March Blessings~ Counting It All Joy (Week Four)

COUNTING IT ALL JOY!

The Winds Of March

March 19~ Good morning sunshine! Yes the golden fireball is out as we close this Winter as we head into Spring. Let's celebrate this day the Lord has blessed us with. Off to church I go after some morning coffee. As I left church I decided on a small road trip to see my sister's and spend the afternoon with them. What a beautiful day for a drive. To my surprise there is a small gathering for a yummy BBQ. Perfect timing on my part. Thank you! Time with family and friends always a blessing. Love doing unplanned adventures unexpected fun. It has been a day of fun.  Filled with lots of love and laughter. A very blesse day. Blessings

March 20~ Pull those pillows over your head. Not today Beth. No time for more sleep it's time to get up. It's a very early rise and shine 5:20 am. You will enjoy this drive home from sister's house. You can get up out of that comfy bed now. Sleep later, life to live right now. Enjoy a quick cup of coffee a short visit with your sister Rosie. A beautiful drive home awaits you this morning. It's still dark.....but you will survive this; and you will get to watch the sunrise. Prayer in the car and music for the trip home. Home to freshen up for the days appointments. Mail box surprises, my mail box is full and a box from my daughter Webber Heather. Filled with girl scout cookies, picture of my grandson Anthony DeSouza, return of my elf, and Christmas in March. Love it. Lots of wonderful new snowmen to add to my collection. Brings huge smiles of happiness to this tired redheaded gal. Thank you. Thank you Mary McCormick Loomis for stopping by. A couple of haircuts, that bring smiles of joy. Which Always brings joy to me when I see those big beautiful smiles of happiness. Always wonderful to see you and spend time with you. Its been a long day with lots of little blessings and treasures sprinkled throughout this wet rainy day. Finding my grateful even on a Monday. Always something to be thankful for. Even when your tired and lacking sleep. Thank you Lord for the views of the morning through the Gorge then sustaining me throughout the day. So much to be thankful for as this day closes. Blessings

March 21~ Wake up Beth! You have a full day ahead of you. Time to get dressed for the day. Remember that this is the day you became a grandma for the first time. Your handsome grandson Anthony DeSouza was presented to his mother and loved ones 20 years ago today. His mother's ray of sunshine and our future American hero. It is a good day to celebrate the miracle of life. Thank you Webber Heather for blessing this family today with Anthony. So proud to be a grandma to him and to all ten of my amazing grandchildren. Each a gift and a miracle, that have enriched my life. Thank you Amber Webber, and Racheal. Appointment after appointment, running from one to another. Yea they are finally done. Late afternoon and time to catch my breathe to enjoy some of the beautiful sunshine that has burst through the storm clouds. An early evening get together with friends to close the day. Seems this Tuesday has been filled with the budding beauty of Spring in the air; with a zillion miracles of beauty waiting to burst through the cold dark storm of Winter. Thank you Lord for this day of the symphony of life bursting into a dance of beauty. Blessings

March 22~ It's Wednesday time to rise and shine for smiles of beauty. Always look forward to seeing the beautiful ladies at the salon. Each one Brings huge smiles of joy to my heart. So thankful to be able to bring them smiles of beauty each week. Off early to enjoy some beautiful sunshine and celebrate a birthday with a friend. Then off to meet another girlfriend to pick up some leggings. Thank you Christina Lee. Laundry for the week is getting done. Then a happy hour dinner with Mary McCormick Loomis. What a great day. Signs of Spring everywhere. Love seeing blooms. Gives me hope as life has given me so many changes that something beautiful will bloom for me too. Clean sheets on the bed. A beautiful evening sky, with blue skies. Hope of brighter days ahead. Each blessed with so much to be thankful for. Thank you Lord for all my blessings spoken and unspoken. Blessings

