Roses Will Bloom Again

While I have enjoyed my blogging journey, 

I'm thinking about taking a looong sabbatical.

I've heard from several new bloggers

that I have a "no reply."

I've tried to correct the problem 

and my pages are 

not like the rest of the blogging world.

It's exhausting.

I wonder if this is the reason

I know longer hear from 

my blogging friends

and have fewer viewers 

than before.

So, I think I'll be visiting you, 

but I'm not sure I'll continue to post.

And what's this with all the changes 

that are about to take place. 

I don't even know how

to do what with.

So I'll share one of my favorite little plates

that has hung on the wall in my little pink room for several years.

It was replaced and taken the shop.

The shop is closing so things are coming home with me. 

Seems like another chapter in my life has closed.

I'm working full time now in a surrounding county.

So little time to pick....and grin:)

No, I didn't pay $18.

Got it from another vender for less than half, 

but she knows her stuff.

I'm sure it's valued for more!

My love for these will never change!

So, I'll stick to writing blogs for my facebook

and leave the worries of blogging to you, my friends.

I do love the plate of roses.

Because of Easter, 

Rose Will Bloom Again!

Bonnie:)

Easter Eggs Hunts, A Basket, and A Bonnet

Easter Egg Hunts 

Mama would color eggs

the old fashioned way-

not the pre-packaged stuff in the stores today-

the vinegar-and-food-coloring stuff.

 Photo by Jessica Aycock

Being the artist that she was,

she knew how to combine one color

and then another

to make

PURPLE

TURQUOISE

ORANGE

LIME GREEN

AQUA

She knew just how much red to put in to make pink

and how much blue to add to make purple.

Photo by Jessica Aycock

And we always had the same straw

basket year after year,

filled with goodies from

Hartley's Five and Ten

The Easter Bunny.

Our dresses were never

"store-bought,"

but

"sewn on the sewing machine,"

as mama would call it.

Our little girl outfits 

included

a bonnet, a dress, white socks,

white or black patented leather shoes, 

a purse, and white gloves.

What mama didn't buy in dresses

she made up for in accessories.

I tried to do the same for my baby girl.

I sure do miss the days of coloring, hiding, 

and hunting.

So enjoy the hunt, the basket,

and don't forget the bonnet.

Happy Easter!

Bonnie:)

Rejoice in the God of GRACE

In this season of brokenness, 

I am reminded that my Savior chose to be broken...

for ME!

That thought overwhelms me and 

causes me to rejoice...

Sheila Walsh says it better than I can,

"Do we marvel anymore that Christ came into our world, 

not as a pampered royal, but as a poor peasant's son?

Do our souls quake with deepest joy and gratitude

that even in His arrival, He chose to identify

with the broken, the beleaguered, and the beaten down?

Do we notice that, from the very beginning,

this beautiful Savior of ours came to the broken

that He might be utterly broken Himself?

What does it mean that I, Sheila Walsh, 

a broken person, have a Savior who allowed

wicked men to break His own body...

for me???

He chose brokenness.

He who existed from eternity past

in an UNbroken state chose to be 

BROKEN...

for me???

"I lay down my life-only to take it up again,

No one takes it from me, but I lay it down

of my own accord."  (John 10:17-18)

I love the Song:

When I survey the wondrous cross,

On which the Prince of glory died,

My richest gain I count but loss, 

And pour contempt on all my pride.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,

Sorrow and love flow mingled down;

Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, 

Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Oh the Wonderful Cross

Paul says that we are joint heirs with Jesus.

That means we are Children of God.

"Now is we are children, then we are heirs-

heirs of God, and co-heirs with Christ,

if indeed we share in His sufferings

in order that we may also share in His glory.:

This is the part I like,

"I consider that our present sufferings

are not worth comparing

with the Glory that will be revealed in us."

Romans 8:17-18

I asked a group of ladies this week, 

"What does suffering look like?"

Their answers:

"Everyday stuff"

"Depression"

"Loneliness"

"Broken dreams"

"A broken heart"

"A broken relationship"

I would have expected the BIG stuff:

Cancer, Loss of a child, divorce.

And while all of that is true.

We must realize that brokenness comes

packaged in many different colors..

but all require GRACE-

God's incredible love, favor, compassion.

One commentary said, 

"Grace that is from God,

retrains, converts, comforts."

This GRACE causes me to REJOICE!

Rejoicing in the God of All GRACE,

Bonnie:)

A Miss and a Match of Spring Finds

Today is the first day I've been a pickin'

in I can't tell you when.

