Tuesday, June 12, 2012

BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS

REFRESHED. ENCOURAGED. LOVED. FILLED UP TO OVERFLOWING. HAPPY. FULL OF JOY. RESTED. I HAVE BEEN COVERED IN LOVE AND BLESSINGS THE PAST WEEK. THANK YOU, LORD, FOR ALL THE PEOPLE YOU SENT TO BLESS MY BIRTHDAY WEEK. I STARTED THE WEEK BEING PAMPERED AND SHOWERED WITH LAUGHTER, INCREDIBLE FOOD (DID YOU SEE THE AWESOME CUCUMBER BOWLS MY TALENTED FRIEND JUDY MADE???) AND WITH GIFTS TOO. EDIFYING WORDS ARE PART OF MY LOVE LANGUAGE AND I RECEIVED LOTS OF CARDS AND E-MAILS. THANK YOU, LORD, FOR NUDGING PEOPLE TO SEND ME WORDS OF LOVE. LAST WEDNESDAY, MY DAUGHTER, AMYBETH, GAVE ME A WONDERFUL GIFT. A TRIP TO PHOENIX, ARIZONA. WE MEET UP WITH TWO OF MY "ADOPTED" DAUGHTERS, KATIE GARRETT AND STACY OKLAND. (WHERE WERE YOU GINNY? WE MISSED YOU.) WE SPENT 4 DAYS RECALLING GOD'S FAITHFULNESS IN OUR LIVES. STACY AND KATIE HAVE BEEN AMYBETH'S BEST FRIENDS SINCE 5TH GRADE. THE GIRLS LIVE ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES BUT TRY TO GET TOGETHER EVERY YEAR (THAT IS EVERY YEAR THEY ARE NOT HAVING BABIES.) THEY PICK RIGHT UP AS IF THEY SEE EACH OTHER EVERYDAY. THEY SHARE WHAT THE LORD IS DOING IN THEIR LIVES AND ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER TO PERSEVERE TO BE THE GODLY WOMEN THEY ARE. I AM SO VERY PROUD OF THEM ALL. EACH OF THEM HAVE 3 CHILDREN!!!! PSALM 119:90..."YOUR FAITHFULNESS CONTINUES THROUGH ALL GENERATIONS." WE DID NOT STRAY FAR FROM THE HOTEL. WE FLOATED IN THE LAZY RIVER, SWAM, SLIDE DOWN THE WATER SLIDE...AND I TOOK REFRESHING WATERFALL BATHS IN THE 103 DEGREE WEATHER. I ENJOYED GETTING UP EARLY IN THE MORNING COOLNESS, SITTING OUTSIDE WITH THE RABBITS AND BUNNIES IN THE CACTUS GARDEN, SKETCHING AND DOING LITTLE WATERCOLOR PICTURES. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!!!! THE GIRLS WOULD JOIN ME FOR COFFEE LATER IN THE MORNING. NO INTERRUPTIONS FOR CHILDCARE....JUST UNINTERRUPTED FELLOWSHIP. WHAT A GIFT LORD! THANK YOU. IT WAS SO PEACEFUL. GROWING OLDER IS DELIGHTFUL. THE LORD REMINDED ME, AS I WAS LOOKING UP AT THE PALM TREES AS I LAID BACK IN MY INNER TUBE AND FLOATED PEACEFULLY ALONG! PSALM 92:12-14....SAYS IN A PERSONALIZED WAY, KATIE, YOU WILL FLOURISH LIKE A PALM TREE...FLOURISHING IN THE COURTS OF GOD, AND STILL BEARING FRUIT IN OLD AGE! HOW ENCOURAGING IS THAT? I AM THANKFUL FOR MY GOOD HEALTH. FOR BOB'S GOOD HEALTH. FOR LIVING CLOSE TO MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. MY SON,ROB, MY GOURMET CHEF, SMOKED SOME DELICIOUS BAR-B-QUE AND BROUGHT IT TO NEWNAN ON SUNDAY, AFTER WE GOT HOME. HE ALSO MADE A SPECIAL TRIP TO GET PETIT-FORS(SP) FOR ME....YUM. HE MADE ME A DARLING WATERING CAN FILLED WITH HERBS AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS POURING OUT WATER (REALLY RECYCLED FISHING LINE!!!) HE IS VERY CREATIVE AND TALENTED. ALSO, THE MOST THOUGHTFUL GIFT GIVER I KNOW. BOB ALSO GOT ME A CAKE WITH DAISIES ON TOP....MY FAVORITE FLOWER. SUGAR OVERLOAD!!! I AM JUST FILLED UP TO OVERFLOWING!!!! THANK YOU LORD FOR EACH DAY. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE LOVE YOU POURED OUT ON ME THROUGH YOUR CREATION. THROUGH THE PEOPLE IN MY LIFE. I AM TRULY BLESSED. I AM TRULY AT REST. PSALM 116:7 "BE AT REST ONCE MORE, O MY SOUL, FOR THE LORD HAS BEEN GOOD TO YOU."