When I'm Sixty-Four

When I get older, losing my hair
Many years from now
Will you still be sending me a Valentine?
Birthday greetings bottle of wine?

If I'd been out 'till quarter to three
Would you lock the door?
Will you still need me
Will you still feed me
When I'm sixty-four?

And most of you remember...it goes on and on.

When the Beatles sang this song back in 1967 I was in the 7th grade.
As I ponder that now, I remember thinking that it was so far in the future and almost unimaginable,

assuming that I would one day be sixty-four years old...I mean that's ancient, right?

Oh...the thoughts we think when we're young and foolish....

Oh...the thoughts we think when we're old and foolish.
Did I just call myself...O-L-D??

Recently, I had too much spare time on my hands (and I wonder why am not getting things done!)

and I found myself playing around with some of those crazy apps on Facebook...

...you know, the ones that show you what you might look like as someone else.

So the "curious-as-a-cat" part of me clicked on a few of them but never shared them on my page...
...I was merely trying to entertain myself!

But just for fun, I saved the photos.

This one is my rock star alter ego coming out. 

And many times during my life, I have dreamed of being a red head.
A few years back I told myself if I lost 50 pounds, I'd go red.
I never did so I never did.

Yes? No?

Or how about me on the cover of a magazine...AARP maybe??
These days, the crazy features on our phones let us be anything we want!

A leopardess...

...an alien from outer space...

...a....rabbit??
These don't really look like bunny ears to me...

Carmen Miranda?

I have no idea who this is....somebody named Flo, maybe.

So tomorrow I turn the big SIX-FOUR.

In a year I get that lovely red, white and blue card to carry in my wallet 'til the day I die. 

Four years ago "Sixty is the new Forty" was my mantra.

So what will it be as I turn sixty four...or seventy-two...or eighty-nine...
...or if I am blessed to live as long as my mom, ninety-seven? 

 Seriously, y'all know this is just my feeble attempt to be funny.

I have never had a desire to be anything or anybody other than who I am.
Well, maybe the red head. 😉

At this stage in my life all that matters is living my life how God would have me live it,
admitting that I fail Him miserably in one way or another on a daily basis.
But He gives me grace to go on and His mercies are new every day!

The song in the video below is my mantra for as long as I have breath in my body.

So I think I'll just stick to what I know really matters.
I'm a child of God...YES I AM...

...a sixty-four (and counting) year old child of God.

 

I like my Hodgepodge a little on the salty side

Happy Wednesday to ya!

I trust everyone enjoyed a wonderful Mother's Day weekend...

...our weather here on Sunday was outstanding and it was a great day!

~

So....who's ready for some Hodgepodge?

Join me and a bunch of other folks over at Joyce's to find out their answers to her questions.

1. May 17th is National Pack Rat Day. Sidebar-should we be celebrating this? Hmmm... Are you a pack rat? Even if you're not a full fledged pack rat, most people have one thing or another they struggle to part with. Tell us what's yours.

What I think is this...the person or people that come up with these crazy "national" days have w-a-a-y too much time on their hands. I think every year they come up with more of them. With 365 days in a year, I wonder if they are all taken? I guess I should check that out. I don't consider myself a pack rat but I will admit to liking and collecting some things. I don't care much for bare walls or a lot of big empty spaces...I like cozy. Old mirrors are among those things that take my eye. This was my Goodwill find ($7.99) from over the weekend. It was absolutely covered with dust and spider webs...I guess they really wanted to get across the point that it was truly an antique. It is super heavy and looks like it could be 100 years old. A little Liquid Gold and some Windex later and well, here she is...

The mirror itself is somewhat cloudy and a bit distressed but that's okay...it adds to her charm if you ask me and after doing a little research into re-silvering old mirrors, I found out that sometimes people actually distress the old silver backing on purpose! I felt much better after knowing that...I didn't have to do anything to mine to make it look authentic! And of course you know I had to have a little fun with it.

The older I get though, the more sentimental I am about things that are connected with the past and the memories they conjure up. I have never been one to keep all my boys' school papers or things like that but I cannot part with a few items from when they were babies and some little clay and/or ceramic things they made in grade school. I'd say my biggest problem is getting rid of clothes that I plan to wear...right after I lose "that 20 pounds". I'm still waiting.

