Say it Ain't........ SNOW...........

......but it won't last.  Only 10 days until the official day of spring. The ground is bringing forth signs of spring:

Look very close.....hidden beneath the old is the new!




Don't you like the daffodils?  But if you notice, they are inside and not out.  They are my interim daffodils.  A welcome gift from a friend.  And as soon as the weather is cooperative, they will be moved to the great outdoors.

The Garden of Hope Guardian Angel watches over the signs of life in the below picture

So take heart.  Spring is just around the corner!

Ponderings on Sunday

Recently while cleaning out an area of my home, I came across the following that I had written several years ago.  Before you read, please know that I love electronics and other gadgets so this following isn't about getting rid of that, it is about how we have evolved in our service to God.

"Many years ago I was encouraged to take my Bible to church and Sunday school.  My parents said, "You will never know when you'll need your sword." (Eph. 6:17.)  As I walked the not quite 2 blocks to get to church,  I would imagine "battles"  along the way, looking at the landscape anticipating something to appear.  The "battles" I thought of were fleshly "battles."  One never knows in a small community what evil creature or beast might be hiding behind a shrub or tree.
As time progressed I married and moved away from my hometown, but remembered my parents words.  I made sure I would be "packing" my Bible when attending church.
One time my husband and I visited a larger church in a near by community and gladly took our swords (bibles) so we could read along with the minister.  To our surprise,  this body of believers did not use many swords.  Members would just listen to the minister, sing songs from hymnals ending the service with a prayer.
Disturbing feelings came over me as I sat and watched as no one opened their Bibles, because they didn't bring them.  I left that service feeling sad.  This body of believers had polished their swords and had them in safe keeping.  If the enemy were to approach-what would they do?
Fast forward a couple decades. We are so technically advanced  in our worship service. Someone takes the time to type out God's Holy Word and have it displayed on the screen in front of the church body.  We  put the words to the music we sing on a screen allowing us to worship in song hands free.  Isn't technology great!
Remember, Moses read to the children of Israel-they didn't have God's word written on scrolls for everyone to read. (Deut.4:44-45,  5:1. ) Parents were encouraged to teach their children God's word so they might be prepared and remember. (Deut 6:6-9,  11:18-21.)
Josiah read the Holy Words, tore his clothes and sought the Lord. (2 Chron 34:19-21.)  God blessed Josiah (2 Chron 34:26-28)  Then Josiah went to work to restore God's word. Have we become weak, soft and lazy?  You see the battle with our swords (bibles) is not a battle against flesh and blood, but a battle against the spiritual realm.   (Eph 6:12)
As I have reached understanding as to my parents description of my sword, I now realize how silly I was as a child.
I look around today and we've taken the importance of knowing God's Word and knowing the books of the bible and we don't require it in our corporate time of worship. Are we ashamed of the gospel?  When people, especially new Christians, would rather bring a cup of coffee or a bottle of water to satisfy the fleshly desires of their bodies, instead of the Holy Words of God, I think they aren't prepared for the battle.  These same people do not know the importance of carrying a sword, but they are not to blame.  We who have claimed Christianity and are in positions of leadership are to be held accountable.  We have socialized church so much that I wonder where our passion went? 
God  forbid we ever lose our electricity during a church service-we won't be able to see the bible verses on the screen or sing the songs. 
Encourage someone to sharpen their sword and bring it to church next Sunday.  Let's start arming (Eph 6:10-20) our soldiers.

The Great Thaw of 2011 is almost finished......We hope!

I am really quite suprised.  I had a farmer tell me this past weekend, that the snow and ice would be gone by the middle of this week.  To my delight, he was pretty much on it.  I tell you these farmer guys in Hooterville are pretty smart fellas.  I can see green and brown on the ground and mud in the gravel.  Not to worry about slipping under the car because of ice.  Now its the mud.  But that's ok.

The warmer weather has brought happy birds to Hooterville.  I so enjoy hearing them sing their songs and noticed this week that many are singing their songs. 

Was that crazy groundhog correct? 

The count down of spring is on.  With spring comes new life and that's just who we are waiting on.  Navy son and his wife will be welcoming their son in less than 6 weeks.  Really. 6 weeks.  Our second opportunity to be a Grandparent!  Yippee!  The little fella seems to be doing well.  Filling up the space left in his current living quarters. (According to his mom, he is filling this space very quickly.)

He will be a welcome addition to our family and we can't wait to meet him!

Looking through my camera recently I came across some pictures of our son's graduation from Basic Training. It's almost been a year that he has completed that part of his Navy tour. And it has almost been 2 years that he has been enlisted.  But who's counting.......(Apparently I am!) 

