The God of Providence

This weekend has been so nice and we had a surprise on Saturday morning.

SNOW!  We ended up with 3 inches of snow. It was so much fun. God was so sweet to give us this delight. We don't get much snow in Tennessee.

It was 22 degrees when we went to church this morning!  Brrrr...we still had snow on the ground and on the trees,  I am hoping for  a white Christmas. :)

Anyway, the point to this post. Today in Sunday School we began a study in Ruth.  We were talking about times in our lives where we have seen God bless us or provide for us in lean times.

We have an elderly woman in class and she shared the coolest story.  She said it was at the end of WWII and they lived in Hungary. Their father decided to move them to Germany because he remembered what had happened when Russia invaded Hungary during WWI and he was well to do at that time but they had to leave everything behind when they moved.

She told us that they never knew where their next meal was coming from but that God had always provided for them.

She said that even though her father never smoked that God had directed him to take tobacco with them. He ended up being able to sell that for food for his family!

Because of  God's leading they were able to have enough food for their family and start over.

No matter what "famine" you may be facing right now, physical, emotional, professional, financial, God knows exactly what you need and in His providential care, God already has every single thing you need.

He provides for us out of His glorious riches.... With God ALL things are Possible!!

New Bible Study

I just thought I would share my newest Bible study that I am starting this weekend.....

We are also studying Ruth in Sunday school starting this Sunday.

I can't wait to begin .

What are you studying right now?  Let me know if you are doing this Bible study.

As for the weekend...it is cold here....I am feeling like it should be a Saturday spent in my p.j.'s and watching Christmas movies.  I enjoy watching some of the Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel.

I am making boneless ribs in the crockpot for tomorrow and gearing up to watch the SEC championship.  This will be the only time you will read this....GO GATORS!!  choke....choke.... lol

Other than that it will hopefully be a laid back weekend because I am pooped. It has been a busy week but I am loving it!!

Have a wonderful weekend AND   I am praying we get some snow this weekend!!  I would love to have a white Christmas this year . 

Show Us Your Life...Christmas Trees

Kelly at Kelly's Korner is hosting, Show Us Your Life..Christmas Trees.

I wanted to show 2 of my trees.


This is my University of Tennessee tree.  I have put this tree up for over 12 years now and each season I buy a new ornament to go on it.  It is sitting in my U.T. Vols area.   I have had many of the ornaments given to me, or some sweet ladies made the ornaments that are special to me.


The tree skirt was made by a patient of the doctor's offfice I used to work for.  I LOVE it!!

My Main Tree : This tree is for my sons. They are 21 and 19 now but they always ask me to put up this tree. It has ornaments they made when they were children,  I buy a new ornament for this tree every year, ornaments that my mom has given me over the year, ornaments from ornament exchanges and it has colored lights on it.  I would prefer white lights BUT the boys wanted colored lights. :)  For 23 years I have had this Santa figure that always stands by the tree.  The boys tell me it wouldn't be Christmas if that Santa wasn't under the tree. ;) 

My oldest son David

Rudolf

To him who believes, ALL things are Possible!

Jim Shore Ornament given to me by sweet Ga. Jan in our Siesta Ornament Exchange

My son Jason

Santa Face given to me by mom(23 yrs. old)

I hope you enjoyed your visit today and I will have more to share when Kelly and The Nester hosts the Christmas Home Tours.

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

I had a surprise today.  I got home from all our running around and we were putting up groceries and my elderly neighbor, Lillian came over to welcome us to the neighborhood.  She brought us a Christmas card and a jar of homemade apple butter.

I gave her a big ole hug!!

She didn't stay long but I learned that she was a widow. She lived alone but has a friend who takes her to lunch every now and then. Her children come over quite often and her son works for the University of Tennessee and gets the family free football tickets.  At that point I am sure I heard the angles sing and after I am not sure what happened. Just kidding.  I remember. ;)  She loved my U.T. VOLS tree and let me know she can see it from her house. lol  

I have been blown away by our sweet neighbors who have come over to say hi and introduce themselves and offer any help to us. They make me smile.

I am going to keep my eye on Lillian.  We are to care for our widows.  I can't wait to take her a fruit basket for Christmas! 

Do you have a neighbor who is special to you?

Getting To Know You: Christmas Version

GETTING TO KNOW YOU: CHRISTMAS VERSION


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I hate to gift wrap and I love bags and tissue paper and I think bags are so beautiful and cute and it really is a blessing to me and would be a blessing to you if you got a gift from me because I do not have mad wrapping skillz!!

