Long Post

WARNING! 

Long post!

Proceed with Caution!

The light is blinking RED!

This is what I did yesterday.

I finished some unfinished projects.

The chalkboard has been redone 3 times now, 

two of which were since we moved into our new home. 

I had some left over burlap, enough paint to scrape 

from the bottom of the can, and I am well pleased.

No, I'm not OCD so it doesn't matter to me that 

the ribbon is not completely even and the paint dripped a bit.
I'm too ADD and BPD with PD to be OCD.
One more label D would send me over the edge.
Yeah, look em up. 

It rained, the lights flickered and I just enjoyed the serenity

of a day alone in my world.

The larger grapevine is now a cotton wreath

that hangs on the front door.

You've seen it!

The smaller one I found for 25 cents.

It was plain and blah all alone so,

I just tied a piece of ribbon in a knot and added the rosettes.

I bought an ugly, hideous brown and gold lamp
with a dirty beige lamp shade for $5.
I painted the shade white and the base navy.
It was fun.
I'd never painted a cloth lamp shade.
Hey, it works.

Guess what?
It didn't work!
Not the paint, the lamp!
All that work and the socket needs replacing.

It was fun, but the hubby says trash it.
What do you think?

It's slowly beginning to feel like home.

Then why am I so down?
I have more than enough,
more than I ever dreamed I'd have.
That's the crazy of the crazies...
no rhyme or reason.

But maybe there is reason this time.

It's Sunday evening, the beginning of a new week.

As usual, I'm feeling a bit melancholy.

The Sunday evening blues are present at this time every week.

These feelings have been the norm since my mama passed away.

Even if the kids come over, there's still the emptiness

when their gone.  They don't get it yet.

September 10 will be 6 years ago.

I'm feeling it more this week for two reasons. 

First of all, the anniversary of her death is approaching 

and I can feel it in the air.

Second, I have a friend back home who recently lost her mother. 

I haven't been able to be there for her and I feel sad
and I remember. 

From 2008 when Mama entered the nursing home 

until Daddy passed away 6 months later, 

I cooked breakfast for him on Sunday evenings. 

He'd go to church and insist that I go too.

I'd reassure him that his biscuits, sausage, grits and eggs 

would be waiting when he returned, 

but no, I was not going to the evening service. 

There was a constand battle between us. 

He was too sick and weak to go to church, 

but he felt like that was where he was supposed to be.

I'm not sure that his going wasn't merely out of duty, but it was a lost battle
that I had stopped fighting.

He was going to church, sick or not!

Often he would fall while there.

On more than one occasion I had to turn off the stove 

and meet the pastor with him at the ER.

He was often disappointed in me because I 

had chosen for my church day to be done with Sunday morning.
Never mind that I had taken care of him most of the week
and God knew I needed to keep the Sabboth day holy and rest!
He didn't get that I could worship long after I walked out the door.

There was the regular discussion, 

"Your mama would be disappointed in you."

But, no, he was wrong. 

Mama always had my back. 

It's what mama's do, right?

I'm so sorry. 

I didn't intend to go there. 

I'm just feeling some loss. 

I miss my family and the homeplace that is no more.
That's a constant.

I miss my friends back home. 

At some point you have to let go. 

Maybe it's easy for some to still communicate 

and nuture those relationships. 

My heart hurts that I can't, 

but our life is here now and I still have this pull

to be all things to all people.
I lugged that weight all the way up here
and find myself doing it again.
I surely can't take on two worlds.

I have a friend back home who is literally dying and she needs me.
I pray for her and cry for her.
She's there and I'm here and I honestly haven't been able to be there for her.

So there's the guilt that keeps roaring it's ugly head.

Can you feel the heaviness of this post.
Oh my goodness, just reading it, pulls me under.
Too much to be left inside, I feel my heart will explode!

So there!
I warned you!

If you only looked at my pictures, great!
You enjoyed my Saturday with me.

If you read, the gloom and doom,
just pray for me.
I'll be okay.
I always am.

I'm about to go to bed. It's now past midnight.

It's officially a new day!

A New Day?
I can use one of those.
I'll take it!

Stacks

Snuck in a couple of shops in the craziness of the past few weeks.

I am so happy to have gotten these at 60% off. I paid about $8 for the stack and the sugar dish.

I just love it!

This I paid 50 cents for at a Mission store.

Love that it was stamped with a date. Does anyone know what it's used for?

The little bowls on top of the stack were 25 cents for each.

Love my new stack of white!

There seems to be a lot of ironstone in this area unlike home. A piece at a time, I'll add to my collection.

Church Bench

My daddy started Tennile First Church of the Nazarene in 1950 after finishing a two year program in Bible classes at Trevecca Nazarene College (now University). He described himself, "a poor, country boy who God saved and called to preach." 