March 23~ Good morning sunshine! Time to rise and shine to another opportunity of living life to the fullest. Sun is popping out, you don't want to miss out on that. Beautiful morning to drive to Oregon City for creating more smiles of beauty. A route which was shared with me last year by my friend. Country roads and river routes, much more peaceful than driving the freeway in morning commute traffic. A bit longer but so worth the peaceful drive and the scenery. No stress in this drive at all, nor the feeling of being rushed. So thankful to him for sharing this route with me. As I'm very grateful to live in such a beautiful place as well. Never have to travel far to see amazing beauty and scenery all around me. Then home to deal with daily living, bills, cleaning, business calls, etc. Oh what fun! Thankful for the life I've been blessed with. Today I was reminded how truly blessed I am to live the life I've been given. To live in a place rich in beauty, a car to be able to travel to see it all, and a comfortable home to live in. Thank you Lord for this and all the provision given daily to live each day fully. Blessings

March 24~ Awesome I can stay in bed this morning. I don't have to get up to rush out to any appointments. Snuggled up under warm cozy blankets, tucked around 10 pillows. Now that is cozy. A long leisurely morning hot coffee, hot shower, quiet time and prayer. Life is good. Some days it's just good to be lazy. A text from a customer for an order; love my Mary Kay business. A nice little sell (unexpected). Yes! Meet up with them and watch happy smiles appear. Even my Mary Kay business brings smiles. Love my business of beauty; always bringing smiles of beauty in every aspect. A phone call from Mary McCormick Loomis, want to go for a ride. Sure! Always a grand time with this lovely lady. We chased our rainbow looking for our pot of gold and found a double rainbow. I think we have had the pot of gold all along. It's the daily adventures of life with those we love. Hot soup and warm bread; servered up with great company and laughter. Wonderful way to close up this day. Thank you Lord for this day laced in the luxury of leisure, quiet time, friendship, laughter and so much more. The treasures that are the rainbows in my life even in the storm. Blessings

March 25~ Love Saturday mornings. Love classic TV in bed snuggled under my covers. Watching the classic "Hazel". Wish they still made wholesome TV. But so grateful for reruns on some of my TV stations. Coffee.....lots of coffee. Then the afternoon spent with two business suave' ladiesChristina Lee, and Rebecca Sherrett. Love my sweater! Really enjoyed visiting and spending the afternoon with them. A phone call from my sister Rosie, confirming an up coming trip to see my mom. I do believe I'm feeling the Spring in the air. Adventures seem to be popping up. As the birds are singing and chirping to the morning glories. The flowers are blooming in beauty. I'm ready for new beginnings. Each day a new day to write a new chapter in my story. Thank you Lord. Blessings

March Blessings~ Counting It All Joy (Week Three)

COUNTING IT ALL JOY!

The Winds Of March

March 13~ Nice to wake under the cozy warm blankets of my own bed in my own home. So thankful for this place. Though I am looking for that hour I lost. I cannot seem to locate it. Will need plenty of caffeine. Time spent with Katherine Fischer Huston and Lara Hurst this morning having coffee. What a treat. A few early morning haircuts. And the morning is gone. Where did the time go? Still looking for that hour I lost. Time with Katherine before I need to leave for afternoon appointment; and then her heading home over the mountain. Time is precious and never long enough with those we love. Hold tight to these moments as they wont pass this way again. Tomorrow isn't promised so one needs to be present with this moment and time treasuring every second of it. As it is the gift. The rain storm outside is how I feel inside. The darkness reaching for the light. Where the emptiness is searching. Searching to be filled with the warmth and glory of His perfect love. So many holes that need His healing balm. Life is rough! In the darkness of life there are many holes. That show a life well lived. It can leave many empty spaces where now only the Lord can fill and heal. Which was once filled with the business of living life with those we love. Now empty spaces and holes needing His touch. Thankful for the Lord's perfect healing and love for me. Some days tougher than others. But grateful for each one. It shows a life well lived to the fullest, good or bad. It's a gift I'm so thankful for. Reaching for the light of His glory. Blessings

