Reading Rosie

Midnight Water Leak Forces Family Into Bathroom Makeover!

2012-01-23T22:23:00.000-05:00

A recent water leak forced me to speed up a bathroom makeover I already had planned. It was one of those holy crap mornings where an inch of water flooded the bathroom floor and plunged me into fast action. Badumba...a little toilet humor there people!

Here are a few photos of the mess I was in about three weeks ago:

Fifteen years ago during construction, I was working full-time, hugely pregnant with my second son, and busy with activities involving my oldest son who was in first grade. Stressful time! Needless to say, I had very little time to think about decorating and basically threw together wallpaper, and flooring. It was adequate. It endured bath times, potty training, stomach bugs, and science experiments. It was past time for a redo. Thanks to Pinterest, I had already been making mental preparations and had an idea of what I wanted. It came together very nicely and I am now strategically planning a midnight water leak for the master bathroom.

The new flooring looks like ceramic tile but it is actually laminate.

I grouted to give it a modern look. Since this is mainly the men's room,

I wanted a more masculine color scheme.

I chose Behr's Premium Plus Ultra Interior Paint in Elephant Skin for the wall color and applied two coats. I used a basic wood primer on the floor before applying the laminate and applied the same primer to the bathroom cabinet prior to painting. For the cabinet color, I chose Behr's Premium Plus Ultra Paint in Black As Ink. I also used two coats on the cabinet allowing each to dry for several hours between applications. Do not fear black, people! The cabinet turned out beautifully and now I want to paint every cabinet in the house black.

I kept the same hardware, soap/toothbrush holder and towel racks but purchased a new vanity mirror and light fixture. The shower curtain and rug came from Target.

I kept the decorations simple because I can't stand clutter!

"Be Yourself"... a good motto.

I still have some floor trim painting to do but for the most part...It is finished!

If only it would stay this clean....

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Thinking, Fast and Slow about Tim Tebow

2012-01-15T12:55:00.002-05:00

Being true on my quest to read more non-fiction in 2012, I brought home the audio CD Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. Sixteen CDs of pure psychology way over my head. Nevertheless, if I listen to information I already know, I’ll never learn anything right?

Am I an intuitive or rational thinker? I like to believe rational. More likely though, as with the majority of people, I think intuitively. Not because I’m not capable of rational thinking, I simply do not always take the extra seconds necessary to rationalize because of cognitive ease. Mr. Khneman’s book/audio has been worth my driving time. Daniel Egan, the reader, gently and humorously explains how the human mind...well, thinks. I would never take the time to read this information, but listening on CD while driving makes for a very interesting ride.

What I am taking the time to read is Laura Ingram’s book Of Thee I Zing. A hilarious look at the quirks of today’s culture…from muffin tops and sagger pants to body shots and rapper rants… Laura’s book is full of satirical (albeit sad) glimpses in today’s culture. I find myself complaining about the culture while at the same time contributing to its demise. And that’s the point of her book…we all do, in some form or another, contribute to the cultural climate.

So I’m reading two books…one written by a “liberal” the other by a “conservative” and I find them both uniquely informative. Fascinating!

A word on the whole Tim Tebow thing. First I am NOT a football fan! I don’t understand the game or all the crazy hype. I steer far, far away from the whole football scene. It’s how I roll. However, I live with three football crazed men and I hear it ALL! Why do the media dislike Tim Tebow so vehemently? He seems to be a polite, intelligent, talented, young man. He lives his Faith out loud. Tim Tebow is a Christian. I’m thinking that if he were Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Wiccan or even Atheist and just as vocal on the field, no stink would be made. The media and some football fanatics seem to be uncomfortable that this young man prays publically and openly believes the Bible. Do I think God loves football? Personally, I think He is indifferent about the game but I believe He loves Tim Tebow not as a football player, but as a man who is trying to be obedient to the True and Living God. And the thing is…I don’t think God loves Tim Tebow any more than any other player, man, woman, or child in history. Tim Tebow shouldn’t be put on a pedestal…he is human and will eventually fall off. But Tim Tebow knows this and chooses to put God on the pedestal. God never fails. Touchdown!

Oh wait!!! It could be the whole intuitive/rational thinking thing of our outlandish culture. What do you think?

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Living Deliberate In 2012

2012-01-02T13:03:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year to anyone who might read my little blog. I have good intentions to write, but you know what “they” say about good intentions…. “Good intentions are not enough; they've never put an onion in the soup yet.” Today I’m being deliberate, and putting the onion in the soup, so to speak.

The Holiday season was tough for me again this year. Each year when November rolls around, I seem to take a plunge deeper into the dark spot I tread in every day, with the weight of expectations pulling me farther under. Added to this year was a bad sinus infection that sent me to the doctor twice. BUT, I can say, the season wasn’t as difficult this year as in years past. I took more control of my time, and did what was best for me and the immediate family. I got through it without as many meltdowns or tears, and actually found myself smiling and laughing a few times on Christmas Day. I call that a small success, and take it appreciatively. If you struggle with depression as I do, then I'm sure you understand what I mean.

I used to write a family letter, and send out two-hundred cards every Christmas, but I didn't do that this year...it's too much. I used to bake hundreds of cookies, and decorate every square inch of my home, but I didn't do that this year either...just too much. I used to watch every Christmas special, and play Christmas music the entire month of December, but I didn't do that this year...again, too much.

I deliberately stayed away from Christmas music and TV specials until a few days before. I baked only a few (non-sugary) goodies. My gifts were very simple, and I did most of my shopping on-line, along with a few local purchases a day or so before Christmas. Christmas Eve was a relaxed luncheon at my in-laws. Christmas Day was church, a simple brunch with immediate family, and a short, relaxed visit to my Mother’s with some extended family. New Year’s Eve was spent quietly at home. My decorations are now down and stored away, and most of the goodies are gone. I’ve spent the last two days catching up on laundry. I'm so glad the season is over! Both my mental and physical health is better as well.

Although I don’t make resolutions, I do set a few goals each year. I’ve thought through what I want to accomplish this year, and will share them with you…

I want to write more…at least once a week write a blog post. That is a reasonable goal for me. I want to quit comparing my work to others'. I read these beautifully written blog posts of others, and sometimes that keep me from writing my own, because I feel my voice is not good enough. Screw that!

I want to sew and sell more…my greatest joy comes from sewing, and I always feel wonderful when someone wants to purchase something I’ve made. I think two projects a month are doable.

I want to get back on a regular Wednesday night schedule in my Zumba class. This is the one thing I do that makes me feel better emotionally and physically. I need it.

I want to read more non-fiction, and specifically learn HTML with CSS coding. I know some, but my education goal for 2012 is to be fluent.

I desire more confidence in myself…not sure how to achieve that one yet, but I’m working on it...any suggestions?

I want to worship my Creator more purely. This doesn’t mean being at church every time the doors are open. It means, when I attend, I want it to be a deliberate act of worship not an obligation to others. I desire my heart to always be in a state of worship and wonder.

I want to live more simply, and continue to purge my life of “stuff”. The older I get the less “stuff” I want around me. It seems to suffocate me.

I want to give my best to the computer class I’ve agreed to teach. I’m a true geek at heart, and want to share the joy of geekiness with others.

These are not amazing goals, very simple ones really, but they are enough for me. They are within boundaries to keep me sane; yet still give me a sense of accomplishment. They are concrete, but not to the point where I feel stuck. They also set perimeters to help me deal with those who want their life objectives to be mine also. I’m slowly learning what I need, and not worrying about what others expect. At forty-six you would think I’d have this figured out…not so!

Life’s a process, isn’t it?

I read a quote recently, but can’t remember who wrote it…wish I had kept the reference…

”Living a deliberate life is much better than living a life of habit.”

I like that. I think I’ll make it my mantra for 2011.

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Lower Back Pain? This Could Be The Back Support You Need

2011-09-26T11:27:00.000-04:00

Several years ago I taught a teen girl’s Sunday School class. In that class, I built relationships with some amazing young ladies. It is always a blessing when one of these girls contacts me and a big reason I enjoy Social Media sites such as Facebook (even though FB keeps freaking me out with changes); it reconnects people.

Recently, a girl I knew as Leigh Anne Stout contacted me through a mutual friend. Leigh Anne Nash is now a lovely young wife and mother. In addition, she is a Physical Therapist, a certified Pilate's rehab instructor and currently works for the Atlanta Falcons Physical Therapy Centers in Georgia. After working with hundreds of patients with both long term and recent onset back pain, Leigh Anne developed the inspiration that led to the creation of the Back Sac. Leigh Anne was kind enough to ask me if I would be willing to do a product review and giveaway on my blog and I quickly agreed. The timing couldn’t have been any better since I am experiencing lower back pain due to my hateful uterus.

What is a Back Sac?

“The Back Sac is a unique back support cushion, designed to better support your spine in any resting position. It has been successful in relieving back and neck pain related to back injury, spinal arthritis, disc injuries, scoliosis and pregnancy!

The Back Sac’s unique design uses air to provide the perfect lumbar support whether you are sitting on your couch, at your desk, or in your car! The air travels through the Back Sac when you move, following your spinal curves, creating a dynamic support that no other back cushion can replicate!

The Back Sac creates the perfect pillow to support your neck while traveling in a car or an airplane and deflates quickly for easy transport. It can be used to support your knees when sleeping, or your lumbar curve when performing abdominal exercises. Your school aged kids can recline against it while reading or watching TV. Because of its ability to adjust to fit all body shapes and sizes, the Back Sac can be used by anyone to improve posture and comfort!”

I was excited to receive my Back Sac and put it to use using the simple instructions included. The Back Sac is similar to a deflated ball with an inner air bladder. Open the Velcro enclosure, pull out the portion of the bladder with the air value and puff in a few breathes of air (it only took about three for me). The inner bladder doesn’t need to be completely full of air and with a few tries you will soon find the fullness level you need to give you good lower back support. Close the valve and Velcro. Presto! You have a back support cushion! But “the Back Sac design is absolutely unique compared to other back support cushions on the market today. Most support cushions are made to fill the spinal curves by molding to the average person’s neck or low back curve. The Back Sac acknowledges that your spinal curves are probably not average.” For information on how it works, you can read more information at the Back Sac Website and become acquainted with Leigh Anne too.

What I personally found was great lower back support. I habitually sit on the sofa with my laptop and prop my feet on the coffee table (I know, I know, not lady like at all). This position sinks me into the sofa with no lower back support and I find myself moaning and groaning to get out of that position. Not so with the Back Sac for support. The same thing happens with my laptop in bed. When I place the Back Sac at my spinal curve, it gives me the much needed support that a pillow cannot and I don’t become as stiff. It also makes a great neck cushion for travel and although I haven’t tried it yet, it would probably make my neck much more comfortable if I were driving a long distance. Hum, must test that soon! And oh, how I wish that I had had one while pregnant with both my sons, especially during those last few weeks.

Now I have a problem. I don’t want to give my Back Sac away. I want to keep my Back Sac. I cannot live without my Back Sac! What’s this blogger to do? I think I’m going to buy a few and give them as (it pains me to say this)…Christmas gifts. I encourage you to do the same. You’ll love it!

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Boxers Vs. Non-Boxers {Breakaway}

2011-08-29T13:29:00.002-04:00

Why people become steeped into tradition is a mystery to me. The small town where I live and the church that I rarely attend live by the mantras “this is how we’ve always done it”, “this is just how it is done”, “this is the proper way to do it”, etc. Granted the familiar path is always the easiest path. You don’t have to think about the path because you know every inch and mile. But is it always the best path for reaching your destination? I think not. There are too many scenic routes which could lead us to new, more wonderful destination. If we encounter the sameness every day, we become stale, disconnected, and ineffective to those outside the box. But the box is so comfortable! Neat, tidy and familiar. With this in mind, I chose to discard my box altogether. I did it with intent and purpose knowing the risks that I would encounter by losing my cardboard protection. Boxed people never understand the non-boxed and they certainly never get the idea that non-boxers view boxers as stagnated conformist. When I encounter the boxed people, they treat me like I have leprosy….unclean, unclean, unclean, because I’m living outside the confines of a neat box. Apparently, this is a source of worry for some and enough reason for others to place me on a prayer list. Why does this bother me? Most people desire the prayers of others and I do too in specific areas of my life. I share those request with only a select few people because I respect the sincerity of their hearts. For anyone to assume they know what is going on in my life, and especially in the lives of my children and then stop one of them to say, “I am praying for your mother and she will be fine” is one of the rudest things I’ve ever heard. What exactly are they praying about concerning me and shouldn't they have been respectful enough to speak with me first? My son, being the gentleman that he is, thanked the person and proceeded to say, “My mother is fine, she gets what you don’t, but thank you anyway.” God, I love that child! Wake up sleepy small town! Although, it’s a beautiful dream, we don’t live in Mayberry anymore for the world is indeed changing.

