A Hodgepodge of Stuff ...

I've had the BEST couple of days! I finally have time to "take time and smell the roses" and so that's what I'm doing. It's kind of like I get to do whatever I want to do, whenever I want to do it! How's that for being a spoiled brat?! I don't think I have been this "free" since I was 11 years old! Don't worry! I won't keep this up forever. I know the Lord wants me to serve Him and others, and I fully intend to focus and do that with much more of my time after the first of the year. In the interim, I am having a great time getting the house organized, putzying around the yard, categorizing computer picture files, doing some shopping, doing a whole bunch of reading and studying, etc.

Oh! I finally spent my $75.00 Family Bookstore gift card from RVO. Remember how they had given me that beautiful picture of the trees and the passage from Psalms, "Show me your path, O LORD" ... I wanted to get something that would go with that picture and make a nice arrangement on the wall.
This picture is actually mounted on board. I think it's neat-looking; kind of rustic. I hung this over the bookshelf in the family room (the one with the children's storybooks and toys).
And I hung these two together on the same wall as the other one, only these two are centered over the toy basket. Once I had them up, I concluded that the wall is too bare. So I went to Michael's and got two other very nice frames with mats that I am going to hang on either side. I'm trying to decide which pictures to print and put with which Scripture. One frame has places for three 5 x 7's and the other has two 5 x 7's. I think the arrangement will look much better after I get that part finished.
Here is a close-up of the picture I have above the gift from RVO. The Scripture on this is from Psalm 18:30 "As for God, His way is perfect." This is one of my absolute most favorite Psalms. Perhaps I will print pictures that go with the entire Psalm with corresponding pictures; I'm just not sure yet.
I also worked on a collage of pictures with the grandchildren riding on or playing with trains. This is now hanging over our Thomas the Train table. Everyone is there, even baby Nia (being held by Grandpa Jones, on her very first train ride over at Kemah).
You are probably wondering what I have done with all of the other pictures that were hanging in these very spots until yesterday? They are slowly being hung at various locations around the house. These were mostly your high school graduation pictures, so I added some to the stairway; others are going to go in the upstairs hallway.

I also purchased a new digital camera! I received my very last paycheck from RVO and there was just enough extra for this! I have loved my little Kodak since Mr. Jones surprised me with it Christmas 2005. But it doesn't really have a very good zoom capacity, and it is 4.0 mega pixel quality. I've been looking around for quite awhile and didn't have very much $$ to spend, so I looked carefully and compared what was out there for my price. I ended up with a Canon Power Shot A560 with a 4x zoom and 7.1 mega pixel. I think I am going to be very pleased with it (once I figure it out -- and I AM READING THE MANUAL!) I know I received a digital movie camera from RVO that I haven't figure out yet, but I plan on doing that as well. I really love photography and I have a good "eye" for it. I want to use my pictures to glorify the LORD, to "show off" the great things He has made, to make beautiful cards for people ...

I went to my exercise class again this morning. We really got a good work-out today, and I find that I am less sore than I was last week. I did continue to work on some exercises at home throughout the week, not very diligently, but I made a small effort at least. The best thing about the class today was the ladies I met! Do you remember me telling you about my friend, Angela, from Germany -- she is one of the exercise instructors. She is also involved in an international group of women that meet at Thornapple Bible Church. This is not a "religious" meeting that they have, but are just using that facility in order for local international women to get together and get acquainted, so that they feel less alone in America, etc. Angela invited some of these women to our exercise class. Last week, I met Simone (also from Germany). This week I met Carmela, from Italy (around Naples) as well as Boneta (this is how she spells it) from Senegal. She is ebony black. She speaks English so beautifully, with such a unique accent. I asked her about her country. Senegal's capital, Dakar, is on the westernmost cape of Africa (so it is on the Atlantic Ocean). She told me her country is finally at peace, after many years of war. Senegal is a very poor country, with about a 30% literacy rate, and a life-expectancy of 52! Both she and Carmela are Muslim. So, I'm going to pray that they come to faith in Jesus!

Last week at class I met Carla. She and her family are missionaries in Paupau, New Guinea, but are four months into a one-year furlough. Today, we were both early to class, so we got talking. I told her I had read, "Peace Child" years ago (a true missionary story about New Guinea -- excellent book!) and that it had changed my life. She was familiar with the book. I asked her how she was doing with the transition from New Guinea to America and she said she and her family were having "lots of fun." She said it was nice to have a grocery store to go to, and to be able to drive a car. Where they live, there are no safe roads and no stores at all! They live in the middle of the jungle! She is a beautiful young mother, and I so enjoyed getting to know her a little bit today.

What else is going on with us old folk? Mr. Jones and I have been invited to help Tom and Judy celebrate their 41st wedding anniversary this Monday. We're going to drive down to St. Joseph's and see the lighthouse there (weather permitting). I have seen pictures of it, and it is an especially pretty one. I hope I have my camera figured out by then. We're going to have an early dinner with them because we have to get Mr. Jones back to Grand Rapids in time to do trains with his friend Thom by 7:00. On Saturday, we are hosting our LOGOS class from Calvary. Everyone is invited over to our house for food and fellowship! I am hoping to make and decorate some sugar cookies and bake some other yummie desserts. Mr. Jones is going to make a big pot of chili, we're going to have warm apple cider, and everyone is going to bring a dish to pass. And the following Monday, I'm driving to Detroit to spend three days with my sister, Ruthanne. Her husband, Terry, is going to be out of town for a few days, so we decided it would be a good opportunity to share some sister time. I am so looking forward to all of this!

Not much else is new from the Jones Junction. We retirees are enjoying life. We continue to miss you very much, and so we send our love to you. You are in our prayers on a daily basis!