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They make me smile. What's making you smile today?

Perfect Love

I have been following a blog lately: This Life I Live, written by Rory who, along with his wife Joey, writes and sings country western music. I found his blog with a Facebook link. I recommend this blog to any of my friends who want to see Christ's love in action. This couple's faith shines through in the way they are facing her terminal cancer, the love they have for each other and their toddler with Down's Syndrome, and the music they share. Their home is in Tennessee, but they are staying with her parents in Indiana and today's post included a video of the recent snowfall along with Joey singing "It is Well with My Soul", one of my favorite hymns. You can see the video HERE or by going to the blog page link above. In February Rory and Joey will have an album her favorite hymns, including that one, available for sale. Oh, I have to add, the perfect love I am referring to in the title of this post is the one Jesus has for all of us.

photo taken from Rory's blog post

City Observations

I am in Portland, OR for two weeks. I have the privilege of staying with my granddaughter, Luci while #1 son and his wife are in Canada on their honeymoon. Luci is almost 12 and just started middle school a few weeks ago. I am also able to visit with #3 son, Daniel, who will be starting graduate classes and teaching some freshman at PSU the end of the month. So here are my top ten city observations(in no particular order):

1.  Most woman under the age of 40 out in the morning (before 11a m) wear yoga pants and athletic shoes.
2. City dogs don't seem to mind being tied to a table, umbrella, or sign while their owners go into Starbucks for coffee.
3. Construction workers (for new high rise buildings) are already at work at 6:30 a m.
4. 4 out of 5 middle schoolers waiting for the bus are looking at their cell phones. Not one is talking to another.
5. Two half filled bags of groceries get heavier as you carry them on the less than half mile walk home.
6. There's something calming about watching a long slow train going by late at night.
7. It it's definitely cooler on the shady side of the streets.
8. People on the streetcar willingly give up the seat for older or disabled riders.
9. Some homeless people can be unobtrusive while others are very obvious.
10. Having green spaces and water features in almost every block, as well as on rooftops and balconies, makes all the concrete seem cooler.

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. 

Psalm 96:11

Jim Gaffigan Mr Universe Full Show - Best Stand Up Comedy - Comedian Ever

Bet you thought I had given up blogging!

So what if it has been almost a year since I entered any posts? That is no reason to think I had given up on this endeavor. I just did not have a "roundto-it", you know as in "I will get around to it, just not today."

I often have thoughts in my head telling me, "you should blog that"...so here I am again.

Read this today on the WELS site for daily devotions:

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:12-13

And I remembered that I wanted to start blogging about things that are making me happy right now. (Although the above quote says to be content even you are not "happy"...)

So what is making me happy today? Here is the answer, in no particular order of degrees of happiness:

• friends who share their love of stamping and card making
• my granddaughter Luci who is graduating from 5th grade today
• my son #3 Daniel graduating from Portland State University with a math degree
• #1 son Sam and Liane who will be getting married in July
• Getting to see #4 son Ben, DIL Vanessa, and granddaughter Isabella for a week to celebrate the wedding, along with son's 1 & 3
• being able to talk on the phone with #2 son Jake
• Florida weather that makes it possible to exercise in the pool outside and have flowers in my yard year round

Daniel in his apartment

Sam, Liane, me and Lucy last January

Ben, Vanessa, Isabella in Maui last January

I hope you have something that makes you happy today.