So many things to write about - everyday life,gardening, cooking,France,Kansas,family,holidays, church,God,Jesus Christ,Christianity,missions, ministry,abortion, politics, art, music, "Sullivan" our English bulldog,reading .....
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Friday, September 7, 2012
"Morphing" Mug (image shows when hot liquid is in the mug) - Customize with your own photos
Order directly from: zazzle.com/samecla* (my online store)
Monday, September 3, 2012
"How Great Is That?"
Okay, now, I know my pastor is my husband
which can sometimes be a bit frustrating, but I still have to say he is a
great preacher/teacher. He has his "greater" and his "lesser" sermons -
today was, in my opinion, one of his "greater" ones.
I John 3:1-3 was the text: (1)"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The
I John 3:1-3 was the text: (1)"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The
reason the world does not know
us is that it did not know him. (2)Dear friends, now we are children of
God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that
when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
(3) Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is
pure."
My husband/pastor brought these verses alive today, for me anyway. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" Yes, how great is that?! SO great. SO, SO great. Imagine - God actually DOES consider those of us who have accepted the free gift of salvation provided to us by the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, His kids! I have, of course, read this before; thought about it before - today, though, through the words of my pastor/husband, it just seemed to jump right out at me: I AM God's child. Not a perfect one. But, still, God's child. Not a perfect one. But, still, wanted and loved by God. Not a perfect one. But always, forevermore, God's child. Not a perfect one. But a forgiven child of God. Not a perfect one. But a child of God who WILL one day, with Him, BE a perfect one.
As my pastor/husband said today: "How great is that?"
My husband/pastor brought these verses alive today, for me anyway. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" Yes, how great is that?! SO great. SO, SO great. Imagine - God actually DOES consider those of us who have accepted the free gift of salvation provided to us by the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, His kids! I have, of course, read this before; thought about it before - today, though, through the words of my pastor/husband, it just seemed to jump right out at me: I AM God's child. Not a perfect one. But, still, God's child. Not a perfect one. But, still, wanted and loved by God. Not a perfect one. But always, forevermore, God's child. Not a perfect one. But a forgiven child of God. Not a perfect one. But a child of God who WILL one day, with Him, BE a perfect one.
As my pastor/husband said today: "How great is that?"
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Pray and Protest!!!
Egypt’s Christians in Grave Danger as Muslim Brotherhood Crucifies Opponents
Numerous reports
have emerged this week that the radical Islamic Muslim Brotherhood,
that now controls the government of Egypt, has begun crucifying
Christians in that country.
Middle East news media have reported that the Muslim Brotherhood has “crucified those opposing Egyptian President Muhammad Morsi naked on trees in front of the presidential palace while abusing others.” Those opposing the new radical Islamic regime include Christians, and experts have suggested that “extra brutality is reserved for Christians.”
The ACLJ just sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging her to take action to stop this atrocity.
Our letter states:
Christians in Egypt need our support more now than ever, as the radical Muslim Brotherhood continues to pose a grave threat to their very lives.
You can take action urging Secretary Clinton to cut off funding for the radical Islamic-run Egypt by signing our petition here.
Middle East news media have reported that the Muslim Brotherhood has “crucified those opposing Egyptian President Muhammad Morsi naked on trees in front of the presidential palace while abusing others.” Those opposing the new radical Islamic regime include Christians, and experts have suggested that “extra brutality is reserved for Christians.”
The ACLJ just sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging her to take action to stop this atrocity.
Our letter states:
Recent news stories
concerning what is currently transpiring in Egypt should cause grave
concern to the Department of State, to the Obama Administration, and the
civilized world in general. . . . It appears that secular Egyptians and
Coptic Christians are at heightened risk. Such barbarity cannot simply
be overlooked by the Government of the United States and the rest of the
civilized world. The United States Government must condemn such actions
in the strongest terms possible and must encourage other nations to do
so as well.
The letter also urges Secretary Clinton and the Obama Administration
to “cut off all aid” to Egypt unless and until Egypt takes decisive
action to prevent further brutality and prosecute those who committed
these heinous acts.Christians in Egypt need our support more now than ever, as the radical Muslim Brotherhood continues to pose a grave threat to their very lives.
