fit of course; and what does not creatively work, I will happily give away!) and will appreciate wearing them all the more.

When my daughter married, I wore the glamorous, yet elegantly simple dress that my Mum wore to the wedding of Alan and I. I had to get the dress taken in a bit; but it really is 'one of a kind'. There are not too many dresses made like that anymore!

Tidbit - Appreciate mixing the 'old' with the new. When it comes to clothing, the classic look never goes out of style!

Bittid - When there is a loved one that has passed away, remembering the special moments and the good times spent together, means much, and is of gentle solace. Very often, one does not know what they have missed, until it is gone. Am not lamenting my Mum; just remembering her; and that in her way, she did the best she could for me. Thanks Mum. And, I know that she is at peace.

The above photo is a picture of my Mum in the dress, along with myself, and my daughter, taken a few years ago.

God Bless.

Genuineness

Good Morning, or whatever is the best greeting to you, in your part of the world!

It is a much cooler start to the day! It rained overnight and our thermometer is currently in the mid 60's! Thunder and lightning outbreaks, along with rain is in the forecast today; and it is a welcomed bit of relief. The hot hot weather has been abated until the weekend / following week, By then, we will be back up at our beloved Pasley for about a week to 10 days. As mentioned, we have a number of projects coming to fruition; so it just depends how much can be completed before we leave.

In my post of August 16th, I made reference to having a few 'true' friends; and that one is fortunate if you can count the number on one hand. I would like to add that there are many awesome people I know and appreciate; just that I am Blessed with 2 or 3 close female friends. Alan is my best friend; inasmuch as we are married and choose to spend our time together; be it in developing our business interests, and daily enjoying our personal lives.

'Genuineness' is what it all comes down to. Have had past and recent disappointments; however, there are those who have exposed themelves by their own 'words, actions, and deeds'. Some of them do not know what to do because of embarassment, shame, whatever shoe fits; and it is coming back to haunt some of them, whereby they are getting caught in their own webs of deceit and lies. With some (ex friends), I have tried to show compassion etc; but their purposes are quite different from mine.

Alan is from a Christian family; and it was Alan who genuinely helped me accept Jesus Christ as my Saviour. Since that time, our lives have been taking many amazing turns (most would not believe it); and the fact that I have 'changed' (because Alan has 'brainwashed' me; and, indeed, he has not!), are angry, jealous, spiteful, etc - just because.

Alan has been the scapecoat and the whipping boy, as well as myself; however, that is fine. We are happy and are enjoying our lives; regardless of the ups and downs. Our Faith in Him has wonderfully Blessed our Marriage and our lives together. You can refer to my post of June 10/08 etc, if you wish to read about 'Our Answer to Prayer'.

Anyway, I am enjoying my cup of coffee, whilst writing my blog. Alan and I have done / are doing a lot of reflecting and it really DOES get down to being 'genuine'. We are so grateful that we met, fell in love, and each day just gets better; and this has now been approx 6 years. There were and still are those that oppose our marriage. Alas for them, that they did /do not wish to take the time to have a genuine understanding of the Truth; but perhaps they are more comfortable with their own versions, false gossip, or divisive heresay. And instead of being happy for us, they are not; but all the sadder for them, in that they do not appear to be content with their own lives. And yet, there IS a Solution; and that IS Him. If some would turn to Him, their lives too, would be 'changed' for the better and for the best. Alan has been a 'messenger' in His Service; and that is the simple TRUTH of it.

Tidbit - 'Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you'.

Bittid - Commandment # 8 - 'Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour'.

Have to go for now; as we have some business to attend to. Will be back in a tid.

God Bless.

P.S. The Olympics have been so inspirational!

'Peace Be Still'

Good Afternoon, or whatever is the best greeting to you, in your part of the world!

Yesterday, I may have already mentioned was forecasted to be a hot day. Well it was a tid! 92 degrees F in the shade, as per our outdoor bit thermometer! And, we know it is accurate!

It was a very warm and muggy night; we had the fan on full blast, and are grateful for the screens on all the windows. However, I was awake for most of the night and I would like to share a bit of bittidz with you. Perhaps you have had your intrepidations too.

