Thank You Lord!! The Path that Leads to the House that God Will Build!

This is the path that leads to the land where our new LOG HOME

is going to be built!!

I have been praying specifically for a

"wooded, serene place to live

and a new home"

and God has answered those prayers!!

God is SO GOOD!

He has made it possible for us to build a log home (3 bedroom, 2 bath) on this property!! I am in awe at how wonderful the Lord is and by the way He answers prayers!!

He delights in giving good things to His children!!

Psalms 37:4, 5

"Delight yourself in the LORD;

And He will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD,

Trust also in Him, and He will do it."

**************

Jeremiah 33:3

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee,

and shew thee great and mighty things,

which thou knowest not. "

Fragrance

My husband and I are contemplating building a log home in the near future. I have a folder with different styles and information about the red cypress that the logs are hewn from. One thing I read made me think about some other things. It says this: "People with respiratory problems have sought out Tidewater Red Cypress as a relief from modern day processed woods, containing toxins, glues, and numerous other chemicals. Our cypress is free from any man-made chemical treatments. Cypress imparts neither taste nor odor to people or products coming into contact with it. (Taken from the BK Cypress information folder).

These logs are just gorgeous and the homes built from them are just gorgeous! But wouldn't you expect to smell that wonderful "wood" smell when walking into such a gorgeous all wood home?

I thought it strange that there is no smell at all from these.

I'm afraid that many times, we Christians are like these beautiful red cypress logs! Nice to look at, but we really don't leave much of an influence behind ...... nothing that would alert anyone to the fact that we had a "fragrant message of God's grace, love and mercy" to impart to the hearers.

This reminded me of something I read in a "Voice of the Martyrs" book. It said this:
(and this isn't an exact quote since I can't remember it exactly)

"A Christian should be like the redwood cedar. When it is hewn down by the axe, it leaves its fragrance on the metal of the axe that cut it down and yet does no harm in return."

There is also an old poem that I have always loved which says this:

A Persian fable says: One day.....

A wanderer found a lump of clay;

So redolent of sweet perfume,

It's odor scented all the room.

"Who art thou?" was his quick demand.

"Art thou some gem from Samarcand,

Or spikenard in this rude disguise,

Or other costly merchandise?"

"Nay! I am but a lump of clay!"

"Then whence the wondrous sweetness- say?"

"Friend, if the secret I disclose

I have been dwelling with the rose."

(Author Unknown)

I pray that as I go through each day, that this "lump of clay" in which I dwell, will spill forth the wonderful fragrance and sweetness of Jesus to all that I meet. Of course, this will directly depend upon the amount of time I spend in His presence, won't it?

Trusting God Step by Step

We are going through a time of what might be referred to as "limbo" right now. We are about to make a major change in our lives that will literally turn everything upside down compared to what it has been for many years now. We are about to embark on a major change in our current situation as well as our future.

Now is the time when one must literally cling to God and just trust Him and allow Him to hold onto us and to help us to make each and every decision within His perfect will for us, so that we don't walk down the wrong path. I am relying on my favorite Bible verse now:

Isaiah 30:21

"And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying,

This is the way,

walk in it,

when ye turn to the right hand,

and when ye turn to the left."

Biased Media

Media Furious at Palin's Popularity
The greatest hindrance to enlightened democracy in America is the ignorance and prejudice promulgated by our media outlets. When every media story is crafted, manipulated or simply invented with an intent to forwarding a particular party or agenda, the free press serves no greater objective than to enslave the free will and reasonable discretion of the voting populace.
Political Machine: By Justin PauletteSep 14th 2008 10:34AM

http://news.aol.com/political-machine/2008/09/14/media-furious-at-palins-popularity/

Duplicity

Do you ever wonder what makes people say one thing and then do another? Is it desire for Power? Greed? Recognition? Or just to keep your job??

Tonight I watched the DNC and saw people that basically can't stand each other and just a week or two ago were saying "This man is not ready to lead the nation!!" stand up there tonight and say "This man is ready to lead the nation!"

Well, either he learned a whole lot in that very short period of time, or the speakers, as smooth and flowery as their speech-giving ability might be, are full of malarky! Or just plain liars! I wonder!

I wonder what kind of a person is so willing to go against everything they believe in just to have their moment in the spotlight. Hmmm. And then stand up there and tell us to believe them and get behind them and do as they tell us to do, "For the good of our nation".

Let me get this straight: We're supposed to believe what you say and do what you suggest is for our best..... Uh...... which time? A few weeks ago? Or tonight?

