Freshness

It is finally that time of year again.  My small garden is starting to bear fruit from the plants that I have planted. This year I made a row of string beans.  Much to my surprise that little small row began putting out peas by the handful.  The first batch of peas was at least the size of the bowl in the picture.  

So far, I have harvested 3 zucchinis, two bowls of string beans, and two green tomatoes.  I stewed one of the green tomatoes and I pan fried the other.  

Next week I expect to have a few bell peppers and even a few Jalapeno peppers.  The tomatoes are growing well, but I they haven't started to ripen.  

Welcome to Friday - 6.27.2014

Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up! (Prov. 12:25 NLT)

Welcome to Friday!

How are you doing?  How was your week?  How did things go for you in your neck of the woods?  How is your family doing?  I hope that you have had a great week?  I hope that you are well and that your family is doing well.  

We had a good week!  Well, make that a great week!  We are all healthy, clothed, sheltered and loved.  The minor things that didn't go as planned are merely blips on the screen and most likely blessings in disguise.  I know for sure that at least one closed door from this week pointed me in the direction of a blessing greater than I could have imagined.  So, in retrospect, "I'll take it was a great week for $1000 Alex." 

The older girls, Cassarra and Gabbi, have been away at Salkehatchie Summer service.  They are working on repairing houses for families in Aiken.  They both seem to be enjoying the work, time away from home, and the bonding.  Gabbi reported that she is also loving the nightly sweets they provide after dinner.  Cassarra is enjoying having time away with friends from church, old friends from last year's camp, and Gabbi & Arianna being with her.  Sydney and Paige have missed their big sisters.  It was really funny to hear them say it out loud, especially, when just days ago they both were complaining about their older sisters.  I guess it is too true, absence does make the heart grow fonder.  Sydney said she misses being the backup sister for things like playing with Ava and Emma, fetching them from rooms that they shouldn't be in, and helping get going as needed.

Sydney and Paige seem to have taken this time to enjoy more time with mom, more freedom, and a much needed break from sharing a room.  Sydney is enjoying spending time in Cassarra's room while Paige has turned their room into her own cave.  

Ava and Emma haven't missed a beat.  On Monday we spent time playing dolls together.  Sydney and Paige refused to play with Ava for some reason.  I decided to give it a shot, and I had the most fun in years crawling around with Ava and Emma.  Ava's eyes were so wide as she watched me pick up a doll and make funny voices.  We played for only a few minutes before dinner while Sydney and Paige looked on an teased.  The next day, the four of them were playing dolls.  Watching Ava and Emma laugh and play, as well as, hearing Ava ask me to keep playing was the best part of the week.

All in all a very great week.  Trish is doing well.  She had a very busy week getting the girls ready for camp, handling the smaller kids summer schedule, and keeping Ava and Emma going.  I continue to look for her Super Woman cape and boots and try to help.  I am so thankful for her love and wisdom.  Like Sydney and Paige she missed the girls too.  They went off to camp and barely called.

This weekend I will be traveling with the older girls to Alabama.  We will be joining a party for my grandfather's 90th birthday.  I'm looking forward to the trip.  

I hope you have a great day and have a wonderful weekend.  I hope you enjoy your family, friends and loved ones.  Welcome to Friday!  Have a great day and a wonderful weekend.

Welcome to Friday!

  

May the Eternal give you the strength to continue 

your journey, and being strengthen and renewed 

may you run your race with new energy, joy and passion.

May the Everlasting Lord bring delight to your days and 

bless you and your family always.

With love (& in triumph),
Cassius 

Welcome to Friday - 06.20.2014

 Welcome to Friday! 

May the Lord give you increase Psalm 115:15a

I started my morning with thoughts and prayers for my friends and family.  My prayer is that things for you this week were better than you expected and amazing.

I had a great week filled from top to bottom with blessings and joy.  We had an awesome weekend and enjoyed time with the girls, and got the week off to a great start.  On Father's Day they gave me candy (always a hit), homemade cards, and a cool card from the Disney movie "Up."  We didn't make it down to Georgetown, the only downside of the weekend, b/c I was a guest speaker on Sunday at a friend's church in Rock Hill, SC and I was the featured speaker at a presentation on Monday.  

