"Just Think"

Just think,

you are not here by chance,

but by God's choosing.

                 His hand formed you                       

and made you the person you are.

He compares you to no one else --

you are one of a kind.

You lack nothing that His grace can't give you.

He has allowed you 

to be here at this time in history 

to fulfill His special purpose

for this generation.

-Roy Lessin-

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

   

"Flickering Mind"

Lord, not you,

it is I who am absent.

At first

belief was a joy I kept in secret,

stealing alone

into sacred places:

a quick glance, and away -- and back,

circling.

I have long since uttered your name

but now

I elude your presence.

I stop

to think about you, and my mind

at once

like a minnow darts away,

darts

into the shadows, into gleams that fret

unceasing over

the river's purling and passing.

Not for one second

will my self hold still, but wanders

anywhere,

everywhere it can. Not you,

it is I who am absent.

You are the stream, the fish, the light,

the pulsing shadow,

you the unchanging presence, in whom all

moves and changes.

How can I focus my flickering, perceive

at the fountain's heart

the sapphire I know is there?

--Denise Levertov

--Bishop Foley gave a beautiful homily and shared this poem with our Parish recently. He spoke of how we don't notice God in the precious moments commenting on the fact that the Lord is always present but our minds are often busy with many things and we miss opportunities to recognize Him in our daily lives. So true!

So here I recognize a most precious moment...

This is a picture of Andrew's sweet hand. Andrew was busy playing

in Uncle Billy's sand box when this butterfly decided to

spend a little time with him. It would light on his hand then

fly away and come right back to Andrew.

It was an opportunity to be still and be in the present...
a time that I will always treasure.

   

"Happy Birthday Clay!"

"Thursday's Child has far to go."

Dear Clay,

It was SO much fun celebrating your 25th birthday

with you...such an extraordinary day for us...

realizing blessings upon blessings upon blessings!

You are surrounded by our love

and prayers and as always, your dad and I

will always love you as high as the sky!

<3mom

   

You then, my child, be strong in grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 2:1

P.S. "Clay and the Snowball" is one of my favorite
 pictures of Clay and was taken in

our backyard during the big Alabama snow in 2010.

We were trying to get off to church but before we
could leave Clay made sure to take some time to
 play in the snow and taunt his father! 

"Happy Birthday June!"

June Elizabeth Whatley is One!

To Sweet Baby June:

"Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday dear June!

Happy Birthday to You!"

Dear June,

We you wish all the happiest wishes in the world;

from the highest star, all the way to the moon, and back again!

gigi and jabo will always love you, 

Baby June, 

as high as the sky!

<3

   

"Rainbows and Sunshine"

 We pretended to be wind-up dolls on the front

porch the other night and Kate seemed

to love it! She especially loved "Wind-up jabo!"

Fast forward to prayer time:

My prayer went something like this:

"Dear Lord. thank you for happy hearts,

for Wind-up jabo and Wind-up Kate.

And bless all of our family where ever they may be."

Amen.

Then it was Kate's turn:

Dear Lord, thank you for Wind-up gigi,

and Wind-up jabo, and Wind-up Kate.

Bless everyone in the whole world."

Amen.

And finally it was jabo's turn to pray 

and it went something like this:

Dear Lord, bless Kelly, and Brett, 

and Kate, and Luke, and Baby Aldridge,

and all of our family. And Lord bless everyone who is

hurting and the elderly and those who take care of them

and bless the poor and the hungry...etc.

In the midst of his prayer Kate turned to me with

her hand cupped around her mouth and whispered,

"Wow! jabo is doing a really good job!"

"Peace"

 

 "Now may the Lord of peace himself

give you peace at all times

in all ways."

2 Thessalonians 3:16

For Jo with much love!

"Did you hear the one about..."

Two airline mechanics get off work at

New York's Kennedy airport,

and one says to the other,

"Let's go have a beer."

The other says,

"Why don't we try jet fuel? I hear

it tastes like whiskey and won't 

cause a hangover."

So they each drink a quart.

The next morning, one of them calls

the other:

"How do you feel?"

"Great!"

"Me too. No hangover!

Just one thing...

have you passed gas yet?"

"No."

"Well, don't...

I am calling from Phoenix!"

   

Good Morning!

So this is a bit off the beaten trail but I thought 

this was one of the funniest jokes ever!

Hope it gave you a laugh too!