2. What are two things you know you should know how to do, but you don't?

After I read this question, a few things came to mind right away...one would be using a pressure cooker and another is canning. I grew up with a mom who regularly did both of these things but after the pressure cooker exploded one day when I was a little girl, it kinda did me in on that one...and back in the day, I just didn't realize the goodness contained in those glass jars. More and more, I find myself  thinking about the old days and the old ways. But an old dog can learn a few new tricks, right? I haven't given up the idea just yet. Now...if I could only learn to keep my mouth shut....help me, Jesus....

3. Do you crave sugar? Do you add sugar to your coffee and/or tea Do you use artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes?? When dining out is dessert a given?Are you someone who has slain the sugar dragon, and if so tell us how you did it.

Whoa...that's a doozie! Joyce, you could have just asked this five-part question and been done with the whole thing! So...yes, sometimes I do crave sweets and when I do, it's usually right after a meal but I only want a little bite. My usual cravings though are for a salty sumpin'-sumpin'...or better yet...a sweet/salty combo. When it comes to coffee and tea, I'll take sweetener in mine, and make that Splenda, please (it hasn't killed me yet) but if it happens be iced tea, then I'll take it unsweetened, no lemon. I don't use much sugar in most things unless I am baking something yummy, which is not something I do a lot of. This is what I mostly use for baking...unless I'm out of it, then sugar, it shall be.

Very seldom do we ever eat dessert out at a restaurant...where do you put it after the size of those meals? When we do, it is something that everyone can share. We will indulge on special occasions but most of everything we eat of a sweet nature is actually sugar-free....I said most. 😉

4. What's a trend it took a while for you to come round to, but now you can't imagine living without?

This one's easy, although I would consider it a bit more than just a trend. It would be me finally getting a smart phone. I've had my iPhone now for just under a year. I remember when I first got it, I thought I'd never figure out how to use it. Of all the things it is capable of, my favorite is probably having a cool little camera always with me and being able to share a photo on facebook or more recently, Instagram is fun as well. It's a little hard to utter the words, "I'd be lost without it"...so I won't. It might take a little while but I think I could find myself again.

5. What's a song that reminds you of a specific incident in your life? Please elaborate.

It's funny how immediately after I read this question, a really random memory (and song) popped right in to my head and I may even actually said out loud, "What in the world...?" It's funny how my crazy, silly the mind works at times. Who remembers this old song by Lou Christie from the mid sixties? Click and listen...it just may remind you of something.



 


The memory connected to it? You wouldn't believe me if I told you but I will anyway. It was a good thing for my mom that I had lots of big sisters growing up. Mom wasn't very comfortable discussing sensitive issues with us when we were young and so the older girls were given the responsibility of schooling us younger ones about "life" and what to "expect" as we started maturing...yeah, the ol' birds and the bees conversation. The day that I was becoming enlightened, I remember this song playing on the radio up in our room. Did it strike me like lightening? Naahhh...I had guessed most of it already. 😉

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I think that last answer is enough randomness for one post.

Enjoy the rest of your week, friends!

Everything...Including the Kitchen Sink

We usually use the word 'but' when we are referring to the kitchen sink.

I can tell you that this idiom has rolled off my tongue many times over the years.

It is Sunday afternoon and I have just finished washing a few dirty dishes by hand.

It is a dreary, rainy day but even the view of the soggy backyard delighted me as I ponder about...

...the kitchen sink.

Does that ever happen to you?

Something sparks a memory or an idea and you know just have to go write it down or you'll forget.
As I filled the sink with the warm, soapy water and began washing the few dishes,
I realized for maybe the first time how enjoyable it actually was.

Am I losing my mind or what??

Oh no...don't even think about asking me to give up my dishwasher.
I waited almost half my life to be blessed with one and I'm not turning loose of it now!
Seriously, I can't even tell you why this feeling came over me all of a sudden.

Here of late, the window over the kitchen sink and the kitchen sink, itself, has been in my thoughts.
I am referring to this in general terms, not necessarily just about mine here at home.

