When It's Time To Change

Hi Friends,

My "exciting" news was that I changed to a new blog! Many of you are computer savvy. I am not. So this new blog was a big deal to me because it meant that I was learning how to do it all by my lonesome!!

So please change your links to the new one and come see me!

See you over there!!

I'll Be Back!

I know I have been MIA but I am learning to do something all by myself right now and I am excited! I will let you know soon....hopefully.

Not a day goes by that I don't think of all my wonderful friends!

Hugs to one and all! Pass 'em around why don't ya?

Friday Already?!!

1000 BLESSING'S FRIDAY

251. Our wonderful new neighbor came over and helped my son and husband with the trees that had fallen due to the storms last Friday. He's an older gentleman and could only work for a short spell because of health issues. We worried about him because we don't know him yet. He wanted to help so badly. Bless his heart!

252. Even though gas prices has hit an all time high around here ($4.19), I know we are still blessed. Other countries have been paying more for a really long time. I try to remember this each time I fill up my van for $68!

253. Each week I am so thankful and blessed with our pastor. I never walk away from a sermon without a challenge. And he knows how to teach us so well that the young ones sit up, listen and understand and the more seasoned folks are learning and being fed as well. And as far as his counseling goes? I feel so comfortable talking with him and his wife about anything and everything. I feel the love, people!

254. Blessed that our air conditioning is working again!! It was getting rather hot and sticky in the house I will admit. An even bigger blessing was that it turned out to be a circuit breaker thingy on the outside unit. My hubs didn't know there even was one out there!

255. Ice was a huge blessing this week! We bought several big bags and just kept munching on ice cubes to keep cool. We were a noisy family with all the crunching, but it worked!

FRIDAY'S FEAST

Appetizer

Do you consider yourself to be an optimist or a pessimist?

I am definitely one that sees the glass as half full. The way I see it is God only gives you what you can handle and provides a way to get through it. And I can always, always think of someone in worse situations than me. Now having said this I don't want people to think I don't ever complain or say ~ why?~ because I am not perfect. Close though. Just kidding!

Soup

What is your favorite color of ink to write with?

Well if you know me at all you know that I always find a BLUE pen to write with with a medium point. But when I am feeling girly I like to get out the pretty gel pens and write with all the different shades of pinks, purples, greens and blues!

Salad

How often do you get a manicure or pedicure? Do you do them yourself or go to a salon and pay for them?

I get a manicure everyday as I sit and bite and pick at my nails when I am bored. Does that count? Not very pretty though!

Main Course

Have you ever won anything online? If so, what was it?

YES!!!! On last week's Blessings list I posted about my winning a set of books and some chocolates! I've also won other books before from other bloggers! And a set of candles too!

Dessert

In which room in your house do you keep your home computer?

We actually don't have a computer at home. Shocker!! I use a laptop at work and if I need at home I have a really cool computer bag to take it home in. It's blue. Just in case you were wondering!

I am not sure why part of my post is so huge. I can't seem to figure out how to fix it! Sorry about that.

Loving Life

Can I tell you how much I am enjoying this GOR-JA-MOUS day? It is perfect outside! Temp is in the low 80's with a slight breeze and some big, white, fluffy clouds in the sky. I LOVE days like today!!

I notice I am much happier on days like this. I work at a desk all day long with a shop full of young men and my husband. I listen "guy" talk from nine in the morn until seven at night. Don't get me wrong...they watch their language and are very respectful. It's just that they talk cars non-stop. This can get old after awhile!

I love the boys though. They call me Shop Mom! I love it. I keep a candy jar full of their favorite treats. They "let" me mother them and tell them to be careful. I give them advice on love and dating. And they listen, which is always nice.

But I do miss having a female around. A girlfriend who can tell by the look on your face that you're stressed or have cramps and don't feel well! Someone who won't look at you strange when you cry at the drop of a hat because you're being pulled in every direction and you can't do it all!

Thank you my Blogvillians for listening to me when I needed such a friend! I want to be there for you too. I appreciate all the personal emails I receive from you all. I know what busy schedules we all keep so it means a lot when you take the time to write!

I love you all and I pray that this day finds you happy and enjoying life!

Evolution of Dance

In my world laughter is important! I can be in pain (like today) and be a tad bit irritable, but when I watch stuff like this I cannot help but break out into an obnoxious loud laugh with a snort or two!

I know you'll be saying to yourself, "I remember that, and that, oh and that one too!" If you haven't seen it before it's worth watching. For the memories and definitely for the laughs. Go get someone to watch it with you so you can laugh together!

Have a wonderful day filled with love and laughs!

I Needed This!

We had a horrible storm in Indiana last Friday. PTL we haven't had much flooding!

I live in a VERY woody neighborhood. After checking my mom's house for damage we went home. Out of all the houses in the neighborhood we were the only ones to have some damage. In our front yard we lost a beautiful pear tree. It looked like someone picked it from the stem and laid it there. And the sad thing is there is a nest full of baby Robins. I cry just thinking about them.

And in our backyard we lost a HUGE oak tree. PTL again that it didn't hit our home. It only took out the dog run, which we no longer need because our Woo is well behaved!

Anyway, this little boy is from Lafayette, Indiana which is only 20 miles from where I live. I'd heard about this on the news, but never got to actually see it. I love YouTube! This just made me giggle all day long! I'm immature to say the least.

TeeHee!!

Fill Her Up Friday!

1000 BLESSING'S FRIDAY

246. I entered this contest with encouragement from Marina and I learned that I won!! Yay 4 me!! I didn't win the autographed book, but I won ALL 3 books from the series. And get this...I also won some....teehee...dare I say it.....chocolate!!!! Be still my heart. I cannot wait to sink my teeth in the books. Ha! You thought I was going to say chocolate, didn't ya? Admit it. If you're nice to me maybe I will share!

247. I was able to go to my niece and nephew's graduation open houses. It's nice to see so many people at each of them. I love to see friends and family supporting young people that are going off to start a new life for themselves. You know the kids are excited to go to college, but I know with these two there is also a sense of nervous anticipation as they leave their families. We should all remember to be praying for the college students.

248. This may not sound like a blessing, but it is to me. I take so many things for granted. Our air conditioning went out at home and we have no money to fix it. It has been in the high 80's and 90's this week too! While I am lying in bed all sticky even though I just took a cool shower I am thankful for the roof over my head and all the "stuff" that surrounds me.