Getting ready for my Mary Kay debut

and I've had PINK on the brain.

I found this great tablecloth at 

The Rusty Gate, 

a local shop that I frequent often.

You couldn't call this a tablescape,

a miss and  match of this and that

and no silverware.

My next stop was the local flea market, 

Hidden Treasures.

Couldn't find a complete match of anything, 

but I sure was excited with my finds. 

Pink, green, blue,

just like Easter Eggs. 

The bunnies I found at 

The Shed.

I think they may be vintage.

From the underside, 

they look as if they are from the 1950's.

I borrowed pink Pyrex from the shop.

Thinking about buying them.

I found this great wire plate cover.

It think if must be 1940's or 50's.

It too came from the Rusty Gate. 

One of my favorite blogging buddies

and a local vendor, 

OliveOut???

I love my ironstone, and the compote

was a great place for the nest.

Does this not scream SPRING???

I'm so excited about my finds.

It's been so long, and I wasn't thrifty this time. 

Happy Palm Sunday!

Already experiencing the Spirit of the Season.

Hope you are too.

Bonnie:)

Pretty and Pink and Mary Kay Cosmetics

In 1994, I became a first time Mary Kay Beauty Consultant.

I worked hard, got the recruits, became a team leader 

and got the car, not pink, RED!

I was busting it with skin care classes day and night.

So exhausted during qualification for my car,

I fell asleep on the sofa, 

woke up and didn't even know what day it was.

My mind, spinning into orbit screeched to a halt 

as I got a call from the school.

"It's 5:00 and your children are wanting their mommy."

My son came home one night and loudly proclaimed, 

"Daddy says you're selfish."

I knew it was time to slow down.

So I put it on hold.

A few years later I picked it up

again to get the free products

and share with a few friends and family.

That's the lovely thing about the business,

you can pick it up again as you please.

So here I am almost 20 years later and ready to start again.

I prefer to call myself a skin care consultant

who enjoys making women feel beautiful.

Mary Kay never shared her age.

She spoke of something she had heard on the subject, 

"If you really didn't know your exact age how old would

you say you were?  I feel 24!"

My mind says I'm 23

(well, don't ask my friends at work!)

My body, well, that's a different matter. 

I'm still in love with white lace, shabby chic, and all things vintage, 

but you girls, know I'm a little girl at heart who

loves all things Pretty and Pink.

Mary Kay Cosmetics has had a few face lifts, 

but we still love pink.

Springing forward into Mary Kay with colors of Spring

and a whole lot of  PINK!

Bonnie:)

What To Do With an Old Wooden Tool Box?

What To You Do With an Old Wooden Box?

It's been over a week since I've posted.

Been kinda melancholy.

My life is in a bit of transition-

necessary, but painful.

Been looking at this old wooden tool box.

I'm not sure if it's old

or if it's just been nailed together 

to look old.

The bottom's not deep enough and the handle 

not wide enough 

for carrying many tools.

Resembles an old make-shift planter.

Not too pretty by foo-foo standards

Not much use.

So, the master junkie 

that I am,

threw in some of my favorites,

ironstone, crocheted and tattered doilies,

a magazine (the cooking kind when I can't cook)...

...and some sweet speckled eggs. 

If you look closely, 

you'll see that the eggs are not real

and the doilie is not perfect,

and underneath, the pitcher is cracked.

Kinda like the contents of my life...

a not-so-perfect box,

a cracked pitcher,

a tattered piece of cloth,

a few fake eggs.

And the Master Builder

puts them all together and

makes something beautiful.

If ever there were dreams

That were lofty and noble,

They were my dreams

At the start.

And the hope for life's best

Were the hopes that I harbored

Down deep in my heart.

But my dreams turned to ashes

My castles all crumbled 

My fortunes turned to loss.

So wrapped them all up

In the rags of my life 

And laid them at the cross.

Something beautiful

Something good,

All my confusion

He understood.

All I had to offer Him 

Were brokenness and strife,

But He made (He's making)

Something beautiful out of my life.

The above song was written 

by Gloria Gaither.

I sing it often to remind myself 

that's he's not finished making 

"Something Beautiful"

out of my life. 

Promise of Spring

Promise of Spring

March 23, 1975.

Palm Sunday.

Spring Day, Beautiful Day.

Birds chirpping.

Sun shining, 

not a cloud in the sky.

Promise of Spring.

A five year old boy,

"Will you play with me?"

Promise of Spring.

Two friends,

a swingset, 

a sandbox,

Promise of Spring.

Children hiding eyes

Mommies hiding eggs.

