This afternoon, I am leaving for a few days of R&R. (That’s RETAIL RENEWAL, in case you don’t know).It has become something of a tradition for my sister, Joy, and I to take our girls shopping for the week-end. This will be the first year Lori has gone with us, because she has been in college and grad school…forever! But, now she’s home, got a great job, and is going on an adventure with us. We always have such a great time together…and Lori will just add to the fun! We are heading up to Atlanta. Suzanne lived there for a few years and she’s a whiz on the Atlanta Raceway! I just hide my eyes until we get there! I do not want to see how close we are coming to the next car…she can change lanes and turn around and be going the opposite direction before I can even read the road sign! She teaches 3rd grade and has a holiday on Friday. Sweet Adam is coming to sit with Alex on Friday, and Mom will be with him on Sat. Tara is taking time off from her job at the hospital…and her sweet husband, Will, to go with us. Last year…she bought a Christmas Tree! No room for that this year or scarecrows either! Can you believe this car? This is what it looked like last year. And now there is another shopper. OH! MY!

This is such a sweet time for us, even if Joy and I embarrass them sometimes. They don’t like to pose for pictures…can you imagine? “This is for posterity!” I say. They just roll their eyes. Just know, I WILL take pics and share them with you when we get back (Sunday)….either they can pose nicely, or I’ll make some lovely candid shots to share with the world!

I’m not sure when, but it seems as if there is a DE-LURKING DAY. Obviously, I missed it…so let’s just call this DE-LURKING DAY for GATHERINGS.

A “LURKER” is someone who reads your blog, but doesn’t leave a comment. You are always welcome to visit here at Gatherings, but it would be fun for me to know who all is visiting. It’s not hard to leave a comment, and it doesn’t have to be long and involved. Just a note to say “I came”…”I read”…”here’s what I think.” I will look forward to hearing from you.

This is what you need to do:
1)Click on the ‘comment’ link at the bottom of the post.
2)Click on ‘yes’ when prompted to proceed.
3)A ‘Leave Your Comment’ section will pop up that you can view other persons comments and to type in your own comment text. (Scroll to the bottom to comment.)
4)Type comment.
5)At the bottom of the section is a ‘Choose an identity’
6)Click ‘Anonymous’, OR, if you have a Google account, put in your Google info.
7)Click on ‘PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT’…
That’s it! Thanks for stopping by.

I am humbled that I was given the “You Lift Me Up” Award by my friend Dianne. I am of the opinion that we were put on this earth to serve the Lord. And we serve Him best by doing the things He would do. Because He made us all different, and put us all in different situations…we all have things to share. And this blogging community we belong to is a great way to do it. I have learned from so many of you. Many of you have experienced things that I have not, and when you share your “lessons learned”…you are serving me and others. Likewise, I hope that when I share my experiences, you learn from me. If I can “lift you up”, then I have succeeded. It takes very little to brighten another person’s day…a smile, a hug, or maybe an e-mail. And, I think God is pleased when we do this.

Thank-you, Dianne. It is always a joy to read your posts. Your kindness shows through what you write, your comments are always uplifting. I am proud to call you
“friend.”

I must say this or bust: there is something terribly WRONG when you enter a store and immediately hear screams and otherworldly sounds, then a few aisles over hearing We Wish You A Merry Christmas coming out of a ferris wheel holding snowmen and Mickey Mouse……Something not quite right about lining one side of the aisle with scary faced jack-o-lanterns and ghouls and the other with Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus figures huddled together on fake snow……Something out of line with monster masks and pitchforks along side of Christmas cards proclaiming “PEACE ON EARTH”.

Something unsettling about checking out at the pharmacy next to a display centered with a RIP gravestone!!!

Have a great weekend, my friends. Enjoy the beautiful beginnings of autumn!