God's Gift of Friendship

Christmas came early for me last weekend as I had the wonderful opportunity to meet a dear friend and blogger, Ginny, from "Faith Hope and Tea Therapy."She is a beautiful, charming, and delightful christian lady inside and out. Our meeting was like we have been friends our whole life and visiting over lunch made us realize how our lives had mirrored each others, both being originally from Michigan.

Ginny's purpose traveling to Texas, was to be with her dear friend Sue to celebrate the anniversary of Sue's brother Mike's 10 years of priesthood, in the Catholic Faith. It was an amazing day as my best guy and I, being near by, went to meet Ginny for lunch and on to church and the celebration for Father Mike after wards. The Mass was Spirit filled and the love shown to this wonderful priest was heart warming and inspiring. Sue and Mike's brother Don also traveled from California to attend the celebration.
Here is a picture of the wonderful family with Ginny kneeling on the left.

I am sorry to say, I did not get a pic of Father Mike, but I am sure that Ginny will have one and share on her blog later.

Our lunch was delicious and we all tried, for the most part, to eat a healthy meal consisting of chicken, fish, veggies and rice. Followed by~~~~ this!!!!!!!!!!!!!


You know, Everything is BIG IN TEXAS!! So yummy and enough for all three of us with lots left over.
We exchanged gifts and Ginny gave me a bit of my old home state with the gift of Sander's Chocolate Sauce. This is a rare treat as Sander's, an old vintage soda fountain and bakery, is no longer in business in Michigan although the products are now being sold in grocery stores. I used to go to Sander's as a child and carry many happy memories of good times spent in that heavenly place!! Hubby is delighted and can't wait to have his ice cream and chocolate sauce. Sander's was known and famous for a creme puff filled with vanilla ice cream and this chocolate sauce poured over top. WOW, I can feel myself gaining 5 pounds just thinking of it!!

Next Ginny presented me with this box and I was just overwhelmed at the site of it, knowing another treat was upon me.

Bronner's is a wonderland of Christmas delight shared in darling shoppes that line vintage style streets. I have not been there in years. What could be inside this box.
Oh my goodness, a snow angel kneeling with her sweet little deer friend and bundled up for the winter cold and Christmas day with wings of glass and snow laced. It is gorgeous and I simply love it. She will share space among my angel collectibles forever.

And if that was not enough, Ginny gave to me a beautiful hematite bead rosary. It is simply gorgeous and means so very much to me as I collect these spiritual wonders. Later after church, Father Mike said a blessing over my new rosary. It was very special and a time I will hold dear always!

Our time together with Ginny flew by all to quick. By the time you read this post, she will be gone from Texas and back home in Michigan with her dear hubby and family. I miss her already and look forward to another visit in the future. Till then, I will hold close our kindred spirits, love of our Saviour and memories made while praying together in church. There is something so special when you worship with a girlfriend.
I know our meeting was blessed from above and nothing happens without purpose. Take a moment and visit Ginny at her lovely blog. She is a marvelous writer and you will receive a blessing in her spirit filled posts that take everyday life and incorporate God's teachings in our world today.

Yes, Christmas came early in meeting and visiting with Ginny and I thank God for the Gift of Friendship!


I hope you have an amazing week as we approach Thanksgiving and your day filled with all God's blessings with family and friends. I will be taking a little time off this week, but back in my next post to share my Christmas giveaway just for you in Thanksgiving to all my blog friends.
See you soon and Blessings always.
Hugs, Celestina Marie

MEETING A NEW FRIEND FROM AN OLD TOWN

Hometown that is. Recently during the Where Bloggers Create Party, I had the joy of meeting up with a very creative artist from my childhood home town in Michigan. Her name is Claudia from Mockingbird Hill Cottage blog and she now resides in New York.

As I enjoyed her creative space and pictures, she shared a pic from her childhood, visiting Santa Claus. I, at once knew the setting had to be from my home town and my own visits to Santa with my dear dad. It was something we did every year, just he and I. The place was Muriheads Dept. Store. I emailed Claudia to inquire about the pic and she in deed confirmed the setting too. How fun. We emailed back and forth to find out we went to the same schools and lived only a couple blocks from each other. We played in the same parks and swam at the same neighborhood pool. She even had the same 5th grade teacher a couple years before me. What a small world we live in.

This is the picture taken visiting Santa. My dad carried this pic in his wallet till the day he passed away.
If you have a moment, please visit talented Claudia and her wonderful blog, say hello and tell her I sent you. You are sure to enjoy your visit. Click here on her button!

The 5th grade teacher we both had was Mrs. Hurlbert. She was my all time favorite teacher in elementary school. It was because of her I pursued my artistry. She always encouraged me to go in this direction. In 1966 she entered me in the Greenfield Village Country Fair of Yesteryear. I designed a floral mosaic with organic materials. It took several months to finish. When our class went to the fair to see our entries, to my surprise, I had won first place and a blue ribbon hung by my artwork. I was in childhood shock as my classmates cheered and hugged me wildly.
Mrs. Hurlbert was crying as I stood in disbelief. What a wonderful memory made by a special teacher who gave me the confidence and direction to challenge a dream and just try.

I know longer have the mosaic or even a picture of it. But when I emptied my parents home, my mother had kept it all these years later. With it's decaying organic materials it still hung on the wall. I should have grabbed the camera then and snapped a pic before it seen it's fate. I am so bad at remembering moments like this with my camera. I vow to do better.

Meeting Claudia was such a nice surprise and brought back so many memories of a special place growing up. I hope it did for her as well.
Have you thought of your childhood town lately? Maybe you live there still and raising a family or enjoying retirement. How wonderful! It's nice to go back in time and remember.

Wishing you fond remembrances of days gone by.
Smiles, Celestina Marie