My devotional time

     I haven't written on my blog since 2009.  Wow.  A lot has happened since then.  I just read the 3 blogs I did that year, and I noticed that I wrote about my devotional book, which surprised me that I did that.  That same devotional book is still a huge part of my life, 5 year later.  It gets more valuable each year. 

     The book is a daily devotional journal and is called "Streams in the Desert", written by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman.  The first edition was released in 1925.   It's not in as good a shape as it was in 2009.  The pages are warped from moisture and are kinda rippled on the top.  It's front and back cover is dented.  It's spine is taped and the cover isn't attached to the book.  But, with all the damage, it is the most valuable book I have in my house.  

     I still do my devotions every morning from this book.  I got the book and have been using it since 2003.  Half of each page is for personal notes.  Those notes are worth so much to me.  I love starting my day out with the Bible and this book.  I hope that when I am gone, that my daughter will use it and it will mean as much to her as it has to me.

     This year I am using a new Bible with my devotions.  It is "The Holy Bible" The Devotional Bible whose general editor is Max Lucado.  It is a NCV version.   For information on this version go to http://www.gotquestions.org/New-Century-Version-NCV.html.  I've read a lot of versions of the Bible, and I am enjoying using this with my devotions.  I am also doing the 2 year devotional reading plan in the front of the Bible.

     Each morning, between 6:00 and 7:00, I have my devotions from the Streams in the Desert, read from the Bible, and have prayer.  I love starting my day this way.  So far this year, I have not missed a morning.   I was determined to make it a good habit, and I did.  

     So, that is my devotional time.  

pics of my devotional book:

The joy of Grandchildren

What a special blessing from God......Grandchildren!! For many years I thought motherhood was the ultimate, but grandchildren are awesome!! It's like they can't love me enough.

The good part is that I get to enjoy them without the pressures of discipline. Grandma's give advise instead of discipline. My 9 yr old grandson told me the other day, "GramGram, you sure are full of a lot of advise." I told my grandson that Grandma's are good for giving advise. He then ask if I could not give so much advise. Trying not to laugh, I told him I'd try to tone it down a little.

Grandma's have more time to actually have talks with them. Mom and Dad are busy working and making money to support them, and laundry, and grocery shopping and cooking and homework and etc. Grandma has the time to spend one-on-one time with each grandchild. I listen to what they have to say. Sometimes they tell me things they can't share with mom and dad. They trust me to keep their secrets and dreams. They trust me to tell them the truth about what they want to know. They know that if they beat me in a game, it's not because I let them win.....they really won it on their own.

My 15 yr old granddaughter thanked me yesterday for always being honest with her about things. She always wants my opinion about how she looks, or how good she sings. I've always tried to be honest with her, even when she didn't hear what she wanted to hear. And she thanked me for that.

I could write a book on how much I love being a grandma. The love that my grandchildren give out is just what I need in my elderly years.

My Beautiful granddaughter

Tonight is my granddaughter's, Tiffani's, first prom. She graduates from Middle School next week and this is her prom night. Tiffani doesn't think she's pretty at all. She's always putting her self down. I think she looks like a princess. I love her with all my heart. Here's a couple of pictures of her. Don't you think she's beautiful?

Favor and a good name

Sometimes verses in the Bible really stand out. Like today's verse.
Proverbs 3:3-4

Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.

I read the whole chapter, and it is so wise.
I love it when God's favor shows clearly in a situation.

So many situations are beyond my control. I didn't cause them....they just happen.
I use to want to be in control of everything happening in my life, but now I've learned
to let go and let God. He's never, never lets me down.
When I try to control things, I make such a mess of them.
There's no way human words could ever thank God enough!


Katbird

The simplicity of reading a book

I love to read. Reading books is part of my life. It's part of what makes me....me. I know people who has never sat down and read a book all the way through. Not one book! There's no way to describe to those people what they are missing. Each book I read is a different experience in itself.

Every day I read from a devotional book called "Streams in the Desert" by Mrs. Charles Cowman. The first edition came out in 1925. It was published by Barbour Publishing Inc. (Barbour is my maiden name). I've been using this devotional book since 2003. Each year, I write a little something on each page about my situation at that time. It's so neat to read what I have written over the past 5 years each day. It brings back a lot of memories, good and sad. Each day's devotional seems to be just what I needed for that day. This book has become a close and dear friend to me. Reading each days writing is such a simple thing to do. It takes no more than 10 minutes out of my day. Usually something will happen each day to remind me of what I read that morning.