Summer Synopsis AKA What I Did On Summer Vacation

2011-08-27T16:45:00.002-04:00

So yes, it's been a while since I've written in this space. If anyone in the blog world still lands on this small bit of Internet real estate and reads my pitiful blogging attempts, well, God bless ya!

Me, hubster, boys and dog spent a few quiet days at the beach in June. It was Oscar's first beach trip and he loved it. Unless you're a dog lover, you can't understand how fun it is to watch your fur-baby get as excited as your children regarding vacation. Oscar played in the water, dug in the sand, rode a golf cart, and sniffed other doggies. We enjoyed Oscar's beach excitement as much as the beach! Fun!

In June, I went to Type-A Parent Conference. This is a local blogging conference held annually in beautiful, artsy downtown Asheville, NC. There I met up with some blogger friends and had a lovely few days with like minded folks. Fabulous, darling! Fabulous! If you're a blogger, consider attending Type-A at some point. It's a relaxed setting and you'll meet some great bloggers from all over the US/Canada. And me!

Several weeks ago I began taking a Zumba class. Two nights per week I shake my Zumba for a hard sweaty hour. Considering I'm the girl who failed PE in high school (seriously) I'm doing pretty well. Furthermore, I LOVE it and can tell a big difference how I feel physically and emotionally. It's a great stress reliever and I'm reaping a few benefits in the waist, hip and thigh area too. I may even start lifting a few weights to help my bat-wing biceps.

Uterus Update - Regarding my hateful uterus...it's still HATEFUL! I'll be seeing my GYN once again in September and may tell him to rip it out! Nuff said on that topic.

I got glasses! I've been using cheap reading glasses for over a year. A kind friend suggested I have my eyes examined as it seems the #11 between my eyes was becoming more pronounced from all the squinting. Thank goodness for honest friends who give it to me straight!
True Confessions:

I've not read one single book all summer! I did listen to the "The Help" (Audio CD) and recently saw the movie (so good, go see it, take Kleenex for leaky eyes and wear Depends for a weak bladder).

Work keeps me busy, but honestly, it doesn't feel like work. I've been at the Public Library for eleven years and still enjoy every minute!

My young men go back to school Monday. College and High School, piano and guitar, youth group and basketball keep them VERY busy. They are handsome, kind, talented and funny...but SLOBS! I love them anyway.

And now, let me just say...if you are friends with me on Facebook...you already know most of this information plus more....if not, Friend me on Facebook and share the fun!

Thanks for reading, Rosie! {Coming soon BackSac product review}

My Uterus Hates Me

2011-07-01T13:31:00.004-04:00

For the past year I have been battling uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids are hateful, non-malignant tumors that grow within the uterine wall. I have eight of these bizarre things growing inside me. EIGHT! You can read about the symptoms of uterine fibroids from the Mayo Clinic and let me just say I have every freaking symptom listed (plus a few that the good old Mayo is not aware of yet) including, but not limited to, bitchiness and murderous thoughts of family members. On most days the world is a giant chalk board and humanity is scraping their fingers down it all day long. Does that paint a clear portrait of how irritable I am? I am told if I can live with these body growths until after menopause, they usually shrink and symptoms decrease. I am also told the average age for menopause is fifty-one. I'll be forty-six on my birthday. That's five years people! My GYN has given me a few options: (A) Try birth-control pills for a few months; (B) Endometrial ablation wherein they burn the endometrial walls; (C) Partial hysterectomy (taking out the uterus but leaving the cervix and ovaries). I'm on my second round of birth-control pills and thus far have seen no improvement. In fact, some of my symptoms are worse. I've heard from some that the ablation procedure works well for a few months but risks involved with this procedure (though rare) are serious. A partial hysterectomy initially sounded appealing until I began reading on the topic and the sexual side effects that the procedure can cause. I'm getting old, but am not dead. I still enjoy my sexuality so ripping out something that might change that appeals not to me!

Dear readers do you have any experience with this problem? If so, would you please share your experience here with me? I value the opinions and experiences of other women (men too if your wife, mother, sister, girlfriend, etc. has gone through something similar). I'm also open to holistic procedures if you have experience in that area. Any thoughts are welcome.

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Spring Showers Bring Flowers ~ Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-29T18:19:00.000-04:00

Water For Elephants

2011-04-18T22:48:00.001-04:00

I recently read Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. The book was published in 2006 and has crossed my path many times via the circulation desk at the library. After seeing the movie trailer and thinking it was a potential theater experience, I decided to read the book. Having not read Fiction in well over a year, I was skeptical.

Water for Elephants is not a literary masterpiece but for me it held true entertainment value (more on this in a moment) and painted a visual that I will not soon forget. Few Fiction books do this for me anymore so I was delighted to find myself caught up in the story line and eagerly anticipating my nightly reading. I was sad to see it end, but I must say, the ending was marvelous!

Jacob Jankowski is a ninety or ninety-three year old man (he can’t remember which) in a nursing home recalling memories of himself as a young man during the Depression. For three months he travels with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth as the veterinarian to their menagerie. Some of the language is crude and graphic scenes linger in the mind; however, I think one should expect this when reading details of life on a circus train. Most scenes, though, are tender and clearly show the heart of a young man and an aged man on a passionate journey. I am hoping the movie is fractionally as good.

Circus life has always fascinated me and this is likely why the movie trailer caught my eye. Upon doing some book review research and hearing only good things regarding the book, I decided to give it a read and am so glad I did. For me, it brought back memories of a time in my life (1983-1984) when I applied for and was accepted by the Ringling Brothers Clown College in Sarasota, Florida. Yes, you read that correctly! I have attended the Ringling Brothers Circus no less than eight times in my life as a child, youth, young adult, adult or parent. The most memorable time being front row center ring with tight robe walkers balancing precariously over my head and muzzled dancing bears within a few inches of my knees. I’ve seen greats like Gunther Gable Williams, Lou Jacobs and Bello Nock. I made a complete idiot of myself at one performance by stepping into a folding seat in front of me and getting my ankle trapped in a vise like grip, nearly fainting from the pain and cracking my ankle bone in the process. I will always be mesmerized by the costumes, colors, lights, music, animals and performers of the circus!

So did I go to Clown College? No. Fear and parental consent kept me from pursuing that fleeting dream. But, the clown portrait above is me! Painted by my much older brother in 1985 and hanging in the children’s room at the library, it serves as a reminder of the clown I was and still am at heart. If you look closely, you can find my initials “DR” painted into the folds of the yellow neck piece. Rosie would have been a great clown name don’t you think?

FBC Belize Mission Trip 2011

2011-03-21T21:36:00.000-04:00

The Star Belly Sneetches

2011-03-02T18:53:00.000-05:00

One of the earliest memories I recall, is going to our town's tiny library. The children's book section in the late 60's consisted mainly of Dr. Seuss and H. A. & Margert Ray books. I was allowed to check out two books; one always being Dr. Seuss. The book was immediately taken home and presented to my much older brother who quickly tucked me close beside him and proceed to read me the zany rhymes produced by the author, all the while adding appropriate character dialect and proper voice inflections to make the verses come alive. Fast forward 40 years...I now work in our town's library. It is no longer the tiny "hole in the wall" but a thriving center of the community. Our children's room is overflowing with fantastic books. Dr. Seuss is still in demand and I often find myself quoting his well loved work. Happy Birthday, Theodor Seuss Geisel!

The following is one of my favorites. To become as wise as a Sneetch, is a worthy goal!

What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book?

The Sneetches ~ by Dr. Seuss

Now, the Star-Belly Sneetches had bellies with stars.

The Plain-Belly Sneetches had none upon thars.
Those stars weren’t so big. They were really so small.

You might think such a thing wouldn’t matter at all.

But, because they had stars, all the Star-Belly Sneetches

Would brag, “We’re the best kind of Sneetch on the beaches.”

With their snoots in the air, they would sniff and they’d snort

“We’ll have nothing to do with the Plain-Belly sort!”

And, whenever they met some, when they were out walking,

They’d hike right on past them without even talking.

When the Star-Belly children went out to play ball,

Could a Plain Belly get in the game? Not at all.

You only could play if your bellies had stars

And the Plain-Belly children had none upon thars.

When the Star Belly Sneetches had frankfurter roasts

Or picnics or parties or marshmallow toasts,

They never invited the Plain-Belly Sneetches
They left them out cold, in the dark of the beaches.
They kept them away. Never let them come near.
And that’s how they treated them year after year.

Then ONE day, it seems while the Plain-Belly Sneetches
Were moping and doping alone on the beaches,
Just sitting there wishing their bellies had stars,
A stranger zipped up in the strangest of cars!

“My friends”, he announced in a voice clear and clean,
“My name is Sylvester McMonkey McBean.
And I’ve heard of Your troubles. I’ve heard you’re unhappy.
But I can fix that, I’m the Fix-It-Up Chappie.

I’ve come here to help you.
I have what you need.
And my prices are low. And I work with great speed.
And my work is one hundred per cent guaranteed!”

Then, quickly, Sylvester McMonkey McBean
Put together a very peculiar machine.
And he said, “You want stars like a Star-Belly Sneetch?
My friends, you can have them for three dollars each!”
“Just pay me your money and hop right aboard!”

So they clambered inside. Then the big machine roared.
And it klonked. And it bonked. And it jerked. And it berked.
And it bopped them about. But the thing really worked!
When the Plain-Belly Sneetches popped out, they had stars!
They actually did. They had stars upon thars!

Then they yelled at the ones who had stars at the start,
“We’re still the best Sneetches and they are the worst.
But now, how in the world will we know”, they all frowned,
“If which kind is what, or the other way round?”

Then up came McBean with a very sly wink.
And he said, “Things are not quite as bad as you think.
So you don’t know who’s who. That is perfectly true.
But come with me, friends. Do you know what I’ll do?
I’ll make you, again, the best Sneetches on the beaches.
And all it will cost you is ten dollars eaches.”

“Belly stars are no longer in style”, said McBean.
“What you need is a trip through my Star-Off Machine.
This wondrous contraption will take OFF your stars
So you won’t look like Sneetches that have them on thars.”
And that handy machine working very precisely
Removed all the stars from their tummies quite nicely.

Then, with snoots in the air, they paraded about.
And they opened their beaks and they let out a shout,
“We know who is who! Now there Isn’t a doubt.
The best kind of Sneetches are Sneetches without!”

Then, of course, those with stars got all frightfully mad.
To be wearing a star was frightfully bad.
Then, of course, old Sylvester McMonkey McBean
invited THEM into his Star-Off Machine.

Then, of course from THEN on, as you probably guess,
Things really got into a horrible mess.
All the rest of that day, on those wild screaming beaches,
The Fix-It-Up Chappie kept fixing up Sneetches.

Off again! On again! In again! Out again!
Through the machines they raced round and about again,
Changing their stars every minute or two. They kept paying money.
They kept running through until the Plain nor the Star-Bellies knew
Whether this one was that one or that one was this one. Or which one
Was what one or what one was who.

Then, when every last cent of their money was spent,
The Fix-It-Up Chappie packed up. And he went.
And he laughed as he drove In his car up the beach,
“They never will learn. No. You can’t Teach a Sneetch!”

But McBean was quite wrong. I’m quite happy to say.
That the Sneetches got really quite smart on that day.
The day they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches.
And no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches.
That day, all the Sneetches forgot about stars and whether
They had one, or not, upon thars.

UPDATE!!! Veripur is Verigood

2011-02-24T13:25:00.007-05:00

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO VERIPUR!!! Mr. Fedex arrived at my back door Saturday with a box of Veripur Hand Sanitizer courtesy Lippe Taylor. This box of Veripur will be forwarded with my guys to Belize and put to use by a small medical clinic serving an impoverished area. {More on that later}. Once again, thank you for your wonderful public relations!

***********************************

Part of what makes blogging conferences great are the sponsors. Sponsors help keep the cost of conferences low and they recognize the power of social media. Behind the fingers of 700 women bloggers lay vast opportunities for advertising; this ensures good swag. I normally don't promote brands on my blog because I'm just not into that, but today I make an exception and I'm not even being compensated {although I would love to have some sample tubes to pass along...hint, hint}.

