31 Inch Long Green Beans!

Danny brought home this bucket of green beans from the garden the other day.  I've never seen anything like these before.

I grabbed one out of the bucket and it measured 31 inches long! They were all like that.  Interesting, huh?  I thought so.

I can't remember what the name of these green beans are.  I tried to look them up online and had no luck so I texted him, but haven't heard back.  He is at work and is probably busy :) so when I find out I'll update y'all.

****update***** Dan called me back and told me they're called "yard long green beans."

I looked that up on the internet and sure enough the article I found said they are also known as asparagus bean, Chinese long bean, garter bean & snake bean.  They are an Asian variety and are called "yard long" because they can literally grow to be a yard long. (as we can attest to by the picture of the one I picked out to measure that came very close to being a yard long)

This article said that the beans are best when picked at 12" or so and are excellent in stir fry because they don't "mush up."  Who knew?  We really do learn something new every day. ;)

When we get back from vacation, I'm going to try them in stir fry.  I'll let everyone know how that turns out.

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They're real easy to snap and taste about the same as regular green beans.

I just wanted to share yet another veggie from Dan's garden with you all.

Have a fantastic Friday!

Y

Valerie

Dinner With Friends & Unexpected Gifts

Last Thursday evening a few ladies who attend our Bible studies (Heart to Heart Sisters) met for dinner at a local restaurant.  We try to get together once a month during the summer when we're not doing a Bible study.

This particular restaurant is perfect because we can reserve a room that closes off.

Shortly after I got home that evening from dinner is when I found out our friend had passed away, so I am just getting to this post.

This first picture is of Carol.  You all should know that Carol reads several of your blogs.  She doesn't have a blog, but  I told her she'd love it.  She would, wouldn't she?  She and I got to talking about so many of you all.  It was really funny.  I took her picture just about the time I was telling her she'd more than likely appear on an upcoming post.  That explains this face....

We talked about several of you, one being Stephanie....she loves reading your posts, Steph,  and seeing your pictures of Germany.  And Joyce, just so you know, Carol is sad that you moved back to the states because she loved seeing your pictures of England and reading about your experiences.  Oh, there are several more that she reads and we talked about you all.  

Here are a few more pictures of those who were there...


Alice (in the yellow) brought her great-niece.  We really enjoyed her company.  

Cheryl is in the red blouse in the picture above.  Quite a while back she heard me talk about a sign I saw at An Affair of the Heart this past Feb.  It said "Jesus Knows Me, This I Love."  I would have bought the one there, but it was an odd shaped sign and a color that wouldn't go in any room of my house.  I love the thought.....Jesus knows me and He loves me.  As you know, I committed to memorize Psalm 139 this year and began in Jan. of this year.   Then, just a month later I saw that sign.  The first verse of Ps. 139 says "Oh, Lord You have searched me and You know me."  

Sunday afternoon Dan and I were about to walk out the door to go to the funeral home and Cheryl drove up.

She had a gift for me.

I love it!  I was so surprised.  She said she'd been wanting to make it for a while, but her machine was messed up.  

A few days later I was trying to take my picture....myself....without the camera showing in the mirror.  Danny was gone and I was doing it by myself and was cracking up.  I bet I took ten pictures.  This is the best I could do.  ;)

Pretty neat, huh?!!!  I have such sweet, thoughtful friends!
Then a couple of days later I received this package in the mail from my blogging friend, Paula.  I couldn't imagine what was in it.  It had the word "liquid" written on the box.

Hummm.  Really, I couldn't wait to find a pair of scissors to see what was inside.

When I say Paula went to a lot of trouble to get this little coke bottle to me, I'm not exaggerating.  Bless her heart, she went to mail the package and when she was asked if the box contained liquid, she had to go back home and open it up and add enough paper towels to absorb in case it were to leak.  She wrote a note with all of this info on it.  She said "Call me crazy for paying this much in postage ($7.10!!!) to mail a bottle that probably isn't even a collectible."

Her card was so sweet and so thoughtful.  She explained the bottle and how she came to think to send it to me:

"Valerie,  I know you collect coke.  If I recall correctly, you collect cans from different countries.  This is not a collectors bottle.  I saved it from high school because back then the small bottles were unique and rare.  Now we have the mini cans.  Maybe you can add it to your collection.  I came across it when I moved and immediately thought of you.  Possibly no value in it except the thought.  Y Paula."

