Laveda D. Rockford

  Taking time to share a little Christmas at our House with you. I painted this ornament as a gift to my daughter and her husband. If they are reading this, sorry to spoil the surprise, but more gifts are on the way.  I hope that each of you who watch this little video receive a small respite from the worries of life. A little Christmas cheer for those who are in need. A little light to cast out all fear. A smile for you to hear. We are more than conquers, we are in Christ who strengthens us. The bride that awaits His return. God bless you and yours. Merry Christmas! Love always, Laveda D. Rockford © 2023 Laveda D. Rockford

  Handpainted Christmas Ornament Christmas Scene The Seasons of Beauty and Rain I have been getting ready to celebrate Christmas. My Christmas tree is up and decorated, and I am making ornaments and thought I would share a photo of them here. While we are on the subject of Christmas, there was another Christmas that came to my mind recently. I would like to share my thoughts with you. While spending time with my older brother’s family over the Thanksgiving holiday, I came across this entry in one of my journals from December 31, 2017. I do not remember what sermon was preached that day, but I think this message will be of help to some of you. Here is what I wrote with a little editing, but only a few words are edited. _ December 31, 2017                                                              Sunday While listening to a wonderful sermon at church this morning, I was reminded of the time when Israel was enslaved in Egypt. God chose Moses to return to them with a message of

  Thanksgiving Thought During Thanksgiving, most people gather to share stories of their year and greet each other with great esteem. While Thanksgiving is not celebrated around the world, I wanted to tell those of you who will be gathering with your families this Thanksgiving to please remember to say a prayer for those people who are having a very difficult time. Though we, as humans, sometimes think that our little part of the world is the most important, we have to realize that there are difficulties the world around. Many people do not have money to fill their tables with a bounty of food. Other people do not have the money to go and see their family. Thank goodness for the modern capabilities that computers give us. We can see our family on Thanksgiving Day if time allows.   Then there are those who have lost loved ones this year, or years before this and are having a difficult time adjusting to the news or accepting the challenge to continue to live. In honor of your loved

  Thirty Days of Respect I have been very silent because my heart is broken. I have read about the desecration of children but never in my life did I imagine that I would be alive to know that such an act would happen again. After WWII and the aftermath of such horrid acts would humanity again be silent while these corruptionists are allowed to rise again to power, skillfully spreading their hatred? I was silent in honor of those in Israel using scripture as my guide. And that scripture is, And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel. (Numbers 20:29) My mourning will be over tomorrow, but my thoughts for the Jewish people are steadfast. I may receive hate because of this post but I have the feeling that many are being silenced because of fear. Let me remind you, the 10% has a strange way of controlling the 90%. I hope and pray that you will stand with me against this spirit of fear. I pray that all

  I Live For Freedom As you know, I have been on vacation. It began on Monday morning in Missouri, and we arrived in Maryville, Tennessee that evening. The Lord graced us with beautiful sunshine every day that we were there. The first day we drove into the Great Smoky Mountains, around curves, up mountains, and into valleys all green and yellow that introduced the early autumn season. The beauty of it all gave me a piece of awe that you can only get when you know the love that was placed into such a sight as this. This is where my Cherokee ancestors lived. While there, I had the privilege of visiting the Museum of the Cherokee Indian in Cherokee, North Carolina. Between June 1838 through March 1839, approximately 16,000 Cherokee were removed from their tribal lands and relocated to Oklahoma. It is said that approximately 4,000 Cherokee died. My Great-Great Grandmother was six years old when she walked this trail. Her Mother, my Great-Great-Great Grandmother, was one of those 4

  In honor of my upcoming vacation and birthday, I thought posting a sweet poem would be appreciated.  We are traveling to see a part of the country that has meaning for me and some of my ancestors. There will be three of us on this adventure. My mother, my aunt Bonnie, and me. I will share a few photos on some of my social media accounts depending on the internet connection and when I return will share more photos on my blog.   A New Day and Year The beauty of trees and meadows below, Billowy fog lifts up, drifting, oh so softly though, Reaching for a mountain crest, Then pushed ever so lightly in the breeze, Up, up, to disappear only to return again, Again and again on the morning dew, When the sun rises above the pines and yews, Through trail and dell as sunlight appears, To announce the beginning of a new day and year.   God bless and have a blessed week. Love always, Laveda D. Rockford © 2023 Laveda D. Rockford