We (who doesn't, for the most part) have a number of projects on our plate; along with some tough challenges. I spent last night 'talking' to Him; basically, I was looking at all the 'stuff' we have going on in our lives; and we definitely need His Help for Solution. He does Provide; however, it is in His time and according to His Will; thus we are 'waiting' with patience and doing our best, to enjoy the journey while we 'wait'. It is vital that one has joy; then regardless of what is happening all around you, you are at Peace and enjoying your life. He has already WON. He HAS overcome the world; and says 'FEAR NOT'. Well, there are times when there is fear; and everyone experiences their own sets of fear at various times. I told Him that I am 'struggling' with some obstacles; and yet I have the unseen FAITH, that He will Provide; just do not know the when or the how. However, that is not up to me to worry. We are to RELY on Him; that is His Wish. He does not want us to worry or have angst (the other force does); and to maintain a confidence and a joyfulness of spirit. I know He heard my Prayer; when I said the word, 'struggling'. I also felt a huge lump well up in my throat, as well as tears streaming from my eyes, in my poignant plea for His Guidance and Help.

The long story made short, I said a very powerful Prayer; right from the bottom of my heart. In the wee hours of the morning, I had to go to the washroom; and I heard 'Be Still'. So, I returned to my bed and just lay there for the rest of the night; did not give in to the evil one to be up and puttering about; whether it was on the computer, doing housework, whatever. He wants us to rest; particularly when we lay our heads down on the pillow. Easier said than done, at times. This morning, approx 7:45 am; when I was back in the washroom, rain started to gently fall on our skylights; the exact moment I went into the washroom. The sound of the rain was a welcoming and comforting gentle relief to me. The rain did not last; only for a very few minutes; and it is a beautiful warm summer day. (82 degrees F now in the shade).

On Sunday mornings whenever it is possible, I enjoy watching and listening to the 'Hour of Power' (with the Schullers); 'Enjoying Everyday Life' (Joyce Meyer); and ' The Living Truth' (Charles Price). If you wish (if you are newcomers to my blog), please feel free to check out earlier posts. ie Nov 11/07 etc and that will give you a 'heads up'. When I was 'talking' with Him last night, I had expressed that perhaps there might be a 'gem of info' that I would learn in the morning from the televised programs' teachings. I also 'Praised Him in ALL Things'; and thanked Him for all of our Blessings, thus far. I also boldly said, that I KNOW He will Provide, as He (Jesus Christ) is our Saviour; and that He has a good (and the best!) plan for us.

Well, this morning with the Schullers, Robert Jr brilliantly touched upon 'the storm within'. ie our emotions and events can take over; whereas, if we accept Jesus Christ into our hearts, He IS there, living within us. ie "Peace be Still" (Mark 4, v 39) when He had the winds cease on the seas. He also shared the story about a friend of his, who Prayed on top of a high mountain; and when he said 'Amen', the winds and clouds ceased; just like that! And, he gave a plaque, '4610' to Robert Schuller Jr. Basically it is from Psalms 46, v 10 and where God is saying 'Be still, and know that I am God'. How incredible is that!!! Wow! Also, in the toughest of times, Jesus comes to us. Have Enthusiasm in God; and when He is in your heart, He is there! And here is another wow! Morris Robinson was the guest who has an awesome voice; just blew me away with his spiritual music; that he combined with classical composers! Perhaps some of you are familiar with him? He also used to play football. He was brought up in a singing family; and whenever times were tough, his Mum always broke into Gospel Songs; and thus they all learned to sing! Morris' two yr old son, is exercising his singing voice too! Morris has recognized his God given gifts and and is enjoying full use those special talents. Good on him! And God loves the sound of music! We all have been given precious gifts and talents; because each of us is unique and special to Him; we just have to recognize and appreciate (and not abuse the gifts) His Gifts to us.

Next with Joyce, there was the 'love language'; whereby 5 guests were interviewed as per their different personalities and how they deal with life. Very interesting. Basically, if you 'walk in Love', and you humble yourself before Him, you become better equipped to give more of a genuine uplift to others; as well as being able to adjust and adapt to various situations.

Last, but not least, with Charles, he was talking about Paul. ie Philippians 4, v 3 to 6. It is about being CONFIDENT. 'He who has began a good work in you, will bring it to completion'. We all may experience 'prisons', that restrict us at times; however, there are resources for life and for joy; no matter what your circumstances may be. Paul was saying that He was Sufficient with Him, even when he was in an actual prison. Looking both back and forward to the future, walk in Confidence amd permit Him to walk IN our shoes. A desire for Righteousness, Holiness, and Goodness; that is the presence of Jesus Christ living within us. And, be CONFIDENT seven days a week!

The above are tids of tidbitz which I hoped helped or encouraged you; it cerainly gave me a boost of enlightenment. I recommend listening or going online to check out these 3 magnificent International Bible Teachers; they are wonderful messengers!

Tidbit - He IS The WAY, The TRUTH, and The LIGHT.

Bittid - 'Seek and Ye Shall Find'. ( I mentioned that last night to Him as well). I received further validation re: having the Confidence, to be Still, to delight in the Joy, and to Fear Not; because He wants the best for us all. Always.

