Pumpkin time: Before and After

Yay! I actually got some crafting done today..... and I had fun turning this plain gold pumpkin from Michael's into a colorful Fall accent. The orange flower and the Plaid and brown sparkle ribbon all came from Michael's, too. The gold -edged green ribbon is some that I have had since last Fall, and I think it may have come from Hobby - Lobby. I wired the bow together, and tied and glued it in place, glued on the orange flower and some leaves and berries, and "bibbidy - bobbidy - boo!" A fancy pumpkin...... or, as some say here in Texas: a "Punkin".......

Hooray for Fall! September is here at last...........

Some Weekend Ramblings....

(I enjoyed watercoloring and glittering this card this weekend.....)

Goodness! I had quite a weekend, how about you? I ended up having to go to the Urgent Care Clinic on Friday Night, and received a steroid shot and an antibiotic shot, as well as a round of antibiotics for ten days. These nasty old sinus infections just make you miserable, don't they?? And then I fell on some cement on Saturday and tore my shin up and ripped part of my big toenail off, OUCH! Just call me "Miss Klutzy" and I am not kidding..... I have been klutzy all of my life, and my Dad says I will not have a spine left intact by the time I am 45 years old....... I am thanking the Lord for open - toed shoes, today, too, by the way.....

I got to go and visit my Grandmother in the rehab facility, and met some of the other elderly ladies there.... one found out I play the piano and begged me to play so sweetly that I could not refuse. Such a little thing, and it made her so happy. It was my priviledge to do that for her......

My sister and I went to Hobby Lobby and Michael's on Saturday afternoon, and I got supplies for some new Fall "Crafty Creations". I hope to be able to share them with you later this week. I hope each of you had a wonderful and happy weekend. The best part of my weekend was today, when I got to go to my Father's House..... And He met me there, and let me know He loves me, and is holding my hand in His. His hands are really big, and they have nail - scars in them..... I love my Father's hands.....
I hope this week is full of peace and joy for each of you.......
Jenni

"The Enemy of Time"

Praise God! The Houston area is getting some RAIN!

Have you ever tried to pray or read your Bible, and a thousand thoughts will crowd into your mind..... and you'll start thinking about this or that, and before you know it, you are completely off track???? Or you'll think of some chore that you just have to do right this minute.... but strangely, it didn't feel so urgent until you stopped to spend time with the Lord! Well, I got so fed up with that, last night, that I felt stirred to pray about using my time with God wisely.... and then I thought: "Hmmmm..... maybe I could come up with a slogan or sentence about not letting my mind wander when I pray.....I could type it up, and hang it on my dresser mirror where I will see it every day, and it will remind me to fight for my time with God; to keep the enemy from stealing it!" So I asked the Lord to help me come up with something...... and this is actually what came to me. Goodness, I wasn't expecting a Poem, but it encouraged me, and I hope it encourages you, too......

"The Enemy of Time"

The enemy is a robber,

your time he loves to take

He wants to keep you busy,

so Godliness you will forsake

He is thrilled to get you distracted,

and get your mind on other things

Especially when you are spending your time,

Talking to the King of Kings

Oh God help me to never surrender,

my precious time to him

For there is so little time remaining,

we're so close to this journey's end

Help me to take back my Time, dear Lord

these fleeting moments, so precious, so few

And return them to thy keeping, Lord,

Dedicating each moment to You

A Flower, Not a Weed

(This is a photo of some flowers we had in the Spring of 2010)
I was outside, a little while ago, watering the potted plants and flowers on our back patio. As I was watering one particular flowering plant, I looked a little to the side, and saw that part of it was entertwined with the "Plant" growing in the pot beside it....... I looked more closely, and saw the other "plant" was actually a weed. It had been getting watered right along with the real flowers...... I got to thinking of the Parable of the wheat and the tares, which is found in Matthew chapter thirteen in the Holy Bible.

All of this thinking made me realize how much I want to be a "flower", not a weed......though it's been getting watered and is thriving with healthy looking green leaves, right beside a pot full of REAL yellow flowers, it is still a weed......
Living for God, and Pleasing Him, MUST be my top priority. Nothing else can ever be as important! If I will continue praying and reading His Word every day, and going to His House to Worship Him when I am able, and if I not only hear, but obey the preached Word.....I will thrive and grow spiritually......I must try to make sure that I surrender my will to Him daily, and that I walk through life totally filled with His Precious Spirit, the Holy Ghost.......

