Beach Time

           This is what I will probably be watching all week , it  is all she ever does....

                                                  We will use our artistic skills everyday

                                                     And I might even see him smile......

ROBBED AGAIN!!!

Once again this month we have been robbed at the storage buildings.  Now when I say we I mean the people who rent from us, but to tell you that it also effects me personally.  I try and take care of our renters, they mean something to me besides a dollar amount. On the July 4th weekend, we have a fellow who has a trailer that had all of his work and personal things in it.  From childhood toys, to ski wear, to many many construction tools.  You see he has lost everything because of the economy, he was a home builder and had 2 or 3 houses going when everything went downhill, the banks quit working with him and took his and his parents who are also in the construction and real estate business, homes and literally left them homeless.  All of Mike's items where in this trailer parked at our facility.  It was very well planned and the estimation comes to between 20 and 30 thousand dollars worth of stuff. He did not insure it so he has nothing now.  Then last night we had a another break-in, some locks had been cut on a couple of units, from the looks of things nothing was taken.  However, the point is that I am tired of people going to places that are not theirs and taking things and destroying things that don't belong to them. There are days when I would like to live like they did in the old west years ago. (You can imagine what I am thinking). Hopefully, Mike will find his personal property, we have some leads to a white  4 door Chevrolet truck with a brown trailer being put into the field behind our property at 7pm the night of the robbery, with two men and one had very blond hair.  I pray God will reveal to Mike who it is, so that this can be a faith thing for him to start trust God more with his life. Sometimes we have to hit bottom to go up....

More random shots

I AM ONE!!She tells her mommy



Beautiful old barn in mountains

I don't know why but I love this

I climbed to the base of that big rock at the top

I love hydrangeas

Sin, what it is...

Once again we are having conversations at dinner about the state of Christianity. We asked Audrey what she thought about her generations cavalier thoughts on sin.  How they can get drunk, cuss out and shoot the finger to anyone, sleep around and then put on facebook how much they love God. Joey and I were talking about how when we were younger, he rebelled and he went to church for his mom's happiness, but he had guilt and shame and never walked around like he was in good standings with Christ at the time. Audrey stated that she thinks that her generation doesn't really believe in a wrathful God.  They have had a good life, not much pain, nor had to fight for anything worth fighting for.  They don't see the consequences of their sin, they did something wrong, oh well I will do better next time.  They don't understand the lasting effects sin has on ones life. Things that we choose to do everyday has a consequence whether good or bad, choosing to purposefully sin will have a lasting effect on a Christian.  Choices we make today might not effect us immediately but 10 years down the road it can, example: I am meeting with a young single mom who was saved a couple of months ago. She is raising her son alone with no input from the child's dad, thank goodness the dad's parents are involved.  But Cory mentioned the other day how her dad was not a active parent in her life and she does not want this for her son, but now she has a child and the same thing is happening to him. Did she think years ago when she was living with this man out of wedlock and then getting pregnant that her son now would be alone without a central male figure in his life, no, she was living in the moment ( remember,she was not saved at the time). But now her actions have a reaction that she has to live with 4 years later and for years to come. I think the deal is we need to know what the Bible says about sin and call it what it is, whether it is pride, laziness, no self-control, unkindness, lack of love for others, hatefulness, lust, I can go on for hours, we unfortunately zero in on a few sins that are biggies and leave the ones that effect most of us daily alone.  I need to zero in on my daily sins and not try to rationalie them away but admit them so I don't have a lasting effect in years to come. 

4th of July, Birthday and Other Pictures

I thought this was a pretty scene and I was trying out my black and white on my camera

Another year of really great fireworks up in the old mountains.  You can't beat fireworks up there. There are hardly any lights so they just burst in the dark.  My camera has a fireworks scene on it and does pretty good at taking shots.

 This is Harper's very own cake her Nana made for her

She would rather eat the pretzel.  She is my kind of girl, salty not sweet....

She does not like to take naps,but will sleep anywhere, As long as she has a paci, blanket and you see not 1 but 2 little pink Mr Giraffes. She has had a big birthday weekend....

Random Thoughts

Today is my first granddaughter Harper's first birthday.....YEAH!!!!(Pictures to come) This has been a very fast year and I have had a very enjoyable year.  I have relaxed this year more than I have in the last 10, I have had a few health issues but  nothing to stop me to much. I have tried to enjoy all the areas of my life to the fullest. Especially the grandparent area.  I have not cleaned my house on those days, to the horror of Audrey who loves tidiness. I have tried to be a fun grandparent, one who just enjoys the moment with Harper.  With my childhood friend passing away, her birthday was July 4th. I have realized that time is so short and I don't know what will happen next and that I need to love and enjoy my family and friends as much as possible.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARPER!!!!