An Award

My friend, Terry, over at Forever a Family, has given me an award.

I am too choose 8 blogs that fit the following criteria and bestow this award on them:

These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find friends and be friends.They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships will be propagated. Please give more attention to these writers.

After I deliver this award to said eight bloggers they must choose eight more and include this cleverly- written text into the body of their award.

So my choices are:

Rebecca over at Knit by God's Hand

Chandra over at Me and Mine

Rachel over at Our Growing Family

Stacy over at Stacy from Louisville

and

Amy over at Chapters

Sorry that I don't have eight... but I am working on following more people and gaining more bloggy friends!!!!!

I encourage you to visit this blog!

A few weeks ago I found this blog, The Journey, by the usual means, through another blog! I have been just absolutely blown away by this story. Today, I encourage you to go visit Katie, and read through her blog, find out all you can about her, and then be in prayer for her and her ever growing family.

This sweet soul is still so very young, but so very old in many ways... and extremely mature in her trust in God's leading. I know that you will be moved by the task she has undertaken, and I know that she will be on your heart.

After you've had the opportunity to read some, let me know what you think. And if you get the chance maybe you can lead others to her blog as well. The more who read... the more that will be in prayer for her mission.

Another Milestone

Michael lost his first tooth (the hole on the bottom, the top is due to his clefting)!!! As I was brushing his teeth last night I saw that the tooth was finally ready to pull, so I told him I was just going to give it a wiggle and see if it was ready. In a second or two is was plucked out. He said, "Is that MY tooth?" Yep... the first one. The "tooth fairy" generously left him a nice, crisp one dollar bill.

Isn't it funny the things that we mark as the next steps towards growing up? The loss of the first tooth... gaining 6 year molars... the 13th birthday... then the 16th... the driver's license... the 18th birthday... high school graduation... okay...you get the picture. All through our lives, and the lives of our children, we mark events that show our physical growth.

I wonder, besides baptism, is there anything we use to mark our spiritual growth. Kind of a shame that we don't have benchmarks that chronicle our continued growth in Christ. But maybe, that would be too hard to do... we all grow at different rates... we all backslide at some point or the other... the chart might soon begin to look like a complete traffic jam! Guess the main thing is that, while others might not always see the visible signs of our growth in Christ (like a lost tooth!) we should all continue to make gains in our walks... because GOD sees those benchmarks, whether anyone else does or not!!

Fat Tuesday

Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday. It is also known as Mardi Gras Day or Shrove Day. It is a day when people eat all they want of everything and anything they want as the following day is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of a long fasting period. In addition to fasting, participants also give up something special that they enjoy. So, Fat Tuesday is a celebration and the opportunity to enjoy that favorite food or snack that you give up for the long Lenten season.

While I don't give up anything for Lent, I know several people who do. They give up things such as soft drinks, chocolate, bread, and there are even those who laughingly give up items such as broccoli and brussel sprouts! (I have a feeling those last two don't count, especially if you don't like them to begin with!)

Today, especially in New Orleans, Fat Tuesday will be celebrated with parades, costumes, and the "tossing" of beads, coins and stuffed animals. People will indulge in things into the late night hours so that they can "get through" the Lenten season.

I have often wondered if the symbolism of Lent is supposed to mirror the 40 days that Christ spent in the wilderness. Maybe someone who is more familiar with Lent can let me know the answer. But, if it is, I have to wonder if Christ took that day before he entered the wilderness to indulge in all the things that he would miss. Somehow, I think that if he had, we would have read about it somewhere in the bible. And that got me to wondering, would our most trying times come when we were filled... or would they come when we are the most empty?

My point... I think that if we are living our lives according to God's word, and following his leading, we don't need a "Fat Tuesday"... nor do we need to "give up something we enjoy" just for the sake of tradition... if we aren't using this time prior to Easter to reflect on Christ's life, and more importantly, his resurrection, then we are missing the point. And before you comment, please know that if you do participate in Fat Tuesday, this isn't a slam... this just isn't my thing, but for many of you, it is your beginning to the Easter Season. I just don't understand those who participate and don't even know why they do it... they are just "following the crowd".

So today, I won't be over-indulging, and tomorrow I won't be giving anything up. I will spend the next 47 days reflecting on the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, and work on living my life in such a manner that when those trying times come, and they will come for all of us at some point, I am ready to climb into the arms of a God who is more than willing to carry me through them.

Hot off the press...

I just finished putting together a 40 day devotional for our church to use beginning this Wednesday. I have to tell you, I really enjoyed it. I have missed putting the paper together so this was fun.

When one of our elders approached me about this project I couldn't wait to get started. We talked to numerous individuals who agreed to write for the booklet. I was so excited to open my emails each day to see what I might find. Having only been told to write about Jesus' suffering, death or resurrection, I wondered if there would be many devotionals that would overlap. Surprisingly, there weren't any... all of the the thoughts, while centered on the same subject, were vastly different.

