Cleaning ....

I am "purging" and trying to get rid of some of the junk I tend to collect! I was talking to a friend who was telling me a terrible time they are having trying to get through the "stuff" her sister-in-law had left when she passed away unexpectedly ... it made me feel guilty about the mess I would be leaving my family should such a thing happen to me so I'm trying to go through my stash and get rid of some stuff! You wouldn't even believe how much I have! I have pretty much a room full of craft stuff (scrapbooking, stamping, cardmaking, painting supplies and books, etc., etc.) I used to buy it when I was working, thinking that when I retired, I would have all this free time to do nothing but sit and play at my crafts! Well, I have never been so busy and have no idea how I had time to work!! I spend too much time on the computer for one thing, spend a lot of time with my grandbabies (which I wouldn't change for anything!!) and seem to be on the go all the time. I guess I just had things prioritized and organized better knowing I had to when I worked. I've thought about getting a part time job (to pay for my US shopping habit!!) but I don't know when I would have time to do that!! When I do get it somewhat organized, I must take some pictures so you can see just how much "stuff" I still will have, even after the "purging"!! Sara ... I wish you were closer so I could give some to you!!
I have some great little books so I am going to put some of the little quotes in them here ... some days that may be all I'll be putting in but hopefully they will give someone a lift or some encouragement or whatever!!

"I often share that the love of God is like this little prayer: 'Lord, I have sinned and fallen away from You. I am no longer worthy to be called your child.' God's reply: 'My child, I know, but My Son is eternally worthy to be called your Saviour.' That is the love of God." (from Joy Jumps by Barbara Johnson)

Another update with pictures ...

Ramona, Debbie and Gina in the back of my van on the way to N.S. Helen and Raquel Rodden got the middle seats!
Kristen Cogswell (Nathan's fiancee) got the front seat!
Ramona, Debbie & Gina at our Pyjama Party (on the way to which someone tried to pick me up ... me trying to do right and be good and look what happens, even at a Ladies Retreat ... I must look really good in my nightee!!)
It was fun to have the younger generation joining in this year ... Ashley Mawhinney Lomax, Sally Burrill Deschenes, Carla Walsh (from Nfld.), Raquel Rodden and Kristen Cogswell.
Bev in the morning after our late Sisters night at Kay cottage on Lake Utopia ... quite a sight!! Kay lighting the fire for us!
You can tell how good the stew was ... this is my plate ... sopped up completely with my yummy roll from the little Bakery in St. George!!
Bev ... contemplating life I guess!
Kay preaching to us!!

Kay enjoying her stew!!

Bevvie eating her stew at our Sisters Night at Lake Utopia!

Britt and Brandon ready to go trick or treating!

My 4 grandbabies ... Emma, Brittany, Brandon & Joe (who look so happy to be there!!)

Joey ready to go Trick or treating (with his dog, Jack)

Our little cat, Emma, with my cat, Goofy, tired out after Trick or Treating

Emma ready for her school Halloween Party

Emma and Britt playing in the leaves!I can't believe how time flies and how busy I am ... hopefully now that winter is approaching, I will be home more and keep up with this a bit more although my life will be pretty boring so other than the kids and family news, my blog will no doubt be just as boring! Emma recently had her ears pierced ... her decision and she never cried when she got them done although the look of shock that came over her face when they hit the guns was priceless. We warned her it was going to hurt but I don't think she realized just how much! She is into calling people herself on the phone right now so she wanted to call everyone and tell them her news about the ears but no one was home. She finally got a friend and we heard her lamenting about how no one was home and then she says very seriously: "I woulda called Bubba (her great grandfather who passed away last year) 'cause I knowed he would have been home but I don't know God's number" ... Lynn and I just cracked up! Then she wanted to call her grandfather but Doug must have put her off so she came down to me and says quite indignantly: "Nannie, you must know Grandpaw's number 'cause I know you used to be married to him!" ... I laughed and told her the number and while she was talking to him, he must have asked where she was or something because she says "I'm downstairs ... here with your old wife!" ... we just roared! I saw him at a funeral last week and he says "Well, hello old wife!" ... I think I have a new title!! Lynn was telling me that the last time they were out there, she says to him "I think Nannie should come out here and live with you and Marilyn can go and live at her place" ... makes you wonder what goes on in their head, doesn't it?? She is a constant source of amusement right now ... a lot of grown up conversation without the proper meaning always behind the words. Here are some pictures for you. A couple of the kids at Halloween and some of the Ladies Retreat in Nova Scotia (I was hoping you would have been there, Gail!!), a couple at our "Sisters Night at Kay's Cabin, etc. Those of you on Facebook may have already seen them out there!

