A Friend In Need...

written by ~ Susan L. Lenzkes

A Friend In Need

Friendship gives license to show up at the door of need without asking, "When would you like me to come?" or "What would you like me to do?" Nor does friendship call out, "Just let me know if you need anything."
Practiced friendship whispers, "I'll be there" and promptly steps through the door with sensitivity, respect, and understanding.
But what about honoring the right to invite? Those who wait for parchement invitations wait long, for need rarely throws a party ~ rarely even has a voice.
Yet need has its own needs. It needs protecion from strangers tromping in with work boots and good intentions. And it needs relief from acquaintances wearing the spiked heels of advice and pat answers.
Need waits with longing for the familiar entrance of dear ones who pad barefoot through the soul on ordinary days.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For years, now, I have read and re-read "A Friend In Need". It just speaks to me in a very soft voice. It reaches down and wraps around my heart and makes me stop to think about friends and friendship and what it all means to me.
Sometimes it makes me so very happy... other times so very sad. Lately, such thoughts have brought a weight upon my heart and soul. I've been reflecting on past friendships and relationships that have long ago been carried away by storms. I ponder over what went wrong and try to find a lesson to be learned within. Yes, I pray over these thoughts, and I talk with God about my feelings.
I suppose I'm on the "need" side of friendship for the moment. When I get that way I begin to ache inside. I so desire to hear a friend's gentle voice reach out to me and just say they love me. I try to not be angry or too sad. I try to know how busy they are with their lives. I try to find ways to lift myself up. I try to hold back my tears.
I still reach out and I continue to pray. And I wonder, and I hope, and I pray that I'm a friend who pads barefoot through the souls of those I love.
I know I try to be.

Until another time...
Pearl

Just thinking of friends...

It is my hope that everyone found a blessing in their day.

My Life's Motto in Six Words

I was tagged not to long ago by LeAnn at

Pink Icing on the Cake to give a six word memoir

that represents my life's motto. While thinking

about this I knew, for me, it was going to be in

reference to God. For without Him there would

be no life. So, with that said...here's my life's motto:

Now I must pass this on to five more blogs.

Please write a Six Word Memoir

that represents your life's motto.

The rules are:

1. Write your own six word Memoir.

2. Post it on your blog.

3. Link to the person who tagged you.

4. Tag 5 more blogs with links

(leave a comment on their blog with an invitation to play).

~Tag~ You're It!

Bek's Shabby Dreams

Country Love

Paint Mine Pink

Purple Flower Fairy

Rue's peanut butter and jelly life

A Project In The Works...

One of my passions in life is Embroidery.

I find it to be very relaxing to work on...

Just me and my needle 'n colors.

I also enjoy "The Hunt" for vintage patterns.

My collection of them continues to grow

faster than I can stitch, for sure!

This particular one made me smile when I found it...

but I wasn't thrilled with the cross~stitching so I made

some creative changes to suit my fancy! Also,

I hand~lettered the word LAUNDRY at the top.

I'm going to put this cute couple in a shadow box frame...

add some wooden clothespins 'n wooden spools of thread!

I just love the funny lil expressions

on their faces ~ don't you?!

Are there any other vintage pattern lovers out there?

Miss Iron seems to have a lil bit

of a smug smile on her face...

and I'm especially amused with her hand on her hip!

How many times have I ever stood that way?!

I hope the weekend is treating everyone kindly ~smiles~

Until another time ... Pearl

Some Thrifting Goodies...

Hello Sweet Ladies of Blogland...

So glad you stopped by...

I have lots of Goodies to show you

that I got while Thrifting a lil bit today...

Everything you see on the desk

is what I hauled home today...

with the exception of the embroidered runner.

Not sure what to do with all of it,

but I know there's something good hidden in there!

I am especially fond of the ceramic planters...

and the pink floral fan~shaped dish.

I also am loving on the white candle holders

hanging on the wall... now I need some pink candles...

Any suggestions on the three ornate gold frames?

The back is marked Made in Italy, and the florals

are fabric with padding underneath...

I'd be grateful for any ideas for them!

I think I got really, really good deals...

Milk Glass Open Lace Pedestal Compote ~ $4
Ceramic Yellow Star Light Switch Cover ~ 50 cents
Ceramic Egg with Lilacs ~ 50 cents
Ceramic Egg with Flowers ~ 50 cents
Ceramic Chick Figurine ~ $1
Ceramic Chick Planter ~ $1
Ceramic Lamb Planter ~ $1
Ceramic Swan Planter Lg. ~ $1
Ceramic Swan Planter Sm. ~ $1
Ceramic Fan Dish w/Flowers ~ 50 cents
Ceramic Yellow Bucket ~ 50 cents
Metal Green Bucket ~ 25 cents
Stuffed Hanging Hearts (2) ~ 25 cents
Twisted Wire Wall Sconce Candle Holders;

White (2) ~ 50 cents (ea.) ~ $1.00
White Satin Basket w/Pearls + Roses ~ $1.00
Small Black Tray w/Roses ~ 25 cents
Gold Ornate Oval Frames, 1 Lg., 2 Sm. ~ $1.00
Sewing Box w/Lid, Green Florals ~ 50 cents
Small Blue Jay Bird ~ 25 cents
Books, 6 ~ 25 cents ea. ~ $1.50
Small Round Hat Box w/Florals ~ 50 cents
Wooden Bunny ~ 25 cents
Painted Eggs (2) ~ 25 cents ea.

If my math is correct, the total for all = $18.50

Thanks for stopping by and please come again!

I would love, love, love to see & hear about

your wonderful Thrifting Finds!

Until another time... Pearl

Spring Cleaning?!

