Thanksgiving

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise, give thanks to Him and praise His name". ~Psalm 100:4

What a wonderful verse! Not only for this wonderful holiday of the year...but throughout the years as well. We are so blessed friends.

I am thankful for:

The ups - the easy parts of life, in which I feel as though I am a bird...simply gliding across a beautiful sky that the Lord has made just for me.

The downs - the harder parts of life in which the Lord is teaching me a valuable lesson, that will make me more like Him...perhaps bring me closer to Him.

The middle roads - the parts of life that are even keel...I'm growing even then!

Let us really sit down and reflect on our blessings...as a nation, as mothers, fathers, friends, families...individuals. I am thankful for each one of you!

Godspeed-

Kasey

JFK

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them". -JFK

What a wonderful concept...how many times do we utter words and just say them...with the "do as I say, not as I do" attitude? Know anybody like that...a friend, relative...perhaps thyself? These words are so very true...even if spoken by a democrat...LOL people! (smiles and chuckles) I remember being a child and my parent's telling me, "because I said so". I was like...what the heck, man? Give me a reason...let me see you walk that talk. And you know what? My parents did. They walked that talk. They were not perfect by any means...but...who is here on earth? No one. The only perfect person that ever walked on earth was Jesus Christ and He rose from the grave and now sits at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven...and I do know Him...and He is in my heart...and I know I will meet Him one day. I am grateful for my parents and their witness to me. I am trying to be that witness for my children these days too...it is hard...harder now today than it was then for my parents...but...I just remember...it is all about Him...and not me and He will guide my steps. I want my children to know that too. I love the quotes from us humans...that I feel are sent to us to be inspirations from God our Father...

Goodnight, friends!

xoxo -

Kasey

Grandma Moses

"Life is what you make of it. Always has been. Always will be." ~ Grandma Moses

My mother has a large print of one of Grandma Moses' works of art in her home. I love it because it is very simple, and it reminds me of simpler days gone by. Believe it or not, Grandma Moses started painting in her 70's - how cool is that? She started painting, because arthritis was getting in the way of her love for embroidery. Her birth name was Anna Mary Robertson, she lived a long and blessed life passing away at the age of 101. One of her most famous pieces, "Sugaring Off" (1943)...{the one shown in the picture} is one of my favorites and sold in 2006 for 1.2 million - what would she have thought of that??

I really admire this lady...not only because in her 70's she had the desire take up the art of painting, but the quote above is just as simple as her paintings...and I just feel that she was a wise, happy little lady (like I hope to one day be).

Here's to making the most of life and giving more than we receive!

xoxo -

Kasey

Life and Time

Ahhh...life and time...they seem to be going by so very quickly for me these days...I feel the rush of the holidays setting in...and even though it gets hectic...I still get a shrill of excitement...butterflies even - in my belly. I absolutely love this time of year...I savor it...and I am one of those who gets depressed when Dec. 26 rolls around...thank goodness New Years Eve comes right around the corner from that...it always seems to zap my post holiday "depression" and put me in a good mood for the upcoming year...which will most assuredly fly by like the past one...it's so funny when you think about it; our Lives...and "Time" itself. What the world has seen throughout the ages...what the world will see in the future...holidays past and present. It wasn't that long ago that I was my children's age...enjoying Santa and the delights of the holiday season...it seemed to go by much slower then...dragging really. My, oh my!! The realization of time passing and what is yet to come. I am thankful to be happy where I am, and thankful for my friends and family...and where the Lord has me...I thank Him for His never ending, unconditional love and His infinite wisdom that I can't even fathom...

I will end with this verse from Proverbs 24:14. "Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul, if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off."
xoxo -

Kasey

Soup Kitchen

So...I went and volunteered with some of my friends at the Uptown Soup Kitchen last week...and what an experience. This is the 5th year we've done this, and every year it is different...but yet the same. I see some of the same faces over and over...many of these folks, I can tell have severe emotional and psychological issues. Some have a harshness about them...you can tell with a single glance that their souls are dark. Others have a calming, peacefulness about them...very endearing...very thankful for what we are doing and that we are there. Some will tell you their life's story...others won't even meet your gaze.

