Its a New Year

So 2009 has passed and I did not blog once. Its a new year - a new dedication to things I love.
I love my family, I love to write, I love to tat, I love to socialize, so here it comes...(hopefully).

First let me say the family is well. Chris lost his job of 24 years last June and has been unable to find anything since. We haven't gone hungry and the major bills have all been paid so - life is still good. Chris is a preacher/evangelist also. Hopefully, this year will be the year for his preaching to 'take off'. Our pastor pretty much booked our January with projects at church...so February here we come.
Our oldest, Erin, just started a new job - still in retail but not clothing. We are SO excited for her and proud of the way she has matured and developed. She and her husband will be married 5 years this month - WOW how time flies. No littles ones yet but...their lives have been so busy - its okay.
Esther has also just complete a job change...don't think this is the 'ONE' but that's okay too. We are just so proud of her and all she does. Maybe we will start to see some homemade cards coming from her world soon. Can't wait!
I started a tatting project over a year ago and put it aside because the pattern wasn't 'super' easy. I have decided to pick it up and complete it - post haste! As soon as it is finished I hope to post the picture on here. It really is a pretty doily. I am doing it in pink. (Why pink - I don't know!) Also, just finished tatting a garter for a co-worker recently. I'll try to get her to loan it to me so I can post a picture of it also. In my head I have LOTS of tatting ideas...but I am easily frustrated when it doesn't turn out the way I am invisioning it.
So there it is...the start to a new year. Hopefully, this year I will keep it up. (Haven't even written any poems this last year - weird...)
Okay - I'll catch you later...or come see me on FaceBook.

Blog, blog blog, blog blog, blog… Yeah – hmmm, well ah --- okay, so it’s been a while. Okay, even a long while. To say I’ve been busy would be a trite excuse, we’ve all been busy (and most of you are much busier than I.) To be a little more honest – I’ve spent a great deal of my online time lately reading other people’s blogs. So, as well as keeping me up on all of you, its kept me from writing anything for you to read. Besides that, I’ve been a little (ok a lot), intimidated. Some of you have such insightful things to say, others have just so much more pizzazz in your presentation. (Waa! Waa!)

I know, I know, I am not supposed to compare myself to anyone else but who doesn’t at times? (Tell me you never compare and we’ll both know you are lying.)

I haven’t blogged about my Curves adventure mainly because my results haven’t been phenomenal in fact they are just barely even mentionable. I think I can finally say I’ve lost 10 lbs. I’ll do the official weigh and measure next week and we’ll find out. (UGH!!!) It is SO like a test and I really don’t like tests. Now, if I am sure I’ll pass with a 100 and maybe even get extra credit…no problem I’ll take one every day. However, if there is a chance that I will miss a point, I despise the test…(its hard to want perfection from yourself and not be able to deliver). Hmmm, sounds like another character flaw.

Going to Curves though has been fun. There are many different women to meet and visit with and if not for Curves our paths would probably not have crossed. There are several machines that are quite the challenge and others that we just all agree we hate. But overall the atmosphere is upbeat, positive, fun and full of camaraderie. Even if you can only do 2 squats you can feel good about it. There’s always someone there to encourage you on, even when you just don’t want to keep going.

HURRICANE IKE

YIKES!!! IKE WAS HERE!

Overall, I think most of us will agree we were all very blessed. At my house we only had the discomfort and inconvenience of no power (which for us also meant no running water) for 6 days. And while the refrigerator and freezer are currently bare (we haven’t shopped yet) we aren’t going hungry nor or we likely to. My roof is still intact and the trees in my yard still stand. I am blessed.

Its been a time to reacquaint ourselves with our neighbors and friends. We move about so fast paced that often we lose touch with those around us. We gave our meat to a friend that had more mouths to feed than just Chris and I. Another who had hot running water allowed us the privilege of taking a shower at their home. Several others offered. I’ve seen strangers helping strangers with the tree(s) across their houses or yards. The strong spirit of resilience in our community is something awesome to behold.

