Summer's End

Well here I am back at my blog and now summer is drawing to a close. Looks like I never kept to my word of my last blogging... that I would be more diligent in writing. Don't know why I put it off.. the time just seems to slip away... "like sand through an hourglass"... Oh how true that adage is ... Did you ever pick up a handful of sand ... fine sand .. beach sand.. and let it fall between your fingers? That's life.. each grain a special moment in time... each grain sparkling in the sun.... each moment glorious in its own way ... once there in your grasp, now gone. I need to more aware of the time as it slips away. I must make the most of each day, each hour, each minute. I will take advantage of my time. God grant me the strength to live each day to the fullest.

Where has the time gone?

June 1 ... the year is almost half over already. The days do slip by. Started my planting this year. The older I get the more I love perrenials. Enough of this planting each year... plant it once and be done, I say. Dennis has the lawn looking great; nicely trimmed and well watered. We have started feeding the birds this year so we are attracting a few different species: house finches, goldfinches, yellow-headed black birds, and a pair of tree swallows have been scouting out the birdhouse. Do wish we had humming birds here in Billings? I love to watch them, but apparently they are few and far between in the area.

A couple of weeks ago, Dennis and I took a trip to Great Falls, MT and went for a drive through the wildlife refuge at Benton Lake. We spotted a white face ibis.. an uncommon (but not rare) bird in Montana. It is amazing how many different types of birds or ducks you see when you go out looking... all shapes and sizes.. and colors.

Well will try to be more on top of things and keep my blog up-to-date.

Old Age is drawing closer...

I received a photo via email the other day. It was an ultrasound image of a new baby - our first great-grandchild. Can you believe it?? I know I am having a hard time with that reality. I am way too young to be a great-grandmother, I am not yet 59 years old, but there it is in all its magnificence ... a baby. What a blessing.

It sure causes one to wonder where the time goes. Those days roll into months and then years, as if in the blinking of an eye and one day it will be over, snuffed out like a candle.

What legacy will I be leaving behind? It certainly makes me think.

Spring is on its way

Wow.. its March 1.. where oh where has the time gone. Two months have slipped by since I was last here. Life has been a little busy .. a little lazy .. and a little just right. Needless to say I did not find the time to be out here. I will try harder to keep this blog updated.

I am attending a Bible study at Faith E.. a video series on Esther by Beth Moore. I am really enjoying it. She has some good insight into a lot of topics. For instance.. fear... the most repeated command in the Bible is "do not be afraid" .... We have no reason to be fearful... think of the most horrific thing that could happen... If (blank) .. then (blank).... what if this happened.. then what... whatever you think your then statement would be... cross it out and put .."God will provide.. or God will take care of me.." We have no reason to fear even death.. because as Christians we were already dead until we accepted Jesus as our Savior... then we became alive in Him.

Well we had a dump of snow the other day.. but it is slowly disappearing. Spring is just around the corner.. I am sure of it and I am READY ... bring it on.

Onward with 2009

Well it's 2009. A new year - a clean slate on which to write this year's resolutions. What should they be? Eat right, exercise more ... those two should top the list for sure. What goals should I set for myself? Life is ticking away.... tic toc tic toc... and that proverbial roll is getting closer to the end... what is it I want to be when I grow up? I look at that year ... 2009... next year I will be 60. How did I get to be so old? Where oh where have those years gone? I don't feel 60... I think the time has come to sit down and evaluate my life. I received the book, 1001 Things To See Before I Die, a couple of years ago. I stopped reading it when I heard myself say .. been there, been there, saw that, oh been there too... thought I should quit before I reached 1001st thing I have already seen .. then what is the 1002nd thing to see .. the pearly gates. Well I guess that is not such a bad site to see. Hmm, back to my evaluation, my bucket list, what should top the list... let me think.... maybe I had better mull this over a breakfast of bacon and eggs... guess I can scratch "eat right" off the top of the list.... maybe I will change that to "eat right now"....

Merry Christmas to All

Christmas has come at last. I wish all of you a very Merry day and joyfilled season. It was a white Christmas for us here in Billings and a cold one too. Dennis and I went for a drive last night to look at lights and take some photos. We may go again tonight, depending on the weather.
Christmas Eve we opened our gifts and laughed at the dogs as they opened theirs and watched It's a Wonderful Life.. and that is what it is... a wonderful life.

Today is a day to relax... have our turkey dinner, talk to family in far off distant places, and enjoy the day together.

We miss our family and our friends but send our warmest greetings to you all... Stay warm, be happy...

Christmas Preparations

Thanksgiving has come and gone and now its time to get ready for Christmas. The tree is trimmed, the lights are lit, the presents bought (well most of them). It is a busy busy time of year. Parties and get-togethers with friends, and food, food, and more food are all coming our way.

In the middle of all the hustle and bustle, I will take a moment this Christmas and ponder all that God has given to me, however small. Sometimes we overlook gifts from God because at first glance they do not look like gifts: struggle, illness, loss .... all these are gifts too... they are given to us to help us to become closer to Christ, to build our character, to humble us.

Merry Christmas all.... and to all a good night.