Skip to content

Posts from the ‘Gratitude and God’ Category

One Cha-Cha Step at a Time


This is the year…

The year I take myself back.

Not to anywhere or to anything.

I take back me…control of my life.

Control of who I am. Read more

Merry Christmas from Motzy and Louis!


Look at these two innocent little faces…

Like they’re the sweetest little puppies in the world…

Louis arrived (along with Alex and Tom) on Saturday and the two puppies ruled the house until this morning when the three of them departed for another Christmas get-together.  It was 4 days of (controlled?) chaos!

I hope you’ve had a wonderful, crazy Christmas – like the one we’ve enjoyed here!

Best wishes to all – and may God bless you with true joy and love.

Patty O

Witnessing a Story of Faith, Love and Support


What child is this, who, laid to rest, On Mary’s lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, While shepherds watch are keeping? This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:

Haste, haste to bring Him laud, The Babe, the son of Mary. So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh, Come, peasant, king, to own him. The King of kings salvation brings, Let loving hearts enthrone him. Raise, raise a song on high, The virgin sings her lullaby : Joy, joy for Christ is born, The babe, the Son of Mary.

—————————————————————————————

In this season, this ‘Christ’mas time, may we all stop our fun preparations: the decorating, present buying, wrapping, and cookie making…to reflect on Christ’s birth. The gift God gave us on this day…His Son.

The babe that would grow into a 12 year old child who would sit amongst the elders speaking wisdom in the temple.  The young man who, when baptized, was descended upon by the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove and a voice came from heaven, which said, “Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased”.  The man who would die on the cross to save us from our sins.

And God, the Father, watched from above.  He saw all the joy…He saw all the suffering.  He was there through it all…beside His Son.

On our worst days, we may wonder ‘Where is God?’.

He’s watching.  He’s waiting.  He’s with us, just as He was with His Son.

We just need to have Faith.

I’ve witnessed this show of faith.

First, in my husband’s Grandpa, who passed 12 years ago:  Frank was at home, having fought a good fight against cancer.  He was in hospice care…and he had faith.  In his last weeks he spoke about seeing Jesus there in the room with him.  And we knew…He was there.  He walked Grandpa home to Heaven…of that there is no doubt.

And in the past few months,  an incredible story of courage, faith, and love has filled our small town – pulling it’s people together in a show of support for an incredible young man suffering from leukemia. Read more

A Grease Monkey, Family Heirlooms, and Barb Kellogg Photography


The Grease Monkey is me…yes I shop at the St Louis County Mall (aka the dump) and yes, I grab greasy treasures!  I have a little too much fun cleaning up these treasures…thank you Dawn dish soap, or as my husband puts it “If it’s good enough to clean ducks, it’s good enough for this”.  (Obviously referring to the oil spills, the affected waterfowl, and the Dawn dish soap commercials.)  I had GREAT fun cleaning up the pulley!

And yes, my husband thinks I’m nuts.  Oh ye of little faith…but then he sees the finished product and says “Well, that’s cool!” 🙂

In the featured LOVE picture, the first two items were dump (oops Mall) finds.  The V is a folding tape measure that was Tim’s Grandpa’s.  And the two clamps I picked up at my friend’s garage sale…I needed an E…what can I say?

And here’s a collage of the rest of the wall!  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! Read more

Antlers, Leaves, and Wreaths = FALL


I LOVE FALL!

For anyone who’s seen my house this is no big surprise.  Deep green with red and pumpkin colored trim?  Yes, please. Fall is absolutely my favorite time of year.  Bring on the sweaters…the pants…oooohhhhh – the scarves!  And then there’s the decorating!  I had so much fun doing my fall decorating this year…ok, it was done 3 weeks ago, but I’ve been kind of busy!

There’s outside decorating:

Read more

Choosing Excellence

We try our best making daily decisions and yet sometimes....... Join my journey in learning how to "choose excellence" in this beautiful, full life. The Valley of Shadow of Death, Israel 2014, Psalm 23:4

The Poem Explorations of Mr. Creery

Perhaps, I like this life.

Weavings of a Wayfaring Woman

Prose, Poetry, and Musings of a Bush Teacher

Margaret and Helen

Best Friends for Sixty Years and Counting...

Blog of an Artist

Creative Design, home decor, travel and Inspiration

𝐹𝑖𝑔𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐼𝑡 𝑂𝑢𝑡...

𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝙖 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚.

Bristles & Thread

Home sweet functional home.

An Odd Fashioned Girl

Tiny budget. Big ideas.

Captive Dreams Window

Raves, Reviews, Rants and Ramblings

Diary of an Aesthete

Follow the Journey ☩𓀙𓃦☉