It may have been triggered by this post by Roxy a couple of weeks ago.
She talked about washing dishes and how her kitchen sink and the window above
was her secret place where she prays, thinks and plans her day.
If you haven't read it or aren't familiar with Roxy, you may want to go read it.

Her post got me to reminiscing about when I was a little girl (and also as a big girl)...
and the feeling of comfort I would get when I'd see even the shape of Mom's head,
let alone her face, through the kitchen window as I'd be walking up the sidewalk
coming home from school every day.
There she'd be every afternoon, standing at the kitchen sink as she was preparing dinner.
(actually, it was called supper at my house)
I could count on it.
~
When I think of the kitchen sink, it represents so many things.
It was my first bathtub, even though I don't remember it...

...but pictures don't lie :)

 The kitchen sink would later become a place where three sisters (at times all five of us)
would stand and harmonize to "The Tennessee Waltz" or a favorite Lennon Sisters ballad...
while one washed, one dried and the other(s) put the dishes away.

It represents a broken ring finger where a couple of teenage girls got a little too rambunctious
as they were cleaning up after supper one summer evening.
Flinging one drop of water led to another and another, then to a half a glass...
...and the fight was on!
A trip to the emergency room and a few hours later, the verdict was in...broken.
Dear sister Barbara had to do my dishes for the next six weeks!
I had lost the battle but won the war :)

Years later after I had moved far away from home,
I can close my eyes and I still see the scene playing in my mind...
we'd be coming home for a visit and almost without fail,
there was that same familiar shadow behind the glass as we pulled into the driveway.

The memories are priceless to me.
Thank you again, Roxy for this lovely post of yours.
~
I think these sudden thoughts about the kitchen sink have been reinforced by some recent ponderings.
We have actually been making progress towards planning the farmhouse in Tennessee.
I am currently working on a document for our builder, detailing what we want in our home.
Can you believe it?
Here are a few ideas that we're looking at...

We'll see...they can be very expensive.
To say I'm getting excited would be an understatement.
All things in God's perfect timing.
~
So as I stood there this afternoon with my hands in that warm, soapy water,
I realized that the kitchen sink represented a lot of different things to me.
It isn't just a receptacle that holds water or a place to peel potatoes.

All of a sudden my kitchen sink is overflowing with many things...
sometimes it's dirty dishes, other times it's sweet memories from days gone by.

What does your kitchen sink hold?

Where Am I Going?

I have to admit, there are times when I have no idea!

Have you ever felt that way or am I the only one?

I mean, I do know that ultimately, I am going to go to heaven one day.

But where am I actually heading on my day to day journey?

There are days when I feel like I'm traveling in the fast lane—not by my lifestyle...

...but like life is just passing by so quickly.

Or sometimes it seems like I'm headed down a one-way street,

not being able to get to where I need to be.

What is the reason for this out-of-nowhere, random question?

I will blame it on my new phone.

Yes, my peeps...I have actually joined the ranks and gotten an iphone!

I know, I know...it's about time I got with the program, right?

My dumb little phone has done me well all these years, but it was time.

And what have I been lusting longing for most after seeing many of YOU using it?

The Waterlogue App.

So I was going through some of the many photos I've taken so far

 and decided to give this random shot that I took on my way to work one morning

the Waterlogue treatment.

Oh my...

That road seemed to take on a whole new meaning and I just couldn't stop looking at it.

I'm not really sure why, but it had a way of making me take stock of my life.

Some days I might feel like I've pretty much got it all together,

but there are just as many days I know, unequivocally, that I do NOT!

I look at that road and it reminds me that I should be farther along on my journey.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 

"This is the way; walk in it."

Isaiah 30:21

Thank you, Lord, for your holy spirit that convicts us me...not condemns me...

...but shows me what is it that I need to do—the things that I do have control over,

to make a difference in the lives of those that I come in contact with.

So...I fret a little and pray a lot.

 But here's what I do know...

...after God...

 I may not always know where I am going 

but I do recognize when I have been lagging behind.

I am thankful for the holy spirit's conviction and for the sweet grace of my Savior. 

I came across this poem that kind of puts it all into perspective, 

~

Life is a Journey

~unknown

Life is but a stopping place,
a pause in what's to be,
A resting place along the road,
to sweet eternity.