I recently read a fantastic book called "The Shack" by William Paul Young. A friend of mine was reading the book at the same time, and I enjoyed our conversations about what we were reading. This was the type of book that I couldn't hardly put down. If you have the opportunity, read this book. It's awesome. I felt like I actually was in this shack with the characters. I can't praise it enough. I later ask a guy in Tennessee, Brad, who is an artist, to sketch me a drawing of a shack in the woods. He had not seen the cover of the book "The Shack" and had no idea what I wanted. When he finished the sketch and sent it to me, it was amazing the resemblance of his sketch and the shack on the book cover. It was almost the exact shape of the one on the book. I framed the sketch and have it standing beside my book.

The best book in the world to read is your Bible. It's never outdated. In these days and times, we need to "read up" in the Bible. We need to know what the Bible says about what's going on in our world. I don't know how anyone right now lives day to day without reading the Word. I really don't. These are serious times. The Bible gives me strength and hope. I'm not a "King James Only" person, and I'm not putting down anyone who is. I try not to sit in judgement on anyone. My Father knows I'm very imperfect, but He loves me anyway. I just purchased myself a new Bible and I am enjoying it so much. It is "NIV Archaeological Study Bible". Along with the verses it has the archaeological, historical and cultural background study notes. It makes reading the Bible a new experience.

I read a book during the Christmas holidays. It was "The Purpose of Christmas" by Rick Warren. It was a short book and I was able to read it in one sitting. It was a good book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. After I finished reading it, I felt the leading to give it as a present to someone, but I wasn't sure who to give it to. I almost gave it to an elderly lady that I know, but something told me to wait. Later that day, I was invited to a private Christmas party and I decided to give the book to one of the ladies at the party. She was so happy with it. She said she had saw it advertised on television and had tried for two weeks to get the book, but never was able to. Her husband was very sick and she couldn't get away to find the book. She had tears in her eyes while thanking me. This meant so much to her. I knew right then that she was the one that I was suppose to give the book to.

I could go on and on about how books have been a part of my life. It's such a simple thing to sit down and read a book. I have one friend that is not happy with her life. She reads books that takes her into another world for a time. It's her resting place. That's not why I read. I just love to read and learn. I like books that makes me think. That makes me want to be a better person. That makes me see things about myself that I haven't seen before or refuse to see.

If you are bored or don't have anything else to do......read a book!

Katbird

My first blog

My first blog posting. Wow. I'm not too sure about all this. But, I love keeping journals, so I should like doing this, shouldn't I? My life isn't that interesting, except to me. I can't imagine why anyone would want to read my thoughts and what I have to say.

My interests and life is simple. The things that makes me happy is things like family and friends, grandchildren, finding yard sales with people who really wants to sell their junk at cheap prices, crossword puzzles, a simple recipe, house plants (that don't flower), my pet Yorkie (her name is Lilly), music w/no words or singing (I love Yanni), taking pictures with my digetal camera, shrimp, pork cracklins', a good book that holds my interest (like The Bible or "The Shack"), buttered popcorn, genealogy research, and a good movie. I love watching "House" on TV because he reminds me so much of my son, Tyrell. I also like "7th Heaven".

I was introduced to blogging by dear friends of mine. Their blog is called "The Trent Tribe". They are a lovely family and I go there often and read what is written. I really love this family. As I visited their site, I kept thinking that I would like to do something like that. So, here I am.

I have no ideal what I'm doing, or where this will go.

My greatest love is for my family. I have a beautiful, talented, creative and loving daughter, named Candy. She is married to a really good man and has 3 wonderful children. I have a "what you see is what you get" son, named Tyrell. He was named for Tyrell Sackett from the Louie Lamour book. Tyrell is one of a kind. I like the way he is and the way he thinks. I am very proud of both of my children and love them very much.

I have a best friend that I care about deeply. His name is Darrell Harmon. He's a pastor (but he doesn't like to be called Pastor or Rev. Darrell). He is probably the kindest and the most humble man I have ever known. We've been friends for over 20 years. He's my conscience. He's my mentor. He's my friend. He's my encourager. He's my adviser.

Well, this was my first attempt to blog. It felt good!

Katbird