March 14 ~ Waking up to another day of liquid sunshine. Coffee, prayers, clean up for the day. Afternoon appointment. Rain rain go away come again another day. Love those childhood nursery rhymes and poem's. Loving the longer days ...... but missing my hour of sleep. What is a girl to do? But take a nap! Dreamland, where dreams really do come true. Nothing better on a wet, rainy, damp day then to be curled up for a late afternoon snooze in dreamland. Thankful I can take those cat naps. Love looking back on my adventures of the past weekend, and so many others that I have been on. Knowing even in the storms of life there are many silver linings of blessings filled with God's grace, mercy, and love. We just have to stop and look around and smell the roses; as the old adage goes. They sure have many wise truths weaved through them. Each day given is another opportunity to be an inspiration and live life to the fullest extent of our capability at that moment. Grateful for the quiet moments, to reflect and be thankful for all I have been gifted with each and everyday. Truly I am blessed even in the quiet rainy days when I'm not dancing in the storm; but dreaming in dreamland where dreams really do come true. Blessings

March 15 ~ Wake up, wake up! It's time to get up and get ready to go create smiles of beauty at the salon. It's Wednesday, they are waiting for you Beth. They love coming in and being pampered by you. It is your bright spot as well in the week, seeing all these beauties, and gents. And hearing all about their life's journey. What a blessing to be able to bring them the smiles of beauty every week and brightening their day. So blessed to do work I love doing. WOW! So blessed to be able to go shopping today and purchase this weeks special dinner (corn beef and cabbage.) Plus all the other groceries and needs for the home. Refrigerator, and cupboards are full. Thankful for the finances to be able to do that. Finding rainy day pictures and old time treasures through this dreary wet rainy day. Learning to see all the beauty in the moment I'm in. Even old time treasure's from days gone by. Thank you Lord for each gift and life lesson in the day as it is your gift to me. Sitting and watching the rain come down. Much like the tears that flood me. But are held like diamonds in the Lord's hand. Just as the rain looks like beads of diamonds glistening on the window pane. As this day quickly comes to a close I'm grateful to have this roof over my head. Blessings

March 16 ~ Time to wake up to a day full of amazing beauty. First things first....prayers and coffee. Then time for beauty in the salon. The sun is out and there are blue skies. Love that yellow ball of fire The warmth of the sunshine is warming me inside and out. As this day slips away minute by minute I soak up every second of the warmth of the sunshine and blue skies I can. A short drive up the road to Springdale to pick up some horseradish. Thank you Geo Sutter for coming along with me today. Then we detoured into Troutdale for ice cream and a short walk with lots of laughter and smiles before heading back home. The best laugh was thinking this plastic rose was a real flower. Sunshine and laughter truly are the best medicine. Having great friends to share your silliness with even better. Thankful for being able to laugh at life and at myself. Being a kid at heart. So thankful for this sunshine of beauty. Blessings

March 17 ~ Top of the morning to you Irish eyes. Time to look for those Irish blessings. Happy St. Patty's Day! Early morning appointments all completed by 10:30 am. Found me a handsome green Leprechaun at the bank today. Kevin you looked very handsome. But you didn't give me a pot of gold! So off to find my pot of gold in the liquid sunshine. This green eyed redhead will capture the adventure in this festive day. Corn beef and cabbage in the crock pot. An invite to travel across town with Geo Sutter. What a fun little trip across the river to the tile store. Seeing parts of town I didn't even know about or that I've ever seen before. Rain coming down non-stop. Trying to rain on my parade, but I will find the fun even in the storm. With no sight of sunlight or a rainbow; how's a girl to find her pot of gold? Oh that's right it's in the journey that we find the pot of gold. Sparkles of greens and golds; four leaf clovers, dancing in the rain. Friendships to share the journey with. Yummy dinner to fill the tummy. Maybe I already had the pot of gold all along. Yes I would say I was blessed today. Thank you Lord for this day. Blessings