Hidden deep within the recesses of my swag bag was a magic tube of hand sanitizing lotion. I rarely use hand sanitizers because most contain alcohol which tends to dry out my hands and makes my skin peel. I want to kill the germs people, not the top layer of epidermis. This tube was labeled Veripur. Upon further investigation, Veripur is a new product exclusively available at Walgreens. Oh how I wish I had known about this product prior to entering the plagued dome. I would have slathered my hands down with this moisturizing, germ killing product every few hours and conquered Mr. Flu. This tube of lightly scented gold makes me believe I'm pampering my hands instead of killing nasty little germs. Reality is, I'm doing both and that is a lovely product bonus. Please visit the Veripur Web-Site to learn more, watch their YouTube video below, then go purchase their fabulous product. Worth. Every. Penny.

Beyond Veripur being an exceptional product, a representative behind Veripur was a pleasure to meet also. He mingled with the bloggers outside of the work venue to build relationships. Because of his extrovert personality, my girl friends and I had the privilege of dining late one evening with Mr. David Binkowski and a few other fabulous people. A funny guy, a good sport, and a joy to be around, David is the real deal when it comes to digital marketing. Thanks, David, for making the Beverlies feel special and for entertaining us with your wit and charm. You Rock!

(Photo by Jenny Lawrence Viars)

Portrait of Love

2011-02-13T18:44:00.000-05:00

The doorbell rang. She wasn’t expecting anyone.

Pensively she peaked out the window. A smile curved her lips.

Opening the door she forced back the tears.

He tipped his derby hat. Always the gentleman.

“My dear, these are for you.”

Pink starlight lilies were her favorite. Not red roses. He remembered.

“I was thinking of you and thought these might brighten your day, my love.”

She invited him into their home and took the flowers from his wrinkled hand.

She admired their beauty and placed them in a vase.

She slipped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his neck.

After fifty-three years, his scent still brought her peace.

They clung to each other and cried only for a moment.

“I still miss him so much,” she said. “As do I, love. As do I,” he replied.

He stroked her gray hair.

Twenty years ago their son had died. Already twenty years.

His gesture of love was different every year.

Always tender. Always meaningful.

“I love you, my dear, even more than last year,” he whispered.

“I love you too and even more next year,” she whispered back.

What I Learned @#Blissdom 2011 and Other Odd Facts {All In Good Fun}

2011-02-10T21:43:00.001-05:00

It is no secret that I recently spent four bliss-filled days in Nashville, TN, at Blissdom 2011, the premiere blogging conference of the Southeast. This event was truly an incredible experience and an amazing opportunity to learn about the blogging community.

I am a people observer by nature. I have never attended any event where the main attraction held my attention for a long period of time. My senses always drift to those around me. I am neither an extrovert nor an introvert. My personality lays somewhere between the two (I am an INFJ on the Myer-Briggs chart if that tells you anything) I am in the tiny one-percent. An oddball. Because of this, my observations at Blissdom and what I gained from the experience is probably a wide gulf from another’s perspective. This post is meant to neither inflate nor deflate any particular group. These are simply my observations. Maybe I should have studied Sociology in college rather than Computer Science.

Reading Rosie’s Blogger Personality Assessment

Diva bloggers are the obvious power group. They walk into a room and demand attention by their actions. They are the “everybody look at me and take in my awesomeness” women and just know the world is a better place because they exist and honestly it probably does. They are confident, classy, stars who deserve R E S P E C T for their work. This group can sometimes be annoying but they usually make me smile.

Wannabe Diva bloggers are a temperamental group. They wannbe divas badly, so they pout, stomp their feet and get angry if you do not recognize or acknowledge their “not quite there yet awesomeness.” Easily insulted, this group seems to be living in a high school cheerleading daze. It is fun to mess with them and pretend you have never heard of them.

Faith bloggers are lovely. They are usually dressed and groomed neatly and appear very organized. Easily spotted due to their pious aura, they travel in groups of the same species rarely speaking to anyone who may appear unholy due to their hair style or clothing choice. Do not turn your back on a faith bloggers lest you be crucified.

Edgy bloggers are easy to spot. They are hip, funny, colorful, opinionated, loud and adventuresome to be around. Fun group. {Note: Faith bloggers and Edgy bloggers do not mix well}.

Niche bloggers include coupon queens, green living, foodie, brand pushing, decorating, solely focused savvy business mommy bloggers. They talk fast, know their elevator pitch, and are extremely rehearsed sales people. If you are not a morning person, try not to get cornered by a niche blogger. You will find yourself skulking to a quiet corner to suck your thumb after the encounter.

No-Niche bloggers can relate to everyone. You will find them a funny and well read; sloppy and finely dressed; unorganized and skillful, home makers and highly educated group. There may actually be a Diva in the group, but she will appear incognito and you will instantly bond. No-Nichers are women of Faith but not self-righteous; Edgy but not uncouth.

Newbie bloggers are easy to spot. Look for the deer-in-the-headlight gaze. You will feel protective of these lambs and want to pull them away from the slaughter-house (Wannabe Divas) as quickly as possible. If a No-Niche blogger can rescue a Newbie early enough, they can have a great influence and possibly lead her away from Niche blogging. I mean, does the world really need another toilet paper blogger?

Under these definitions, I would be classified as a No-Niche Edgy Faith Blogger (NNEFB).

While the above is meant to be humorous, I can truthfully say that blogging is a common denominator and a great thing. The power of words can bring hundreds of women together, form solid friendships and gradually create a new community. It is the power of women-kind. Our ability to cry, curse, sing, dance, mourn, celebrate, hug, accept and scorn one another creates energy unlike any other. I feel loved, accepted and understood when I am in their midst.

All I Really Need To Know, I Learned @#Blissdom:

Share with a friend.

Smile until it hurts.

Don’t worry about your clothes.

Comfortable shoes are valuable.

Speak first.

Laugh at jokes. (Except your own)

Tweet when told.

Choose grace.

Listen more than you speak.

Give more than you take.

Hug a newbie.

Don’t jiggle another’s boobage. (Trust me)

Be salt and light.

Above all, be yourself.

All I Gained From Blissdom Was The Flu! {Hardly}

2011-02-04T19:25:00.000-05:00

My intention was to write a recap post my first day home from Blissdom 2011. Unfortunately, on the drive home Saturday, I realized I was being attacked by the now infamous Blissdom Plague. Mr. Flu made a lovely appearance at the conference to shake everyone’s hand. He’s a gentleman that way, albeit sneaky. He knocked me off my feet, literally for the week, and I am just now able to put my thoughts together.

I wasn’t a conference newbie this year. This was a good thing because I was more oriented to the venue. Last year I traveled and stayed alone; this year, I traveled and stayed with three fabulous women bloggers. God knew I needed these ladies in my life and I am so thankful for each of them. I’m thirteen years their senior - a mother-hen figure {yeah right}! I love these ladies. Hey soul sisters…hugs and kisses from Beverly!

{I made my dress for this event and the hats belonged to Jenny's Grandmother)

The team at Blissfully Domestic coordinates an awesome conference. They are superb at their bliss and Gaylord Opryland Hotel pulled out their very best linens and silverware {that’s important in the South}. Bloggers are treated like royalty during this four day event. I cannot begin to tell you the details that went into this affair but it is safe to say it was fine-tuned in such a way, they had me believing I could wish it and it would appear. Awesomeness wrapped in awesome and topped with a layer of awesome and few awesome sprinkles. Really!

It was worth every cough, sniffle, chill and body ache and if I had to catch the flu, this was “the” place.

If you’re a blogger, put Blissdom 2012 on your bucket list!!!!!

Opening keynote Brene’ Brown was truly an inspiration and touched on a subject that all could relate: SHAME. Sounds slightly depressing doesn’t it? Not in the least! Everyone, at some point “wants to hide their struggles and protect themselves from shame, judgment, criticism and blame by seeking safety in pretending and perfection.” We all do! In her book “I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t)”, Brene’ writes, “It’s time to reclaim the gifts of imperfection - Courage to be real, the Compassion we need to love ourselves and others, and the Connection that gives true purpose and meaning to life. These are the gifts that bring love, laughter, gratitude, empathy and joy into our lives.” I bought the book, because Lord knows I need to learn the 3Cs.

Closing keynote was the master of Twitter himself, Scott Stratten, better known as @UnMarketing. “Stop Marketing, Start Engaging,” is his mantra. Scott’s a nice guy (we’re on a first name basis). Seriously, he’s a down-to-earth, never met a stranger, super-talented man. Funny too! I bought his book just because. It’s autographed. Did I mention he is handsome, even in pink, and can bust-a-move on the dance floor? Yep, that would be him.

Chock-full between these two fabulous folks, were Melissa Peterman, Michelle Branch, Mat Kearney, Chris Mann and Crystal Bowersox. Talented, beautiful people there to entertain a wee little blogger like moi.

And the sponsors: ConAgra Foods, Freschetta, Quaker, Jockey, Johnson&Johnson, Gain, Intel, Blue Bunny, GE, Veripur, Tide, Kellogg’s, Hallmark, Red Lobster, Bounce...on and on and on…the swag alone was worth the flu!

But what did I really learn about my blogging bliss?

"All I Really Need To Know, I Learned At Blissdom" ~ Coming Soon!

Two Baby Boys....God's Perfect Plan

2011-01-16T20:49:00.001-05:00

A mother of seven children living in North Carolina....

Lead by God decides to adopt an eighth child....

Adoption papers filed....

Birth mother in Nevada decides to give her baby up for adoption....

Contact and arrangements are made between the two women....

Adoption mother flies to Nevada in December for the birth....

Beautiful baby boy is born....love at first sight....for both mothers....

Birth mother decides to keep her baby boy....

Adoption mother, heartbroken, believes God has a plan....

Another baby boy born a few weeks earlier with feeding issues....

Relinquished by birth mother for adoption....

Placed into the arms of his adoption mother from North Carolina....

God's plan is perfect....

I'm blessed to know the adoption mother from North Carolina...

Read her story at stringbean17....

Blues, Books and Blissdom

2011-01-12T20:37:00.000-05:00

I thought after the new year I might have more motivation for my blog....so far, WRONG! Apart from work, my days are filled with routine household activities leaving me with little inspiration to write. I thrive on routine but not writing isn't good for my state of mind. My thoughts become jumbled and unorganized and I can't concentrate on any task. Maybe it is due to a decreased lack of a vital hormone or lack of Vitamin D due to sunlight deprivation. I've been going to the tanning bed a few times per week to soak in artificial light but it doesn't seem to help my lethargy. The cold temperature, snow covered ground and grey skies add to my unproductive state. Life feels blue and bleak in the winter.

I've been reading bits and pieces of non-fiction books. I can't seem to read any fiction right now. Two of my favorite fiction authors (Francine Rivers and Jan Karon) have new books out and I am not interested in reading either of them. What's up with that? Three books I am working my way through (The Handmade Marketplace by Kari Chapin), (The Comfort Trap or, What If You're Riding a Dead Horse? by Judith Sills) and (Committed, A Skeptic Makes Peace With Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert), are proving to be worth my time. I go through stages of wanting to be aware of new ideas, not that I'll agree with them, I just want to learn. I'm constantly looking for ways to challenge my thought pattern. It's a complicated process that I can't explain simply because I don't fully understand it myself. I do know that indulging in the same conversation on the same topic with the same people week after week becomes dull and annoying. I yearn for new experiences and have found when I stifle that yearning, I begin to suffocate.

Two weeks from today I'll be attending Blissdom '11 in Nashville, Tennessee. Blissdom is a social-media mega conference. I attended this conference last year by myself on a fluke not knowing anyone or what to expect. As it turned out, I connected with some fantastic women with whom I've formed solid friendships over the last year. This year, I'll be traveling to Nashville with Megan from Sweet Sadie Marie. We will be meeting up with Jenny from Great Little Stories and Jessica from Notes From The Garden Spot and maybe a couple more (I've been promised less than 30 in our room) at the Opryland Hotel. There we will join nearly 500 others to Facebook, Tweet, and Blog our way through a fabulous three days. Scott Stratten @UnMarketing will be the opening keynote. I'm quite excited about that as he was one of the first I began following on Twitter. He also has a great book out UnMarketing: Stop Marketing, Start Engaging. If you're a social media/blogger junkie and you've never attended a conference, I encourage you locate one and attend. You'll find others who speak your "language" and totally get why you choose to share a part of your life to the world.

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Photo courtesy ttcolli photobucket.com

Fluff And Nonsense

2011-01-03T11:56:00.000-05:00

Can I just say, I AM THRILLED THE HOLIDAYS ARE OVER! I don't think there is anything that causes me more anxiety than the holidays. From Thanksgivings until the New Year is one perpetual party. I don't like the pressuring commercials on television or the silly Christmas songs (I Want A Hippopotmaus for Christmas ???) that are played everywhere I go. I find myself wanting to stay home, pull the shades and cover my head until it is all over!

