Serendipity Epiphanies

Top 10 Personal Play List

2012-02-07T13:18:00.000-08:00

Here's what I am listening to right now.....

10. Hold Me Together - Royal Tailor

9. Stronger - Mandisa

8. Happy - Ayiesha Woods

7. Son of God - Starfield

6. Just Let Me Cry - Hilary Weeks

5. Motion of Mercy - Francesca Battistelli

4. Like My Mother Does - Lauren Alaina

3. If I Only Had Today - Hilary Weeks

2. Keep Changing the World - Mike's Chair

And the # 1 song on my playlist right now:

1. MOVE - MercyMe

What about you? What are you listening to these days?

AND THE WINNER IS>>>>>>>>>>

2012-01-24T12:57:00.000-08:00

B - O - T - H of Y - O - U!!!!!!!!!

Amanda and Tiffany - you are both winners....look for a card in the mail real soon, and thanks for being such good blogger friends!

I'm Having A Give-Away!!

2012-01-17T08:06:00.000-08:00

One of my passions is music, so I thought I would give away an i-tunes gift card to one of my fellow bloggers. Just leave me a comment and I will enter your name in the random drawing. I will draw the name on Monday, Jan. 23, so leave me a comment before that date. In your comment, tell me one of your passions in life.

Have a blessed week everybody!

What Are You Reading?

2012-01-09T10:48:00.001-08:00

This is what I am reading right now. It's by Laura Hillenbrand. She is the author of "Seabiscuit" - which is another good read. I'm about half way through. It's the story of Louie Zampirini. He was an olympic track and field hopeful but then was sent off to fight in WWII. I haven't finished it yet, but it's pretty good so far.

In your opinion, what's a good read?

A Borrowed Prayer

2012-01-02T09:13:00.000-08:00

Dear God,
Please untie the knots that are in my mind, my heart, and my life.
Remove the have nots, cannots, and do nots.
Erase the will nots, may nots, and might nots that may find a home in my heart.
Release me from the could nots, would nots, and should nots that obstruct my life...and most of all, Dear God, I ask that you remove from my mind, my heart, and my life all of the “am nots.” that I have allowed to hold me back.
Amen
- Unknown

A Letter to Father Time

2012-01-01T12:14:00.001-08:00

Why are you moving so fast? 2012? Are you kidding me? It seems like just yesterday I was rocking babies and kissing boo boo's. And now my "babies" are 26, 24 and 17? And I'm a grandmother?? When did that happen??

Please slow down!! There are a few things I still have left to do:

There's a song in my heart I have yet to sing.

There's an especially kind word I have yet to utter.

There's a warm embrace I have yet to deliver.

There's a laugh in my belly that has yet to escape.

There's a dream in my life that has yet to become a reality.

Sincerely,

A woman who doesn't want to take you for granted!

Let the Countdown to Christmas Begin!

2011-11-30T08:37:00.000-08:00

★ ° . .　　　　.　☾ °☆ 　. * ● ¸ .　　　★　° :.　 . • ○ ° ★　 .　 *　.　　　　　　. 　 ° 　. ● .　　　　° ☾ °☆ 　¸. ● .　　★　　★ ° ☾ ☆ ¸. ¸ 　★　 :.　 . • ○ ° ★　 .　 *　.　.　　¸ .　　 ° 　¸. * ● ¸ .　　　　° ☾ ° 　¸. ● ¸ .　　★　° :.　 . • ° 　 .　 *　:.　.　¸ . ● ¸ 　　　★　　★☾ °★ . 　　　　.　 °☆ 　. ● ¸ .　　　★　° .　 • ○ ° ★　 .　　　　　　　*　.　 ☾ ° 　¸. * ● ¸ 　　　　° ☾ °☆ 　. * ¸.　　　★　　★ ° . .　　　　.　☾ °☆ 　. * ● ¸ .　　　★° :.　 . • ○ ° ★　 .　 *　.　　　　　　. 　 ° 　. ● .　　　　° ☾ °☆ 　¸. ● .　　★　　★ ° ☾ ☆ ¸. ¸ 　★　 :.　 . • ○ ° ★　 .　 *　.　.　　¸ .　　 ° 　¸. * ● ¸ .　　　　° ☾ ° 　¸. ● ¸ .　　★　° :.　 . • ° ★ ° . .　　　　.　☾ °☆ 　. * ● ¸ .　　　★　° :.　 . • ○ ° ★　 .　 *　.　　　　　　. 　 ° 　. ● .　　　　° ☾ °☆ 　¸. ● .　　★　　★ ° ☾ ☆ ¸. ¸ 　★　 :.　 . • ○ ° ★　 .　 *　.　.　　¸ .　　 ° 　¸. * ● ¸ .　　　　° ☾ ° 　¸. ● ¸ .　　★　° :.　 . • ° 　 .　 *　:.　.　¸ . ● ¸ 　　　★　　★☾ °★ . 　　　　.　 °☆ 　. ● ¸ .　　　★　° .　 • ○ ° ★　 .　　　　　　　*　.　 ☾ ° 　¸. * ● ¸ 　　　　° ☾ °☆ 　. * ¸.　　　★　 ° . .　　　　.　☾ °☆ 　. * ● ¸ .　　　★° :.　 . • ○ ° ★　 .　 *　.　　　　　　. 　 ° 　. ● .　　　　° ☾ °☆ 　¸. ● .　　★　　★ ° ☾ ☆ ¸. ¸ 　★　 :.　 . • ○ ° ★　 .　 *　.　.　　¸ .　　 ° 　¸. * ● ¸ .　　　　° ☾ ° 　¸. ● ¸ .　　★　° :.　 . • °

