You Guys Are The Best....

Hey guys....don't pay the ransom..I have escaped!  Big hug & big kiss to everyone...have missed y'all so much and hope and pray that all is well with each and every one of you.  Soooo much going on around here..I don't know where to begin to catch you up on things..Oldest Burly and his family are winding things up and will be heading for Montana after Bill's 60th surprise birthday party May 19th...have told Bill we are having an early Memorial Day BBQ for all the family to gather and say goodbye to them (we have to do alot of sneaky things in this big family)

You see my black rockers I got for my birthday from the kids..LOVE THEM!!!!  You should see me,mama & daddy sitting in them...we look like an advertisement for the old folks home!!!! I am sitting on the back porch as I type this and the yard is in full bloom...birds everywhere and sunshine is glorious...baby chick is asleep in her little pen...yes I said baby chick...I finally just made up my mind to stop putting off doing the things that truly make me happy and seeing a chicken walk around in my back yard makes me happy..she is 6 days old now..a Rhode Island red...and she is spoilt rotten and as smart a a whip...I keep her in the house for now...youngest Burly built a huge chicken coop and gave it to me..so it is all ready out in the yard for when she gets bigger....Most of you know my little furbaby Maggie passed away 3 yrs ago...we had her for 16 yrs and I have always had a dog in my life from the day I was born...I am thinking of getting another puppy but when it comes time to go look I break down with the tears again so I am gonna have to work on that thought...

We had a scare with Bill's brother a few weeks ago..they called from Tenn and said they rushed him to hospital...blood pressure dropped...kidneys were shutting down...severe infection running rapid thru his whole body...doctors didn't give much hope for him to pull thur or even make it out of ICU...I prayed over the phone with precious niece as she cried out for prayer for her daddy...called all the kids and messaged the family...for 3 days we all waited without a word...praying...crying and holding our breath for the family...couldn't get hold of anyone up there...prepareing to go...then glory on glory fell...he was moved to a private room....infection treated...kidneys back 100%..all vitals back to normal and the doctors shaking there heads...ohhhhh sweet Lord...there is a God in heaven that still shows Himself strong for us...

Someone ask me in my last post...Bonnie I think....what do I do when I don't see the prayer answered...well...lordy knows I have prayed many a time and didn't get the touch I was praying for....see even now my own precious mama has dizziness that medicine doesn't touch and my prayers can't seem to move...she hasn't slept in her bed for over 2 months now...it breaks my heart...but I will continue to call her name and I will stand in the gap as long as there is breath in me...because this is how I stand....I am just speaking for me now mind you....but I believe in God...I believe in the healing power...I believe God is the same today as he was yesterday...I believe in the saving grace of the blood of Jesus as my Savoir..I believe in a personal relational with God every minute of the day...He is not way off up yonder and we just have to hope He hears us...He is alive and lives within me and around me...He knows the very words on my tongue before I even speak them but most importantly HE KNOWS MY NAME.....I have seen more miracles in my lifetime than I could even write about but this one thing I know...I made up my mind yrs ago...I will praise Him and love Him til my dying breath...if I never see another answered prayer that doesn't make Him any less God to me...I will stand..thru the dark hour no matter what I see around me..I will stand...you see you never give up hope...I don't know why bad things happen to good people...why a mother burys her baby...the Bible says the enemy comes to steal...kill...and destroy...not God...there is life in the word and we as humans must believe in that word every day we live...you can't live a double life..you either serve God of the devil..and you can't serve the devil and then run call on God when the bad things come...so many people try to tell you it is God's will for sickness and destruction..I refuse to let that even enter my spirit..sometimes people around you can fill you with so much negative thoughts until we are somothered and can't even visualize hope....But Bonnie and anyone else out there going thru a battle and can't seem to get a breakthru...you rise up..shake yourself...speaking those things that are not as though they are...in the midnight hour when tears and pain choke you...whisper out in the darkness....Father breath on me....you stand on God's word....minute by minute and hour by hour...with everything within stand....Moses stood at the Red Sea....enemy coming behind him..the waters before him....death on both sides....how could this be..he did what God ask him...he brought forth the people of God...why was this happening....but at the darkest hour when all hope seemed lost and people screaming out for their lives...God made a way where there seemth to be no way and the waters parted and they walked across on dry land....I love the Lord with all my being and I praise Him for His love and mercy even the midnight hour I will praise Him for He is God and there is no other...He is that rock and you can stand on Him...never say never...

