When bad things happen to good people

Our Sunday School class reads a variety of books for our class discussions. We just finished reading When Bad Things Happen To Good People by Harold S. Kushner. While we do not agree with everything any author says, there were many interesting foods for thought in this book.

He suggests "in the final anaysis, the question of why bad things happen to good people translates itself into some very different questions, no longer asking WHY something happened, but asking HOW we will respond, what we intend to do now that it has happened.

I think we have all asked it before, Why, Why, and Why. This book challenged me for the future to ask," now that this has happened to me, WHAT am I going to do about it." Kushner writes " I can accept that the facts of life are neutral. We, by our responses, give suffering either a positive or a negative meaning."

I sat there thinking about all my grandchildren and the world they are living in. How can I help them to embrace life, trust God, and respond to life's unfairness and give positive meaning to their personal journeys?
Right now, they are being handed most everything they want and need, just as I was as a child. I did not suffer in any big way as a child. It pains me just to imagine any kind of suffering in their innocent lives.

My real shock and participant in suffering came at age 26. I was not prepared in anyway to accept a divorce and give it a positive meaning in my life. But I made some choices and found a Loving God to help me raise my children during 14 of those very hard single again years and I walked on through life. There is still suffering as a result of that divorce but there is also healing and multitudes of love displayed in my life and my children's as we have entered new chapters of all our lives. God has been gracious to us and good!

So today, I press on in a world of suffering. People around me are facing brutal things: cancer, lack of finances, crippling diseases, emotional disorders, broken relationships, family members at war, and hardships of all sorts. I want to help, be an encourager, and a support. Mostly, all I can really do is pray. I am positive prayer is the only way I made it through my suffering. God will give to them that suffer today, Himself, I pray, and He will provide who and what they need to survive their sufferings.

These are thoughts I will ponder and continually ask God for direction.
Some serious thoughts on a Monday from a usually silly, sappy Lolli.

COW!

3 short years ago, the COW found us in the Mall around Christmas time (Annie was then 2 and Lily Kate around 9 months)...

and then he found us with Brendan and Beckett this Christmas 3 years later eatting lunch...

and last week the COW car parked right across from me the other day at Walmart!...


and followed me to the basketball game later that day...

and begged me to take another picture with him this past Saturday!
Holy Cow, I think I have a new friend for life!

Eat more chicken yall!

made by Lolli with love

I totally forgot to add this picture at the end of my most recent post on "gingham". (Since the neck was so little, I decided to put it down at the back of dress, who knows I may start a new trend...)
I am lovin my new labels that a little bluebird gave me for Christmas (I call anyone I really love 'a little bluebird'-this bluebird was Regan!)

gingham

About 2 years ago I bought this baby blue gingham at a cloth barn on one of my jaunts to visit friends at the lake. I had in mind to use it for baby Knox who was not yet born at the time.
As I often do, I forget about the fabric once it is stuck away in my sewing cabinet and get distracted with my many other busy bee projects.
I was determined to make it into an outfit by Valentines this year and I accomplished my goal, even after keeping Knox a week here and there before Feb 14th!
I was extra excited that it fit him well because it is not easy to fit a little one when they are not around to try it on as you are sewing.

Then, after finishing his longall, I realized I had enough material left to make baby Greer a simple daygown and bonnet with the leftovers.





I even had enough to make a little slip to go under the daygown(the material was rather sheer)

when I completed the bonnet, I thought it looked too much like a "boy cap". I took it to church with me that Sunday morning and went to the nursery area and tried it on a little baby girl who was just about Greer's size.
Came home after church, and added a ruffle (after ripping out a few seams). (for you sewers I enjoyed using the OLD FASHIONED BABY daygown pattern on this project)
To me, that was what it needed, and I sighed a relief.
Can't wait to see her in it. I just mailed it to her this week. Stay tuned for a future picture of my 2 youngest little loves in gingham.

Funny thing is, just 5 minutes after I posted this, I received these precious pictures of baby Greer from my daughter in law who gets major hugs for being so diligent about sending Lolli new pictures!



and her mama says she dislikes bonnets something awful! This may be the last bonnet for baby Greer. I do not want to be on her bad side :)

Sydney Loohoo

Sweet Sydney Loohoo is turning 11 this week! Oh dear, where has the time gone? And now she is cheerleading in competition on big stages and loving wearing the sparkly stage makeup and having her hair rolled and fixed for the competitions!
I remember the days when she would barely come to me as a shy little toddler and most definetly would not let you take her picture. I love it both that she likes her picture made and that she begs to stay with me now.
She is such a giving kind of gal and so creative and lets anyone play with her beautiful hair! I don't want her to grow up so fast but I love that she is having fun in the process and becoming a charming young lady!

I see the moon, the moon sees me

Friday night's moon was undescribable. I have never seen such a perfect one in all my life. And as I zoomed in and out, I captured different colors in it.