249. I had a good doctor's visit with my rheumatologist. I am desperately trying to get off prednisone, but every time I taper down a wee bit it throws me into a flair up. She's giving me some ideas to try so I can get off this nasty medicine! I am thankful for her because she truly listens and she truly wants the best for me.

250. Money was super tight this past week. As in - no money. Literally. I had to borrow money from my daughter to put gas in the car. Our customer was way over due on his payment so we ran out of money. Anyway, the blessing is that we saw that we could live on no money for a week (except for the gas). We became very creative with the things we needed and we managed to clean out some of the shelves in the cupboard! This also helped me just give the money situation completely over to God. Which was not easy I admit! Well, yesterday the one customer finally paid and our other customer sent his payment in two weeks ahead of time!

FRIDAY'S FEAST

Appetizer

When you drink soda/pop/coke, do you prefer to drink it from the bottle, a can, or after pouring it into a cup?

I prefer to lick it up...like a kitty. Meow! Actually I have a hard time holding things so I prefer my drinks in a styrofoam cup with a straw and a lid. Because I also tend to spill a lot. You just can't take me anywhere!

Soup

What television show are you willing to stay up late to watch?

How late? I'm up until at least midnight every night. But I would stay awake another hour or two if I knew something good was coming on like ~ Hmmm....I really can't think of anything! Since we have a way to record it why lose my beauty sleep? And if you've seen me lately you would know that I NEED that sleep!

Salad

Name one person, place, or thing you think of as brilliant.

My husband, David, truly is brilliant! His mind is amazing and I cannot keep up with him. He has engineered several products for Mustangs and has two of them with a pending patent. We receive calls all the time from people all over the world that has heard of him and his reputation for being the one to ask the all important questions when it comes to their cars. In fact, we just received an e-mail from a gentleman in Russia today wanting to buy pur products. I thought that was pretty cool!

Main Course

Would you be willing to work 4 10-hour days instead of 5 8-hour days in order to save gas?

We own our own shop and kinda have to be here six days of the week. I would love to be able to work four days a week. That sounds lovely! But nope. Gas around town right now is $3.86! It has actually gone down a few cents. Yippeeeee!!

Dessert

If you were a superhero,what would you call yourself?

Good question! Hmmm, I would call myself Bionic Blue. I have many replacement joints which makes me bionic and of course, my most favoritest color in the whole world is BLUE!!!

I can hear your cries now ~ "Bionic Blue, I've fallen and I can't get up! Please help!"

Yep, that's my new alter ego!

Thursday Thirteen

13 Things I Get To Do This Summer Now That I Am Mobile Again!!

In case this is your first time here you might need to know that for the last two years I've struggled a bit...okay ALOT....with my arthritis. BUT I've had both hips replaced and am up and about again! My list might sound boring to most, but for me it is huge because I no longer take these things for granted!

GARAGE SALES! Oh how I love rummaging through other people's junk. You just never know what you're gonna find, do ya?

SWIMMING! I am a great floater, but am anxious to try out my new bionic-ness in the water. Plus I need this kind of exercise to build up strength.

Neighborhood Walks! I still can't go too far without needing my crutches, but I've noticed my distance is getting longer each time I go somewhere before my back gives out! Little steps and patience can go a long way my friends!

4H Fair and State Fair! All three of my kids were in 4H and I love the program and want to keep supporting the youth. And I can't wait to go to the State Fair...not only for the projects, but I openly admit that I love the food more! TeeHee! Yum, Yum give me some!

Vacation Bible School! This should have really been at the top of my list. I missed alot of Awana last year because of pain. I love interacting with the kids and teaching them God's truths. This year I will get to help again after a three year absence. Pray for us!

Lunch with girlfriends!!!! I cannot even tell you the last time I went to lunch with just one of my friends. And since no one in my family likes Chinese food besides me, well, I can tell you where I am gonna pick to dine! I can't wait for the fellowship and to have some heart to heart talks with my bestest of friends. In case you were wondering what their names are: Karen, Bridget and Michelle! Love you guys!

State Parks! I'm not much of a hiker or even going on trails, but I love to go and see nature and watch families having reunions and listen to the birds and breath in the smell of the campfires!

Library! I know, weird one. Our new library was built almost three years ago and I have yet to step one foot inside it. I just realized that today when we were downtown. It's not easily handicapped accessible either which is also weird considering it's brand new. Sigh.

Strawberry Festival! Our local festival is next weekend and I am SO excited! I always run into old friends from high school and other people I don't see often. Plus, hello? Strawberries anyway you can imagine!

Symphony on the Prairie! I haven't mentioned this yet to my husband, but I want to get tickets for this. Outdoor concert with beautiful music while being with the one you love! Sounds nice, doesn't it?

Sitting on the back porch talking to my husband while he's grilling! No, I was not even able to do this for so long. We love to grill outside and enjoy each other's company. And our doggie is always watching for a hotdog to fall off the grill...lol!

Fireworks! Last year I did go, but I had to sit in the car and my view was obstructed. I had a hard time ooohing and ahhhing! But this year I may even get a front row seat!

Last, but not least...I always took for granted being able to hop in a car and go somewhere all by myself. Well, now I am finally to the point where I am not too scared to do this anymore. I don't care if it's running to the local thrift store, ice cream parlor or Wal-mart. I can do this now. All.By.Myself!! I'm a big girl now. :o)

Have You Ever?

I love meme's. Especially when my heart is heavy and I don't want to be a Debbie Downer. So I will cheer myself up and do this meme. And since you know me you know I can't just give a yes or no answer....no, I have to elaborate! Well, here we go:

Gone on a blind date - Yes and no. Because my future husband was very shy I had to promise his sister that I would go out with him if he had the nerve to ask me out. We had never met, mind you. But I agreed. He and I worked together for an afternoon and I guess he decided he liked me enough to ask me out. He bought one of those giant lollipops and as I was handing it back to him he gave it to me, sheepishly, and asked, "So, do you want to go out with me?" I wanted to giggle because I could tell how nervous he was! We went on a double date to an REO Speedwagon concert and the rest is history.

Skipped School - Yes, and with my mom's permission no less! One of my favorite stores as a teenager was having a huge clearance sale. My mom gave me her credit card and the car and told me to go have fun! How cool was she?

