Wednesday, January 25th, 2012
Hi Everyone, Well, what do you think? Ain’t it just spectacular?!! Can’t believe I did it (with help!!) and it’s finished!! Can I hear your “oohs and ahhs!!” along with mine? Just wanted you to rejoice with me in the finished product. Oviously,I am very pleased with the outcome of the months spent on this project. Brad and I will enjoy having it framed and hung in our family room.
As you can imagine, I learned alot and will continue practicing and get better over time. Rex, my teacher, says I just have to not be afraid to experiment because I can always paint over and start again. I have MANY layers of paint on other things he and I did together.
I loved putting on my brother, Jack’s , shirt as my painting smock. His work is soooo beautiful. Hope God will tell him and he’ll be proud of his sis!!
Thank you for sharing the joy of work well-done with me—–and Rex who doesn’t want credit but he knows all he did to make this project a success!! His work is also so beautiful. Like my brother, Jack, Rex is self taught.
If you have creative talent, hope you’re using it and giving God pleasure at your using the talent He gave you.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Ginny
Monday, January 9th, 2012
Wow!! Please rejoice with Brad and me that after two years of hard work, Neal has received his Master’s Degree!! Who’d a thunk it back in his younger years when he didn’t have anything for school?! Not us and surely not him either. The degree is in the area of his passion of Health and Nutrition. Brad and I are very proud parents. We are all looking forward to how God will use this in his life and others. Neal’s passion is huge to help people live a better life physically, emotionally and spiritually. We are prejudiced but he is the whole package and would be someone excellent to work with!!. You can go on his web site and see what he is about at www.dunamisfitness.com—also www.nealcaldwell.tv
Our sadness is saying good -bye to our little black schnauzer, Sam, this past Saturday. He was 13 and going down hill fast being deaf and having cataracts and some bladder issues that were making a mess at our house. We are sad but know he had a really good life and an owner, our son, who loved him so much. Neal was at the house several times a week to get his dose of loving from Sammy. Won’t you who live here miss Sam meeting you at the door with his barks and sniffs!! Maybe and maybe not! We miss his tinkling dog tag and it just generally feels weird right now but we know he is in doggie heaven!!
On a positive note, Brad was out in the back in a flash taking down the doggie fences. Now we’ll get to do some refurbishing of walls. Fun!!
Just wanted to give you a little encouragement today if you need it that God is a very personal Lord who sees and meets our need——in His time of course. I experienced His personalness to me last week in a real way. I woke up Wednesday with massive heartburn from something that disagreed with me the night before. In my devotion had been a favorite Scripture from Ps 34:17-18 that says God hears the cry of the righteous and delivers him out of all his troubles. I had always thought of thought more in the realm of “the big thing” like Rheumatoid Arthiritis. But I cried out for deliverance anyway not expecting anything.(my bad!!) I talked to my friend, Pat, who said what it might be so I called my chiro and he could see me later in the day. Before I could even get out of his office, the discomfort was just about gone and was gone the next morning. Then Neal came over in the evening and I was telling him what had gone on and he was giving me a “nutritional talk” that was helpful.
It was not untill into the next day that I was humbled and awed to see how God had answered my prayer for deliverance from this issue with the phone chat with Pat, my chiro who knew just what to do and Neal to give me good advice. What a loving and personal Father we have.
Matthew 7:9 says “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Of if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, being evil,know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will you Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him! Amen!!
I’m happy to be sharing this second year of blog life with you!! Always love hearing from you.
Ginny
Sunday, January 1st, 2012
Hi Everyone, on this January 1, 2012,
In 2010 I had benefitted from the mercies of God so much that I wanted to give back and giving myself away was my theme for 2011. Reflecting back over the year, I hope I have done that to a degree with this blog as I have tried to share my heart with you over this year. Thank you so much for sharing the year with me. Two huge blessings that stand out to me are my new teeth and our new grandson!! One other huge blessing is all of you who read my sharings and wrote me back. It was so fun to connect with you. Keep it up, please!!