What a special gift!  It's very valuable to me and I appreciate it so much.  As I told Paula, it still blows my mind the friendships I've made by blogging.  How precious to think that someone I've never met or talked to in person would think of me while moving and spend this much effort and money to send me a gift.  

Thank you, Paula and thank you all for being my friends.  It's a very unique relationship we all share, huh?  I love it and love each of you very much.

Have a blessed day!

Love,

Valerie

Scripture Memorization #14

This is the little book I made that contains the verses from Psalm 139. 

Today I'm on verse 14 of the Scripture Memorization challenge Beth Moore gave us on January 1, 2009.  I have chosen to memorize Psalm 139 NIV this year.  This chapter has exactly 24 verses.  Perfect!  

Verse #14 Psalm 139:14 NIV

I have always loved this verse.  

Even though I may not always feel like I'm so wonderfully made...

this verse in the Bible tells me I am.   His works are wonderful.  

******I wrote and published this post and then read my e-mails.  One of my good friends sent me this devotion I've copied and pasted below.  She wrote "This is for you, my beautiful friend."  I thought it was so neat that this very same passage of Scripture and the same subject was on this devotion today. (I apologize that parts of this devotion are cut off???  Hopefully you'll be able to get to the website)

Thank you, Bev....my beautiful friend.  ******

Girlfriends in God Welcome to Girlfriends in God, a free devotional from Crosswalk, the world's largest Christian website. We honor your privacy and time If this newsletter no longer meets your needs, please use the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this newsletter and you will be removed immediately. July 15, 2009  God's Grand Finale  Sharon Jaynes Today's Truth  "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14 NIV). Friend To Friend  I was sitting in a crowded restaurant with my family when she walked by in her full-length white satin dress delicately trimmed in lace and studded with tiny "jewels," crinoline that swished as she moved across the room, a rhinestone tiara upon her head, and pearl studded slippers on her feet.  Golden ringlets framed her rosy cheeks and puckered lips glistened with a hint of gloss.  She knew she was beautiful and glanced around at the admiring smiles of onlookers as she walked through the crowd.  She was three-years-old. I'm not sure when the dream of being beautiful enters a little girl's mind, but I do know when the dream ends -- when the preacher says, "may she rest in peace."  I remember as a little girl sneaking into my mother's closet and slipping my child-size feet into her size seven high heels.  I'd also stand on my tiptoes on a chair, pull a hat off the top shelf, and plop it on my head like an oversized lampshade.  Her satin evening jacket with sleeves that hug eight inches below my finger tips gave a nice elegant touch to my outfit.  A lady going to a party would never be caught without "putting on her face," so I crept into the bathroom, opened the forbidden drawer, and created a clownish work of art on the palette of my face.  Red rouge circles on my cheeks, heaps of blue eye shadow on my munchkin lids, and smeared orange lipstick far exceeding the proper border were finished off with a dusting of facial powder with an oversized brush. From the time a little girl stretches on her tiptoes to get a peek in the mirror, she desires to be beautiful -- perhaps like her mommy.  As the girl moves into the teen years, she experiments with makeup, delves into fashion, and attempts various hairstyles.  Then it's on to makeover ideas in magazines and on talk shows.  If one idea doesn't work -- well, there's always next month. I believe the dream to be beautiful is not cultural, but at the very core of womanhood.  John Eldredge, in his book Wild at Heart, describes three longings that lie at the heart of every man:  a battle to fight, a beauty to rescue, an adventure to live.  He also ventures to say that women have three longings of the heart as well: to be fought for, to share in an adventure, and to have her beauty unveiled.  "Not to conjure," Eldredge explains, "but to unveil.  Most women feel the pressure to be beautiful from very young, but that is not what I speak of.  There is also a deep desire to simply and truly be the beauty and be delighted in.  Most little girls will remember playing dress up, or wedding day, or 'twirling skirts,' those flowing dresses that were perfect for spinning around in.   She'll put her pretty dress on, come into the living room and twirl.  What she longs for is to capture her daddy's delight." (John Eldredge, Wild at Heart(Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2001) p16-17) We should never be ashamed of our dream to be beautiful.  It is a travesty of the feminist movement that has tried to strip women of their femininity and make them more male.  It is as if those in the movement were saying that being a woman wasn't good enough and tried to make us into men. So they tried to make women tough, independent and rugged individuals who didn't need anyone or anything.  But those who were banking on the tenants of feminism were left spiritually and emotionally bankrupt. A woman was and is one of God's most magnificent creations.  As a matter of fact, she was His grand finale.  After He fashioned Eve, creation was complete and He took a rest!   God has placed in our hearts a love for beauty and a desire to be beautiful -- as He defines it. In the New Testament, Paul writes, "For we are God's workmanship" (Ephesians 2:10).  The Greek word for workmanship means a work of art. Listen to these words as David describes the Creator at work. For you created my inmost being;  You knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;  Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you  When I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,  Your eyes saw my unformed body. (Psalm 139:13-16) Like an artist who sees the finished work in his mind's eye, God saw your unformed substance and then began to fashion you from head to toe.  He made no mistakes but planned each detail of your being.  You do not need to compare yourself to other works of art, but thank the Artist for how He chose to create the masterpiece called ... you. Let's Pray  Dear Lord, thank You for making each and every part of my being.  For eyes that see, ears that hear, legs that move, fingers that feel, arms that hug, feet that run, a heart that beats, a brain that thinks, a tongue that tastes.  Oh Lord, forgive me when I complain about Your workmanship and wish for something different.  Help me to always remember that I am Your workmanship ... and that You make no mistakes. In Jesus' Name,  Amen. Now It's Your Turn  Make a list of all the parts of your body that you are thankful for.  This could take quite some time and perhaps you'll need to come back to your list several times before it is complete. Get out an anatomy book or visit a web page that shows the various body systems (the circulatory system, the nervous system, the skeletal muscles, etc.) and read about the intricacies of the human body. If you have children, look at the various systems together and marvel at God's incredible creation. Look up the following verses and note what they say about your beauty. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Psalm 45:11  I Peter 3:3-5  Proverbs 11:22 (This verse describes a woman who is beautiful on the inside, but unattractive on the inside.) To comment on today's devotion, visit Sharon's blog atwww.sharonjaynes.com/blog More From The Girlfriends  All little girls have dreams, but for most of us, life doesn't turn out like we thought.  But did you know that God has great dreams for you?  Yes, He wants to fulfill your little girl dreams in His own way.  And that's not all, He has greater plans for you than you ever imagined.  Put your hand in His and dare to dream again!  To learn more, see Sharon's book Dreams of a Woman: God's Plan for Fulfilling Your Dreams.