Watched someone die - Thankfully, no. When my father died I arrived about fifteen minutes after he passed away. That was hard enough. But I know if I ever have that experience God will give me the strength I need at the time to handle it.

Been to Canada - Yes. I planned an anniversary trip for my husband about five years ago and we went into Canada and had a wonderful time. I would love to go back and spend several days there though and see Niagara Falls from the Canadian side.

Been to Mexico - Yep. We went to Ensenada with the kids. It was beautiful! Our room was actually bigger than our home. Amazing. One day we went downtown to go sight seeing and shopping. On one side of the street their would be lavish mansions and on the other side would be folks living in cardboard boxes. One extreme to the other. Our kids witnessed other children their age begging for money while we shopped. One of the locals did tell us that there were jobs available, but families could make more money having their kids beg. It's so sad because I do want to help people when they do need it. It's hard sometimes to know who to trust.

Been to Florida - Oh yeah! Many times. I am very fortunate to have travelled a lot because of my husband's jobs. And thankfully our kids have been able to go with us quite a bit too. The last time we went was in December for a trade show. So not much vacationing then, but still a good time because our oldest daughter went with us!

Been on a plane - Wwhhheeeee! I LOVE TO FLY!! Again, I've been blessed with travel. I've been able to go to many of the states and all over Europe. Would love to go there again for our 25th wedding anniversary which is next year!

Been lost - You bet'cha! I have absolutely no sense of direction whatsoever. I need a GPS system badly. And if I get lost when I am by myself I panic. I cry like a little girl. Yeah, I know what you're thinking....Grow Up! My brother is the same way. Except for the crying part!

Been on the opposite side of the country - Well, I am in Indiana and I've been to California numerous times. Yay 4 Disneyland! My husband grew up in California and

Gone to Washington , DC - YES! Just went there in December after our Florida trip. We are planning another trip soon because we loved it and there is so much to see. Can't wait!

Swam in the ocean - Tried too. I am not very steady on my feet and so I kinda got swept away a bit. You can say it made me nervous so I just sat in my beach chair with my legs in the shallow part of the water and got burnt to a crisp. But I'm not bitter or anything!

Cried yourself to sleep - Too many times. Mostly because of being in pain and frustrated that I couldn't get comfy. But lately I've gone to bed crying and hurting for several of you guys. I hate to see anyone go through their trials and I can't be there to help. So I pray. And cry.

Played cops and robbers - LOL! Yes, and I liked being the bad guy! My brother had all the guns and whistles so I got to play the thief. And being as fast as a snail meant that he always caught me and through me in jail. Jail = underneath dining room table with a blanket thrown over it so I couldn't see out! Too much fun!

Recently colored with crayons - I am never too old to color! One of my very favorite things to get is a new box of crayons. I love the smell and the look of all the pointed ends and the colors. Oh my, the colors! When my oldest had her wisdom teeth pulled a few weeks ago we sat down and colored in a book. It was a pirate coloring book and I colored my pirate quite flamboyantly!

Sang Karaoke - Uh, that would have to be a sung off key...NO! I am not gifted musically. Sigh.

Paid for a meal with coins only - With many places having a dollar menu how can you not? Doesn't everyone let their change collect in the unused ash tray and then you all treat yourself to a cheeseburger or a slushie now and then?

Done something you told yourself you wouldn’t - Sure. Many times. And it's usually a good lesson for me too. I am learning to say no more often. It's very hard, but I've learned I can't perform well when I am spread too thin.

Made prank phone calls - Who? Me? Why I never.....oh, I can't type that with a straight face. Of course I have! And I was quite good at it too! I could be quite a stinker when I was younger.

Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose - or other places! - Only once! And it was Pepsi. Ouch, that is painful. Now my BIL can never ever ever drink milk if my husband is near by without it coming out of his nose. That's just gross. And wasteful! LOL.

Caught a snowflake on your tongue - Yes! And I've also stuck my tongue on a frosted sled and got it stuck. Stupid.

Danced in the rain - I wouldn't call it dancing, but more of twirling with my arms opened wide and letting the warm rain fall on my face. My kids love to do it too!

Written a letter to Santa Clause - Oh yes! I believed in Santa until I was ten years old. My friends kept telling me from second grade on that he wasn't real, but I didn't want to listen. I love being in my own little world at times.

Been kissed under the mistletoe - *blush* And it was very nice too!

Watched the sunrise with someone you care about - Yes. When the whole family went camping one summer we got up to watch the sunrise. Beautiful. And even more so when you're with your loved ones!

Blown bubbles - On Saturday I did! Again, you are never tool old for blowing bubbles. I even told my bestest friend that while we were blowing them at each other. Even our pastor was having a good time with them. My dog like them too!

Gone ice-skating - I tried when I was around seven on a pond near our house, but could not do it. I was great at roller skating though and went every weekend to the local skate corral. A lot of the guys from church would always be there too and so I always had someone to skate with when they called for couples only. Plus the guys from my youth group were cuties!

Been skinny dipping outdoors - Not on purpose. Enough said.

This was probably TMI for most of ya, but there ya go! I hope everyone is having a wonderful day. We are getting hammered with rain right now. Maybe I need to go out and dance in it!

This & That & A Prayer Request

Hello my friends! This will be short and sweet because I need to keep working, but I wanted to say howdy. My computer came down with a bug so I haven't really been able to post or visit or do my actual work. Not good, huh? I know! I miss my friends. Work will always be there, but my friends NEED me!! At least I hope so.

And as my friend would you please be praying for Amy? Her beloved bassett hound passed away a couple of days ago. My heart aches for her because I totally understand how much she loves her pooch. If you are an animal lover than you get it too. If not, just know that it can hurt deep. Thank you guys!

I don't ask this often enough, but is there something I can be praying for in your life? We all have struggles and needs and this is something I can do for you too. Just let me know.

I will try to visit if my computer will allow. Love you all. I really do!

1000 BLESSING'S FRIDAY

1000 Blessing's Friday

241. The happy girl on the far left is my niece, Sarah. Their softball team won the sectional championship! Sarah is graduating tomorrow. *sniff* Sarah reminds me of well, me. Not as far as athletics go mind you, but her sense of humor. She's a big dork just like her Aunt Amy! She and I can see the humor in situations when others cannot. And yes, she also laughs at inappropriate times like dear old muah!

Sarah is also very creative and artistic. Not me. Give her a few weird items and she can make a masterpiece. She even made her prom dress out of duct tape last year and it was gor-ja-mous! Very talented indeed.

