Welcome

Why a blog from me, someone who has never been a writer, someone who has never been articulate or had a solid grasp of the grammar world. Because God told me to write. Several years ago a life storm invaded my family. God kept telling me to write it all down. I argued, but He would not let up. This went on every day for a couple of weeks until one day out of frustration, (I'd like to say it was out of obedience), I picked up a pen and paper and wrote for 7 hours straight! Do you think maybe I needed therapy and God knew it?

I've been writing ever since and have learned to love it! I started out sharing my stories with friends and family. I've now been published in a Nashville church paper, Our Daily Journey (a devotional site of RBC Ministries), PCCWeb Daily Devotional, Ruby for Women Ezine Magazine, and I am a contributor in the book Alabaster Jars, Life in Abundance Collection 2.

Why Ponderings? During this life storm, God led me to a pond in the woods behind my home. There He met me each time, teaching new lessons, reminding me of old ones, showing His presence and allowing me to feel His love through the surroundings of that pond. I found myself returning over and over to ponder, pray and praise. A healing of my heart took place and out of the experience came my first book, Ponderings From the Pond, then a second book, Ponderings From My Porch, and now a third book is in the works along with a memoir about my storm.

Why am I making myself so vulnerable? Because God has done so much that I cannot keep quiet. I have to share. Jesus's last words to his desciples were, "Go,tell." We are his disciples too and this is just one of my ways of telling.

I'm no scholar but I have heard God's voice in my spirit, experience His love daily, and have a desire for others to experience this also. I would love to share with all who visit and I would love to hear from you. If my sharing gets just one to ponder, to be quiet with the Father, to see and hear from Him or to be reminded of something from Him, then this is worth my vulnerability.

As you visit me, sometimes we will be at the pond, sometimes we will move to the front porch, and sometimes we will just be here, there, and yonder. Thank you for coming and please feel free to come back anytime, you are always welcome here.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

*****EXCITING NEWS*****

My first book, Ya Know What I'm Say'n, has been released.


Ponderings

Ponderings

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Glamour Shots & a Beauty Lesson

My husband and I are celebrating our 33 wedding anniversary pretty soon and I wanted to give him a nice gift.  He doesn't have many nice pictures of me so I decided to do a photo shoot for him and give him some real glamour shots he could be proud of.  Thought I would share them with you and you tell me if I look glamorous.  Do ya think he'll be real proud of me?















Kentucky glamour
 
like this?

 
that man o mine loves a woman with a gun

 
I shoot real good if it's close and not movin'

 
takin' a rest before them chores

 
wanna join me honey? 

 
got me a new pair of shoes for this here photo shoot
 
 
are we havin' fun?

 
love me some good ol Kentucky recipes
 
 
this one here is chocolate. . .chocolate makes me smile real big!

 
uh oh, this one says here rum cake
 
 
I don't think we should be eatin' no rum cake with church'n right around the corner
 
 
nice of the birds to leave so I could get my socks clean

 
whew, a woman's work is never done

 
plum tuckered out

 
but I'm blessed to have feet running around my house to clean after

 
off to the wood pile

 
that man o mine loves a woman with an ax too
 
 
we'll be warm tonight honey
 
 
 
don't worry honey, I'm ok

 
ooh, a loose hair

 
mirror, mirror, who's the fairest of them all ?
 
 
it says I'm doin' ok

 
hon, the wood's all cut
 
 
this one's for you babe
 
 
this one's a little tricky with ol' arthur in the hip

 
neighbors ol' hound dog stinks to high heaven!  she's done rolled in something stinky and dead.  Bella, I love ya but go take a bath!

 
Well hon, Happy early Anniversary.  Hope you like these here glamour shots.  In another 33 years, I'll do it again.
Love you to the moon and back!
 
********************************************************************
 
 
Hey reader. . .one of my favorite writers is this man here named Max Lucado. . .he has some words for us on beauty. . .take a lookie. . .
 