Because I DO NOT want to be the weed that is "blooming" right along with the beautiful Flowers cultivated by the Master Gardiner in our Church! I want to be the "real thing"! I want to live with sincerity and be genuine........
As the old song says: "I love Him too much, too fail Him now!"
He is returning soon, and, as another well - loved old song says: "Oh! I want to see Him!"
He is my life..........

Sweet Gifts from My Sister.....

(You can click on the photo for a closer look, if you'd like)

I've been meaning to share these precious new editions to my "Charming Tails" collection. My sweet sister surprised me with them recently, and I thought they looked cute grouped around this watercolor painting that I did.......

Oh! I would really love to know what you all collect..... when I saw the darling faces of the little "Charming Tails" Mice for the first time, I just fell in love with them! Aren't they sweet? And they are even more dear because someone I love gave them to me......

My heart is full tonight...... I have been greatly strengthened from talking to a precious sister in the Lord that is battling a serious illness.... her Faith inspires me.......

And as always, My Jesus sustains me, comforts me, strenthens me, and gives me hope.... talking with Him can make a gloomy day bright with Joy............. and Speaking His Precious Name brings instant Comfort and Peace.......

I hope that each of you has a Wonderful Weekend! From My Heart!

Jenni

His Tender Care

( I have wanted this picture from Cracker Barrel for a long time, and was so excited to find it 40% off, yesterday, when my sister and I had supper before going to the hospital to visit my Grandmother)

UPDATE: Grandma is doing so very much better! Praise the Lord! If all continues to go well, she will be moved to the Rehab facility Tomorrow, or Tuesday.....

My heart is just full, this morning. What would I do without my Wonderful, Loving, Caring God? He has been a Friend like no other.... providing so faithfully for my every need... and even some of my heart's desires; things that only He and I knew about......... He is Amazing! What a priviledge it is to serve Him. And, as the old song says: "What a priviledge to carry, everything to God in prayer......" He upholds me and my family with His everlasting Arms... He is my Tower of Strength, My Joy, My Hope, My Refuge! Just speaking His precious Name brings Peace...... and talking with Him, is a Joy like no other.........

Maybe there is some one out there that is struggling right now, exhausted from wondering if God hears you, or if He even Cares...... I just want you to know that HE DOES! His Word speaks of how He even takes notice of, and cares for the little sparrows that He created, and says that you are worth so much more than a little sparrow! You can read this for yourself in Matt 6:25 - 34, and also in Matt. 10: 29 - 31.....

Wonder no more, dear friend, God loves you! Just seek Him in Prayer and He will draw you close......He is as close as the mention of His Name......

Blessings,

Jenni

Longing for Fall... Update on Grannie

(This is a picture from last Fall, of my antique piano, decorated in Autumn colors)

I was looking through some pics from last year, and came across this one, and just loved the rich Fall colors offset against the antique patina of the old piano's keys. Whew! Fall's climate sounds reallllly inviting right about now!

Thanks to everyone for thinking of and praying for my Grandmother; and for us, too. We really appreciate it! She is doing well after the surgery, but the iron level in her blood has the docs worried a bit. She is at 6, and is supposed to be at 13. They gave her some units of blood, and said that it is common for patients to need some blood after hip replacement surgery, but that her iron level is too low, and if the blood transfusions do not bring it up, she may be losing blood somewhere else in her body. If this happens, they are saying she will need to have a colonoscopy. I am just trusting the Awesome God I serve! I believe He is going to take such good and tender care of her!

I know all the prayers are helping! He hears, and answers prayer!

Praise His Name!

With Love,

Jenni

Another Hospital Stay

This is a picture of my dear Grandmother, and my Uncle, taken at our house this past Christmas...(some of you family members might want a closer look, just click on it to enlarge it) We had quite a scare Monday morning when she called us, from the floor where she had fallen. Her blood pressure was very low, and she was dizzy. We told her to stay put, and my mother called an ambulance..... and we now know the fall resulted in a broken hip. She will be having hip replacement surgery today at 1:00. She just celebrated her 80th birthday in June, and I love her so much! I know God will bring her through this, just as He has brought her through all of the hospital stays and surgeries she has endured this past couple of years..... He is so Faithful!