Promise of Spring.

A story,

A donkey,

Children

and Palm Branches.

Promise of Spring.

Mommy is hurt.

Daddy is crying

while three lost children wait.

Promise of Spring?

A ride, a siren

A little boy asks, 

"Daddy, will you remember my Easter Basket?"

 Eyes close.

Promise of Spring?

A week later...

An altar, Preacher Daddy,

and three broken children,

"This is my Body which was broken for thee,

eat thou in remembrance of me..."

"This is my Blood that was shed for thee,

drink thou in remembrance of me..."

A mother in a hospital bed,

a cracker, and grape juice,

A vision...

A little boy walks hand in hand

with Jesus.

Yes, Promise of Spring.

When I survey the wondrous cross,

On which the Prince of glory died,

My riches gain I count, but loss,

And pour contempt on all my pride.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,

Sorrow and love flow mingled down;

Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,

Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mind,

That were a present far too small; 

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Sheila Walsh says, 

"As our Passover Lamb, Jesus connects us to God

and to each other through the pure,

spotless, and perfect sacrifice of Himself.

Despite how your might feel in your 

times of deep pain, you are NEVER alone.

Broken, shattered dreams 

for a family of six

and a little boy five.

Promise of Spring?

YES!

PROMISE OF SPRING!

"Because He lives, you may live also."

An Old Trunk and Letters of Encouragement

Letters are treasured possessions.

Even more treasured are those 

that contain words of wisdom and encouragement.
In this day and age in which we live
we desperately need to encourage and be encouraged.

This old trunk is packed full of pages upon pages
of hand-written notes of encouragement  from my mama.

A few days ago, I got a message
from my daughter who is working on her Masters.

She shared one of her writing assignments:

• She lived less than a mile away from my house and picked me up from school every afternoon; nevertheless, my Nanny wrote me often. She wrote to all of us, usually when we were facing something difficult, but sometimes for no reason at all. The letters were always so thick that the envelope could barely close, written usually on yellow legal paper. As a child, I often read them in haste, trying to get through the long stack of papers quickly. In college six hours away, however, receiving a letter from Nanny was a treat, and I treasured them. Now that she is gone, we all have our boxes full of Nanny’s letters written to us over the years. I’m so thankful my mother never let me throw them away. Through the years, I have often pulled out a letter and read a line or two, just to feel her presence and encouragement when I needed it most.
  Sometimes we need a little encouragement in the faith. Paul knew this and made a practice of writing to several of the early churches, even as he was in prison. We read Paul’s opening words in his letter to the church at Philippi in Philippians 1:3-6, “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Imagine being the recipient of this letter! Paul doesn’t heap on admonition or discipline at the start; he opens with praise! I imagine reading the rest of the letter was much easier to swallow after reading the words above, knowing that Paul’s love was strong and his motives were pure.
  

  • As leaders, it is our job to “celebrate the values and victories” of those on our teams “by creating a spirit of community.” (Kouzes & Posner, 2004, p. 99) We do this by first being grounded in our own faith and mission (heart and head), and then by extending our hands in servant leadership to those around us. It doesn’t take much to listen when people talk and give immediate, specific feedback when 
    

    • they excel. We must “consider people’s development to be just as important as their performance” (p. 110). Paul knew this truth, and I think my Nanny did too. While the art of letter writing may be old-fashioned, the art of encouragement is not.
      
      
      

      

      
      Mama prayed The Word and claimed
      each promise for her family.
      This was one of her favorite verses.
      
      

      

See my name (Bonnie) in the lines of this letter.

Sure have needed to talk to my mama lately.
Maybe, I need to open the old trunk.

What Color to Paint the Walls?

I'm still considering ideas for my bedroom.

Remember the little side cabinet that I got 

at TJ Maxx?

I bought a small chest on Saturday.

It will be my first project in forrreeeeever!

So ready for the weather to get warm
to start painting again.

I plan to paint this and my dresser a creamy ivory-white
and add new glass knobs
or paint the pull already on there the color of the wall.

On Pinterest today I saw a creamy white painted
chest with the drawers painted aqua.
Ooooo.  
Loved it!

Remember that I was looking for bedding?

I got the Amy Butler Sari Bloom bedding ensemble.
I still have to buy pillows and a duvet, and linen to match.
More muuulah!

This feels like Spring.
I am sooo ready.

I duvet cover is reversible.
I couldn't decide on the above pattern
or

this???

Which do you like best?

Still no decision about wall colors.
I'm leaning now toward a very light aqua
to match the bedding.

or maybe a very light coral.