Just another way of looking at Spring cleaning

To Honor the Lilac...

One of my most favorite flowers, and scent, is the Lilac. Unfortunately, these beauties bloom for only a very brief time in the Spring. I love when that time of year comes to me... I like searching for the most magnificent bush and then sneaking back when I think no one can see me, and burying my face in the cool blossoms... their undeniable aromatic scent filling my soul and lingering all around me. It is my belief that there will be Lilacs in Heaven.

My birthday happens to fall during the peak blooming time for Lilacs. Though we never had a bush of our own, somehow my sweet Mom found a way to have a bunch of them tucked into one of her big old vases for me to wake up to on the big day. It just did not get much better than that.


I've read that there are over 1,000 varieties of Lilacs, including a wide range of colors, sizes and types of blooms. The most common Lilac colors are "Lilac", lavender, white, pink, blue, and purple. There is single and double petal varieties. And bushes can grow between 2 and 30 feet high.

There are two poems left to us in history that speak of Lilacs.


The Waste Land
By T.S. Eliot ~ 1922

April is the cruelest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land

The entire poem can be found here



When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloomed
By Walt Whitman

In the dooryard fronting an old farm-house near the white-washed palings,
Stands the lilac-bush tall-growing with heart-shaped leaves of rich green,
With many a pointed blossom rising delicate, with the perfume strong I love,
With every leaf a miracle -and from this bush in the dooryard,
With delicate-coloured blossoms and heart-shaped leaves of rich green,
A sprig with its flower I break.

The entire poem can be found here

I hope you've enjoyed seeing a few examples of how artists have paid honor to the Lilac in their works. If I close my eyes and slip back into my memories, I can still smell their sweet perfume all around me. ~Until another time~ Pearl

Here's Winking at You!

I love this big, old winking kitty!
Such a subtle, teasing look...
Hmmm... not too sure what to
think of Miss Polka~Dots, though.

I just love this illustration of the violets surrounding the sweet winged fairy... it brings back many fond memories for me...

When I was a little girl, living in Illinois, there were violets everywhere it seemed. If my memory serves me correctly, I believe that violets are the state flower for Illinois. I loved seeing little spots of purple when I was outside... riding my bike to the mail~box and seeing clusters of violets along the side of the road and at the base of the wooden post that the mail~box sat on.

There was a large woods behind our home and I often played there with the girl next door... When the violets were in bloom, I loved to pretend I was a beautiful fairy with soft see~through wings tinted with pink sparkles... I would pick some of the purple beauties and tuck them in my hair and behind my ears... then I would twirl and spin around with my arms extended and my eyes closed... I could fly and sprinkle pink fairy dust wherever my heart desired... my wings never got tired.

Soon I would hear my Mom calling me to come home. On the way out of the woods, I stopped often, picking violets until I simply could hold no more in my hands. Mom would always act so surprised at the handful of flowers I'd bring to her... with that smile of hers that could light up my world every time. She let me help her as we carefully picked out vases for them, not an easy task for such tiny beauties, and then she made a big deal out of how they should be arranged... she never failed to make me feel like I was the most important thing in her life. And she never crushed my Violet Dreams and Fairy Wings...

Until another time... Pearl

Just a little thought...

For whatever reason, today my heart was exceptionally full of love... for family & friends; both near 'n far, for my cats & my precious fuzzies (ferrets), for those in need that only God is aware of their true situation... I have no idea what came over me or happened, but it did... I could feel it & just wanted to share it...

Until the next time... Pearl

I simply could not resist when I found this precious dressed~up kitty! I love cats, hats, pink and feathers... and I have a pink one, just like the one Ms. Kitty has in her blue hat! Only my feather lives in my bedroom and not on one of my hats... Sending wishes to all for a purrrfectly pink day! ... ohhhhh! and a very special Thank You to LeAnn, from Pink Icing on the Cake for the warm & kind welcome to blogland... I look forward to visiting again! ~ hugs ~ Pearl

A Blessing In My Day...

I was able to sit on my front porch for awhile this afternoon. It was rather peaceful, but the every-now-and-then car would pass by, making me wish for a home in the country. My Daffies have bloomed... that always makes me smile. It had rained and was a bit cool outside with a breeze... but a soft throw made things tolerable enough and I savored the time outdoors. I always think of my sweet Mom whenever I see daffodils. She used to always tell me that she could tell Spring had officially arrived only after she had seen a robin-red-breast and daffodils. Mom had lots of lil tidbits like that... no doubt passed down to her from her own Mother. Both women were true angels on earth. So, as I stood up and wrapped my throw around me to keep the breeze away, I smiled down at the Daffies one more time before heading back in... warm in the blessing of precious memories of two darling angels.

Hello and Welcome...

OK... it's true... I'm guilty of being a blog-lurker. For weeks, now, I've been skipping around in your blogs... and I must confess; it's been a rather pleasant adventure! It didn't take long for me to be pulled in, and it was amazing how fast time went by. No sooner had I sat down with a fresh cup of coffee... well, I'm certain I don't have to spell it out to you!
Hopefully I'll be able to stop by each day ~ evening and unload some of the somewhat-creative-chaos I seem to have in my mind. I have decided that if someone doesn't like what they find, there's plenty more to pick from and no one should be harmed in any blogging or lurking activities.
To those of you that have made it this far in reading... may I extend a warm & heartfelt welcome to my lil corner of the world... I have such a good feeling about this new adventure! Please, do excuse me in advance, for any mistakes I may make, or have already made, in my attempt to get this Sentimental Journey up 'n running. Any tips, ideas, suggestions, etc. that you feel would benefit me, please do not hesitate to express them! I sure would be grateful and definately would enjoying hearing from you.
Until another time... Pearl