I love you guys soooo...there are no words to tell you how much your prayers and words mean to me...hopefully after the Burly and his family get moved to Montana I'll cry alittle less and laugh alittle more at baby chick as che grows and will get more into blogging again...Summertime is coming I can't wait to fish with the grands at the lake...much love and blessings to all of you.....Picket

Yep...it's Me!!!!!

It's me guys...so grab a glass of tea or a cup of coffee and pull up a chair...this may take a minute or two....well don't hardly know where to start...I just haven't had the heart to blog for the last couple of months...I was carrying so much in my heart till it just choked me to talk about it...but now I can share it with you...back before the holidays oldest beautiful daugher called me crying.."mom... I need to talk to you"....
She had found a large lump in her breast and had been keeping it to herself for weeks...wouldn't tell anyone and made me swear to not breath a word...now in this family we have no secrets...we share and pray about everything..but she was headstrong about this...I had her make an appointment with the doctor and I told her it would be ok...but people...when I hung up that phone my heart burst within me as I called out to God for my baby....for days we waited on the appointment and anytime the family called me I would break down crying and couldn't tell them why...to make a long story short she finally realized she had to tell the family...the mammogram showed a huge mass and a lump over 4 inches wide...even the nurse told her it looked like cancer...waiting on the biopsy appointment to be made the days were brutal..she was scared to death and me trying always to encourage her but in the dark hours of the night I called out to God with all my soul...I'd go to sleep crying and praying and I'd wake up all hours of the night and call out her name....

I ask God to give her a sign...to turn the thing around...she called..."mama the lump has moved and is starting to swell...I knewwwww that was God and I told her so...but I also know the horror that loomed in her heart because I daily fought that same horror as a mama who refused to let those tormenting thoughts drive me insane,,,you mamas know the thoughts I am talking about...the doctor never called..time went on and the office had no word of the appointment..but God knew all things...the lump grew and came to the surface...it burst and drained for 3 days...ohhhhh sweet Lord I knew God had heard our prayers...when she went in for the biopsy they did a new mammogram...the doctor told her he saw no mass...only signs of a duct that had been infected and he wanted to schedule for surgery just to remove the duct so she never would have to go thru that again...ohhhhhh my word,,,God is soooooo merciful and good...she had the surgery last Tuesday...didn't take 10 minutes...never ever let hope die...there is nothing impossible to God...you have to look beyond what is right in front of you and believe God for those things that are not as though they were....

On a lighter side...I turned 60 Feb 2 of this year..the kids had me the best surprise party I have ever had in my life...I was so overcome with emotion and felt so much love that I started crying uncontrolablely...it scared daddy so bad he started crying and said 'well...let's just all sing a little song right now..and broke out in 'When we all get to heaven"!!!! It shocked the kids so bad the whole family busted out laughing!!!!!

I still have issues with oldest Burly and his family moving to Montana...still makes me cry...but I want him to be happy and follow his dreams...they will be moving there May 31 of this year...they reserved the U-Haul last week...when I turned on the computer and saw the message I literally froze as tears streamed down my face..lordy have mercy on me a mama hen that has always wanted to cover and shield my babies from all harm...let me let go so that the true One who does the shielding can guide my son in this life...

I want to thank each and everyone of you that sent me messages and e-mails....I love you guys and am so thankful for your concern and prays and friendship....all is well and Spring is showing her petticoats here....looks like it will be a great year after all...take care you guys and thanks again just for being there....Picket

Things That Make Me Smile....