We are always in charge of the drink to go with lunch. They like Kool-Aide...and they like it SWEET. I'll put it this way...we put into a large steel pot...two and a half of the x-tra large, HUGE, Kool-Aide round jar mixes that are pre-sweetened...and added a half a x-tra large bag of Domino sugar! EEEK - I just don't think I could get it down that sweet...nonetheless...that is how we make it...because that is how they love it.

It always strikes me who is at peace and who is happy and who is absolutely miserable. Happy you ask? Yes...I've met folks (albeit, they have some mental issues and that is clear)...but despite this...they are happy. They seem sweet and very humble and thankful. Still other folks...yes...mental issues and sometimes not...are miserable and dark. I pray for these people when I see them. Sometimes I wonder if they see me...because they won't look at me...they look in my direction, like they can tell I am (or someone is) standing there...but never directly at me. It is very interesting and makes me think of spiritual warfare.

Each year I am touched and blessed. I look forward to the times that I can share this with my children so that they will know what giving means...what compassion and love, truly mean.

Friends, we are so blessed, do we even realize it? I want to share this verse that I posted on my friend Joy's blog just yesterday. Jesus says in Matthew 25:40 "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me".

xoxo -

Kasey

Rosalind Russell (1)

"Flops are a part of life's menu and I've never been a girl to miss out on any of the courses". ~ Rosalind Russell

Rosalind Russell, is hands down one of my top 3 old Hollywood actresses. She was such a lively, spirited woman. My favorite movie of hers was Auntie Mame. I feel such a connection to her that I know I will post more on this wonderful woman! What I want to focus on today is the aforementioned quote. What an awesome perspective...I have always felt this way throughout my life...but...never had the words to express my feelings. What can I say...I love life and I love food...so...I can totally relate with this quote. (sigh)

There have been "meals" in my life that I've tried...and definitely had to secretly spit back into my napkin and out of my system...and there have been other "meals" that I have gorged upon and gotten sick afterwards...still others that I have enjoyed and relished and will never forget.

Life is most definitely a banquet (another set of words from Rosalind) and it is how you approach the meal. Here's to full courses with lots of dessert, my friends!

xoxo -

Kasey

Prayer

You know, I saw this somewhere the other day and can't remember where...but someone had posed the question, "When people tell me they are praying for me, I wonder if they really mean it or if they are just saying it." Hmmm...what an interesting notion. How many times have we told someone that we were going to pray for them and not remembered to do it? I will admit, yes, I have been guilty of it in the past. However, these days it seems that there are so many folks out there that have prayer requests...and honestly...what keeps me in check is my kiddos. I want them to pray, I want them to think of others. Each morning and evening we say our prayers, and sometimes in the car too. I will mention family members who need prayer and also friends that need prayer...and sometimes, I don't even know the person directly...but have been asked to pray for them. My children will sometimes ask me after the prayer...who is so-n-so? And I will tell them, oh, that's so-n-so's friend or mother...or neighbor...whomever. Nowadays, they will join in with names of the people they want to pray for and it is such a delight! It warms my heart that my sweet ones are learning to communicate with their Heavenly Father, and to have that relationship that the Lord covets with us...and I have grown to covet with Him. I pray that my children will never forget these moments and this special communication we/they have with God. What a wonderful thing prayer is! I would like to share a verse from the Bible with you on this very subject:

Phillipians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus".

Enjoy the rest of this beautiful weekend, dear friends!

xoxo -

Kasey

Love and Loss

A friend of mine that I've known since high school also has a blog that I love to read, "Waiting for the Click"...she has such a way with words and discusses interesting things. She decided to invite her friends to share their "click" stories...stories of the times in their lives when they had an "ah-ha" moment and realized that their life would no longer be the same. Here is the link to my first story with her: Love and Loss...I hope you will read it. http://lesleehorner.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/midnitemonologues-click/
xoxo -
Kasey

Judy Garland: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Ok...ok...I just can't help it! I LOVE this time of year and cannot get enough Christmas carols in. This is one of my most favorite movies, "Meet Me in St. Louis". If you haven't watched it...it is a must see...especially if you appreciate Old Hollywood. TMC or AMC will be playing it soon I'm sure. It's just a good ole movie with a sweet plot, beautiful characters, fabulous fashion...and of course...with Judy Garland...lots of great singing! Friends, have yourselves a merry little Christmas...Tis the Season! And of course...Jesus is the Reason for the Season! xoxo - Kasey

