Happy Valentines Day!

I thought you might enjoy having a look at our family Valentine's Day supper...

We had a bubbly drink (club soda & grape juice concentrate), croissants...
...surprise treats...
...young asparagus...
...sirloin tip steaks...
..baked potatoes and goodies...
Afterwards, the boys and I played the game of "Life".
Happy Valentine's Day!!
And have a lovely Sabbath!
Love,
Elizabeth

Show and Tell Friday

Years ago, while I was attending university, I lived in the basement apartment of a retired couple. Around the corner from us, resided my friend, Ruth, her parents and maternal grandmother, Ruth Deringer (known as "Grannie"). Over the years while I was living there, I came to know Grannie very well. She was nearly blind, so our relationship began with my reading to her most days. Then, I noticed whenever I was with Ruth, that Grannie spent a lot of time playing Solitaire. Soon my visits to her included her teaching me Solitaire and watching me play. During our times together, Grannie would tell me about her wonderful life spent all over the world, as she moved with her engineer husband to various jobs. In her homes, she entertained the famous and the infamous. She also told me about her girlhood spent in Mexico with her father and about how one day Pancho Villa's men tried to surround her when she was out for a ride, and how she took her horse and ran at full gallop straight at them. At the last minute, they parted their horses to let her through, waving their hats in the air and shouing "Viva la Senorita!!", so impressed were they by her spunk.

On one of her travels to the Middle East, Grannie's husband, Bing, took her to the Taj Mahal, in India, the wonderful memorial to one man's love for his wife. While they were there, Bing bought Grannie a beautiful silk shawl, embroidered with real spun gold thread.


On my last birthday before leaving University, I celebrated with Ruth at her house. I noticed that Grannie kept coming out of her room to look at me. Finally, Ruth presented me with a gift from Grannie, I opened the box and, lo and behold, there was Grannie's silk scarf from Bing. On top of the beautiful masterpiece was her calling card, which read...



"Happy Birthday. To my real friend. Love, Grannie."

I ran into Grannie's room to thank her for the beautiful gift. I promised her that I would take good care of it.

"Wear it as much as you want." She said. And then she held up her two fingers, crossed them and said, "You and I are like this."

Grannie died years ago. Her birthday greeting is stained and yellowed with age. The beautiful shawl is lovingly kept in my keepsakes drawer. Occasionally, I take it out to look at it and think of my dear, old friend in her worn, polyester pant suits and her regal bearing. No one would have guessed by looking at her what an incredible life she had. But in my heart she is that young, daring horsewoman of old.

"Viva La Senorita!!"

Love,
Elizabeth
To visit over Show and Tells, please go to There Is No Place Like Home.

Miracles Wrought with Pocket Change

One of the things I enjoyed most about this past Christmas season was the opportunity to focus so much of my time and effort on giving to others. What a sweet experience that was for me this past year. Wanting to give not just to those I knew but to also be of benefit outside of my extended family and friends, I devised a little scheme to be sure that I had a little something extra to share at a time when our family was financially strapped. Whenever I was out and about I made sure to pay cash for everything, instead of using my debit card or checks. All of my pocket change I saved in, well,... my pocket! Then, whenever I passed by one of the umpteen Salvation Army workers with their little red buckets outside my favorite stores, I'd drop that extra change inside. I did this over and over and over again. I later figured that during the month of December, I donated quite a nice sum to that local charity!

Not to miss out on any of the fun the rest of the year, I've been saving up that pocket change in this nifty little jar...

Nothing fancy, there!

At the end of every month, I count up the change, deposit it in my account and then write a check to one of my favorite charities. It is amazing how much a little bit everyday adds up to a substantial gift!

I have several favorite charities that I would like to share with you:

1) The Christian Appalachian Project
Appalachia runs from Southern New York down through Northern Mississippi. It was originally settled in the 1700s by Europeans and some Africans looking for freedom and opportunity. These settlers were extremely independent and often isolated from the rest of the country. This area is rich in traditions but encompasses some of the worst poverty in our nation. The Christian Appalachian Project administers financial, temporal and spiritual relief to the people of this area, building stronger communities one person/one family at a time. Please visit their site and consider helping as you can.