Morning guys...well here we are in 2012...how blessed we are to live to see such a time! Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's...Ours was the best so far....we all gathered at Jen's next door...ohhhh the food was fantastic and all the babies with all their toys running to you to show you their newest treasures...as the evening went on Mama & Daddy headed on back home and I told the gang I was gonna head back across the yard to the house to put my feet up for a minute...well it wouldn't no time til they all came across and begin to huddle in the living room with me and even sitting around on the floor..then begin the best part of the day...they all talked about their childhood and the memories they had...talked about love and family...we all cried and laughed for hours...that was the greatest Christmas ever for me...
Finally got all the Christmas decorations put away and got ready for New Year's dinner here at the house...been cleaning and culling out the closets and cabinets all week...I decided I wanted toile in as many rooms as I could put it...I love toile and checks and I believe in living with what you love...these in the dining room came from LOWES...of all places! lol Love the large farm scene on them...

As I was cleaning out things I would ask myself if I saw this item in a store today would I buy it? Nine times out of ten the answer was no...so it went in the give away box...you know how you keep stuff just to use as a fill in...well I am not doing that anymore...I have had some stuff for years but if I haven't used it in a year then I won't miss it...the next pic is the guest bedroom..I loooove this toile set...bought it a couple of years ago at JC Penneys...notice how I seem to be drawn to the black toile!!!! lol

I plan on working on losing some more weight...spending as much time as possible with my family...change the things I can and pray about the ones I can't...in my home if I can only change one thing it will be something that makes me smile when I walk in and see it and toile does that for me....what makes you smile...what dreams do you have for the New Year....whatever they are remember this is a new begining for all of us...let this be the year that we finally let go of all the past hurts that have haunted us for so long...forgive those that have hurt us...let them live with that wrong doing...you survived it..that's all that matters...love covers a multitude of sin and forgiveness can cause a person to see a light that darkness had kept covered fo so long...

I want to thank sweet Vee @ A Haven for Vee for mentioning me in her blog and for all the wonderful viewers that came over here from her blog to say hello...you guys are just the best....have a great day everybody and remember to do something to make yourself smile today...love ya...Picket

It's That Time Again....

Hey Guys....lookie here..it is already December and just a few weeks til Christmas! We have so many birthdays in this month and we had our first Christmas gathering at oldest Burly's house last weekend..ohhhh so pretty and so much fun being with all the gang....i finished decorating the house...actually I have taken a few settings down cause I just want to keep things simple this year...only put up one tree...a first for me! We even scaled way back in the yard decorations this year...I have the picket fence in wreaths and white lights and the porch is filled with old pieces from years ago and the one thing I knew I had to have this year was the big colored lights over the door and on the two big topiaries by the door...I told Bill I had to have it because it reminded me of my childhood when colored lights were everywhere and things were simple...
I did the inside more rustic and homey just using things I've had for years...Jen is having the Christmas dinner at her house this year so I have been helping her get her place ready...oh my word that girl has so much stuff...I walked in the other day to get started and Johnny had brought all the totes in from the shed...it looked like the Macy's Christmas Parade warehouse!!!!..I wonder who that girl takes that after!

I love snowmen! Jen gave these to me years ago...and the ones on the coffee table I bought yrs ago after Christmas on clearance...we always go shopping the morning after Christmas..does anyone else do that....I love that day!

I am a firm believer in using what you got...look around the house...use your trays or baskets or dough bowls and fill them with pine branches and pine cones...throw in some bells or big gawdy ornaments....

I didn't even bother changing out the mantle..I just added some stockings and a little pine tree,,my heart and mind is just on other things this year...I am just so thankful for my little home and my heart goes out to those here in town that still haven't got a place of their own yet since the April tornadoes...and with Oldest Burly and his family leaving for Montana next year we are all trying to spend as much family time together as we can squeeze in...

Sometimes we get so caught up in life and the seasons that think everything has to be perfect and just magazine ready...but we forget that just across town or maybe even just down the street someone is wondering how they will even afford a Christmas dinner or even afford 'Santa' for their kids...others are struggling to just keep the power bill paid and still others sit by the bedside of a loved one as they slip on out of this life into eternity...

Time waits on no man...do all you know to do now in this day...give love and kindness..nurture and care for all the blessings God has given you...be ever mindful of the treasures we take for granted..out homes..our jobs..our cars..our health...our families...praise Him that he has allowed you to be the 'keeper's' of such treasures...because we are only pilgrims passing thru in this life..