Don't misunderstand...I love the concept of Thanksgiving...Gratitude to the One who deserves our Thanks; I love Christmas and its significance to the Birth of Christ. I even like the magic of Santa Claus. It is just all the other junk that society has allowed to creep into the celebration and the political correctness that the media believes it should impose upon me that I have come to detest.

The older I get, the more I want to simplify the season. I didn't send out Christmas cards this year or a family newsletter. I didn't bake myself silly because my family does not need the sugar. I did not buy a gift for everyone I come in contact with on a daily basis. And I chose not to feel guilty.

On the other hand, the gifts I gave, I gave out of love, not obligation. The food that I prepared for my family was hearty and comforting to share on the bitter cold days. I tired to keep my spirit fresh and happy (to those who allowed me). Yet, despite my best efforts, I didn't please everyone. This shouldn't be surprising. Everyone has their own expectations as to what the holidays should be. I call this "visions of sugarplums". When expectations aren't met, the let-down can be huge. This has happened to me in the past and I think that is why I've changed my idea of what the holidays should look like for my immediate family. Simplicity. All the other is just fluff and nonsense.

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Decking The Halls

2010-12-02T00:21:00.001-05:00

I can't believe the calendar says December 1, 2010! It seems like I just put the 2009 Christmas decorations away a few weeks ago and here I am already pulling them out again. Where does the time go?

I have been sewing tons lately.

Here is a photo of an apron I made recently. I totally adore the style and colors. The material reminds me of the cathedral window quilt pattern {a quilt that I love but would NEVER have the patience to make}.

There is a certain homey feel to this apron yet it has a modern flair. I call it Cosmopolitan which has absolutely nothing to do with cranberry juice and vodka...Nothing!

Although, there would be nothing wrong with drinking a Cosmo while wearing this Cosmopolitan. But I wouldn't know anything about that. Really.

So, December 1, 2010, finds me gearing up for Christmas and I will probably be "decking my halls" this weekend. I'm just giddy with excitement. Can you tell? Fa la la la la...

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

30 Days of Thanks Living ~ A New Modem

2010-11-18T09:10:00.000-05:00

November 1, officially kicks off the Holiday Season in my world. My thoughts tend to lean toward thankfulness in November. Thanksgiving is my favorite Holiday because, for the most part, it still remains non commercialized and lends itself toward personal reflection. From time to time we all need to reflect on those things for which we are most thankful and live our daily lives accordingly. To that end, I have decided to create a meme for November called "30 Days of Thanks Living." Everyday in November, I will post about something for which I am thankful under my "Thanks Living" tab. It may be in different forms such as a photo, music, art, poems, etc., but it will always be from my heart.

You can participate with me by either leaving a comment or writing a post on your own blog and linking it below. The Linky Tool will be open the entire month of November and you can add your daily Thanks Living link as you please. Feel free to use the above photo on your blog and be sure to link back to me on your post so that others can find "30 Days of Thanks Living" and join. Please be considerate and do not link to anything inappropriate. It will be deleted.

If you have any questions about how to link, please e-mail me at RosieReads@gmail.com. I'll be in touch right away.

I look forward to reading and being blessed by Thanks Living hearts this month.

Disinfecting or Discipling?

2010-10-30T22:28:00.000-04:00

Have you ever felt the urgency that you MUST share something or pop?

Finally! Finally! A book has been written that states what I consider to be a clear portrait of the church today! What I couldn't define in my own mind with my own words has been beautifully defined by a young man named David Platt.

This book makes me want to dance a jig and yell, "See, I'm NOT crazy! Some one else sees dead churches." {Don't judge me} LOL!

We are disinfecting instead of discipling. Please do not grow weary with my book quotes. It is just that I read so much. Words and ideas that touch my soul need to be shared or I'll burst. That statement is no less true for the explanation this young author writes in his book Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream.

Disinfecting Christians from the world involves isolating followers of Christ in a spiritual safe-deposit box called the church building and teaching them to be good. Success in the church is defined by how big a building you have to house all the Christians, and the goal is to gather as many people as possible for a couple of hours each week in that place where we are isolated and insulated from the realities of the world around us. When we gather at the building, we learn to be good. Being good is defined by what we avoid in the world. We are holy because of what we don't participate in (and we may be the only organization in the world defining success by what we don't do). We live decent lives in decent homes with decent jobs and decent families as decent citizens. We are decent church members with little impact on the world.

Discipling is much different. It involves propelling Christians into the world to risk their lives for the sake of others. The world becomes the focus and success is gauged by not how many we can get into our buildings but on how many are leaving our buildings to take on the world...all of a sudden, holiness is defined by what we do instead of what we do not.

How many Christians do you know who live like this? I suspect not nearly enough.

To be continued...

Stained Glass Masquerade

2010-10-26T22:54:00.000-04:00

God has a way of connecting people at the right time and place {He's GREAT that way}! Thank you friends (you know who you are and I hope you are reading this) for suggesting this song by Casting Crowns. It is perfect. Speak BOLDLY dear ones for you are not alone.

"Would it set me free if I dared to let you see the truth behind the person that you imagine me to be?

Would your arms be open or would you walk away?

Would the love of Jesus be enough to make you stay?"

Casting Crowns

The Answer To The Question

2010-10-24T14:14:00.001-04:00

Last week I wrote a post called The Gospel Of Ideas. I shared an excerpt from the book "Searching For God Knows What" by Donald Miller wherein he posed a question to the students of the Bible class he was teaching. I want to follow-up on that post and share Mr. Miller's excerpt from the same book to answer the question.

"The story bears repeating: I presented a gospel to Christian Bible college students and left out Jesus. Nobody noticed, even when I asked them to think very hard about what it was I had left out. To a culture that believes they go to heaven based on whether they are morally pure, or that they understand some theological ideas or that they are very spiritual, Jesus is completely unnecessary. At best, He is an afterthought, a technicality by which we become morally pure, or a subject of which we know, or a founding father of our woo-woo spirituality. These students loved Jesus very much, and they were terrific kids whom I loved being with, it is just that when they thought of the gospel, they thought of the message in terms of a series of thoughts or principles, not in mysterious relational dynamics. The least important of the ideas, to this class, was knowing Jesus; the least important of the ideas was the one that is RELATIONAL. The gospel of Jesus, then, mistakenly assumed by this class, is something different from Jesus himself."

Sometimes I think churches have reduced this relationship to a formulistic equation. A+B+C = Salvation. Admit, Believe, Confess and you are Heaven bound! I know a lot of Christians who adhere to this formula, yet do not seem to know Jesus himself. I also know many morally good people who see Christ as unnecessary. I encounter these two scenarios almost every day of my life. Both make me sad. Both spark anger. Both cause me to speak with holy boldness (thanks CM). And I believe both are what caused me to step away from church and concentrate on knowing Jesus better. I believe that Jesus is the only way to God. The book of Romans is clear on this subject; faith in Christ is necessary for salvation. I also believe salvation does not end with a formula. We are not called to stay in our holy huddles, pat ourselves on the back, and be comfortable in our chosen pew. Actually, Jesus us told us to do the exact opposite and quiet honestly, I am weary of living a safe, comfortable, lukewarm type of life.

The last few months I have taken an honest look at my life and what I see in myself is exactly what Francis Chan outlines in his book "Crazy Love"...

"Lukewarm people:

...attend church fairly regularly. It is what is expected of them, what they believe good Christians do, so they go.

...give money to charity and to the church...as long as it doesn't impinge on their standard of living.

...tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict. They desire to fit in both at church and outside of church; they care more about what people think of their actions than what God thinks of their hearts and lives.

...don't want to be saved from their sins, they want to be saved from the penalty of their sins.

...are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act.

...rarely share their faith with neighbors, coworkers or friends.

...gauge their morality or goodness by comparing themselves to the secular world.

...say they love Jesus and He is a part of their lives. But only a part.

...love God, but not with all their heart, soul and strength.

...love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves and mostly focus their love on those who with who they connect. Their love is highly conditional, selective and generally comes with strings attached.

...think about life on earth much more often than eternity.

...are thankful for their luxuries and comforts, and rarely consider trying to give as much as possible to the poor. Untold numbers feel called to minister to the rich; very few feel called to minister to the poor.

...do whatever is necessary to keep themselves from feeling too guilty. They do the bare minimum to be "good enough" without it requiring too much of them.

...are continually concerned with playing it safe; they are slaves to the god of control.

...feel secure because they attend church, made a profession of faith at age twelve, were baptized, come from a Christian family, vote Republican or live in America.

...do not live by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to. They have their savings account, their retirement plan, their life is figured and mapped out, their refrigerators are full and for the most part are in good health. Their lives wouldn't look much different if they suddenly stopped believing in God.

...probably drink less and swear less than average, but besides that, they really are not very different from your typical unbeliever. They equate their partially sanitized lives with holiness, but they couldn't be more wrong."

2 Corinthians 13:5 tells me to "examine myself, to see whether I am in the faith; test myself." And so I did. I am far lacking. Not a pretty picture at all!

Jesus also says in Luke 14:34-35, "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out." Not a pretty analogy is it? Lukewarm and uncommitted faith is completely useless...not even a benefit for a manure pile. Ouch!

As I have studied and read over the passed few weeks, I have come to the conclusion that the culture and the church has manipulated the gospel to fit its preferences.

Now what?

To be continued......

(This post is dedicated to a dear friend whose granddaughter is pregnant and unmarried. Her family wanted to give her a baby shower at the church where her granddaughter attends, but the pastor felt it would be "inappropriate under the circumstances". She was also advised to no longer sing in the choir as it wasn't proper to stand in front of the congregation. I'm pretty sure the members carry large bags of rocks with them. My heart breaks for her. Isn't it a good thing Mary wasn't living in our culture?)

The Gospel Of Ideas

2010-10-20T15:09:00.000-04:00

The following is an excerpt from a book I recently read “Searching for God Knows What” by author Donald Miller. I enjoy Miller’s conversational style writing and this particular passage reminded me of many conversations that I’ve had with fellow Christ-followers. Read the passage and see if you know the answer to the question he asked the group of students in class. I would love to know your thoughts regarding this; feel free to leave a comment. My comments are moderated, so if your response is of a personal nature, I won’t publish it. Some things need to remain private.

“So removed is our understanding of the gospel as a relational invitation that recently, while teaching a class of Bible college students, I presented a form of the gospel but left out a key element, to see if they would notice. I told them in advance that I was going to leave out a critical element of the gospel, and I asked them to listen carefully to figure out the missing piece.

I told them man was sinful, and this was obvious when we looked at the culture we lived in. I pointed out specific examples of depravity including homosexuality, abortion, drug use, song lyrics on the radio, newspaper headlines, and so on. Then I told the class that man must repent, and showed them Scriptures that spoke firmly of this idea. I used the true-life example I heard from a preacher about a man in Missouri who, warning people of a bridge that had collapsed, shot a flare gun directly at oncoming cars so they would stop before they drove over the bridge to their deaths. I said I was like that man, shooting flares at cars, and they could be mad at me and frustrated, but I was saving their lives, because the wages of sin is death, and they had to repent in order to see heaven. I then pointed to Scripture about the wages of sin being death, and talked at length about how sin separates us from God.

Then I spoke of the beauty of morality, and told a story of a friend who chose not to cheat on his wife and so now enjoy the fruits of his marriage, committed in love to his wife, grateful that he never betrayed the purity and beauty of their relationship. I talked about heaven and how great it will be to walk on streets of gold and how there will probably be millions of miles of mountains and rivers and how great it will be to fish those rivers and sit with our friends around a fire beneath a mountain peak that reaches up into stars so thick we could barely imagine the beauty of the expanse. I gave the class statistics regarding teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, going into detail about what it is they would be saved from if they would only repent, and how their lives could be God-honoring and God-centered and this would give them a sense of purity and a feeling of fulfillment on earth, and that God would provide for them in relationships and in finances and in comfort.

When I was done, I rested my case and asked the class if they could tell me, “What did I leave out of the gospel presentation?” I waited as a class of Bible college students - who that year, had read several textbooks about Christian theology, who had read the majority of the Bible, all of whom had taken an evangelism class only weeks before in which they went door-to-door to hundreds of homes and shared their faith using pamphlets that explained the gospel, who had grown up in Christian homes attending strong evangelical churches, who had taken both New Testament Introduction and Old Testament Introduction - sat there for several minutes in uncomfortable silence. None of the forty-five students in the class knew the answer.”

Do you? What did Mr. Miller leave out? I’ll conclude this in a few days, but I would love to hear your response.

How To Be Alone

2010-10-19T21:19:00.000-04:00

Chances are, you've seen this video....but just in case you missed it, I wanted to share it with you. I spotted this on a good friends blog and asked if I could copy her. She sweetly said yes!