My deerest neighbor, Susan (see my old post of 8-17-09 to see why I call her DEEREST instead of dearest), and I had a great time going up the street in our neighborhood to get different views. It was sheer delight to photo one of God's nighttime masterpieces.

Last week's Winners

Last Saturday was a big day. It was Knox's first real basketball game and Lolli's first time to bring a grandchild in the new Arena. Oh what fun it was to watch his little eyes and expressions at the newness of it all. After being sick all week, it was great to see him feeling better and to see him take in the magic of basketball.
Since his mama and daddy are raising him to be an Alabama fan, I was not allowed to dress him for the game :) No matter to me, he was the center of attention everywhere we went. His hair is such a showstopper and his smile is contagious that it really does not matter what he wears :).
Knox was completely entertained-the band- the cheerleaders- the people-the action on the court... He LOVED getting up and down out of the seat and was adorable to watch with his wide eyes and big grin whenever Aubie or Chik Fil A cow walked near our section in front of us,
hello there, you two handsome guys!
precious cheeks full of goldfish crackers while mesmorized with the hoop-tu-la of the game
at halftime we took a little walk around the complex.
Knox was not intimidated by the big guys trying out their aim.
we have a new slam dunker in the family minus a shoe! (we found it :)

Knox and Lee left shortly after halftime so he could go to bed at a decent hour.

And the game suddenly got very interesting and LOUD during the last 10 minutes! I am not sure how Knox would have reacted to all the yelling then, since he was just a clapping during the first half but the crowd was not sitting down anymore!

Look how close the game was towards the end of the 2nd half. People, we were down by 24 points in the first half of this same game. But I was having too much fun with Knox to care at that point.

unbelievable!
nail biting time! jumping up and down! screaming and hollering! Auburn basketball fans went crazy!
Our first win in the new Auburn Arena! Auburn beat Mississippi State. Our first WIN in the new arena and it just so happens that Miss State was the last team we beat in the old Beard Eaves Coliseum.

but this little boy was the real winner to me :) He won many a fan over the game that night. It will be a night I will remember and cherish.

she made this one too

I almost forgot to share this arrangement too that Sadler made with the leftover stems and a few things I already had on hand not to mention the REAL magnolia leaves that are in my back yard. She tells me they will look just as good all dried up and brown too.


Just a little touch of nature inside my house makes me happy. How about you? Again, let me just say how blessed I am to have such a talented and loving friend as Sadler.

Sadler's gift

Sadler has given me so many gifts over the years of our friendship. Her time and talents have been used so much in my life that I can not even begin to write all of it down in words. Her "worldly gifts" have also been greatly appreciated used, and loved. A true friend knows you and loves you in spite of your faults and she always knows what gift would bless me the most too. I would like to say it comes from spending time with each other therefore you KNOW what makes the person tick, tock, and all that.
I told her recently that I needed "a facelift" on my mantle urns. After all, it is the main stage in my home: (she actually arranged them as they appear in these pictures around 10 years ago) She also helped me find the frame (around that painting) in a flea market and we painted it, touched it up and I am proud that it did not cost half of what you think it would have.



Yes, many a show is put on in front of this mantle. Now, back to the reason for this post~!

But the minute I mentioned the urns needing a make over, Sadler came running! We went to several shops to get ideas and then headed to Hobby Lobby and here is what she made with HOBBY LOBBY stems and such!



I LOVE how they turned out!


We have done many a project to learn these things. I love the way she can suggest something for my home decor, my wardrobe, or most importantly my attitudes and I am not offended or feeling inferior. We just have a friendship and understanding that makes for open communication. I take most everything she says knowing she wants the best for me. That, my friends, is a true friendship. I wish you all had a Sadler!

This caught my attention today

What did I love today?

What did I love today?
1. I loved the way my laundry felt right out of the dryer

2. I loved planning on leftovers for tonight's supper

3. I loved getting a new iphone picture of baby Greer and picturing her wearing the new lollipop shoes I found her (Annie and Lily Kate had same ones---fancy that!)


4. I loved turning on my cell phone and hearing sweet Corey's "I love you" Valentine's message that I did not get yesterday since I did not turn on my phone!

5. I loved thinking about Annie calling me yesterday and asking if Alex was at my house and if so, could she come too? She is ready for our Summer Girls Week!

6. I loved praying for precious Knox and hoping his cough is all gone this week and that another sweet bunny rabbit will bring him delight soon.


7. I loved walking our 3 miles in 68° sunshiney weather

8. I loved seeing the horses and having these pictures from last week to look back on


9. I loved my elderly friend calling me to laugh about something silly she did

10. and last but not least, I loved the professional manicure, pedicure and 1 hour massage gift certificate I got to use today! (1st time my husband has ever bought me a Valentines gift of this nature!)