Sending Love to You All

Sea BreezesHere I am again after a long hiatus. Life gets in the way for a writer, and a writer should just get in the way of life! We are still waiting on H to get a job; it has been almost a year of waiting, and hoping and praying. We are praying on our Christmas miracle this year that he will get his job and we can get settled into a new routine. I still dream of my little farm with the horses and chickens and maybe a goat or two. Heck, I don't even know if I can handle one goat. The furry English Cockers are wonderful. They keep us sane and laughing at the same time! I guess that is why I love animals so much as I love taking care of things. I am already planning next year's garden and it will be beautiful. O I have been trying to learn to knit but I am a kluz when it comes to knitting. I have a Scottish friend who swears she can teach me, so I will give knitting a try one more time. I love knitted things, homemade things. The older I get, the less stuff I need. That is a great thing that happens as your kids grow up. Christmas will be a bit sparse this year on presents, but after all we know that we have already received the greatest gift the world has ever known. The Christ Child will be born again in a stable to save the sins of the world. This advent season, we are getting read for Him. We put up a little tree this year and I made some homemade angels to decorate. It is humble, for this is a year for humility in the family. We have one child who has left the flock temporarily, but I know he will return, as God says He knows all our names and each little lamb is special. That gives me comfort. Blessings to you all this Holy Season and may the one who came down from heaven be with you and bless you. In the name of our Savior, Jesus the Christ, I send love.

Honesty

Sea BreezesHonesty is a hard word to define. Maybe it has to do with your real feelings or really what happened. I feel my blog is a place for honesty. The dear folks who take the time to read what this plain woman writes deserve honesty.


My husband still strives diligently to find a job, and I work diligently to support him with positive thoughts and actions which sometimes slip into fear and uncertainty....then prayer comes, and I feel strength again. The future looms like a monster some days, and then I am reminded that I am only to worry about today, that God takes care of tomorrow.


Two nights ago, a tree smashed our garage and both cars, one is fixable, both need replacing. Again, what if it rains, here that fear thing starts again, and all our garage stuff gets wet? God reminds me not to worry, just walk in today. So you have it, I am being honest. It takes the Lord to keep tapping me on the shoulder to remind me that His help is on the way. In fact, not only does He say worry is sinful, He tells me to "be thankful in all things!" Boy, I have some God....He has it covered. So, I am thankful that my husband is unemployed and that we have no cars to drive." There, that was easy. I feel better knowing I just have to walk through this with my head held high and trusting my Lord.


If you are walking through a storm, try being honest and doing what the Lord tells you to do. First of all it settles your anxiety and fear and opens up a whole new realm of possibilities in life. I worship a Lord who can walk on water and create a universe. Surely a smashed garage and a jobless husband is within His power!

The Poetry Reading

Sea BreezesWell, something planned for a year finally took place yesterday. The planned poetry reading while floating on Cheryl's pond drinking Sangrias finally came to fruition. Three passed middle aged women played like children on a lovely summer afternoon. We had a blast.


The pictures show it all. Marja is our friend from Scotland who tells wonderful stories of her homeland, Cheryl is in the bow of the boat and yours truly is pulling up the stern. We had smoked herring with cream cheese on crackers, fresh baked blue berry muffins (we picked the berries last week), cucumber sandwiches, and icy Sangria and Perrier water. We didn't go hungry on our pond pilgrimage. We read poetry to each other and paddled the pond for well over three hours. We laughed, told stories and read poetry. We made memories with simplicity. We don't care if we are all sixty something, having fun at our age is the most fun! 

We heard frogs, horses neighing, roosters crowing and the donkey braying. We heard the ripple of the pond and the wind in the trees. Try finding joy in the simple things of life, you won't regret it!

Receive the Joy

Sea BreezesLast weekend was wonderful. Our gang from Tennessee drove all the way down to see us. Grandchildren have grown so big and are so cute. Parents look great and we had a blast seeing them too, of course. We ate and ate and went swimming, laughed, went out to eat, their treat, walked in the Village on St. Simons and all together had a great time. I was having so much fun that I forgot to take pictures. Somebody send me some via email and I will post them.