"The beatitudes reveal some of God’s standards of beauty. An awareness of one’s spiritual poverty, sorrow for wickedness, hunger and thirst for righteousness, mercy, purity of heart, and being a peacemaker are all qualities of beauty. The epistles also stress attributes valued by God: keeping a living faith while enduring physical hardships, controlling the tongue, enduring personal harm to protect the church’s influence, making sacrifices for the good of others, and living by Christian convictions in the face of ridicule. All these are beautiful to God.

However, just as a beautiful appearance can become ugly through neglect, a beautiful life of righteousness can become ugly through neglect. Spiritual beauty must never be taken for granted or be neglected. We must remember that just as it is possible to be one of society’s most impressive people and be ugly in the eyes of God, it is also possible to be an unknown in society and to be radiantly beautiful in His eyes."

 
That Max sure knows what he's talking about.  As much as I want to look good for that man o mine, I want even more to be radiantly beautiful in the eyes of my Lord and Savior. May we never neglect to look into the spiritual mirror for how were lookin'.  The real glamour is if people look at us and see the beauty of the Lord shining from within.  That kind of glamour don't need no make-up, new doo, or new shoes.  Just beautiful love, grace, and mercy. That's a real glamour shot! May we never neglect this or take it for granted.
 
God bless you all, you beautiful women! 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 


 


 

 
 
 
 
 




















Wednesday, September 26, 2012

A Story to Tell

I've discovered over the past year, that when a story comes into your life and God tells you to write it down, it is ALWAYS in your head.  Even in your sleep! So, if you find me talking about it too much, I am really sorry, please forgive me. Be warned. . .here I go again ;) 

I'm always pondering, remembering, writing down notes.  If you can't find me sitting here. . .
 
or

 
or
 
 
or

 
then most likely I am here. . .
 
 
Please come in and take your shoes off. . . that is if you stuck around;)  Make yourself comfortable.  This is my space.  Let me show you around.  This is my favorite pencil cup. . .
 
and because I'm officially middle aged now, I guess that's the reason my mind is always in a fog. Thank goodness for one of my best friends, the sticky notes. . .
 
 
notice up above they're even on the tv.  I don't watch tv but it's a great place to hang those best friends of mine.  I have to remove them when the boy wants to play his video games though. That's ok. . .the sticky lasts and I just tack them back up :)
 
What am I doing sitting here and the other places so much?  I'm writing a book that God placed on my heart.  I'm doing it for my buddy Greg.  I keep his picture by me all the time because he was like a big brother to me even though he was younger. . . he was BIG!  He kept telling me all the time, "share our stories".
 
I'm doing my best Greg, I'm giving it my all!
 
This keeps me grounded and keeps my perspective in order and gives me courage and guidance. . .
 
Those best friends of mine. . .here is just some of the encouragment for me to see every day and they make me smile. . .



I just love that bear with very little brains. . .I myself think he is a very wise bear ;)
 
A friend sent this quote from a book to me, saying it made her think of me. . .another smiler. . .
 
There's been days when I wanted to give up, was losing my confidence, and then words would come before my eyes to set me straight, words like these. . .
and
and
 
Wow!  I didn't know all that was in me.  But I've great people by my side trying to pull it out of me. .
 
God is so good!  Good in the great and also in the hard.  He has shown me beauty in the lush green lands and also in the downtown streets.  His beauty is in the church buildings and out in the street alleys and underneathe bridges.  That is what He has shown me these past several years.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it's up to the beholder to recognize what God puts in front of us. 
 
This man was brought to me and my life changed for the better.  It wasn't always easy, in fact, sometimes it could be downright frustrating, hard, and heartbreaking.  If I had to do it all over again, would I?  You bet!  I made a friend, a brother, and he showed me what beauty was all about, loving what some would call the unlovable. Some would say even I am unlovable at times. There is beauty in seeing Christ working in a life. It may not always seem beautiful to the outside world, but if not, then they're not seeing with focused eyes.  God focused my eyes and I'm so grateful for that.
 
I miss my buddy, but hopefully the stories will live on, however God chooses.
I'm doin' my best Greg!
 
 
Do you have a story to tell?  Are you telling it?  I'm listening :)
 
 
 
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