Wednesday, June 26, 2024

Father, Teach Us to Make the Days Count, a Mimi and Popo Day...

Chris Rice, Life Means So Much

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This song never ceases to bless my heart...

 

It wasn't that long ago I packed our four daughters into our van and took them to see Chris Rice at a free day time lunch concert at Chik-Fil-A at the mall. 

 

Now, over twenty-something years later our daughters are all adults, last month our second born dear daughter, Joycie had surgery.  An all day surgery lasting 8 long hours...The kind of thing where you have your phone right there, waiting on updates from our son in law, making sure our loved one gets out of anesthesia alright and then we hear...They are trying to help her with the pain etc....It seems like forever before Joycie is in her room.  Our loving family is sticking together taking care of their little boy, our precious grandson during this brief time.   I will call him once again....Little Batman.

Here's some clips of a most countable day with Little Batman.

 

This could also be called....A Day in the Life of a Mimi and a Popo

 

I loved these shots...

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Little Batman so blessed my heart as he asks...Would you like for me to carry that for you? 

 

My favorite fabric store in downtown is sadly closing down...Oh my heart.   This place is older, almost 50 years in business, there is a separate huge room attached to this one with all kinds of cottons and decorating fabric...The fixtures, oh my the fixtures!   There are wood fixtures painted that beautiful ballet pink...Very vintage. 

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Waiting patiently for the cashier to check us out...

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It's okay, Mimi...I've got it.

 

What shall we do now?   Popo suggests as I twisted his arm ; )   How about some ice cream? 

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Life means so much...

 

Little Batman says like a little man...Are ya'll ready for some ice cream? 

 

 

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Oh how the camera in my mind and heart were clicking shots and recording here...Making the day count. 

 

I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.   ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

 

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I could paint these shots, it's so typical of little children, the dance they do in Life.  May we learn from them?  

 

While Little Batman was here, one of our other grown daughters, Zuzu who lives close by invited Little Batman over to play with our other two little grandsons, Christopher Robin and Little Jay Jay.

What's there not to love about three little cousins playing in a sprinkler?   Maybe some of us should go out and play in the sprinkler?    That would be so fun!  I think we would laugh and laugh!  We could march around and not care.

 

So sweet and carefree.   How about we be like that too? 

 

I hope you enjoy the Chris Rice song and our little adventure with Little Batman and that praise to the Lord that all is well.   

 

 

Phillippians 2:3-5   Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 

 

 


I hope you all are doing well.    God has shown me to just live slowly, not spend too much time online and live in His Peace.  ...Making the day count. 

Amen.  


To be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the  stars...and to spend as much time as you can, with body and with spirit, in God's out-of-doors---these are little guideposts on the footpath to peace.    ~Henry Van Dyke

 

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Our Sweet Liesl, who teaches us true and unconditional love many a day.

 

Signing off from My Forest Cathedral       ~Amelia

28 comments:

Michelle said...

Oh my what adorable pics of little Batman! So sweet of him offering to carry your items. What a neat fabric store…so sad they’re closing!

Love the pics of all the cousins cheerfully playing together! They have the best times!

I really like the Laura Ingalls quote. May have to find a place to post it in our home. :)

That is such a beautiful Christ Rice song. Josh was just playing it recently and brings back many special memories.

Cheryl Kimbley said...

Children always seem to get it just right. Their innocence is so eye opening and wonderful. Yes, the simpler things in life are by far the best.
Sweet pictures.

Little Mama Mia said...

More soon but these pics of the grands are just SOOOO cute!!! They brought joy to my heart just to see them just now!! <3

Frances said...

Thank you for the beautiful song. I really needed that today.

EM Griffith said...

Praying for Joycie, Amelia! I'm sorry your favorite fabric store is closing and hope you're stocking up! Oh, how precious Little Batman is!!!

You have such beautiful, happy grandchildren. These times in their lives are precious and a precious gift from the Lord. So glad you live close enough to spend quality time with them. Yes, that time spent is much more important than any time spent on a laptop, tablet or smart phone. From what I see--people are spending much less time "connected" online and more connected with life. Makes my heart smile. Life is fleeting.

Give a pet and a hug to your relaxed, regal fur baby! I've missed you, but are glad you're living life to the fullest and spending time on what matters most. (((Hug))) --Elise

Anonymous said...

What a sweet post! Little Batman sure loved time with his Mimi and Popo! He had much to recount to us when we picked him up — especially about the ice cream (he takes after his Popo with his love for ice cream). I’m so glad he is making such sweet memories with y’all. Thank y’all for caring for him so well during that time!

