Laveda D. Rockford

  Laveda D. Rockford New Years Eve  2020, 2021 Spending a night at home and thinking of all of you. A new year is ahead and my thoughts for you are these... May His light shine on you and be gracious to you!  May your days be filled with happiness  and your nights with good rest. And may God bless you  and may you have a blessed 2021. Laveda D. Rockford New Years Eve 2020, 2021 Love ya!  Happy New Year! © 2020 Laveda D. Rockford  

  Laveda D. Rockford As I sit here thinking of this past year, my mind searches for happiness that escapes through discouraging thoughts that come with what we all know as a disastrous 2020. With closures and closings, demands of impersonal prompts, businesses drowning from doubt, while employees search for ways to compete with the decreasing work pool, where do we find happiness?   As a Christian my happiness this year as I look back has come from the Word, the LORD, my Lord, Jesus Christ. While we finish celebrating His birthday whether He was born this month or not, I searched the Word for mysteries that, for me, twinkle in the sky announcing something more. Read this and have your heart search for more than what man can offer. What God can offer through the years. God’s plans are so much more than what we could plan. That is enough for me to grip my anxiety by the tail and swirl it through space. No matter what, God has got this! To explain what I am talking about, rea...

  My Mother wrote ‘Joseph, Son of David’ in the 1990’s  and presented it at one of our family gatherings.  In celebration of Christmas, I hope you enjoy my narration of  ‘Joseph, Son of David’. God bless and Merry Christmas! © 2020 Laveda D. Rockford

This afternoon I spent a couple of hours painting. Here is a video for you to see. Please remember that this painting is in the beginning stages and it is a little rough. Even though I do not have a lot of time to spend painting, I sure do enjoy it.   To tell you the truth, I could sit in front of a canvas all day and paint. Once I pick up the brush and touch the canvas, the creative side of my brain cannot stop thinking about it. It is very difficult to sit the brush down and walk away.   I hope you are finding things to help you through the tough times. God bless and have a blessed week ahead! © 2020 Laveda D. Rockford

Here is a little Christmas cheer for your enjoyment. Take a look at some decorations and let me show you what I found while hauling wood up to the house. I would love to hear your suggestions about it!  I'm just an average woman with a lot on my plate, yet still blessed. With a full time job and a wonderful Mother who has stage 4 cancer, though the Doctor said that with her treatments she will most likely die of old age rather than cancer. I am very thankful for that. She is my best friend! The more stress that comes my way, I can be grateful that I have remained healthy throughout this terrible time.  My prayers are for all who are suffering from cancer and any disease. Also, those who are suffering through poverty, or any other issue that the COVID virus situation has caused.  May the LORD bless you and keep you! God bless you and have a blessed holiday season! See you next time! © 2020 Laveda D. Rockford

This weekend my thoughts are about giving thanks. Thanksgiving Day is coming soon and we are all experiencing something different than we have ever known. While many may be having difficulty finding something to be thankful for, one thing that I am giving thanks for is a meek but promising new painting. I started painting today and though it is not recognizable, my hope is to finish well!  Speaking about giving thanks, this is the season when we give thanks. 'Thanksgiving' is something most people do in America. So, I did a little research to find out about giving thanks. In the Bible, the Jewish people had been in captivity for 70 years when the words ‘giving thanks’ to the LORD appears for the first time. And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD:…      Ezra 3:11 While there are many scriptures instructing us to give thanks, did you know that the words ‘giving thanks’ to “ GOD” is written only six times throughout the Bible? It is int...

Watch how your mind thinks... Where your mind goes, there goes your heart. Innocence is something to be cherished, and I will keep my heart in the right place.  Eternal life is more important than reading into every post that people make. While others are doing the opposite, I will stand in the knowledge that God is good and treat others accordingly. Keeping in touch with your innocence is more difficult as we grow older. But keeping a little bit of  innocence in your heart is worth its weight in gold! Innocence is lovely. A lovely mind has a healthy heart.  So, please don't judge me for decorating my Christmas Tree before Thanksgiving. I like to have a festive home for the holidays. Live life lovely and love life lively.  God bless and have a blessed week! © 2020 Laveda D. Rockford

Hobbies are good for you when stress levels are high. I announce my new project and you get to see a cameo appearance of Smokey the cat. Enjoy!  Click on the link to see the video: I'll share updates of my project when I can. Thanks for watching and God bless! Laveda D. Rockford © 2020 Laveda D. Rockford

Autumn is a beautiful time of the year. Not too hot, not too cold. Here are a few photos that I took today.  You can see how the wind moves the ornamental grass around. We are under a no burn order because of the wind.  But the beautiful scenery in these photos will explain why. Isn’t southern Missouri beautiful? I think so.  Autumn is the perfect time to begin a new project... more about that later. I hope that you enjoyed these photos. God bless and love ya! © 2020 Laveda D. Rockford

I spent the day getting things ready for the season to come. I brought wood up for the wood-burning stove, piling it as high as possible.  With a little sadness, I removed the watering hoses from their summer perches. I left one out that is in a protected area but not attached to the outdoor faucet.  The hills are becoming autumn beautiful. The bluff near my house is accented in red from various bushes giving way for their sleep through the winter months.  It's such a beautiful time of year for it to be so nasty.  With Coronavirus cases being announced daily, my prayers are for those who are in the grasp of its tentacles. For a change of tone, here is a little more from my screenplay to get your minds off the troubles that plague our country. I hope you enjoy it and watch it in your mind's eye as the team continues on... THE CASE OF THE BLACK PEARL RING Screenplay excerpt *** FS TO TWO-SHOT Jim walked to the front door and checked the keys and found the one that fi...