242. I just love the live giraffe cam! I can be having a rotten day and I go see what my giraffes are doing and it turns my frown upside down. Corny, I agree. But ever so true. And look at that one with it's chin on the fence! He reminds me of my bulldog when she is begging for food! How can you resist those precious eyes?

243. Another blessing I've received in a round about way is my oldest daughter has decided to take some more college classes. She's learning that in order to get a good paying job you need to have a degree of some kind! I'm thankful that on her own she is seeing what it's like to be an adult, learning from it and doing something about it! She's a good girl though and I am always blessed to have her for my daughter!!

244. Free food! That's always a blessing. Because we have our own business several stores like AutoZone and CarQuest have been having customer appreciation days. And because we spend a lot of money with each one we get free eats for lunch. And the food has been delicious. All homemade too!

245. Another blessing for me this week is health. I am hurting pretty good today, but I think it's due to the fact that every other day I've been going, going, going! And that's a good thing. No, a GREAT thing! Call me Miss Independence. Please!

Please tell me one of your blessings this week!

Prayer Request

Some of you may remember him. This is Luke Menard and he made it to the top 16 on American Idol this year. He is also from my hometown - Crawfordsville, Indiana. He is a christian and a super nice guy. He has recently been diagnosed with cancer.

It has been confirmed that Luke has stage II Hodgkin lymphoma. I have read that this is a treatable cancer with high success rates. But it is still cancer.

Would you please remember this dear family in your prayers?

Thank you.

A Whisper of Freedom

Marina asked me to do this meme and since I think she is such a beautiful lady how could I say no! If you've never met her stop by and take the time to get to know her. Not only is she gorgeous, but her heart is even more beautiful. She's a woman after God's own heart.

Welcome to the blog tour and meme for A Whisper of Freedom!

Tricia Goyer is the author of twelve books and the recipient of the Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference in 2003. She also writes nonfiction articles for magazines and is a regular speaker at conferences. Read more about her at her website.


During the tour, you can enter to win one of FIVE signed copies of A Whisper of Freedom by signing up for Tricia's newsletter here!


Three players will be selected at random to win their own lost gold (gourmet chocolate coins and all three books in the Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War series). To enter, all you have to do is answer the meme on your blog and then leave a comment on Tricia’s blog tour post.

I tag each and every one that stops by! Please leave me a comment telling me that you played, answer the questions on your blog, and leave a comment at Tricia's post about your meme post.

Easy enough! On with the questions.....

1. List three things you would do with a chest full of gold (assuming you got to keep it!)

I don’t want to count my tithe in my three things because we all know the Lord gets the first of our fruits.

So the first thing I would be able to do is afford surgery for my bulldog, Wensleydale. She tore the ligament in her knee on Mother’s Day. The surgery will be at least $1800. Yowzers!

Secondly, I’ve had several surgeries this past year so I’ve acquired some large bills. I would pay off my hip replacements, my hospital bill for the E-coli and kidney stone removal and my latest adventure with some ovarian cysts.

Whew! Now that those are out of the way I want to take the rest of the treasure and give it to my family because they are the ones that deserve it! My husband, three kids and mom spent over a year bathing me, dressing me, feeding me, rubbing my back, lifting me and helping me go to the bathroom, whatever I needed or wanted. The list goes on and on. Never once was there a complaint from any of them.

I know each of them has material things they desire, but they also have a heart and a burden for missions and for people in general. I know that they would donate to their causes and if there was any money leftover they might be able to pick out a couple things they want. :o)


2. List three charities/missions/organizations you support (and why).

Even though Jerry Lewis makes me do one of my favorite things (LAUGH) I don’t support the Muscular Dystrophy Association because of him. My grandfather had MD and I have three cousins (from the same family) that have also been stricken with MD. My cousins, Glenn, Gary & Karen have also been an encouragement to me to keep pressing on no matter how tough it gets!

Something else near and dear to my heart are my friends Robert and Jody Frye. Not only did I grow up with Jody, but I have been witness to seeing God do mighty things through everyday, normal people like you and I! Robert was sitting in his comfy chair watching the telly when a commercial came on for feeding the poor children. I don't know exactly which commercial though. Anyway, the Lord laid this burden on his heart for the youth in Romania and he told his wife about it. At first she was hesitant and just said slowly, "OoKkaayy." But within a week her heart was burdened as well and so began their journey! It didn't take long for them to raise support and off they went to Romania to spread the Gospel of Christ and teach the young people carpentry and homemaking skills so that they might have a decent future. Talk about trusting in the Lord!

One more organization I support is our local animal shelter. As a child I was always bringing home stray cats or injured birds and maybe even a raccoon. Mom wasn't thrilled with the last one though! It breaks my heart to see animals roaming the roads with no place to call home. I know what a comfort my bulldog is to me and how much she loves being loved! I've adopted two older cats from the shelter and have convinced several of my friends that they needed some more pets too! I also send away for as many free samples and free coupons for any kind of animal food, treats, litter and toys that I can find. It doesn't take long to gather a large box of goodies either! This was something I was able to do easily while I was bedridden. I also support them with monetary donations and other things such as cleaning supplies and blankets, etc. But in all honesty I love getting the free coupons and going to the store and seeing what all I can get for free!

3. List three ways you have volunteered your time/services.

I’ve recently been on the receiving end of people’s time and services with meals being brought in and numerous cards sent to me to keep my chin up.

During this time I learned how important even the little things are. I was never a card sender until I received so many and realized what an encouragement they were to me. And I just don’t sign my name to them. No! I like to take the time to write the person. If they are home bound I let them know what’s going on with my family and any news from church. As long as it isn’t gossip! When you are home bound you long for any news from the outside world. I understand that part.

If they are recuperating from an illness or surgery I can write something funny and uplifting because they will get better. It’s not the same as being home bound.

Another way I volunteer is offering these same people my time by making trips to the grocery store or Wal-mart. Again, I understand what a chore this can be and it can save the person a lot of energy and potential pain if I do this for them now that I can with my new bionic hips!

And the third way I volunteer is at my church in the Awana program. I am the director of Chums, which is 3rd and 4th grade girls. Awana is sort of like a Christian Boys & Girl’s Scouts. I have four other leaders and together we make a great team! We have the privilege of teaching 15-20 girls each Wednesday night about God’s truths and salvation. Most of our girls come from unchurched families and they want and need someone to listen to them and more importantly to show them God’s love.