Also, when we were at Pasley this last tid while, I was again 'talking' with Him; and lo and behold when I looked up, there was a gorgeous 'rainbow' in the sky! Wow! Actually, the rainbow was a 'ring around the sun'; which is a precursor to the arrival of inclement weather; which soon took place. However, the rain felt refreshingly good; and the smell of fresh rainfall upon the earth was a wonderful treat!

I guess in a bit of a nutshell, SIMPLY and genuinely turn to Him; and He will Change your life forever. He IS your best Guide to help you enjoy all the Blessings you deserve. He loves each and every one of us.

God Bless.

A relaxing Saturday morning at home

Good Morning or whatever the best greeting is to you, in your part of the world!

Yesterday came and went by quickly; as if in a blur. It was a full day; and then a good friend of ours came over in the evening; and, so much for writing the blog! LOL! She brought a bottle of chilled champagne, and I warmed up bits and tids of 'appies' from our wonderful Costco; along with fresh big green grapes. Mmmmmmmm. Perfect for a warm summer evening. There was no extraordinary occasion to celebrate; except that it was wonderful to see her; so we toasted to our genuine 'Friendship!'. My apologies for not posting yesterday; but when our friend left, we 'retired for the night', and when we awoke, it was after 9:00 am! Feel as if I am on another planet; as that was a major 'sleep in!'. No complaints though; guess we needed the extra bit of rest.

This morning is a gorgeous summer am; and at 9:15 am, it was already 72 degrees F in the shade, as per our thermometer. (This is the day to be by the ocean; as it is has been predicted to be a scorcher). Just checked our thermometer and the temps have risen to 80 degrees F. However, we are appreciative of the summer weather; because in the next 6 weeks, we will be heading into Fall. I love the Fall with its crispness, cool nights, fires, colours etc; and yet, because we live one day at a time, we do our best to enjoy the moments of each day.

Tidbit - Be thankful for your few 'true' friends. One is fortunate if one can count the number on one hand. Think I personally have 2 or 3 close friends; although there was a 4th one, who sadly passed away approx 18 months ago. However, I know she is in Heaven; and is at peace, which is a major comfort to me.

Bittid - When you have accepted Him into your Heart, you 'change'; because He is now living within you. ALWAYS. Some of you know of what I write. However, there are still those that do not have understanding (simply not their time yet) and do not like the 'change'. ie from me, because 'they' are no longer in a position to manipulate, control, whatever they once used to do with me. My dear husband Alan, is being blamed too; because he 'has changed me'; so it is his fault. Thus false accusations, the works. However, we know the TRUTH; simply, they do not. Alan introduced me to Him; and I have embraced Him totally (it was at the right time; timing is everything) and it is amazing what happens when you genuinely invite Him in. 'Seek and Ye Shall Find'. He becomes your best Friend, Confidant, Advocate etc; because you have a personal and open relationship with Him. That is what He wants! Am reading a fabulous book, 'Woman to Woman', written by Joyce Meyer; and what a 'down to earth' resource! For those women (and men, for that matter - to help understand us females better! LOL!) it is an excellent book of encouragement and insightful inspiration to all women. I thoroughly recommend it for all those who wish to have a happier and simpler life!

For those that are 'new' or not familiar with my posts, you may wish to refer to earlier postings (November 11/07, June 10/08 etc) for background or start at the beginning. Perhaps pour yourself a cup of coffee, or tea, or something stronger, if need be, and enjoy!

Have to go for now. May be back a tid later today. However, here is wishing you a great day!

The above photo is one of the pictures I took of our beloved Blue, on the new Panabode deck, overlooking our bay. Eventhough, the pic is sideways, you can still catch a glimpse of Pasley.

God Bless.

Keep things simple

Good Evening or whatever is the best greeting to you, in your part of the world!

Today has remarkably just come and gone! It is very warm (no complaints!); and this is where the ocean air breeze would be most appealing and appeasing to us; had we still been up at Pasley. It is 92 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade. However, it is great to be home again; as in 'there is no place like home!' We do have screens on the windows and a fan; so that really helps cool our abode.

We have accomplished a few tidbit projects; and hope to have the rest of the bittid matters completed before we leave again for Pasley. Have just booked for Zihua in December; and we look forward to revisiting that part of the world at that time. We will be home for Christmas. Perhaps one of these years, we might stay and experience a Christmas there. Eventhough we have received generous invitations, there is 'something to be said, for being home at Christmas'. Just a feeling you have. Am sure some of you, can relate.

