Marina's Kitchen Table

Today , a cool front has passed through, and it's actually cool outside. I've opened windows and am preparing to go pull grass and weeds from the flowers. ( This is not a chore to me, it's a relaxing, prayerful, meditative thing I do while listening to worship music or in quiet - listening for His voice. ) I may need to start with a sweatshirt over my strappy sundress, there's a lot of clouds covering the deep blue I saw last night on my walk.  Last night's sunset. Last night was tough...the first alone again after so many spent with a house full of laughter, little feet, and love. It was hard for me to remember what my "normal" was...nearly 3 weeks of company in and out, and Mark home for much of it. Now it's back to Abbey and I - and that's ok. Mark will be in and out this week, and for that I'm grateful. July will be busy for both of us and I know that we'll have to sneak away moments to treasure. I've got to work on keep

Sigh. It's late and I want to do this FMF post with Lisa-Jo Baker and her gang. Five minutes (flat) of writing. No track backs, corrections, just writing frenzy and free.  You can read the rules here. START I'm stuck IN BETWEEN two thoughts, ideas, blogs and seemingly worlds. It can be so confusing sometimes. Yet in my mind, when I think deep in prayer, it's crystal clear.  I still dream of being in church in Indiana, at Crossroads in Newburgh. My dreams take me there about every other night. Good dreams. Joyful times. It feels like home. I own it. I've invested there, and they've mutually invested in me. It's a great relationship.  But now, now I live 10 hours and 3 states away and don't have a place (church) to hang my hat. We thought we did, but as great a church it is, it was very much not a place to stay. It was like the shoes I wore to my son's wedding last week - pretty and the right size and matched well what I was wearing...but boy,

I LOVE having my DD and grandson here with me. It's so nice to have their company, and seeing little Isaiah exhibit all his tricks. Each day he's saying new words, learning to do something new, being a little BRAVER. It's wonderful, delightful, fun. Today we went shopping to get my DD a few new items of clothing. We are not gift givers here - we're not one to go shopping and pick something new out and give it for Christmas or a birthday. Too many times we get it wrong, it doesn't fit, or it's the wrong size. It's become too practical to give a gift card, mail a check, or even give cash for them to get whatever they want or need, in their perfect size and color. So to go shopping with her was a treat.  Our original intent was to hit some of the thrift stores in the area, but then I saw a sale flier in my inbox from Kohl's - so I suggested we try there. My DH (working out of town today) suggested we check out Penney's too...but DD wanted to start a

I've agreed to join in on an Affiliate Program through Commission Junction! You'll notice from time to time sponsored ads in my side bar - if you click on them, and decide to purchase something, I'll get paid a small commission!! (So THANK YOU to those of you that DO!)  I love how God gave me perfect words on describing my blog, and I hope to be in line with it as it grows and changes with time... " The ramblings and experiences of a middle-aged, empty-nesting, "married for 29 years to the same man" woman. A place for friendships to form, women to be encouraged and prayed over, and God to be glorified. Books occasionally reviewed, other blogs referred, and blogging topics go from "everyday life" to "grand-parenting from afar" and "travel". As an avid social media user, I also will write about conferences pertaining to women, missions, and social media/blogging."  I hope that you'll share my site with others; that y

The wedding is over, the guests packing to return home. We gaze out to the Super Moon raising on the horizon... so beautiful... In time I'll be getting into my blog...getting back into all of my work schedule. My family is still visiting, and I'm savoring the moments with them. In a week, I'll be here alone and back into a normal routine... But tonight, I'm watching the moon, holding my grandson, laughing with my sisters.... giving praise to God!

It's been a few weeks, but I always read some of the Five Minute Friday posts, even if I don't take the time to write one myself...but tonight I was up, the computer was all warmed up, and my fingers limber. I'm ready for bed - but thought - hey, why not just do it now - so here I am. You can learn all about the rules and history of FMF here.  START: If I sit quietly in the dining room, I can sometimes hear the tinkle...tinkle...tinkle of the fountain on the other side of the windows. Usually, I just sit out on the bench and watch the fountain flow, spilling from one level to the next, then starting over at the top again. DH wanted to landscape in one of those rock fountains, the ones that look like a little waterfall...and well, while there's room for that (and a whole koi pond, for that matter) it wasn't the look or the feel that I felt the house needed. It needed a fo untain up front, something stately and sort of European-ish, or as I prefer "Medit

Boy, life's been busy. Tonight I just had to wind down and relax a bit. I didn't think of it as "Sabbath time" but it sure felt like it. When I'm home alone, after having a houseful, it leaves me sad  -  and EXHAUSTED. I love my daughter and SIL, love my 5 grandkids a bunch, LOVE to get to see them in person, and not online; but for some reason, this time, I loved waving good-bye to them too. (Abbey the Wonderdog doesn't quite agree with me. She's moping around, whining, looking for the kids...she doesn't understand how they came and went so quickly!) Once the house was quiet, I threw a load of towels in the wash, stripped a bed (next load) and laid down in my own bed. I slept for 2 hours, which was nuts. Sometime in there I watered outside, but it was a "lay the hose down in the garden" type soak, not a sprinkle all over kind watering. It was stinking hot out...and stayed over 90 all day. That makes me tired too. I wanted to read, to

Day lights decreasing and there's a certain smell in the air. I can walk out the door in the mornings light, and it transports me back 40 years to a first day of school...and EVERY first day of s hool since then...even putting my kids off to school...even when we homeschooled. Funny thing is, it's not the school year that makes it this way, it's that season...FALL that is setting the circadian rhythm of my birth, and my season of sleep, reflection, and BAKING is kicking in. Oh, I love the spring blooms, and the intense colors of summer blue skies and bright flowers, but FALL holds my heart. It's the time I was born, the time I lost my momma, and the time my true love bloomed - despite the falling leaves. I love the colors I didn't see in my Southern California upbringing...the deep reds, yellows, and every color in between that God changes ever so slightly as the temperatures drop. I love the briskness in the air, and the smell of a bonfire, or the first fire in

I was thinking the other day of the time I did childcare in our home - 2 little sisters of dear friends...as close as family that friends could get.  Each day, one of the little girls would see me sitting in "my chair" and reading my Bible. Some days she'd toddle up to me and climb in my lap as I'd read that day's Proverb, or whatever else was on my reading schedule for the day (or as God led me to read). It was clear, even from a distance, what I was doing. But now I've gotten into the habit of reading my devotions, Bible studies and even Bible off of whatever electronic device is handy...usually my phone, sometimes an e-reader or my laptop. No one can tell if I'm deep in spiritual thought or playing Words With Friends! It didn't really impact me until my grandkids were around me, and I wondered what did THEY think I was doing. SO, I've made a point to go back to my paper Bible as much as possible. I want to leave a legacy of Bible

I've always been fascinated (and admittedly saddened) when I see people get old. When their minds go before their bodies, that's hard...but I think it's harder on loved ones when the mind is sharp and the body declines quickly. Some people ARE old, but their minds stay sharp and their bodies active. Is there a connection? I think so...so we continue to push our failing joints around the neighborhood...under the illusion of daily walking the dog...(who praise God doesn't know how to spell or read yet, because she sure knows that word!); and utilize the facade of improving our mind as we learn new games, play on the Wii and remain avid backgammon players...all for the sake of "remaining young". I've seen a few Type A personalities get old...I don't think that's what I am, but I stay busy enough that sometimes I worry that I am. Type A's get pushy and manipulative in old age. Whether it's your time or the conversation, they are LARGE and i