I can't wait to see what God does through this devotional... so many people on the same page each day... how amazing it will be to see where this will lead us as a congregation!!!

Can she REALLY be that old????

Last night I took my BABY GIRL prom dress shopping!!! How can it be that she is a Junior??? How can it be that she is old enough to wear anything more than a frilly little Easter Dress and shiny black shoes??? I am not sure how it happened... or WHEN it happened... but isn't she beautiful????



When we entered the store we had just around one hour and forty-five minutes to accomplish our goal... find THE perfect dress. (Carly accused me of cruising through the mall at the rate of a "mall walker" but I knew that every minute was precious.) We began our search at our local Dillard's... where she actually found this dress. BUT... we knew that we could leave no stone unturned so off we went to DEB, which is on the other end of the mall. She tried on several dresses there, but none seemed to fit her style and personality like this one.


Needless to say, we found ourselves sprinting (okay... as fast as I sprint, which is a fast walk!) back to Dillard's with 15 minutes to spare before the store closed. As they were announcing that shoppers should make their final selections, we were slipping this dress back on Carly for a final look. And as all the patterns were different, she ended up trying on three... but this one was it, and had been right from the beginning.


While this dress may have been a little more "pricey" than I would have liked (I am a certified, card carrying member of the "Clearance Rack Club") I must say, this smile makes it all worthwhile!

Courage

What do you think of when you hear the word courage? Do you have visions of soldiers who give of their time, and at times their lives, so that we can have the freedoms that we enjoy? Maybe your thoughts turn to a friend or family member who now finds themselves struggling with cancer, or some other disease that threatens to destroy their lives. Or maybe... your first thought is of the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz...


But I wonder, how often do we think of that word when it comes to sharing the darkest times of our lives with those who surround us?

I had the privilidge of providing prayer support for a friend who recently shared her testimony, and I have to tell you, the strength that this friend showed has given me a new way of looking at the word courage. For those of us who have experienced truly "dark times" in our lives, you will understand how hard it is to relive those moments... how truly unsettling it can be to have those memories brought to the surface when you least expect them to arise. Now... imagine bringing those feelings to the surface WILLINGLY, in hopes that by doing so, someone else won't make the mistakes that you have made. To me... that speaks of GREAT COURAGE... and a GREAT FAITH that Jesus will help you carry that burden... because the weight is always too much to bear alone.

To all of those who have been willing to set their own comfort aside, and have allowed God to receive glory even through your pain, I give you a huge "cyber hug", and I want to tell you that your COURAGE does make a difference... it is NOTICED.... and I have no doubt that when you are giving your testimony, God is holding you firmly in his arms, smiling down on you as you give Him praise for making you a NEW CREATION in HIM!!!!!

I Love You More!!!!

Have a Very Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!

To FB or not... that is the question!

Now, this may seem lame, but I've just got to ask... do you have a facebook account or not???

Here is the reason I ask such an odd question (that by now most of you have answered yes to!)...

One of my Yahoo groups just began a discussion about "sending a friend request" for facebook. The chatter went something like this... "Do you have a FB account? If you do, send a request and I'll add you to my friends list." "Sure, I'd love that... I check there all the time." "Yeah we can keep up much better there than on email." You get the picture... facebook is THE new way to keep in touch with the ones you love.

Now... I must admit... I DON'T have a facebook account. (Oh my... I heard your sudden gasp for air!) Yes... shockingly... I don't have one... and the reason? I have promised my 17 year old daughter that I will not get one.

You see, she uses her FB to keep up with her friends, her youth coaches and her sisters. (And yes, I do conduct random checks just to make sure that all is right within her FB World!) She just thinks that it would be too strange for her MOM to have an account, so I have sworn to remain "facebook free". Her true feelings??? I am WAY TOO OLD to have a FB account. In her heart of hearts, she is sure that no one over the age of 40 should be allowed there, and to her... 40 is pushing the envelope!

So... while a multitude of people my age and older are meeting up with old friends via FB... I guess that I'll be stuck doing it the old fashioned way... via EMAIL!!!!

Yes... you may feel free to laugh... email is now the old fashioned way to communicate! Our children (and grandchildren!) have not learned the fine art of making phone calls (they now text), nor do they know the joys of writing a letter, placing it into an envelope, adding a stamp, and placing it in the mail box where it will wind it's way to the recipient in a matter of days! They have instant gratification in their communication. Now, I will admit that I don't write letters often anymore, but I am still charmed by the personal touch of a letter when I receive one. And while I can (and do) text... nothing compares to hearing the voice of a friend or family member.

So will I join the masses and sign up for a FB account??? Relax my dear daughter... it won't be happening anytime soon. Email is plenty fast enough for this 50 year old mom!!!!

Head on over for the GIVEAWAY!!!

That's right... my sister friend Rebecca Jo over at Knit by God's Hand is having a giveaway to celebrate her impending 500th post! You read right... 500 hundred posts! She has a lot to say, my friends, and what she says will most certainly bless your socks off. So run on over and give her blog a look-see... it is well worth the trip!