March 18~ Woke up early and fell back asleep only to wake to the pounding rain coming down like thunder upon the roof of the house. Then I dozed off and on to the patter of the rain hitting the roof top. Love those cozy, lazy Saturday's when life isn't pressuring you to get up and do life. Then the call of coffee and prayers. Dress code of the day yoga pants and sweatshirt. Got to love no make up and hair days. Perfectly imperfectly comfortable for the days chores. Worked on taxes until calculator died on me. Seeing how truly blessed I am. As I go through the receipts of last year, seeing the many blessings I have been given. Very grateful for the many blessings that I have been provided. So many taken for granted and forgotten about. Thank you Lord for the abundance of blessings and how I was able to share as well. Baked a cake today and Mary McCormick Loomis came by with ice cream to go with it. What a wonderful evening we had. Sitting and chatting away. Glad you could come by. Listened to music all day. Music therapy, got to love that. Listened to music all day. Music therapy good for the heart and soul. Made working on taxes easier too. As I listened to the music the lyrics and tunes would minister to my heart. Some tunes spoke to the heart and soul with many memories wrapped around them. While others were waiting to make memories to be held in a lyric and tune. I caught a glimpse of the sun this afternoon briefly between rain storms passing through. Love those sun rays. Today I enjoyed the lyrics of my slow dance of puttering and working on taxes, in the comofrt of my own home. Grateful for these days that I can just move slowly at my own pace; not in the fast lane of life. God's amazing grace. Thank you Lord for these days of leisure. Blessings

March Blessings~ Counting It All Joy

Counting It All Joy

The Winds Of March

March 5~ Get up Beth you have a coffee and breakfast date. Then some NASCAR. Don't like the new point system at all. But had a wonderful day. Great music on the jukebox. Dancing, laughter, memories, and smiles. Actually just a different kind of day. It was fun just doing something totally different and out of the ordinary for me. Then I had a wonderful visit on the phone with my daughter Amber Webber. Extremely blessed beyond measure. Surprises and blessings are the order of the day. Prayers with Katherine Fischer Huston. Thankful she is on the mend. As well as the needed prayers sent this way. Love praying with my sister's in the Lord. Brings a peace, hope, and His divine providence of grace upon all things. Thank You Lord for your will to be done. Blessings

March 6~ Oh wake up Beth! Bad dream....wake up and get this new week started. Good morning Monday! Time for some prayer and coffee. Out the door for the first of two appointments. Watching the sky as its truly a crazy weather day. Snow, sleet, rain, wind, blue skies and rainbows. Kinda feels like my life at times. Doesn't know whether to sit and cry or sing, and dance in the storm. Oh yes! The answer to that is..... Sing, and dance in the storm to make the rainbows of life. Lessons today in the weather. Realizing what a truly small world we live in. Talking today with a friend and finding out we have a lot of mutual acquaintances, and life situations in common. Felt very connected and not so alone. Funny how life brings people across your path. just at the exact right moment in time that is needed. God's perfect timing. Just being open and honest, and real; not hiding behind false pretenses. You see the true person and the beauty and love story of who they truly are. So grateful that I don't need to hide behind lies and false pretenses. No phony! Even in the brokenness it creates a new growth of radiant beauty and newness. Thankful that God, brings so many wonderful people across my path at the right time.That leave amazing life prints in my journey. Making a banquet of beauty. Thankful for the healing journey I'm on and those He has placed in my life to travel this road with me. As I look back and see where I was and were I am. Totally amazed! We've come along way baby! Thank you Lord. God's amazing grace! What could be better!? Thank you Lord for this day and your hand upon my life. Blessings

March 7~ Do I have to get up? It's ugly, wet and cold out there. It will be an amazing day Beth! You are alive and today is a gift. Fueling this day with coffee, prayers, and friendship. Time to go bless a lovely lady with a new style and a smile. Thank you Cindy Forsythe Rieder for allowing me to care for Ann's hair. Then let's meet up with a lovely lady for some lunch and friendship. What an amazing afternoon. Then time to meet up with the lovely Christina Lee. Love those leggings. Thank you! Love catching up with friends and just sharing life. Great way to turn a grey gloomy wet rainy day into a beautiful liquid sunshine day of smiles and laughter. Always looking for the light in the darkness, treasures hidden in the everyday, and gifts placed in the day for me to find and unwrap. Thankful for each opportunity to be the best me possible. Thank you Lord for another day of possibilities. Blessings

March 8~ Good morning Wednesday! It's salon day. Time to create smiles of beauty. Love my little job and the ladies I see every week. Today Norma blessed me with an amazing complement. She told me how much she appreciated me and that I was an extremely compassionate person that was very gifted and talented and must have a special calling on my life, to work with the elderly. WOW! THANK YOU SO MUCH! Best paycheck of the heart ever. Love the five beautiful smiles that left the salon today. Thankful to have choices of bottles of color to pick from today as I covered my wisdom. And each one of those wisdom were well earned. Glad to put the youthful color back in. Love all my body lotion and moisturizer to keep my body and skin silky soft and smooth. Got to love that Mary Kay product! For the quiet of the evening as this gloomy wet rainy day closes. Thank you Lord for another day of possibilities. Blessings