  YAHREH | Screenplay based on the book Captive Deliverance by Laveda D. Rockford   Wade Hamilton accepts the assignment that leads him into an investigation that changes his life. He learns a new way of looking at things, and the ability to see beyond his own understanding. Combine that with the help of his team, and the criminals are rounded up and he closes the case that brings Gina into his life. THE CASE OF THE BLACK PEARL RING | Screenplay based on the book The Case of the Black Pearl Ring by Laveda D. Rockford   After Gina and Wade open their own private investigation company, they find out that the man they are looking for is closer than they thought. Wade travels across the country only to find the answer in their own backyard. When his old team members join the investigation, the list of criminals get longer, and the team acquires new technology that help them get a positive result with an unexpected ending. ***   I started writing my third book, but I am

My Flower Garden This post will show you the progress that I have made in my flower garden. It will also give you an update on all of the successful surgeries that happened to family members. I will begin with the latter since it is the most important. First, I would like to tell you that my brother, James, had scheduled surgery that he had after my last post, and he is doing well. He had surgery on his sinuses because of allergies. Allergies seem to run in our family. Second, my cousin Kim had surgery and seems to be doing a lot better. There was a moment after her initial surgery that she had to return to the hospital for observation again, but from what I know she is doing well. Third, my uncle Thom had four stints and was released from the hospital and is doing well. So, all is well in our little world. Not that everyone is perfect, and not that everyone is in the epitome of health, but surgeries are complete for now and no terrible outcomes that I know of. Thank you, Jesus!

  An Update and My Thoughts on this 4 th of July The past few evenings we were reminded of the celebration happening today and, if you learned what this day is about in school, you should know that freedom rang. The constant bombardments of artillery in the background did not discourage the ones who fought so bravely. Thank goodness that we are friends and allies of the English nation today. What a historical piece of ground the English have. As the battle raged, so did the battle in our personal lives. Two of my distant relatives are in the hospital today. My Uncle Thom has had chest pains and is under observation now. The blood test confirmed a heart attack. I have not heard what procedures will take place and when. My cousin Kim is in the hospital, too. She will be having surgery soon. She has autism and is a sweet and wonderful soul when she feels good. I hope that her surgery will be a comfort to her. There are many older people in my family who are in some kind of health

  My Floral Garden   Today it rains softly in the garden, Encouraging blooms for their summer show, The hydrangea edged in pink, Petals galore on the strong scented rose, Life is more pleasant for the gardener to see, That hard work and care work out, you see, Shasta flowers, and greenery. Ah, what a joy spring is for me.   Planting a flower garden is hard work, but it is very gratifying! I worked all day yesterday in very hot and humid weather. I was clearing out the back corner and still have not finished. Using a garden fork, I had to pull soil up out of the ground because of the Bermuda grass. Not only is it invasive, but its roots also grow very deep into the soil. I guess that is why so many people use it. The flower border edge is invisible because I wanted to bury it as deep as possible. I will most likely install a natural rock border to keep the Bermuda grass at bay. I like the look of the flower garden even though I have not found the perennials that I

  Summer Fun in the Garden? As you know I have been planting a new flower garden. Since I am the only one working on it, it has taken me quite a while to get things done. But it is a wonderful thing to look out into the yard and see the progress. I already had iris, roses, Rose of Sharon, daylilies, and Shasta daisies blooming. Yes, okay, one Shasta daisy so far but they are newly planted and to watch one blossom into a beautiful flower is wonderful. Here are a few photos of my flower garden. This is a Hydrangea Tree that will bloom later this summer. It is surrounded by Whirling Butterflies (Gaura) and violas. Did you notice the jar in the center? I painted it to look like a concrete yard ornament matching our Bird bath.  While working on it, I used foam to keep water from entering the cavity. However, the jar, which I bought at a secondhand store, had a crack in it. Well, the foam found that crack and, yes, it almost destroyed my jar. I had to wait until the foam set and painted al