Family love is so special. Your children's love and grand children's love is just the best. They love you regardless of your faults, and we all have those. I hope we are making wonderful memories for these precious children. I wish, so wish we could see them more often, we talk, think and pray for them all each day.


Blessings come in adult and child sized packages. If you haven't opened yours in a while, untie the ribbon and receive the joy!

Expect Miracles

Sea BreezeI am really beginning summer today and am at a loss for what to do. H is still job hunting and needs me to be positive and support him in prayer. I want to ride  my bike, swim, go to the beach, ride the big bay thoroughbred and love my dogs. I will do all those things. The most important thing to do is to love my Lord and love my husband. I am looking forward to spending time with my family as they come to visit.


Grand babies to cuddle and read stories to will  be so much fun. I am looking forward to my summer miracles. Remember, expectation creates an atmosphere for miracles!

Class of 2012

Sea BreezesCongratulations go out to the class of 2012 at my high school and all the other classes throughout the nation and the world that hold this
 distinction. All have worked hard to finish the requirements that being part of a class to graduate require.

I thought a lot about the advice I would give the class of 2012 were I important enough to be asked to speak somewhere. This plain teacher would probably give plain advice that might go something like this.

Cherish your God, your family, your friends and yourself. Smile when you feel like frowning and hug when you feel like hitting. Love when you feel like hating and forgive when you feel revengeful. Dance when  you feel like sitting and sing when you feel silent. Listen when you feel like giving advice and touch a cheek softly when you feel like slapping it.

Embrace the holiness of life when you feel lonely and call a friend for no reason other than to tell that friend you love him or her. Leave everyone you met with a kind word, even if that person spoke a mean word to you. Stop and enjoy a sunset, even if you are in a hurry. Thank God even if your times are bad.

May the sea breezes blow in your life in a steady, soft, roll.

Congratulations Class of 2012, may God go with you.

Peace

Sea BreezesThe morning sunlight is streaming through the window on this lovely Sunday morning. I have said before so much, I love Sunday mornings. We sit with our coffee, English Cocker Spaniels, one for each of us and enjoy PBS radio. What nerds we are! I love that a day is set aside for worship.


I have suddenly had a strange turn in my life. I am having fun being a Christian. I am not responsible for someone believing, I am only responsible for planting a seed of hope in them and telling them about my sweet Lord. It is so joyful to wear my cross and announce to the world I follow the Christ. Do I have to walk around being perfect? I try, but fail so miserably; my God forgives my shortcomings. I do try to love all I meet and leave their presence with some comment to make them smile.

I have to get ready for church. I am so fortunate to go to the most kind of churches. Our little Episcopal church is full of joy and love for one another. I am loved there, prayed for and appreciated. What more could I ask for. Try Christ;try peace that the world understandith not!

Gosh, I love Him

Sea BreezesWhat a beautiful day today-mid nineties. We didn't make it to the beach. Harold hurt his back working on the lawnmower and had to go to Brunwick for a new tire. Our Carolina Jasmine is blooming and the front porch smells like Heaven. We still have leaves to rake-our live oaks shed this time of year. Isn't that weird if you don't live on the coast?


Lately, I wonder were God will plant us. I only know we will bloom where we are planted. We hope we get to stay here as we love our church and our friends. I have found my dream home and little farm on 13 acres. City folk would have a fit, it is in the middle of nowhere and right on the marsh. There is a statue of St. Francis in the woods. An omen? I hope so


I will meet a new friend tomorrow who has two beautiful Arabians. I have never been around Arabians and am excited about meeting them. She lives in a development with a barn. How enchanting for her! Hope your weekend is going well. It is so nice to be away from my students for two days. Summer is coming soon and so is my sanity. Love to you all who stop and read my random thoughts.Remember that God goes before us, so He gets us ready for what He has in store; gosh I love Him.