I know I go each week in hopes of being a blessing or an encouragement to the girls, but I'm the one that leaves with the blessing from watching these girls grow in Christ!

4. List three things you keep "hidden" when company comes over.

I have to be completely honest and tell you that what you see is what you get! When I was younger I would panic if someone was stopping by and I had laundry out on the couch or dirty dishes in the sink.

The older I get the more I have learned that when someone comes for a surprise visit it isn't the house they are interested in. It's me and my family! In fact one of my friends came when I was folding about three loads of laundry. Underwear included! She sat down next to me and started helping me fold it and we laughed and talked the entire time. :o) Nope, no need to hide things when true friends are around.


5. List the last three things you've lost.


Patience. Not with family or friends. But with the Lord. I had one of my worst weeks ever last week with one catastrophe after another. Well, they seemed like catastrophes to me. But God is bigger than all my problems! I was asking why me when I should have been rejoicing in all the many blessings He provides on a daily basis. After watching the news and seeing the devastation in China I quickly got my act together and asked forgiveness for being so selfish.

My eyesight. Well, not completely PTL, but I cannot see anything close up anymore. I have to stretch my arm out as far as it will go and then tilt my head and scrunch up my nose before I can read the label on my candy bar to see how many calories I will soon be enjoying! Last night at Target I bought a pair of those cheap (only $1) glasses that sit on the end of your nose and make you look really silly. And they are bright blue! If you don't know me you must know that anything blue makes me smile. So here I sit with my arm stretched out, head tilted, nose scrunched up, looking silly with an even goofier smile on my face because I see BLUE! TeeHee!

Money. I made a big mistake in the checkbook. I should have used a calculator instead of relying on my 1st grade math skills. Therefore, I bounced a check and lost another $35 because of my ways. I think I will bring out my trusty abacus next time!


6. List the last three things you've found.

Peace. I know my trials come for a greater purpose that I may not fully understand. Who am I to question the Lord? He died for me! For that sacrifice I should be able to handle some frustrations. Plus, He gives me the resources I need to tackle these challenges! Some days are easier than others I must admit, but even through my tears I can still rejoice and be thankful for my circumstances. I know through these times He is holding me in the palm of His hand! I can rest assured and do my very best and He will lead me if I just let Him.

Coolness factor. After 43 long years of no comprehension of fashion I guess I have stumbled upon hipness. And I'm not talking replacements either! My girls and I went shopping and I found not one, but two pair of jeans. And they fit perfect! Plus they were on clearance for $13. Sa-weet! My daughters say they are in style and I look really cool in them too. Bonus!

And lastly, I just found at Bed, Bath & Beyond a table that will hold my laptop if I am not feeling well and have to stay in bed. It's the right height and even tilts! There's a place for my mouse and even a little storage compartment. Probably for pens and paper, but more than likely I will hide a treat in there. LOL! Having this will be nice for me because I can still work from home with a little more ease and even work in a little blogging! Oh yeah, plus I got it on sale and also had a $5 off coupon. Score, baby, score!


I guess that's it for me! Please play along too and let me know!

Daddy's Girl

I have smelly feet. Just like my dad. I like being just like him. Even if it does mean I stink. A daddy's girl. That's me.

My father always wore shiny, black dress shoes. It didn't matter if he was wearing his suit or his Bermuda shorts. His feet were adorned by his shiny, black dress shoes. And black dress socks. How could I forget those?

I loved sitting with my dad on Saturday night as he polished his shoes. We both loved to smell the cedar box he kept his supplies in. I would hand him what was needed as he kept me entertained with corny jokes or memories from his childhood. When he was done he would try them on for my approval. "Perfect daddy!", I said. This time was precious to me. And to him.

My father worked for Kroger. Mom took my brother and me to visit him often. I fondly remember dad in his pink shirt (yes, before real men wore pink!), his Kroger name tag and those shiny, black dress shoes. I can still hear his footsteps as he raced down the aisle to greet us!

These same shiny, black dress shoes would serve many purposes over the next decade. They were worn as he carried me up a hill when I broke my leg. Or when he kicked a football to my brother out in the backyard. Or as he held my mother's hand as they walked through the park. Or as he ran down the hospital hall just in time to hear his grandchild's first cry.

My father's shiny, black dress shoes started showing signs of wear. One day when I was taking my kids to Kroger to visit their grandpa I saw him in the parking lot. He didn't walk as fast as he used to. In fact, he dragged his feet with each step. I brushed it off as a sign of aging.

Before long dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's with autonomic failure. This was the cause for the scuffs on his shiny, black dress shoes. Within a year my father's journey would take a drastic turn.

His shiny, black dress shoes would be put away on his closet shelf for the time being. He could no longer walk and spent the rest of his days in bed.

My father also lost his ability to speak. I would sit by his side holding his hand and entertained him with the corny jokes he used to tell or memories from my childhood. His eyes would light up when I reminisced about him carrying me on his shoulders at the parade or when he walked me down the aisle on my wedding day! This time was precious to me. And to him. I was daddy's girl.

I received the call at 12:18 am on January 11, 2007. My father's earthly journey had come to an end. My husband and I left for the nursing home. We were the first ones there. As I walked to the end of his bed I touched his foot. I didn't let go until the warmth left his body.

Two days later as I gathered his suit for the funeral I saw his black shoes on the closet shelf. Next to it was his shoe shine kit. I brought the cedar box down for one more smell. Mmmm. Then I grabbed his scuffed, black dress shoes. I tried to shine them. Tears filled my eyes until I couldn't see what I was doing.

I will always be daddy's girl. No one else will ever fill my father's shiny, black dress shoes.


This is my entry for Scribbit's Write-Away contest.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer

What is the nearest big city to your home?

Lafayette, Indiana….home of Purdue University. Go Boilermakers! Also not far away is Indianapolis, Indiana….home of the Indy 500 baby!

Soup

On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how well do you keep secrets?

An eleven! I am a very good secret keeper. I only tell one person at a time. LOL!

Salad

Describe your hair (color, texture, length).

Funny you should ask! The beautician just chopped it off to my chin. Yikes! My hair color is a warm shade of brown with more and more gray trying to sneak in. It used to be as straight as could be, but now it wants to curl a little bit. Sigh!