2) The Nature Conservancy
"The Nature Conservancy's mission is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive."

Decades before "Environmentalism" became a fashionable term, my mother raised my sister and me to treat the earth and all of God's creations with tenderness and sensitivity. She was concerned with over-development of rural areas, the de-forestation of her beloved North Carolina and any wanton destruction of animals' natural habitats. She believed in living gently on the land. Upon her death, my sister and I opened a memorial donation fund in her honor.

If someday you make a donation to them, would you kindly consider doing so under my mother's name:

Member #11912294

Address: 4 Pelham Green West, Waynesboro, VA 22980

The words "Tribute donation in memory of Kathleen Melvin Atkinson"

3) Christian Childrens Fund
Sponsor a child from various countries of the world. Receive regular updates on how they are doing. Surprisingly affordable!

* * *
Ladies, I'm so excited about this that I'm going to sponsor Pocket Change Miracles. On the last day of every month, I will provide a Mr. Linky and I would like to encourage everyone to share your stories of how your pocket change went to help someone in need.

Well, I've got to run for now, but there will be more on this later.
Love,
Elizabeth

Commitment to Loveliness, Menu Planning Monday, Update

Dear, Sweet Friends,

I am still playing catch up from the week when I was flat on my back. My goodness, how things fell apart! So today, instead of printing out my menu for the week, I'm providing you with a link to Laura's Menu Planning Monday post and you can peruse those menus to your heart's desire. Many of the people who submit posts through Mr. Linky there include links to the recipes. Great stuff!

Also, today is the first time participating in A Commitment to Loveliness which is being hosted over at Charming The Birds From The Trees (see sidebar). My five things are:
1) Make homemade valentines
2) Have candlelight dinner with my family tonight
3) Take the time to have my hair trimmed
4) Search out a nice new hair color
5) Give myself a manicure tonight

As for an update on our situation, My husband is still looking for work, after trying out a job that was straight commission only. He has two wonderful possibilities this month. Either one would be great for us. We appreciate your prayers!

Well, I hope you have a wonderful day. I apologize for not getting around to visit for awhile. It's been really difficult recently. However, I will get to at least some of you today.

Love to all,
Elizabeth

Show and Tell Friday

Hey, Ladies!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday, hosted by Kelli at There's No Place Like Home. Today, I am sharing two of my favorite art prints from my home...

Below is a beautiful picture of a bride, signing the church registry on her wedding day. This was originally a gift bag that was given to me during my lovely bridal shower. I loved the picture so much that I had it matted and framed. Now, it hangs above my bureau in the master bedroom.
The next picture I recently found in a thrift store for $5 and, I swear, it looks like new.
I'm sorry that the quality of the photos isn't very good, but I did the best I could. Anyway, I love Romantic Era art. It is so beautiful to me.

I hope that you have a great day today.
God bless,
Elizabeth

Hello, Again!!

Hello, Dear Friends,

I am overjoyed to say that I am back from my illness and feeling absolutely fantastic!! I am thankful for your prayers and also for the helpfulness of friends and neighbors who rallied round while I was down and out.

So, what was the first thing on my agenda after being in bed for a week? Why cleaning, of course! But, first, I needed a little Thrift Shop Therapy! Off I went to my favorite re-sell shop and found the following lovelies...These are just a few of the wonderful items I found.

This small, fit-in-the-palm-of-your-hand-sized basket and the coconut will hold birdnests for spring...
This tiny prism will also hold a Spring time theme...

Here is a beautiful sequined frame, a gift for someone dear...
And a lovely saying, just in time for Valentine's Day...
It says:
"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart;
And sings it to you when you forget the words.?"

Have a lovely day today. I will be visiting blogs today, so give me time if I haven't gotten to your yet.

Love,
Elizabeth

Would You Like A Little Cheese With That Whine?

