... we rise up and stand firm

Psalm 20 

May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;

may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

May he send you help from the sanctuary

and grant you support from Zion.

May he remember all your sacrifices

and accept your burnt offerings.

May he give you the desire of your heart

and make all your plans succeed. 

May we shout for joy over your victory

And lift up banners in the name of our God.

May the LORD grant all your requests. 

Now this I know:

The LORD gives victory to his anointed.

He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary

with the victorious power of his right hand.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses.

But we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

They are brought to their knees and fail, 

But we rise up and stand firm.

LORD give victory to the king!

Answer us when we call. 

Psalm 20: 1 – 9 (NIV)

Pets of the week: Blue Parakeets

"The more often we see the things around us - even the beautiful and wonderful things- the more they become invisible to us. That is why we often take for granted the beauty of the world: the flowers, the trees, the birds, the clouds - even those we love. Because we see things so often, we see them less and less. "
Joseph B. Wirthlin

I pray I will  have a fresh perspective and appreciation of the  beauty I see each day.


Now... for a bit about the pets of the week.
After weeks of focusing on dogs as pets of the week, I am grateful to focus these two little parakeets. Gloria is the proud owner of these two birds. They are so sweet.

Friendship Friday

"As iron sharpen iron, so one person sharpens another."

Proverbs 27:17

A true friendship provides an opportunity for friends to grow better together. We become more efficient and more skillful as God the Holy Spirit empowers us to serve.

I thank God for the opportunity to serve in Bible Study Fellowship with Belinda. Serving with my friend Belinda a joy. I wonder, if she realizes what a blessing she is to me.

Thrifty Thursday

Do you have any unfinished projects? Are you in the middle of a sewing project or craft project? Find time to work on the project  each day. I'm sure you will find  joy and satisfaction once you complete the last stitch.

Last week, you were introduced  to two girls who were working on a sewing project for their American Girl Dolls. This week, you will see their finished project. I hope they will be inspired to begin new projects and feel the joy finishing those projects. I look forward to sharing about their upcoming projects.

'"Finishing what you start is important."

Adam Neumann

Special thanks to Cindy for allowing me to share these pictures. 

Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday

"Most often, it is not the workout that gets us out of bed in the morning. It is the friendships and those unspoken bonds of those counting on us to show up."
F. Flowers

This morning we added a special reason to get out of bed this morning... we offered a Bridal Shower for Nicole our exercise teacher. Class members offered healthy snacks. Grapes, strawberries, water, carrot cake cupcake, etc.

Monday Musings ... Memories

Once upon a time before Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter, people relied on yearbooks, photos, and memories to recall past events. Have you ever attended a high school reunion and realized some of your classmates are remembering events you do not recall.

As they retell events, you may look puzzled, annoyed, or frustrated. You think to yourself, "Really." You may even say,  " I don't have that memory at all." In two years, I will celebrate my 50th  High School  Class reunion. Lord willing, we will look over yearbooks and photos that will actually document events.

At our 35th and 40th High School Class Reunion, classmates were having difficulty remembering events.  Time and age have a way of distorting memories until they shift and change and may no longer resemble the truth.

In my experience, some memories are vivid. Others not so much. I wonder why happy or traumatic events  are somehow more  clearly etched  in our memories. 

I think Barbara Kingsolver said it well, " Memory is a complicated thing, a relative to truth, but not its twin."