We were living in Houston with a new born baby when Alicia hit the Houston area. It was quite the wild experience then too...but not like Ike. We only didn't have electricity for half a day then.

July 4th

I wrote this several years ago...but it still holds true. We live in an awesome country. We must pray continually that those that would destroy it from within are defeated on every front.

PATRIOTISM

Tears in the eye

To see the flag waving high

Prayers for the soldiers

Even those old codgers

That served along time ago

Defending our flag

Even when our spirits sag

Helping hands

To neighbors on foreign lands

Lifting spirits low

Parades and apple pie

Watching the Stars and Stripes go by

Clowns and bands

Lots of people in the stands

Adults with children n tow

Red, white and blue

Giving honor when due

“The Star Spangled Banner”

Liberty’s shining manner

Beckoning us on

Voting and voicing

Rioting and rejoicing

Freedom of press

And freedom from false arrest

Laws written long ago

America the Beautiful

America the bountiful

The land of the free

Our great destiny

How I love her so

Amanda Rankin 07/03

SLEEP BABY SLEEP

My friend's grand baby died this week and it has been a tremendously heart wrenching experience. So, in honor of little 2 1/2 month old Miley Chea' I wrote this before the graveside service today.

SLEEP BABY SLEEP

I held you once

So soft and sweet

I look at you today

So quiet and faraway

Sleep baby sleep

There are flowers everywhere

And tears in every eye

So quickly you left

No time for good-byes

Sleep baby sleep

Empty arms

And broken hearts

Dreams over before begun

You’re so tiny and still

Sleep baby sleep

Cradled in Jesus’ arms

Heaven’s nursery is now your home

We’ll miss you always

Awake to Heaven’s glory

Sleep baby sleep

"Thinking of You"

THINKING OF YOU

As autumn shrouds the parks and grounds of play

As leaves fall silently covering all

As the winds of winter begin to blow

I think, my friend, of you

The winds in blustery force assail

As you walk head bent across the span of lawn

As the chill of damp is in the air

I think, my friend, of you

School children calling out in shrill voices

As they kick through the fallen leaves

As teachers call them to return to class

I think, my friend, of you

I think, my friend, of you

As you gather your children in your embrace

As you kiss your spouse in joy

I think, my friend, of you

I joy in knowing you are loved

As autumn ends with winter’s shove

As a new year comes with abounding love

I think, my friend, of you.

11/20/07 Amanda Rankin

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

“Dear Children, do not let anyone lead you astray.” I John 3:7

What an awesome admonition!

Too often we allow the influences in our lives to cloud the direction we know that we should be headed. Other paths become ‘prettier’, or more ‘interesting’, or that’s where our ‘friends’ are. It is so easy to get sidetracked.

It is hard to watch as others walk down their path of life, without screaming and crying, when you see them turn down what you perceive as the wrong road for their life. It’s hard to know whether it is the path their life MUST take to get them to where God has destined them to be or if the Enemy of their soul is leading them astray.

Maybe the detours we see our life take or the detour that others’ take are God’s way of getting us into position for greatness. Take Joseph…had he not been a little braggadocios snot to his brothers they wouldn’t have felt the need to get rid of the punk. How else would he have ever gotten on the path to being 2^nd in command of Egypt and in a position to save his family? Joseph never forgot to live upright before God even in his adversity. That is probably the key. Joseph in his time in the pit, during his tenure as a slave, and then during his incarceration in prison, never forgot God’s promises and never forgot God. He remained faithful.

Can we live as faithfully given those circumstances? Could those influences (hateful family members, sexual temptation, being lied about and/or unjustly imprisoned) make us choose a path away from God and His purpose for our life?

No doubt the people in our life have impact. We also have impact on the lives around us. Are you leading or are you being led?

Bloggette

I blogged away the stress today
Posted all my joys and woes
I felt so much better
Out from under all that load

When next I checked
I found to my amaze'
All my friends had written
In response to me this day

Now I'll be blogging back
To each and every one
To let them know I read
To acknowledge what they said