My Grandma always said, "Once a liar, always a liar" and if you "Lie down with pigs, you'll come up smelling like pigs."

I'm beginning to wonder if anyone really has "the best interest of our nation" in mind......

Or is it just their own agendas and greedy desires the reason they want us to believe in them now?

James 5:12

"But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your "Yes" be "Yes", and your "No" , "No", lest you fall into judgment."

That seems pretty clear to me.

Say what you mean and mean what you say and then stick to it!

Spontaneity

My husband and I really need to take a few days and just get away!

Did you ever get that feeling that you just really wished you could go away somewhere in seclusion, hide away from phones and work and just take your Bible and some good books and tuck yourself away in a nice, serene surrounding and just have quiet... seek God's face and insight into His Word and read? I have so many good books I've been given recently that I really want desperately to get alone and read! I've talked to Hubby and we've agreed to at least take 2 days and go somewhere and tuck ourselves away for this very purpose! Yay! We probably won't be able to go tomorrow, but since it's a long weekend, we're planning on going on Friday and staying at least until Sunday somewhere. I want to go to the Smokies and stay in a chalet but at this late date, I'm not sure that will be possible as there are probably 9 million other people with the same idea! We should have planned better! But you know, when you're working and working and then all of a sudden it just BUILDS and you know you need to go or lose your sanity!! You have to do it! Spontaneously!



I go through this from time to time; this feeling of just "having to" get away for a day or two! Away from the routine and busyness and phones! I think the main problem is a longing for God; a starvation if you will. Needing to have that time with God alone and not getting it enough because of the very busyness of certain times of the year. You get up in the morning and there is so much to do that you rush to get showered and dressed and then right to the computer to start in! Ooops.... the day is over and you realize you didn't spend time with the Lord! you can go on like that for so long before you start to get deficient like a body trying to continue on without food or vitamins or fuel to operate on. Sigh.

I need some time in the woods... to hear Nature.... see the sun streaming through the trees and hear the sighing of the wind.... smell the dampness of a forest floor and hear a rippling brook singing as the water flows over the smooth rocks... see a doe come silently out of the trees and stop and look around, frozen, smelling the air to see if it's safe....... yes, I need this!

Time alone with God in His creation and with His Word.

Tell the American Christians.....

It's been a while since I've posted anything here. There have been a few reasons actually: we just finished up one of our leadership training conferences in Alabama. We had almost 700 people in attendance! We were expecting about 600. Mostly, it was a lot of work getting ready for it, which took up almost all of my time for the past week. It was such a blessing though, to see all of those leaders come out to hone their skills and be the best that they can be to serve God in the ministry that He has called them to.

The other reason, and probably the most important one, is that our keynote speaker said something in his message that I haven't been able to get out of my head! It just keeps bouncing around in there, echoing over and over again. He told the story of a pastor in eastern Europe in a country that still has religious oppression, where Christians still aren't allowed to worship freely or openly read a Bible or pray. He said that this pastor told him to "Please tell the American Christians that I pray for them every day!" When asked why he would do that, his reply was this: "Oh Brother David! Because it must be VERY DIFFICULT to be a Christian in America!"

Can you imagine? That hit me like a rock right between the eyes! I found myself tearing up and almost losing it. I couldn't believe someone that has to live each day in fear for their life and well-being of their family, risking all they have to simply worship God and own a Bible would say such a thing about us "rich Americans" that have SO MUCH and are so complacent about our worship and God's Word, would say such a thing! The more I thought about it though, the more I realize how right he was!

Yes, we have so much in comparison to other countries! How many churches are in each city across this country? How many Christian book stores are there? How many Bibles do each of us have in our homes and yet rarely pick up to read or bother to carry to churches with us? And what about when we go to church on Sunday? To many, it is a "social gathering" instead of a place to really pour out our hearts to God in worship and thanksgiving for all He has done for each one of us.

Yes, we have SO MUCH here! So much that it blinds us to spiritual need in our own lives and keeps us so busy and focused on everything BUT God that we are weak and ineffective in our Christianity. I recently read on the back of a book I was looking at as I browsed through a Christian book store today, a statement that said something like this: a Muslim asked the question, "what makes your belief of any value? If it is all you say it is, why is it so ineffective in the lives of Christians?" That's not the exact quote because I'm so bad at remembering these things correctly if I don't write them down! But you get the idea. If our faith is all we say it is, why doesn't it make more of a difference in the world around us and in our own lives? Good question.

