Happy Birthday, Carrie, Nick and Charity!

Did I tell you I have some wonderful kids, well, adults really, but still kids to me. I have four but this month I am celebrating those who were born in September: Carrie 9/23, Nick 9/21 and Charity 9/22. First, My daughter Carrie is not only beautiful but witty, as well. Sometimes she makes me laugh so hard I need a Depends. Really!!! She gets stressed out with her brood of four but they are so bright and active I'm amazed that she can keep up with them, but she does. She stays all over them, too. If you ever need a laugh, read her blog at carriemomof4.blogspot.com. She will have you rolling. Next is my son, Nick, or as I have started calling him, "sweet boy." He has a mind like a steel trap. He is an excellent father and a fantastic photographer, too. Nick is as handsome as his dad and as clever as his mom. Do yourself a favor and visit www.nicksacy.com to see through the eye of his camera, exactly how Nick sees his world. You won't be disappointed. Last but not least is Charity, very appropriately named. She is just as sweet as she is beautiful, and a wonderful photographer in her own right. She and I have had some great times together and like the other two, I love her dearly. I know she will leave, as well one day, but I thank God for the time He has given us to share.

So there you have it, my September babies, each one special, each one perfect in their own way.

Health Regime: Day 2 and Feelin' Fine-
Don't laugh. I can't count how many times I've only made it past day 1. An even greater accomplishment is that yesterday was a birthday bash for my three oldest children and I did not overeat. There were even two, count em' two birthday cakes and I had a small amount of both yesterday and NONE today! I call that an accomplishment. What next, you may ask, since I have already risen to such great heights? Well........ tomorrow is 24 Hour Fitness day. I will go at 5:00 in the morning and hopefully make it home by 6:00. That's my plan (fingers crossed).

I'm Not As Young As I Used To Be

I cleaned my car today. I feel like I climbed Mt. Everest. I am exhausted and I ache in places I used to never ache before. When did I move from young and athletic to old and decrepit???? I know, I'm a few pounds, uhhh, quite a few pounds heavier and a few years, make that a few decades older. Gee whiz!! I'm depressing myself.

Well, I have decided to go on a health regime. I have given this two weeks of thought and planning. I have also been watching the Biggest Loser this season. I am 51 years old but my according to them my biological age must be somewhere between 70 and 90. That is where I draw the line. I lost my twentyninth year moping because I was turning thirty only to find that I had moped away my twentyeigth instead. I decided at that particular juncture to not mind aging, but I refuse to do so faster than necessary. So I will use this blog to chronicle my adventure. I am not counting calories or carbs. I am going to eat healthier, more veggies, fruits, whole grains; less meats and sweets. I am going to 24 Hour Fitness three days a week at first and gradually increase the number of visits along with the amount of activity. I will hope to lose two pounds a week but will be satisified with any loss. I guess I should upload a starting picture and add new ones as I go so that I will do tomorrow. I will also begin the regime tomorrow because it is the first day of the week and in the famous words of Scarlett O'Hara - "tomorrow is another day."

How Will You Be Remembered

Yesterday, Sunday, I sang at a memorial service for a woman at my church who passed away while we were on vacation. I attend a church of about 100 people and much to my shame, I had only spoken to her once or twice since I began attending about a year and a half ago. Francis went in to the hospital for what appeared to be a simple procedure on her foot where during and after sugery she suffered a series of heart attacks that took her life. It is my understanding that she had been plagued by illness most of her adult life and at 58 her body was not able to take any more. She always sat at the end of the second row in church, with her illuminated magnifying glass to read the songsheets to the songs we would be singing that day. A kind soul never forgot to place those sheets on that row for her to use. She was quiet, sweet and full of the love of Christ and it is my great loss to have missed the opportunity to really get to know her. You see, I have my mission when I go to the church building. I have to get there an hour early to prepare the worship team for the music we will be singing. After we practice, I share a devotional and we pray. Then it is time to begin the service. At the end of the service I am most always back at the piano and I play a few moments while the congregation exits. Then I meet up with my family and we have the all important decision of where we will eat that day. Somehow, during my mission, I can't help but feel I am missing the point of corporate worship, iron sharpening iron, fellowship of the saints, so on and so forth. Who is at fault here, the congregation who expects me to be in in my place, the pastor who needs me to be prepared and ready to lead in worship, or me? I willingly admit that I am the one who lets these divine appointments escape. After attending Francis' service and hearing and seeing all of the wonderful things said in her honor I had to ask myself, what will be remembered most about me? I hope that I will be remembered for pointing others to Christ. To do this I need to focus more on His mission and less on my own.

These are my thought today, such as they are.

God Bless!

I Went To The Beach And Was Chased Home By IKE

Well, believe it or not, we fiinally went on vacation. Ike was still a trpoical storm out in the Atlantic Ocean but heading our way. We were bound and determined to have our vacation so we made our way down to the Texas coast stopping in Lockhart, Texas to eat barbeque at the #2 ranked restaurant in the state. It was really good, too!

We made it to Port Aransas around 5:00 so decided to go to the supermarket and to our cottage planning to visit the beach the next day. We followed through with our plans and pitched our awning on the Gulf shore. Even the smell of fish could not discourage us. We floated in the waves and basked in the sun. Two of us received sunburns and this time I was not one of the two. Rick and Charity looked like lobsters when we went to dinner that evening, but being the troopers they are, were ready to go back to the beach the next morning. I kept pretty cool with my 50 spf spray and they even decided to use some as well but continued to burn. Since I am usually the roasted Sacy I could really empathize with them.