Sydney and Paige have spent the week with friends at Vacation Bible School.  They were invited by Sydney's classmate and one of her friends.  Once they arrived, it was more like a school reunion.  Paige was meeting friends from school and her class, as was Sydney.  Those two have really enjoyed their time away from the house so much.  I'm sure Trish has enjoyed getting them busy and having a small break.  

Cassarra and Gabbi are preparing to go off for a week to summer service camp.  They are part of 11 youths from our church going to Salkehatchie Summer service.  They will spend a week in Aiken working to repair houses in the area.  I think they will be working on up to four homes.  This is Cassarra's 3rd year and Gabbi's first.  Cassarra can't wait to go.  Gabbi on the other hand has been a little less excited.  They have spent the week trying to get the supplies they needed.  I find it funny that they have waited until this week to get the items they knew they needed all year.  Luckily for me I stock piled a few of the items earlier in the year.  Unfortunately, some of the items are common household things and were "borrowed" by someone and not returned.  

Ava and Emma are making new milestones.  Some of these milestones are good, and some are not so good.  The good:  Ava has been learning to go to the bathroom all by herself with only one accident all week.  Emma has finally returned to a sleeping routine that includes a daily nap and going to bed on time.  The not so good:  Ava decided to help us polish the banister and stairs by putting hair grease on them.  Emma has learned how to climb into the chairs.  She uses her new skill to forage for abandoned plates, left behind by unsuspecting sisters.  Once upon a time Emma could only reach those items left on the edge of the table.  Now she climbs into the chair and can reach pretty much anything that is left out.  Also included in the not so good:  Ava and Emma climbing on the table and Ava trying to swing on the chandelier (I am reasonably confident we addressed that one and we won't have that problem with her again).  Ava not wanting to take naps or go to bed on time.  

Trish and I spent time looking through more pictures from the mountain trip, old photos and updating some photo albums.  We have been working a lot to get Cassarra and Gabbi ready for their trip and enjoying Sydney and Paige's stories from VBS.  Yesterday we took a walk through the mall to laugh and chat.  It was a good trip.  I love walking with Trish and the mall gave us a great place to stroll without all the heat and humidity.  Plus, I can watch Trish window shop and get ideas for later.

All in all it was a really good week.  I'd like to think the week went so well that waking up to a flat tire this morning wasn't too bad.  Thankfully changing a tire is one of the life lessons I can easily recall from those my dad taught.  It took a few minutes, but I got the tire off and the new one on in pretty good time and no injuries.  My tire had a screw in it.  Thankfully it went flat at home and before work.  It would have been horrible timing if it went out at any other point.  God is so good.

I hope that you have had a good week.  I hope that your weekend will be even better.  May your weekend be loaded with love of family and friends and all those who mean the most to you.  God's blessing to you always.

A thought to keep:

When things are toughest remember you can turn to the One 

whose name is Eternal, Almighty, Everlasting, 

Wonderful Counselor, King of Kings and LORD of Lords.  

Place your hope and "trust in the Lord forever, 

for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal" (Isaiah 26:4).  

In all things you have a source of favor and strength.  He is a refuge, 

a strong tower, a rock and solid foundation for the storms and trials of life.

Welcome to Friday!

With love (& in triumph),
Cassius

Come to my senses

When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. Luke 15:17 - 18 NIV

The verse from above in the Gospel according to Luke is one of my favorite Bible stories.  One of the reasons why I love this story is the way Luke writes the story of the prodigal son.  It is written in such a way that it allows the reader, in this case me, the freedom to walk in and realize that I am in the story.  Luke captures the parable of Jesus perfectly.  Certainly Jesus wanted each of us, especially me, to see ourselves in the story.  And if I am in the story, then the promises, the love, and the forgiveness that Christ grants is mine too!

This verse has the same quality as many other verses about prodigals, sinners, saints, and Christ's everlasting love.  For example, the tax collector beating on his chest, or Peter boldly walking out of the boat and panicking because he took his eyes off Jesus.  Or even the Passion stories where Peter says that he was willing to go to prison and even die, but then running in fear when the going got tough.  I love these stories.