At this same conference we had a lady there representing a ministry that I won't name here. She had many books with her and as I looked over her display table and we talked, we began to talk about the "underground church"; and the "persecuted church" in other countries that do not have religious freedom. Some countries tell the outside world that they do allow freedom to worship, but they don't. For instance, just recently a Muslim man cut out his own daughter's tongue and then burned her alive for converting to Christianity! Yes, this is really happening around the world in this day and age we live in! it's not something that's a story from a long time ago!

Here's the link and you can read the story yourself:

http://deathby1000papercuts.com/2008/08/christians-in-muslim-countries-saudi-girl-burned-alive-for-being-christian/

Then there is a story that I read online about a ministry that was bringing some Bibles in to China during the Olympics, because China said that they allow religious freedom now. Guess what? The Bibles were confiscated at the security check point and taken away! When asked about this and their statement to allow religious freedom, they were told they could each bring ONE personal Bible in with them and that was all. The rest would have to be left there. The Bibles were being brought to pastors that did not own a Bible! I think their definition of "religious freedom" and ours would be very different!

These past few days, God has been dealing with me about all of these things in a very intense way. I've been searching online and reading about the persecuted Christians in other countries and it breaks my heart that we take our Christian faith so lightly, when all over this world, people are risking EVERYTHING they have, their families, their homes, simply because someone told them that Jesus loved them so much He died for them and they simply want to worship and thank Him and tell others what God has done for them so they too can know the joy and peace that this knowledge brings!

Since hearing that statement that was made by our speaker, when he told us what that pastor had asked him to relay to us "American Christians", I've been spending much time just wishing I could get away for about a week and just read and pray and study! I feel I need a radical overhaul of my outlook and actions. I've already asked forgiveness for my complacency and "easy Christianity". Yes, we have so much in our beloved country that it has become a hindrance to true, radical Christianity. The kind they had in Acts right after Jesus had risen from the grave and went on to Heaven to prepare a place for us. We have so many things to take up our time and our interests and to give ourselves to, that we have no time or place for the real purpose for which God has allowed us to take up space on this earth for! What is the chief purpose of being here?

Ecclesiastes 12:13 and 14 sums it all up for us:

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."

What we each do with our own 24 hour day is up to us individually. Some risk everything; some go through each day like we're here just to gather "toys",enjoy ourselves and have a good time.

The choice is ours.

Someone said that "Hebrews 11 is still being written!" and if you do a little surfing on the Internet it won't take you long to see how true this is. All over this world, more and more each day, believers are still paying the ultimate price for placing their faith in Jesus Christ; being thrown into dungeons and prisons that are really death traps; watching their families suffer and be persecuted and tormented, watching their homes be burned, and yes, being tortured because they won't "deny the One who paid the ultimate price to save them"!

I don't know about you, but I don't understand how we can hide our eyes and close our ears to their plight and still go about our silly little days frivolously involving all of our mind, strength and time in such trivial endeavors as we do. There's nothing wrong with relaxation and enjoying our time and this beautiful and free country that God has allowed us each to be born into! Where the shame comes in, is that we take so lightly what God has done for us and we live each day without a truly thankful spirit. We hide the light He has shown in our hearts and the truth He has revealed to us, under the proverbial bushel. We're in a battle for the MIND in this country. We don't have to fear (at least not yet) being tortured and thrown into prison and having our homes and families taken from us for worshiping God but we should fear what the "enemy" is doing to capture and imprison our minds and the minds of our children!

May God help us and forgive our complacent attitudes.

Words of Wisdom, From a 92 Year Old Preacher

I received an email this morning from a friend that talked about a program she had watched on TV on Sunday morning. In this televised church, they had asked a 92 year old retired preacher to preach. He said that he was asked to talk about what was the greatest lesson he'd learned through his life as a preacher. He summed it up with this:

"Jesus loves me, this I know,
For the Bible tells me so! "

I guess that about sums it up for all of us, doesn't it? Whether or not a person "believes" the Bible or believes in Jesus, doesn't really change this statement or it's affects on our lives. Don't you just love it how the aged seem to be able to just sum it all up on a nutshell, so to speak and get right to the important stuff, leaving out all the extraneous material; the things that aren't really important anyway?

There are so many other countries that hold the aging population in high regard and take care of them and show honor to them for their wisdom. This country looks upon it's aging population as a nuisance and a problem that we need to do something about. We put them in homes and hide them away so we don't have to think about them anymore. Let someone else take care of them, we're too busy! Yet look at all the wisdom that we're overlooking.