You know I have always been a cryer...the least little thing can make me smile and cry at the same time...but I find that the older I get the more I cry...happy crying mind you...I guess because the older you get the more memories you have and so many things can bring back those memories...God surely knew what He was doing when he gave us a secret place in our heart just for memories...he knew that those memories would help us survive whatever life throws at us..

Always stay true to yourself...always live each day in such a way that when you turn out the lights and lay down at night you know all is well with your soul....never be too proud that you can't say I'm sorry...forgive me...and never be so hard on yourself that you can't forgive yourself..never let the past haunt you and destroy your today...yesterday is gone and so are all the mistakes and hurts it carries..you can't change that...but you can survive it...

My precious granddaughter and little great grandson live in Oklahoma...we miss her so and she gets so homesick..they won't be coming home for Christmas...she put her tree up the other day...she said it was a Charlie Brown tree...you know the one in the cartoon...no pine needles and one ornament...but she said at least it was a tree..she is so strong and I love her so...like I tell her...the size or the price of the tree matters not...it is the fact that she is starting a tradition for her little one...doing all she knows to do to give love and memories for her family...and as they grow together in this life they will come to realize that one day the tree doesn't really matter at all...it is the love and reason behind the tree...the day we sit aside to celebrate the greatest of all days...the greatest of all loves...one day her tree will be full and the ornaments and lights will be overflowing but she will look back at how far she has come and the one who brought her to the place she will then stand and when she does that first little tree will be like a beacon in her heart that shines out over all the beautiful treasures and mercies in her life....

Merry Christmas you guys....much love and blessings to you and your family....and remember....you are stronger than you think...your family looks to you for more than you realize...take charge of the situation and make things turn around...take a deep breath...wash that pretty face...clean your house from top to bottom....turn on the lights...bake something good....treat your family with all love and kindness...make them feel special...whatever you're facing...it will turn around...and by showing hope and love you will enable them to stand stronger and make it thru this life a better person....love you guys....Picket

HAPPY THANKSGIVING YOU GUYS!!!!!!!

Hey guys...just had to make quick note to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving...first let me just say how much I loved reading your comments on the last post..your love and testamonies moved me to tears...I am doing fantastic....still pushing myself too hard as usual but I am happy...got 2 pans of cornbread dressing in the freezer...one sweet potato casserole made...got all the fixings for a full Picketville buffet..got the house cleaned and bathrooms stocked with toilet paper! I got the Fall decor just up on the porch now...getting ready to put the Christmas stuff up Friday...first time ever not having a tree up before now~
Two weeks ago today my precious Aunt Elizabeth passed away...for the first time in years I got to see and be with alot of cousins from mama's side of the family...we had alot of family come in from out of state and visit with us....you could just feel such love the whole week long..she was and is so loved by so many and just sharing all the memories of our childhood and her was such a healing thing...I love my family soooo...

This year we are keeping things simple and focusing on just family and the blessings we have recieved on this beautiful world...just knowing I can walk and have the main gathering here is medicine for my soul...now being the 'Martha' that I am I have always loved pretty dishes and serving bowls and platters...but this year I just am not worried about that kind of stuff for some reason....I told the girls I didn't want them standing in the kitchen washing dishes and large serving pieces..lordy knows the girls would clean everything from top to bottom in this house if I ask them too...but I just want us all to sit around and laugh and talk and not even think about dirty dishes..soooo I am using throw away pans...that's right...shiny..gawdy...cheap...alumnium pans! I'm not even using my usual Fall fabric with pumpkins on it...just set up the counter like a buffet style and everyone can help themselves and just spread out thru the house and on the porches and do what we do best...eat...talk and laugh..I want to hear my babies laugh...

I want to soak up all the sweetness of my grandbabies while they are little...I want to feel that lump in my throat as I look at my beautiful grown kids and remember when they were that little...I want to see the twinkle in my daddy's eyes as he tells stories of years gone by and I want to hold Bill's hand and watch him nod his head as tears fill my eyes as my heart swells with pure joy and thankfulness of all the love I have been given...

