...across the room to share another favourite....

OK I really think this would have to be one of Gloria Gaither's most fabulous songs ever written. I heard it sung today and just had to share it with you.

I Then Shall Live Lyrics
Words by Gloria Gaither
Music by Jean Sibelius
FINLANDIA

I then shall live as one who’s been forgiven;
I’ll walk with joy to know my debts are paid.
I know my name is clear before my Father;
I am His child, and I am not afraid.
So greatly pardoned, I’ll forgive my brother,
The law of love I gladly will obey.

I then shall live as one who’s learned compassion;
I’ve been so loved that I’ll risk loving too.
I know how fear builds walls instead of bridges;
I’ll dare to see another’s point of view.
And when relationships demand commitment,
Then I’ll be there to care and follow through.

Your kingdom come around and through and in me;
Your power and glory, let them shine through me;
Your Hallowed name, O may I bear with honor,
And may Your living Kingdom come in me.
The Bread of Life, O may I share with honor,
And may You feed a hungry world through me.
Amen. Amen. Amen.

...across the room to share a Thanksgiving song....

Happy Thanksgiving.....

Just sharing an old hymn; one of my favourites for many years...and one that my Mom and I used to sing together in our living room accompanied by either Mom at the piano or accordian or me on the accordian.

Thanks to God

Thanks to God for my Redeemer,
Thanks for all Thou dost provide!
Thanks for times now but a memory,
Thanks for Jesus by my side!
Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime,
Thanks for dark and dreary fall!
Thanks for tears by now forgotten,
Thanks for peace within my soul!

Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered,
Thanks for what Thou dost deny!
Thanks for storms that I have weathered,
Thanks for all Thou dost supply!
Thanks for pain, and thanks for pleasure,
Thanks for comfort in despair!
Thanks for grace that none can measure,
Thanks for love beyond compare!

Thanks for roses by the wayside,
Thanks for thorns their stems contain!
Thanks for home and thanks for fireside,
Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain!
Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow,
Thanks for heavenly peace with Thee!
Thanks for hope in the tomorrow,
Thanks through all eternity!

...across the room, out of the mouths of babes.....

Some time ago when I was visiting at my daughter's home I asked my granddaughter to write and perform a song about prayer for me. To sweeten the request I told her I would pay to attend her 'concert' :)

The smile on her face stretched ear to ear, eyes wide with the wonder of her good fortune! She shot across the kitchen in record time, down the stairs and into the solace of her room. This Nana had almost forgotten the need to slot a very special concert into her afternoon when this spunky six year old bounded up the stairs and into the kitchen. She headed straight for my purse, found my wallet and brought it to me! After all, there was a price to be paid for this great pleasure! Downstairs she found the perfect stage, a large cedar chest, and front row seats for her Nana. Much fidgeting ensued when it dawned on her that my eyes would be on her alone with no distractions and that she was the star of the show with no help from anyone. When I finally convinced her that I would love her song simply because she, MY granddaughter wrote it she began to sing in a very soft, hesitant, very girly voice as I followed the words on the sheet she wrote on:

In mi bed

I pra to God

I tel him a bot mi dey

When I m don

He ses to me

I have lovd

you forevr!

or in my spelling:

In my bed

I pray to God

I tell him about my day

When I am done

He says to me

I have loved

you forever!

Out of the mouths of babes, hey? I may have to keep that piece of paper forEVR!! :)

...across the room to share my poem...

Ode To Menopause

It seems absurd

the things I do

mistakes I make

to name a few

I laugh and blame

it on my “roots”

when shoes don’t match

or was it my boots?

The thing is this

it’s not that bad

until the FLUSH

turns my body red

and makes me feel

like hitting and biting

kicking and screaming

yelling and fighting

the stresses of life

are deadly for me

soaked to the bone

even behind my knees

take a few pills

is the advice I get

how would they know

I’ld be filled with regret

zombie filled days

don’t turn my crank

I’ll deal with the sweat

to be quite frank

just hand me a kleenex

no, make that a towel

when you see the beads

running down to my jowls

soaking my clothes

from the sweat of my brow

I’m having a moment

don’t touch me, NOT NOW!

...across the room to admit my condition....

The evening was so beautiful my husband and I decided to go for a nice long walk following an early dinner and movie tonight.

I thought it was warm enough to wear my fancy red STRETCH WALKER sandals I bought last year that I never had a chance to wear in. Every time I wore these sandals last summer the strap would rub on my ankle bone, or the bottom of my fibula malleolus, the lateral bone of my ankle! Don't ask!