Update with Pictures!

Once again, it's been over a month since I posted! I spent the remainder of the summer in Maine as much as possible as I knew once September came and school started, it would be the end! Even though I intended to go down by myself through the week, that just hasn't happened. For one thing, I got the flu/cold bug and was pretty much down for the first 2 weeks of September. Antibiotics have been taken and hopefully I've beat it! However, the whole house now has it so hopefully we won't keep passing it around and around!!

I went to Living Waters Christian Campground in Maine for the Labour Day weekend with Natalie and her kids (Brandon & Brittany). It was fun ... other than the mouse that came with the cabin we rented! Of course, we didn't catch it until the last day! He was pretty brazen ... walked right up the stairs beside my bed while I had the light on reading and turned around and gave me a dirty look and continued on his journey! I'm not terrified of them but I don't really want them walking that close to me!! Needless to say, I didn't get a lot of sleep! The evangelist was Wendell Calder and he was very good! The theme for the weekend was the book of I Timothy and entitled "How a Christian Should Act in Church" ... I think it could have been more aptly titled "How a Christian Should Act." He certainly didn't pull any punches ... stated emphatically that absolutely, 100%, no way should a woman EVER be a pastor ... and went on to say that they shouldn't be Head of the country either, especially the one who is trying to get in now! Then he said "if you're not a member of a good, bible-believing, fundamental Baptist church now, then get into one." You may not be able to sing, preach, etc., but you can pray faithfully, be encouraging, etc. He said the problem with most churches today is that they preach "sermonettes" for "christianettes". Some say any church will do but this is not so. The average person goes to church when they are "hatched, matched and dispatched!" Some other things that grabbed my attention: My identity should be who I am in Christ, not what happened in my life. I am a sinner, a child of God, an object of God's grace. God is not working for my comfort or ease but for my growth. I should be willing to be sent anywhere, to serve anyone and to sacrifice anything.

The criteria for a Godly person is one who accepts the word of God and saturates his life with the book, one who acts in the will of God and one who is active in the work of God. The characteristics of a Godly person is one who is perfect (complete, mature, developed, full grown), thoroughly furnished unto all good works (of God) and thoroughly equipped (in the will of God). The construction of a Godly person ... only God can produce a Godly person but we can be an instrument in the need of God in encouraging, teaching and helping someone along. We are also to be content ... to be Godly and content is very difficult but what we need to aim for. You must be a person of fine character. Character is what you really are whereas reputation is what people think you are. A Godly person is known by what he flees from (sin), what he follows after (righteousness) and what he fights for (the good fight of the faith). They are also known by who they are faithful to!

Enough preaching for today! I was just blessed by the whole weekend ... the Darrts and Speers were there ... I hadn't realized that the father/grandfather of the Darrts has written over 500 songs and one of them is "God on the Mountain" which is one of my favourites! I came away very encouraged ... and incidentally I was very apprehensive about going as it is through Natalie's church and I wasn't sure just what to expect. Actually, Kay & Phil, Adam & Julie, Nathan & Kristan, Kevin & Joy and their boys and families and Faith & Brent and their family were all there too ... you'll see Kay being a goof in one of the pictures! There are some of the trailer and lake in Maine where I've been all summer too, along with Emma on her first day of school!! Oh, there is one of John Lenihan and the boys stirring the sauce for the pizza casserole on the floor out at camp during the Young Adults Retreat! This is the night they all felt sorry for me and took over the kitchen to help me ... they were awesome! What a great crew!!

Aprons

I just looked back and it has been over a month since I last posted something ... where has the time gone?? I have been at the trailer with Joey and Emma through the weeks and generally come home on Friday when their parents arrive and then back down Sundays for another week! We are having fun swimming, playing games, bbqing, reading and just generally hanging out ... and of course I am spending way too much money shopping in the US!! I'm going to have to get a part time job to support my habit!! My camera is down there so when I bring it home, I'll put on some pictures. I have also been out at camp cooking ... Family Camp, Middle School Camp and the Young Adults Retreat. What a blessing that has been!! I really know how old I am though! I'm still tired ... can't seem to catch up!!

Here is a little story that immediately brought Gail Fosmark to mind ... along with the ladies out at camp ... Nancy Smith always keeps a rack of fresh aprons sewed out there for everyone! (I'll try to be a little more up to date with my blog!!)

APRONS

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that "old-time apron" that served so many purposes.Send this to those who would know, and love the story about Grandma's aprons.

REMEMBER: Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

A Tired Cook!!