Well, I'm tired of talking about being sick and I'm sure you're tired of hearing about it. But I can't believe how ill I was. Whew! I am able to be up and about some today and am very thankful for that. My side hurts where my finicky kidney is and I am swollen a bit, but at least I can walk around my house. Whew! If my side doesn't get better in a few days, it's off to the doctor I go. I was told after my second surgery on this kidney that if it didn't get better they'd have to remove it. Well, darlin', they can have it! I've been in and out of terrible pain since I was nine years old and I am done!

Well, that was fun! I whined for a few minutes and I now feel much better! :)

I must say that after being in bed for almost a week, the house is beginning to fall down around our ears. Sweet husband tried, but he's a guy and "clean" in his book is different from "clean" in mine! Also, "I'm taking care of the children" is different in a guy's book than in the mother's. I worry about responsibility and consistency with chores and work coming before computer games. I'm fussy about reading scriptures as a family and saying prayers and my husband is so funny. If everyone is silent because they are watching TV for hours, he feels like, hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I have to laugh! Boy, sometimes I wonder if I'm accomplishing anything at all as a homemaker. Well, after 6 days on my back, I realize that I really am needed in my home!

I will get around to visiting all my favorite blogs in the next day or two. It will be great to reconnect again. Hope everyone is well and happy.

Have a great Sabbath, tomorrow!
Love,
Elizabeth

Gratitude for Prayers

Dear Friends,

I am up a little bit today and so I thought I'd try to sit at my computer and compose a note here to thank everyone who has left kind notes and who have offered prayers for me - both are greatly appreciated. It means a lot!

Sunday night, I developed a bad back ache which I thought was caused by my not stretching enough after doing a walk on Saturday. I went to bed on a heating pad. Around 2 a.m. I woke up in severe pain and when I tried to move it set off a series of incredibly painful muscle spasms. It was awful. I couldn't get up at all. I had to lay flat and not move a muscle. My poor husband was up with my all night, because if I flinched or he moved in bed I was in agony. By morning it looked like I would need an ambulance.

As many of you know we have not been employed for long and we have no insurance, so we were/are desperate not to rack up more doctor bills. Consequently, we called around to all the doctors we know at church to see if one of them would prescribe a muscle relaxant. We left messages for them to call us back. Then, a miracle happened...Dr. Vernon P, a general practitioner that we know, heard our message and - get this! - showed up at our house on his lunch hour to personally attend to me. Is that incredible or what? While he was working with me, he said that he remembered that I have kidney problems and sometimes kidney probs can cause severe cramping. It is rare, but it does happen, so we gave him a specimen culture, as soon as we could (I couldn't move off the bed, so you can see the dilemna). Again, the doc shows up at my house and tell my husband that I have a really bad infection and that my nitrate levels were really high. When a kidney can't screen out the pollutants that are in the blood, then toxins (like nitrates) build up in the body and can affect the muscles. I was really close to having to go to the hospital.

So, bless the doctor's heart, he gave us antibiotics as well as muscle relaxers and I am starting to do better.

Yesterday, when Mark was at work, the HR person told him that something very similar happened to her sister, but she didn't go see a doctor right away and so she ended up in the hospital and had to have a blood transfusion. I am so grateful that Doctor P came over and remembered about my kidneys or I would have reall been up a creek.

Kind ladies from our church have brought us meals and my dear daughter, Sarah, has taken very good care of me. More miracles.

Another bit of news...Mark's new job is over. The company that hired him and several ofher people (plus, just bought all new computer equipment) is having to shut down. That's the bad news...The good news is that Mark had a chance encounter with a music promoter. They hit it off big time and really liked each other, Mark is very knowledgeable about that industry. So, today, they are having a power lunch to discuss how Mark's expertise might benefit this music promoter's business. I am praying that, if it is the Lord's will, this will work out for us, because Mark will work himself to death at a job he hates in order to take care of his family, but oh how he would love a job like being a music talent promoter.

I will let you know how our little family saga turns out.

Again, I am deeply grateful for your prayers and kindness. God bless you this day, as always.
Love,
Elizabeth