We all have different journeys,
different paths along the way,
We all were meant to learn some things,
but never meant to stay...

Our destination is a place,
far greater than we know.
For some the journey's quicker,
for some the journey's slow.

And when the journey finally ends,
we'll claim a great reward,
And find an everlasting peace,
together with the Lord.
~
So yes, I've been having some fun playing with my new iphone...
...and isn't it just like God to use technology to get His message across?!

I follow Jesus so I shall not walk in darkness, but I have the light of life.
John 8:12

Sharing at

Spiritual Sundays

Looking Back: Keeping it in Perspective

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this:
 God has made the one as well as the other. 
Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.
Ecclesiastes 7:14

~

This was the view I saw in my rear-view mirror on the way home from church Wednesday evening.
I wouldn't have been able to enjoy it as much if I'd have been driving towards it...
...as it would have either been hidden behind the visor or it would have blinded me.

So I did what any good blogger would do.

I reached in my purse and quickly grabbed my trusty point-n-shoot.

"Have point-n-shoot, will travel"...

...that has been my motto for the past two years :)

So when I got home, I uploaded it to my facebook page with these words...

"We all need to let go of the past but sometimes the best view is behind us" smile emoticon

~
As what often happens, the photo got me to thinking about my life.

It seems the older I get, the more I miss the good ol' days and what life used to be like.

Or sometimes even about what it could have been like.

Now, just so you know, I don't dwell in the past as part of my normal routine...

...but I think if we are 100% honest with ourselves, we all do this to some degree.

What would my life be like if this (whatever) had or hadn't happened?...

...what would my marriage be like if I would have done (or not done) this or that?

...or maybe what could have I done to prevent such and such?

~
A while ago I wrote the post If only..., where we visited a place called The City of Regret.

Now, please don't get me wrong...I don't live there by any means,

but I still can stop by there for a visit every now and then...
...more often than I prefer, to be perfectly honest.

I do consider myself to be a positive, joyful person for the most part,

but this is how the enemy works in our lives my life at times...

...by bringing back memories of those things from my past that I'm not so proud of.

Or maybe bringing to mind a time of struggle...

...a time of darkness.

Maybe it's a memory from long ago about some wrong decisions that were made,

resulting in situations and circumstances that you I thought were long forgotten.

I think you know where I'm coming from.
~

But on the other hand, looking back also can be good thing.

I mean, that's what many of our memories consist of...the good times.

Most of us have been blessed to have had sweet memories of growing up in a loving home,

or maybe it's when we think back to when we were first married and the births of our children...
 ...or maybe that first moment when we became a grandparent.
Such sweet memories!
~
Our lives are made up of a broad spectrum of events,
and sometimes it can be hard to keep these events in the proper perspective.
As Christians, we serve a Lord who is abundant in grace and mercy.
And I so love it when the Holy Spirit brings this to mind when I get off on the wrong path!
Whether we have lived a life with many or few regrets,
whether we have gone through many trials or maybe not so many,
it is what He has in store for us that we are to look forward to with joy!
~
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. 
But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14

So as I think about looking back at this lovely reflection of the sunset in my mirror,
 it is a reminder to me of who I am and where I came from.
It is a reminder to me of those beautiful, happy memories from days gone by.
But more importantly, it reminds me of how God never leaves my side.
Even Especially when the enemy tries to torment by using little reminders of those times...
 ...times when things weren't so good.

And how silly would I be to think that those days are over?!

He was and always will be getting me through them, moment by moment...
...holding me, His amazing grace flowing down all the while...
...regardless if the glorious sunset is before me or in my rear-view mirror :)
~
And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
John 1:16


I'm sharing here:

Spiritual Sundays
Sunday Stillness
Roses of Inspiration
Grace at Home

If only...