Now I know exactly how old I am ... too old to stand on my feet and cook for 12 or 14 hours straight ... counseling was a piece of cake compared to this!! It was fun but am I tired! I signed up for a whole week for middle camp?? What was I thinking?? I did get some pictures ... not as many as I wanted to but I couldn't get out of the kitchen!! I will download them from the camera this week and post them for you. You girls who remember the old bathrooms with 1 shower that you had to sneak into in the dead of night would be impressed with the new ones. There are about 5 big roomy private shower stalls and that many toilets too!! The rest is pretty much the same other than the new building for staff (of course, right girls??) and electricity in the cabins!! I stayed in #6 (next to our old #5 and I thought "if only those walls could talk!!" Anyhow, here is a little story that someone sent me that I thought was cute as well as thought provoking! Enjoy!!

THE CROSS
A young man was at the end of his rope, seeing no way out, he dropped to his knees in prayer
"Lord, I can't go on," he said. "I have too heavy a cross to bear." The Lord replied, "My son, if you can't bear its weight, just place your cross inside this room. Then, open that other door and pick out any cross you wish."
The man was filled with relief and said, "Thank you Lord," and he did as he was told. Upon entering the other room, he saw many crosses; some so large the tops were not visible. Then, he spotted a tiny cross leaning against a far wall. "I'd like that one, Lord," he whispered. The Lord replied, "My son, that is the cross you just brought in."
When life's problems seem overwhelming, it helps to look around and see what other people are coping with. You may consider yourself far more fortunate than you imagined.
YOUR CROSS
Whatever your cross
Whatever your pain
There will always be sunshine
After the rain
Perhaps you may stumble
Perhaps even fall
But God's always there
To help you through it all

Cooking for Kids

I am on my way to Family Camp on Wednesday to cook with Shelly. I will be helping out in the kitchen as much as I can fit in with my babysitting job! I am going for the whole week of Middle Camp because 3 of my grandbabies will be there so I'm only leaving one for them to find a babysitter for! I am so thankful to be able to work again ... as far as I'm concerned, you can't grow if you're not working in the church ... at least that's how it works for me! I sat there, Sunday after Sunday, biting at the bit when I would hear them calling for help so I am very, very happy to now be able to respond!
Some great news for those of you who know Faith (Brewer) Nagle ... her husband got saved today!! Faith is busy crying and rejoicing today ... and I am so very happy for her. My daughter and granddaughter recently got baptized so God is very good, isn't he?? I think my worst fault is not having patience and leaving things to happen in God's time, not mine! I give up far too easily and just say to myself, "it's a lost cause - they'll never get saved" and so on and even slack off or even stop praying for people that are dear to me. These things were a real challenge to me to pray unceasingly, fervently and earnestly for people, even to weep and ask God to spare them until they realize their need to be saved.
Anyhow, as I was preparing for camp, I was making my old standby muffins (I don't know how many of these I made for my youth group a few years ago) and thought I would pass the recipe on for those of you who don't have it. It is great to make with kids ... Emma makes them almost every week for her and Joey ... she actually knows the recipe off by heart and probably could make them herself now! I often make them in the mini muffin tins and use miniature chocolate chips for something different!
Extra Chocolatey Banana Muffins
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup mashed banana (aro 3)
1 cup, rounded, chocolate chips
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
In mixing bowl, whisk together egg, oil and sugar; stir in chocolate chips. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; stir into mixture just until moistened. Spoon into 12 greased muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Emma actually moans as she eats them ... what better testimony can I give you about how appealing they are to kids ... and kind of healthy too!
I'll try to get some good shots while out at camp to put on for you! I'm going to miss the Fosmarks being there but I understand he is being operated on the 28th so I guess they won't be there!!

Update

I know I am being very slow in posting but I guess I'm just too busy!?!?! How did I ever work, raise 2 kids as a single mom and keep up with everything?? I have no idea!! Since I last posted, I went before the deacons at church which went very well ... and then before the church membership on Wednesday night where I lost it! That was not supposed to happen! I had very good little notes and forgot to even look at them ... I don't even know what I ended up saying but did cry but finally got it back together so was able to finish up and was voted in as a re-member! Now I can go to work! Shelly Courser already has me lined up to work at camp with her and Lorraine said she could use me whenever ... I didn't even have to sign up ... just show up! Looks like I'll be even busier! I was at the trailer with Lynn and the kids for the weekend and we brought back a bunch of chicken and 4 turkeys for camp ... I'll pick up more every time I'm down for them as it is a lot cheaper!

I wanted to show you this awesome project that Emma did in preschool for her Dad for Father's Day ... Hope it turns out ... it's a keeper for sure! He says he has no idea where she got the "moon is made of cheese" thing because he never told her any such thing ... guess that's all she could think of at the time! Talk to you again soon!