That’s so sad about the fabric store! That was a neat place. I took my wedding dress there looking for fabric to add to it one time.

I do love that Chris Rice song, it is always such a beautiful reminder to slow down and enjoy life! I like what the Lord is showing you about being more unplugged and mindful, He is showing me that too. Taking time to just enjoy small things like Little Batman’s face when he’s speaking to me. It’s so important.

Mrs. White said...

It sounds like a precious day taking care of your grandson! So sweet! I hope your daughter recovers very soon and all is well. God bless you all!

Amelia said...

Michelle, yes, so many wonderful memories those sweet days of the cousins playing and all of that, they will remember that forever.

There is something so special about that song, it brings back such special memories of special times and it is so appropriate for now too... I love so many of Chris Rice's songs.

Thank you for commenting so thoughtfully, xo

Amelia said...

Cheryl,

Yes, children sure do have it right don't they? : ) Thanks for coming by!

Blessings!

Amelia said...

Little Mama Mia....Thank you, looking forward to your comment but so glad you went ahead and stopped by! I'm happy you enjoyed it so! xo

Amelia said...

Frances, you have been on my heart and in my daily prayers, sometimes throughout the day. I'm so thankful that the song ministered to your soul, you may enjoy other Chris Rice songs too.

Blessings to you and prayers. Thank you for taking the time to come by.

Amelia said...

Elise, Thank you so much, I think Joycie is recouping very well thanks be to God. Thank you as always for your faithful prayers, it means the world.

The fabric store was one of those special places I would treat myself to once in a blue moon but oh how I loved it! I so wanted to get back and take a pic of the room I wrote about but unfortunately they weren't kidding when they said they were closing because now they are closed.:(
At least I have some souvenir fabric from there now though...

Yes, life is like a vapor and being the empath that I am I can only take so much. When out of town and away from it all the Lord whispered such Peaceful things and just so clearly put it on my heart what to do and what not to do. He is so good to me.

There are so many things to be thankful for as I know you agree! Peace, peace wonderful peace... : ) Hugs!

Amelia said...

Anonymous, Yes he sure does take after Popo! lol That is so funny, he really was like a little man the way he said that. So thankful he made such happy little boy memories. He had a good ol' time at the Greek restaurant too with his mountain of homemade fries the way they make them in the old fashioned way. So good...

God has given me instruction in a gentle way, and it's so wonderful that the minute I start to veer even in little ways I receive a gentle check, it's a muddled feeling and I'm sure you understand.

I remember you and "Pete" going to that fabric store with your wedding dress...It was so cute the way "Pete" said...Yes, the guy at the store said adding fabric to the back will even add interest! : ) Such neat memories...The precious lady who cut my fabric this last time was sharing that many people came in sharing similar memories. Oh my heart!

Yes, you have that right, to take that time and live with no regrets. May we all, every one of us do that. We must stop and think as to our priorities and what it will look like in years to come in the theatres of our hearts and souls. xo

Amelia said...

Mrs. White, Thank the Lord, she is doing well and seems to be healing well, she seems to be getting her energy back in full force actually, little by little, praying she doesn't over do things as only a mother can do. But Praise the Lord, things are on the upswing.

I appreciate you coming by and taking the time to comment. I love your profile pic, everytime I see it it makes me smile, the femininity of your hairstyle (I'm enjoying mine like that these days too) and your dress in the photo is so pretty. Blessings and prayers for you and your precious family.

Sandi said...

"Chris Rice at a free day time lunch concert at Chik-Fil-A at the mall."

WHAT. I remember him from the late 90's. One of my favorites. I could have seen him at a Chic-Fil-A? 😃 What a blessing you got to go!

I am praying for Joycie!

These photos are WONDERFUL. Oh, those carefree summer days with cousins and sunshine...❤️...and doggy cousins too.

Amelia said...

Sandi, *Yes!* The Chik-Fil-A restaurants in our area used to do free concerts like that all the time! : ) We got to see various Christian artists for free! When we got to the mall, Chris Rice was mindlessly walking through the food court area sipping on a large soft drink through a straw. It was *so* Chris Rice! lol

Thank you for praying for Joycie, she seems to be doing very well, and we pray it stays like that.

So happy you enjoyed the photos! Yes, doesn't it just capture those carefree days? I remember being an only child just so cherishing when the grandma, Mrs. Porter across the street in our old dinosaur neighborhood had her little grand-daughters come over from out of state...Oh we would have such fun rigging a sprinkler up to the top of my slide on my swingset, we would slide down singing "Downtown" by Petula Clark. Lol One of the girls, her name was Dena sang "Harper Valley PTA". We pretended we were bathing beauties! Lol I think I still have the black and white photos too. : ) Our little dog back then was named "Cutie". : )

Blessings to you!