Here We Are Just Where God Wants Us

Sea BreezesHere we are....unemployed....Harold lost his job in December and is daily working to find employment in this difficult economy. He is so positive. That is a beautiful thing to see. His faith is unwaivering. and his reliance on God is his source of strength. God has something special for him, we both know that. If you are going through a big wave in life, remember that Our Lord walked on the water and He will be your lifesaver. Have a lovely weekend. We will take the dogs to the beach for a walk, and enjoy a lovely day together. We will weather this storm and be ready for the soft waves to lap on our shores. Have a lovely weekend.

Goodbye Spring

Sea BreezesWhat happened to our spring? Here on the coast spring comes in so fast and runs away as if summer is chasing her. Summer lives here, I am sure of it. We will hit the high 80's this week. Now before you say, you couldn't stand this heat, well slow down. You do get used to it. Mid 90's and above in the summer with 100 per cent humidity is the norm. I become like an alligator going from pool to pool. Fortunately, I have friends with pools who like to swim with friends who have pools. Ah summer, I was born for summer.


School will be over soon. This has been a tough year, and I am so glad to hit the beach, the pool and the horse along with the bicycle. Staying active is so important, and I plan on doing a lot of that this summer.


Hope your spring is longer than ours. Easter was so fun. We went to the farm and shot pistols off the front porch into the pond and then settled down for a lovely meal. We feed the horses carrots and enjoyed a country Easter. Thank goodness, HE is risen! Happy spring.

Labels

Sea BreezesI love being a writer. What are you? We are all so many things. Why is it important that we label ourselves. I guess it is just human nature to call yourself something. I am a wife, a mother, a mother-in-law, a grandmother, a friend, an enemy to some I am sure. I am a rider of horses and an owner and lover of English Cocker Spaniels. I am a teacher and a singer. I am probably a million more things I could come up with. That means I am somebody. I am a talker. I am a leader, sometimes, and a follower at others. None of the labels I can come up with are as important as....I am a Christian....a follower of Christ. I am an imperfect follower, but a follower nonetheless. I love His love because He doesn't judge me. He doesn't keep tabs with how often I call him, or pray or read His Word.

He loves me no matter how bad, depressed or mean I am. He loves me when I am right and when I am wrong. During this Lent I want to focus more on what it means to follow The Christ, my Lord, the God with no name, the great I Am. I am a writer today, and I am loved. Have a holy Holy week. Holy means "set apart". I hope you consider setting yourself apart for the greatest love of all.

Love Creation

Sea BreezesHere I am. I have been a slacker as a blogger. I always feel so badly when I slack with my blogging, although I have blog thoughts all the time.

My time has been spent teaching, teaching, teaching, riding, riding riding, manure scooping, manure scooping, manure scooping, English Cocker spaniel cuddling, English Cocker Spaniel Cuddling, English Cocker Spaniel Cuddling.

I have returned to my roots of country girl. My best days are at the barn with my friend's horse, Heart, who has captured my heart. He is big, really big. He is a sweetheart and recently, we went camping together. Now camping is a bit new to me, but camping with two 1100 pound friends is a whole different experience.

We went to Mark Rashid's Horse Clinic in Rincon, GA and had an hour private lesson every day. We learned so much about the horses, about riding, about friendship, about life. We had a blast. We slept in the horse trailer, put the marine potty in the pasture and showered in the tack room. Putting two horses to bed requires giving them minerals, oats and hay and mucking stalls before you can lay your tired head down. You have to be horsesy to love this.

I am horsey. Hugging a big horse and kissing a soft muzzle is a joy of my life. Climbing up on that saddle and  giving the horse a cue to follow is so worthwhile, especially when he follows through. Loping through the pasture , watching the birds fly up and feeling the wind blow my hair is a natural high.

Do what you love. The farm has a Couper hawk and he has a new wife. Little hawks will come in spring. I love to watch him soar over "his" land. He reminds me of the freedom we have in Christ, freedom to pursue what we love. Love something. Become passionate about something in creation. You will find yourself more relaxed and free of worry and burden. I have found my spaniels and a very special horse to love. Enjoy the Creator's creation and find beauty.

Sea Breezes