Main Course

What kind of driver are you? Courteous? Aggressive? Slow?

I want to be a good example for my children so I am very patient. I try to be courteous and obey the law. Not even a rolling stop. I know my kids are watching. And the law is too!

Dessert

When was the last time you had a really bad week?

Wow, where do I begin? It all started last Saturday with my shoulder giving me fits. So I spent Mother’s Day weekend sitting perfectly still on my bed until my shoulder fixed itself. Also, my precious dog tore the ligament in her knee and needs surgery. On Monday the window in my van decided to break for no good reason! The van must want attention because it also started asking for a new battery by dying every time we opened a door for more than 30 seconds. My husband’s truck had a major meltdown as well and needs some repair before he can drive it again. My son started our mower and it blew up. Still not sure why. I forgot to pay the gas bill and it got turned off. My fault, I realize. My daughter has decided it’s more fun to lie than tell the truth. She’s nineteen and knows better. So we are dealing with that. And to top off the week I bounced a check! Even though I had deposited funds in my account three days prior to writing the check, those funds had not cleared yet. It makes no sense to me. I hate to say that’s not fair, but does this sound okay to you? I would think with today’s technology they could verify if my customer has enough in his account to cover the check. I dunno. Aggravating though.

Yes, it was a bad week, but I also had some good news….

I’ve had a rather large ovarian cyst that might involve another surgery. When I went to discuss it the cyst had absorbed back into my body. Sure it might come back, but for now it’s gone! And I am truly thankful for this!!

Happy Mother's Day - A Day Late!

I spent my Mother's Day weekend in bed. No, my family wasn't pampering me, unfortunately. My shoulder was giving me fits and when it does that I have to sit perfectly still until it goes away. It's hard to get this girl to sit still for that long! But hey, it's over and done with now and I can enjoy my week.



I did want to share this in honor of all you mean moms out there! After all, MOM stands for mean old mother. Or did you know that already?

"The Meanest Mother"

I had the meanest mother in the whole world. While other kids atecandy for breakfast, I had to have cereal, eggs or toast. When others had cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different than the other kids' also. But at least, I wasn't alone in my sufferings. My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did.

My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were on a chain gang. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going. She insisted if we said we'd be gone an hour, that we be gone one hour or less--not one hour and one minute.

I am nearly ashamed to admit it, but she actually spanked us. Not once, but each time we had a mind of our own and did as we pleased. That poor belt was used more on our seats than it was to hold up Daddy's pants. Can you imagine someone actualy hitting a child just because he disobeyed? Now you can begin to see how mean she really was.

We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath. The other kids always wore their clothes for days. We reached the height of insults because she made our clothes herself, just to save money. Why, oh why, did we have to have a mother who made us feel different from our friends? The worst is yet to come.

We had to be in bed by nine each night and up at eight the next morning. We couldn't sleep till noon like our friends. So while they slept-my mother actually had the nerve to break the child-labor law. She made us work. We had to wash dishes, make beds, learn to cook and all sorts of cruel things. I believe she laid awake at night thinking up mean things to do to us.

She always insisted upon us telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, even if it killed us- and it nearly did. By the time we were teen-agers, she was much wiser, and our life became even more unbearable. None of this tooting the horn of a car for us to come running. She embarrassed us to no end by making our dates and friends come to the door to get us. If I spent the night with a girlfriend, can you imagine she checked on me to see if I were really there. I never had the chance to elope to Mexico. That is if I'd had a boyfriend to elope with. I forgot to mention, while my friends were dating at the mature age of 12 and 13, my old fashioned mother refused to let me date until the age of 15 and 16. Fifteen, that is, if you dated only to go to a school function. And that was maybe twice a year.

Through the years, things didn't improve a bit. We could not lie in bed, "sick" like our friends did, and miss school. If our friends had a toe ache, a hang nail or serious ailment, they could stay home from school. Our marks in school had to be up to par. Our friends'report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for failing. My mother being as different as she was, would settle for nothing less than ugly black marks. As the years rolled by, first one and then the other of us was put to shame. We were graduated from high school.

With our mother behind us, talking, hitting and demanding respect, none of us was allowed the pleasure of being a drop-out. My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Out of four children, a couple of us attained some higher education. None of us have ever been arrested, divorced or beaten his mate. Each of my brothers served his time in the service of this country. And whom do we have to blame for the terrible way we turned out? You're right, our mean mother. Look at the things we missed. We never got to march in a protest parade, nor to take part in a riot, burn draft cards, and a million and one other things that our friends did. She forced us to grow up into God-fearing, educated, honest adults.

Using this as a background, I am trying to raise my three children. I stand a little taller and I am filled with pride when my children call me mean. Because, you see, I thank God, He gave me the meanest mother in the whole world.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer

When someone smiles at you, do you smile back?

Oh yes! Usually I am the one walking around with a goofy smile on my face and then I wonder why people are smiling at me! Haha! I'm a dork for sure! But a happy one.

Soup

Describe the flooring in your home. Do you have carpet, hardwood, vinyl, a mix?

It's mostly carpeted with vinyl in the bathrooms and the foyer. Nothing too fancy or exciting!

Salad

Write a sentence with only 5 words, but all of the words have to start with the first letter of your first name.

Arthritis aches are always annoying! Hey, that's pretty good, don'tcha think?

Main Course

Do you know anyone whose life has been touched by adoption?

You betcha! Me, for one. I have three kids. Two daughters and a son. And yes, they were siblings before we adopted them. My husband also has a brother and a sister that's adopted. And I have two nieces and a nephew that are adopted. But I don't remember which one's are adopted because they're all family, right? Right!

Dessert

Name 2 blue things.

First off, these are some great questions this week!

Okay, well blue is like the most awesomest color ever in the whole widest of worlds! Raise your hands if you agree. Yay for you!

My two blue things are:

I have been told my eyes are a beautiful shade of blue. And no, I don't stare in the mirror looking at them!

And one other thing that I enjoy that is blue is NOS! It is my favorite drink and I so enjoy looking at the pretty blue can as I drink it!

I won't be around much today because my daughter is getting four wisdom teeth pulled. If you think about it would you please say a prayer for her today? Thank you!

A Little More About Me

May is Arthritis Awareness Month so I thought I might post a few facts so you can learn more about me! Also, how cool is it that the awareness ribbon is blue? If you know me at all you know that anything blue makes me have a goofy smile. Even my arthritis ribbon!