You've just been sprinkled with blessings of love, joy, peace and happiness.....now go forth and sprinkle other people, too! :)

Blessings!

2011-11-25T09:43:00.000-08:00

You, my blogger friends, bring color to my life, much like the colors of autumn. I love reading all of your blogs....you are so creative, talented and generous. What a great group of friends you are. I can say that I have been blessed this year by all the joy and enrichment you have brought to my life. Blessings to you as we approach the end of 2011 and the beginning of a new year!

I Love Fall.....

2011-09-19T13:35:00.000-07:00

Autumn is in the air today - it's cooler and just has that feeling of fall. (Of course, I heard on the weather that this week is supposed to get hot again - like summer temps!)

There's something about autumn that is special. It's my favorite time of the year. Here are my top 10 reasons why I like this time of the year:

10. Leaves start changing colors
9. Football
8. Bonfires
7. SMORES - oh, yeah!
6. Pumpkin spice candles
5. Hot spiced cider - yum....
4. Carmel Apples!
3. Candy Corn (have you ever mixed it with peanuts? It tastes like a payday candy bar)
2. Cooler Weather! (some good news to this hot-flashing grandma!)

And the Number 1 reason why I like fall?

1. Don't have to shave your legs as often because of not wearing shorts!

Lol - what is your favorite part of this season?

Where did it go?

2011-08-30T01:49:00.000-07:00

The time flew by.....my trip to Utah went so fast! I'm awake at 3:00 a.m. just thinking about the great time I had. I had the privelege of meeting some new friends, renewing some old friendships and going on some adventures! I got to meet fellow blogger and new found friend, Tiff, in Salt Lake City....that was fun! Thanks, Tiffany, for spending some time with me - having lunch, talking and getting to see you - SWWEEEET! (Thanks, Tiff, for taking this picture...can't believe your phone can take that good of a pic.) (P.S...I'm praying your hand heals quickly~!)

I also got to go on a spiritual retreat - just me and God - at the Beth Moore conference in Salt Lake City this past weekend. Wow - what a powerful experience. I am grateful to Jesus for spending time with me and helping me to grow spiritually!

I got to meet up with some old friends who have moved to Utah. What a blessing to see Willie and Shannon and the girls again. Thanks to the Hoffmann family for sharing some time and great fellowship with me. Keep up the good work you are doing. I am praying for you!

I had never been to Utah. It was wonderful. The mountains are beautiful. I came back feeling so refreshed and ready to head into fall.

Can't believe the summer flew by so fast. Where did the time go?

What about you? What fun things have you done this summer?

Happy Summer!

2011-06-02T14:34:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time of the year where things get really busy for me! I'm in charge of several major events in the summer including Vacation Bible School, so I might not have a lot of time to post in the next couple of months. Right now, my family is on vacation. When we get back from vacation, it will be time to gear up for all the summer activities.

Hope you all have a fantastic summer. What are your summer plans? Mine includes several short trips. Do you have any travel plans? Do tell!

Take a Lesson from the Animals

2011-05-26T11:04:00.000-07:00

(Cody with Rebekah)

I've decided that animals are more tuned in to the weather than the forecasters are. Every time the weather forecasters tells us we are in for the "Big Storm" it never seems to materialize. However, every time our dog or the neighbor's dog or stray pets or other animals seem "skiddish" that's when it seems like we are going to have really bad weather. So, from now on, I'm taking my cues from this guy! :)

What is going on?

2011-05-25T15:48:00.001-07:00

We are under another tornado warning here in St. Louis. The sirens have gone off several times this afternoon. I've been in the basement the last couple of hours, but it looks like the worst has passed so I ventured upstairs to get on FB and check my e-mail and blog. Hope everyone is okay. Will check back in later. Stay safe!

A Prayer for the People of Joplin

2011-05-24T10:06:00.000-07:00

Lord,
I ask you to please be near to the ones who have lost everything in Joplin, Missouri. Bring them help. Give strength to those who are helping the ones who have lost so much. Please give your peace and comfort to those who have lost loved ones. Restore their hope, Lord and restore their city. We know what it feels like, but theirs was much worse, Lord, so give them all the courage, help and strength that they need to rebuild. Let us know what we can do to help.
In Jesus Name,
Amen

Score!

2011-05-08T19:53:00.000-07:00

Look what I got for Mother's Day! Woohoo~

Motherhood=Challenging; Grandmotherhood=Rewarding!

2011-05-05T19:19:00.000-07:00

Being a mother is the hardest thing I have ever done. I wish I was as good at it as my mother. This time around (with the grandmothering thing) I'm trying to fix all the mistakes I made the first time around (with the parenting thing). One thing I've learned is to stop and take more time with the kids. The dishes, laundry, housecleaning, paying bills, and all other "important" stuff can wait!

I'm going to enjoy this Mother's Day. Hopefully, we will just relax and take it easy. Maybe we will all watch a Hallmark movie together, or maybe just swing and tell stories. Whatever it will be, I'm going to just slow down and enjoy it. Who cares if the house is a mess, right? :)

What is your favorite memory of your childhood days? Do tell....

Praying for the South!

2011-04-29T09:30:00.000-07:00

We are praying for all those affected by the tornados in the south. Our hearts go out to them, since we just experienced a tornado ourselves in St. Louis. However, the destruction I've seen from the pix in Alabama are much worse than we had here in St. Louis. We are praying and thinking of all our friends in the south. We are also remembering the loved ones of all those who lost their lives. May God send forth his comfort & peace and wrap His loving presence around those who are grieving.

A Little Clone.....

2011-04-28T09:28:00.000-07:00

She loves coffee and chocolate (yes, even at 15 months, she is already like her Nana!). Honestly, I don't know how it happened. One day I was drinking coffee and she was "begging" for some. Well, I waited until it cooled down and then let her sip it (thinking she wouldn't like it). Well, she loves it. And, on top of that, she "cries" for chocolate all the time. Believe me, I know what the "cry" for chocolate sounds like! :) I try not to give her too much but I figure a little chocolate never hurt anyone! :):):)

Good Friday Tornado

2011-04-25T15:18:00.000-07:00

On the evening of Good Friday, a tornado ripped through St. Louis making debris of many neighborhoods including some in the Maryland Heights area. Our house was not affected but many others were.

Thankfully, no one was killed and there weren't any serious injuries! Our church has been feeding people in the neighborhood and will continue to do so for the next couple of days.

Thanks to all the volunteers who have help to make hundreds of sandwiches and deliver them to the people who were hit the hardest in this storm. It's great to live in a community where everyone is willing to chip in and lend a helping hand!!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

JESUS LIVES!!

May God bless each of you with an abundance of joy and peace this Easter season!!!

Spring is Here!

2011-04-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

I love spring. With it comes the feeling of hope renewed. When the grass starts to turn green again, the birds start to chirp and the flowers start to bloom, there's something that stirs hope in the human soul. That reminds me of Emily Dickinson's poem: "Hope". "Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tune without the words, And never stops at all. And sweetest in the gale is heard And sore must be the storm That could abash the little bird That kept so many warm. I've heard it in the chillest land And on the strangest sea Yet, never in extremity, It asked a crumb of me." What is your favorite part about spring?

New Year's Revolution Update

2011-04-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's already April 9! Where has time gone - it's flown by!! Anyway, here is an update of my New Year's Revolution! - 1) I'm on track to read the Bible through this year. Right now I'm in the book of II Kings. 2) I recently went on a "mini" mission trip. It was so cool. It was to an organiztion called: "Love Packages," in Butler, Illinois. They take used literature and ship it overseas. Last year they shipped tons of Bibles and other Christian literature to countries who otherwise couldn't afford it. I helped to separate and pack the materials into boxes. It was fun and rewarding and exciting to hear the stories of testimonies from people in other countries who had received some of the previously shipped literature. 3) I've been sharing myself more freely with others. I'm on a mission to be more vulnerable and truthful with other people. It gives me and them permission to let our guards down. It helps us all! 4) Along with being more vulnerable, I've been attempting to be more generous. I have been trying to give more things and money away, which just comes back in multitude of blessings. 5) I'm trying to pray for each country, one nation at a time. Lately I've been focusing on Japan. They really need our prayers. My heart goes out to the people of that country. We have some friends who have been e-mailing us. Some of the stress they are undergoing is so heartbreaking. But, they are hanging in there. They are very kind people. I'm learning to open my heart and life to others. Well, as much as I would like to keep writing on here (I've got some more things to say but that will have to wait for another post.) I'm struggling with getting everything done (like my taxes! ugh!) so I better get off here and get busy!! Goodbye for now!!!

Praying.....

2011-03-15T14:05:00.001-07:00

My heart goes out to the people of Japan. I can't wrap my mind around what they are going through, but I can give and I can pray. Please join me in praying that the love of God will be shown to these people in their time of need.
Mark and I have some friends in one of the cities that was touched by the earthquake. Their names are Toshi & Kumiko Sakamoto. We are praying for them and their children/family. We've tried to e-mail them, but, so far - no response.
I'm sure the people of Japan are overwhelmed. I'm praying that God will wrap His arms around them and give them the strength they need.

One Mom's Imagination!

2011-03-06T16:54:00.000-08:00

This little girl’s mother is a computer specialist from Helsinki , Finland ...
While her daughter is asleep, she creates a completely different scene from whatever she can find around her house! The little girl is laying on the carpet sound asleep while her Mom creates a scene all around her. I could totally see some of you (my fellow bloggers/photographer friends) coming up with some of these. What truly fabulous imaginations!

I love the bookworm and the butterfly (also Mary Poppins and Little Red Riding Hood)! What about you? What's your favorite?

It's MARCH, and you know what that means?????

2011-03-01T08:27:00.001-08:00

MARCH MADNESS!!!

Oh, yeah, baby!!

Who's your favorite team?

Best ___________ Ever!

2011-02-21T09:42:00.000-08:00

I "borrowed" this post from another blog. Thought it would be fun to hear your best (fill-in-the-blank) ever. It can be anything. Here's mine. Let me know what yours is.

Best Brownie Ever - Ghirardelli's Ultimate Fudge Brownie (You can buy the mix at the grocery store.) It is unbelievable. It will change your life!!! :)

Your Divine Valentine

2011-02-14T03:24:00.000-08:00

A valentine may play a love song for you, but God sings the sweetest love song over you: "The Lord Your God.....will rejoice over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17)

A valentine might give you flowers, but God sent you the most beautiful rose of all: Jesus! "I am the Rose of Sharon....." (Song of Solomon 2:1)

A valentine might bring you chocolate, but God provides something even sweeter - His word! "How sweet are your words to my taste...." (Psalm 119:103)

A valentine might love you for a lifetime, but God loved you even before you were born. "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love...." (Jeremiah 31:3)

Praying you are blessed by the wonderful love of God this Valentine's Day and always!

2011-02-12T07:33:00.000-08:00

I want to wish all my friends a Happy Valentine's Day! Instead of following our heart (which can be wishy-washy :), I pray that we will lead our heart this year. Blessings to all of you!!

Also, I just realized that I have never posted a picture of my granddaughter on the blog, so here's one that was taken a while back. I will try to get a more recent one to post in the near future.

A Memory Challenge

2011-02-08T09:15:00.000-08:00

I've taken a challenge from a fellow blog to memorize 2 scripture verses a month. So far, here are my verses.

January 1 - "Buy truth and do not sell it. Get wisdom and teaching and understanding." Proverbs 23:23

January 15 - "Let the high praises of God be in my mouth, and a 2-edged sword (the Word of God) be in my hand." (Psalm 149:6)

February 1 - "May my tongue sing of Your word, for all Your commands are righteous." (Psalm 119:172)

I keep gravitating to the book of Psalms. There's just something poetic about it. David, who wrote a lot of the Psalms, was such a man after God's own heart and he had such a close relationship with the Lord, that is why I think the Psalms are my favorite.

What about you? What is your favorite book of the Bible?

Who's Going to Win?

2011-02-04T09:24:00.000-08:00

So, who do you pick to win the Superbowl? My favorite teams are already out of it - St. Louis Rams, and Minnesota Vikings. But, if I have to pick a team to win, I guess I will pick "The Pack."

Our family loves football. My husband played football in college and we like to follow the sport. The family (his parents, and a few of our extended family) get together to watch football on Sunday afternoons at Mark's parent's house. It's fun to cheer on our favorite team, kid one another about their favorite team, and to pig-out on rotelle dip and chips, pizza, and all our favorite "snack" foods!

Are you going to a Superbowl Party? How do you usually celebrate?

Let it Snow, Let it Snow.....

2011-02-01T08:51:00.000-08:00

....Let it Snow! We are supposed to get a foot of snow or more - yippee~

I love this kind of weather because I can just curl up with a book and sit by the fire and read.

We've had a lot of snow this year. The last time I remember it snowing this much was when I was in Junior High. We got so much snow that year that we had to go to school on Saturdays to get all the make-up days in. Yikes! I remember a lot of the kids didn't show up, but my Mom made me go - it was kind of fun!

What was the most fun you had on a "snow day?"
Got any good book ideas I can download onto my Kindle?

Have a great week!!

Update

2011-01-26T07:40:00.000-08:00

Here's an update on how the "New Year's Revolution" is going. To date, I have been keeping on track with reading the Bible through in a year. I've ordered and received a book on praying through the world, one country at a time. I've started praying for Africa. There are a whole lot of countries in Africa....challenging! I've begun to give sacrificially.......getting ready to give some more today. I've been reaching out to people in tangible ways....yesterday we visited an elderly man who lost his wife last year. He is so lonely without her. My hubby and I went and visited him to try to bring him a little cheer. He and his wife had been married for 55 years.

As far as a mission trip for this year, I'm still praying about where the Lord would have me go.

What about you? Any New Year's resolutions that you have kept (or broken) this year?
Blogging about it seems to help with accountability.

Have a blessed week!

New Year's Revolution

2011-01-11T07:02:00.000-08:00

Instead of a "Resolution," I'm planning on a New Year's "Revolution!" I've been reading the book: "Radical" by David Platt. It has challenged me to the core. I've been inspired in the following five areas.

1. This year I'm challenged to read the Bible all the way through in one year.
2. This year I'm challenged to pray for each nation in our world, one nation at a time.
3. This year one of my goals is to give more sacrifically.
4. This year one of my goals is to go on a "mission" trip.
5. This year I'm challenged to share the blessing of Jesus with others in very tangible ways.

This is a one year challenge. I will let you know how it's going!

Did you make any New Year's Resolutions? What about a New Year's REVOLUTION?

Happy New Year!!

2010-12-31T09:47:00.000-08:00

2010 has been an interesting year, to say the least. Looking forward to 2011 and what the Lord has in store. Hope you have a very Happy, Blessed and Spiritually prosperous New Year!!!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-14T09:45:00.000-08:00

From our house to yours.....wishing you a very blessed season!! Just think of it - God came down to us -- Emmanuel (God-With-Us )! God meets us right where we are. His presence means so much to me. I can't express how grateful I am that He never leaves us or forsakes us. I appreciate His "With-Us" quality.

At this time in my life I am thankful to have a Savior - one who forgives my many sins. What about you? What are you glad about this Christmas Season?

Time is rushing by so fast this December. I'm afraid I won't get Christmas cards out this year, so I'm using this blog as a way to say: "Have a blessed and holy Christmas season" to all my friends and family!! Love you guys!!!

Thankful for....

2010-11-03T14:50:00.000-07:00

.....family!

I am priveleged to have a wonderful husband, 3 beautiful daughters, a handsome grandson, and a princess-like granddaughter.

More than that, I have a great extended family and wonderful in-laws.

I'm also blessed to have terrific friends, who feel much like family to me. Included in that is my "church family" who I am very close to, as well.

So, as you can see, I have a lot to be grateful for.

What about you - what are you thankful for today?

Thankful....

2010-11-01T18:59:00.000-07:00

This month I will post the things for which I am grateful.

My friend, Janel, posted that she is thankful for JESUS.....well, that's Who I am thankful for, as well!

Jesus is my Savior, best friend, confidant, encourager, the lover of my soul and so much more.

Thank You, Jesus!!!!!!!

A few things I like about autumn....

2010-10-10T19:24:00.000-07:00

.....making fires in the fireplace
.....roasting marshmallows
.....making s'mores
.....drinking hot apple cider
.....curling up in front of the fire with a good book
.....wearing pretty scarves
.....making home-made chocolate chip cookies
.....eating home-made chocolate chip cookies (while they are still warm:)
.....lighting candles
.....sitting around with the windows open
.....cool air
.....crisp leaves
.....football
.....caramel apples
.....candy corn (eaten with peanuts so it tastes like a payday candy bar!)

What are some things you like about fall?

October 4th

2010-10-04T20:43:00.000-07:00

This day is a happy/sad, but special day. First of all it is my hubby's birthday. He is 52 today....but he doesn't look it! He is my heart-throb!

The other thing about today is that my sister, Pam, passed on this day. I asked Mark if it bothered him that Pam's passing fell on his birthday. He said it didn't bother him because it is a way for him to always remember and honor her.

Oh, how I love these two special people in my life.

Thank You, Lord, for allowing me to be Mark's wife and Pam's sister!!

Revelation 17:14

2010-09-15T08:47:00.000-07:00

This is the scripture I am memorizing right now. It goes with our Women's Bible Study on the book of Revelation. I am so encouraged by it. I can rest assured that Jesus wins! Let me know if you have any hints on memorizing. Right now I'm trying to take the verse in sections and just learn part of it at a time.

"They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because He is the Lord of lords and King of kings - and with Him will be His called, chosen and faithful followers."

Hope you are in a Bible Study some where. We have such a blast studying the Bible and memorizing the Word of God. If you live in the St. Louis area and want to join us in our study, just let me know and I will give you all the particulars.

Have a blessed day!!

A Match Made in Heaven....

2010-08-28T14:06:00.000-07:00

I was looking through the book shelves the other day and ran across this 1966 Primer entitled: Janet and Mark. My mother-in-law purchased a copy of this for us at an auction many years ago. I absolutely love it. It looks just like Mark and I posed for this book. When this book was written, he would have been 7 and I would have been 6. He was toe-headed when he was young, just like the boy, "Mark," in this book. I had short, brown hair, just like the girl. It's like we were the models for this book! The first page starts out something like this: "Come. Come here, Mark." That's kind of how it went down for us. I spotted him in the cafeteria in college and said: "Come, Mark, Come!" lol

Here we are......over 30 years later, and still together. I guess you can say we were just meant for each other!! :) Now all we need is a dog named "Socks."

Wonder what ever happened to Dick and Jane and Spot? Which primer did you start with when you first went to school?

First Day Back to School.....

2010-08-20T10:35:00.000-07:00

Here's Jake (our grandson) headed off to his first day of 1st grade! Sarah is a sophomore this year. She is a star on the volleyball team and the basketball team!

It's hard to believe our youngest daughter is a sophomore! It seems like just yesterday our "baby" was coming home from the hospital. (lol) A few more years and she will be graduating - unbelievable! Even more unbelievable is the fact that our grandson started first grade this week- Wow! Maybe it will keep me young trying to keep up with these 2! God is good - all the time!!

Cline Family Reunion - 2010!

2010-08-05T13:18:00.000-07:00

Every summer (for 13 years now) we have a "Cline Family Reunion" down at the Lake of the Ozarks. This year there were 32 of us. Some of our loved ones couldn't make it. (There are actually 39 of us all together.) Here are some pix from our great weekend~

Our part of the Cline Family (With Grandad and Mema - the Patriarch & Matriarch). Rachel, Jake and Jazelle weren't there.

The "Other" Clines:

Cousins:

The Girls:

The Boys:

Every year there is a basketball game that gets pretty competitive, but it's all in fun!

I think the ones who are the most "sweaty" won the game. lol.....look out for next year!

"Saddle Ridge Ranch!"

2010-07-26T15:16:00.000-07:00

Last week was awesome....best week ever for Vacation Bible School. Not only did we have record-setting attendance, but also 21 decisions were made for Christ! LOVE IT!! We had such great workers! They showed the love of Christ to the kids and made it so easy to love VBS! I'm still on a high from such a great Family Day yesterday at church - Thank You, Jesus!

Thanks to everyone who volunteered in VBS this year - I really appreciate it!

Grandmotherhood.....

2010-07-09T17:45:00.001-07:00

The Freedom Trail

2010-06-24T17:45:00.000-07:00

As we near the 4th of July and the celebration our nation's independence, I thought I would show you some pix from a recent trip to Boston. The "Freedom Trail" was marked on the side walks and streets and occasionally you would see an inset in the brick or concrete that looked like this:

Boston is full of historical landmarks. There are statues of famous people who helped fight for our nation's independence. One such person is honored in this statute. See if you can guess who it is.

That's right....it's Paul Revere. (He's the one on the horse! :) Our friend took this pic and he cut poor Paul's head off. If you remember your history, Revere warned the patriots of the coming of the British troops. "One if by land....Two if by Sea." Here's a pic of The Old North Church where it all went down.

Boston was great. Besides Boston, we also went to New Hampshire and Maine. What beautiful countryside. When we went to Kennebunkport, Maine, we got to see the Bush Vacation Home. Here it is. You probably can't tell it, but the flagpole is actually in the form of a cross.

Speaking of a cross, as we approach the celebration of our nation's independence,

I'm reminded of the freedom we have in Jesus. When my husband and I were recently in Boston, we saw that the Freedom Trail was painted on the ground and it was red. That led to the important sites in Boston where many famous events took place.

When we think about the cross, we are reminded that Jesus shed His blood to purchase our spiritual freedom. How thankful I am for that red trail - Jesus shedding His blood to die for my sin. He also conquered death and rose again so that we could have a right relationship with God when we put our trust in His Son, Jesus. I pray that you know Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord!

Hope you are having a blessed week. Leave me a message and tell me what you will be doing this 4th of July. Have a great Independence Day!

In Memory of Pam....

2010-06-12T13:12:00.001-07:00

Today, me and 71,000 of my closest friends :) participated in the Komen Race for the Cure. It was a sea of people in pink....so inspiring! Many of the walkers/runners were breast cancer survivors. Others were walking in memory of their loved ones. Still others were just out for a good cause. It was a great day. It was a record day. We were told this was the largest Komen Race for the Cure in the entire country.

I walked in honor/memory of my oldest sister, Pam, who died of breast cancer in 2002. In the picture below, she is the one with the black choker necklace on. (I am the one in the lower right hand corner. This pic was taken in 1970!) I always wanted to grow up to be just like Pam. I thought she looked like "That Girl" (Marlow Thomas).

My family misses Pam but we know we will see her again in heaven. She loved Jesus so much and committed her life to Him!
(P.S.....Ladies, remember to get your mammogram every year!)

A Few Pix From A Wonderful Trip to Mexico!

2010-05-14T18:23:00.001-07:00

One week from today.....

2010-04-25T15:24:00.000-07:00

.....I'll be in Cancun!!!!

Megan's New Heart is Beating - Praise God!

2010-04-19T09:57:00.000-07:00

HALLELUJAH - Megan got a heart! God is so good. He hears our prayers and answers in His perfect timing.

If you want to follow Megan's story, here's a blog site set up by her dad to record each day's happenings: http://www.megansheartstory.blogspot.com/.

We continue to pray for Megan and her family. Also, please pray for the family in Texas who lost their loved one but gave the gift of life to Megan by donating their loved one's heart.

Consider being an organ donor. Check out the back side of your driver's license.

Have a God-blessed day!!

Please pray for Megan...

2010-04-17T19:30:00.000-07:00

You may have seen Megan Moss on the news here in St. Louis lately. She is at the top of the heart donor list in our area. She is only 23 years old but the doctors say she will not be able to stay alive without a new heart. In 2002, when she was a student at the school where my youngest daughter attends, she got a virus that attacked her heart. It has been weakening ever since. This past November she found out that she is in Congestive Heart Failure. She's getting weaker by the day. My daughter's school, North County Christian, has asked everyone to pray for Megan. So I'm asking you to please pray for her and her family. The doctors are giving her until Monday to receive a heart donation otherwise they will have to attempt to use a mechanical heart and that will drop her from the top of the heart donor list. A mechanical heart typically only lasts a couple of years. Right now she is very weak and the prayer is for more strength so that she can undergo some kind of procedure to try and save her life. Please pray for the Lord's will to be done. Thank you.

Only 16 more days....

2010-04-05T08:44:00.000-07:00

....til I get to be here!

I'm SO GLAD for Resurrection Day!

2010-03-31T13:39:00.000-07:00

Easter brings such promise and hope. The resurrection means we can have eternal life. It means we don't get what we deserve, but, instead, we get love and forgiveness.

I found the following quote by Timothy Keller that sums up everything for me.

"I am more sinful than I ever dared believed, and I am more accepted and loved than I ever dared hoped." (Tim Keller)

Easter means our sin can be forgiven if we trust His Son, Jesus, to be The Savior of our lives.

Thank you, Jesus!

What's Your Favorite Flower?

2010-03-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

My friend, "Miss Wanderlust" is doing a give-away on her blog. She is now a dot com. www.iheartrunwithscissors.com. Head on over there and become a follower of hers and leave a comment and you will be on your way to being in the drawing! She asked us what our favorite flower is. I wonder what yours would be? My favorite is probably the tulip. But I also like pansies and gerber daisies. What's your fav?

Can Hardly Wait.......

2010-03-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

.......only 35 more days.....yippee!!!!!!

March First

2010-03-01T08:32:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe March is here but I'm so glad it is because that means spring is just around the corner! I ♥ spring. Everything is fresh and new. The weather starts getting warmer, the birds start returning and chirping/singing. Things start getting green. The only problem with spring is that the grass starts needing to be mowed again. I love green grass but I don't like mowing it! Anyone else feel that way or is it just me? Maybe this year I will use it as a time to reflect/pray and meditate on scripture while I'm mowing....that way it won't seem like wasted time. Fall and spring are my two favorite seasons.....anyone else?

P.S....Another great thing about this month is MARCH MADNESS!! We love it - our family is basketball crazy! We compete against each other with our favorite teams. We have so much fun - even when the competition gets a little heated! :)

Miss Wanderlust is doing it again!

2010-02-24T09:34:00.000-08:00

My good friend, Miss Wanderlust, is having ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!! She is so generous. I hope I win. But, I'm unselfish enough to post about it here to give you a chance to enter and possibly win for yourselves!! Just go to www.twocrazykidsinlove.blogspot.com to find out all about it!!

I'm a really good reader.....

2010-02-22T08:56:00.001-08:00

....but not a very good blog writer. Sorry for the long break. I ♥ to read other people's blog posts, but I'm not very good at writing them myself. I don't know why???? I am going to try to do better, but only time will tell. Hopefully something really funny will happen soon so I have something to write about!!!

The Dawn of a New Year

2010-01-04T06:14:00.000-08:00

I ran across a quote by Chuck Swindoll that sums up how I feel. My blog title is patterned after this philosophy of my life.

"Serendipity occurs when something beautiful breaks into the monotonous and the nundane. A serendipitous life is marked by "surprisability" and spontaneity. When we lose our capacity for either, we settle into life's ruts. We expect little and we're seldom disappointed. Though I have walked with God for several decades, I must confess I still find much about Him incomprehensible and mysterious. But this much I know: He delights in surprising us. He dots our pilgrimage from earth to heaven with amazing serendipities."

"You, Lord, open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing." Psalm 145:16

At the dawn of this new year, I pray that your life will be full of God's amazing serendipitous epiphanies!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2009-12-31T14:34:00.001-08:00

Year in Review

2009-12-27T18:07:00.000-08:00

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...

2009-12-23T19:22:00.001-08:00

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

2009-12-05T20:09:00.000-08:00

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?

2009-12-02T15:29:00.000-08:00

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

Anyone else feel that way?

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

2009-11-25T11:32:00.000-08:00

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....

2009-11-14T15:21:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-11-10T08:46:00.000-08:00

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....

2009-11-03T17:18:00.000-08:00

....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!

2009-11-02T09:24:00.001-08:00

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

2009-10-28T14:34:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-22T06:52:00.000-07:00

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........

2009-10-19T19:33:00.000-07:00

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.....

2009-10-06T08:23:00.001-07:00

......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

2009-10-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

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.....

2009-09-29T12:04:00.000-07:00

....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?

2009-09-25T15:51:00.001-07:00

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

God is the Best Physician

2009-09-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

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....

2009-09-10T13:44:00.001-07:00

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!

2009-09-02T05:40:00.001-07:00

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!

2009-08-31T09:38:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

"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

2009-08-26T07:08:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-08-21T18:56:00.000-07:00

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....

2009-08-17T22:25:00.000-07:00

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"

2009-08-13T12:19:00.002-07:00

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!

2009-08-10T12:39:00.001-07:00

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....

2009-07-31T14:53:00.000-07:00

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....

2009-07-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

....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...

2009-07-06T17:36:00.000-07:00

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....

2009-06-20T10:16:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-15T00:20:00.001-07:00

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....

2009-06-09T10:06:00.001-07:00

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!

2009-06-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

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....

2009-06-01T13:21:00.000-07:00

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....

2009-05-28T13:15:00.000-07:00

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....

2009-05-15T09:48:00.000-07:00

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

"Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World"

2009-05-12T18:13:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-07T13:50:00.001-07:00

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"....

2009-05-01T15:02:00.000-07:00

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....

2009-04-23T10:09:00.001-07:00

....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?