My Grandmother used to always give credit to the fact that Jesus loved her and kept her. I can still see her standing up in church at testimony time and saying "He saves! He keeps! and He satisfies!" Words of wisdom in a nutshell!

We are saved by placing our faith in His death and shed blood on the cross for our sakes. We are kept daily by His keeping power and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives and we are daily satisfied by His presence and love each day as we walk through this planet.

Romans 5:6 and 8 tells us:

"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."

and

"But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

What more could we ask for? It doesn't matter what trials may come our way. We know we won't ever have to face them alone but that the ONE who loves us more than any other person on this earth possibly could, is right there guiding us and loving us and holding onto us, even when WE let go of HIS hand. That's such a comfort to me, since I know how many countless times, I've let go of HIS hand!

One of my favorite Bible verses is Isaiah 30:21

"And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left."

What comfort to know that Jesus loves us and will guide our steps through this life!

He really does SAVE, KEEP and SATISFY!

Thank you Grandma for teaching me that principle over and over again!

DUCK!! Just Lazin' Back a While!

Just taking some time to relax and enjoy my husband and my home and TIME!

I'm going to stop and smell the roses for a while.

I've been making jewelry all day today and even though my husband and I have been in the same house together, we haven't even communicated! He's been busy working all day on conference stuff and me on jewelry! Tomorrow we've got to work some more and then he said he'll take me out to dinner tomorrow night! I'm hoping on Saturday we can get away for just a little while and go enjoy some nature!

I may not post again until next week.... we'll see!

I hope you all have a BLESSED weekend!

Insomnia

Tic-Toc, Tic-Toc, Tick-Toc

Have you ever had one of those nights, where you just lie in bed and stare at the ceiling and then toss and turn and toss and turn, trying to fall asleep? You lie there trying to talk yourself into relaxing and falling asleep, but to no avail. In fact, it seems the harder you try, the more awake you are! Your mind just won't shut itself off and rest and a thousand things keep parading across the big-screen TV of your mind!

The Dictionary defines "insomnia" as:

inability to obtain sufficient sleep, esp. when chronic;

difficulty in falling or staying asleep; sleeplessness

Well, last night was one of those nights for me!

I guess I'm becoming "Nocturnal" as my Granddaughter described her sister's habits of staying up all night on the computer!

Since I stopped working full-time, I've begun to once again enjoy the late night hours, as these have always been the best times for creativity and deep-thinking for me. However, this habit of going to bed late started out to be a bedtime of about 12:30 a.m. and now has slowly crept to the wee morning hours of 2:30 or 3:00 a.m.!

The Spanish language has a beautiful sounding word for this time of the night: La Madrugada.

Doesn't that sound beautiful? It simply means "the wee hours of the morning before dawn". I've always loved this time, when everyone else is asleep and the house is quiet and outside, the streets are deserted and quiet and all you can hear are the sounds of "night". Sometimes, I go and stand on my balcony and look up at the stars and just "listen". This is all fine and good if you're still getting some sleep!

Last night, as I lay awake in bed trying to get myself to fall asleep, my mind kept going over and over a thousand different things. Everything under the sun! At one point, I even had to get up and go and jot down my thoughts for a poem so that I wouldn't forget it by morning! I've also found that in the past this has been the best time for poetry to come to me and I definitely better get up and write it down or it'll be gone by morning; lost in the labyrinth of my dreams and sleep.

After I got out of bed to jot down my thoughts, I stealthily eased myself back under the covers so as not to disturb my peacefully sleeping husband (how I envy the way he can sleep!). Once again, I began to work at trying to get to sleep! Just as I was drifting off to "Lah-Lah Land" (it's now about 4:25 a.m.), our dog comes up the stairs and starts nudging the bed and whimpering because I was pretending to be asleep and ignoring him, hoping he'd give up and go back downstairs to his bed! No such luck! Instead, he shakes his head and rattles his Rabies tags on his collar, which makes an ungodly loud sound that would wake the dead! (Does my husband wake up at this point, as I was sure he would? NO!) So, I get up and take the dog back downstairs and let him out, which is what he wanted for some reason! (I guess he drank too much before bed too!) I waited until he came back to the door (about 3 minutes later!) and then tell him to "STAY!" and went back upstairs. (He looked at me like he was crushed that I didn't want to play at this point, since we were both up!) It's now about 4:30 a.m. Once again, I try to ease myself back under the covers and make another attempt at sleep. It finally worked this time and I think I must have drifted off about 4:45 a.m.

I think there may be a few reasons for this bout with "insomnia" last night.