Okay....on with the teaching!

Here are a few common misconceptions about arthritis:

1. The most common misconception is that arthritis is an old person's disease.

Arthritis is not age or gender specific. There are over 100 different types of arthritis and related rheumatic conditions.

I have Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and was diagnosed at ten years old. It started out with my one of my wrists hurting and then it went from one joint to the next until everything, but my back was affected. I am so thankful for this!

2. Arthritis is induced by a cold, wet climate.

The truth is that climate is neither the cause, nor the cure.

People have theorized that arthritis is caused by a cold, wet climate. Moving to a warm, dry climate has been regarded by some as the cure. So my question is - Does anyone in California have arthritis? Yes, they do. I have relatives out there that have it. And bone rubbing on bone after cartilage has worn away causes pain in any climate! Ouchers!!

3. Arthritis is caused by a poor diet.

There is no scientific evidence though that specific foods prevent or cause arthritis. Good diet does not prevent arthritis. Unless a person is found to have a particular food allergy which causes their arthritis to flare, there is no proven direct link between a particular food source and arthritis.

This of course does not mean that I can eat whatever I want such as Triple Layer Chocolate Mousse Cake and endless bottles of NOS! I know that when I am eating healthier and have some of this weight off me it certainly makes things easier! But then again, we're all like that, aren't we?

4. Arthritis can be cured.

As of today, there is no known cure for the disease. Much has been discovered in terms of better treatment options and slowing down the disease progression, but nothing yet has been found to successfully halt the disease. Since there are so many different types of arthritis, the prognosis varies.

I would love to see a cure for arthritis, especially for our future children! But I would love to see a cure first for Parkinson's, cancer, Aids and so many other life threatening diseases.

5. Arthritis consists of only minor aches and pains.

Honestly, it drives me crazy to see those commercials where the person can't play tennis or ride their horse until they've taken their pill! Reality for many of us is we can't walk to the bathroom or put on a shirt or even scratch an itch until we've taken our pills. No, no. We are not looking for sympathy or pity. Just an understanding that a pill can't make us run and jump, etc. That would be nice, but it ain't gonna happen!

6. "You felt fine yesterday....why so tired today?"

Since arthritis is a disease characterized by periods of flares and remissions, it is difficult for family and friends to comprehend why they feel so much better or so much worse on any particular day.

The inconsistency of arthritis can even lead some people to believe the disease is "all in your head".

For me something as simple as lifting a pitcher of Kool Aid (strawberry is my favorite!) can make my shoulder go berserk and hurt for days. The thing is I just don't always know what's going to make it better or worse. Sometimes I have to just do and pay the price later. I'd rather have fun and enjoy life and be laid up for a few days then constantly afraid of doing anything. A little pain never hurt anybody! LOL.

7. "You have arthritis.....you can't....."

"The limitations which arthritis imposes on an individual can cause people closest to them to become overprotective. Sometimes people do too much to try and help the person with arthritis. The disease does interfere with some physical ability, but certainly the arthritic person should not be viewed as totally dependent and invalid.

A certain amount of help and dependence is likely to be required. It must be remembered though that it is best to maintain as much independence as possible for both physical and emotional reasons."

We arthritics can be quite stubborn and proud too! I like to try, even if it's going to hurt. And then if I cry or pout you can scold me. ;o)

For me personally....I know God doesn't give me anything more than I can handle. Some days are rougher than others, but He provides the resources. It's up to me to seek them out.

Hugs to one and all this fine day!

Another Fun Filled Friday!

1000 BLESSING'S FRIDAY

236. Blessed by the warm and breezy weather we've been having. Not too hot and not too cold. Just right! Haha...as I am typing this it has started to rain big time!! But that's okay because it will just make everything that much greener!

237. I love my meetings with my pastor and his wife. I enjoy the one on one counseling. I am learning so much and it's nice to be held accountable too. I have homework each week that keeps me digging in the Word of God and learning more about my Lord!

238. I went out last night with my husband, daughter and our two employees (who are like sons) and saw Iron Man with Robert Downey Jr! I thought it was fantatsic. It was nice to be out with everyone and I couldn't help but be happy for Robert Downey Jr and am thankful he is clean and sober now. I pray that he continues to do so. It can't be easy. It also reminds me that even though I take many precribed medicines I have never been addicted to dependent on any of them.

239. I am blessed this week with getting a lot accomplished. I have been so far behind in my work for our company and while I have lots still to do I was pleased with being able to steadily work for several days in a row!

240. I was blessed this week with a chance to sit down with a dear friend and just open my heart for about thirty minutes. She's a wonderful listener and a great support. Sometimes we just need a shoulder to cry on, huh?

FRIDAY'S FEAST

Appetizer

What was your favorite cartoon when you were a child?

Hands down it was Hoshi Moto. Has anyone else ever heard of it? My husband thinks I'm crazy and there was no such cartoon. It was about a little Japanese mouse and his family.

Soup

Pretend you are about to get a new pet. Which animal would you pick, and what would you name it?

I think about this all the time. My husband would love it if we could somehow have a giraffe that stood about three feet tall. Wouldn't that be cute? I could take him in the car with me like I do my bulldog. I would name my new pet Girrafael for a boy and Girrafella for a girl! ;o)

Salad

On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy getting all dressed up for a special occasion?

Only because of my arthritis I will say a 5. The only shoes I can wear are tenny bops and I have so many scars all over my body that sometimes I am self concious of them. But that doesn't mean I don't love to go to the symphany or someplace formal. Then I wear my classy black tennis shoes! LOL!!

Main Course

What kind of music do you listen to while you drive?


I love ALL kinds of music. It depends on what kind of mood I am in. If I just want to have fun with the kids then we put in their music and bop along. If I need lifted up I listen to christian music, preferrably 4Him. And if I am reliving my teenage years, well folks, you know who it is...Donny Osmond!! And sometimes when I fel like a rebel I put on Queen or Bon Jovi and really rock the house. Nothing like seeing a 43 year old broad rocking out in her mini van!

Dessert


When was the last time you bought a clock? And in which room did you put it?

I just bought my mother a new clock for Christmas. She needed the very basic alarm clock. Too many of them are now way too fancy for her to figure out how to work them. ;o)

Thursday Thirteen

Today is the National Day of Prayer.