He often told the story of hearing his name called out in prayer from the Youth Prayer Room. He was saved on a Wednesday and called to preach a week later while hoeing cotton. He said, I stood that hoe up in the dirt and went and told Mama that God had called me to preach and I had to go."  

Daddy had only the clothes on his back. He had to borrow the money from an uncle to buy a suit of clothes and a suitcase to put them in. He hitch-hiked his way to Nashville, TN from Scott, Ga. He worked to pay his way to college by digging ditches and being a night watchman. He lived on peanut butter and crackers and pork and beans.

He and two friends held a tent meeting the following summer and as they say the rest is history.

Daddy served the same church until his death. He was Sr. Pastor from 1950 until his retirement in 1997. He was appointed Pastor Emeritus and served as visitation pastor until his death in 2011. 

You can understand why this church pew is so special to me. These benches were added to the new church that was built in the late 60's.

It sat on my front porch back home. I had  painted it black. Its temporary dwelling has been my sister's home. My brother in law gave it a make-over. The boards were weather damaged. He glued and sanded and painted it.

Seating has been an issue when the kids come over. We only needed seating for two back home and now we need seating for at least six adults.

The bench will stay. Maybe a farmhouse table is in the future to seat everyone including the grandchildren. It's my favorite spot in our new home.

As the grandchildren gather, each one will hear the story of their great Grandaddy's legacy and where the church bench came from. 

A Day of Rest and A Brewing Storm

The fair has come to town. 

Since it is the biggest fair in the Nashville area, 

the traffic in the city of Lebanon is horrible!

All the crazies come out!

I've decided to stay in today, 

which I desperately need to do anyway

so that I clean and unclutter some more. 

I don't know why it is, but it 

took me 3 years of not working to 

unwind and realize that I didn't 

have to feel guilty about doing nothing. 

Now that I'm back in the real world, 

I have trouble with doing nothing. 

Since sitting on my porch drinking coffee, 

blogging, reading, and working puzzles 

feels like I'm doing nothing, I feel guilty.

I spent some quiet time this morning, 

doing my Bible study.

That doesn't feel like a do-nothing

so I don't feel guilty.

I watched a storm brewing from a distance.

I felt with it the wind and spray from the rain.

It brought with it a little relief from the heat and humidity.

It moved out as quickly as it came in. 

I've moved inside and the sun is now shining outside my window.

Not all storms come and go as quickly.

Some stay awhile.

I felt like the storm would never lift in the 5 years 

of my parents illness and eventual death. 

Then there was the 3 years of grief that would not heal. 

The move has been good for letting go. 

I've leaned into joy.

Sometimes I become afraid and anxious 

about the inevitability of another storm. 

I pray that the wind of the Holy Spirit 

will lift me above where I'm not tossed here and there

by the winds of anxiety, depression, fear and doubt.

I'm learning but I have a ways to go.

Finished Projects...Almost

I've been trying to finish up a few projects this week and bring them inside. I guess it was time to get moving. My post a few days ago must have motivated me to begin.

I bought this coffee table for $15. It's old school, narrow and perfect for my space. 

The person I bought it from had already sanded it and just got tired of the project. I can relate.

All it needed was a coat of paint. Well, make that 3 coats and a wax job.

Harper helped me get the flag up. Of course, I new immediately that it would be a do over. The H is crooked and the burlap raveled. I'm gonna be in the look out for a burlap placemat. That should work perfectly.

It looks great from the road. That's good because it may be awhile before I get around to doing it over.

I had someone do a vinyl cut out for my mailbox. 

We grilled for the family tonight. Nothing makes me happier than hearing my Little girls squeal and watching my little boy play frisbee with my big boy (his daddy).

I am tired...a good tired...(sigh)

Selah

Curb Appeal Project

I have a new project going on for some curb appeal. Is Curb Appeal still on television? I could use some help!

I picked up a few things from Hobby Lobby. When I started putting it all together, I realized that I had left my glue gun in my daughter's car.

So, I brought it with me today.

It's like the one My niece made for me a couple of years ago. I figured I could try my hand at it. What do you think? 

In case you're wondering, it's gonna be a garden flag. 

While at HL, I picked up this little note pad. The verse on it is one of my favorite Bible blessings. I bought it to give to our pastor's wife. I wrote a few of my favorite Bible promises on several of the pages. 

It's not easy being a pastor's wife, a mother of two boys, one with special needs, a student in NP school, finishing clinicals, working outside the home, directing Christian Education classes. I know firsthand the tole it can take on you and the family. She's a young 36 year old, just a couple of years older than my daughter. Every medical professional needs a notepad, right?

Getting a little one to sleep and watching Dinosaur Train. Yippee!

You Are Welcome Here

"No Groove Since the Move" should be the title of my blog.

I just haven't had the energy or want-to 

to redo, paint, decorate or tablescape or vignette anything.

Nope.  Just haven't had it.