A frame only is a poor excuse for a bed.
Looking for ideas on pinterest.

I'd like a door or shutters headboard
but don't have a handy man.
My brother in law has a door.
Think I can talk him into it?


The room looks kinda shabby right now
and I don't mean the good kind of shabby.

It's a work in progress.

So, what color should I paint the walls?
Need your opinion.

Ready for Spring:), how about you?

Bonnie

River Street and a Cobblestone Path

While blogging about recent

Southern weddings in 

Savannah style,

I became obsessed with

the city.

My fantasy became reality 

this weekend 

as my Mr. H

said, 

"Let's pack a bag and head south."

I tried to remain cool, 

but my heart was on a rampage 

and he could not see that my insides 

were jumping up and down.

I LOOOOVE RIVER STREET!

"River Street is a glittering, multi-faceted gem

along the broad Savannah River,"

The River Street Inn is a 5-story historic 

inn that has been preserved to provide

contemporary leisure with a taste

of charm from yesteryears.

Built in 1817, it was adjacent to the Cotton Exchange

and was used to store cotton.

Now, tourists enjoy the view of the Savannah River

from the French Balconies.

Most of the structures, over a century old, 

were once cotton warehouses

that have now been converted

to antique shops, boutiques, art galleries,

pubs, restaurants, and inns.

One of my yummies (literally) is 

The River Street Sweets Candy Store.

The candy shop is famous for its 

world famous pralines.

Me and my sweetie opted for a just a taste

of the WARM pralines,

made by hand, right before our eyes. 

The shop smelled YUMMY!

Since we both are already TOO SWEET

(both diabetic:(

we opted for a cup of Java 

at 

Vic's on the River.

I had a steaming 

Caramel, Chocolate, Toffee Latte.

No, it was not sugarless.

The hubby had a boring cup of

Colombian Dark Roast.

No, we didn't splurge on the Riverboat cruise,

but watched the ships come in and out of the port.

Couldn't help but show my Georgia pride.

This massive cargo ship

housed the living quarters almost 10 floors high

with cargo almost as high.

Here's a more distant view.

A cold day in Georgia, 

I was 3-layer-deep

in garments.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr......

Savannah is home of SCAD,

Savannah College of Art and Design.

This gentleman of course was not a student

but a struggling artist

willing to share his talent.

His version of a sad time 

in America's history.

I asked if I could take his picture.

He gladly reciprocated.

We gave him a $5 bill and you would have 

thought we had offered him $500.

He was most appreciative.

He said he was about to draw Marilyn Monroe.

It was too coooold to stay still

so we meandered on down the road.

The upper level housed many antique shoppes.

I loved the character of this little shop.

Crusty brick with natural patina- my favorite. 

Most of the shops had a sign posted, 

"Photography prohibited,"

so I took an outside shot

through the window

of this silver dresser set.

The path up and down River Street 

is cobblestone.

While walking, 

I slipped a couple of times,

lost my bearings, and 

turned my ankle.

Without David's hand,

I would have gone a-sprawling.

This little almost-accident 

got me to thinking...

Sometimes in life, 

we find ourselves on rocky ground.

The road is hard,

the days are dark,

and the nights are long.

In Jesus we can claim the promise

of the coming of our Messiah

when

"Every valley shall be raised up,

every mountain and hill made low,

the rough ground shall become level,

the rugged places a plain,

And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,

and all mankind together will see it.

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."

Isaiah 40:4-5

Oh, how I long for the Glory of the Lord, 

to see Him, to hear His voice, and know His presence.

We find ourselves

yearning for level ground.

As the Psalmist we cry,

"...may your good Spirit lead me on level ground."

Psalm 143:10

Without the help of a Hand 

that is stronger, 

we would lose our bearings

and fall.

"Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms

and weak knees.

Make level paths for your feet, 

so that the lame may not be disabled, 

but rather healed."
Hebrews 12:12-13

I love the reference to the Old Testament.

It promises that our God WILL COME.

"Strengthen the feeble hands, 

steady the knees that give way;

say to those with fearful hearts,

Be strong, do not fear,

your God WILL COME..."

Isaiah 35:3-4

We made it to the top 

and the view was worth

the rocky journey.

Bad knees and all,

I wouldn't have made it without a 

strong body to lean on

and a good man

who practically carried me.

As Angie Smith says in her book, 

"Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole,"

"Make your life an offering, and allow

the hands of the Father to carry you

through what you think is impossible.

I assure you that through it

He will show you

His boundless, freeing love, 

which allows us the strength

to make it another day."