Another snow day

Yep... woke up this morning to a 2 hour school delay, and it ended up being a full day out. The snow was falling pretty good for awhile, but has tapered off somewhat... but more on the way. So much for a day of peace and quiet!

But... I am pretty excited... and I'll tell you why! One of our church elders has come up with an awesome idea... and I get to help. He wants to put together a booklet of devotionals written by various members of our congregation... 40 devotionals for the 40 days before Easter. Not only was I asked to write a devotional, but I am going to design and put together the booklet. YEAH!!!! I have really missed writing articles, and the challenge of putting together a monthly publication... so this will be fun!

I am also looking forward to seeing what God leads me to write. Steve asked that the devotionals be on one of the following... Christ's suffering... His death... or His resurrection. All pretty heavy topics. Nothing light in any of those! I keep wondering what scriptures God will place on the hearts of those writing... which one will be mine... Old Testament... New Testament? Yep... looking forward to the whole process. We also plan to place the devotional up on a blog for those who might like to read along... so when that happens I'll be sure and post a link here.

Well... off to get another cup of coffee and read some scripture before I officially start my day! Hope your day is awesome!!!!

Playing Tag

My sister friend Rebecca, (who happens to love my pumpkin bread) has invited me to play a game of tag! Okay... I hated tag as a child. Imagine this... a vertically challenged, slightly overweight little girl with the shortest bangs in seven counties running with ALL her might, and still unable to catch anyone. Yeah... you get the picture. Not a pretty sight then, not a happy memory now. But this kind of tag... yeah... I can rule here!!!

So here are the rules...

1. Link to the person who tagged you - Thanks Bec!
2. Mention the rules.
3. Tell 6 things about yourself.
4. Tag 6 other bloggers by linking to them.
5. Go to each person's blog and leave them a comment to let them know they've been tagged. This is kind of a fun way to get to know people

So we begin...
1. I wanted to be a teacher. Yep... you guessed it... it never happened. Hence the word "wanted". But God is so cool... while I never managed to go to school, I do substitute at the local elementary... and I have taught Sunday School for years. So while I'm not what you would call "a real teacher", I have definitely managed to make an impact on the lives of some kids!

2. On that note... I love kids. Always have. When I was younger I spent a great deal of time snagging up the babies of any family member that wasn't afraid that I would drop their precious little newborn! As I got older I was continually "adopting" kids. One year I brought a young girl from Denmark into our home when it turned out her "host family" was running from the law. (Long story... happy ending!) Eventually that translated into adopting Michael, who is an awesome little boy, and who is well loved by all his big sisters, his daddy and his mommy!

3. I have been a "jack of all trades" when it comes to crafting. I have been known to crochet, oil paint, quilt, paint t-shirts, do floral design, make jewelry, and my favorite (for now!) knitting. Yes... I have a crafty side and I love trying new things.

4. For three years I owned a Christian newspaper... nothing very big, but a huge deal for me. I loved writing articles and doing interviews. I got to meet some wonderful people through the paper, and I learned about so many different ministries. It was a very blessed three years, and I do miss it at times. Guess that is why I enjoy blogging!

5. Cooking... I love it! I like trying out new recipes... okay... I like merging several different recipes to get the desired outcome. My family... they don't always like it so much, but I find it fun. And I really love to cook for other people. Especially baking!

6. I love to sing! I used to sing all the time... performing solos etc. I don't do that so much anymore, but I still love to sing. I am a "do-wop girl" (along with Rebecca, yep... she sings too!) for our church praise band. I love doing harmony so much more than singing solos. I love to find just the right note.. just the right blend. You see... we don't get sheet music... it's a "do it by ear" thing that I find a challenge. I truly enjoy it!

There you are... six things about me! Nothing that will set the world on fire... but I hope that you found something of interest.

Now... who to tag????

1. First... one of my adoption buddies... Terry over at Forever a Family. This awesome lady is waiting to bring Asher home from Haiti... give her a visit and a few words of encouragement as she waits.

2. Another adoption buddy Robbie over at And Now there are Five. Talk about a busy lady. Not only does she have 3 teens but two little beauties she adopted from China... and she is a teacher too! She is working hard to raise her family up loving the Lord!

3. Then go meet Brenda at The Adventures of the Yonker Family. Right now her five kiddos are awaiting her arrival home as she and hubby Stan have traveled to Haiti on a mission trip... if you want to be blessed and see God at work, go take a look at the wonderful work they doing in HIS name for the people of Haiti.

4. One of my daily visits is to check on the antics of The Kobialka Family. Most days I can be assured that this funny lady will bring a smile to my face! The adventures she conjures up for her children are truly memory makers.

Okay... from here... I have to be a rule breaker! Only four blogs to tag... so I guess I am done. Hope that you all have a blessed day... and a Happy Super Bowl Sunday.... me... I'm sure we'll have the game one... but I'll be knitting.... yep... my version of the super bowl! (I only watch the commercials!)