Okay, now back to the story of the prodigal son.  I simply love this story because I can relate to the son who is wayward and lost.  Many people wouldn't think so, and I don't want to exaggerate, but I often feel like I was that same starving son!  Man was I hungry and thirsty!  I'd did just about anything.  There were times when I dated or tried to date just about anyone.  After growing some in faith, my focus shifted from "bad" things to "less than the best things."  I can remember how I said yes to every request to serve, worked hard and faster to feel worthy, and tried to find satisfaction in all kinds of other things.  I tried food and overeating; big clothes and flashy clothes; making, spending and relying on money; heaping up possessions, exercise and a host of distractions.

Nothing fed me, satisfied or filled my deepest need.  I was starving and the voice of God brought me to my senses.  Not just once, but it seems like repeatedly.  From each far off place I drift, God calls me back to himself with the reminder:

How many of my Father's servants have food, clothing, shelter, relationship, love and grace enough and to spare.  Why should I keep eating junk, longing for the world's slop when my father has more and better food falling down as crumbs from his table?  Why should I starve?  Why should I settle for less than the fullness of Christ?

I'd like to think that I am finally winning.  Finally coming back to my senses.  I believe and declare that I have, I am, and I am coming to my senses.  I declare that in my Father's house is where I want to be and it is where I belong.  I proclaim that in my Father's house is where I am and I am headed there for eternity.  And by the way, in my Father's house is where you belong too!  

Let us come to our senses and turn to God and return to Him.

With love (& in triumph),

Cassius

Welcome to Friday - 6.13.14

Welcome to Friday!!

What an awesome day!  Today, is going to be  great day!  With great joy, abundant hope and heartfelt love I say, "Welcome to Friday!"

I have kept you in my thoughts and prayers and even now my thoughts are to you for your good and God's favor.  

I have had a very interesting week!  Last week Thursday and Friday I was on vacation, enjoying the amazing views of the Tennessee mountains.  It was an amazing trip spanning the entire weekend.  Trish has some pictures that are just breathtaking.  The mountains look like they are draped in a beautiful white vale that lifts to reveal a lush unspoiled green landscape, and then falls again to drape softly over the peaks again.  

Even though the ride up to the mountains is filled with curves and drops that required me to keep both hands on the wheel at all times, it was worth it to get some of the mental images and the actual photos.  After seeing all of this I can totally agree with the Psalmist who declares that the heavens declare the glory of God (Ps 19:1).  There are some beautiful sunsets in the mountains, and it was amazing to watch the rain clouds forming and moving in down below you as you ascended up.  The best part of the weekend was spending time with family and playing Dominos.  I'd never played before and my mom took me to school.  It was brutal, but filled with memories.  

I say all of that to explain why this week was so interesting.  After returning from the trip, we were all spent.  Ava and Emma haven't returned to their sleep patterns yet.  Neither have Trish and I returned to ours either.  Not to mention going back to work for two days of meetings was not pleasant when you still have the memories of fresh air, beautiful mountains and an amazing cabin in your mind.  

Wednesday and Thursday were very nice days.  At work we had more meetings.  At home we spent Wednesday night looking through old photos.  We found some from when the kids were so small.  They look totally different.  It is amazing how much time flies.  I had several of Matthew and Cassarra sitting together playing.  We had a good time looking at photos, reminiscing about old times, looking at how much the younger girls look like their sisters, and admiring all of the evolution in our family.  The coolest pictures were two of Gabbi and Cassarra and Trish playing dress up.  It was also very funny to show some of the pictures to Ava and here her recognize some and say of other, including one of Trish in high school, that she "didn't know" who it was.  

Thursday night was pizza night at the dinner table.  We chatted about the week, the trip to TN, the plans for summer and just relaxed.  Even though I'm not taking in the breathtaking views, this has been a great week.  I'm just so thankful that God blesses us all with moments that can take our breath away, and loved ones and friends that we can share life with.

I hope you have a great day, and an amazing weekend.  

An interesting quote from an article

I feel like I'm winning the fight. It's not over, but I think I'm winning now. - Mike Tyson

With hope, love and prayers for your blessing and God's favor upon you and yours - Welcome to Friday!

With love (& in triumph),
Cassius

May the Eternal, who opens eyes and hearts,

open our eyes and hearts to the full 

potential of who we are and who He is.

And through seeing and believing, we may have

the courage, grace, and strength we need always.