Technically, I am not alone, but I think this message isn't singularly geared to those looking for a life partner.

I am completely comfortable being alone and Tanya Davis' poem resonates to the deepest part of my soul.

I simply LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, this video. I hope you enjoy it also.

My Holy Discontent

2010-10-13T13:03:00.001-04:00

I think it is safe to say that I am burned out and disillusioned by the church as I know it. I could tell you many personal experiences that led me to this point, but I won't. What I will say, and this is strictly my personal opinion, politics prevail within the church walls. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has become man's agenda for glorification rather than God's agenda to make His Son famous among the nations. We are building altars to ourselves, rather than altars to the Father. We are ministering to the Baby Boomers with money who want to be comfortable with the status quo rather than seeking ways to minister to the X, Y, Z generations that will someday lead the church. I've heard leaders say that we are only two generations from losing the church. My response to this...if you are not seeking new ways to minister to the younger generations (youth, young adults/professionals, young married with/out families), you will lose the church. It is that simple. I'm not saying change the message. Never change or compromise the message.....but do change the method.. Sorry folks, the X, Y, Z generations were not raised in the perfect 1950's (the rose colored glasses years) where their future looks bright and social security was secure. They are living in uncertain economic times being bombarded by propaganda from evolution to socialism. It is not the same world!

Bill Hybels, senior pastor at Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois, has written a book called Holy Discontent. What is Holy Discontent?

"What is the one aspect of this broken world that, when you see it, touch it, get near it, you just can't stand? Very likely, that firestorm of frustration reflects your holy discontent, a reality so troubling that you are thrust off the couch and into the game. It's during these defining times when your eyes open to the needs surrounding you and your heart hungers to respond that you hear God say, I feel the same way about this problem. Now, let's go solve it together! There are a lot of Christ-followers who haven't taken the time to figure out what their holy discontent is, and so they're doing a gradual slide into apathy and complacency and that is unconscionable in a broken and lost world."

To find more information about Holy Discontent here is a great web-site: Holy Discontent. For those who are not prone to search web-sites, here is a quick video.

What is your Holy Discontent?

To be continued...

My Yoke Is Easy, My Burden Is Light

2010-10-11T13:33:00.000-04:00

Isn't it odd that in order to strengthen my relationship with Christ, I had to step away from the church?

When I found that I could no longer worship in spirit and truth, that my anxiety level would increase every time I walked through the church doors, I realized I was not free in Christ because my personal convictions of worship and service did not align with the majority. That is not to say I felt my own convictions were superior, on the contrary, I felt they were inferior. I was expected, even required, to participate in service opportunities that I in no way felt led by the Holy Spirit. I was participating out of obligation and guilt and it was like a cinder block setting on my chest; a weight too heavy for me to bear. The verse "My yoke is easy, My burden is light" would often invade my thoughts and I would say, "No, Lord, they are not." And this begin to effect my mental and emotional state. When I finally stopped "doing" long enough and started "being", I understood that the weight I was carrying was not of God, but of man. That is why it was so heavy! In all my busyness, I could not get a vision of what God wanted for me personally. I think this is true for the church as a whole. We have become so busy doing church work, that we are neglecting our vision for the work of the Church.

The meaning of religion, in the dictionary, has to do with a belief in and a commitment to something or someone. It also means that a person is bound to the something or someone. Commitment to God and being bound to Him is not a bad thing; the problem is that most people are bound to a set of rules and regulations, most of which were instituted by man, not God! I desperately needed a sabbatical from "religion" and I boldly took it. Even though it cut across the grain of societal expectations, even though it meant neglecting church duties, I decided that listening to Jesus and learning his ways were more important than anything else I could choose. No one can rip this precious spiritual truth away from me. When I began to view my relationship with Christ in the light of how God saw me, rather than how others saw me, my perspective begin to change.

To Be Continued.....

I Am A Member Of The NCCC

2010-10-06T14:19:00.000-04:00

Continued from "Touch Down Jesus" post.

Good stewardship of the church's money is a reflection of the hearts in the church members. If money is carelessly wasted, extravagantly spent, or squirreled away, there is a good chance that those in authority over the money live similar lifestyles. The truth is, those that have the authority usually have their own agenda; albeit, in the name of the Lord's work. We proudly spout about seeking the Lord's will, but secretly, in the depths of our hearts desire our own way more. This is the nature of man. I know this to be true because I have experienced it myself and so have many others with who I have spoken regarding this topic. The difference? I am willing to say it aloud. It is safe to say I am Not a Cookie-Cutter Christian and my writing this will not make me popular, but I've decided I need to be real. If a church decides to borrow, say $2,000,000, to add on to their already beautiful facility that has not reached full capacity, under the pretense of "the space is needed in order to grow the church" (or, if we build it, they will come syndrome), in my humble opinion, it is a safe bet the decision was man made and not God ordained.

I grow weary of the number game churches play. The church will not admit to this being true, but it is. If it were not true, why would we be promoting High Attendance Day or Bring A Guest To Church Day? The church will say it is to reach more people for Christ and that may well be the case in the hearts of some. My experience; however, has taught me "let's get the numbers on the role so that our reports will be up for the quarter" is the more likely reason. What church doesn't like to boast about it being so crowded "we had to bring in extra chairs?" Just because a church is growing in numbers, doesn't mean it is a healthy church. It is very easy to grow in numbers and not grow spiritually. Unfortunately, I see this happening more and more. So much time is required to accomplish the myriad activities of the church, that very little time is left to cultivate families and strengthen a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

And so, I stepped away from church attendance for a while. To be continued....

Touch Down Jesus

2010-10-05T14:03:00.001-04:00

I am not a regular church attender. My husband and sons are faithful in their participation in church activities but their rebel mother is not. Some think "rebel" is a defining word for who I am and to some degree it may apply. Being a rebel in the small town where I have lived my entire life apparently means, "she is not a regular church attender; therefore, she must be rebelling against the Lord." The truth is, my relationship with Jesus Christ is solid. It is the relationship against the politics of the church from which I am rebelling. Not only that, I have decided to no longer stay silent which makes me even more rebellious.

I am not out to harm the church; I love what the church stands for and I honestly think without the local church the world would be a more desolate place. The church's job is to minister to the community and world and I have to say that the church I do not attend does this generously with their offering. The church facility is beautiful, modern and immaculately clean. Everyone dresses in their finest and speaks perfect Christianise. It's a lovely place, where love is practiced, as well as preached. As long as you agree with and vote yes at all the business meetings, you are considered a fine, fair, faith filled follower of the Lord. Also, please don't question the decisions of those in authority. After all, they have prayed and sought the Lord's will concerning the decisions and God has revealed to them what needs to happen in order to take church growth to the next level.

Have you heard the story of Touch Down Jesus?

In 2004, on the grounds of Solid Rock Church outside Monroe, Ohio, a six story high "Jesus" was built with his arms outstretched as a beacon of hope and salvation. The statue was named "King of Kings" but colloquially became called "Touch Down Jesus" because the arms approximate the signal a referee makes for a touchdown in football.

On June 14, 2010, lightening struck the statue's right hand and burned it to the ground. Touch Down Jesus became Torch Down Jesus. Estimated damage: $700,000. The church says "Touch Down Jesus" will be resurrected because it was such a "ministry" to the community. Really? Ministry? Sounds like an ego trip to me but I could be wrong.

I picture the Jesus I know, shaking his head sadly and saying "they just don't get it."

What if that church did something radical instead? What if the church took the $700,000 or more that it will take to rebuild the styrofoam, wood and steel structure and feed the hungry, help widows and orphans, or pay the bills for the unemployed of that community? Wouldn't that be considered ministry? And wouldn't that be better stewardship of money?

To be continued.....

I Think It's Going To Rain Today

2010-10-04T11:27:00.000-04:00

The autumn rain's gentle pitter-patter

Comforts my weary soul

And pauses my busyness

Long enough for me to stop

And give thanks to the Maker

Who sends both sunshine and rain

On the just and unjust equally.

His Love has no boundaries.

Beverly, Are You Sure?

2010-10-02T21:18:00.000-04:00

I attended the Type-A-Mom Conference held at the Asheville Renaissance Hotel, in North Carolina, last weekend. I use the word "attended" loosely. I chose to visit one-on-one with some fantastic bloggers and enjoy downtown Asheville, instead of sitting in stuffy workshops. Who knew that hidden in the lush mountains of North Carolina exists an eclectic artsy culture?

I tend to learn more from personal conversation and observation rather than listening to someone exult about their personal success. Success is a relative term. For example, I heard a woman boast about how many times her site shut down the server due to the myriad of hits she received. She was bold and brassy! On the other hand, an unpretentious lady shared about how protective she is of her family time and how she strives for balance in her home. Both women felt successful with their blogging efforts; their perspectives are equally interesting and I learned something from both. Sweet!

Our room before the influx of women.....Reading Rosie, Megan from Sweet Sadie Marie, Kym from String Bean 17, and Jen from Great Little Stories shared the room.

Thomas Wolfe, considered by many to be one of the giants of 20th Century American Literature immortalized his childhood home in his epic autobiographical novel, Look Homeward, Angel. Wolfe's colorful portrayal of his family, his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina, and the Old Kentucky Home boarding house earned the historic Victorian home a place as one of American Literature's most famous landmarks and set right across the street from the hotel.

I had to take a photo....

Mellow Mushroom, one of downtown Asheville's many quirky restaurants was within easy walking distance and open for a late-night pizza run. Yum!

Antiquing in Asheville is premium (if you have the dough).

Reading Rosie, Mary Poppins...or Beverly? Only a few know "for sure."

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Autumn Reflections

2010-09-22T11:22:00.000-04:00

My attitude is a littler lighter since my last post. While writing You Can't Always Get What You Need, I was in the middle of two very busy weeks. My sweet sister-in-love underwent back surgery and spent seven days in the hospital, Isaac returned to traditional school after five years of homeschooling (an adjustment curve was needed), my work schedule was full and on top of that, early one morning I discovered a deceased man in my front yard from a motorcycle accident. It wasn't pretty and without saying more, slightly disconcerting. Isn't life bizarre sometimes? Anyway, after the two hour crying jag I threw in my closet floor, I am feeling much better and want to dispel some concerns my friends have voiced. I am fine. You can barely see the scars!

Currently, I am sitting in my favorite spot. My front porch swing in the cool morning breeze has always been my favorite place to reflect, meditate, clarify and sort my jumbled thoughts. My neighbors own horses and I love watching the frisky colts in the morning. They are so sweet and full of energy....aah, I remember those days.

Life feels a little less stressful and I think cooler weather, blue skies and the season change plays an enormous role. Autumn is my favorite season. I enjoy watching the Master Painter create His magnum opus. Autumn reminds me I control nothing; a nice prod for a control freak. This realization takes the pressure off me and suggests that life is a continual cycle of change. I can either flow with the change or fight the change, but ultimately things change.

If all goes as planned, I will be spending the weekend in downtown Ashville, North Carolina, with some inspiring women bloggers. A nice respite away from the testosterone filled man-cave I lovingly call home is needed from time to time. I am agog with excitement! Hopefully, I will have some great photos to share.

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

You Know It's A Bad Day When...

2010-09-11T23:12:00.002-04:00

An odd, intimate relationship is ending. My gynecologist is retiring, a fact about which I am not at all happy! The man I have seen once a year for the last twenty-plus years regarding my gynecological health is abandoning me just as I am entering perimenopause. The nerve of this man! I trusted him with my vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. He has seen me through infertility, pregnancy, birth, depression, surgery, and holds confidential sexual details about me in a thick folder. He was my bosom-buddy. In minuscule yearly visits, he kept abreast of my life. His response to my dismay? “Dana, I’m 67 years old, I am old enough and deserve to retire.” My response: “Yes, but I am not old enough for you to retire.” I don’t want a young new GYN; I want my old used one. How do you find a new GYN? The interview process could get….awkward.

You Can't Always Get What You Need

2010-09-07T11:21:00.001-04:00

The church wants my time and money.

My mother wants my time and undying devotion.

My brother wants my time and help.

My husband wants my time and my body.

My children want my twenty-four hour maid services.

My dog wants me to rub his tummy all the time.

The school wants my daily schedule to match theirs.

Work wants me available any time.

Friends want to know what time I can get together.

Acquaintances want to know if I can spare the time to type a "little" something.

I need to worship in peace.

I need my mother to give me some space.

I need my brother to understand.

I need my husband to romance me.

I need my children to take responsibility.

I need my dog to stop barking.

I need the school to get over it already.

I need my friends to be patient with me.

I need to tell acquaintances "NO."

I need to feel free.

What do you need? I NEED to know!