* I drank way too much coffee while watching the Olympics until it was over!

* I had a chocolate ice-cream sandwich (my weakness along with Fudgesicles!), which gave me acid-reflux all night!

* My mind was over-stimulated watching the Olympics and feeling for the U.S. Girl's Gymnastics Team.

(Didn't your heart just go out to those girls?)

* I lay there thinking about the next jewelry design I would make and bounced out of bed to go lay out the beads so that I wouldn't forget what colors and beads I wanted to use!

* I started thinking about my family, as I do many times at night while lying in bed, and then prayed for all of them, as I usually do when this happens.

There were many things that went through my mind but the overwhelming thought was "I've GOT to get some SLEEP!!" which acts as a stimulant instead of a sleep-inducer, since when that thought begins, my mind sets to work on that project instead of relaxing!

I finally did drift off to a beautiful, sweet sleep though and then awakened this morning when my daughter called to ask something, which I've already forgotten because I was still groggy when I talked with her.

What bothers me the most about this inability to get to sleep before "la madrugada" though is that I always feel so badly when I sleep late and feel as if I've wasted the best part of the day! I'd really like to be an early morning person! I guess I can't have both though.

I think these habits first began when I was still in High School and would have to stay up so late working on projects and homework because I had spent the best part of the evening talking on the phone to my boyfriend (to whom I am now married) and my girlfriends! On weekends, I'd also stay up very late spending the night with my Grandmother that lived next door to us and we'd watch "wrestling" matches and "Gorgeous George", her favorite! She was an AVID wrestling fan! lol It seems to strange to me now, considering what has become of wrestling since the 1950's!

When I got married, my husband worked the midnight shifts so much that I would stay awake because I couldn't sleep with him away all night and I'd sew clothes for our girls.

I guess I don't have much hope of changing my habits after all these years and becoming a "morning person", even though I'd like to.

One thing is sure though: I'd really like to get to sleep before 4:00 a.m.!!

No more coffee for me late at night!

I Am A Kept Woman

This was sent to me in an Email and I just have to pass it on to you all.

I AM A KEPT WOMAN


You see, there were a few times when I thought I would lose my mind,

but GOD kept me sane. (Isa. 26:3)

There were times when I thought I could go no longer,

but the LORD kept me moving. (Gen 28:15)

At times, I've wanted to lash out at those whom I felt had done me wrong,
but the LORD kept my mouth shut. (Psa. 13)

Sometimes, I think the money just isn't enough,

but GOD has helped me to keep the lights on, the water on, the car paid, the house paid, etc.., (Matt. 6:25 -34)

When I thought I would fall, HE kept me up.

When I thought I was weak, HE kept me strong! (I Pet. 5:7, Matt. 11:28-30)

I could go on and on and on, but I'm sure you hear me!

I'm blessed to be "kept."

****************************************************************

All day today, I have been walking down "Memory Lane", watching old, old family videos that my Sister kindly recorded onto DVDs for me while I was up there visiting. I watched as our family's lives unfolded before me on the TV screen. My siblings when they were very young and carefree and my parents and grandparents when they were young and struggling to care for and raise their family. Most of them are gone now and thankfully, I know they are in Heaven with Jesus awaiting for us all to be reunited again someday. But I miss them terribly and all the wonderful times we had growing up with them. My Grandparents and Aunt and Uncle lived next door to us kids as we were growing up and we saw them every day and they were an integral part of our lives. I saw my children again when they were babies and a pang went through me as I realized how much I miss those days when they were all home with us and we could talk with them every day and watch them and laugh with them and read them stories before bedtime. How quickly those days have passed!! If I could go back, I would hug them more, laugh with them more and pay more attention to each precious word and thing they said and did! I know everyone says that, but why don't we realize this when we're young and raising our families? Why do we let the daily struggles interrupt us the way they do and steal the sheer JOY of raising our children??

How short this life really is when you think about it and realize how quickly our lives pass through this time and space and our babies slip through our hands and become adults with children of their own and struggle daily with life's problems and concerns just as we did and how quickly that innocent JOY seeps out of their lives! That purity of childhood!

Oh what I wouldn't give to have those days back again if even for a short period.

On the old movies, I watched as my brother and sisters played in the grass and acted silly and wondered: What happens to us in life to take away all of that joy and carefree spirit that we had as children? How soon we allow the daily problems and sorrows to come into us and fill us up and take away that "innocent" and carefree unadulterated JOY that we had as we ran through the grass and laughed and teased each other!

