Liz's Letters

Hello there! And welcome to week 23 of my 365 Project. One picture a day for a year! Challenging? Yes! Fun? Sometimes! But the purpose... to open my eyes to the things that I might not see in my every day life things worth remembering... Here we go! Monday, October 19 It has been my goal to lose weight and for about 4 months, I have been doing just that. (total so far...about 20 pounds) One of the things that I have learned is that planning healthy meals is an ABSOLUTE MUST in order for me to make healthy choices. So, I have several cookbooks that I use. The photograph on the top book is what I made for dinner on Monday. Tuesday, October 20 We had a baby shower at work today. I took a picture of this really cute cake. Since nobody else had a camera, I ended up being the photographer for the shower. And no, I didn't have any cake. :) Wednesday, October 21 One of the biggest challenges to doing this project are the days that I go to work, go to the gym, come home to cook dinner, tak...

1. The crickets sing _ but I don't know why _. 2. _ God is with you - _wherever you are. 3. I want to get far away from _ the hateful people _. 4. _ I won the lottery _ ; this was a dream. 5. But as for me _ and my household, we will serve the Lord_. (Joshua 24:15) 6. _ I don't think much about _ where I come from, _ but more about where I want to go _. 7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _ dinner and movie with one of my best friends, Lori _, tomorrow my plans include _ cycle class, running some errands, and then fun things at home _and Sunday, I want to _ go to worship services and take it easy for the afternoon!_ For more fun Friday Fill-In answers go here: Happy, happy, Friday!!!!!

A belated Project 365 posting. Time has gotten away from me... Monday, October 12 This is a photo of Coco-nut. He is my daughter's albino parakeet. He is also very happy in this photo because his cage was very clean and his food and water were fresh. Tuesday, October 13 Shopping. It seems that Rebecca didn't have any long sleeve shirts. (really?) hmmmm. Wednesday, October 14 Rebecca and her boyfriend made rice crispy treats. There is a more entertaining photo of them preparing them, but Josh didn't want me to use it. :( Thursday, October 15 This is Rusty, our nearly 14 year old dog. He misses having all the "kids" around. Rebecca is the only one who lives at home now, and when she is gone, he doesn't know what to do. So, he sleeps on her mess, I mean, belongings, until she returns home. Friday, October 16 This is a terrible picture, but there is a transient in between the cars. This is the exit that I take to get to my office, and it is about 7:15 a.m. This ma...

A friend at work sent me this in an email today. I like it. Without God, our week would be Sinday, Mournday, Tearsday, Wasteday, Thirstday, Fightday, and Shatterday. So true.

1. So are we going to have fun at the Third Day concert next week or what ? 2. Change is what's up ahead. 3. I love to meet new people and make new friends . 4. It seems that my life always has at least a little excitement of some sort. 5. I walk a lot slower than my 6'2" husband! 6. To love and to be loved is the true elixir of life! 7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to working at the Culture & Theology (God and Sex) discussion at my church , tomorrow my plans include cycling, watching Texas Longhorns play the OU Sooners , a little cleaning, a little shopping and chaperoning a Band Competion and Sunday, I want to go to worship services, relax, and then I will have some hang out, Bible Study time with my friend, Ashley ! Go here for more Fun Friday Fill-Ins

"She was in her mid-eighties and had lived a good life." That was how my friend described the deceased woman whose funeral she attended that day. It was the type of description that we like to hear when someone in our life looses another someone in their life to the inevitable, death. But the way that the deceased was honored by her grandson, a man in his early thirties, when he described his relationship with his grandmother, now THAT is the sentence that really has made an impact. He said, "My relationship with my grandmother was the most pure relationship in my life." Pure. Wow! The description of a pure relationship was so intriguing to me that I looked up the word "pure" in the dictionary. Some of my favorites out of Merriam -Webster are these: 1 a (1) : unmixed with any other matter (2) : free from dust, dirt, or taint (3) : spotless, stainless: free from harshness or roughness and being in tune 2 a (1) : free from what vitiates...

I have been enticed by reading notes on an Internet book club over on the High Calling Blog's and hosted by by blogger friend, Laura . The book in discussion is The Wisdom Of The Wilderness by Gerald May and I have had some quick catching up to do, since I decided to join in two weeks after the discussion began. Before I started reading, I had been pondering...wondering, "Would it be possible at this time in my life for me to just get away for a weekend, even a day, alone? To think, to listen, to reflect?" I had considered a motel overnight and hesitated, thinking my family would think I was nuts, or depressed. Then I discovered my mother had spent the day at a former monastery, now a place called the Forest of Peace and I became even more intrigued by the idea. Now, reading this book, May's words capture my calling with uncanny similarity to my thoughts and yearning. The end of Chapter One (The Call) May says this about his decision to spend time - alone - at a camp...