March 9~ Time to raise and shine. Its a new day. It holds new adventures and surprises awaiting you Beth. Morning coffee brewing. Prayers. Time to go create smiles of beauty at the salon. Plenty of surprises today.....three walk ins.....added two more to schedule for next week. Thank you Lord for the extra blessings added to me today. Home to pack for a short overnight visit with my dear friend Sally Mazza. Thank you for the invite and hospitality. What a crazy long drive to McMinnville. Rain coming down in buckets, just like the tears in my heart. So glad the Lord sees my tears as diamonds and holds them in a jar. Arrived safe and sound in McMinnville. A Lovely early evening out. Then back to the house to kick back to laugh and giggle. And a tasty fruit tray and cheese. Love R&R. And I'm warm. So just like the message says: life is calling.....I must go! This day was calling me to live and enjoy....get moving. Thank you Lord for this amazing day and life you've blessed me with. So thankful for this life's journey with all the twist and turns. Blessings

March 10~ Early morning raise before the sun. Quietly tiptoe not to wake anyone. Sun breaking through the blinds. Good morning sunshine. It's going to be a beautiful day, and drive back towards home. Then there is GPS. Yes thankful for it.....but it sure does take one on some grand detours that are rather adventurous. Thankful for the angels of the Lord protection encamped about me as I drive allover. Trains planes and automobiles, oh yes ferry's too. Safe return home two plus hours later after a few detours. Chiropractor visit. Thank you for the reschedule and getting me in today. Time to get some household chores done. Then an evening out with Katherine Fischer Huston. Thank you! Always fun to watch the kids perform. Today I'm thankful for getting from point A to point B in safety; as well as all the adventures the GPS has taken us on today. Glad that the Lord is my GPS in life. Time to close this day until the morning light. Blessings

March 11~ Good morning! 🎂🍦🎂Happy birthday🎂🍦🎂 to my beautiful baby girl Racheal; 36 years ago I was blessed with my third daughter. She told me she was glad I was celebrating the National Holiday for her today. 💖💖💖Yes Racheal it is your national holiday💖💖💖 and💗💗💗 I love you!💗💗💗 Early morning adventures with Mary McCormick Loomis, Trevor, Tyler, and Katherine Fischer Huston. Heading for Astoria for the weekend. So blessed to be invited to join in on the celebration of Mary's grandfather's Coast Guard Cutter being named after him. Katherine and I enjoy late afternoon walk on Pier 39 and early dinner at the Rogue. Then a long walk in the rain. Drenched Oregonian girls we are. Taking in all the views and activities. One can tell an Oregonian from a tourist. We don't care if we get wet. Lots of photos and memories made today. Thankful for my camera. Thankful for the opportunity to come along on this adventure with my girlfriend's and Mary's boys. Life is good! Being open to the possibilities and opportunities laid before us makes the adventure; as we journey through each day we are blessed with. The views are there to take in and relish. Thank you Lord for each one. Truly I am blessed. Blessings

March 12~ No! It cannot be time to get up! Where did that hour go? I've been robbed! It's okay .... It will appear again in the Fall. In the meantime get up and celebrate this day and enjoy what is wrapped in this day and this moment. Waking to the beautiful river view at the hotel. Blessed to be invited to be apart of the celebration of Mary McCormick Loomisgrandfather's Coast Guard Cutter Ship that was named after him; the John McCormick. Very impressive. So enjoyed the tour and the story's we heard today. WOW! Then some great food with great company at the Buoy in Astoria. Then headed to the beach at Fort Stevens to the Peter Iredale ship wrecked in 1906. The beach....did someone say beach? Oh thank you for the ocean water. The smell of sea salt. Sun setting on the horizon. So much to enjoy at the beach. Do I have to leave this place? Having a great time with Katherine Fischer Huston, Mary and her boys Trevor and Tyler. A bit of treasure hunting. Found a few special treasures to bring home with me. Most of my treasures were captured in my heart as well as my minds eye. Alot was captured in my camera's lens today as well. So much to see and enjoy. Thank you so much Mary for including us on this amazing day and weekend as you celebrate your families legacy. We are all ships sailing through. What legacy is found in your ship's hull? I thank each one of you that sail through life with me. You are my treasures. Thank You! Blessings