I see my siblings now and compare to back then on those old films and was filled with sorrow for all the joy that has fled from their lives now. Oh they'd say they're happy if someone asked them, and I suppose they are to some extent, but if you really look into their eyes and really listen to the tone of their voices and see their faces in moments when they don't perceive that anyone is watching... it's there: the loss of innocence and joy. Somehow adulthood has taken over and that carefree spirit of childhood has disappeared. Why can't we ever get that back?

If it weren't for the Lord and His keeping power, I feel that today I would be overcome by sadness and loss; loss of all the wonderful, carefree times that we had and shared in that small house that we grew up in. Loss of all the loved ones that are no longer with us. Loss.... the empty space left behind by their absence. They are missed; and so is the joy of childhood and innocence that is so free of the worries and concerns and struggles of this life.

Thank God, He sent Jesus to pay the price of all of our losses and we can have the confidence of knowing that He will return someday, and I hope it's soon, to take us from the struggles and cares of this life and He will restore that innocent JOY in His presence!

Revelation 22:12

"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last."

New Addition!

Please scroll to the bottom of my page to see a Slide-Show of the jewelry I've made this weekend! All of my designs are my own and will be for sale. If anyone is interested in purchasing my jewelry, please email me at lrhobart@bellsouth.net. Thank you!

I've also added a slide-show of some of the photos I took of the Walnut St. Pedestrian Bridge in downtown Chattanooga.

I Can't Help Myself!

I just had to do it! I went back to Hobby Lobby this afternoon and bought that Rooster I was telling you about. I not only bought this Rooster, but saw another one that I just had to have also! Then as I walked around the store, I noticed a Rooster Clock on the 50% off sale and a key hanger! Of course, those were added to my basket also! I'm hopeless!

I then made my way back to the Bead section again too because I forgot to get some crimp beads yesterday and then decided to go ahead and get the beads that I had put back yesterday!

I spent several hours once I got back home, making some new jewelry pieces. I really am going to look into opening a store!

Hello. My Name is Linda and I'm a HOPELESS ADDICT!

I think I need to spend the day in prayer tomorrow.

I hope you'll all have a wonderful Sunday. Go to church and worship the One who made you!

God bless each of you!

This is how my new items look on my counter and in my kitchen!

Temporary Insanity!

Yes, it overcomes me everytime I walk through the doors of Hobby Lobby! I have every intention in the world to just go in and buy things on my "list". The minute I walk through the doors though, it seems that something takes over my brain and all thoughts go out and I feel like I'm in a trance in "Wonderland"!
My senses are assaulted by all the color and the flowers and the beautiful things all around me!

Mesmerized, I walk from isle to isle as if in a trance, unaware of the time or even who might be with me!

At time, I have totally lost track of my husband and my Mother and Sister in these stores, but I think the same thing is happening to them also, because they don't seem to be aware that I'm no longer with them either!! What is it? Something they emit through the air systems or the music has sublimal messaging? Or is it the lighting? Like some science-fiction movie, you're mind is taken over by some alien being? Whatever it is, it works!

One thing I became aware of as I walked through the store though, is another reminder that summer is about to end!! All the colors and silk floral displays are in autumn colors already and they are having sales on the Christmas decorations and supplies! Ugh!! Of course, I understand in a hobby store, they have to begin these sales early enough to give people the required time to make their gifts and centerpieces, etc. But come on! It's the beginning of August! Gone already were the beautiful colors of summer!

So, oblivious to those that might be watching me on surveillance cameras, I began walking around and happily snapping pictures of all the beautiful displays of the things that really caught my eye (and catch my eye each and everytime I go into this store, I might add! Although I think they hire professionals to deliberately arrange these things for that purpose!).

There were a few customers that gave me a strange look but from looking at them looking at me, I deducted that they just thought I was some big-shot corporate person taking pictures of the store's displays for whatever reason, maybe advertising. Yeah, that's what I was doing! Actually, it was so I could put them up here on my blog for all of you to see!

I just loved this little tray of roosters!! I'd love to have it on my kitchen counter if I had room!

When I'm in this store, I want to buy everything I see!! I can just imagine how my house would look!! Cluttered and like a Hobby Lobby Store actually! I love all of this glassware and want all of it!! This time, fortunately, I was on a quest for beads for my jewelry-making addiction though, so I satisfied myself with just taking pictures of all of this beautiful glassware!! I don't seem to have the knack for decorating like some people do, and I guess that's because I love everything and want some of everything! I love a simplistic look and can't seem to achieve that because I want to display everything I like! Some call it "eclectic" I guess, but when I try it, it just looks cluttered! SO I guess I'll have to be satisfied with just walking around the Hobby Lobby store and looking at their things there.

