How to Spend Time

We are getting settled in and trying to figure out how best to spend our time. 

Moving to a new city involves making so many decisions, primarily regarding doctors.

The past two weeks have been full of new doctor visits and getting established with those you feel will best meet your needs.  Dick is currently going through a battery of tests with the cardiologist in order to get a baseline.  So far, we think we've been referred to some good ones that we will stay with.  Thankfully, we live about a mile from the big hospital where all of them have offices.  Still have the eyes and teeth to go.

If we hadn't already known where we would attend church, that would have been another big decision.

Our weekly routine there involves my women's Bible Study every other Monday morning. Dick has Senior Adult Choir every Monday morning and men's Bible Study at 6:30 p.m with men from our Sunday Life Group.  He also has a Saturday morning breakfast with these same men.  We attend a Wednesday afternoon Life Group and it looks like Dick will be doing some teaching there in the future.  He attends a church-wide men's Prayer Group every Friday morning and we go to the gym at 6 a.m. five days a week.

This past Wednesday, we went with a group of other senior adults from the Wednesday group for a tour of Southwestern Seminary. We had never been there and found it to be a beautiful campus with interesting architecture.

We are in the very back under the red lines.

One of the most interesting things we did was to visit the exhibit on the life of Lottie Moon.

If you grew up in a Southern Baptist Church, then you will know who Lottie Moon is.  For those of you who didn't, she was an early missionary who served until her death, in the remote regions of China.  She literally died of starvation because she gave her food to the homeless and starving while also sharing Christ with them.  This wonderful exhibit will be a living testimony to this amazing, Christian woman.

Another decision we get to make is what to do when we don't have anything else to do.

This past Saturday morning, after Dick's breakfast, we decided to go to some Dallas estate sales.  This gives us an opportunity to see parts of the city that we might not ever get to see and houses we would never be in otherwise.

At the first house, I found this lovely plate.

It is named "Lacy" and is beautifully crafted with a fascinating history.

The Sensitive Art of Chokin has been handed down from generation to generation for more than 700 years.  The design is created by etching solid copper and gilding it with gold and silver.

During the late 12th Century, Japanese Chokin artists used this art to decorate the armor, weapons and other military supplies of the notable samurai.  They also decorated shrines using this method.

Since it is a traditional Japanese art form, Chokin art always depicts images considered native to the Japanese culture.

Although this art is used on many types of items, plates hold the most collectible status.

Although this one has all the markings and history and is in pristine condition, I did not have to pay an arm  and a leg for it, thankfully.

And, it is pretty in my house.  The house where I found it, has been sold and is being gutted and completely rebuilt.  We have learned that is the story behind many of the estate sales we've been to.  The land is more valuable than the house, and although many of these houses sale for a million or more, the land is worth more.

At another gorgeous home, the story was a bit different.  The owner who is a prolific and amazing artist, is going into a retirement home.  She was selling almost everything including many of her original and framed paintings as well as many canvases that she used in her art classes.  I wish I had the room and the money for some of these.

Just so you know, I did not purchase the Chinese Altar Bowl above.

Instead, we bought books and a pair of garden clippers.  Yep, if you read my Hodgepodge blog, you know we were in the market for some.

This delightful little book, published in 1958 contains many of the classic poems that we studied in college that have stood the test of times and remain true classics.  As the Editor wrote, "It is the purpose of this little volume to enrich, ennoble, encourage."  Dick reads one or two of the poems to me every morning.

The Winston Churchill who wrote this book, was an American best-selling novelist of the early 20th century and not his British political counterpart of the same era and name.  Actually, this Winston Churchill was in the beginning the more popular author of the two and to keep from being confusing, it was agreed the British Winston would use his sur name, Spencer, thus he became Winston S. Churchill.  

This Churchill has a very fascinating history that can be found HERE.  This book, Coniston was not one of his earlier and more well known ones; however, I am finding it so fun to read.  I love the word usage and speech.

I also bought a book of Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings as she is one of my favorite artists.

  Amazing that we got out of there without spending more than we did.

This was my view after leaving the fitness center at the church this morning.  The sun was just coming over the horizon and highlighted the cross.

And may He be reflected in my life that I may be an example of His grace.