You can take action urging Secretary Clinton to cut off funding for the radical Islamic-run Egypt by signing our petition here.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Crispy Craving
A
BIG disappointment this evening. Almost had boiled bulldog for supper.
:( I'd been craving - yes, CRAVING - a crispy piece of fried chicken
all afternoon. Having almost no food in the house yet after returning
from vacation, grandson Christian and I made a quick run to Walmart for a
few things (too tired to do the "big" grocery shopping) - where I
purchased the largest, crispiest chicken breast they had in the deli
section! Christian got a donut for him and one to take home for Papou.
Soon's I got in the car I couldn't resist pulling that chicken out of
the bag and having a big, crispy bite. Mmmmmm! So good; but I was
disciplined enough to return it to the bag until I got home. When we got
home I dropped everything on the kitchen floor, as I headed for the
bathroom just off of the kitchen. No sooner had I shut the bathroom door
when I began hearing Sullivan-the-bulldog's nails click-clacking on the
kitchen floor... my brain quickly brought it all together for me:
crispy fried chicken bag on the floor ... big bulldog on the floor who
also loves crispy fried chicken. Oh, no! SULLIVAN!!! STOP!!! Too
late. I yanked open the bathroom door to find our guilty-looking bulldog
chomping down greedily on the torn-open bag and my crispy piece of
fried chicken. Oh, the sadness. Oh, the anger. Oh, the laughter
coming from grandson and hubby, insisted I should just cut around the
parts the bulldog had enjoyed and eat it anyway! No way. Banishing said
bulldog to the living-room and coldly staring down the still-chuckling
grandson and hubby, I yanked open the back door and threw my
now-not-so-lovely piece of crispy fried chicken out on the porch, as I
yelled at the hanging-his-head-bulldog to "just go ahead and finish it
now, you dumb dog!". He didn't feel quilty enough, though, to not run
out quickly, gleefully, and grab up the rest of his illicit meal. I
turned back into the kitchen to boil hot dogs, instead of the bulldog,
for supper. All is forgiven - laughing grandson and hubby included ...
but ... sigh ... I still sit here dreaming of that huge, crispy piece
of fried chicken breast........
Monday, July 30, 2012
"For God So Loved The WORLD ..."
"For God So Loved The WORLD ..."
by Sandra Carol Mers Clayton on Monday, July 30, 2012 at 1:59am ·
There was in today's paper an article about a church in Mississippi (did I spell that right?) that refused to marry an African-American couple in the church - and this couple, according to the article, has been attending the church!
It seems the wedding had been planned and the pastor was ready to perform the ceremony in the church, as planned, when he got wind of a few of the members who were not happy to have a "black" couple being married in "their" church. Other members, it was reported, were angry and totally taken by surprise when they heard, after the wedding was held elsewhere, that a few of their number had protested having the wedding at the church. Instead of standing up against the dissenters and standing UP for the rest of the congregation and for what was right, the pastor backed down and, though he still performed the ceremony, it was held elsewhere.
Racism, at any time, is bad. Terrible. Not good. Racism is not God's way; it particularly saddens me when I see racism among we Christians. No one is perfect on this - racism exists among non-Christians as well; racism exists among every race, I've discovered. It isn't simply a "Caucasian" sin. However, I still say that it is especially sad to see Christians practice racism, whatever race the Christian is.
My piece of art here says that "love is color blind"; and it is. We might "love somebody or not love somebody ... respect somebody or not respect somebody ... like somebody or not like somebody" because of "this, that, or the other" but we should never decide how we feel about a person because of that person's color/culture/race. Love is color-blind; well, it should be. As Christians we are to follow God's way, and God's way is not to practice racism.
God's love IS color-blind. He loves ALL of us, whether we are white, black, purple or pink! God's ... love ... is ... color-blind. Jesus died on that cross for ALL of us - EVERY color/culture/race. Scripture does not say "for God so loved.... the white man/the black man/ the yellow man...". "For God so loved the WORLD. Not just the "white" world. Not just the "black" world. Not just the "yellow" world. God loves ALL. He grants forgiveness and salvation to ALL who ask for it and believe that Christ died for us.
If we are truly Christian and wish to follow God's way we will not practice racism of any sort. Every person is welcome in God's church - and every pastor and church member should be welcoming every color/race/culture into our congregations. To not do so is, let's call it what it is, it is sin. Anyone practicing such sin should confess to God and start again, from that point, to live God's way in regards to racism. And God's way is to not practice it.