  Making a Flower Garden I have spent my days off making a new flower garden for my Mother, Aunt Bonnie, and me to enjoy. It is extremely challenging work to do on my days off, but it will be worth it. I started with a blank slate and shoveled out the old turf in places. Pulling out roots of weeds and grass is still taking much of my time. The weather has not been cooperating this spring. I have had to wait through below freezing temperatures. It is starting to warm up and, of course, it seems to be going into record breaking heat. But it does not displease me in the least. A flower garden will be as it should. Roses, Hydrangeas, Iris, Clematis, Crape myrtles, Day lilies, Lilac, and Euonymus will be the bones of the garden with flowers highlighted around the setting. I have a list of perennial flowers that I would like to purchase but have not found what I am looking for. I hope to find them when summer flowers arrive at the garden centers. Here are some photos of the progress so far

  Beautiful Flowers I have not posted in a while. I had to take a break because of everything happening in the world. Terrible people with nothing more to do than cause turmoil. Not only that, but the weather also is causing strange things to happen, bigger than before, or maybe, I just have been noticing more lately. My heart cries for all who are going through tragedies and that is why I had to rest. Rest in the Lord. I spent time on myself, and He strengthened me. You know, He says that He will do that for all of us. All you have to do is ask. Lord Jesus, strengthen me. I have been designing my flower garden this year and started digging in the lovely Missouri soil. I would imagine that my neighbors thought I was crazy last year for planting a few shrubs in the middle of my yard, but it all takes time to dig a flower garden and at the end of last summer when I purchased the shrubs at a discount, they were placed where I thought they should go. However, every gardener knows tha

  The Hope That Is Within Us The Beatitudes “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.” – Matthew 4:23 “And seeing the multitudes, He went up into the mountain: and when He was set, His disciples came unto Him: And He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye,

  Painting on Two Surfaces As you know I have been painting an oil painting and I want to show you the progress. I love how the flowers reflect on the water as well as the trees. What a joy it is to paint water and make it look like a reflection that I have seen so many times. I must give God the glory for all of my progress when painting. As for that matter, I give God all the glory of any and all of my blessings. Life is not easy, but I still know that God loves me. No matter what happens in this world, God loves me as well as you. Never forget that!   Previously, when I was spending a little time looking at items to buy with a couple of gift cards that I received for Christmas, I found little glass balls on the discount table. I could not resist purchasing them because I have thought for the last few years to check my talent against them. With a little patience, I have come to like working with glass. Here is a photo of the project in process. In other words, this is not the fin

  DAZZLING LIGHT I hope that you enjoy this poem and update about my new painting. I know the days have been trying on a lot of people and if at all, my hope is that I can post something interesting to get your minds off the hardship, if for just a moment, my heart would be all the happier for it. So, enjoy this blog post and the photos of my painting, and let me know what you think. God bless and have a blessed week. Love always, Laveda D. Rockford © 2023 Laveda D. Rockford Dazzling Light by Laveda D. Rockford Light shines down on the water so clear, Making its path through the trees, Filling our days with warmth upon warmth, With each daily pass, its light oh so bright, What joy when the sun shines thus, Spreading its arms, Casting water into shades of light, Calm water making its way through the hills, Is dazzling, making things right. © 2023 Laveda D. Rockford

  Update: New Painting, January 2023 Here is a new update on the painting that I started last week. I love painting because it allows a person to think, dream, and create their own picture of a scene. Whether it is of a village or a natural sequence of events unexpectedly shining down on their patrons, it is always enjoyable to see. The background information that puts a painting together is in the eye of the artist, as this one is. When I have finished, I will introduce you and tell you the background and what this painting is all about. Until then, enjoy this update and have a blessed week. God bless! Love always, Laveda D. Rockford © 2023 Laveda D. Rockford

  A New Year I have not had time to post over the holiday weekend. I hope that everyone had a wonderful time and for those who are not having the best of times, please know that my prayers are for you. It is a new year, and who would have thought we would reach the year 2023 without a problem? We, the human race, have to deal with so much. It seems, at times, that we hear bad news every day. But the good news is that we are still here. The bad news is that we are still here. What do you know.   So, we will do our best for the year ahead of us. I decided to start a new painting for 2023. Yes, an oil painting. I do not have much time to paint but it felt good to get a paint brush in my hands again, other than painting the bathroom wall, which I did recently. And yes, I have another full-time job other than what I do here, and my time is limited. I will not say much about my new painting since my aunt commented when she first saw it, “Is that stairs?” Well, no, that is not stairs