I am very proud of him and what he is doing and has done.  I am just a mom!  Most mom's want their chicks to be close.  But knowing that "it is what it is" and must be this way for a season, I can put my wing to my side and know that he is happy, growing and doing a fine work.  I have not been blessed? to be able to tell the future,  but I do know this to shall pass and soon another adventure will began. 

I am sharing some of the Navy pictures on this post.  Hope you enjoy! It was really an impressive ceremony.

Excited mom taking picture!  Sorry it's blurry!

Hooterville's Garden of Hope

Footprints in the Snow!

The blowing wind created some cool drifts. 
Looks like we had more snow than we really did.

Out my kitchen window.  What a delightful suprise.

Welcome to my Garden of Hope.  Why you ask do I call it a Garden of Hope? As you can tell, there is not much there but Snow.  Thus the Hope!  My Hope is that sometime soon I can turn this crater sized snow pile into a garden to welcome dragonflies, butterflies, birds and bees.  Thinking happy (warm) thoughts yet?  Even though its cold outside, I can envision lush greenery, blossoms of different shades and happy flying creatures that are doing their dance.  A small flag and some wind chimes placed right beside a comfortable cushioned bench will offer the opportunity to enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of spring and summer. Come on Spring!

By looking at the footprints in the pictures, you can tell I have already had guests in my Garden of Hope.  I have at least 2 rabbits that live near by.  *You know if I have 2.....well...you know.  I'd like to think that one of the rabbits is the house guest I had last year.  His siblings (6 or 7) were taken to a cemetary close by and released to their new residence. This little fella decided to do a free bird out of my lap, off the porch, landing into the hostas, catapolting behind the plants and scampered away....well not too far away,  the footprints tell a tale of a different story.

Btw-those brownish tall things you see in the above pictures......not "plants" I planted.  But as you can see (I hope) in the last picture a  vibrant Cardinal is having lunch. (The picture doesn't do him justice.) The next day he brought 2 friends with him.  Another beautiful male Cardinal and a not so showy female Cardinal.  So those unwanted "plants" turned into a winter feast for my feathered friends.

So I guess I need to say that its not a Garden of Hope but that I Hope it will be a Garden.  If not, I have enjoyed watching nature move on even though the ground has been blanketed and put to rest for a season.

Greetings from Hooterville

I don't understand it and before anyone says it, I can't believe it either.  I am into BLOGS!!  For months I have been surfing blogs, reading things about people I will never meet in person,  having the ability to peek into their lives and read about things that are of shared interest. (Truthfully it all began with texting.  I didn't understand that either.  Funny how when you don't understand somethings you think they are unnecessary or silly.  How quickly things change) So.....I dove in.

I titled this blog affectionately "Hooterville" not because I am from the big city, nor do I consider myself a diva, far from it.  (I hardly walk around the house in dresses and jewels-I would rather be in jeans and a comfy shirt. I am the mother of 2 grown male children, mother-of-love of 2 daughter's  and the wife of a man who loves cars and engines.)  Though I do have pets, I can honestly say none of them have been named Arnold and they are not pigs.   I don't even live on a farm. My husband is not a lawyer and we don't have a hired hand.
I titled this blog "Hooterville" because I feel we are simple people.  Trying to get by one day at a time with the challenges that life presents.  Hoping that we leave a happy feeling for those with whom we come in contact.  (A wise man said to me that we make some people happy by coming and some people happy by going.  If this is true then my job is complete:))

My family has experienced a lot of change in the last several years.  We've added members (8 so far, soon to be 9) and lost a loved one way too soon. (Change is not always happy warm feelings.)  We've had close calls with others and  I consider that God IS good and has blessed us tremendously, carrying us when we knew we had just been sucker punched and holding us close allowing our voices and requests to be answered in the way we were requesting.  We've had loved ones move out of our telephone area code, which has been an adjustment for a family that has always shared the first three numbers. We have had the opportunity to see the best of people and unfortunately the not so best.  But again God Is Good!

Greenacres was a tv show when I was growing up that was simple, clean and funny.  (Who would have thought in the 60's and 70's that people thought they needed to escape the rat race and return to rural living.)  The other tv show at the time was called Petticoat Junction.  It was about a single mom running a hotel with 3 daughters and an Uncle Joe.  Like wise-I have a family member who has 3 daughters though she is not single, but is married to Uncle Joe. (Sometimes I think she might even think she is running a hotel. lol) Even 2 of her daughters share the middle name of "Jo" similar to Bille Jo, Bobby Jo and Betty Jo. 
Sidenote - We do have a railroad track close by but there is no town called Pixley or a water tower.

So it was just the right name for my blog.

In the future I hope to share things that you will find interesting to read and hopefully will make you smile.  Think of it as a pen pal's letter.  Reading a bit of someone's thoughts, hopes and experiences.  Getting to know someone, close by or separated by distance, but feeling like "I've found a new friend!"

Thanks for reading!