Portuguese Collard Soup

Mom made delicious Portuguese collard soup and shared it with us today.   She got the recipe from Ana.  I must say it was great!  Mom went a step further and pureed the collards rather than just chopping them.   And in keeping with southern culture,  she added a little bacon for flavor :)  It was a winner!   Ana served it up in some pretty "made in Portugal" bowls.

Breakfast at Our House this morning ..

Today it was nice to get up to a cool October morning.  For breakfast,   Ana made French toast - I made the coffee :)  Great way to start the day!

Dressed up for Halloween

Ana dressed up yesterday to go to work.  This was her costume of choice - the 70's look :)  She is one of the few people I know who can still wear her actual clothes from the 70's! 

Gracie Comes for a Visit

Nana and granddaddy are keeping Gracie this weekend.   We've been having a good time.   After breakfast we took a little stroll :)  Doesn't she look boo-tiful?

More Pics from Our New House

A Perfect Painting

This photo of Grace is perfect for a painting!  Love it :)

Beach Bunnies

Meredith and Kennedy joined the gang at Ocracoke this past weekend too.   Such a lovely photo.

Guess Who?

Natalie, Judson, and Gracie joined family in Ocracoke this past weekend.  I had to lift this picture from her Facebook page :-)  This is an adorable picture!  and Gracie is getting so grown!

Autumn in Our Backyard

After a walk with my wife,  I sat on the back deck while she prepared our supper.   I noticed this beautiful tree already announcing the Fall season.   Oh how I love this time of year!

It's getting dark now... shorter days.  I miss my girls,  and my granddaughters...  I best be getting inside.

What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes – James 4:14

On the way to work the other day, I caught myself thinking about how temporal things are.   We tend to think that everything will remain as it is, don't we?  Several years ago, my wife and I used to visit a favorite coffee shop every single weekend.  As a matter of fact, we would spend hours there, drinking coffee, making plans, reading the Bible and holding wonderful conversations.  I thought we'd end up performing that same ritual for years to come.  But two or three years ago that coffee shop closed up.   It took awhile to find another suitable replacement, I might add.   But part of us stayed behind in that coffee shop. 

I think about things my wife and I enjoy presently.  We love to sing for the senior citizens at a local nursing home.  I take my guitar, and we sing old church hymns in duet.  And every so often, our choir director asks us to sing during Sunday worship.   During the Christmas season, Ana Maria and I help the Salvation Army by dressing in old 1860′s attire and ringing the bell.  We sing Christmas carols right there on the sidewalk!  We love all of this!  And this is what got me thinking.  We take for granted that we will always maintain the health and stamina to get out  and go places, singing and telling others about the Lord.  But there may come a day when we no longer are able to get out to the nursing home, or get up and sing at church.  We may be the recipients of someone else's kindness and music.  

Ana Maria and I are now in our 50′s.  These are good years.  We do our best to stay active and serve the Lord each day with the strenghth and time He gives us.  I love where we are, but I know that things will not remain the same.  However, this is no cause to be discouraged!  We keep moving with steady anticipation toward that day – that day when we meet Him in the air and appear with Him at His coming!  Things will definitely no longer be the same!