I really liked this display and the color of this glass. It's an amber color and has a cracked-glass appearance. It was just beautiful! I don't know what I'd do with it if I had it, but I'd really like to have it!

I also thought these roosters were fascinating!

They're made from blown glass. For some reason I have a fascination with roosters and chickens and don't know why!


The reason I called this posting "Temporary Insanity" other than the obvious reasons is because I was so caught up in taking these pictures and looking around (well, a better term might be drooling over all the beautiful glassware I'd like to have!), that I finally went back to the aisles that held all the things I originally went there for: BEADS!

As I merrily and excitedly filled my cart with all the beautiful future jewelry pieces I'd make from them I headed to the check-0ut counter finally. As I was putting the packages up on the counter, to the dismay of both the cashier and the customers that were forming a line behind me, I sheepishly looked at them and said "You may want to go to a different counter, I have TONS of beads!" to which they gladly left and went to the other cashier's counter. I'm sure my cashier wished she could do the same as she looked down at mountains of tiny packages that she began to separate by price. Ugh!

As she rang them up, I was starting to get a little concerned about how much I'd spent because even though there was a 50% off sale, I did have quite a mountain of beads there! I asked her for a sub-total and it was $190!!!! I almost fainted! I asked her about it and she said :

"You do realize that not EVERYTHING is 50% off, don't you?" I assured her that I did not know that and that the ad said jewelry making supplies. She replied "Well, you really have to read the fine print. I'm sorry about that."

I frantically began to sort through my pile to try to decide just what I could live without, as I still had quite a few packages that she hadn't even included in the subtotaled amount! I began to separate the packages and told her I'd have to leave the rest that was on the counter for another day and to please just go ahead and total up what I had there already rung up.

So, I walked out of the store with three small plastic bags and a cash register receipt for $190!!

That's why I titled my little adventure as "Temporary Insanity". Who does such things?????

I may need to go and seek therapy, because I'm still thinking about going back today for that little counter rooster I saw!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Addictions

One of my addictions is making jewelry! I was up until 1:30 a.m. this morning working on several different sets! This is just one of them. I'm going to be selling these pieces so if anyone is interested at any time you can email me at lrhobart@bellsouth.net for more information.

I can blame my sister for this revival of my addiction and spending mounds of money at my favorite store besides Wal-Mart: Hobby Lobby! The last time I had a jewelry-making "attack", I would go into Hobby Lobby and come out about $150 poorer! Each time!! Sometimes more than that!

It's an addiction!

Hello, my name is Linda and I'm an addict! :(

One of my other addictions was making SOAP!! I made BINS of soaps! I can't do anything on a small level! Once I set-up a task, it's all or nothing! I have to have ALL the needed (and some not so needed) utensils and additives and molds, etc., etc. I have bins and bins of things I've collected from my little adventures into addictions! Stamping, soap-making, jewelry-making, drawing and painting, mountains of yarns for knitting and crocheting, libraries of BOOKS both for reading pleasure and craft-making! I'm sure some of you can relate! My Sister in Illinois had to make a whole room almost for her stamping hobby! So at least I'm not alone!

Oh yes, and did I forget to mention my addiction to PENS?? I have enough pens to open my own writing instrument store! Every time I see a new one I have to have it!! My purse is so heavy from carrying pens that it's giving me a neck-ache! Someone asks if anyone has a pen and I proudly say, "Oh I think I might have one."

This tendency to addiction was alright when I was working full-time but now that I'm not working full-time anymore, I'll either have to sell some of my creations or tone it down.

Well, where would we be without our own personal addictions? I'm sure we all have them in one way or another! At least I can take pleasure in the fact that something pretty comes out of mine!! ha ha!Personally, I go through phases: at one time it was chatting on AOL; another time it might be cross-stitching; or crocheting; or painting; or playing my guitar; or reading book after book. I even went through an addiction to SPANISH if you can believe that!! I was taking Spanish classes and reading Spanish and listening to Spanish music and amusing my family trying to roll my rrrr's........rrrrrrrrrrrrr! They would laugh at the strange sounds and funny faces I'd make trying and trying to get my r's to roll and make that trilling sound that is needed for the double "r" in Spanish! I just couldn't do it no matter how I tried, until finally one day, it happened!! Someone explained it to me how to hold my tongue and out it came and I was SO thrilled, I did it over and over and over, afraid I might lose the technique!! lol Much to the amusement of my family!