The Bible is full of instruction to all believers. From the Old Testament all the way to the end of Revelation. The following verses are instruction from one generation to the next. May we carry on the tradition of teaching our children how to bring health to your flesh and strength to your bones.  Spiritually speaking, it’s the most important things we can do for our children, to lead them to Christ and teach them the Word of Life.   My son, do not forget My law, But let your heart keep my commands; For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.   Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.   Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.   Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be he...

  It is the coolest thing to live in southern Missouri. I can walk among beautiful flowers and plants. We have flowers blooming at the edge of the forest that look like Black-Eyed Susan. The yellow petals fanning out from the center look spectacular. It almost looks like a fan.   And here are a couple more photos of the Susan William-Ellis rose looking bright and beautiful with an abundant number of white petals moving slightly in the breeze on this gorgeous Missouri day.   Two Susans, looking completely different but sharing the same time to bloom during the last part of the blossoming season in Missouri. One has a single row of petals while the other has many. Neither one of them can say that the other does not bring joy to the person that eyes these beauties. However, the fragrance of the Susan William-Ellis Rose is fabulous! I love the romantic fragrance of the old roses and this newer Rose is a wonderful example of that rose fragrance. I would recommend it fo...

I spent the morning cleaning up the rock garden. The Daylilies are finished blooming, the flower stems turn a bland sand color and needed to be removed. The plants look much better!  I planted six small rose bushes that will survive through the winter in that area. The Lavender plants are doing well but the whole garden had to be cleaned up. Pulling weeds are not fun, but someone has to do it.  We finally received rain in southern Missouri which served to green up our yard and give us a beautiful surprise like these purple Liriope. Here is a close-up and personal photo of a Butterfly bush spike. Look at the individual flowers reaching out into the world looking for the next butterfly to land. The soft fragrance attracts them throughout the day.     This is a plant that I purchased earlier this year to fill in. It's an annual but how beautiful next to the small pink flowers accompanying it.  Well, I hope you enjoyed my little gardening post with photos....

  In the previous excerpt, Wade found his son when he and the team entered Samata’s apartment.   He was elated to know that Yahreh was still alive. Hearing sounds coming from the adjoining room was alarming. Wade took Yahreh under his protection and the team had to take care of ‘the noise’. THE CASE OF THE BLACK PEARL RING Screenplay excerpt     *** FS/ CAMERA FOLLOWS/ CAMERA BACKING OUT TO LS Shaitan looked down at his phone and shook his head. He looked up at Mr Snit sitting next to Mr. Olig in the middle of a conversation while intermittingly eating dessert. He walked over as if nothing happened and leaned down to whisper in Mr. Snit’s ear. Mr. Snit listened and after Shaitan finished, he motioned for Shaitan to stay by his side. Mr. Snit leaned over to Mr. Olig and whispered in his ear, they discussed the situation in quiet tones. Mr. Snit then leaned back and motioned for Sometimes Shaitan to lean close and whispered in his ear. Shaitan nodded and ...

As I drive home during these dog days of summer, where rain has been sparse, I watch the dust rise from the road and gather in the tail end of my vehicle like rain. Southern Missouri is still beautiful even during sparse rain. I am welcomed home by a row of showy flowers on these Rose-of-Sharon shrubs. Some flowers are still blooming like the roses, and look at this beautiful Hibiscus. It bloomed out after the last rain. Isn’t it beautiful?   Nothing would make this summer day more beautiful except for a couple of butterflies landing on the Sedums with their prolific heads of flowers giving the much-needed nourishment for this feathery light, floating, flying, bright colored, winged species.    I take a deep breath, exhale slowly, and smile. There’s nothing like a flower garden to bring me out of the melancholy that a termultous time can give one.   Peace, Laveda D. Rockford © 2020 Laveda D. Rockford

In the previous excerpt Wade ran into the elevator before the dogs arrived and after a series of maneuvers he managed to push the dogs out and proceeded on his way to meet the team.  Fast forward to the moment when the team arrives on the floor where Wade's son is being held.   THE CASE OF THE BLACK PEARL RING Screenplay Excerpt *** TWO-SHOT JIM AND JOY Jim opened the door on the opposite end of the corridor. He and Joy emerged, guns ready, walking slowly past each door, leaning in close to hear any noise. *** FS/ CAMERA BACKING OUT Cindy and her team arrived in front of Samata’s door first. George leaned up against the door and listened for any noise. GEORGE: “I hear a television, but no other noise.” George said quietly. Jim and Joy arrived and watched the corridor toward the north side staircase while Sam and Bart watched in the opposite direction. MS WADE Wade reached into his pack and pulled out his levers and proceeded to work the lock on the d...

It seems that we are always hearing about terrible things on the news. While our concerns about such things are dominating our world, we do what we can to ease the suffering of so many, yet feel that we haven't done enough. What is it that causes us to over think some issues and not think enough about others? Regardless of how I feel about one thing or another, my thoughts are only of peace and all that it encompasses.    Peace is achievable and should always be the first thought on the mind of those who walk in peace. I'm certain that we as a nation would not like to live in a country where we have no money for our personal use and this is something that I am concerned about. There is such a thing and I for one do not want to live off the government.    I'm certain that I am not the only one that feels this way. I want to work, and I do work at a full-time position, but I know that some of you are going through a very difficult time and are uncertain about y...