Skip to main content

Upbeat Moments!

I love upbeat moments and I cherish the pockets of joy that have sprinkled over my week. I'd like to share some with you. Winter is great in the high desert, but I have to admit it is exciting at this time of year when new growth starts to spurt.


My sweetheart gave me a new camera for Valentine's Day and I'm learning how to operate the features. If this post is a little picture-crazy, that's why. I'm camera happy! I gave my honey a "man cave" for Valentine's Day; here's the picture I took of it:



Our daughter dropped by the house the other day with cheesecake and fresh daisies. Her name means "beloved" and it fits her. I took a picture of her and her husband.

Our other daughter lives in San Diego. Her name means "strength" and "joy." It fits!
We received a bucketful of joy when my hubby's cousin, Wayne, visited last weekend. Hubby was an only child, so his cousin is like a brother. They were funny together.





Wayne brought an old photo album with him.
It was fun to look at ancient black and white
photos of the guys when they were little and
where dressed alike! My girls embraced
their second cousin.







We took Wayne to Jerome, AZ.
We had a fun lunch and talked and
talked!




Joy is such a wonderful thing to possess. No wonder the enemy tries to steal it from our souls. How do you choose joy, no matter what? Philippians answers that. Paul was not bound by his circumstances although he was in chains. His spirit was never chained. He rested in God and wrote a lot in prison all the while advancing the gospel. Likewise, our trials refine us and promote the gospel. I like Paul's perspective. I like the way he takes.
"But I want you to know, bretheren,
that the things which happened to me
have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel."
Phil 1:12


When we studied this in church last Sunday I did not know the warfare that would hit me this week. Today was especially rough, but I'm choosing joy in spite of my circumstances! I'm encouraged by the Word of God. It's the thing to do when we get in these hard places. Many are in rough places right now. Be encouraged.

Comments

  1. Beth in NCMarch 9, 2011 at 2:35 PM

    I'm glad you had such fun before the attack hit. Yes, think on the joy -- good things.

    God bless you and your beautiful family!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AndreaMarch 9, 2011 at 6:56 PM

    GOD certainly knows exactly what I need. I need a smile and there you are...what a blessing. Thank you for being a genuine friend..a praying friend...a loving friend...and a friend who loves me with the heart of JESUS knowing I am a great big work in progress. GOD BLESS YOU for being my friend. One day, I pray I get a great big hugs this side of eternity!
    Blessings,
    andrea

    ReplyDelete
  3. RCUBEsMarch 9, 2011 at 8:11 PM

    Working in the prison, I know that there is just nothing pleasant. So, to know how much joy Paul had while being imprisoned was extraordinary. Knowing that it wasn't his trait but truly a gift from God. To have that hope that comes from our Lord, no walls can ever contain that, joy just overflows!

    Nice shots sister and your family is beautiful...Thank you sister Mary for your prayers and encouragement always. I might be going through a battle, but because of Him, I have joy! Glory be to God! Love you sister.

    ReplyDelete
  4. LorenMarch 9, 2011 at 8:13 PM

    Oh Mary, this is such a wonderful post! First I love the meaning of the girls names. Carrie is soo strong and brings so many such JOY.

    How awesome is that Man Cave!! I bet he is in HEAVEN!!! Your pictures are great too! Isn't it fun shooting your loved ones :) I got a camera for Christmas and just love it!!

    I'm sorry you have had such an attack this week but see and hear the Victory you have been given through Christ! The enemy is under your feet my dear friend!
    I will be praying for you and am so inspired by your JOY

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kathleen March 10, 2011 at 7:19 AM

    Ever the uphill climb! Thank God there are moments of respite as we embrace family or relish God's creation. We ARE more than conquerors, dear friend. What joy it is to join you on this journey.

    Hugs,
    Kathleen

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mevely317March 10, 2011 at 5:18 PM

    Love your picctures ... always!
    You're having fun, aren't you?
    That was interesting learning the meaning of your girls' names; did that have any bearing on your decision to name them?
    (...and what does "Mary" mean?)
    Love ya!
    Myra

    ReplyDelete
  7. lioneagleMarch 19, 2011 at 4:18 PM

    Hi Mary -

    Thank you. I so enjoyed viewing your family photos.

    And I love this that you cited, "But I want you to know, bretheren,
    that the things which happened to me
    have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel."
    Phil 1:12

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Surprise at the Mall

I lost touch with a writer friend.  I missed her and her cheerful blog posts.  We met up in a most unusual way!  I’m still in awe of how it happened. I finished my shopping at the mall and took a short cut to get to the parking lot.  The path led me through the food court.  The smell of Chicken Fajitas stopped me in my tracks.  I planned lunch elsewhere, but now I followed my nose. I chewed my first bite of chicken taco salad when, out of nowhere, a loud redhead moved rapidly past the tables and into the booth with me.  “I know you !”  She shouted.  I pondered if I knew this crazy lady.  Did she mistake me for someone else?  She shouted louder and stuck her finger in my face:  “ You’re Mary; you have a blog called Pile of Smiles and you live in the Verde Valley .”   It took me a second to compose myself.  I stopped chewing my food.  I know I stared too long at her face and then she said:...
48 comments
Read more

Mama's Lipstick

I always wished I could do things with my mom like shop in the mall, share makeup secrets or go to the movies and watch romantic comedies.  My wish never materialized.     My mama behaved like a tomboy.   She loved baseball and pitched with a strong right arm.   She could care less about the latest fashion or the latest movies featured on the big screen.   She never polished her fingernails.    One day after elementary school, I walked into the house to find my mom all dolled up in front of the bathroom mirror, foundation crème, powder, eyebrow pencil and rouge all over the counter sink.  “Who are you?” I asked, thrilled to see my mama putting on the Ritz.  Makeup in place and blotted, she immediately took it off.  “I don’t like the way it feels,” she exclaimed. She retired in Arizona and protected her dry lips with a light rose lipstick, the color of natural lips, a step above ChapStick.  She wore it a few tim...
55 comments
Read more

Hitched to a Rough Road

Photo Credit:  Peggy James I got his email and wanted to shout:  “Hey, buster, does the phrase “continued behavior pattern” mean anything to you?  But I didn’t. Travis is at it again.  His email revealed a litany of complaints about our neighborhood, our country road, our board officers, bad decisions made that will cost him money , yada-yada-yada . Travis is a Christian brother but you’d never know it. He is a large, loud man who shoots his mouth off as often as he shoots his guns back here in the hills.  He interrupts at our road meetings and, like a typical hothead, he speaks truth but with a tone that makes me feel like I need to duck in case some of his words fly at me and smack me upside the face. I thought we were making progress, but we’re not. It is our rough road that brings us together .  Last year we picked up the neglected pieces of our road association.  We agreed to assemble once again to talk, make decisio...
37 comments
Read more