This project is getting more and more difficult. Honestly, I feel like some days, all I do is drive to work, work, drive home, cook, and get ready for bed. Which is one of the reasons that I started this project. This week, I missed some shots while falling into that rut. We celebrated boss's day on Wednesday and had a lovely lunch. I didn't even think to take a photo. Thursday...??? hmmmm . I don't even remember Thursday. Oh, Rebecca was sick. So, here is what did get captured, with a couple of fill- In's for the days I missed. Monday, October 5 On Sunday, in the car with Rebecca and Josh, I mentioned I wanted to make chili in the crock-pot. I did. And Josh was invited to try some. I think he enjoyed it. Rebecca enjoyed having him...she actually took this picture. Tuesday, October 6 I actually watched television...but it was really on Monday. (cheating) I have decided I am going to watch "House". I have watched almost zero television for almost 15 y...

Music. Several times this week, music has been an instrument (no pun intended!) to affecting my mood. For the last twenty-four hours, I was a little grumpy. No real reason, just one of those icky moods, probably hormonally induced irritability that takes over periodically. My hubby was cranky when I got home from work yesterday and that was enough to push me into an entire day of grouchy-driven house cleaning today. While rearranging my teenage daughter's bedroom, I listened to music. Some songs were fun, and brought back lots of memories. I worked all day - her room is spotless, all her laundry washed, folded, and put away (she is at a band competition today and this will be a treat since I do not normally clean her room OR do her laundry), her bird-cage has been cleaned. Additionally, the linen closet has been emptied and refolded, and the bathrooms smell real fresh. And as each area of dirtiness became fresh and clean...songs that accompanied the changes in the house star...

Today is Friday and time for me to play the fun fill-in the blank game Friday Fill-Ins 1. Sweet dreams are coming more often these days . 2. God has wonderful blessings, especially for me. 3. Silliness is something that I still enjoy, even at my ag e. 4. I am not sure what I want to do this Halloween. 5. Outstanding or not, I will continue to exercise whatever creativity I have . 6. A week of free time is what I want right now! 7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to coming home from work and going to the football game...if it has stopped raining ! Tomorrow my plans include sprucing up the house and yard for autumn, cleaning out my linen closet, and a lazy evening reading a book and lounging with with whoever is at home and Sunday, I want to attend worship services, and watch the Dallas Cowboys win a game (I HOPE)! For more fun fill-ins visit Friday Fill-Ins Happy Weekend!

I am honored! The Wellspring Blog is a blog that I have been reading since the very beginning of my blogging hobby. Seriously. I look for her updates nearly every time I am on the computer. Her writing is beautiful and challenging and thought provoking. And her blog takes me back in time a little because her two sons remind me so much of mine when they were younger... But the first thing that caught my attention? Her profile picture. So pretty, yes. But, she is at the beach! And when I found her blog, I had only moved from the Virginia coast a year or two ago. And, if I remember right...I think the photo might have been taken at the North Carolina Outerbanks. My favorite. I comment almost every time I read her blog, because I like her posts, and it is courteous. :) This week... I won her book! Yippee! I can't wait to read it! I won!

She descends the stairs; a princess And my mind wanders back to another time, she pretended in my high heels and a fireman hat. She was not quite three Now her dress-up clothes are real, her shoes, on feet; pedicured and perfect. They spin around for me to admire her hair, and to tie her sash She came into the room a toddler and she walks out a woman. I watch her walk away, her blond hair shining in the sun Memories of my conversation, asking God for the chance to see her walk away from me, in a dress, with long hair gently on her back. His answer came perfect and now, I can only give her back to Him who blessed me with this woman, my child.

Week 20 of a picture a day for a year, and I did miss Tuesday. Since I took a couple of extra for Saturday, I am not going to fret! Here we go.... Monday, September 28 Dinner - Shrimp quesadillas I was very glad to live in a part of the country where seafood and Mexican are popular- together. This is one of my favorites, and it is very quick to prepare. Tuesday, September 29 there is no picture. :( Wednesday, September 30 I bought new rugs for my kitchen. I finally threw away the rugs that we have had for 8 years! It took me almost a month to find something that I was was willing to buy. I could not find anything close to what we had before (navy and cream). It took me two days to even take the tags off of the ones I bought. I think I can tolerate them. I would have eliminated the rugs entirely, but this is the area below the kitchen sink, and with the wood floors, there was too much water splashing to not have a rug. Thursday, October 1 I was suppose to go marching practice tonig...