Ok, the US Postal System has a serious side, but

....as you can see by the light drawings in these stamps that the US Government has "feelings" and puts out stamps with the word LOVE, with flowers, turtle doves, sexy strawberries (remember Hieronymous Bosch ) and butterflies... How sweet!

I also found and purchased a stamp that has an iridescent "Celebrate" on it.
How much fun we have with our Postal Services...

I have lived many years, but today, I saw something I have never seen in a Post Office before. I was in line behind a friendly looking older lady. An older man, comfortable in cut-offs, was mailing two packages. ONE was in a Saltines Cracker blue box and the other ONE was a Leggo Eggo yellow Box.
This lady in front of me and I could not help but notice that the Post Man behind the counter had weighed and was putting stamps on these boxes.
I quietly said to my new friend in front of me, "Maybe he is mailing crackers and waffles to his MOM." "How sweet."

This lady turned and said, "I can't believe that they don't have to be wrapped in brown paper with string or in a brown box with tape." "Actually," I told her, "I didn't think a Saltine box could hold up without being crushed.

It was really hard for me to keep a straight face. Quietly, I leaned into and turned to this unknown lady that still had a smile on her face and said, "Think they would let me mail a tampon box to my daughter?" Haha! We both laughed...
I love retired life!!!

How much is money worth???

This is Jen and me but,
I am so blessed to know someone who has given her life to help children with Aids in South Africa.
I have been praying for Ashley for many years. She lives a Spartan life in Capetown. The children run to her when she walks down the street. She easily manifests God's love.
Ashley is in town for a couple of weeks raising money to help her live a little easier. She asked me if I would pledge $10.00 a month at a prayer meeting last Sunday afternoon. Really, that is a hamburger at Ruby Tuesday's! I asked her what $10.00 would buy. She said it would pay for about 10 days transportation of her coming and going to work on a train. I am so spoiled. I just go outside and get in my car and take the dog to get her nails clipped for $9. How mundane.

What a life! Ashley is not with any organization beside our church in Nashville who has offered to help her with basic needs. This is her second decade down there. She says it is "home" and "can't wait to get back." I smile. She is a beautiful young 30 year old. I see Ashley's earthly father, Bill, take a deep breath, hug Ashley and encourage her even more to follow the Lord. I know those words must choke in his throat as he says them, however, Bill knows that God will keep her, because HE promises to keep his children.

Personally, I think that maybe it could have been my daughter. She is about the same age; so I love Ashley all the more for Who He Is in her. I thank the LORD that He is raising up young people, who know the Presence of the Holy Spirit, and simply trust and obey God and follow Him.

What faith in action. Thank you Jesus. Wanted to share Jesus with you today.

There I was...

It's Saturday...

One moment I am in the prayer room at Brentwood updating a Prayer Request Book to see how we can pray. Next, I am praying with a lady named "Sally," whose son has just come out of jail with 6 months probation, drinks too much, doesn't want anything to do with church, and will begin summer school on Monday.
We pray together. She is so thankful for the call. It had been 6 months since anyone had contacted her. I tell her that Christ is the only hope and to trust Him
for everything.
On the way out the prayer room door, I ask the Lord,
"Is this what you want me to do?" "Pray with people?"

Then, I leave, stop in for a late lunch and in 10 minutes I am arm in arm with a great big cow at ChickFilet.
Hot Dog! What a rush. I love being retired.

Do you see a Rabbit and Lexi ?

Notice the RABBIT in the wooded area of the photo???
Well let me tell you first about Lexi who caught a chipmunk last week.
Lexi and I stepped outside the apartment to see a chipmunk run across my feet and around the backside of an air conditioner. The chipmunk was heading away from the building across 50 feet to the wooded trees when Lexi saw it and took off running...however, Lexi was taking a trajectory that would put her in front of the chipmunk. Sure enough, the chipmunk ran right into Lexi. Lexi grabbed it by the neck and to heaven for the chipmunk! All this happened in 6 seconds.
Lexi was tossing it in the air by the time I got there to discard its little lifeless broken-neck body! I restrained Lexi with my left hand, cautiously leaned over to pick it up by the tail with my right to pitch it into the wooded area. Lexi jumped up out of my hand. grabbed it, and came down with it. Gross! I was left with an inch of hair off its tail in my hand. Yuk! I grabbed Lexi again, yelling to keep from vomiting, and now I had to grab the closed-eyed lifeless chipmunk by its hairless little toothpick-white tail and give it a swing into the bushes. It was all over. Whew!!!

Ever see a chipmunk run? Lexi and the chipmunk were so very fast!!! It dawned on me....Squirrels keep getting away from Lexi because they climb the first tree. Chipmunks don't appear to climb, so they have to out-run what is chasing them...

Back to my purpose....Well, when I saw a LITTLE RABBIT (in the picture) take off to the wooded area. I thought, "Oh NO! not another Lexi experience." But Lexi did not see it. Whew! I was even able to use my camera to photograph it a few times! Since Lexi never chases anything into the wooded area, I was expecting the rabbit to just hop inside... What was wrong? I was scared Lexi would chase and kill it also.

As you see in the photo, the rabbit stopped where it is in the photo and would not move.
Lexi knew something was going on...she kept looking around but did not see or smell the rabbit. So quickly, I put Lexi on the leash and the restrained Lexi and I chased the rabbit into the woods.
Whew! Mama! I have got to get a life!

Puzzled

Alright..there are people who love puzzles. I thought I did.
In my newly retired life, I have gotten interested in putting together puzzles so I went looking for a puzzle. I finally found one at the Dollar Store and bought me a One Dollar $1 Puzzle. (This is it in the picture.)
I did not realize a couple of things about puzzles: First, that the pieces on a cheap puzzle are all the same size and fit each other at all angles no matter what the picture is on the front. Second, each of the pieces of the puzzle do not interlock. Therefore, when I began putting this Boat puzzle together, all the pieces would move if I talked or sneezed! What was that all about?
It didn't take long for me to figure out that I could quickly remedy this problem by taking the Tacky Glue (that you see in the photo) and put some on each two pieces that fit correctly.

By time I finished the puzzle, it appeared laminated. Stiff, but nicely laminated!
So as you can see, I have hung its stiff self on the wall with a push pen...ha! That was fun.

Don't ask about the pieces that are missing. Since it was fast drying tacky glue that I used to put the 500 pieces together, I had lost my finger prints on my index fingers and thumbs from pulling the excess glue off of my fingers. Live and Learn! No more cheap puzzles for me, thank you!

There is a Balm in Gilead

Early this morning the radio alarm started. I heard the news of Cairo, Egypt. They were saying that after a week of peaceful confrontation in the streets, those Egyptians for and those against the President leaving office were now throwing bombs (moletov cocktails) at each other.
I quietly said "Hello" to the Lord in prayer and in my mind began singing the hymn, "There is a Balm in Gilead" or was that Cairo? Balm or bomb? Then I woke up...

I was still sleepy and petted the dog thinking how I needed to bathe her today. Reaching over the covers, I sleepily lay my hand across my chest; but felt some hard bumps at the bottom of my breast. I startled and thought, "Oh no! a lump!" I quickly got up, moved the covers away, to find two small buttons that were on my jammy. Whew! What a way to wake up! I quickly got up and thanked the Lord I didn't feel anything...
Good Morning Vietnam!!!

What is Sylvia doing these days?