Climb Every Mountain

2010-08-30T14:52:00.002-04:00

After a summer hiatus, I am returning to my blog. Summer has been oppressive in both nature and soul.

I am continually reminded that I do not fit in any particular box regarding my perspective on society in general. The more my peers expect me to conform, the more my rebellious spirit strains from the expectations. When my spirit strains, I find no peace.

Who I was last year bears no resemblance to the person I am today. Circumstances change and so do people. Life does not remain steady despite ones greatest effort. I am learning to live peacefully with the information and myself. "Things Change" is a platitude to which I never paid significant attention but one that now flashes like a neon sign on the mason brick walls of my life.

It is becoming more difficult for me to express my thoughts freely in a public forum; yet, I am willing to live under the scrutiny of my village and remain true to myself. Freedom for me lies in expression of words and music.

I was recently reminded of a scene in "The Sound of Music." In this scene, Marie is counseling with Mother Abbess regarding a problem in her life. Mother Abbess responds, "Maria, these walls were not meant to shut out problems. You have to face them. You have to live the life you were born to live." Then, with traditional Rogers and Hammerstein splendor, Mother Abbess breaks out in song "Climb Every Mountain." I have a few damn mountains of my own I need to climb!

And did you know, the wool from a black sheep is just as warm?

Dear Daddy, Happy Father's Day

2010-06-18T19:11:00.000-04:00

So here we are coming upon Father's Day weekend, my first without my Dad. I am far enough away from his death in September 2009, to say I really miss him and wish I could tell him one more time how very much I love him.

Dear Daddy,

Your grandsons are doing fine. I say that, because I do not remember a day since they were born that you didn't ask me that question. You will never know how much you influenced them in their music and you would be proud to know that Carter is once again playing the piano, beautifully I might add. After ten years of not touching a keyboard, he picked it back up without a skipping a beat and get this, he is singing too!!!! Your quiet, reflective grandson singing and playing the piano...obviously a God thing going on there, so tell Him I said thanks :) Isaac is rockin' that guitar you got him for his birthday in 2008! He is sounding great and although his style is not Merle Haggard, he is a natural born performer! Friggin' great. Gotta be the Stapleton in him. Carter and Isaac have joined talents and are working day and night on a song they plan to perform together. They are both perfectionists (wonder where they get that?), so every note and tone has to meet their standards before they perform in public. I've never seen brothers who love each other more. They are best friends...also an answered prayer. High-five the Big Guy for that one also. By the way, Isaac is about three inches taller than Carter, got braces in April, has hair down to his ears and is as sweet as ever. Carter is working again this summer and is planning a major life change coming soon. I'll tell you more about that later, but honestly, I think you already know. Like the rest of us, they miss you terribly.

Love,

Your Rosie

Audio Books

2010-06-17T23:23:00.001-04:00

Recently I have been listening to audio books rather than reading. In my head, sitting down with a book feels like time wasted (I absolutely know it is not) but because there is always something needing to be accomplished in my home, reading feels like a luxury I cannot afford at the present. Audio books have solved this problem for me. I listened to Francis Chan's "Crazy Love" while doing household task. An amazing speaker and author, he draws great analogies from every day life to teach God's truth. This has been beneficial to me since my "Mad Church Disease" has recently prevented me from attending. Here is a video clip to give you an example.....

Wow! What a great mind visual to help me see myself in a clear light!

Another audio book that came across the circulation desk at the library is "The Poets' Corner" compiled and read by John Lithgow. His uniquely animated and lyrical voice brings poetry to life. Poetry is meant to be heard. Inflections in a voice can significantly change the tone of a poem and bring clarity to what the writer is trying to say. This audio has been very enjoyable and relaxing to me and has introduced me to poets with whom I was not familiar, such as Elizabeth Bishop, the Poet's Poet. Her poem "Filling Station" is an exquisitely precise painting of a miniature world.

Oh, but it is dirty
--this little filling station,
oil-soaked, oil-permeated
to a disturbing, over-all
black translucency.
Be careful with that match!

Father wears a dirty,
oil-soaked monkey suit
that cuts him under the arms,
and several quick and saucy
and greasy sons assist him
(it's a family filling station),
all quite thoroughly dirty.

Do they live in the station?
It has a cement porch
behind the pumps, and on it
a set of crushed and grease-
impregnated wickerwork;
on the wicker sofa
a dirty dog, quite comfy.

Some comic books provide
the only note of color--
of certain color. They lie
upon a big dim doily
draping a taboret
(part of the set), beside
a big hirsute begonia.

Why the extraneous plant?
Why the taboret?
Why, oh why, the doily?
(Embroidered in daisy stitch
with marguerites, I think,
and heavy with gray crochet.)

Somebody embroidered the doily.
Somebody waters the plant,
or oils it, maybe. Somebody
arranges the rows of cans
so that they softly say:

ESSO--SO--SO--SO
to high-strung automobiles.

Somebody Loves us all.

Sunset Over Folly Beach

2010-05-22T21:10:00.001-04:00

Although we did not lodge on Folly Beach this year, we did a quick visit the last night of vacation. Folly Beach is hopping little hippie beach reminiscent of the 1960-1970 era. Small, friendly open air restaurants line the main drag, music fills the air, laughter and friendly chatter are catching, casual attire rules and dogs are welcome everywhere. It totally ROCKS!

We walked out on to the fishing pier to watch the sun set. Here is what I captured.

Me and my "babies."

What compels someone

to write their name in the sand?

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Chewing Gum Flavors

2010-05-21T23:45:00.001-04:00

Tell me.....

Does the chewing gum lose it's flavor

on the street light post over night

even if the post is on the corner of

North Market Street and

East Bay Street in Charleston, SC?????

Just wonderin....

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Doorways and Iron Gates of Charleston

2010-05-21T01:56:00.001-04:00

“When you follow your bliss... doors will open where you would not have thought there would be doors; and where there wouldn't be a door for anyone else.” Joseph Campbell

"Happiness often sneaks in through a door

you didn't know you left open." John Barrymore

“Everyone is an explorer.

How could you possibly live your life

looking at a door and not open it?”

“Kind words will unlock an iron door.”

“Money, you have lots of friends

hanging round the door.

When it's gone and the spending ends

They don't come no more.” Billie Holiday

"A door is what a dog is perpetually

on the wrong side of." Ogden Nash

“Ten men waiting for me at the door?

Send one of them home, I'm tired.” Mae West

I climbed up the door, and opened the stairs;

I said my pajamas and put on my pray'rs,

I turned off the bed and crawled into the light

And all because you kissed me goodnight.

"When God closes a door,

somewhere He opens a window."

My door is always open! Love, Rosie.

Family Vacation at Seabrook Island 2010

2010-05-17T13:53:00.000-04:00

I am on Seabook Island in South Carolina this week. Seabrook is a small barrier island twenty miles south of Charleston, SC. Seabrook boasts wide, uncrowded beaches and pristine dunes and it is true. I walked the three and one-half miles of beach yesterday and encountered less than fifty people. Of course, the area is still in the "off" season and I am sure crowds will increase after the Memorial Day Holiday, but for now, the area feels private and secluded. Exactly what I love!!!! My family rented a small three-bedroom beach cottage for the week through Vacation Rental By Owner (VRBO). If you've never used VRBO, this is a great way to find rental property for vacations all over the world. We've had good experiences renting this way, and this experience was no exception. In fact, this has been one of the most professional renters I have ever encountered. Jim and Terri Edmiston from Charlotte, NC, own this little home and have been a joy to work with through the rental process. Check out their site here and I highly recommend doing business with them. Honestly, the site doesn't do this charming home or the area justice!

I am a bit under the weather. I left home Saturday with a sore throat and it is still troubling me. It is an overcast day and since I was on the beach most of the day yesterday, I opted to stay in to lounge and rest while the guys rode bikes to the pool this afternoon. I am hoping to feel better quickly so that I can explore the island and get into Charleston this week. Either way, it is beautiful here and I am enjoying the scenery, the call of the gull, the lapping of the waves and the enthusiasm of my boys. I want to take some photos of the sun setting over the Low Country marshland and the horses at the Equestrian Center. Plus, I want to try my hand at crabbing from a nearby dock. And did I mention stuffing myself full of shrimp and crab legs????

I always find this area to be the epitome of Southern hospitality and graceful beauty. I really think I could see myself owning a small shabby chic beach cottage in the future. For now, I'll just gaze out my window and dream.

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Mother's Day - Giveaway Winner and Iris Slide Show

2010-05-09T13:08:00.001-04:00

Happy Mother's Day!

Congratulations Colorado Lady!

You are the lucky winner of the

Very Cherry Berry Apron!

The Iris is the Official State Flower of Tennessee

and they are in their full glorious bloom in our fair State. Here are a few shots of my favorite,

feminine flower from my own small flower bed.

Enjoy!

"Picnik Show"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

Vintage Thingies - Caned Chairs

2010-05-05T22:59:00.000-04:00

Wow! It's Thursday already and once again time for Vintage Thingies with Colorado Lady which is a meme I enjoy participating in when I can. I have a few chairs I want to share this week. Nothing spectacular, but something I love.

This sewing rocker was given to me many years ago. The caned seat was worn out. My Father-in-Law, who knows how to cane, redid the seat for me. I wish I had a mileage meter attached to this little rocker when my oldest son, Carter, was a baby. I rocked many a mile with him in his early months on colicky evenings, and then as he grew older and could communicate with me, he would always want me to rock in the squeaky chair. The noise seemed to comfort him, so we did a lot of rocking and reading.

Beautiful cane work!

This chair is from Tunnel Hill Baptist Church (a little church in a local valley) and is quite old. I image this was in a Sunday School classroom for many years. Churches are so "comfortable" now. Can you image sitting in this chair for hours.

You can see that the caning in this chair is much older and the wear more obvious.

I have a couple of these ladder back chairs salvaged from local places that have been refinished and recaned. I love the simplicity of the lines in these chairs. They remind me of Quaker furniture. Again, my Father-in-Law did the refinishing and recaning.

Oscar likes it too.

The table came from a flea market several years ago.

It is little and somewhat impratical but I love it.

I am having a giveaway this week for Mother's Day!

A Very Cherry Berry Apron.

If you would like to enter, link here.

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Mother's Day Apron Giveaway

2010-05-04T10:47:00.002-04:00

Giveaway! Giveaway! Giveaway!

Didn't think I would do it, did you?

Well, done and done!

(Much to my own surprise!)

What started as this -

Finally turned into this -

Along with this -

(Pardon the mannequin booty)

A Berry Cherry Apron for Mother's Day

(Shirt, jewelry, mannequin not included)

You can enter to win this apron two ways -

Vintage Things - An Old Spinning Wheel

2010-04-29T00:05:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I wrote about my recent visit with friends to the Jubilee Gallery. I saved "the rest of the story" for today so that I could link it with Vintage Thingies Thursday at Colorado Lady. You will want to visit her site and see all the great vintage things she has posted.

Part of Tennessee's history preservation includes historical markers located throughout the state. Below is a photo of TN Historical Marker 1B19. What this marker does not say is that Hezekiah Hamblen was also a furniture maker. Five pieces that he hand made still exist and one of my friends with whom I had lunch is his descendant. She is in possession of one of those pieces.

I do not know if a spinning wheel is considered furniture, but a spinning wheel was a necessity used throughout the southern Appalachian mountains during the 19th century to spin wool and cotton. This particular spinner is in beautiful shape with all original parts intact and sets proudly in my friends mountain top home.

The Old Spinning Wheel by Billy Hill

Covered with dust and forgotten,

Like the face upon the wall;

The one souvenir of the days gone by,

I treasure most of all.

There's an old spinning wheel in the parlor,

Spinning dreams of the long, long ago.

Spinning dreams of an old fashioned garden,

And a maid with her old fashioned beau.

Turn back the years of my childhood

As you turn, old spinning wheel.

Just show me a lane with a barefoot boy,

As shadows softly steal.

________________________________

I have no history of this picture that adorns my friends bedroom wall. It came from her aunts home but it is old and BEAUTIFUL and still in its original hand-hewn frame.

Italian maybe?

Follow-up regarding this picture: Viridian's Blog put this picture in context for me. It is a copy of "Madonna della seggiola" by Italian renaissance artist Raphael.

This mother is gorgeous!

I hope you enjoyed these vintages pieces.

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Jubilee Art Gallery And Cafe

2010-04-28T01:09:00.001-04:00

Near where I live, an easy fifteen minute drive west, sets an old farm house that has been turned into Jubilee Art Gallery and Cafe. I took the time today and met a couple of friends for lunch at this charming establishment.