The next day we would spend away from the beach, giving them time to cool down a bit. We piddled around and tried to relax as much as possible. Since it was drizzling we did not consider the beach for that day. Besides, the next day Matt was flying in and we would spend that evening on the beach.

As we were at the airport waiting for Matt's plane, we received the much dreaded call from our landlord, informing us that we needed to be prepared to evacuate. So, with Matt in, tow we went to the beach for one last swim. We stayed at the beach most of the evening and went to the cottage just before dark. As we looked at the beautiful days on Wednesday and Thursday, it was hard to imagine that Hurricane Ike was out in the gulf, waiting to make landfall. Isn't that how it is in life as well? We cruise along not knowing what storms or disasters are waiting to make landfall in our lives. They can bring such devastation. Our Father, like our landlord, can instruct us to make preparations, but if we ignore his warning we can be swept along like so much debris. Listen with all your heart, soul, mind and strenth and let your Heavenly Father direct your steps. Even in times of disaster, there's no safer place to be.

And these are my thoughts, such as they are.

God Bless!

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho

Back to work. As usual, the three day weekend felt like a three hour jaunt, but that's how it is, right. You work and work to get through the week to enjoy the weekend that passes so quickly, if you blink you miss it, only to wind up back at work and repeat the process over and over until you pick up your head and make the observation that life has passed and you did not even notice. Why do we do it? Why don't we allow ourselves the time to "smell the roses", take a friend to coffee, hug our child/grandchild, tell our spouse that they still make our heart turn flip-flops, or even call our parents and say I love you. Promise to lift your head up at least once everyday. You won't regret it.

And thouse are my thoughts today, such as they are-

God Bless!

The Party was Off The Hook

Well, today was the birthday party for my first grandson, Joshua. He is the only 3 year old I know who wanted a weed whacker for his birthday. I kid you not- that was his greatest desire. We searched high and low for that little piece of plastic and noise but to no avail. I suspect he was not the only 3 year old that requested one after all. Fortunately, Nanna and Poppa in Port Orange, Plorida came through in great style, with the desired present. We found the stuffed elelphant that made his eyes twinkle so I was satisfied. I followed him around as he pretended to whack the weeds in his yard and literally had to tie him down to keep him from taking care of the neighbor's weeds, too. The sweetest thing I saw from him today was at the dinner table. He had to make sure his elephant was included and there they both sat Joshua with one arm around the elephant and the other hand eating his hotdog. It made me smile inside. God love him, he is one determined individual and his mom and dad definitely have their hands full. He is so inquisitive and he's fearless. This is not necessarily good at this age but oh the exploits he will do one day for the kingdom of God. He will be looking for weeds and anything else that requires cutting down to size. Oh, how I love him!

Of course, as I informed you yesterday, I love all my grandchildren to pieces. They are the brightest, most beautiful, and fun-loving kids I know. I tell you the truth. Would I lie to you?

My grandmother's delight weekemd is almost over. Aliya and Zaynah are having a sleep over tonight. Joshua begged to come to and I hated to turn him down but not more than I would have hated driving the 45 minutes to take him home in the middle of the night. His time will come. We will clean house, shop a little and call it a day early tomorrow so I can prepare for the upcoming 4 day work week.

Five days and counting until we leave for vacation (fingers still crossed).

Those are my thoughts for today such as they are.
God Bless!

1st blog of My Life

Here I go. I'm a little nervous, having never blogged before. I love to talk, so what am I afraid of. Blogging is like talking, right, except I get to dominate the conversation and only talk about the things that interest me. My husband would say, "what's new?!" He's funny like that.

Seven days and counting until we leave for vacation. Can I hear an amen?? Not that I don't love my job but a week away at the beach, even the Texas beach, seems like a week in heaven to me. We will be staying in a cottage this time. We have stayed in a small motel, condo, house on stilts, and this time, a cottage. Life will be laid back for seven days and seven nights (fingers crossed).

On this long weekend, I am doing what most grandmothers, that's right- I said grandmothers, enjoy doing. Tonight I have my son's two children (girl, 4 and boy, 1) for the night and tomorrow my daughter's two daughter's (6 and 5) for the night. I love them all to pieces. My daughter also has two sons (2 and 11 months) but I don't think they're ready to be too far from mom and dad. All that being said, I have to make the statement that they are the most beautiful grandchildren in the world, you have my word on it. I also have two other children (another daughter and son) besides the aforementioned, a son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and the possibility of another son-in-law. All of these individuals bring joy to my life. I love them dearly.

There is one who makes my life complete. I met him 33 years ago and married him a year later. He makes me laugh and sometimes makes me cry. We talk, argue, laugh, complain, and love day after day and it never gets old. I hope to have many more years with him, enshallah (if God wills it). For everyone who finds their life boring and their marriage stale, stop waiting for something wonderful to happen. Grab your mate by the hand and make it happen. Your husband/wife are probably feeling just like you. Go for it. God gives us only one life and it passes so quickly that we have to make every moment count.

Those are my thoughts, such as they are for today.
God bless.