As I read in John 4 this morning, this first day of 2012, Jesus was saying that “unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” In another place Jesus said that blessed are those who do not see and yet still believe (John 20:29) and He told the Samaritan woman “I who speak to you am He.” (4:26) So in 2012 I want to believe more God’s Word to me from the Bible and thru His Spirit into my spirit and then live like I believe Him and obey His Word to me. Can I get an Amen?!!
So in 2012 I want to continue growing in my intimacy with the Lord thru spending time with Him in His Word asking Him to coninue to give me a spirit of wisdom and revelatioin to keep getting to know Him better as I study. I will be learning thru a study of the book of Joel with my Sunday afternoon group, thru our pastor Rick teaching how to study the Word for several weeks, thru my Friday morning group and just my own time with Him.
Also, I want my painting to be a priority and please God by doing what I believve pleases Him and me. It is always a challenge to begin because I am still intimidated by it but I do as the Lord commands and call forth that which is not as though it is and declare myself more “I AM an artist!!” My teacher, Rex, says I need to practice everyday so I would like to commit to doing that because I know it is only thru practice that I get better!!
Grandparenting is another BIG priority. What a blessed Christmas we all had together with Jagur this year. We played “pass the baby” alot. Grandpa and grandson seemed to bond really well which was really fun to see. We so appreciate that Mel and John are happy to share their little miracle with us!! We so enjoyed Jagur’s cooing and smiling. He especially loves His dad’s singing voice. John sings to him often and Jagur seems really mesmerized by it. Mel sings to him often also. We are already looking forward to our next time with him.
I remind you and me to come into the new year with a teachable spirit and not to cling to the old ways. God wants us to live closely to Him and have newess of life everyday. He wants me and you to receive His Peace that is still our deepest need(I know it is for me!). He has plans fo me for 2012 that are good and I look forward to walking with Him through the next 365 days. ( fr om the devotional Jesus Calling)
Thanks again for walking with me thru the last 365 and I invite you on this adventure of 2012 with me. If you have some things you would like to see happen in this year and want to share them with me, I would love to pray them with you.
Blessings on your year,
Ginny
Wednesday, December 21st, 2011
This will be a very different and joyous Christmas for our family with the addition of our first grandchild, Jagur John. He will be 3 months old on Saturday. Where did the time go?! Anyway, we can’t wait to hug and kiss and pinch that little guy. Uncle Neal can hardly wait. On Skype the other week, Neal was talking to Jagur and telling him that just the two of them were going to take a stroller ride immediately. Fun!! Our house is full of “baby stuff”—pack and play to sleep in, swing and vibrating seat to keep him happy, changing pad on the bedroom end table. The rocking chair has been moved to the TV room. Our little house will be full of the stuff of Love!! I will have many pictures for you to ooh and ahh over soon. We have cleaned and cooked and gardened so we are as ready as can be so all we need is the people!!
Over 30 years ago in Bible Study Fellowship, the children’s director suggested we read our children the Christmas story every day till Christmas so that by the time of the 25th, the children would know it well. I did that alot of years and have done it just for myself in other years. This year Brad and I have been reading it together each morning as part of our time with the Lord. It has been enjoyable and enlightening to read about Jesus being prophecied in the Old Testament like in Isaiah 9 and 53, what He came to do in Isaiah 61. Then reading His story in the New Testament in the four Gospels each one having a different emphasis, Philippians 2 about His laying aside His glory to become a man and other Scriptures.
Brad and I have just finished studying the book of Revelation. So it is interesting to note that the Jesus of “The Christmas Story, the God of love come down, who came to bring us redemption from our sins is also the glorious Jesus the Christ of the Revelation who is coming again to redeem the whole world from evil and bring heaven to earth forever and ever. And we, as Christians, get to rule and reign with Him. Amen!!