Born Too Late

Ok, so have you ever thought...hmmm...I was born in the wrong time period? Well...I have. Anytime I watch an old Hollywood flick, or hear a song like, "Don't sit Under the Apple Tree With Anyone Else But Me"...I think...dang...my Grandma is one lucky lady! I believe my Grandma lived during the best years ever, in world history. You see, I believe that the 1930-1960's America...were the best times ever. Sure, The Great Depression had to be endured for part of that time, but, according to my Grandma, who lived in rural NC, they didn't even realize it was going on. They were dirt poor, but happy. How can this be you ask? Well...life was so much simpler...no computers, no t-ball and soccer schedules, just fun, friends and family. No TV's for part of that time - how I would have LOVED to have been able to sit and listen in front of the big ole TV-sized radio (with my family) to President Roosevelt's "Fireside Chats"! Also, movies were just coming out...and some of the best ones, the most heartfelt ones, the most remembered ones came out during this era. Not many movies today have the moving plots and the fashion that this time period held. What can I say...the styles...the music...the movies...the things going on in America...all of these things were fabulous! God was still prevalent, morality was still prevalent...patriotism was still prevalent. Men were men, women were women. Don't get me wrong...I like to work outside of the home (part-time)...but...I just see and hear the happy picture that my Grandma paints...and I can't say enough about the music/movies...etc. Like James Stewart's movie, "What a Wonderful Life"! What a wonderful life indeed.

Ahh...at least nowadays, I can sit and watch the movies and listen to the music...and dream...I think Frank Sinatra and I would have been an item for sure... :)

xoxo -

Kasey

Here's to New Endings!

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." ~ Maria Robinson

What a wonderful viewpoint! I read this today and just had to "muse" about it. Such simple words, yet they can totally alter your way of thinking on certain things. And when your way of thinking on things is altered for the better...how wonderful!

xoxo -

Kasey

My Sister and Me

Today I spent some time with my sister, Erin and her family, it was really nice and we had such a good time. My sis and I are at a wonderful place in our relationship, which makes me very happy. You see, when we were younger...things were not always so good. It must have been some sort of invisible rivalry or competition of sorts for us...or...it could be that we are just about polar opposites. Ha!

I remember one day long ago...Erin was about 5 and I was like 7 or 8, and she came up to me and said, "I want to run away"! And I said, "REEEEAALLY? Well - let me help you pack"! And that is just what I did. I remember going to get her little navy suitcase, with large purple and green flowers on it and packed a few days worth of clothing, oh, I threw in a few bananas and crackers for good measure too. Then, I bundled her up in her navy pea coat (it was a bit chilly out) and walked her down the driveway gave her a little push and said, "Love ya! See ya! Bye!" She walked a little ways down the street and then came back, and I was like, "Why are you back"?

"Didn't have nowhere to go"...she replied.

Is that crazy or what? Hilarious even!

Then there was the time we shared a room and we kept fighting about whose side was whose (we had twin beds on opposite sides of the room) and we ended up putting a line of masking tape all the way down the middle of our room on the hard wood floors. Later, I realized the closet with all of our clothes in it was on her side of the room...which leads me to my point. Erin has always, always, always had the brains of us 2 girls. (smile) She was always an honor student, tests and schoolwork just came naturally to her...especially in math and science which were my worst subjects. Erin is a girl who, at 8 mos. pregnant graduated from law school with honors - top 10 in her class!! She also took the bar exam and passed it on the first try a month and a half after her baby was born! I mean...come on...who can measure up to that...certainly not me...ha ha! Now, I'm not saying I'm a dummy or anything...and Erin wasn't as strongly suited in writing as I was, I won a few contests in grade school. I thought that was my passion and that I wanted to be a communications major...but...I realized that I just enjoy writing for myself...like this blog for instance. Erin and I are very opposite.

Nevertheless...at this stage in our life...we have been able to put aside our vast differences and embrace each other...like sisters should. I love our relationship and hope that as the years go by, we only grow closer. I love to talk on the phone with her...sure wish she lived closer. I am so thankful that the Lord stepped in and brought us together...don't know what I'd do without her!

I love you, Erin!

xoxo -

Kasey