For God so loved the WORLD. God's love is color-blind. Ours should be, too.
"Love Is Color-Blind"
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Chronicles of Nonny
Chronicles of Nonny (A Grandma "Feeling the Burn")
by Sandra Carol Mers Clayton on Tuesday, July 3, 2012 at 8:22pm ·
This is only the second day and I move with difficulty. STIFF difficulty. If "feeling the burn", as it's said for exercising, is good for you - when is the GOOD gonna start????
Committing to join an exercise class at this late stage in life might have been a mistake. My doctor tells me "do it" - it's good for the diabetes, the arthritis, the fibromyalgia, for losing weight. My kids tell me "do it, Mom" - it's good for the diabetes, the arthritis, the fibromyalgia, for losing weight. My husband tells me "do it", Sandy - it's good for the diabetes, the arthritis, the fibromyalgia, for losing weight - and "you'll soon get used to it." Yeah, right.
What no one was telling me is that it's gonna HURT. Like, PAIN. And STIFFNESS. All of which I have already been experiencing. Who needs more? According to my "friends" (?), I do. Well, they don't tell me I NEED the pain, but they tell me: "It will get better. Pretty soon you'll be used to it. Keep it up." Well, maybe the second day isn't the time to give it up; I'll give it some more time. If I can still drag myself out of the bed in the morning.
You need to understand that I have been out of the practice of arising early for some years now; especially since the morning stiffness and pain became worse. This exercise class is a MORNING thing and MORNING things are not "my thing". Now, however, I have committed to doing a "morning thing". My brain must have still been asleep when I did that. For some of you, I know, nine o'clock isn't exactly early, but for me these past years ................. :(
"Why am I doing this?", I ask myself. Well? Why AM I doing this? To regain my 21-year-old-figure-that-I-never-thought-I-had-at-21 (I look at photos of me at 21 and see that I actually DID have that figure even though I didn't think so at the time!)? No, that's not why I am doing this. It would certainly be nice to have that figure again, but I don't see it happening. If I can keep this up I might lose weight, but I don't see the sags and bags going away, leaving me my 21-year-old-look again. So, why am I doing this? For two reasons: (1) for myself, my health and (2) for my family ... my husband, my kids, my grandkids - I wanta be around as long as possible with them, in as good a health as I can have. I am seriously asking God to help me keep up the exercise, for those reasons. Seriously.
Right now I may go pop an aspirin in my mouth, or not. I'll think about it. I will try encouraging myself to plan on sliding out of that bed in the morning, no matter how the body feels or how slow it is moving. I don't have any "fancy" or expensive exercise clothes to put on, though I did buy some nicer, better-fitting tennis shoes today. I will wear what I have to wear, at the moment; I will go and exercise in the morning. Again. Third day. I will go. I will. I will. I will.
The "Chronicles of Nonny" WILL continue ............................
No fancy exercise duds, but ...
"I will continue, I will continue, I will ..."
The old shoes ... will the new ones help me stay in sync with everyone else?
China's One-Child Policy is not good for parents and babies........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4OWJlyaHt0&feature=player_embedded
China's Forced Abortions
http://youtu.be/H4OWJlyaHt0
Pray for the parents and babies of China ... for the moms being forced to abort their second-or-more babies. How sad.
Pray for the parents and babies of China ... for the moms being forced to abort their second-or-more babies. How sad.
Monday, July 2, 2012
My Art for Sale .....
This original mixed-media drawing: $8.00 + postage, not matted ... $12.00 + postage , matted. To order: email me at: smersclayton@hotmail.com or "private message" me on Facebook.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Grandma's Flowers
We not only have those memories, but now we have some of those plants. The photos on here are some of the flowers we picked at her former home the day we had gone to see her at her new place, the second home she has been in since she had to move from her "own" home.
She has
done well, over the years since her husband died, on her own, with the help of her children. But it came that time when she could no longer stay alone and was beginning to have some memory problems and needed closer supervision. It was hard for her and for the family to make this change, but best for her, to no longer live by herself in the home she could no longer care for as well as before.
Not wanting to just let her flower garden "go to pot", her family members began digging up plants to transplant at their homes. My husband and I now have plants in our yard from his Mom's flower garden: iris, peonies, roses, etc. We replanted some last year and then, again, some more this year.
