Why did God create FIRE ANTS?

Have you ever seen anyone do a fire ant dance?  There's a lot of jumping up and down and slapping of your feet and legs.

I can remember my first encounter with these little creatures. We had moved to Florida and I was cleaning up the yard when I started feeling these little stings. I thought how could something so little hurt so bad. My son, Neal, had told me about fire ants. He had several encounters when he did landscaping in Florida.

I'm from Indiana. We did not have fire ants.

Then when we moved to North Carolina, I found out they also resided in this state.

Today I went to the cemetery to change flowers on Jerry's grave and I was standing there and all of a sudden I was doing the fire ant dance.  I'm getting pretty good at it.

 

I know that everything God created has a purpose. I hope it's an important purpose that they have, because that is one creature I can do without. This song reminds me - God made all creatures great and small - even FIRE ANTS!

All Creatures Great and Small From Hymns for Little Children by (Mrs) Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander (1848) Music: Royal Oak, arranged by Martin F. Shaw (1915) All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful: The Lord God made them all. Each little flower that opens, Each little bird that sings, He made their glowing colours, He made their tiny wings. All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful: The Lord God made them all. The rich man in his castle, The poor man at his gate, He made them, high or lowly, And ordered their estate. All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful: The Lord God made them all. The purple headed mountains, The river running by, The sunset and the morning That brightens up the sky. All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful: The Lord God made them all. The cold wind in the winter, The pleasant summer sun, The ripe fruits in the garden, He made them every one. All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful: The Lord God made them all. The tall trees in the greenwood, The meadows where we play, The rushes by the water, To gather every day. All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful: The Lord God made them all. He gave us eyes to see them, And lips that we might tell How great is God Almighty, Who has made all things well. All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful: The Lord God made them all.

I Did It!!!! I Did It!!!!

Coming this season on HGTV our newest bathroom remodeling show starring Patricia Rice.

I thought HGTV could use a comedy.

I was trying to think of titles - "How Not To Install a Bathroom Floor", "Bathroom Mishaps", "Tiling Can Be Fun". Whatever it would be called I'm sure it would  be a "Comedy of Errors."

But it is done and I am so happy. But I have to warn you - "You Enter My Bathroom At Your Own Risk". Nothing is guaranteed.

Let's Fall To Pieces Together

I was driving the other day and switching radio stations hoping to find some news to listen to or some good music. A song came on one of the stations that made me laugh and laugh.

I don't know who was singing it or who wrote it, and I don't think I want to know. I didn't even listen to all of the song.

 

It went something like this:

 

You left your tears on the jukebox

And they got mixed in with mine.

From now on let's fall to pieces together.

 

I'm pretty sure it was about two lonely heart broken people hoping to find comfort in one another.

 

Probably everyone has suffered heart break of some kind in this life, especially if you live long enough. I'm so thankful that I have a God who can give comfort when I "fall to pieces."

I can pray to a prayer hearing God, who sees my tears and understands them.

Psalm 34:18

The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Ooooohh!! My Aching Body!!

Monday morning I started a project. My air conditioner had leaked into my small bathroom and the wood laminate floor had swollen and needed to be replaced.

Well, I thought I can do that !  I helped my husband before. It's not that hard. So I got my pry bar and hammer, pulled the trim off the baseboard and starting pulling up flooring. All went well except for around the toilet. I didn't want to remove the toilet and I could not get that flooring from around the toilet, but I was determined. Finally out it came.

I thought peel and stick tiles would be the easiest. It was a little bathroom, it wouldn't take very many and I could save some money. All went well and this morning I finished laying the floor. I hammered back the trim, painted it and it looked nice, but I didn't think about the toilet. There it was - about a 1/2 inch gap between my toilet and the floor and my toilet is rocking.

I know - the Internet. You can find out how to do everything on the Internet. They said use shims and caulk it. Well it was taking a lot of shims and I figured it would take a lot of tubes of caulking to fix that gap. So I quit for the day!

I try to do things myself. I forget that my body is getting older and isn't as strong as it use to be. When my husband and I did projects, I was probably 25 years younger.

So I got a shower, took two Aleves  and I'm sitting on the couch hoping everything quits hurting.

And I'll think about the bathroom tomorrow - As Scarlett O'Hara from Gone With The Wind would say, "After all, tomorrow is another day."

Because It Was There

Riding an elephant really wasn't on my list of goals or dreams. But there it was. A chance to ride an elephant. I couldn't pass it up. I might never get another chance. It was fun!!!!

 

Elephants are very fascinating. Elephant families bond for life, caring for and protecting one another. They are only separated by death. And God gave them a memory so they could protect themselves from danger.

 

God's creations are so amazing.

September's Almost Gone

I think I'm a little nostalgic tonight. I feel September is a fleeting month soon to be in the past.

I know these moments of time will never come again. It's almost like the past is growing and the future is shrinking.

I know I have a wonderful life full of great friends and a great family and I know that in this life, I couldn't have asked for more.

 

I Couldn't Have Asked For More

I sit here and think of all that I have seen

And the memories I made in places I have been.

I think of every sunrise that wakens up the world

Along with every sunset with colors all a twirl.

I've got to stand on mountain tops and see the world below.

Enjoy the peace and stillness while walking thru' the snow.

I watched the flowers grow as they came alive in spring.

And saw the pretty colors that only fall could bring.

I've held my newborn babes tight within my arms

And wished that I could keep them safe from any harm.

And someday when I'm drawing nearer to heaven's shore

I know that in this life I couldn't have asked for more.

 

- Patricia Rice

I am blessed.

Blood Cancer Awareness Month

September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month.


It's been over 2 years now that my husband passed away with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.


Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer of the bone marrow and the blood that progresses quickly without treatment. It affects mostly cells that aren't fully developed. These cells can't carry out their normal functions. That's one reason why it's important to get care and treatment as soon as possible.
With treatment, people who have AML continue to see improved results. However, AML can be a difficult disease to treat, and researchers are studying new approaches to AML therapy in clinical trials.

AML results from acquired changes in the DNA (genetic material) of a developing marrow cell. Once the marrow cell becomes a leukemic cell, it multiplies into 11 billion or more cells. These cells, called "leukemic blasts," do not function normally. However, they grow and survive better than normal cells.
The presence of the leukemic blasts blocks the production of normal cells. As a result, when AML is diagnosed, the number of healthy blood cells (red cells, white cells and platelets) is usually lower than normal.

AML progresses rapidly without treatment.

I'm thankful everyday for the treatment that my husband was able to get. It prolonged the time that my family and I was able to spend with him. Without treatment the doctor said he would only last about 5 months. So thankful that he was able to get a bone marrow transplant from his brother, Bob. The "Leukemic blasts" were just too strong. My husband fought a good fight.
So thankful that I'll get to see him again someday in heaven.

Pray that someday a cure can be found for this and other cancers.