Pics From Karaoke Party

Danny's c0-worker/boss and his wife have a fun summer party at their house every year, usually around the 4th of July.  We went to Norman Saturday night and had good food, fellowship, and entertainment.

This is Barbara, our hostess.

Several of the families invited had children and they enjoyed the pool.

And they sang.  One little girl sang "God Bless America" without music.  She did a great job.  She couldn't have been older than 10 years old.  After a while a little group of the kids sang the "A B C" song and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."  They were so cute.

Oh my gosh....one of Danny's friends brought two little puppies with them.  I think they were hoping someone would adore them enough to purchase them.  Not me, but I sure enjoyed holding them.
Barbara's dog had to wear this little contraption because he got bit by their other dog and won't leave his wound alone.  I felt really sorry for him.  It was so hot and he kept bumping it on everything. 
 Barb and Ed also have this Pot Belly pig.  I swear it kept almost falling down while it was walking.  Dan and I both thought it was going to fall over dead.  He must be really, really old.
Ed broke the ice and sang the first song.  I have always wanted to do karaoke, but am too scared and shy with all these people I barely know.

Ed & Barb had been telling us for months to be preparing our song/s.  It still didn't happen.  I said "next year"  for sure! ;)


Danny's boss, Rick and his wife, Annie singing "I Got You, Babe."
Barbara did pull several of us gals up to sing a song in a group.  I am on the back on the far left trying to see the screen.  I didn't know the song at all.  I can't even tell you now what the title was.  I really did want to sing"We Are Family.....I Got All My Sisters And Me...." with a group, but it never happened.  I could do that and not be shy.  There's always next year.
We didn't get home until around midnight Saturday night.  

It was lots of fun.  I've already got songs playing around in my head....for next year. :)   

Memory Lane

Thank you all for the uplifting & encouraging comments you wrote on my last post.  

Friday night there were about twelve of us out at Mike & Sandie's house sitting out on the patio, indulging in all the wonderful food that had been brought to their house that day.  It was a beautiful, breezy evening.  There was a lot of laughter.  It was good.

The funeral is Tuesday.  Thank you for your prayers.

Now, on to "Memory Lane"........

Yesterday Kristen and I attended our friend Tara's little boy Roman's 2nd birthday party at a local park.  Tara graduated with my son, but she and Kristen have always been good friends and still stay in touch and hang out when Tara and Mike are in town.