As Luke 2:10-11 says, Jesus is indeed the “good news of great joy for all people, a Savior who is Christ the Lord.” My prayer for each of you and me is that we know the Christmas love of Jesus that surpasses knowledge this season and into the new year in whatever way you need Him (Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace). As Mary, Christ’s mother said, “nothing is impossible with God.”
Electronic Christmas hugs to you all,
Ginny
Thursday, November 24th, 2011
Thursday, November 17th, 2011
In a short span of a few weeks, Brad and I got to experience the exciting beginning of life with the birth of our first grandchild and then go on to visit my mom in her mature life in the nursing home. Jagur, as a baby, being completely dependent on his parents for his well-being and now my mom in her mature years being dependent too on those of us who love her for her well-being. That’s the circle of life.
So many similarities like Jagur learning to hold his head up and roll over and my mom trying to hold herself up straight when her bent body wants to lean to one side. Then there’s Jagur kicking his legs and moving his arms in constant motion as babies do and my mom and the nursing home residents and their helpers trying to keep their bodies moving by clapping their hands and kicking their legs from a sitting position to music. Young and old seem to delight in music. It touches my heart so to enjoy seeing this new life in motion and my mom trying so hard to keep her dear bones moving. Here’s this woman who was tall and stately now bent and crooked but still fighting to have a life. A beautiful thing to see!! It is a beautiful thing for me to witness my daughter speaking sweet encouragements to her new little one and being so patient with his crying out to have his needs met and on the other end, the sweet words of encouragement that the aides speak to my mom and the other residents and their kind patience in trying to meet the needs of each person. Thank You, Lord for moms and nurses aides. Couldn’t live without them. Then there’s doctor appointments where you’ve arleady had the battle of getting the baby ready and he spit up on his outfit and he had to be changed before you go out the door and you’re carrying all the “baby stuff” you have to have when you go out. On the other end it is ringing the bell to get help to get dressed and to go to the potty and brush your teeth and that all takes so much time now that you need to add an hour before you even go out the door. God made life very interesting , didn’t He?! I could go on but I’ll stop here.
When life gets really small, being able to get out to be a part of the world again is very precious. On the first day of our visit, we took Mama to our favorite place to eat for lunch and then to my brother, Bill’s to have a visit and get her winter clothes. We had a lovely couple of hours with Bill and his wife. (It’s their beautiful home on the video above.) When we got back to Lynn Haven, Mama said, “Thank you for a wonderful day!!” The leaves were turning their beautiful Fall colors and we got to drive among them 30 minutes each way into town and back. It is a very rural drive and just so beautiful. So peaceful and gorgeous with a clear blue sky and the sun shining thru the trees. When each day was finished, Mama would again say what a wonderful day it had been and how wonderful it had been to be out in the world again and in such beauty. We were privileged to give her that enjoyment.
Nine of our family members came together for lunch while visiting Mama. The big topic of conversation was the Georgia/Auburn game that coming week-end. My first cousin, Charles, that you see in the video, is a HUGE Georgia fan. Life is not complete for him without football so he lives for football season. Fortunately he got his wish for his team to win because my college team, Auburn, was massacred!! Since Mama can’t hear, she just enjoys being among us (and getting kisses and hugs from each of us) and enjoys her food. My mom LOVES food and she was engrossed in her large stuffed baked potato while we caught up on each other’s lives. She says “the Durham’s always know when it’s mealtime!! True for me!!
As I was writing in my “Gratitude” journal on the plane coming home, I could think of at least 50 things to thank God for on our trip. He is ALWAYS soooo faithful. I am so thankful to have my mom still with me and the health, and the money to go see her and my wonderful champ of a husband to do it with.
WE can’t wait to have baby Jagur here with us for Christmas. I was thinking today, we will put him on a pallet on the floor and just let him be the center of attention!!