March Blessings~ Counting It All Joy

Counting It All Joy

March 1~ Good morning March. Time to start a new day a new month of opportunities filled with many blessings. Today I was super blessed at work. Eight happy residents, with big smiles. Finished up and was able to run an unexpected errand and clear some paper work up. Then a late lunch with Mary McCormick Loomis. Love soup! Three bowls of yummy hot soup. Roll me out the front door. Then home for the day. Comfy clothes. Thankful for my flash of memories that bring me a smile, and a ray of hope that those sunshine moments are just around the corner. Great reminder that the grey storms of life will pass, and happy times will be marching in once again. Thank you Lord for this day and the hope we have in you. Blessings

March 2 ~ Time to rise and shine for another day of work. First things first. Love my coffee and quiet time. Truly grateful for my little salon and all the ladies and gentlemen I have the pleasure to meet and do hair care for. Today I meet Ron a retired Green Bret and his nephew Mark. All I can say is thank you to this man and what an honor to meet him. He recently just came back home to the states from Thailand. He served in Vietnam and stayed to help this country and the men and women there. The little that was shared today was amazing. These are my heroes who have given their lives for our freedoms and the life I take for granted so often. Thank you Ron for your many years of service to so many. Today just reminded me what an honor and gift we are given everyday by these men and women who proudly serve our country. Thank you! Seems so little yet means so much. Meet up with Mary McCormick Loomis for fun! Another fun filled adventure; today in Troutdale at the Troutdale Mercantile Store. Yes! Some ice cream, it turned my tongue the color of my coat as I was eating black licorice. YUM! Then a a call from Geo Sutter. A Lovely dinner. Thank you so much! How wonderful catching up with you. Not to mention a bit of exercise. What a wonderful day filled with so much. Then time to do my weekly laundry, so grateful I don't have to go out and do it. Today was crammed full of beautiful blessings and treasured gifts to be thankful for. My cup runneth over. Thank you Lord for these and so much more that you have blessed me with. Blessings

March 3~ Yeppy! Sleeping in all nestled under my cozy warm blankets. What a treat after rising early all week. Love a long hot shower with all the body washes and sweet body scents. Luxury! Then some coffee...got to love these days of leisure. Love my prayer time and the things the Lord and I talk about. Thank you Lord for this peaceful restful day. Now I sit and listen to the rain make music as it comes pounding down upon the house. Watering the bulbs for the Spring blooms of beauty. Some hot tea and honey as I sit snuggled under my electric blanket watching Jeopardy. God's simple blessing of peace wrapped in His perfect love for me. Blessings

March 4~ It's Saturday! Time for coffee prayers and morning weather report. Love that I have my TV to catch up on some of the activities of the week in the morning report as I wait to hear the weather forecast. Time to start working on those taxes. Which means I'm grateful for my work and though....I hate paying or doing taxes ....grateful that I am able to do that. As I have been going through receipts, I realize how blessed I have been. How many wonderful gifts and opportunities I have been given. Truly I have been provided for and needs meet even when I didn't realize it. In total Awe! Thank you Lord! My friend Jeannie surprised me today. She came over and I colored and styled her hair. Turned out nice. Jeannie thank you for dinner. It was great seeing you and catching up! Love all the laughter. It was the best. It seems life is always breaking through in new and beautiful ways. Life is so full of beauty. Just as the seasons so is each one for us. We must be open to receive and to break new ground for the blessings that await us each and everyday. Even in the mundane and boring; the simple and unexpected; the unknown, and the planned. The ability to live fully and completely in the moment of each day. Excepting each moment and relishing in the beauty of it all. For this moment I'm thankful for because I'm not promised tomorrow. Thank you Lord for this day and all the grace and love you have bestowed upon me. Feeling very blessed. Thank you! Blessings