Friday, October 12

The good news  - - you don't have to remember how to do math to know what time it is if you know how to read a regular clock.  This is in one of the classrooms where our older daughter and some of her friends tutor.  I visited her at work on Friday.

Their math lab was renovated and expanded this summer to accommodate and better showcase their math redesign that received the

National Bellwether Award in 2009.

This is another view of the same lab - - - 88 computers!

Cleveland State Community College has some pretty landscaping, too.

Picnic tables can be found between parking lots and buildings.

This bridge is between parking lots.  I like Pampas Grass plumes - - - but don't touch the grass.  You can cut your finger - - - I wonder how I know that?!!!

More bridges.  These were found on just a short stretch of our Greenway 

 that I walked on Friday.

 

The entire area is well-lighted.

And if you don't want to walk - - you can play a while.

My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.  Psalm 71:15

October, Week 1

Once again it was time for the monthly cooking demonstration at the church.  The theme was casseroles.  That doesn't lend itself well to decorating so the display table was decorated for football.

The colors at UTK are orange which is a wonderful color for this time of year.   Fabric overlay and two different kinds of flowers make for a festive table.

Do any of you have the display stand that allows you to weave ribbon around the rim?  The stand is wonderful for many things - - pies, cakes, cookies, - - - or a potted plant!

The placemat was felt made to look like a football field.  The plate is a disposable that was painted - - and notice the ribbon on the plastic utensils matches the display stand.  This was the only table decorated.  The 100+ participants sat at plain, narrow conference tables.  That works well to allow more space and easier cleanup.

The highlight of my week was on Friday when I got to babysit Benjamin by myself for three hours!  He is so precious!   He got to play on the blanket - - - - go outside - - and of course some of the usual stuff like drink a bottle.

My biggest concern was if he would go to sleep for me or be upset because I was not his mommy.  However, my daughter has him on a great schedule and on a wonderful routine.  When he is tired, full stomach, and dry bottom, if you swaddle him, he immediately goes to sleep - - - even when you don't swaddle correctly!

The only other activity scheduled for this weekend was another baby shower for a precious friend's daughter.  I did not use this second card but had another one for her.  As usual, we had a very good time together.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!  Psalm 139:17

Circle of Life

A couple of weeks ago, there was a senior adult banquet at the church.  These are held once a month during the school year.  As you have seen in the past, usually there are a few flowers on the tables for decorations.

The above pic is a cart of individual small vases.  Not all the ribbon was yellow.  Some of them were brown with white polka dots.

Speaking of senior adults, a funeral was held for a mom of one of our co-workers on Friday.

The next morning found me at a baby shower for the daughter of a friend.  Look at the card I bought from a 4-H friend.  She makes them.  The envelope and card are from cardstock and decorated with scrapbooking paper.  She does many different seasonal designs.  We sell them for her in our church library.

 

Isn't the table beautiful?  The overlay is pink gingham.  The fruit salad in that bowl was scrumptious.  Actually it was all yummy.

After the celebration of new life to be born in January, it was time to say farewell again to another senior citizen - - so I made another trip to the funeral home to pay my respects to the widow of a man who contributed a lot to our community and our country.

Then - - -time for fun with friends who invited us and another couple over for a delicious dinner during halftime of the UTK game.  They are huge fans of this school.  The husband of the host home bought these sandals for his wife.  She likes them a lot because she is very short.  The shoes are comfortable and give her added height in the kitchen.

This morning took us back to young life again.  Benjamin's baby dedication was today.  We worship in Southern Baptist Churches.  Basically the service is a commitment by the parents and the church to nurture the child in the ways of the Lord through Biblical teaching.  Benjamin slept in his Pop Pop's (my husband) arms during all the singing and greeting.  He woke up just before it was time to go forward with his parents.  He was so cute - - - looking out at everyone.  He seemed to enjoy seeing the congregation from a new perspective.

Our other daughter invited ten of us over for lunch to celebrate the occasion.  (For those who are counting, three of us were at a separate table.)  So sorry that I did not take a photos of the food because it was DELICIOUS!

And that is the story of my busier than originally planned weekend - - - the two baby events were the only things on the calendar at the beginning of the week - - but God coordinated it all together.  It's a blessing to be able to participate in the celebrations - - from the beginning of life to the home-going of HIS saints.