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: 

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14

Sometimes I feel like it's the story of my life..."oh, if only I would have done this...or that...or maybe I shouldn't have done either one! Or maybe it was a missed opportunity to encourage someone...or take back an ill thought out sentence. We all have these moments in our lives when we miss the mark. Unfortunately, I have more than I would like to admit. I apologize up front for the length of this post...and the lack of pretty pictures. I understand if you decide not to stay with me :)

I admire Joyce Meyer and have watched her regularly since I discovered her in the early 90's. I don't mind telling you that I am quite skeptical of most TV preachers and with the exception of a few, I just don't watch them much. I do pray for discernment when I see someone I connect with because I do feel the Lord has put a choice few in place for His purpose. I happen to believe Joyce is one of them. Anyone who watches her knows her story...about how she was sexually abused by her alcoholic father for years and how she has used this experience to minister to others. Anyway, this post is not about putting a plug in for her show...just a long winded intro to something I wanted to share that I heard on her show this morning.

The message was about living our lives in regret and how damaging it can be to our spiritual growth and relationships with others. She re-told the terribly sad story about her brother who had been addicted to drugs and alcohol for years and how he temporarily...for about 4 years...turned his life around while she and her husband had helped him. After being in rehab, he had given his life to the Lord. They had taken him in, given him a job at the ministry and he was even traveling and giving his testimony about what God had done in his life. After those 4 years or so, it was decided that he would be on his own and that's when things turned around again. Long story short, he went back to his old ways, was out of touch for several years and then was discovered just over a year ago...dead...in an abandoned building. She made the point that after his 50-some years of life, all of his personal effects...what remained of his life...fit into an 8 1/2 x 11 manila envelope. What a waste. He lived his life in regret and always blamed others for his failures. She ended the program by reading this story, written by an unknown author. I found it online and am sharing it with you.

********************************************

A Trip to Regret City

I had not really planned on taking a trip this time of year, and yet I found myself packing rather hurriedly. This trip was going to be unpleasant and I knew in advance that no real good would come of it. I'm talking about my annual "Guilt Trip." 

I got tickets to fly there on Wish I Had airlines. It was an extremely short flight. I got my baggage, which I could not check. I chose to carry it myself all the way. It was weighted down with a thousand memories of what might have been. 

No one greeted me as I entered the terminal to the Regret City International Airport. I say international because people from all over the world come to this dismal town. 

As I checked into the Last Resort Hotel, I noticed that they would be hosting the year's most important event, the Annual Pity Party. I wasn't going to miss that great social occasion. Many of the towns leading citizens would be there. 

First, there would be the Done family, you know, Should Have, Would Have and Could Have. Then came the I Had family. You probably know ol' Wish and his clan. Of course, the Opportunities would be present, Missed and Lost. The biggest family would be the Yesterdays. There are far too many of them to count, but each one would have a very sad story to share. Then Shattered Dreams would surely make an appearance. And It's Their Fault would regale us with stories (excuses) about how things had failed in his life, and each story would be loudly applauded by Don't Blame Me and I Couldn't Help It. 

Well, to make a long story short, I went to this depressing party knowing that there would be no real benefit in doing so. And, as usual, I became very depressed. But as I thought about all of the stories of failures brought back from the past, it occurred to me that all of this trip and subsequent "pity party" could be cancelled by ME! 

I started to truly realize that I did not have to be there. I didn't have to be depressed. One thing kept going through my mind, I CAN'T CHANGE YESTERDAY, BUT I DO HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE TODAY A WONDERFUL DAY. I can be happy, joyous, fulfilled, encouraged, as well as encouraging. 

Knowing this, I left the City of Regret immediately and left no forwarding address. Am I sorry for mistakes I've made in the past? YES! But there is no physical way to undo them. So, if you're planning a trip back to the City of Regret, please cancel all your reservations now. 

Instead, take a trip to a place called Starting Again. I liked it so much that I have now taken up permanent residence there. My neighbors, the I Forgive Myselfs and the New Starts are so very helpful. 

By the way, you don't have to carry around heavy baggage, because the load is lifted from your shoulders upon arrival. God bless you in finding this great town. 

If you can find it -- it's in your own heart -- please look me up. I live on I Can Do It Street. 

~ Author Unknown ~ 

*********************************************************

I don't know if you visit here as often as I do but I will just tell you...
...I am tired of that place! 

With God's help, I'm going to take the author's advice and book my flight to Starting Again! 

Wanna join me?

Debby

sharing here:

http://jannolson.blogspot.com/2014/02/share-your-cup-thursday-90.html
http://www.impartinggrace.com/2014/02/grace-at-home-no-92.html