May this Thanksgiving fill your heart and home with much love and laughter...may the memories of loved ones gone on make us ever more thankful for the love they left us...may we always remember those less fortunate and do all we can to lend a helping hand...a kind word does wonders for the soul but sometimes alittle more than a kind word is needed..sometimes a hot meal or alittle gas money and yes even just alittle of your time to sit and listen as a lonely soul pours their heart out to you..we so easily put a few dollars in the charity bucket but we forget to give compassion...sooooo many of our neighbors and friends are going thru such a hard time right now...to many Thanksgiving is the last thing on their mind...they are just trying to survive...sometimes prayer is the strongest gift we have to give...

Where ever you are this Thanksgiving and whatever you do know that this old country girl loves you and thinks of you often...I don't blog much lately but I pray for you and talk about you often..you have made such an impact on my life and I am ever grateful that you even take the time to come by and visit...so from our home to yours..HAPPY THANKSGIVING YOU GUYS!!!!

Never Doubt The Power Of Prayer....

Morning guys...it is sooooo good to be back in the 'land of the living'...don't even know where to begin! Hope everyone had a fantastic Halloween....we are in a new month now...Holidays are coming!....The pics in this post are brought to you by Picket's Burlap....now showing at a blog near you....this is the last thing I was working on before I went missing in action....I took some of my favorite checked fabric...stitch witched the hems and put them in the glass front cabinets...then took my new love...burlap ribbon...and just cinched them in alittle and made a rough bow....took no time at all and to say I love them would be an understatement in this house!!!!

but.....here is where the 'drama' begins...a few days after my last post over a month ago I hurt my knee somehow...always squatting to look in cabinets..etc...but it had me limping for a few days...so I finally get relief from that and I am helping Baby girl Jen set up some Fall decorations in her house....naturally I am walking back and forth across the yard getting stuff from my house taking to her's....wellll on one of these said trips...I saw a huge 'cow ant'....now guys if you are from the country you know what those are...they are giant red & black fuzzy ants that are built like a brick and hard to step on and kill...but my instincts kicked in and without even thinking I stepped on it and started twisting my knee trying to kill it before it got too close to the grandbaby playing in the yard with her little friends...oh my word....something popped and it wasn't the ant!!!!! My eyes rolled in the back of my head and I thought I saw Elvis! For a whole week I fought thru the pain and tried to tell myself it would be alright..(Do I even need to say how much Bill & the kids were fussing at me to go to the doctor) I finally gave in...after X-rays and the doctor twisting and probing until I was screaming 'uncle'...they said it was severely sprained and inflamed but need an MRI...I said no and just wanted to go home...they gave me some meds and I suffered thru another week...

Now I have birthed 5 kids and let me just say...some of the labor wasn't as bad as this pain...I could do nothing and I mean nothing but lay in bed and make it to the bathroom and the recliner ...because of the 'Martha' in me I refused to let anyone come and help me or do for me...I just can't bear anyone waiting on me...again alot of heavy resistance from Bill and the kids...poor Sofie & Bailey would come over and you could tell Jen had given them strict orders to just say hello and not ask for anything! Bill would stop and get meals on the way from work for us and even tried his hand and making quick fixes for us...Jen even pushed so hard one morning I gave in and she fixed me breakfast (I told Bailey and he said ,.MOM COOKED?!!!!...Was it good! lol)

But time went on and I finally had to get the MRI...they called and said I had a torn meniscus tendon and would need surgery....they set me up with a bone specialist....now you have to know how stubborn I am and how much I believe in prayer...I knew my whole family was calling my name and I was praying and believing God to turn this thing around...I mean I couldn't even stand to touch my knee it was so painful...but here is where the good part comes in...

the day I was to see the doctor I could touch and rub my knee...still pressure when I stood on it but I could stand...the doctor comes in with the MRI results...he says it looks bad and it will never heal and I will have to have surgery...then he touches and pokes the knee...I don't even flinch..he asks doesn't that hurt? I said no...but if you had done that a couple of days ago I would have fell off this table..he looks at the x-rays again...are you in any pain...I can give you a cortizone shot...I said no....just shook his head and said I don't recommend surgery at this time..just stay off it and if you need a shot come by the office anytime...

