Abba's Girl

Not quite the greeting you thought you would see 11/30/2008. Today is the 1st Sunday of Advent which is the beginning of the year, liturgically speaking. I am no longer Episcopalian, but I do still love the liturgical calendar. This is the time to prepare our hearts for the celebration of the birth of Jesus as well as the 2nd coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Growing up in the Episcopal Church, Advent was purple and at some point Advent became blue. I did hear a priest say it’s because we are less penitential than we used to be, I was never sure if Father Steve was joking or that is why the switch from purple to blue was made. The Advent Wreath is a symbol which reminds us we are called to be a light to the world as we reflect the light of God's grace to others (Isa 42:6). Advent is a season of preparation, hope, and anticipation. These words from Isaiah sum it up: A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for...

My husband and I had a great time with our family and friends on Thanksgiving Day. We served the worst crescent rolls known to man. We commented early in the week we had not had them since last Thanksgiving and decided that was the bread we would serve with lunch. My husband banged the cans on the counter, rolled the dough out flat, and said I don't know what to do now. I looked at him - waiting for the punchline. I decided not to say anything because it may sound sarcastic. I separated the dough and rolled them up and placed them on the cookie sheet. He said oh. 11 minutes later, they were not done. 13 minutes later they were not done. 20 minutes later we flipped them. I can honestly say they are the 1st Pillsbury frozen crescent rolls I have ever flipped with a spatula. 25 minutes later they were ready to serve. Maybe something happened to them as I waited in line at Wal Mart to check out...just kidding... It's been a long college football season for me. The Aggies lost to ...

Let us praise Him this Thanksgiving!

Today I went to Kroger very early to purchase produce for the giant, garden salad I am serving tomorrow. (I began adding salads to our Thanksgiving meal a couple of years ago.) I bought Romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, and carrots. Shopping in Kroger is a very different thing than shopping in Wal Mart. It was calm and quite and my grocery cart rolled through the store without squeaking at 100 decibels. As the manager checked me out, he could not find prices for the radishes. He said Happy Thanksgiving and gave them to me. I thanked him and told him to have a wonderful Thanksgiving as well. I think the free radishes were a little gift from God because I have been shopping with a better attitude. I am trying to live out Scripture and not let my thoughts become so negative and sinful while shopping at Wal Mart. Now if I can only remain gentle, patient, and kind while I cook, I am not sure if I have ever mentioned how I hate to cook in previous posts. Just kidding, I...

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. I knew Wal Mart was going to be a real test yesterday, I said goodbye to my husband, I put the car in reverse, headed down the driveway and low and behold, my husband's truck was over about 5 inches from where it should be parked and I could not get by. I came back inside and he was in the shower and told me to wait a minute. I waited 8 and was either about to do my Mt Vesuvius impression or join the astronauts in orbit, I am not sure which. I fold my side view mirrors in, took down a bird feeder and made it out the drive way without hitting the house, his truck or anyone. (Though I will say it's hard to back up w/o side view mirrors.) I arrived at Wal Mart, the greeter said hello, I said hello, he pushed a grocery cart my way and said I hope it works - that was my 1st clue - it was going to be a long shopping trip. On...

OK...in a few moments I will be shopping at Wal Mart. I have a love-hate affair with the store. I dislike how large it is, I dislike the mostly rude staff who will barely clear the aisle while they converse so you can push the grocery basket down the aisle, and I dislike the 49 check out stands which are always closed. The self service check outs are open, I refuse to use them, maybe I should pray about that. If I am going to spend money at Wal Mart, they should give me a little service by ringing up my purchases, right? (is that pride?) They will have 2 or 3 cashiers and 1 or 2 will be at the express lanes. I love one thing about Wal Mart, the prices are lower than Kroger and HEB. When I am buying a Butterball turkey and staples I will save money. I will buy all the produce at HEB or Kroger tomorrow morning. I end up repenting a lot at Wal Mart and on the way home. In some ways Wal Mart is an indicator of where I am on my Christian walk. I mean why be so upset by the size and lac...

Let us worship the One Who is the fount of every blessing, and give thanks that we can worship freely in America.

I have a dear sister in Christ, Ann who I met at church when she and her husband moved to Richmond a few years ago. They live 1/2 way between my house and my parents' house. Ann is 84, her husband is 86, they will celebrate their 65 th wedding anniversary in 2009. I invite Ann to every holiday party I throw, she was in the Bible study classes I led at church, and she is the home group which meets at my house on Monday nights. Quite frankly, I can't imagine life without her. 3 weeks ago she was excited because her son Kip (a college professor) wrote a paper on sin which was published. He was invited to a forum in HA to present the paper and his university was going to give him a little money toward expenses and a friend called and said he would like to pay for the airline ticket and hotel. Kip lost his eye sight years ago due to complications from diabetes. Ann was also excited because all of her children, her adopted Viet Namese children and all the grandchildren, nieces, ne...

It's time to prepare for Thanksgiving in America. I have decided what I will serve. My cousin Wayne assured me I can get away with boxed mash potatoes if I use creme instead of milk and chicken broth instead of water. As some of you know, I hate to cook. The turkey is no problem, throw it in a bag with vegetables and leave in baking for hours. Not hard to throw cranberries in boiling water or open a can of green beans . I will bake some type of bread, I will also make a great garden salad. My husband is in charge of gravy. I may ask him to grill some squash as well. Mom is in charge of pies. I am looking for my aunt's oyster dressing (yuck) recipe, my mom and dad love it. My aunt's granddaughter does not have it. I am waiting to hear from my cousin to see if she has it. Aunt Rosemary might not have had a recipe. It's so easy to get caught up in the whirl of cooking, place settings, tablecloths and center pieces, we may forget that Thanksgiving is about thanks, not food...