Just getting by with the basics. 

When we knew that we were getting the house, 

I was filled with so much gratitude that I 

could only cry and praise the Lord. 

I told Him that I wanted Him to use it 

however he chose, to help others.

I prayed that all who entered would feel loved and welcomed.

I finally added a welcome mat yesterday.

Nothing fancy. 

Fancy would not be me!

Just an invite to say, 

"You are welcome here."

The Pastor's sermon this morning was simple too.

Not a fancy-foo, but just practical and real, 

the stuff we should be doing every day anyway. 

How To Be a Loving Church

The thing that drew me to this church was the way they loved

and the way they welcomed.

I think the point I heard the loudest this morning was 

"Get past the handshake."

We have no idea what other people are going through. 

 To "get past the handshake,"

we must do more than ask, 

"How are you doing?"

  

We must listen to what they don't say.

We must look into their eyes and see with our hearts.

We must listen when the answer is not packaged

and tied up in a little red bow and tagged with, "I'm fine."

"It's been a hard week."

"I'm in a hard place."

"It's not going well."

Getting pass the handshake may mean missing Sunday School

(Yes, with a recommendation from our pastor!)

or being late for Sunday lunch.

Get past it!

We have no idea what others are going through.

We have no idea what's behind the handshake.

Get past it!

We now have

a wreath on the door, a welcome mat, flowers blooming, 

and you are welcome here.

Who's Right?

It's bad when you have to depend on a man to do your work. I see it one way (the right way), and he sees it another way. I didn't say the wrong way. 

Here's the dilemma, How To Hang Brackets.

This is his way. It works, right? But I like the scroll curling up instead of down. 

So who's right?

TGIF

Since my Thursday work day is done, 

can I go ahead and SCREAM, 

"TGIF!!!"

Could you hear me?

I'm so tired, I'm on the verge of tears. 

I knew it would happen. 

I really did.

It's just the way my mind and body goes. 

Yes, it goes, my mind, that is!

The past few months have been so busy.

I've hardly had time to really enjoy my home.

Can I just stop here and sob?

Can you hear me now?

Well, I should have started with the wonderful weekend I had

instead of all the negativity.

Did I say I'm sorry?

David took his mom home on Friday morning 

and one of my best friends and her DIL from home

came to spend the weekend bearing tickets 

to 

LIVING PROOF LIVE 

with

BETH MOORE!!!

I was screaming!

I mean I could have walked a row over and touched her!

Can you hear me now?

My BFF has had a recent knee replacement 

and I must be in need of one.

The first evening we had nose bleed seats.

Getting up there was bad enough.

Coming down was agony. 

We were holding hands and trying to keep our knees together

at the same time.  Get my drift???

It was like old times!

(Now I'm smiling.)

On day two, we got there early and still the line was out the wazoo!

Good thing about being near the end of the line, 

the band was making it's way back stage!

This is the drummer. 

Security was asking him to move.

We saw the back of Travis Cottrell.

There is nothing like worshipping our Lord and Savior 

with over 10,000 other women.

Incredible!

Biggest surprise ever!

Nicole C. Mullin was there and sang one of my favorites, 

My Redeemer Lives!

Incredible!

Knowing my physical state of near exhaustion, 

my kids asked me if I was okay. 

I really was. I was so transported to heavenly places, 

I didn't even notice the fatigue.

Now...well...let's just say, TGIF!

Truly, God is good and greatly to be praised!

I have walked in His presence this week.

I should be ashamed to even express my exasperations. 

I look forward to reviewing my notes 

and digger deeper.  

I'm thankful for a friend who knows me

and loves me anyway!

Thank you, Jesus!

While I've Been Away...

Whew! I'm tired...pooped!

I'm gonna quickly post some photos that will tell you what I've been up to.

My Mother-in-law spent two weeks with us. She really is a love. I kept the baby during the day and we stayed busy during the evenings.

We had some good family time. She cooked for me one night. Her crockpot Mac and cheese is the bomb. David grilled pork chops and Grandma did the rest.

She enjoyed getting to know the babies. The oldest baby girl was not nearly as independent the last visit. 

Our table is not big enough for us all to sit around. Something must be done about that!

This little one is wanting to dress herself!

We ate way too much,

And partied way too hardy!

Grandma and Keith Urban at the Grand Ole Opry. It was a surprise! She loved it!

We saw Diamond Rio, Connie Smith, Bill Anderson, some old geeziers who sang some good blue grass, some cowboys who sang westerns and the featured guests, The Oak Ridge Boys. 

We had nosebleed seats but technology gives you front row seating.

We were hoping for a little bit of Gospel music. We didn't get it at the Opry, but we attended a gospel sing at our church on Sunday evening.

We went to hear some great Irish music at McNamara's Irish Pub. It is some of my favorite.  

And the fun...To Be Continued...