We, too, began cutting blooms to take home with us for bouquets. As we had a couple of hours or so to get home from there, we filled a couple of buckets with water and popped in the cut flowers. I've never had so many beautiful bouquets at one time! On the way home our car smelled wonderful. :) I took a large bouquet of iris to church the next Sunday and the church smelled wonderful, too. I was, on the one hand, sad that Grandma wasn't there to care for and to enjoy her flowers still. At the same time, I was also sure that she would be very happy to know that her family members were digging up and transplanting some of her plants at our homes, cutting the blooms for beautiful bouquets. If we move from our present home I expect to take some of those plants with us ... and maybe our children will also want to come and "dig" in our backyard and transplant some of their Grandma's flowers, because
they, too, remember how much their Grandma Clayton loved her garden and flower beds.
If we live, we get old. We finally get to a place, often, where we can no longer be on our own; no longer "do" as we did before. I am not yet at that place but I can well imagine the distress of giving up your home ... your independence. I have "felt" for my mother-in-law as I've watched her having to make such changes; as well as for her family having to convince her that she needs to make the changes.
She has always been a strong, active person; she loved living out on their farm. It was hard for her when my father-in-law died; she missed him greatly. She stayed out on the farm for a few years as she grieved his loss. Then she knew she needed to move to town, and moved closer to one of her daughters, but she always preferred living on the farm.
And now, at age 93, here she has had to move again. In her "good" moments she speaks of missing her family - and of missing her flowers. We've shown her photos of some of the flowers blooming in our yard that we'd transplanted from her garden. She was pleased.
Grandma's flowers were rooted in - some started out on their farm and were transplanted to town. They survived the move; they adapted to their new place and bloomed beautifully. They
Now, she has been uprooted again and, hopefully, is getting "rooted-in" once more to a new place, adapting and making new friends, just as her beloved flowers have done. She is, at 93, as beautiful as her flowers ... she would prefer, still, to be at her farm or at her previous home, digging in her flower bed. But she is trying to adapt to her new surroundings. Her next "transplant" will be her easiest to adapt to. Whenever God calls her to come plant some flowers in heaven, she will be ready. She has known and loved God for a very long time; she and her husband became Christians early on - she knows, without a doubt, where he is and where she will go and has no fear.
She will be ready to be "rooted-in" again when God calls.
A Tiny Vacation
Our Tiny Vacation
After driving from our home in Wellington, Kansas to a funeral in Web City, Missouri, where my pastor-husband officiated, we decided we needed a "tiny vacation". After the emotions of the day we wanted to take a short break before going home.
We drove as far as the Joplin, Missouri area before stopping at a motel - WITH a pool. It was such a sweltering, humid day that a motel sans pool was not an option. After having cool showers and changing out of our sweaty clothes we went in search of supper. I was delighted to see one of our favorite restaurants close by: "Cracker Barrel". I love their "real" food, and their iced-tea is always perfect. ")
We returned to our room and changed into bathing suits for a plunge into the pool. The water felt so good, as it was still very hot and humid (the pool was inside). There was a bit of commotion as we got out of the pool, and a couple of guys told us that the electricity had gone out! Oh, no! Not on this horribly hot and humid evening. "There goes our tiny-vacation", I thought, "and I didn't even throw a flashlight in the bag as I usually do."
We made our way back to our room, opened the drapes to capture the last of the quickly-fading light and showered off the pool-water in the dark. After dressing again we followed the flashlights of others back to the lobby to see if there was any info about the electricity situation when, lo and behold, the lights and the air-conditioning returned! We were all a bunch of happy campers. No more problems after that. Seems the area our motel and a few other motels and restaurants were in had experienced a "brown-out" due to the high use of all the air-conditioners because of the high heat. (How did we ever survive days like that before air-conditioning???) It ended well, and we got a good night's rest. Slept late the next morning, leaving around eleven a.m. to leisurely head towards home.
