One of the few things that I have collected over the years are fears and pop-ups. It seems that through my wonderful wiredness of Aspergers, I fear lots of things. As I have matured in life, I have realized that I have choices. I choose to not confront certain things because they make me uncomfortable, especially when I don't have time to wrap my brain around the fact that I'm going to be facing the fear. Fortunately, I have a direct God-line to carry me through such moments even if I have a meltdown over it!

Another thing I have collected is pop-up books. Each book is a piece of art. It brings joy to sit and watch the pages pop-up.

Today I got a fun one in the mail...The pop-Up Book of Nightmares. It has ten pages of nightmare topics, a two-page spread pop-up and an explanation of the fear.

It starts with Examination. 

Then, Car Accident, Falling, Infestation, and next is ... Drowning.

Followed by Haunted Bedroom, Naked in Public, Chase, Giving Birth, and Apocalypse.

I'm afraid to read it! LOL

Fresh Find: Crazy Thankful. We should be!

Look at this precious little Hilton Bellboy. I very much enjoy the colors in these vintage figurines. Maybe one day in his lifetime he will get to see investors take interest in our Hilton Hotel in Plainview.

A bellboy is employed by a hotel to direct guests to rooms, carry luggage, answer questions, give directions and to run errands for guests. 

When I read this definition, I started to think (scary, I know), I Heard the Bells... 

I heard his bell call when God nudged me and I accepted him as my personal savior. He promises me a guest room throughout eternity. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ to carry my baggage. He answers my questions through his Holy Word. He leads me to take part in his ministry as a seed planter among his people...service.

Fresh Find: I'm liking these Mahabis slippers!

Nowhere have I ever read anything about souls in Heaven celebrating birthdays like our physical minds view them. I doubt that there is cake, paper confetti, and burning candles. What I do believe is that there are gifts. Not how we understand gifts, but, oh, so much better! Every day will be the best birthday party ever!

20 years ago, my dad's soul departed his physical body. He invited Jesus to his party early on and I'm pretty certain my daddy is happy.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17

Fresh Find: Cute wooden heart spoon!

My mother loved the mountains. She loved to hear the stream trickle and flow. This is a fun picture of her as a teenager. Aren't the cars interesting? 

Fresh Find: Beautiful phone dock!

Plainview has its share of panhandlers. Panhandling is to ask strangers for money in a public place. They come, they go, some come back and some do not. I have felt led to give to some and not to others. They almost always have a dog or kids.

Today, while I sat at Sonic-West, I noticed a man and his dog on the corner of "shopping center road" off of Highway 70 at the stop sign. I decided to do a little survey. Out of 100 cars, 3 stopped and gave him money. One actually had a conversation with him. As he walked back to his location he appeared to bring the money to his chest and pray, then he put it away.

It got me to thinking that these individuals. I decided to do a bit of research. What I found was interesting. I have included the links below.

The thought hit me today...at least these people are working. They are standing up and putting themselves in a situation that must be uncomfortable...because of the unpredictable weather environment and pride, to earn money. 

Maybe they get government assistance, maybe they don't. Many panhandlers are unable to deal with all of the paperwork required to get assistance. 

There is an art to panhandling and there are blogs and instruction online for those wishing to have this lifestyle. 

I decided today though, that I will remain open to the Holy Spirit's nudge to help these individuals. If we give with an open heart then God can and will bless it. I suggest, too, that we say a prayer for the person(s) as we pass them whether we feel led to give or not. Eye contact and a smile might make their day, as well. Being ignored is a lonely place. Maybe we will be the smile that changes a life. I would hope that someone would consider me worthy of a smile if I were in the same situation.

Speed bumps ahead... Slow down and let God work. Matthew 7:12

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/10/30/2856411/panhandling-stats/

http://www.wikihow.com/Panhandle

http://www.ktvz.com/news/survival-question-does-it-pay-to-panhandle/22745090

http://residentiallychallenged.blogspot.com/2012/06/how-much-does-panhandler-really-make.html

Fresh Find: Texas Tech eyelash curler. I think this curler is adorable!!!

We spent many a fun day at the Barnyard Academy from about 1984 to 1999. Here is the Barnyard Academy staff, circa sometime in the late 1980s. Back L to R: Jesse, Maria, Jeanie and Albert. Front L to R: ReGina, ? and Phyllis.

Fresh Find: Like this dress.

Today would have been the 85th birthday of the "golden girl of curls and loops penmanship," my mother, Lorena, aka Mother and Nanny.

Signatures are interesting to have to reflect upon. We have been blessed along the way to have the opportunity to have some pretty influential autographs in our collection.

Fresh Find: This is how I would like to dress...on a beach somewhere!

I have been thinking about trust today. What do we trust? Who do we trust? One thing for sure, we trust in something.

I like this definition of trust from Wiki. One party (trustor) is willing to rely on the actions of another party (trustee); the situation is directed to the future. In addition, the trustor abandons control over the actions performed by the trustee. As a consequence, the trustor is uncertain about the outcome of the other's actions. [Faith]

Trust can be attributed to relationships between people. It can be demonstrated that humans have a natural disposition to trust that can be traced to the neurobiological structure and activity of a human brain.

The space between our personal agendas, intolerance and prejudices widens, and the bridge provided us by God, who once was trusted to hold us together, has been removed. The casualty of the war on earthly beings is found through our "shooting off" our own trust foot. 

2 Corinthians 1:9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

When we are pushed off of our fundamental trust foundation everything else in our lives rotates at a different angle or degree.

I am a trustor of the Trustee with the name God.

Psalm 146:3 Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.

When looking up the top trusted individuals, this feature from Reader's Digest popped up. Top 100 Trusted People in America, I'm sure if I knew some of these people I would trust them with specific things depending on their area of expertise. And while I am pretty certain that if forced into the opportunity to prevent my death, they would step up and assist me, I don't trust that they will allow me eternity with the Creator.

I did enjoy the variety of quotes by the trusted folks though, so I decided to share the link. Enjoy.

Fresh Find: This infinity scarf reminds me of the beauty of Springtime!

It is a new twirling season. The day starts in the dark, and it is rough on the little athletes. Here Miss A is bright and early this morning. 

In baton twirling you do three things; you show poise and interview with a judge, you do a solo routine (these have tosses) and you do an x-strut (a technical and dance move routine where the baton does not leave the hand...at least you hope not ;)

Today Miss A had written on her interview scoresheet, "WOW." Baton twirling prepares youth for success on so many levels.

Miss D had a bad cold, but she fought through it!

Both girls did well for their first contest of a new season.

Fresh Find: What a great bassinet if you find yourself needing one.

From the earliest time that I can remember (and these moments are very few) I have known I was a sojourner. I travel with a temporary stamp of approval. Fortunately for me God is the one that I have to give me my stamp of approval.

I'm blessed with the attitude that if God leads me to it then he will lead me through it and because of this, nothing is impossible.

God has opened many doors for me to do amazing things, things that can only be described as God's. He has closed many doors, as well. I have traveled through Satan's doors a few times in my life and God has protected me and brought me home into his loving arms. 

As we start each trip, the important thing is that we do it together, in harmony with the plan God has for us. We must anticipate the time, wait, and travel together.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18

Fresh Find: Cute carrot sharpener.