Unique to Tennessee is the Appalachian Quilt Trail. Old barns and farm houses across the state display large hand painted wooden quilt blocks. Jubilee Gallery happens to be one stop along the trail and displays, what else, the Jubilee Star quilt pattern.

Colorful front porch rocking chairs invite guests to relax and linger and on weekends live bluegrass bands entertain.

The American Flag is proudly displayed.

Colorful flower boxes adorn the windows with tole painted flowers and old china plates adding a unique touch to the decor. Also embedded into the concrete walks are colorful broken china plates. What a unique way to recycle!

This azalea bush took my breath away.

Smiling purple pansies.

Yummy girlie food is served in the cafe, although, there were as many men visiting today as women.

The waitress said this was a breakfast, lunch and dinner salad. She was right.

Sweet tea served in a Mason jar....

it don't git much better an this :)

Whimsical art decorates the interior walls.

Local artist and owner, Lorraine Brewer, sells and displays her art work in one of the rooms.

Other art is available for purchase too. I love these wind chimes made from old kitchen items and silverware. They create a lovely melodious sound.

The jewelry is also made from the handles of old silverware. Charming!

This crocheted poncho was gorgeous and my picture in no way does it justice! It appeals to the inner gypsy in me. Children, please take note, one of these for Mother's Day would be nice...

Pottery and antiques are for sale

along with local honey and molasses. Note...another beautiful crocheted shawl...hint, hint.

Yes indeedy, it was a lovely day!

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Two Goals Set And Met

2010-04-26T12:30:00.000-04:00

Today finds me reaching two goals I set for myself over a month ago.

My first goal was to create a button for my blog. While this would seem like an easy task, I found the plethora of graphics overwhelming. SO MUCH FROM WHICH TO CHOOSE!!!!! Finally, last evening, I put together a button I can live with for a few months. It matches my blog design and also reflects me. Feel free to grab my button for your blog; it would make my day!

Also, I would love to hear your opinion.

What do you think?

My second goal was to write an article and have it published on Blissfully Domestic: The Smart Girl's Guide To Life. After weeks of wracking my brain for an idea and putting that idea into words, procrastinating with the submission because the article did not seem just right, and coming to terms with "they're going to laugh and trash this", I finally submitted the article for review. Much to my delight, I received an e-mail within twenty-four hours saying my article was approved (with a few edits) and would be published April 26. That's today!!!! I am a little giddy with excitment!

Personal Pedicure: A Beautiful Gesture to Honor Your Mother

If you have the time, I would be honored to hear your thoughts regarding the article.

My goal for this week and next will be to sew two aprons and have a giveaway for Mother's Day. Check back often for giveaway details!

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Just As I Am - A Tulip Kind of Girl

2010-04-25T10:08:00.000-04:00

My name is Rosie but really...

I am more of a Tulip kind of girl.

Visit SweetSadieMarie.com every Sunday

and MckLinky up to "Just As I Am."

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today

2010-04-21T01:02:00.000-04:00

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13

Twenty years ago today, April 21, 1990,

I gave birth to my first baby boy.

Carter, words can not express what

a blessing you are in my life.

You are the light of my heart!

You have grown into a handsome

man both inside and out and

I stand in awe at the development

of your strong character

knowing that it is from God alone and

taking no credit as your mother.

What most people believe in their head,

you believe in your heart and that

is what made the difference.

I have watched you set goals and

work tirelessly to reach them.

I have also watched you struggle,

praying I could help, yet knowing there are some

lessons a mother can not teach her son.

I wait breathlessly some days to see what

God is going to do in your life next

expecting that it will be amazing because

you are open to adventure.

You have been given many talents!

My prayer is that you will use each one to make

Him famous and not yourself and I fully believe you will.

Thank you for being such a wonderful son!

Happy 20th Birthday!

I Love You!

Drive fast, take chances ;)

Love, Reading Rosie (AKA Mom)

Two Sweet Women

2010-04-14T21:30:00.000-04:00

A BIG thank you to two Sweet women!

To Megan at Sweet Sadie Marie, who invited me to guest post on her sweet blog today AND

To Sweetie Berry at Growing Into Lovely who wrote a sweet guest post for my blog today.

She even created a sweet pink tour bus just for me. Too sweet!

Sweet! Sweet! Sweet!

Words cannot express how blessed I feel to have become aquainted with these two SWEET ladies.

They have made my life....well, Sweet!

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Welcome Sweetie Berry As Wednesday's Guest Blogger

2010-04-14T07:52:00.001-04:00

First of all I want to say that I am just tickled pink to be here today. What a joy it was to have met Dana in person at Blissdom '10. You know when perfect strangers meet and come away friends it’s a great day!

My blog’s name is Growing into Lovely. It may be more of a hope than a certainty, but you see where I am from in the deep South, lovely is a term that means so much more than pretty. Lovely is reserved for those women who overcome adversity with grace, who face unexpected strife with peace, who choose to be elegant in behavior and deed even when knee deep in mud….you see I want to be that kind of woman, she’s perhaps best described in Proverbs…but she’s a pretty busy girl…yet …

Who is it that you admire? Who are the women in your life that immediately come to mind when I ask who influenced you? For me, there are several who come to mind immediately. There’s Virginia Smith, a woman in her seventies, who built with her husband Guy, the first public bank begun with GI Bill funds after Guy returned from the war. (Her daddy bought her a convertible for their wedding, Guy sold it the next day because it wasn’t “fittin” for a new bank to be high fallutin...don’t you know the discussions that brought!) They began Stephens Bank successfully over forty years ago and that one branch has grown into several. Virginia’s financial success is overshadowed by her community and personal success. Harder to measure, but one only has to walk through her small town to see or experience her impact. Virginia is a “get it done” girl. She sees fertilizer in manure piles and manicures in mud….that girl only knows the bright side of life. She is a cancer survivor, a wifehood thriver, and will wear you out if you try to keep up with all that she does in a day. She calls me Mrs. Jefferson, because I so embraced her need to help others grow….and I am honored that she feels so. There wasn’t an idea I had in that little town the five years we lived there that she didn’t say “let’s do it” and by golly we did, whether it was to build a city park with grant funds (which stands today) or to begin a children’s library program for the town’s children at no cost (which we did, with over 50 children attending each week for 12 weeks a summer!) or to host a town wide inter generational Easter Egg hunt at her home and mine ….amazing days we had, and Virginia fueled them all with her absolute belief that our tiny town was simply waiting for an idea to be enacted to succeed.

Another woman I admire was Lillian Bell. Lillian was nearing eighty when I met her. You’d think that meant she had slowed down. Oh my heavens no. She had reared ten children in a two bedroom home, canned enough food each year from her own garden to feed them, and managed to keep them all done up in homemade clothes that were the talk of the town for their “store bought” appearance. Lillian was a school teacher, a wife, and in her spare time after keeping every thing at home spic and span, she was known for her delicious cooking, which she shared all over town to anyone ailing, sad, or someone she thought looked puny…after all food was a cure all for everything in my small town. Her twinkling blue eyes would look at you and say “come on now, have another bite” as though she knew if she could sit you down over pie she’d have you….for no one would not do as Miss Lillian suggested. Many a contrary situation was settled over Miss Lillian’s visit with a pie.

As much as I admire women like Mother Teresa and Eleanor Roosevelt, I’ve not had to rely on folks in history books or biographies to know what a fine lady is. You see, in my book it doesn’t take fine trappings, or exceptional wealth to create the lovely I’m talking about. Growing into lovely to me means to daily look about you, to do what you can with what you have to improve today. To choose to take the high road with other people who may have gotten stuck in the valleys and mud holes of life. To willfully ignore the desire to get in the mud with those folks who sling it unnecessarily in unkind thought or deed. (although I also am a firm believer in splashing in them if the mud hole warrants a good old fashioned mess to be made…after all, growing into lovely means never growing old either.)

One of the most beautiful faces I’ve ever known was a lady I taught next to in a tiny rural district. She was in her 62 year old teaching…yes you read right sixty-two years, and she taught next door to me. Miss Eva had taught mothers, daddies, and grand daddies in that district. She had married young and then was widowed early, left with young children on a school teacher’s budget. Remarried years later it seemed cruel, but her second husband failed to mention that he had ten children stowed away until their wedding day…suddenly there were twelve children to feed as well as a new marriage. She never missed a beat, they made do, made over, and remade what they had and it was all kept well. Miss Eva’s second husband died shortly after and there she was with all the children, a school marms salary, and yet her flower gardens were beautiful, the children fed well, and before it was over, she had a beautiful home they had renovated together and several through college. When I would ask her about teaching so long she’d tease me “Wouldn’t you keep working if you had twelve goomers waiting on you at home?” Yet she was a delicate cultivator, learning how to garden in containers long before it was vogue, because with 12 children and a tiny town, well, you had to eat! Later when we moved down the street, she was first up and regularly up to help me with this or that in the yard. Despite being in her nineties, she could out work me any day! She and my youngest had a special relationship, Madison is dyslexic, but Miss Eva personally was determined to see her through….and she did. and it is a good portion of why Madison reads so well today.

Growing into Lovely…..a huge standard to have had set by ladies like the ones above, and there’s a passel of them in my home town…you see there isn’t a common qualifier among them: wealth, background, beauty or education- but they all choose a path of service to others and to gather around them those who were near to love them well and make the best of the situations they faced while persevering on with joy. That’s the kind of woman I want to be when I grow up….and yet each one of those three would never be mistaken for a “grown up”…for you see one of the most important attributes they shared was to be eternally young at heart.

Thank you for letting me share here today. It’s been such a pleasure to visit today!

Hugs,

Sweetie

Thanks Sweetie, for your lovely thoughts. You are certainly one of the lovely ladies and I feel blessed to have met you and look forward to a long sister/friendship. Blessings, dear one. Rosie

Francine Rivers Has Published A New Book...Finally!

2010-04-12T23:33:00.002-04:00

Francine Rivers, probably the best Christian Fiction author on the market today (IMHO), FINALLY has a new book on shelves. Her first Christian Fiction book, Redeeming Love, changed my opinion of the CF market simply because she addresses tough topics. Maybe her books are so good because she doesn't publish frequently; therefore, spending more time developing her characters and focusing on the story she wants to beautifully illustrate. Whatever the reason, I am thankful her latest book, Her Mother's Hope, now sets impatiently on my nightstand waiting for me to savor the magic each evening. If I go missing for the next few days, you'll know where I am.

By the way, It is National Library Week!

Do you have a library card?

Do you visit your local library?

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

No Pain, No Gain

2010-04-09T00:30:00.002-04:00

My six-foot, thirteen-year-old, barely able to walk through a door frame without ducking, can not fit into a dentist chair, big footed son who talks incessantly had his mouth wired this morning. My "baby" is in some pain and probably will be for a few days. Nothing makes my heart ache more than to see my child in pain. I can very much empathize with him, as I too had braces when I was a teenager. On the positive side, though, I should see a significant decrease in my grocery bill and a hear a lot less smart aleck comments for the next few days. Oh well, no pain, no gain!

Winking at you with a sly grin, Rosie.

Welcome Megan from Sweet Sadie Marie

2010-04-07T11:24:00.001-04:00

Hi... my name is Megan and I am so thrilled to be a guest at Reading Rosie!

I am a wife, a mom of three, and a daughter of the King.

I love to write, read... and clean poopy diapers.

Okay, not so much the diapers.

Come visit me at http://www.sweetsadiemarie.com/.

In the meantime, get a load of this...........

So, we needed a new lawn mower. Ours died and we have been searching for an affordable solution. With our budget being tight, we knew we couldn't drop a few hundred at Lowe's.

We called around to the fix-it shops....NO luck. Craig's List doesn't like us. Neither does the local newspaper. So, I started praying. Praying that God would send us a lawn mower OR enable us to leave our grass tall and start charging the neighbors to go on Safaris. It was looking more and more like I should start selling tickets.

Then it happened. Last night, a lady down the street wheeled her mower out to the curb and put a for sale sign on it. She said she had a feeling someone needed it. $40 later.... we have a mower.

More than that.... we have an awesome God. A God who cares about the little things...... even lawn mowers.

Visit our blog: http://www.sweetsadiemarie.com/ &

Our fabulous Etsy shop www.sweetsadiemarie.etsy.com

Thanks Megan, and I agree, God does care about the little things.

Even lawn mowers.

Love, Rosie

From Boys to Men

2010-04-06T15:24:00.000-04:00

As a mother, I am always looking for quality reading material for myself and my sons. I look for material that will encourage me to guide my sons, as well as engaging material that will inspire my sons to become strong, capable, and responsible men. When I ran across these books by Bob Schultz, I knew I had struck GOLD!