Thank you all for checking in on life with me. I know many of you are dealing with aging parents so you will identify with the joys and sorrows of that as well as the joy of grandchildren!!
HAPPY THANSGIVING!! WE have much to be thankful for. I am for you.
Ginny
Thursday, November 3rd, 2011
I had the craziest thing happen to me last week!!!
My Bible study leader challenged the six of us to take a turn at leading our group. We were to come from the topics we had been studying the last year and a half of worship, prayer, intersession, God being and doing everything out of a heart of love for us. God had been highlighting “thanksgiving and gratitude” lately and I felt the Holy Spirit’s leading that that was to be my topic.
The Holy Spirit had given me 1Thessalonians 5:18 to speak from. It says, “In everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ”So over the last few weeks God gave me several places where I was challenged to be thankful for things that would be easy to complain about. We had come home from a trip to rat droppings everywhere and it had hoarded all our dog’s food in many places and also shredded a chair arm cover and hid it under the stove. My car wouldn’t start in the chiropractor’s parking lot and I had made a mess of a huge batch of cookies that were going to a needy family. E ach time I knew God was in it and I was just to thank God in the situation and not complain and whine as I am easy to do. We found the hole the rat was coming thru so he’s gone. Road side assistance came in about 10 minutes to fix my car and my day was hardly interrupted and I just smiled and said I’ll serve You twice, God, rebaking the cookies. It was all good.
The day I messed up the cookies I set that aside for later and knew I had to get thoughts down on paper for this talk on Thanksgiving. I was sitting on the floor of our guest room writing thoughts down and my eye spied my right index finger holding the pen. It was BLUE!!! What was that about?!! I’m saying “OK, Lord, this is You I know with another test!!” So I’m just thanking the Lord that He is in this and He knows what’s happening. My first thought was I had hurt myself in my exercise class using a too tight stretch band that morning. I also knew there is an arthritis syndrome that causes the fingers to turn blue in the cold. So I quickly called my Rheumatologist who could see me the next day.
The next morning I saw my Chiropractor first who got me straightened out in my alignment and worked on my finger. My arthritis doctor kept looking and thinking on my finger and didn’t think it was the Raynaud’s Syndrome because it was just one finger. BUT, he was afraid I was not getting blood to the finger and maybe there was a blood clot. WHAT?!! I couldn’t have thunk this one up!! Soooo, he wanted me to see a vascular surgeon and make sure there were no clots forming elsewhere!!! This blue finger was REALLY getting out of hand.
At the doctor’s request Brad and I went to the Saddleback emergency room to have a ton of blood work, an EKG and a CT scan of my chest for the possible clots. First blessing was the emergency room was empty!! We were put in a private room in the ER. I didn’t know that existed. I got all the tests run with just the best care from everyone. A fun side note: the nurse who attended me turned out to be our son’s first major high school crush in the 9th grade and she was in the 10th! I remember that he even had me buy her flowers which he put on her car!! She said “Oh yes, I remember Neal!!” Another blessing was my Blood Pressure was 125/72. WOW said the nurse!! Your BP is like a teenagers. Brad and I locked eyes because we know the truth that many times in the doctor’s office my BP goes whacko!! Not to mention in the ER!! Another huge blessing and thanksgiving to the Lord.
All afternoon I kept talking to God, saying “thank You, Lord, that You are here and You know about all this even if I don’t.” While I was lying on the CT scan table I was saying over and over “thank You, Lord, Praise You, Lord. When the machine started moving, I found myself singing the song, “Bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me, bless His holy Name. For He has done great things, He has done great things, bless His holy Name. Also a song from Psalm 139 about there is nowhere we can go from His Presence.” I said a thank You to the Lord for giving me those songs to sing to Him while I got tested. The technician said I had been a very easy patient to work with! Another reason to give thanks.
We were at the ER 4 hours. All the tests came back clear. All glory to God. The next morning my finger color was nearly normal and is normal today.