Remembering the aggravation this footwear caused me all summer and wanting desperately to be able to wear them this year since I paid an arm and a leg for them I came up with what I thought was a great solution to my problem. I decided I could insert an insole into each sandal that would lift my foot enough to give the ankle bone a little extra height and give me a chance to wear them in!

We headed out for our walk downtown enjoying the fresh air, scenery, and the people along the way. Conversation on our walks varies a lot and today we seemed to cover many topics. For some time now I've been trying to come up with an interesting personal licence plate for my Harley. We discussed whether I wanted the plate to describe me or just simply say something unique, funny or interesting. I said if I were to choose a plate that would describe me it would have to say something about my "blonde roots". As a brunette I just simply have entirely too many "blonde moments"! That's when it happened! AGAIN!

We were on our way back home when I told my husband I had a pebble in my shoe that I needed to get out. He looked down at my feet and said "Well, that's not all that's coming out of your shoes!" I looked down only to find what you are seeing on this picture! My insoles were working their way out of my shoes and were flopping behind me with each step I took! A teenage girl with a big smile on her face had just passed us on her bicycle. I remember thinking she must be enjoying this beautiful evening just as much as we were! We had a good laugh as I instinctively yanked the insoles from my sandals! As we continued our walk I told my husband I had been thinking people were smiling at me because they were admiring my pretty Harley T-Shirt :)

Since today is Mother's Day I thought I needed to post this little story in honor of my mother who would have such a great laugh at my blonde moment. She would relate because she had them as well. The good thing was that she shared these moments with me so we could enjoy a good laugh together. I guess I inherited my condition from her. Happy Mother's Day in heaven Mom. Have a laugh on me today!!

...across the room to share a song....

A friend forwarded this song to me today and I enjoyed it so much I thought I'ld share it with you!

On My Father's Side

Written by The Village Singers

Just a young boy in the temple one day

Shared with the Doctors, they were so amazed!

Never had they seen one so young speak so swift;

They asked Him many questions, the conversation went like this:

What's your name son?

On my mother's side my name is Jesus

but on my Father's side they call me Emmanuel.

How old are you?

On my mother's side I'm twelve years

but on my Father's side I've just always been.

Where you from?

On my mother's side I'm from Bethlehem

but on my Father's side it's New Jerusalem.

What's your plan?

On my mother's side I'll be crucified

but on my Father's side in three days I'll arise

and I'll sit by my Father's side.

He was the Son of God yet the son of man

And I can't help but wonder how Joseph must have felt

Through an open door that day he heard his son reply

you see I'm the King of Kings that's on my Father's side.

..across the room to get back to the basics...

After spending some time at my daughter's house recently looking after her family while she was away I came home to make some changes in my laundry room. She does her laundry in her basement in a room that is home to the washer, dryer, furnace and a whole lot of "stuff"! Doesn't seem like a place you would want to spend much time? Every time I went to add another load to the washer I wondered what it was about that room that was so pleasant! I think the answer is that first of all I enjoyed being in her surroundings and thinking about her as I did some of the work she normally does while looking after three children at the same time managing everything else on her agenda. Secondly, there's a window above the appliances letting in natural light...always a good thing. Then there was that clothesline that is actually somewhat in the way and yet so handy (can you tell I don't have one of those!). I used it all the time! I do think that what was most unique and what beckoned me all the time (other than trying to keep a handle on all that laundry!) was the tray on her dryer that housed a quart jar of home made laundry detergent, spray 'n wash, and a container of vinegar! I think I did some laundry almost every day! It smelled so good...so fresh and lemony!

When I came home I kept thinking about that tray and today I created my own tray. I liked the fact that my daughter used whatever containers she had around the house and I wanted to do the same thing. These are all items I already had that were not being used other than those lovely glamour gloves you see in the picture!

I also used a quart jar for my detergent, an old oil and vinegar set for my liquid Oxyclean to add to my white's, and Vinegar for rinsing. The blue spray bottle is my Spray 'n Wash and the tray was one I had in the junk cupboard in the basement!

Making your own laundry detergent, using vinegar as a rinse agent and having everything on a tray at your fingertips will find you wishing it was laundry day!! Oh, and the glamour gloves just BEG to be used!!

Thanks darling daughter of mine for the inspiration!!

Guess what I'm doing right now?!