Alan right now is watering all our flowers, plants, and garden herbs/home grown produce. The heat is taking a lot out them; so the water is a welcome relief to their parched roots. Our neighbour was wonderful to come in and water everything for us, while we were away; plus she loved helping herself to the tid cherry tomatoes etc! She very kindly offered; and of course when she is away, we will return her kindness and take care of her wondrous plants.

Tidbit - Keep everything SIMPLE. Things work a lot better that way.

Bittid - Holidays are beneficial to relax, reflect, and recharge; AND, to have the Faith, the Trust, and Calm in Him, that He will Provide for our needs. We have left everything to Him and are joyfully anticipating His Solutions. 'Praise Him in ALL Things'.

Here is another bit photo of our 'pup', Blue. As you can see, he loves his sticks!

Good Night and God Bless.

Grace and acting with Grace

Good Evening, or whatever is the best greeting to you, in your part of the world!

Wow! Can not believe that 2 weeks approx have evaporated, since my last post to you! We returned from our beloved Pasley last night; all tuckered out, but totally rested. Today, was back to dealing with raw reality; the usual tidbitz stuff to do etc; when one has been away for a bittidz of time.

Pasley days and nights went by far too quickly. We were hit with nasty rains and strong winds at the beginning; including the first part of my daughter's and her husband's visit. Fortunately, the weather improved; which made life easier; particularly where there are little ones to consider. My daughter's and her husband's boys (our grandsons are not identical twins, thank goodness!) have just turned 2 years old; and they are on the go, non stop; tid into everything! Methinks I have forgotten how 'busy' those days can be, chasing after and caring for wee ones. My daughter is totally run off her feet!

My daughter and her husband invited some of their close friends up to stay with them / us; so it was a full household. My son also came up for a few R & R days; and we were thankful to have enjoyed a bit of a visit with him as well. There were three little boys (the twins and their 5 yr old house guest)and they 'played' well together.

We have one fridge; so ice and coolers were / are an absolute premium. Eventually, we will find a second fridge (propane) and that will be a great relief to us all. The above is a picture I took, of our bay; and in the future, I will add more photos. Please bear with me. If you refer to the post of July 28th, you can see how the bay fits in with the other pictures. There is a treacherous rock reef out in front; and it is very deceptive to all those boaters / fishermen who are not aware of its presence; particularly when it is submerged under the water. Over the years, there have been countless 'boat hits'; ie damaged props, broken keels, lost lures, etc. Just the other day, a small sailboat went sailing right over the rock and ouch; the keel make such a horrible sound! Not reassuring, I can assure you. Fortunately, those on board were okay; their motor was immediately pressed into service, and they safely 'limped' away; not to do that repeat performance.

We enjoyed 'PIG' - the island gathering for the annual summer evening picnic, held at a tranquil field, overlooking a magnificent bay. For the event, one of my daughter's guests barbecued a large salmon for our group of 11; and it was so delicious! Of course, 'good food, good wine, good company', is always one of the welcoming mainstays at Pasley. Amazing how major a part, food plays in one's memories! Also, there were lights and music (CDs) brilliantly connected to the generator on the PIG night; and if one were approaching the island, one might wonder who are all those 'bohemian' people dancing about; both young and old alike! LOL!

We also caught fresh crab and mmmmmm, was that ever good. Cooked in garlic and melted butter; that is the best! Mmmmmm! A tidbit: as I was about to dig into my crab, my daughter reminded me, "Mum, you have forgotten to say Grace!" Well, indeed I had 'spaced it out'; so I immediately replied, "Yes, my daughter, you are absolutely right; thank you!" I was relieved and grateful when my daughter drew my attenion to give a genuine thanks for our meal. I thought, 'Good on her!' As a bittid, 'Grace' plays such a vital role in our daily lives. Apart from being thankful and appreciative for all of our Blessings; it is also when you genuinely act with Grace and Love, that truly pleases Him. He wants us to: 'Love thy neighbour, as thyself'. 'Do unto others, as you would have them, do unto you'. 'Keep it Simple'.

Our dog, Blue, was finally 'swimming'; albeit not for long; however, once he gains more confidence with his 'dog paddle', he will be just fine! The other 'puppy', Pedro, (3 yrs old; a year younger than Blue) who belongs to my daughter, is a pug / bulldog combination, is built like a tank; and he boldly tackles the water without any fear whatsoever.

Eventhough we were at a wonderful oceanside location, there is 'no place like home!' We are happy to be back; and will be here for another 2 weeks approx, before we leave again. We have much to do in the next tid while; but we feel that most of things will have been attended to, before we are away again.

Have mentioned some tidbits / bittids; hope they are a bit of an uplift to you. Have more bittids / tidbits to share with you tomorrow etc.

Good Night and God Bless.

P.S. It is nice to be back on the blog circuit! LOL!