I’m not sure of the cause of the discoloration but I know for sure it was to give me a HUGE example to use for my talk on Friday on Thanksgiving and Gratitude. Even though I would not have chosen to spend my day at the doctor and the ER, God showered Brad and me with blessing and we thanked Him all day. One of the greatest blessings was the peace I experienced even in the not knowing what this was.
God completely changed my talk for the Bible s tudy from one talking alot about all the things I have to whine and complain about to one giving Him thanks and gratitude for all the ways He is changing my thought life and my speech and to say thank You for the great gift of His redemption of me and that His redeeming me will continue until the day He returns.
God sent me a very special book to put all that He is teaching me about thanksgiving and gratitude together. It is called A Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. It is her personal journey to wholeness. She found that the key is to “in all things give thanks for this is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus” because when we give thanks in all situations and things we can have unbroken communion with the Lord. Isn’t that what we really all want?
The devil has pulled out all his bag of tricks to exasperate me trying to get this written on my new lap top. I have had my attitude of thanking God in all things TESTED again this morning but he AIN’T GONNA WIN!! To God be the glory great things He does in us!!!
Thanks for listening. Let me hear from you.
Ginny
Friday, October 21st, 2011
     
Please enjoy viewing my Fall Flower Cards. They are a beautiful Thanksgiving hostess gift or send them individually to friends and family. The vertical ones can be made into bookmarks and can be personalized with names or dates or events or Scripture.
The cards are $3.50 each or 6 for $17.50. The thank you note size are $2.25 each or $12.50 for 6. The bookmarks are $ 2.50 each.
Just email me at bncaldwell@cox.net or call me at 949-770-0406 and let me know which views you want and how many. For those who do not live locally, there will be a small charge for shipping.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Ginny
Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
   
Yes, that would be our first grandchild, Jagur John. We have waited a long time for him as have his parents and he was worth the wait!!
Our hearts overflow with gratitude to God for this precious child and the privilege his parents gave us to spend time with him these last two weeks. Being able to watch the baby grow in the womb thru the ultrasounds helped us to bond with him thru the 9 months. We didn’t have that back in the day so this was a new experience for Brad and me. The last picture where we could see his face and hands clearly did it—-we were ready to see this boy in person. And now he is in the world and we have experienced him. Thanks be to God.
Melanie and John were gracious enough to share their joy with us and let us hold him all we wanted. Jagur is such a snuggler when he is full of milk and content. He pulls his little legs up under himself like frog legs and just snuggles against you. So precious. He and Daddy John sometime sleep “skin to skin” at night and Jagur is so content and comforted to be on his daddy’s chest.
We got to experience several firsts like Jagur’s first week of life (and the 2nd), his first bath (he did not like that one bit and screamed the whole time!!!) his first outing to the doctor, his first stroller walk in the nieghborhood along with his dog Maggie, his Aunt Kari, and grandparents. He was also gracious enough to sleep through visits from family and friends. That was so nice for Mel to be able to carry on a conversation with people.
While nursing the baby, Mel would throw a blanket over her her head and the baby and she’d say to him “ready to play fort!!” Does that bring back childhood memories for you building forts out of chairs and putting blankets over them? Brad took one picture where mother and child are completely covered except for one little pink foot peeking out. Very precious.
Brad went with all his gardening tools and worked in the yard many days. He loved it!! We had rain everyday some part of the day but it would hold off long enough for him to do his work. I was the chief cook and cleaner and enjoyed every moment of being able to do that for them.
Several times Melanie had requested I make my fried chicken she remembers from childhood. She says she always knew what we were having for dinner when I came to pick her up from ballet because I smelled like it—-especially the fried chicken. I had not made it in years but I was game. So I asked God to help me and we succeeded in making golden friend chicken, mashed potatoes and butter beans with homemade biscuits too with chicken gravy. Is your mouth watering?! Oh!! The whole meal was sooooo good. That was fun for me.