4 "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.    Deuteronomy 6

 

Food Fellowships

This was taken a week and a half ago outside a "superstore".  On that Saturday, my husband was in Knoxville at the VOLS football game against Florida.  I was on my way to an extended family reunion with my younger daughter's in-laws.  We had a great day with delicious food and fellowship!

Bill's birthday was two days later on Monday - - but on Sunday, we went with our older daughter to Outback for a lunch celebration.  (Notice Bill still looks a bit tired from getting home after midnight the night before.  However he still got up early and did his volunteer job at the church library with me!)  We did not coordinate our outfits ahead of time.   He is still asleep (for about 20 more minutes) when I leave to open the library on Sunday morning.   Neither of us knew what the other had chosen until he walked in the door of the library at 9:30 a.m.
 

Outback has recently been offering BOGO coupons in the paper.  I don't know if that's a sign of needing to boost business - - - or it's a reward for their good sales.  We aren't complaining.  Their food is always delicious!

This Saturday found us at Covenant Presbyterian for the wedding of a friend.  Don't you love the ceiling over the pulpit/choir area?

The reception food was abundant, beautiful, and delicious.  One thing many liked was the mini wienies wrapped in bacon, then rolled in brown sugar AND chili powder. (Not pictured.)

Of course the bride was beautiful but we mostly had eyes for our precious grandson who is now two months old.  He looked quite handsome in his sweater vest thanks to his mom's wardrobe coordination.  She has many pictures of him on her blog.  She will probably have pictures this week, too, of Bill's joint birthday celebration with Joshua at Josh's Mamaw's.

As you know by now, our church does many food ministry events.  These are not limited to church members but groups from the community can have our staff cater their functions at our facility.  When our church was built, it was with the vision of being versatile.

Don't you love the simplicity and elegance of these settings?

Groups are served on these beautiful plates that have Scripture on them.  It is a subtle way of sharing God's Word with those in attendance.  I don't know how many different verses we have but here are a few.

By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother's womb. My praise shall be continually of You.  Psalm 71:6

Library Learning & Celebration

Today six of our library staff attended our Tennessee Baptist Convention's Regional Library Conference.  It was also a celebration of their fifty years of library ministry in our state.

For the past four weeks, our FBC Library's Wednesday workers made party favor bags for the TBC attendees to take home.  Inside each were these treats attached to some slogans that could be duplicated for their home church library's promotion.

These are about postcard size.

Our favorite class was internet promotional tools.

I now am understanding why people fall in love with Pinterest!

When I got home, I made a recipe new to us (but had found it last week before discovering Pinterest today).  It is  

Baked Chicken with Apples. 

We really liked it.  However I will do two things differently the next time I cook it.  The juice or water should increase by 1/4 cup.  Cooking time needs to be longer.  Next time, I will cook it covered at 400 degrees for thirty minutes; then reduce the heat to 350 degrees; and uncover it 10 minutes later to cook until the rice and chicken are done - - - probably about 20 more minutes to give a total cooking time of one hour.

 Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye.  Proverbs 7:2

Food Fun

These pics were taken different weeks last month.  Above you can see The Commons area of our church set up for a cooking demonstration.   The event is called Tasty Blessings and meets once a month during the school year.  Generally about 100 people attend.  Not only do they get some new recipes but their entry fee entitles them to sample every dish - which fills you up nicely by the evening's end.

 

The theme was Mexican food.  Our Food Ministry Coordinator decorated a theme display table.  This woman has a great "eye" for design elements that look beautiful and festive together.  The candles (can be seen well in the first pic) and this cactus were all surrounded by different kinds of dried beans.  The plates were hand-painted.  Each set of flatware was tied together with a ribbon that drew a color from the tablecloth.  Great fun is always had by the attendees.  I have not gone to one in a while - - - just because I don't stay out that late much on work nights.

However, I did attend this one shown below.  It was a birthday party for three friends who celebrated birthdays within a month of each other.

 Our hostess also has a great eye for decorating tastefully.   She hung just the couple of things you see in these pictures.

 She had flowers in her beautiful kitchen on the island with the food - - which was Mexican.  Nacho salads - - - yum!!!

The table had a cream-colored tablecloth with these festive place mats.

Cute little hats were at each setting, too.

The food was delicious and the fellowship fantastic.  We all have known each other about fifteen years now.  It is fun to be together but walking in the door and seeing the decorations enhances the time from the start!  It makes it extra special and memorable.

But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.  Proverbs 15:15b