Women of Covenant Fellowship

What a beautiful day for the beginning 

of a the week, 

and a great ending of a beautiful weekend. 

I had the wonder and privilege of bringing the Word 

to this precious group of ladies of

Covenant Fellowship Church of the Nazarene. 

These ladies truly live up to their name,

Fellowship.

We laughed together and cried together.

We listened as God spoke to us.

We were led by incredible women

who have the gift and heart of giving.

He created together.

We shared our talents.

We all

worked together to create gifts to give to others 

to encourage them in the faith.

I was so proud of my daughter-in-law who led the music, 

planned and implemented the event. 

She is truly a blessing.

I saw God work through the quietness of some.

and the boldness of others. 

I'm thankful that God has given me a passion 

to study and share His word.

I humbly count it as an honor and privilege.

I was only a small link in the chain of fellowship.

How You Know You Grew Up In A Small Town

I can't lay claim to the following.  

It was posted to my Facebook. 

I know it to be true, 

being from Small Town, USA.

Small Town Living

I've added a few of my own.

Every child in the neighborhood, played backyard baseball.

Every child went barefoot and splashed in mud puddles.

I made mud pies.

Everyone showed up at the Farmer's Market on Wednesday mornings. 

It was and still is a town gathering place.

1. When people ask where you’re from, you say the nearest well-known city rather than where you’re actually from.

2. You went to high school with the same people as from kindergarten.

3. You knew everybody in your graduating class.

4. Actually, you knew just about everybody in your high school.

5. And their families.

6. You and your friends just drove around at night blasting music because there was nothing else fun to do.

7. And hanging out in a store parking lot was the Friday night norm.

8. Whenever you go to a large city, the traffic blows your mind.

9. It’s at least a 30 minute drive to see a movie in theaters.

10. Dating in high school was awkward because you knew all of their exes.

11. Teachers often knew your siblings.

12. “Y’all” is a part of everyone’s vocabulary.

13. It was a normal thing to get caught behind a tractor on the road.

14. Everyone knew everything about everybody.

15. You see at least 5 people you know every time you go to the grocery store.

16. And that quick trip to the grocery store turns into an hour long trip because you have to talk to each one of them.

17. It’s a big deal when a new restaurant opens in your town.

18. It shocked when you went to a restaurant further north and they didn't have sweet tea.

19. Your Facebook feed is full of dead animals during hunting season.

20. Everyone could only talk about leaving, but once you’re gone, you miss it.

Anyone else grow up in a small town?

What I Found in Granny's Sewing Machine

I remember Granny's pedal sewing machine.

In the middle drawer that pulled down were buttons and bobbins and pins and needles. In the side drawers were spools of thread and scraps of fabric and a red pin cushion that looked like a tomato.

I found these balls wrapped in strips of fabric. I think they would make great pin cushions. Granny's balls were rolls of yarn for crocheting.

 

I think my cat would find these great for play.

Don't think this innocent looking creature is sugar and spice. She's a tiger in a small body.

Snow is predicted for tonight with a low of 28. I'll enjoy it one more time. 

See ya soon. Blessings and Hugs!

Bonnie

Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful

Again, I'm moving things about. 

I think I may have already posted the sign, 

"Be your own kind of beautiful."

I found it in the $1 bin at Target.

Yes, $1!

I move it around to remind myself 

that no, I am not skinny. 

I am lumpy and bumpy.

I have more wrinkles than I did last year

and when the color fades from my hair, I see more gray.

I want to be healthy and I have made a goal to get there.

But while I work on it, I'm gonna be my own kind of beautiful.

When I was a teenager and young adult, 

my best friend was beautiful, tiny and was/is one of the most 

precious persons you will meet.

She has the ability to see the good in everyone.

She and my brother and I sang together. 

My daughter, niece and nephew played 

"Bonnie, Bruce and Dale."

Of course, my nephew played "Bruce."

My niece and daughter would always argue over who 

was going to play "Dale."

She had the beautiful, sweet voice. 

I was the deep alto.

Little girls in high heels with hairbrushes in hand singing,

what a beautiful memory!

Shoot, even I wanted to be Dale when I grew up.

As God has begun to shape me and make me into who He

wants me to be, I am learning to be my own kind of beautiful.

Yes, and He's still working on me!

I am learning that God has given me gifts, a purpose for which I was created. 

We all come from different places, different backgrounds, 

different homes with different stories. 

I've learned that some of our stories are much the same.

Beauty in memories mixed with pain in the now. 

We are all in different seasons of our lives. 

Some of you are discouraged, some of you are exhausted, 

some are hurting, some are grieving, some are frustrated 

and fed up with life. 

Some of you are taking care of little ones, 

some of you are taking care of a sick loved one,

some of you are caring for aging parents

and some of you are just trying to keep your head above water

to take care of yourself.

Whevever you are in life, you are beautiful and precious

in God's sight, 

no matter how hard life may be at the moment. 

The piece above is a distressed platter from a shop 

that I found last week. 

It is different. 

It kinda reminds me of the oyster plate. 

I got to thinking.

You are the pearl in the oyster shell.

The shell is rugged and hard and not pretty, 

but hidden somewhere inside is a beautiful pearl. 

Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful!