HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Year in Review

Here are some of the highlights from 2009.

1. In January, I started memorizing 2 Bible verses a month. I just finished memorizing two this month, which makes a total of 24 verses I memorized this year. I love how God's word energizes me and makes me a stronger believer. Here are a couple of my favorite verses:

"Find rest, o my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; my fortress, I will not be shaken." Psalm 62:5-6

"Ah, Lord God; behold You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You." Jeremiah 32:17

"Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are compassionate, generous and righteous. They do not fear bad news. They confidently trust the Lord to care for them." Psalm 112:4, 7

2. In February, the Panda Bear became my new obsession (yeah, right).....lol!

Also, in February, a great friend and wonderful person (and fellow blogger) Janel, a.k.a "Miss Wanderlust" got married to a wonderful man - Adam. It was a beautiful ceremony that my hubby performed and I had the privelege of being one of a few guests. It was great celebrating their marriage again in April, when they got back from their "cruise" wedding celebration.

3. In March, I officially signed on and became a Facebooker....or as some people like to call it an "FB stalker"..... hahaha

4. In April, I reached the 1,000 blogger viewer milestone.....in other words, supposedly 1,000 people have checked out my blog/profile. Or,maybe it's just 2 or 3 people who have hit the site a couple hundred times each, just to make me think I have people looking at my blog!!!

5. In May, was Mac's wedding. The whole family was involved. It was quite fun. We traveled to Council Bluffs, Iowa...(let me just say that there was only 1 restaurant in Council Bluff that had menu's (jk) but it was still fun, even though it was a small town; the wedding was wonderful.Rebekah (our middle daughter) was the maid of honor (in yellow). Mark officiated the wedding. I sang and played the keyboard and Jake was the ring bearer. Quite a family affair.
Some of the cool parts about this wedding were the "worship painting" that an artist was painting during the ceremony while everyone could see it. (An original work of art that came out beautiful). Also, the fact that the best man prayed over the entire wedding party during the ceremony. Also, the purity ring that the bride was able to present to her new husband on their wedding day.....just a fantastic, godly event.

6. In June, I got to go on a little R&R trip to Tarpon Springs, Florida where my good friend and fellow Pastor's wife, Helen, lives. She treats me so well when I am there....pampers me and makes her homemade chocolate chip cookies that are to die for (best I've ever had!) She started her own cookie business....her company name is "Nana's Best Cookies and Cakes." She is a "Nana" just like me....love it!

7. In July, Mark and I celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary. We took the family out to eat. It was great fun. Our girls and grandson are a lot of fun to be around. We laugh our heads off sometimes. That night was one of those times. Here's a pic from the fun celebration.

8. August was my "bloggaversary" and I celebrated with a give-away. I love it when people who have never won anything win - it's so much fun.

9. September brought a trip to Disney World in Florida, with our grandson Jake. I must say that it is so much fun going to Disney World with a 6 year old. He loved it and so did we. The pic at the top of the page was from that trip.

10. October was Mark's 51st birthday and Rebekah's 22nd birthday. It's hard to believe my husband is past 50 and my middle daughter is past 21....yikes....I'm getting old....but, alas, that comment is for December!

11. November is the month for Thanksgiving. That is my favorite holiday. I have sooooo many things to be grateful for. I'm thankful for Jesus and his gift of salvation; for family and friends; and for so many everyday blessings. Thank You, God!

12. Yikes...the month I turned the BIG 5 - 0! Wow, that's hard to write. It was a great month of celebration that started at the end of November with a party of 100 of my closest friends!!! And continued right on to December 17th which is my actual b-day. Of course, my b-day is not the biggest one in December - that honor belongs to my Savior, Jesus, the Christ, who came so many years ago to this earth, lived a sinless life; died on the cross for my sin and rose again to conquer death!

Thank You, Jesus for a great 2009. I look forward to a wonderful 2010. No matter what the year may hold, I know You will be holding me so everything will be alright.

How about you? How has 2009 gone? What are you looking foward to in 2010?

Thanks to all my blog friends for making this a great year!

Merry Christmas to all...

Hope you have a blessed holiday season. I am thankful to have made so many new friends in the "blog world" this year. I pray that each and everyone of you will have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Spiritually Healthy New Year!

Love,

Janet

P.S.......

http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=2110298322006&source=jl999

......and to all a good night!!!

It's Hard to Believe

A half of a century - It's hard to believe I will be 50 years old this month. And, yet, my family just won't let me forget it. They threw me a surprise party. My middle daughter, Rebekah, took charge. She really out-did herself. The whole room (including the guests) were decked out in black and white. Every table had red roses (100 of them in all!!)

Rebekah told Mark and I to wear the outfits she bought/picked out. My hubby said we were going on a special date night. So, off we went all dressed up, only instead of it being just the two of us, it ended up being just the 100 of us. Thanks to everyone who helped us celebrate. Your friendship makes my joy complete.

Love,

Janet

How can it be?

Oh, November, where have you gone? How can your friend December be here already?

Anyone else feel that way?

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

Just wanted to wish you all a very blessed thanksgiving. I think this might be my favorite holiday. There's not as much pressure as the rest....just a time to reflect, and be thankful. Here's my list for which I am grateful....

1. Forgiveness - if it weren't for God's grace and mercy, I'd be in a heap of trouble!
2. God's Word - God has been speaking to me through His word and I love it!
3. Family - I am blessed to have such a great family.
4. Church Family - How wonderful to have such a loving group of friends that are really family.
5. Salvation - Thank You, Jesus!
6. Food, Shelter, Clothing - Don't want to forget these things that a lot of the world doesn't have.
7. Freedom - Thanks to our military. Don't ever want to take them for granted.
8. Hard Times - Yes, I'm even thankful for them because they help me grow.
9. Friends - How rich I am to have such great friends. (Including all of you!)
10. Music - Someone once said: "God gave us music so we could pray without words." I believe it was Martin Luther who once said something like this: "When I can't figure out what to pray....I sing!"

To God be the glory - great things He has done!

This is where I'll be next week....

The church is giving us a trip to an island for Pastor Appreciation Month (which was in Oct. but this was the first availability). Anyway, it is a ministry called "Beside Still Waters" and it is on an island called "Anna Maria." (I've never heard of it, but I cannot wait to go!). Here are a few excerpts from their website:

"Beside Still Waters at Playa Del Sol is a program that recognizes the pressures of being in ministry in this day and age. Our goal is to provide a place of rest and refocus for those in need who are in the service of the Lord. This program is open to experienced pastors, ministers, missionaries, bishops, priests, or rabbis, etc. The Island of Anna Maria, Manatee County, Florida, is located 40 miles south of Tampa and seven miles west of Bradenton. Anna Maria's charm lies in its congenial air of unhurried tropical living. The sunset on Anna Maria Island has a colorful afterglow along the Gulf horizon. The annual average temperature is 74.8 degrees Fahrenheit."

I could put more but I'll stop there. Don't hate me!!!!!!!!! The service is free to full-time ministers and missionaries, however, there was a process we had to go through to be chosen.

I just thank the Lord for blessing us with this and with a church that is such a blessing!!

♪♫I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it!♫♪

There is a free trolly that travels around the island, taking you from place to place....and get this - our condo is only one block from the water!! I don't think I have ever stayed that close to the ocean.

Like I said, I CAN HARDLY WAIT!! Can you tell I'm excited?

In addition to regular church/ministry duties, Mark and I have ministered in something like 12 funerals in the past four months, so we are really looking forward to this R & R. We will be gone Monday through Friday. I'll try to take a few pix and show you when I get back.

Well, I've got to go pack. I'm thinking a few pairs of shorts/shirts & swimsuit and I'm good to go.

Adios, amigos!! Leave me a comment about whether you have ever heard of or been to Holmes Beach, Florida because I think that's the closest town. I've never heard of it. Do you think it's warm there this time of year? There isn't the possibility of a hurricane, is there??????????

It was an incredible time!

Here I am showing everyone how my shoes match my shirt.....didn't know I could bend my leg that far! (I guess all that stretching is paying off! :)

Here we are (with our matching "Women's Ministry" shirts) right before we headed out to Springfield, Illinois on Friday afternoon, Nov. 6, 2009!

Our "Siesta Mama" as she was giving us THE WORD!

Travis - trying a few dance moves? :) He sure can belt out a song...what great pipes!

Here I am with Karla.

Here I am with another sweet sister in Christ, Joyce. (Thanks, Joyce, for the pix.) You can see how full the Convention Center is. It was sold out!! We were on the very top tier. This venue hadn't sold out since an Elton John concert back in the late 90's. (I think we probably had a few more people than Elton John because there were seats all the way up to the stage. It was so crowded. Praise God!

The group pic again. What a blessing each and every woman is to the body of Christ! We had such a great time with God, with each other, and in the Word! Thank you, Jesus, for giving Beth Moore the gifts to know how to dig such deep treasures out of Your word. We learned so much more than I even thought was possible.....had a great date with God! The music/worship was fantastic - as usual! Travis and the worship team are amazing. We got our praise on - that's for sure! We also learned all about John the Baptizer and how he prepared the way for the Lord. I'm preparing my heart for a fresh word from the Lord during this holiday season and in the new year. Are you anticipating a fresh word from the Lord this Advent season? If so, what are you doing to prepare yourself? What word are you hoping to hear?

Can Hardly Wait....

....for this:
This weekend (Nov. 6 & 7), twelve of us ladies from the Women's Ministry at our church will be attending the LPL event in Springfield, Illinois. We can hardly wait. We've been planning this for a long time. It's going to be a great time in the Word, with our wonderful Savior!

I am looking at it like a date with God. I borrowed that concept from a friend and fellow blogger who recently wrote about her date with God at the Deeper Still Event in Orlando. I can hardly wait to see what the Lord has to say to me this weekend. I'm going to be intently listening, hanging on His every word, as if it was a very special date night - because it is - a date with the King of kings and Lord of lords. Whew - that's an incredible concept.

I'm so pumped. I'll be sure to log back on after we get back and tell you all about it. In the meantime, look for ways that you can spend time alone with God on your special "dates" and tell me all about it! :)

It's just not the same!

Is it just me....or have they changed the taste of this all-time favorite classic?????????? It just doesn't taste the same to me as it did when I was a kid. Come to think of it, there are several other nastalgic things from childhood that just don't seem the same in adulthood...and it's a cryin' shame :) Here's my list of things that are just not the same. Add your list in the comments section!

The house I grew up in. (Drove past it a while back & it looks much smaller than I remember) The hill behind my house seemed a lot bigger as a child than it looks like now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Licorice - used to taste better when I was a kid. (As a matter of fact, all the Halloween candy tasted better when I was a kid!)

Thank goodness they haven't changed the taste of Snickers Candy Bars! Hallelujah!! lol

Okay, now it's your turn.....go!

Twenty Questions

I saw this questionnaire on http://www.babybangs.blogspot.com/ the other day and thought it would be fun.

1. What is your favorite thing to snack on while blogging?
What else? Chocolate is ALWAYS my favorite thing to snack on!

2. What is one thing you wouldn't want to live without?
My unspiritual answer would be COFFEE! (Of course, these days I'm drinking decaf. I love the taste of coffee!)

3. Beach, Mountains, or Farm?
Definitely BEACH!

4. What's your least favorite chore/household duty?
I HATE them all! But I guess I would have to say bathroom toilets!

5. Who do people say you remind them of?
A couple of people have said Sandra Bullock, but most people say my sisters/mom.

6. Prefer parties and socializing or staying home with the fam?
What can I say? I'm a party girl, although lately, I've been liking staying at home!

7. What's your all time favorite movie?
Probably either Anne of Greene Gables or Elf.

8. Do you sleep in your make-up or remove it like a good little girl every night?
I am way too tired at night to remove any makeup.

9. Do you have a hidden talent or a deep desire to learn something that you've never had a chance to learn? What is it?
Deep Desire: Ballroom Dancing or even Disco Dancing or Hip-Hop

10. What's one strange thing you're really good at?
Playing the nose flute!

11. What first attracted you to your spouse?
His good looks and sense of humor!

12. What is something you love to smell?
COFFEE & CHOCOLATE - what else is there? (Actually, I also like the smell of baking bread and cinammon. Come to think of it, I also like roses - who knew?)

13. Tell something about you that you know irritates people.
I talk a lot and I'm quite dramatic. Also, I can be passive/aggressive and sometimes OCD.

14. When you have extra money, what's the first thing you think to do with it?
Do something that I usually feel guilty spending money on - like eyebrow waxing, or hair coloring or nail polishing.

15. Are you a silent laugher or a loud laugher?
Nothing I do is silent, so I'll let you guess the answer to that.

16. Where is your favorite place to shop?
Goodwill or some kind of re-sell it shop or consignment shop.

17. What's one thing you'd do more often if you had more time?
Read more. I love books!

18. Are you a big spender or frugal?
My family would say I'm frugal. Can I help it I just don't like going to the grocery store or places like that?

19. Who is your favorite character of all time?
"The Little Mermaid." (What a great voce!)

20. Would you want to be famous?
I would not want to be famous because it seems like you would be hounded by other people and not be able to go out in public and be yourself.

Okay, now that I've taken the challenge, leave me a comment with your answers to some of these questions!

Just checkin' in

Don't you just LOVE this cooler, fall weather!! What kinds of things/events do you have coming up? Do you have any "outdoor" plans? We roasted marshmallows the other night outside with some of our neighbors. It was such great fun! What about you? What kinds of things do you like to do outdoors in the fall?

Our family likes sports! It's so much fun to sit outside on a cool evening, huddled together under a blanket, to watch a football game.

Have a blessed weekend and a blessed autumn season!

My middle baby is 22........

Rebekah, our middle daughter, just turned 22. In this pic, she is the one on the far right. She is all grown up and I don't know where the time has gone! I'm so proud of her and what a godly young woman she has grown up to be. I'm so happy to be her mother!

I can't believe I'm old enough to have an almost 24 year old, a 22 year old, & an almost 15 year old! Yikes....I really am old!! Boo hoo! JK :) lol

(I really am going to feel old when my baby turns 15 next month and gets her driver's permit!)

It's beginning to look at lot like.....

......FALL!!!!!!!!

Gotta love it - autumn is here!! Here are my top 10 reasons why I like this season. Please list your reasons in the comments section.

1. Caramel Apples

2. Cooler weather

3. Football

4. Colorful leaves

5. Everything Pumpkin - including Pumpkin muffins~

6. Pink Ribbon Bagels from Bread Co.

7. Hot Apple Cider

8. Fires in the fireplace

9. S'mores

10. Candy Corn

And my most favorite holiday of all -THANKSGIVING!!

Ok, so now's your opportunity. Tell me what you like about fall - GO!

FOUR-BY-FOUR

Answer the following four questions in the comment section, so I can get to know you better. Here are my answers to the Four-by-Four questions:

Four places you go to regularly: Church, Work (which is also church), Sarah's sports games, taking Sarah places like to school (just gotta love being a taxi-driver to a 14 year old! :)

Four favorite smells: Coffee, Chocolate, Bread that is baking, Cinnamon

Four favorite foods: Coffee, Chocolate, Donuts, Freshly baked bread or rolls like Cinnamon rolls
(and in the fall I love Caramel Apples! :)

Four favorite pasttimes: Reading, Music, Bible Study, Being with family, church family & friends

We are sisters.....

....in the Lord.

As many of you know, we are participating in one of our Bible Study Sister's funeral tomorrow. After many years of battling cancer, Brenda finally went home to be with her Savior, Jesus. Even though we are sad, we are rejoicing because what we only know in part, she now knows in full. Praise You, Jesus. Thank You for the gift of eternal life.

Those who are available are going to be paying tribute to her tomorrow by singing together "We are sisters, in the Lord," while we show a slide show of all the Beth Moore and other Bible studies and retreats we have done together.

Please pray for the family for comfort and strength at this time. Brenda will be missed!

What inspires you?

I love the lighting and the water in this painting.....so inspirational!

God is the Best Physician

I had been dealing with some health issues during the months of July and August. I went to the doctor. He ran all kinds of tests and hasn't been able to find anything. I've been praying and praising God for being my Great Physician and Shepherd. I've just been dwelling on His goodness to me. Well, much to my surprise, as quickly as the symptoms came on, they have apparently left. The only thing I can say is "God has healed me". I went from having a "spell" about every other day, to not having any symptoms in about 10 days now. Praise the Lord! He is good. He sent forth His word and healed me! (Psalm 107)

I've been memorizing scripture and doing a lot of praising God - in the good times and in the bad times. I can tell you one thing for sure. Phil. 4:6-7 is true: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God and the peace that passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

It's so true. There isn't any explanation for why my "episodes" are gone, except for the peace that passes all understanding.

Next time you are anxious about something, say scripture over and over to yourself and see if it helps! Anybody else find that to be true?

Best Time Ever....

We had the best time we have ever had in Florida. Everything went great. We were so thrilled to see things through the eyes of an almost 6 year old. He was in awe the whole time.....everything from Disney World to seeing the ocean up close to enjoying time at the pool, to feeding the aligator, to celebrating his birthday a few days early, and all things in between. Our time flew by so fast.

Thank You, Lord, for such a great time! And thanks to everyone who wished us well, gave us great advice and prayed for us!!

Headed to the Sunshine State!

Today we leave for Florida. Yippeeeeeeee!!!!!! We are hoping for a little R&R. Can hardly wait!
First we are going to Orlando and then to Tampa.

We are surprising our grandson, Jake, by taking him to Disney for his 6th birthday. Hopefully we will have some good pics to share.

"See" you in a week or so!

Giveaway by a Fellow Blogger!

Attention Fellow Bloggers -
If you would like an opportunity to perhaps win a quilt made by one of my BFF's "Miss Wanderlust" just go to her site at http://www.twocrazykidsinlove.blogspot.com/.

She is quite the quilter queen and I thought you might like to know about her. She is an elementary art teacher extraordinare!! I was just over at one of her pupil's house and when I mentioned her art teacher she went to her room and brought out all of her wonderful art masterpieces that were created in Janel's classroom. Janel is so super creative and generous. She is going to make a quilt from the above materials (I LOVE these colors). And then she is going to draw one name as a winner. You can find out how to register for the drawing by going to her blog at http://www.twocrazykidsinlove.blogspot.com/.

Best wishes to all my friends.....(but, I hope I win!!! :)

Desires of the Heart

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Ps. 37:4

The ladies at church went to a Beth Moore simulcast conference yesterday and Friday night. It was awesome. Beth taught on Psalm 37 and the key verse was 4. I'm going to memorize it. It holds such meaning for me now.

When you see a baby's first smile, it brings such joy to your life. When you hear a baby's first laugh, you receive such delight. I want the Lord to feel that way about me. I want to bring Him joy and delight, because He brings me such joy and delight!

Beth challenged us to look beyond the desires of our heart to the heart of our desires. She said: "When it's all said and done, we do what we really want to do." She's right. So, my desire is to want to delight myself in the Lord more than any thing else. I want my desires to be His desires. I want His desires to be my desires.

The Lord has delighted me in so many ways, lately. Through friends and family, He has shown His love and care. I feel so blessed. I'm amazed at how wonderful He is to us.

How about you? How has God delighted in you, lately? Or, how have you delighted in God, lately? Let me hear from you.

Thanks!

A Follow up

A friend sent me this and I liked it so much I thought I would pass it along to all my blog friends!

May God bless you richly for how special and loved you make me feel.

"People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But, people will NEVER forget how you made them feel."

Minds in love think alike!

Today, I was running an errand and when I was at the gas station I spotted a treat that I knew my hubbie would love. (I like them, too ;) So, I bought them and brought them home. I was so proud of myself for thinking of him (and for not eating them before I got home! :)

Well, after I got home I said: "Honey, I have a surprise for you." He said: "I have one for you, too!" He had bought me something and he was hiding it in the bedroom. So, he went back to the bedroom and came out with this:
Can you believe it? Do great minds think alike or what? We both got a laugh. I guess that's what you get after being married for 29 years. Who would have thought.....all this just because two young college kids fell in love!! ♥

Heavy Duty Quote....

After that last post with the heavy duty quoting from Timothy Keller's book, I thought I would switch to a different style. Here's some classic quotes from a deep philosopher :) See if you can figure out the author:

"On the mic I am a queen so listen to me sing...he wants a number 3 supersized with onion rings.......
Are you getting loud with me? Do not get loud with me..........
Welcome to king burger where you can have it your way, but don't get crazy."

Guess who this famous quote is from........

"The Prodigal God"

I'm reading this book by Timothy Keller. It's very eye-opening....and sometimes convicting! In his book, Keller describes God's love as being radical. There are so many great quotes in this book. I will highlight a few of them for you.

"One of the signs that you may not grasp the unique, radical nature of the gospel is that you are certain that you do."

"God's reckless grace is our greatest hope, a life-changing experience, and the subject of this book."

And those two quotes are just in the introduction!! Here's some more:

Keller says that a lot of us fall into either the "younger brother" syndrome or the "older brother" syndrome. He describes the two sons in Luke 15 as both being prodigals. He shows us how we sometimes fall into playing the role of either one or the other of these two kinds of persons.

"Jesus's purpose is not to warm our hearts but to shatter our categories."

"Because sin is not just breaking the rules, it is putting yourself in the place of God....there are two ways to be your own Savior....one is by breaking the rules, the other is by keeping all the moral laws and being very, very good."

The next part really got to me. He was talking about the older brother who wouldn't seem to forgive his younger brother. The older brother acted like he never did anything wrong (he acted kind of self-righteous). Then Tim Keller said this:

"It is impossible to forgive someone if you feel superior to him or her."

I'm only about two thirds of the way through this book, but you might want to check it out for yourself. It's definitely enlightening.

"Lord, please help me to love others with the radical kind of love you have shown me!"

Blogaversary!

I just passed my One Year Anniversary of blogging. I thought I would do a give-away. Please leave me a comment and you will be entered in the drawing for a give-away. Help me celebrate my one year of blogging! Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!

29 years....

Mark and I just celebrated 29 years of marriage. We took the whole family out to dinner......What fun!

On July 25, 1980, who would have thought we would have ended up 29 years later with 3 daughters and a grandson.

I remember our wedding day like it was yesterday. It was a very hot day! We took a few pics outside and then had to go back indoors before all my makeup melted off!! I remember my hair looking limp by the end of the day. All in all, though, most things went well (even though the ring bearer wouldn't go down the aisle. That ring bearer is now in his 30's and is a Marine in the United States Armed Forces.)

Twenty nine years and still going strong. Makes me wonder what the next 29 years will hold?

A "good" tired....

....VBS is finished and I'm exhausted - but it's a good tired!!!

This past week was very exhausting and very rewarding all at the same time. Seven children made decisions for Christ (woohoo!) and we had the best attended and largest family night ever. (Who knew it was going to be a "cold" night in July when we rented out the Water Park!! :/

I love it when people have fun and learn about God all at the same time. We had a blast at VBS on the Boomerang Express. There were sooooooo many people who helped. Vacation Bible School is not a success without all the terrific volunteers who help with everything from decorating to making snacks, and all the teaching in between.

We have such a variety of talent at church and in our community. It's wonderful how God places people in the body of Christ who fit together so well with all the different talents! As one man put it - "we have everything from scoops to nuts" (I'm definitely one of the nuts! :)

Thanks to everyone who helped the last few weeks.....I really appreciate it! May the Lord richly bless you spiritually for all that you did.

Love,

Janet

♫Oooohhh, I get by with a lotta help from my friends...

What can I say except "A BIG THANK YOU" to my friends Janel and Adam at(http://www.twocrazykidsinlove.blogspot.com/) who are helping me decorate for Vacation Bible School. Janel and Adam are super talented and had a lot of great decorating ideas for VBS.

Without their help, I wouldn't be posting right now because I would be so far behind schedule for VBS. With their help we have decorated half the church and tomorrow we will hopefully finish up or at least come close to finishing up! Woohoo!!

Isn't it great to have friends who will help you? I love how God designed our friends and our church family to work together and use their gifts to serve the Lord Jesus. I thank God for my friends and family and church family!

(P.S....Thanks also goes to my wonderful hubby for helping, as well!!!!!)

Taking a blogging break....

Hey peeps (I've always wanted to say that!) I'm taking a break from blogging for a little while. I've got a lot of things coming up like VBS, that are time consuming, so I won't be posting for a few weeks. Hopefully, I'll see you soon.

In the meantime, "Via Con Dios!"

Headed to Florida

I'll be in Tarpon Springs, Florida for a few days. I can hardly wait. I'm suppose to "get up" in a few hours to head to the airport, but I couldn't sleep, so here I am.....looking forward to some R&R by the pool at my friend, Helen's, house. She is a fellow Pastor's wife who is so kind to invite me down to her place and treat me like a queen for a few days.....I'm so anxious I think I'll just stay up and re-pack my bag....or maybe I should try to get a couple hours of sleep.....nah.....sleep is overrated! In what place do most people die???? BED - that's why I try to spend as little time there as possible. (Who am I kidding....I would love to spend time there... but my almost 50 year old body doesn't like sleep so much these days!)

Anyway, I pray that all three of you who read this blog will have a very blessed week. I, for one, will be having a wonderful time down south. "See" you when I get back.

My grandson....

We took Jake to the SAR Benefit BBQ last Saturday. My friend, "Hiker-Mama" took these pics of him. (Thanks, Sue!)

Jake is just the sweetest thing. Sometimes he will say to me (out of the clear blue): "Nana, I'd like to give you a kiss and a hug." Melts my heart into a puddle on the floor! It's so hard to get onto him for something he's done bad, when he looks at me with those big eyes and LONG eye lashes! He is just so stinkin' cute!! (I am totally aware that the "cuteness factor" can and is used as manipulation - and, might I add, it sometimes works!! lol :)

When I think of how much I love him, I thank the Lord for loving us even more than that. "Father: Thank You for loving us with an everlasting love. Thank You for our children and grandchildren. I pray that they will grow into Godly men and women! In Jesus Name, Amen."

One hot blog!

My friend, Janel, (a.k.a. "Miss Wanderlust") has a great blog. She is sooooooooo creative. There is so much artistic talent in her it is almost intimidating. Her blog title is "Run With Scissors" - don't you just love that!!

If you want to check out her blog, just click: http://www.twocrazykidsinlove.blogspot.com/.

Like I said, she is amazing. Right now she is doing a giveaway so you will want to "wander" on over to her blog and check it out! It will inspire you!!!

I kid you not....

My friend, "Hiker-mama," got me the most unusual, creative, thoughtful gift a person has ever given me.........it's a journal made out of Panda Poo!!!!!!!! I'm not kidding!! I'm telling you the truth. You know how much I LOVE PANDA BEARS!!! Don't even get me started!!

I'm going to type what the info card that was enclosed with the journal states. Here it is (the comments in paranthesis are mine):

"Fun, Natural Paper products made from Panda Poo Poo! Believe it or not, what you are looking at is a totally unique (you can say that again!) gift made from odorless (whew, that's a good thing) and naturally recycled panda poo poo!!! You see, the Giant Pandas come from China (at HUGE expense!) and they eat lots of bamboo so their poo poo is great material to make paper from (I'm not making this up!). We collect the poo, rinse it, clean it (that's a relief!) and mix it into a pulp (GROSS!) and make large sheets of paper which we use to craft these incredibly unique gift items ("incredibly unique" is a little bit of an understatement!) To be exact, the entire exterior of this item, including the cover and insert pages, are made from panda poo paper. (I'm getting kind of queasy just holding this paper and journal in my hands.) The smooth pages have some natural mulberry and pineapple fibers mixed in with the poop as well, which results in smoother pages for writing (that's hilarious). Pandas, as most people know (of course most people know) are endangered and there are literally only a couple thousand remaining in the wild (is THAT ALL?). Recently, there is a renewed hope (NO, you're kidding) for the long term survival of the Great Giant Panda's, with significant improvements in the rate of success of captive breeding programs (I bet!) in both the USA and of course, China (of course!).

Ya'll this just kills me....I mean I am rolling on the floor laughing...

I have to thank my friend for such a wonderful gift. If you think I'm lying about all of this, just go to their website: The Great Elephant Poo Poo Paper Company. (I guess they make things out of elephant poo, too! LOL)

If seeing is believing, you should ask me to show you this journal. Right now I have it in my office. I'm trying to decide just exactly what words would be worthy of the honor of writing on this paper.....if you have any suggestions, please do tell!!

And the two shall become one....

McKayla & Brian's wedding last weekend. It was gorgeous. Beautiful scenery....even more.... beautiful people!

The Happy Couple!

Why is Rebekah holding the Bride's Bouquet? I guess she is hoping it will bring her some good fortune, since she didn't catch the bridal bouquet when it was thrown! I love Jennilee's expression on her face! Is she kissing??

Almost our whole family was in this wedding. Mark officiated. Rebekah was the Maid of Honor. Jake was the Ring Bearer and I played the keyboard and sang....what fun!

My favorite part of this wedding was when the groom replaced the bride's "purity" ring with the wedding ring. Mac has had that ring since she was about 13 years old, and she presented it to her future husband as part of the wedding ceremony. How beautiful....to save yourselves for your wedding day.....just as God has intended.

I pray for this couple and all our newly married couples, that they will seek the Lord in their marriage. A chord of three strands is not easily broken. The husband is one strand. The wife is another strand; and the Lord is the third strand!! Couples - please commit your marriage to the Lord - with Him, the chord is not easily broken.

I close with some of the words to the song at the wedding: "Love is Not A Fight" (by Warren Barfield.)

Love is a shelter in a raging storm.

Love is peace in the middle of a war.

And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door.

No, love is not a fight....but it's something worth fighting for!

This is how I choose to feel today....

I "borrowed" this from Janel's blog....love it!

"Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World"

I'm reading this book by Joanna Weaver. It is very enlightening; shedding some much needed light on my ever wandering heart.

In our Women's Bible Study class at church, ("Me, Myself & Lies") we've been discussing the destructive self-talk we, as women, have a tendency to engage in. Well, this new book I'm reading is also talking about similar things. (Is somebody trying to tell me something?)

Anyway, here are a few nuggets I've gleaned from this book so far (I'm only on Chapter 5!):

"We cannot underestimate the effects of what we think about. Garbage in...garbage out. Out of the abundance of our hearts, our mouths speak...our minds churn....our lust burns....our lives overturn."

Instead, we need to think on Phil. 4:8 things....like excellence, truth, purity and righteousness.

"But How?"

I'm glad you asked!

We need a NEW MIND!! (a B-R-A-I-N double wash - to borrow a phrase from a Nicole C. Mullen's song). Scripture memorization is one way we get that new mind.

Here's another way we get it - by "taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ." (II Cor. 10:5).

Joanna Weaver puts it something like this, on page 44 of "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World": "Instead of being led away by fear or an anxious thought, I took a second look at each thought as it came. Many were incognito, disguised to look like ordinary emotions. But instead of entertaining them, I handcuffed the intruding thoughts and took them to Jesus. Together we interrogated them, asking these two questions:

1. Where did you come from? (What is the source - it is real or imagined?)
2. Where are you going? (Will this thought draw me closer to God or farther away?)

If I didn't like the answers to the two questions, then I took the problem to Jesus and turned them over to His custody."

When Jesus said to Mary's sister...."Martha, Martha....you are worried and anxious about many things..." He was speaking to me as well as to that lovely, hospitable lady of Bethany.

He says to each one of us: "Come, My love, sit at My feet and chase fear, anxiety and worry out the door! Come find everything you've ever longed for. Come find a love so perfect that it covers all your faults and pronounces you 'not guilty.' Come find peace for your soul."

I can just hear him now....."Janet, Janet....."

Is He calling your name, too?

Let's trade our "many things" that make us anxious, for His "one thing" that calms our hearts and fears.....HIMSELF......The Prince of Peace.

Please come with me.......to take our concerns to Him!

Happy Mother's Day

Just sending all you moms out there this rose to wish you a HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

Love to each and every one of you.

"The King is enthralled by your beauty...." (Ps. 45:11)

"Just Follow Your Heart"....

How many times have our feelings about something been wrong? I know mine have. If I let my feelings lead me into something, it can get me into trouble. Jeremiah 17:9 says "the heart is deceitful above all things." Why, then, do we give people the advice: "follow your heart!" Whew --- according to the Bible, that can be some pretty risky advice.

Feelings can be unreliable. Truth is more reliable. Truth is what I want to base my actions on - not feelings. Don't get me wrong - feelings can be good. Feelings are important. Feelings can even be accurate. BUT, feelings need to concur with the truth in order for them to be worthy of our actions.

I know this is easier said than done - believe me - I know (since we are such emotional beings)! I'm continually working on this. I want to have healthy responses to situations. Here's an acrostic I learned a long time ago that has helped me.

T - Trigger
R - Response
U - Unhealthy or
T - Truthful
H - Healthy

When a "Trigger" event happens (that is something that causes you to feel sad or angry or lonely or any kind of negative emotion), try responding with a healthy "Response" - not an "Unhealthy" one. Remind yourself of the "Truthfulness" of the situation and respond with a "Healthy" attitude. Tell yourself that no one can make you angry.....it's your choice.

So, the next time you are feeling mad or anxious or down, remember to check your feelings with the truth of the situation and make sure they line up. Otherwise, remind yourself that feelings come and go, but truth is reliable. Feelings should serve to strenghthen us, not deplete us!!

"Let the words of my mouth....

....and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength & my redeemer." Psalm 19:14

This is the verse we are memorizing in our new Women's Bible Study at Dorsett Village Church.

The title of the study is: "Me, Myself and Lies." We need to be careful how we talk to ourselves and to others. Let's face it - our words are powerful. They can cause harm or good. They can be a blessing or a curse. Let's choose blessing - not only the words we say to others, but also the words we say to OURSELVES.

Let's use our mouths for good today. Are you with me?

1,000th Customer Give-A-Way!!

Woohoo.....I love all my on-line friends! I just got my 1,000th hit on my profile and I'm going to celebrate this momentous occasion by giving away a prize to one of you on-line friends out there. Soooooooo, here's what I'd like you to do. All those who leave a comment on this post by Tuesday evening are going to get their names put into a hat and I'm going to have a drawing for a winner!!! Yipppppeeeeee!!!! I'm so excited....and I just can't hide it!!!!!!! So, join in on the fun. Leave me a comment and you will be entered into the drawing for the free prize give-away!

Five Things I'm Thankful For.....

The Ocean - One of God's wondrous creations!

God - and His protective hand!

Friends!

Sisters - what fun!! (The biological kind and the Girlfriend kind!!)

Bible Study - this picture was taken at the bible study on the book of Esther. I LOVE Bible Study!