Roman LOVES cars.  Here is a picture of his cake.  (actually it's cupcakes....very cool)

When I was a little girl I used to live on this side of town just a few blocks from the park where the birthday party was held.  This is going to sound so dumb,but my sisters and I along with our friends used to get in the trash barrels at the park and roll down the hills.  They must not have been too gross. Maybe we just didn't care.  I guess we were desperate for fun.  I don't know???   This is the area where I remember doing that and it didn't really even look like a hill.  Oh well....
This girl went to school with Brian, Kristen & Tara too, and she and her three kids attended the party.   Her little baby was dedicated this morning at church.  

Kristen and Tara

The girl in the yellow also attended school with them.  It was like a mini reunion.

She has a 3 month old precious little boy.  

Tara and the birthday boy!  He is always smiling!

The girl sitting behind Tara is Valerie.  She attends our church and I taught her in kindergarten.  She and Tara are related.


Kristen still comes here (our town) to get her hair cut.  She had made her appointment over a month ago for Saturday and couldn't change it,  so we only stayed at the party for about 45 min.  I took her back across town and dropped her off and then went back to the other side of town to stroll down memory lane.  There are SO many memories I wanted to capture.

This house is where my friend lived.  Her mom was our Blue Bird & Camp Fire leader.  Several of us used to walk to her house after school once a week for our meeting.  

I used to ride my bike about a mile to this house for piano lessons.  I remember being so scared to go by myself.  The house used to have lots of trees all around it and it was always really dark inside.  The lady who taught me lessons wanted to do it as a favor to my mom because she would make weekly visits & teach her Bible lessons at her home.  This lady was very sweet, but she was nearly blind and had other serious health problems.  Her elderly mom lived with her and they had lots of cats all over the place.  I remember I would beg my little sister or my best friend to go with me.  Needless to say, I never learned to play the piano, but she was so sweet to try to teach me.  
When Kristen and Brian were little a couple in our church would babysit them occasionally.  They lived in this house.  They used to call Kristen their little sunshine.  They are both in heaven now.  I always loved their little house.
This is where my best friend lived.  I remember when I went home with her for the very first time.  We walked home one day after school when we were in 5th grade.  Her parents still live here.  
My friend's grandparents lived next door to them.....just down the pasture.  We visited them often.  
This is where I attended elementary school, 3rd grade - 6th grade.  We lived close enough we could walk to school.

This is looking down the street from where my childhood home was, heading to the park I wrote about earlier.  The park was just about three blocks from our house.  I used to ride my bike a lot.  My little sister is almost six years younger than me and I used to tell her I was going to ride my bike to see "Howard Possum" ....a totally made up person.  She believed forever that he really existed.  I have no idea where I came up with that name. :)  Funny the weird things you do when you're little.

Our church was right around the corner from our house.  I moved here when I was eight years old.  We built a new church across town when I was fourteen.  It's cool and actually ironic that Tara's grandpa is the pastor of the church that is there now. 

There are memories galore of time spent in this church.  I remember getting a brown leather Bible in Jr. Church for memorizing all 66 books of the Bible in order.  

If I'm not mistaken, my dad's office was just inside these glass doors.
This is my old house!
This building is just up the street from where we lived.  It used to be a restaurant.  Sometimes my dad would tell my sisters and me that we could go eat there and sign the ticket and he'd pay the bill later.  That was always fun.
I enjoyed riding around yesterday reminiscing about my childhood.  I have so many memories of this area.  

Last night Dan & I drove to Norman to his bosses house for their annual July pool/karaoke party.  It was lots of fun.  They were probably fifty people there.    Speaking of karaoke, I've been trying to get up the nerve for months to sing, but just couldn't do it.  This is our third year in a row to go and every year I say "next year!"  I really think I will next year.  It was fun listening to everyone else though.  I told them I'm too shy. ;)  I have some pictures I took last night that I'll post later.  

Today after church Kris & Zack were still here so Dan grilled chicken & squash & I cooked green beans & corn from the garden.  Yummmm!

We just got back from the funeral home & now I am going to start laundry and get my house in order!  It's a mess.  

Thanks again for the prayers for our friends.

I hope everyone has a great week!

P.S.  I'm too pooped to proof this post.  Ignore grammar mistakes, ok? :)

 

Goodbye For Now

Our good friend Joe went to be with the Lord last night at about 9:00 p.m.  Shortly before he passed away he wanted to sit in his recliner.  Mike said he passed away very peacefully there in his recliner.