The next day all day I felt the tingling healing power of God on my legs...minute by minute I grew stronger...the walking was easier...the pressure was less and the pain was gone...I cried and shouted all day...to be able to walk thru my house and even use the vacuum cleaner for a minute..ohhhhh glory!!! I got to get in the car and Bill took me to see mama & daddy...the sky the sun..I cried!!!!! I felt like I had been locked away from everyone and everything...just to see all of God's glory in just the little things and all of nature have always been important to me..I knew God had heard my cry and the prays from all my family from the first moment...I also know the enemy will do all he can to stop our faith....I'm not running marathons or doing cartwheels yet but I'm not in bed and in pain any more either and I can cook for my babies again and stand and greet them at the door once more...never give up hope...Paul was surrounded by angry waves and storms and the crew was about to abandon ship but an angel of the Lord told him to remain in the boat and he would be saved...sometimes the storms are so rough and so dark in our lives we see no hope..all that is natural around us says abandon the ship give up the faith...but faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not yet seen...stay in the boat you guys...no matter what...the answer is on the way...love you guys...much love and blessings to you this day....this is a new day and a new month....may it bring a miracle to you....Picket

Make It Your Own!

Hey guys...well it is officially Fall...so now you got no excuse for not getting out those Fall decorations! I am so loving this cooler weather we are having here...plus we had a new Michaels open last week...woohoo!!!! They had grapevine wreaths for $2.50...so I grabbed a buggy full and made me some of these simple little beauties with some burlap ribbon and a few sprigs marked down 50% off...
I love burlap and have started using it all over the house...even helped Baby Girl Jen decorate her place for Fall this past weekend and had the burlap going over there!

You know the more I live with my black cabinets the more I love them...I tell you guys if you have wood cabinets and you have thought of painting them a color...you will not regret it....mine were solid oak and I painted them a creamy white with mocha glazing...loved them...then I knew I wanted to try black...scared to death....even had to close Bill's mouth when it dropped to the floor and get the smelling salts...but once I put that first brush stroke on..on my word..it was Katie bar the door!!!!

Ok this next pic goes to show you just how cheap you can decorate and still love it...I grabbed some more twigs out of the big crepe myrtles....picked up some pinecones from youngest Burly's yard and put in an old glass canister..burlap ribbon bow..those are real cotton bolls from a field in Missouri that sister brought back for me a week ago...just put them in an old canning jar..more burlap for a cap...added the stacking boxes that I have had for a while and set the whole vignette on a tray with a little table runner sweet Gloria (Happy to Be) sent me a few years ago....I love it..so simple and so country...the plus side is for Christmas all I have to do is remove the runner and boxes and add a tiny tree or stacked presents..how neat is that!!!!

Love these old duck gourds I got a few years ago from Terry's Village...always love creamy white dishes and I am still loving those tree branch candle holders Bill cut for me...

Just added another Fall twig in an old wire basket and a dishtowel...it works for me!!!

Oh and you know I ain't through using the burlap....this last pic is just the cutest ever idea...yep..nothing fancy going on in this kitchen...no crystal...no fancy linens...just a simple piece of burlap ribbon to tie your fork & spoon....for decorative purposes only mind you...I just move the setting to the side when we eat and then clean up set it back..you didn't think I was gonna mess it up each time did you!!!

Hope all is well on your side of the mountain you guys...life has turned into double speed around here but I love it this time of year...gets you ready for all the excitement for the holidays...have a great week you guys and always remember...never be pressured into high dollar trends and decorating...everybody has a creative side in them...most of us are just afraid to let it out...you don't have to be rich to decorate your home....don't think you have to wait on your ship to come in...sometimes our blessings are already around us and we can't see the forest for the trees so to speak...use what you have...rethink the purpose of things..nothing is set in stone...live with what you love and love what you live with...never be afraid to fly...even the baby sparrow falls to the ground many a time before he finally takes to the sky...you can do this...love you guys....Picket