I read an article in Good Housekeeping about skin care and products which really work. One in particular caught my eye because it was inexpensive and passed their test. Palmer's Age Spot Serum. Drugstore.com carries it for 9.89. I ordered it because I didn't see it at Walgreens. I am putting it on 2 spots on my face and a spot on my hand. In a month I should see fading, if it does not work in 3 months I should discontinue use according to the instructions. Aren't you glad we don't have to make ourselves spotless and blemish free to approach the Lord! He makes us spotless and blemish free through His shed blood. Colossians 1 tells us: 21Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in t...

So far have had a great weekend with all the family. A couple of people considered the Galleria yesterday and then changed their mind. Thank You Lord! Paul and Jan brought pictures they found when Paul's father (my dad's brother) passed away. We had a ball looking at pictures of my dad and his siblings as well as pictures of my grandparents when they were very young. I also found out my uncle Walter and aunt Maxine secretly married when they were 16. Because aunt Maxine's family thought Walter was beneath their station in society; they lived separately at their parents' homes until the day they graduated from high school. That must have been 1 heck of a graduation. Somehow they managed to keep it a secret for 2 years and prevent conception of children. My aunt had their 1st child just after he was deployed to the Phillipines during WWII. My aunt and uncle were so straight and narrow the story shocked me. (Now I know why they were such strict parents!) They were married ...

Two cousins from dad's side of the family arrive from Wisconsin for a visit today. They were supposed to visit the weekend after Ike. We said no as did the other people they were visiting. Their friends live in League City and were hard hit by Ike. A couple of cousins from San Antonio will be visiting as well, they haven't seen the WI cousins in years. From what I can tell my parents have planned all meals at restaurants. Bar b que , steaks, and Mexican food are all a part of the plans. Maybe between meals I can take them to the Museum of History and Natural Science and or the Butterfly Center. (I hope no one wants to shop at the Galleria, 2 Saturdays in a row might make me buy a Gucci purse, ha ha ha.) I hope ya'll have a great weekend with family, friends, and the Lord. Be blessed with these words from Ephesians 1: 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us...

I felt impressed by the Holy Spirit to share this story about listening. The other day I had an upset stomach, I didn't feel well enough to go anywhere, but I was not so ill I could not function. My husband always had various over the counter medicine he takes to the hunting lease. I dug around looking for something to take, could not find anything. I went into our bathroom and noticed he had pulled a basket of my stuff out from under the vanity and left it on the floor and put one of his shaving kits on top of it. I was annoyed. I heard the quiet voice say move the bag. I thought I'll pick it up later, after all I was looking for something to calm my stomach, it took 1st priority. 10 minutes later I was back in our bathroom to paw through drawers on his side of the vanity. I heard it again, move the bag. Let's just say I didn't move the bag. I decided to sip on water and contemplate a nap because it was lunch and I was not going to eat. Maybe I could be pathetic and s...

Several months ago I posted something regarding a former partner who had owed me quite a bit of money for a couple of years. He was dodging my calls, not answering e-mails, etc. I finally said enough is enough. I wrote a letter telling him I was sorry but I would have to take him to small claims court. My friend Lyn who is an attorney re-wrote the letter (at no charge) and I printed it. As I was preparing to print the address on the envelope, I heard the still quiet voice of God say, Not today." I sat there a minute and said OK. I prayed about it. (I had been in prayer because as a Christian going to court was the last resort.) The next morning I checked my business e-mail, he had written late the night before and said he was mailing a check for 700.00 to be deposited upon receipt and another check for more money to be deposited November 5. I was soooo happy I had listened to the Lord. I think getting over the fear of doing something about the money set into action the Lord worki...

I took my father to Tourneau in the Galleria today to pick up his watch. I dropped it off in August for repairs. May I just say among friends, I would rather watch a Steven Seagal ( sp ?) film festival than go to the Galleria on a Saturday. Traffic was awful, but it was nice spending extra time with dad. After the Galleria, we went to Goode Company Seafood and he ate his favorite Oyter PoBoy . We then swung by the medical center to check the road construction his doctor warned him about via a recorded telephone message. I am taking him Tues. to see a surgeon regarding a torn rotater cuff. He is getting annoyed by the constant paid and I don't blame him. I told him he could be angry but sin not. He laughed. Tomorrow I hope to play in the yard. I bought: spinach, lettuce, cauliflower (yuck), and broccoli to plant as well as a few pansies, alyssum , and snapdragons. I am planting the veggies in HUGE pots so I can protect them if we have a cold winter. After a hurricane, why not ...

I am sharing a few random thoughts which are floating through my head: 1. No more political ads! I watched an hour of TV last night, no one promised me anything other than to transform my skin, hair, weight or sinus condition. 2. God is not shocked by the election results. I personally believe as a nation, we reaped what we sowed. It's time to pray for the president elect & George Bush w/ the intensity we had 09/12/2001. 3. God is on His throne, He did not fall off or move to another address. 4. I wonder if I can make a quick trip to the nursery at lunch. 5. I have to clean, I think unvited guests (cousins) expect to stay with me next week. 6. I need to find a new home church. 7. Another item to add to the How Not to Break a Fast List: Buttermilk Pie Lunch with Annette of Annie's Eyes Blog was great. We had a ball meeting face to face. I can't wait to meet all of you in face to face, it will most likely be in heaven...imagine the meal we will all share together! Guard y...

The election is over, many of us are disappointed. We must keep the president elect in our prayers. And to remind us of what is really important, I chose this song. I'll be back to regular posts Friday.

There is no God like Jehovah! Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, Who was, Who is, and Who is to come!

It's very strange, I posted a video from YouTube, when posted it says the video is no longer available. Try this link: Walls of Jericho , let us go out and praise the Lord before the walls come down.