Many years ago, when we first got our computers (back in the stone ages!), I was addicted to (get this!) WordPerfect if you can believe that!! I couldn't wait to get on my computer each day and start playing with that program! Making newsletters and writing, etc. Then along with the computer came CompuServe and Email and forums (the precursor of chat rooms!) and then AOL which had me staying up until all hours of night chatting with my online friends in chat rooms and on Instant Message! Then I went to work full-time and that took up a lot of time and not leaving much for crafts or other addictions. But even then, I found things to be addicted to! At night... after dinner.... I'd always stay up too late at night doing one thing or another and then be tired when I had to get up for work the next day! Oh yes, don't let me forget E-mail!! Yes, I'm addicted to that too! I can't go a day without checking my E-mail ...... and now it's Blogging!!

I think some of us just have addictive personalities! We're bound to find something to be addicted to! If we lose interest in one thing, yes, we'll search until we find something else!

I'd be interested to know what everyone else's addictions are!

You never know: I just might find a new thing to add to MY list of addictions! :)

Life's Little Stop-Overs

Have you ever had a day when the time just seemed to slip by you and suddenly it was late in the day and you asked yourself, "How did it get so late already?" It seems that at times these things just slip up on us unexpectedly and it's like we've been in a fog or something not to have noticed that we've wasted an entire day doing things that are not constructive by today's standards in any way!

Today, for me, has been one of those days! I didn't intend to sit here reading "blogs" until afternoon! Somehow I found myself caught-up in reading about the happenings of everyone else's life and thoughts as recorded in their blogs, which in turn, makes me go deep inside myself and my own thoughts.

Yesterday was a busy day for me. It was spent at my daughter's house and swimming in her pool, watching clouds go by overhead as the sun peeked in and out at us; just enjoying the lazy summer day and sadly comtemplating how soon it would come to an end and the children would be back in school again. I don't know about you, but as much as I like "fall", I hate thinking about summer coming to an end. It saddens me. I guess it seems that way because summer is the only time that we really have to enjoy "life's little stop-overs": long summer days, spent at the pool or in the park with a good book; watching the grandkids enjoy their time away from the rigidity of the classroom; watching the stars in the sky until late at night and listening to the night sounds! Oh how I love summer!

I love the warmth of the sun on my skin and knowing it won't be dark until late at night! Long, leisurely days to contemplate "LIFE". I know most people don't have that luxury and summer isn't much different for them than any other time of the year because of their work schedules. That's how it was for me while I was working full-time.

I'm so thankful that at this time in my life, I have time to enjoy "life's little stop-overs". After working full-time for the past eight years, and then taking early retirement, I now thankfully have time to enjoy life and not worry about the little "stops" that come along. If I "waste" a day sitting in front of my computer reading blogs or opening a good book and spending hours reading, nothing bad is going to happen to me! I'll simply make up for it on another day.

How I love just spending time alone and reading a good book just for pleasure or listening to music or taking a walk or spending the day swimming in the pool and not accomplishing a single "constructive thing"! It isn't going to bring any harm to anyone. In fact, these are the times I've found to actually be the most productive in my life, believe it or not! These are the times I've learned the most about myself! Time spent reflecting on my life and family and just "listening" to my inner-self! So many times we spend so much time in such noisy environments that we couldn't hear a jack-hammer if it was pounding on our head! For some, noise and activity are escapes, keeping them from having to really think about their lives or their situations. Personally, I savor these times! I love having quiet moments alone with my own thoughts. I rarely turn a TV or radio on when I'm home alone. I like to just "think". Occasionally, I might listen to some soft music as background. I've found that often helps me think, as long as it isn't distracting and makes me start thinking about the singer's words instead of just being a conductor for my thoughts.

It's the same with listening to the voice of God speaking to us! We have to come apart and quiet ourselves so we can really "hear" what's going on inside! Someone once said that if we don't take time to come apart and rest, the rest of us will just come apart! How true!! I've found that if I don't get these "little stop-overs" to just be "still" and meditate, I feel like a dying soul in a desert, crying out for a drink of water!

We all need to learn to enjoy "Life's Little Stop-Overs"!

Spend some time soon alone with just yourself and your thoughts! I think it will do you a world of good and you'll be surprised at what just a little bit of time apart can do for your whole outlook on life!

Learn to enjoy "Life's Little Stop-Overs"!

The sweet song of a bird,

Wind-whispers in the trees;

These things are only heard

In quiet days of ease.

Linda Hobart 8-07-08