2. Real tree or artificial? artificial. I love real trees and the smell of a real tree is awesome but I love putting my tree up before Thanksgiving and I stick with the artificial. I have 2 trees, one is decorated with ornaments my sons made when they were little and other ornaments I have bought.  The 2nd tree is my U.T. Vols tree. :)   It makes me happy. lol

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually a few days before Thanksgiving but because of the move it was a few days after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down? After New Years Day

5. Do you like eggnog?  No!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? a kitchen. I am talking old school here. Not Little Tikes. It was a full kitchen and it was brown , a stove, frig, sink, I even got a kitchen floor. Linoleum(Sp?) I was all girl. :o)


7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes. My brother-in-law bought me one for Christmas a few years ago and I love it. It is in my foyer this year.


8. Hardest person to buy for? My brother. He has all the best of any electronics you can buy and that is what he is in to and I know of nothing else to buy him .


9. Easiest person to buy for? My mother. She tells you exactly what she wants. lol


10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? appliances by my ex husband


.11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail


12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I don't have just one fav, I love ELF, Christmas Vacation, The Santa Clause 1 &2, Santa Claus is Coming to Town... etc...

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?  Usually after Thanksgiving.


14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? no


15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Peanut Butter Balls and sausage balls


16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored lights on the big tree. This one is for the boys. I prefer white lights but I gave in to them and put colored lights on their tree. I have orange and white lights on my U.T. VOLS tree. White lights are outside.

17. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night  and Sleigh Ride

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home. I love being at home. When we were little we had to travel every Christmas and we had to rush through opening presents and I didn't like it at all. I love being at home and cooking and relaxing.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes, I can. 


20. Angel on the tree top or a star?  A Big Bow.


21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning.


22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? This would be a toss up. Standing in long lines and also dealing with rude salespeople.


23. What I most love about Christmas.I love it all. I love decorating and seeing everyone else's lights and I love baking and eating. Visiting friends and family and parties and one of my favorite things to do is to go to the candlelight ceremony on Christmas Eve and take the Lord's Supper and sing and praise God. Ending with lighting our candles and singing Silent Night.

Okay, let me know if you decide to do this so I can visit your blogs and read your answers.

A Town with no Starbucks

God moved us back to the city I was born in and it is surrounded by the Smoky Mountains, simply beautiful BUT it hit me this morning as I contemplated my need for an Apple Cider Caramel drink from Starbucks. that we don't have one. :(

There has been plenty of talk of putting one in but nothing as of yet.

SO, I have a Starbucks giftcard that is burning a whole in my wallet. 

This had me thinking of small towns/big city living.  I have a friend who lives in Wyoming and she lives hours from a Wal Mart. I have one 10 minutes down the road.   I think she is better off than me. lol

Anyway, do you live in a big city or a small town? 

I found a blog recently where this family moved from the big city life to moving 500 miles away to live in the country on a farm. Her farm house is gorgeous!!  If you want to visit her and her farm house, go HERE.  You will enjoy this blog and her pictures are beautiful!  You won't believe the before and after pictures of their renovation of their farmhouse!

I have a small desire to have my very own farm house but I don't think I could live that far out, away from the conveinences that I am used to.  Could you?

Just curious.....

Weekend Re-Cap

I woke up to a gorgeous Saturday morning.  The sunrise was gorgeous and I walked outside on the front porch and we have a view of the Smokey Mountains that is so pretty!  I didn't stay outside to long because it was cold this morning!

Well, I can't believe it is the last football game of the regular season and hopefully we will be invited to a bowl game.  In fact, this would be a wonderful Christmas present for me, tickets to the bowl game and a hotel room etc.... ha!

I am being lazy on this last Saturday in November.  I am still so tired from the move/Thanksgiving.  Lazy weekends are a good thing.

We started off  football season with making hot wings and we are ending it the same way. 

I have 2 posts left on football for this year. ;)

GO VOLS!!!  YAY, we won!!!!

Sunday.....

It was so nice to get up early and take my shower and have some lazy time before church.  We had a great service today and Sunday school was fun with all the girlfriends.  We came home and heated up a plate of leftovers and it was as good today as it was on Thursday!  Afterwards, I read the paper and decided to take a nap. I haven't been able to do this in 5 months. Oh thank you Jesus for restoring things back to us!

I am not kidding, I will never take for granted having a home, a stove, a kitchen to cook in...I can't tell you how happy our family is and we love this home. 

I meant to take pictures of the home and put them on here this weekend but I have been lazy.

I promise I will show pictures of the house soon.

I do have a few prayer requests,  please pray that my sons and Georgia find jobs this week.

I love you and pray that God will cover you with His favor and pour down blessings all over you this week!!!

ALSO:

Some of you have asked me where I am getting my templates.  I found the coolest blog called, Beautiful Blog Design, HERE.

She provides links to designers who offer free templates and backgrounds.

If you want a Christmas template, head on over and check out the different designers.  Check both templates and backgrounds!