Created For Work: Practical Insights for Young Men - This book is chocked full of real life stories to teach young men what it means to become hard workers. Witty and applicable in today's culture, this book offers tools and insight into giving a honest day's work. Recommended for ages 9-13 but applicable for any age; I read this one aloud to my sons. We laughed and talked our way through every chapter and learned so much about work ethics.

Boyhood and Beyond: Practical Wisdom for Becoming a Man - The author shares personal anecdotes and practical stories dealing with different issues boys will encounter as they move into manhood. Topics discussed include: honesty, forgiveness, being "manly," leadership, worship, and respecting girls in preparation for loving their future wife. Boys can read the book alone and record their responses in a journal. Ideal to read and discuss each chapter with a father, grandfather, or mentor. For ages 9-13. This book set the foundation for some great conversations in our home.

Practical Happiness: A Young Mans Guide to a Contented Life - Again, a timely applicable book that gives advice to young men on how true happiness comes from their attitude and response to life's situations rather than seeking the materialistic. Don't we all need that information?!

For pricing, ordering and more details regarding each book....go here. In my opinion, you will not find better information available for young men. If you've read these books I would enjoy hearing your opinion. What books for young men have you read and recommend? I would love to know.

I have been blessed with amazing sons. It has been and continues to be a honor to watch them grow from boys to men. Love you guys!

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

A Tulip Tree

2010-04-04T22:30:00.003-04:00

Today, Easter Sunday, was a lovely reminder of my Faith. After Easter services and an enormous dinner with family and friends, I took my Mother to the cemetery where my Dad was buried almost seven months ago. Mother wanted to place spring flowers on Dad's grave. Because the winter was so bleak and wet, I had not been back to the cemetery. Honestly, I felt no need to go. But today was a gloriously warm, blue-sky day and it felt right in my heart to honor my earthly father.

No tears were shed today. Why would anyone of Faith shed tears on Easter Sunday? If I truly believe that Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life (and I do), why would I weep over my Dad's grave? Only his shell lies in that grave; I have reason to rejoice! "Oh death where is your victory? Oh grave, where is your sting?" NOT HERE!!!

Near his grave stands a magnificent tulip tree arrayed in majestic Easter frock. I stood under the tree and gazed into its branches marveling at nature's manifold witness of spring renewal. In the cemetery, under the tree, in a shower of soft petals, I worshipped and praised my Heavenly Father.

This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears

All nature sings and round me rings the music of the spheres.

This is my Father's world

I rest me in the thought

Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas,

His hands the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise,

The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker's praise.

This is my Father's world

He shines in all that's fair;

In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;

He speaks to me everywhere.

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

And thanks for reading, Rosie.

Post #230 And A New Hair Cut

2010-03-31T15:08:00.000-04:00

I spent three hours, THREE HOURS, in a salon chair yesterday getting a hair makeover. It took a team of four women including myself with a nonchalant attitude, one nervous stylist, and two hair color consultants to make me look decent. Throw in tons of laughter plus a smidgen of gossip and I had a typical afternoon in a southern beauty shop.

"I don't like her. I don't trust anyone who does their own hair. I don't think it's natural." (Name that movie!)

Anyway, what fun!!!! I felt the need to mix-it-up. Spring makes me kick up my heels like a frisky colt so I wanted a style that fit my sassy, quirky personality.

What do you think? Be honest! I can HANDLE the honesty!

Today marks the end of March's National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo). I posted everyday for a month; although, on a few of those days I was pushing the clock. This post is #230. Wow! I never thought in May of 2008, when I started this project as a vacation journal that I would develop such a passion for social media. I have met so many great people through this venue and honestly, I think I am just now getting my game on.

April brings new goals for my blog and also time to write a few book reviews. I am quite excited; join me.

And to everyone who lands here....Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Blogger Buddy

2010-03-30T23:35:00.000-04:00

Sweet Sadie Marie and I got together today. We became blogging pals through Blissdom and live relatively close (as the crow flies). What fun it is meeting up with a blogger girl friend!!! We talked blogger talk and shared blogger thoughts. We set some blogger goals and pretended to be blogger rock stars! Oh the fun things we have planned for April....stayed tuned. Every blogger needs a blogger buddy. Got yours?

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Taking Time To Reflect

2010-03-29T23:43:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was Palm Sunday...so begins Passion Week. I am taking time this week to reflect on the events that occurred many years ago that impact me so profoundly today. I spend time in quiet contemplation overwhelmed by the love, grace and mercy shown to me by the God of the universe.

How do you observe this Holy Week?

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Just As I Am.....Coffee Addict

2010-03-28T11:00:00.000-04:00

Visit SweetSadieMarie.com every Sunday

and MckLinky up to "Just As I Am."

Spring Says Hello

2010-03-26T00:05:00.002-04:00

Spring is peeking at me. She is such a tease. Little by little she opens herself to the warmth of the sunlight and blossoms. First a little yellow, then a pink blush, and for fun, some lavender. As the ground and air grow warmer, her colors become bolder. She will soon reveal her red tulips and purple iris. She is gentle and whimsical. I think that is why I love her. We played together briefly today and she said to say hello. Have you seen her too?

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

World War I Photo Cover & Handkerchief

2010-03-25T00:06:00.001-04:00

Along time ago, my Aunt Lilly gave me a small blue suitcase full of "stuff." The case contained "stuff" for which she was looking to release herself from the burden; I looked like easy prey. The suitcase and stuff are long gone but my vintage sensibilities would not let me part with a couple of things. They have been tucked away in a drawer for years and I recently stumbled on them while ~~releasing my burden of junk~~ spring cleaning. This falls under the antique category rather than vintage.

This is a photo keepsake cover from a United States WWI Veteran. Somewhere I still have the soldier's photo but cannot find it at this time. Who knows why I took it out of the protective cover? (Rhetorical question.) This was a gift to my Aunt Lilly from her gentleman at the time.

The entire cover is silk. The front cover is embroidered.

The ribbons are a little tattered but otherwise it is in good shape.

It opens like a card. This is the inside top.

It is a pocket for a small photo to be inserted.

"Remember Me ~ Sweet be to thee life's passing hours,

and all thy paths be decked with flowers."

The bottom portion of the card is a larger pocket made to hold the thick beige-sepia photos of yesteryear. It is very fine silk.

The flag has thirteen stripes and forty-eight stars.

Here is a photo of the whole piece. Sorry it's a bit blurry.

Tucked inside one of the pockets is a silk handkerchief.

It still has the origional fold creases.

When war clouds hover o'er the land we read of heroes brave,

Our officers on land and sea, o'er them we fairly rave;

The real defenders are forgot, the men who fire the gun.

'Tis they who'll shield the Stars and Stripes,

God bless them ev'ry mother's son!

He may be wealthy, college, bred, perhaps a son of toil,

He volunteers to fight or die, he loves his native soil;

No fame or glory be his, though through him battles are won.

Old Glory will never cease to wave while we have men to fire the gun!

I could write a whole political post regarding the poem. But I won't. It speaks well enough for itself.

Dated: "Spirit of 1917 ~ Spirit of 1776"

Hope you enjoyed this little piece of history. It is one of my favorite things. Now zip back on over to Colorado Lady to enjoy more Vintage Thingies Thursday. She is a great hostess and she loves my dog. Enough said.

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

My Dog Has A Cold And Now So Do I

2010-03-23T23:29:00.001-04:00

Oscar has a cold.

I told him to toss his tissues

into the trash can;

he didn't listen.

Oscar is a naughty boy.

I said, "Boy, you better wipe that

smug smile off your

face with one those tissues

and clean up that mess!"

And Oscar replied,

"Come on Mom,

give me a little

kissy, kissy!"

And I rolled my eyes and said,

"Well, since you're feeling

so poorly and all...."

AHAHAHA ACHOO!!!!!

Excuse me,

I think I'm catching a cold.

Soon You Will Need A Permit To Have Sex

2010-03-22T14:08:00.001-04:00

While waiting for a table at Olive Garden in a touristy town a couple of weeks ago, I had an interesting encounter. The weather was nice enough to wait outdoors and a woman who was smoking walked up to me and asked if it was still legal to smoke outside.

Why she asked me, I have no clue.

I responded kindly and with a laugh said, "Yes, for now I think it is still legal."

That was all she needed to hear from me to make more conversation.

"You know," she said, "We are about to live in a communist country. Pretty soon we will have to get a permit to make love."

I laughed and agreed that our country was definitely headed toward socialism and that if a permit ever became necessary for sex, I might be the first in line. We joked for a few minutes about this possibility and then she shared with me that she was in town to heal from the death of her husband to whom she had only been married for a week. They had been together much longer but had only recently made the marriage legal. He started having pain, he was rushed to the hospital only to find a large, cancerous tumor had ruptured. He bled to death; her heart broke. They did not have good health insurance, so regular health screening was a luxury. She did not blame the health-care system or the government for her husband's death. Some would argue that if he had better health-care the tumor might have been found earlier and he might have lived. Not her. That was the dish life had handed her. No one was faulted and the government was not to blame for her sorrow. I could have sat and cried with her, but her table was ready and she left quickly.

This happened on the six month anniversary of my dad's death from lung cancer. He had great insurance for which he paid an outrageous monthly premium and lived two years through torturous cancer treatments. He was a veteran...but I never heard him once say the government owed him anything.

I tell this story today in light of the health care bill passage last evening. Health care now rests in the hands of our government....our founding fathers must be rolling over in their graves.

About that permit to have sex....she may not have been very far from wrong.

What are your thoughts regarding the health care bill passage?

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Just As I Am...Loved Unconditionally

2010-03-21T11:33:00.000-04:00

The truth that God loves me unconditionally is,

on some days,

the only reason I get out of bed.

"This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed,

because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness."

~ Lamentations 3:21-23 ~

Visit SweetSadieMarie.com every Sunday

and MckLinky up to "Just As I Am."

Sneaky Spring Weather

2010-03-20T22:01:00.001-04:00

It has been a beautiful Vernal Equinox Day in Northeast Tennessee...clear blue skies and seventy degrees; a must needed respite from the winter woes. I fear gentle spring is playing tricks on our spirits and still has a few surprises in store. The talk of the town today has been the Farmer's Almanac prediction for the biggest snowstorm of 2010 to blanket our fair state later next week. Apparently everyone in town heard this news too and needed to verify the information with the public library. Where was the local weather watcher when I needed her? I DON'T KNOW! Anyway, if we are predicting the weather by signs, I am sure precipitation is "in the air" because I have had a blasting headache all afternoon and everyone knows if I have a headache on a sunny afternoon that the barometric pressure is about to drop. Also, my big toe hurts. A sure sign of freezing rain. Plus my left elbow is squeaking (no idea what that means). My winter coat is still hanging by the door, my wool socks and thermal underwear are within arms reach and I did the bread and milk run today. Never trust a sunny day in March!

"Storm signals are up at number 17. Bit of heavy weather brewing there." (Name that movie quote.)

Join me tomorrow for Just As I Am.

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Spread A Little Sunshine Every Day

2010-03-19T23:47:00.001-04:00

Goodness gracious!!!! I looked at the clock, saw the time, and freaked! I almost forgot my NaBloPoMo for today and it is such a sweet one.

My friend Linda at See Mom Smile sent some love my way today all the way from Las Vegas, Nevada! She is a newly acquainted, hilarious mom, blogging sister who truly appreciates an off kilter librarian. Check her out! (A little library humor folks.) This is what I love most about blogging....connecting with people! The sun did indeed shine here today because of her kindness. Thanks BBF!

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

What Day Is It??????

2010-03-18T20:07:00.000-04:00

I've been a muddle-headed nincompoop today. Yes, you read that correctly. I worked on Wednesday this week where I usually work on Friday, so you can guess that I thought Wednesday was Friday, which would make me believe that today is Saturday, only it is Thursday and tomorrow is Friday and I keep thinking I have to go to work tomorrow. But I don't. I do however, have to work Saturday. So in my mind Wednesday was Friday, today has been Saturday and tomorrow should be Sunday. But it isn't. It's the Friday that I don't work. All clear? It's been a long week!

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

2010-03-17T00:01:00.001-04:00

This be me German dog Oscar....

And this be me great-great grandfather

from Ireland...

Patrick Hagan

Half Way There

2010-03-16T16:14:00.000-04:00

I am half-way through NaBloPoMo for March! "Post everyday for a month, that's all you have to do." Sure sounds easy enough but honestly some days it is tough. This time around has been made more fun because I have a couple of friends participating with me and we have encouraged one another.

Visit SweetSadieMarie and TracyIsJustSayin. Give them a word of encouragement and tell them Reading Rosie says Hello!

Keep an eye out for leprechauns tomorrow!

Thanks for reading, Rosie.