I was especially grateful to get to go and help because my mom did not get to come and help me with Melanie as my father was very sick with Rheumatoid Arthritis at the time. I wanted nothing to stand in the way of my going but I surely had opposition. A new RA drug was wrecking havoc with my digestive tract. And then I missed the bed and sat down HARD on my buttocks and tailbone in the hotel room the night before we were to arrive. That got sorer and sorer during the night and I also starting running a fever I thought. So here’s Brad going out at 1 in the morning to find a drugstore open to get a thermometer and Tylenol. I have no idea where a fever would come from but it just lasted the night and didn’t show anymore!!! What was that all about?! BUT I got there and I DID get to help and enjoy my first grandchild with the great grace aqnd mercy of God. Now of course I can’t wait till the next time!!!
We came home to a rodent having invaded the house leaving his droppings everywhere and chewing up one of my arm chair covers. He needs to be found!!! It’s always something, isn’t it!!!
Thanks for letting me share life with you. I look forward to hearing from you.
Ginny
PS I just want to say a HUGE thank you to so many of you who sent congratulations to us and the new parents. I sent all your sweet thoughts to them.
Saturday, September 24th, 2011
Drawing and painting has been a deisre of my heart for a long time. In June of 2002 on a Thursday I mentioned to my husband that I really wanted to learn to paint. On Friday we were taking our friend, Rex, out to celebrate his retirment and I said that to him also. He said, “I can teach you to paint!!” With that we spent happy hours over the next three years doing charcoal, water colors and acrylic and just a wee bit of oils. Then life got in the way and I got away from it.
All the creative things I enjoy seemed to have been “nowhere” in recent time. I had been saying to the Lord, “What do You want me to do with my talents You’ve given me.” The only thing that really interested me was to get back to painting but I didn’t do anything about it. Then God intervened.
Three weeks ago I had the privilege of being prophecied oved by two anointed men from the International House of Prayer in Kansas City. Neither had ever met me. One of them asked me was I a creative person and I answered “yes.” He asked, “do you paint?” I said “yes” but in my mind with a whole lot of stipulations hanging off, like “I’m not really an artist, I don’t know much, I don’t do anything without my teacher right there to tell me what to do, yada, yada, yada!!” The young man went on to say he believed me using my painting talent was somethig that gave God much pleasure and maybe I could center on that. That I would be painting out of my heart and what God had been teaching me would come forth on the canvas and maybe the painting would have a one word name that described it like “faith.” . When I was leaving the event I was at, the guy said to me “I can’t wait to see your paintings!! and I said “me too” (Smile!!)
SO—–I came home , called my teacher, Rex, who you just saw on the video and we are off and running with painting my house. Of course the devil always wants to get in the way. Rex had a house emergency and couldn’t come for our first meeting and then my DVD player died so I had to borrow my son’s portable small one and then I was about to order a flower DVD and my computer went into recycle and wouldn’t go. So I took that moment to look again for the DVD I was reordering and I found it. Is God good to us or what?! Rex was able to come the next time. So there, devil, take that!!! Since Rex does not like to paint flowers and that REALLY is what I want to paint, especially Roses, I am learning that on my own with painting instructional DVD’s.
A precious aside: I have two shirts I wear as my painting smocks. The shirts were my younger brother’s who died in 2000. Jack was the “real artist” in our family with so much talent. I love having his sweet presence with me as I wear his shirts.
I feel SO INADEQUATE for what God has called me to and I am except for His help. I have been asking Him to fill me afresh with the Holy Spirit with skill and ability and knowledge in painting as He did for Bezalel and Oholiab in the Old Testament whom He called to be in charge of building His Tabernacle.(Exodus 31:1-6) I am also beginning to declare outloud “I am an artist!!” God says so!!
Thank you for letting me share my life and heart with you. I will keep you posted. May you be doing something that makes your heart and God’s heart happy today.
Ginny
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