Our "fun" on the way home was our stop in the pretty little town of Baxter Springs, Kansas. We've driven through Baxter Springs quite a few times over the years, always on the way to other places. This time we drove "into" the town, and stayed awhile. :) Baxter Springs is not only a pretty town, it holds much historical interest. If you ever go, visit the "Baxter Springs, Kansas Route 66 Visitor Center", on the main street, Military Ave., for lots of free information, coffee and conversation. The Visitor's Center is located in a refurbished Phillips 66 gas station that has been there since 1930. (Be sure and sign your name on the wall before leaving!)
Part of the original Route 66 runs through Baxter Springs. The town sees a lot of Route 66 history buffs. There is a Route 66 emphasis throughout the town.
Besides Route 66 history, you'll find Civil War history. One of the two Civil War battles fought in Kansas was in Baxter Springs. You will find "cow-town" history. American-Indian history. History connected to the criminals, Bonnie and Clyde, who robbed the same little grocery store in town twice in less than a week. And, for you baseball fans, well ... remember a player by the name of Mickey Mantle? He was the son of a miner from Commerce, Oklahoma - and he played for the semi-pro team named "Baxter Whiz Kids" before becoming a New York Yankee-er. A Baxter Springs brochure states that to the people in the town who knew him personally "he's still just 'Mickey' ."
There is also a first-class museum in Baxter Springs, second to none: "Baxter Springs Heritage Center and Museum". Lots of beautiful and interesting displays in a very beautiful building. Everything is artfully arranged, with lots of space for moving through the exhibits. Not to be missed.
We wanted, of course, to find a good place to have lunch. We found it. Actually, we had lunch at one place and dessert at another. Both were great. Lunch was at the "Cafe on the Route" cafe, run by Richard and Amy Sanell. They also operate "The Little Brick Inn" bed-and-breakfast - that we just might have to check out one day. You will find them at 1101 Military Ave., the main street (cafeontheroute.com and the littlebrickinn.com). It is a friendly cafe with a "real" chef who "really" knows how to cook. Try the smoked salmon, or the pecan chicken, as we did. Yum! This little cafe made big news a few years ago: they were featured on the Food Network - on the program where the guy travels around the country to different cafes, fast-foods, etc. You won't regret eating there.
Too full for dessert after lunch, we toured the museum, which helped build up our appetites again - just enough for dessert. SOooooo ... just up the street from "Cafe on the Route" is "Angels on the Route", another pleasant little cafe. Here you'll find sandwiches, soups, candy, coffee, frozen custard ... and ... malts and milkshakes! This cafe is at 1143 Military Ave., owned by Sue Gast and Sue Ramage (sblgast@pacbell.net). We were there for something cold and tasty and found just what we wanted: homemade malts in tall frosty glasses. Mine was strawberry - with REAL strawberries. It was so good. Reminded me of the homemade strawberry ice-cream we used to get at the "creamery" when I was a kid in Newport, Rhode Island. My husband had a maple-walnut malt, if I remember right. Of course, we had to taste each other's, agreeing they were both wonderful. :) As we sipped away at the "good-ness" we had some interesting conversation with one of the owners, as well as a customer who had come in.
Cold, frosty malts in a sweet little cafe with friendly people on a very hot day. Perfect. It was a good end to our Baxter Springs visit. If you make it to Baxter Springs don't miss the "Angels on the Route" cafe or the "Cafe on the Route" cafe. And tell them Sandy sent you!
Signing the visitors' wall...
The old Phillips 66 Visitor's Center...
"Cafe on the Route" ...
"Cafe on the Route" ...
"Angels on the Route" ...
"Angels on the Route" ...
The museum ...
The museum ...
(1) Made by Joel - Modern Art, Kids Crafts, and Toys
(1) Made by Joel - Modern Art, Kids Crafts, and Toys
Anyone needing arts/crafts ideas - here are some great ones .... for the kids to do themselves; and for the grown-ups to do! :)
Anyone needing arts/crafts ideas - here are some great ones .... for the kids to do themselves; and for the grown-ups to do! :)
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Her Hands
Her Hands
by Sandra Carol Mers Clayton on Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 1:04am ·
So, hands,
tell me please.
What stories
can you tell?
Of the life
you have lived
with this woman
loved so well?
You, hands,
once so young,
strong and wrinkle-free,
have lived so very long.
Through the years
you've helped her
as she lived and loved,
writing her life song.
And now, hands,
it's evening-
stop awhile
and rest.
You, and she,
have lived
life well
and have been very blessed.
- Sandra Mers Clayton -
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