Maw Maw's and Paw Paw's

It's my utmost belief that I am and have been living the most magnificent life ever blessed upon a human.  That is a serious statement.  My grandparents have a great deal to do with that.  My whole life, I lived in one house (that is until I moved off for college.) Not many people can say that.  Right across the road was my grandparents house, not many people can say that.  Dreams are made of what this story entails. 
My Paw Paw is from Dry Creek, he even went to the old Dry Creek school. My Maw Maw was raised in Reeves off of Topsy.  They settled down right where they are today.  They had my mom...what a blessing that 12 lb baby! Maw Maw decided they would adopt ;) 4 kids later they had them a family.  Paw built my moms red house and they lived there. My mom eventually took over that house and Paw built another house across the road.  So the path across the field from my house to theirs was a beaten one.  A path where I crossed at least 4 times a day for the majority of my life.  Maw maw's rockin' in the chair hummin' a tune, handfuls of little flowers, days in the trailer playing school, Paw makin' notes on napkins on the back porch, fried eggs and toast, swimmin with Pam, Paw goin for REAL slow drives (not that they all weren't) while I rode my bike infront of him so I could ride on the pavement, swimmin down by the bridge with Paw, visits with friends (Earlee, Mr. Ketchum (ketchup), Sapsucker (Sonny Green), panther feet at Brewers on Bundicks, wooden floors at Turners in Dry Creek, Paw loving dogs, Maw tryin to sneak off without me to go see Maw Maw Chatty, Maw hidin cigarettes, Maw Maw's cornbread (crunchy on top), Maw's glass of water, the old phone in the old green truck I used to 'call' Mamma, Paw callin his Izuzu truck the oozie pickem up, Mayhaw jelly, church, attic fans, figs, hydrangeas, clothes lines, out house, takin a shower outside, takin naps out in the trailer, Christmas on the back porch, Christmas Eve, sleepin in between Maw and Paw and Paw rubbin my back til I fell to sleep, Paw tellin stories, these are just a snip-it into this magnificent life ;) God is Great!

Mayhaw Jelly

     So this year I made mayhaw jelly for the first time.  There is this tree in my front yard that put out more than my fair share. As a child...and even now as an adult, mayhaw jelly is one of those staples that define me lol.  I love mayhaw jelly so much! My mom and maw maw have always made it, and as for me, I have ALWAYS ate it ;) I really love it. I am quite passionate about it acutally. I mean I barely share it with the children. Simply because they, unlike me, can not appreciate it for the pure magnificence that it is...therefore I only share with those who are persistent in eating it. Why would I give it to someone that notices no significance between it and Smucker's Strawberry Jam?  I also am so protective of it because it is a rarity. It is a delicacy to me.  I have had to beg and sneak to get it from my mothers firm grip lol. But now, NOW I have made it on my own!! One of my proudest accomplishments ;)
     Ok, ok all joking aside. I am really proud of it and the fact that I made it...I even made enough to sell quite a bit of it, which is really neat to me.

It brings me to Proverbs 31. 
 ¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
       out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
 ¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
       her arms are strong for her tasks.
 ¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
       and her lamp does not go out at night.

As a newlywed of only one year (this April made 1 ;), I have really been trying to find my way as mother and keeper of our home.  I have sought on and on about how I need to represent God's will and light in my home. Proverbs 31 is naturally a guide to a Godly woman.  I have prayed to find myself in this scripture and if not to be found, then to make sure I work on that.  And just that I have done. God has blessed me with his presence in my heart and I can see him moving from my heart on out throughout my home. Josh (my hub) has been out of work for almost 5 months and it is sweet to see that my trading is profitable :) Praise God for the little things, the little signs of His presence, and life brought to His word through me...heavens knows I don't deserve that...but that's God for you: mercy for the undeserving. Who knew God would use such a simple thing as mayhaw jelly to bless my heart!
     So I guess I'll let go of my greed for the jelly and spread it out to others, just as I pray God uses me to spread His love to others...

JUST FOR STARTERS

     So this is my first official blog. First off I want to share WHY I have decided to blog.  I recently stumbled upon the world of blogging and God has really blessed me by shining His light onto the lives of some of his children.  I feel so blessed to have been shown such love and affection from a great and mighty God in my time...times of need.  God has used the stories of the lives of a few of his precious children to encourage and inspire me.  So...I really want to put my story out there as well.  I am blessed to be called His. I am constantly searching for him, and as my good friend said yesterday, I am so in love with Him I want everyone to experience Him too. 
     With that said, let me be clear. I am terribly imperfect. I fall down all the time...and He picks me up.  And well, that's the point. I want to share my victories and make them a permanent fixture to relive daily. Since there are victories to be had, one must know that there are battles.  Being a child of God doesn't mean I'm perfect, it means that I know that only He is.
     Now that I have spoke that piece, I've got to get back to my day...I'll be back to tell you the rest ;)