Little Mama Mia said...

Okay... I'm back!:D And again, as I look at the pics again, I will reiterate how very precious they are!! These grandbabies (and my nephews) are just so sweet and are so loved. These moments should definitely be ingrained in our memories and never forgotten. Sometimes you just want to hold on to these incredibly special moments and just not let go... or, as my child's pediatrician said, to be able to rewind sometimes and relive them again later. So very cute of Batman and his ice cream and also helping you with the fabric - so CUTE!!! And all the boys playing in the sprinkler... so, SO sweet!!!

I'm so sorry your favorite fabric store is closing... that really sounds like such a nostalgic, special place!

And I love that Chris Rice song...! I definitely remember us going to those "Brown bag" concerts - what fun memories those were!

<3

Amelia said...

Hey There Little Mama Mia, Oh yes! I forgot that those free lunch concerts were called 'Brown Bag' concerts and yes, ....Sooooo fun!

It's so true, so many things in life are the things we need to cherish because those are things we will look back on as the really good things in Life.

Live the Life as Steven Curtis Chapman in one of his songs says...Yes. Live the Life. Caps intended. : )

May God be glorified! <3

Mrs. Laura Lane said...

What a wonderful post! I do hope your loved one recovers fully and completely! Jesus so be it.

What fun a sprinkler would be. I remember my mother-in-law playing with my 1 year old with the hose. She laughed and laughed. He was delighted to squirt grandma.

Be blessed,
Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

Amelia said...

Hi Laura, Thank you! Thank you for your care and prayers, I appreciate it so. : )

Oh what a fun memory, Laura! I love that! That reminds me of when our girls were little and we were doing slip and slide out in the country when we first moved there...I was laughing and laughing, playing with the little ones like a little child! lol Your mil sounds wonderful!

Blessings to you, Laura, I enjoyed our decaf coffee chat! Thank you for sharing. : )

Linda said...

Hello Amelia, Just saying a prayer for your family member that they have a speedy recovery.
Yes grandchildren are such a joy, their little squeals and smiles just light up my day ! There is nothing more fun than playing in a sprinkler on a hot day, I used to do it myself as a child :)
It sure was lovely to drop by and see how your life is going.
Many blessings ~ Linda (The Little Homestead) x

Amelia said...

Hi Linda, It's such a blessing to my heart to hear from you. Thank you so much for prayers, it's greatly appreciated.

My mother used to call our little girls her little bonuses! : ) Yes, I too remember those sprinkler days...Rigging the sprinkler up to the top of my slide on my swingset and setting a baby pool at the bottom of it.

So wonderful to hear from you, I hope all is well with you and your sweet family. Blessings to you! xo

Mrs. Laura Lane said...

I do hope your daughter is feeling much better.
I'm sorry about your fabric store. Ours closed many years ago. It's sad.
Happy Sunday!
Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

Amelia said...

Hello Laura, Thank you so much. Yes, she is feeling lots better now and that is a blessing, and an answer to prayer! : ) Thank you for your kind words and interest.

Isn't it sad the way the fabric stores are closing? Sewing is such a valuable and creative Gift. I talked to a relative of the fabric store that last time and it sounds like the owners were becoming tired. I do hope that maybe new owners will buy it and it will once again be a fabric store, it was almost an icon.

Happy Sunday to you too! Blessings!

R's Rue said...

I love Chase Rice. A blast from the past.
www.rsrue.blogspot.com

Amelia said...

Yes, he is such a unique and wonderful music artist! He has a Christmas song that you may have heard that is just beautiful.

Thank you for coming by, Rue! Blessings!

Cathy said...

Amelia,
I loved this! The helpful grandson, the smile on his face with the ice cream...I would be smiling too...and the delight of the sprinkler, with cousins nonetheless. We have much to be grateful for in the simple joys of life. I like how you include so many things on your posts. Thank you for your nice comment to my recent post. I can assure I am sincere😊.
Blessings!

Amelia said...

Cathy, Thank you!

Yes, so many blessings right under our very noses right? If we'll just slow down and notice. I do appreciate your encouragement so very much and I appreciate your blog too, it's a beautiful blog and I always enjoy what you have to say. : )

Yes, you are definitely a sincere sister in Christ and you don't know how I appreciate that! : )

Blessings!