This picture was taken a few weeks ago when Joe was in the hospital.  My husband is on the left and his best friend & Joe's son, Mike is on the right.

When Danny got off work yesterday he told Mike he would cut hay for him so he wouldn't have to worry about it.  Danny is such a hard worker and such a loyal friend.  Danny called me a little after 9:00 to tell me Joe was gone.  We went out to be with Mike, his wife Sandie & Mike's sister.  

I knew this was really hard for Danny too.  He was so close to Joe and with Mike being his best friend and seeing him hurting, was very difficult.

The hospice nurses and Joe's nurse who stayed with him and took care of him were so sweet and so professional.  What  a blessing they are.  They do a wonderful job.

Finally the funeral home director arrived to take Joe's body.

I had been doing okay emotionally until Danny & Mike helped pick up Joe's covered, lifeless body and place him on the stretcher to be taken away.  That picture of the the two of them lifting him will forever be in my mind.  I bawled telling Kristen about it this morning.  That is a picture of a son's love for his father.  That is a picture of a true friend.

After Danny received the news & called me, I thought he would just go on out to be with Mike, but he came home first.  I hesitated about going....wondering if I should go.  Would I be in the way? Would I be intruding or invading their privacy? 

I am so thankful I listened to God telling me to go.  Danny needed me to go.  My friends needed to know I love them and care for them deeply.

They will be making arrangements today for the service.  Joe has another daughter who will be traveling from NY and several other family members who will be traveling from other states.  Please join me in prayer for their safe travels and peace during this very difficult time.

Joe is in the presence of God.  No more pain.  No more sorrow.  No more worries.  We will meet again one day in a better place! Goodbye for now.... 

Fun Outing With The Ladies From Church

One designated Wednesday of each month the ladies at church have a  "Ladies Luncheon."  It is usually at a local restaurant or one of the ladies will graciously host the luncheon in her home.

I'm rarely able to attend the luncheons because of my work schedule, but I was able to go along on this special luncheon/shopping outing in Oklahoma City yesterday.  My sweet mother offered to work for me so I could go along.

This is Beverly.  She planned the event and we called her our cruise director.

This is Scott, our bus driver.  

Here's our group picture.  All 15 of us!
Ooops, one more arrived......#16 so we had to have another group picture.  Anyone who is around me for long realizes my love for taking pictures.  I told them they had no idea where these pictures would travel.  ;)  
Our first stop was lunch at this wonderful restaurant.  Bev had called and made reservations for us.

We teased Scott, asking him when the last time was that he had lunch with sixteen ladies? :)  
This is Edith.  I've known her for years and years.  She gave me a wedding shower 30 years ago.  You may recall my recent post about my food processor that I dearly love.  Edith gave it to me for a wedding gift.  She was telling me yesterday that she will be 90 years old in October.  Amazing lady!  She knows the Bible backward and forward.  She is a Sunday School teacher and has one of the largest classes.  She gives THE BEST hugs.  I'm so glad I was seated right next to Edith.
Bev went on and on about these crescent rolls that are on the menu.  I did not need another bite of anything, but I ordered one and split it with two ladies.  She was absolutely telling the truth.  They are delicious!
I ordered a chicken, avocado, bacon sandwich.  It was really good.  It was so thick I had to take it apart to eat.  My mouth is big, but not that big.  I also had a cup of delicious baked potato soup.  Yummmm!

Everyone's food order looked delicious.   
God provided a wonderful day for us.  The weather was perfect.  There was a breeze and it was cloudy.  After we ate it was time to shop.  We had a little over two hours.  There was something for everyone.


Here are a few of the ladies shoe shopping.  That's my mother-in-law in the middle.
Bev showing me some of her purchases after we got back on the bus.  
I got these bracelets for $1.00 each!!  I also found Danny a new OU phone holder.  His old one was looking pretty pathetic.
There was a Mardel Christian Bookstore in the area.  I can look in there forever.  I was most proud of my Beth Moore purchase.  I got this very nice packaged set for $10.  It's called "90 Days With Jesus."  Plus it has three packages or Scripture verses.  I can't wait to get started with this study.  I also bought a WOW video music dvd for the youth.  
While we were gone it rained at home.  We got over a half inch. (I never can read the rain gauge.  Danny always says we got six tenths or 8 tenths.  I prefer to say "over half inch.") :)   

I really appreciate Bev getting this event together.  It was a lot of fun. We have some really fun ladies in our church.  They love going and doing.  They love life!  

I prayed before we left yesterday that God would give us protection & a great day filled with His favor.  He did just that!