13 Things I Am Praying For

1. The upcoming election. No matter what my political views are I pray that the right person is elected for our country.

2. My children's future spouses. I started praying for my future son-in-laws and daughter-in-law when we first adopted our kids. It's never to early to pray for this!

3. My friends in Blogville. I love the fact that we can share our requests and it's a privilege to pray for one another.

4. The success of our business. We love what we do, but only if it's the Lord's will.

5. Our pastors and leaders of the church. I know there is a whole lot more to running the church than I will ever know. They need our support and our prayers daily!

6. Our service men and women. So many of them are young and many of them have families that they've left to serve our country. I get choked up thinking about them.

7. My family. All families have problems of some sort. I have lots and lots of people in my family if I count both sides. The older we get the more problems we inherit!

8. My church family. I love each and every one of them. They have been so supportive and encouraging to me over the years. I know they lift me up in prayer daily and that's what keeps me going!

9. This may seem silly to some, but I pray for the little things like a close parking space, a good Kroger ad when I have the money to stock up, and when I'm in the car I pray for just the right song to touch my heart or be just what I need for that moment.

10. I pray for wisdom and words. I don't always know how to handle a situation I am not familiar with. I want to keep glorifying God even when I've been thrown a curve ball.

11. And when I mess up in my life because I haven't been prepared I pray for forgiveness from my Heavenly Father. He always forgives and let's me start fresh!

12. I pray for those that do not know Christ as their own personal Saviour. I know what He's done in my life and I want to be able to share with others if they want to hear!

13. And many times my prayers are just full of praise for the many blessings I am given daily!

My Own Reality

It's confession time.

I usually don't worry about what others think of me. I've noticed the older I get the less I care about what people are saying behind my back!

The one thing I try not to post too much about is my daily reality of living with arthritis. My fear is that if I write too much about it I will come across as always complaining or a whiner. Neither of those is appealing. To you or to me!

I started blogging when I was physically and emotionally spent. God knew I needed an outlet for my pain. I didn't even know what a blog was at the time! But step by step He helped me through and before long I was posting and making wonderful friends!

And what an encouragement you have all been! You've been there for me when my father died. When I had my first kidney stone. Then my second. And the third! And you lifted me up in prayer many times for my hip surgeries and other concerns I've had throughout the past.

I guess what I am seeking is maybe understanding of what I live with from day to day. I want a chance to express my pain, my frustrations and my accomplishments. And I can through this wonderful world I call Blogville.

I have been absent from Blogville for many days now because I had a major flare up with my arthritis. I spent a week sitting on the bed while others fed me and kept me going until I could move again. No fun for me or for those that have to take care of me.

When I mention arthritis do you think of it as the kind old people get? You know, the aches and pains we have here and there. Even some of you younger folks are feeling it too, aren't you? You know what I'm talking about!

Well, that is not the kind I have. I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) when I was ten years old. I am now forty three. Do I act my age? No! I use the excuse that I have juvenile arthritis so I am allowed to be immature. ;o) And sometimes I laugh at the most inappropriate times. Again, the juvenile excuse gets played. But that in itself is a whole other post!

Okay, so I guess what I want you to know about me is that:

1. I hurt 24/7/365. Sometimes it is all over my body and sometimes it's only three of four joints giving me fits. The pain is always there. There is no escape from it. So while I tend to keep a smile on my face once in awhile there's a grimace or two.

2. My range of motion in any of my joints is severely limited. I am unable to wash my hair without the use of a handy dandy gadget my hubby made for me. I cannot put on my own socks or shoes. Which really I don't mind because I like to be barefoot! I tend to wear loose baggy clothes because that is what I am able to put on myself. Big deal, I was never into fashion anyway! And if I have an itch I may ask you to scratch it because more than likely I will not be able to get to it. Thanks in advance!

3. When I shop I always get the electric scooter. I used to be self concious of it, but now I just want to enjoy my time out and find as many bargains as possible! And I may not be able to run a marathon or play tennis, but boy can I cheer you on! God gave me a big mouth and a great whistle!

4. And because I am slow in the moving department this means that I can sit and listen to you. I can pray with you. I can be your shoulder to cry on or your friend when you need to vent. I'm a great friend that way!

5. If I post about my aches and pains please just bare with me. Blogging is one way to release my frustrations without unleashing them on my family. You have a choice whether to read it or not! I'm not looking for sympathy. I do know and understand that there are so many others facing far more difficult challenges than I ever will. I know that and I am thankful that God hasn't given me more than I can handle. He keeps His promises! And without my Lord and Saviour I would never be able to keep laughing through my tears. I give Him all the glory for He is good to me, even though I don't deserve it.

Thank you for caring about me and being my friend. I really do love all of you that stop by to see me! You mean more to me than you'll ever know. Really.

Full Friday!

1000 BLESSING'S FRIDAY

231. Last Saturday night we had snow. Early this morning we had an earthquake! 5.3 on the Richtor scale. Kinda scary when you're not used to 'em! Today I am enjoying 80 degree weather with a slight breeze! Perfect weather if you ask me. I have the door open to my office and am thrilled to see green, hearing the birds chirp and smell the charcoal grill! Yep, we are grilling out for lunch again today. Chicken is on the menu this time. My favorite!

232. My mother had her second cataract surgery this week and did beautifully! Plus her diabetes is staying under control too. I hope to have my momma arond a long, long time!

233. A couple of weeks ago my SIL's father, Tom, had most of his pancreas removed because he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was given about a year to live if he had the surgery. We just received a call from him and he told us that the doctors misdiagnosed him and he does NOT have cancer! Yes, several people have already focused on the fact that he had surgery and it was a terrible and frightening misdiagnosis. But Tom is rejoicing in the fact that he does NOT have cancer and unless the Lord has other plans for him Tom should be around a long time!

We have to remember Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

We may not understand it at the time, but we have that promise in Him!

234. My husband and I are still struggling. I have been going to counseling for awhile now to learn how to handle his anger. One thing my pastor always reminds me of my situations is ~ Hard is just hard. It's not bad.

There are days I don't think I can take it anymore, but I remind myself that God's hand is in it. God is up to something good! And to be involved in that something good that's headed our way!

235. I do consider it a blessing that God has allowed this tough time into my life. He has me right in the palm of His hand! He wants to mold me into the image of Him. I fail miserably every day, but isn't it wonderful to know that I can go straight to Him and confess my sins and all is forgiven? He never turns His back on me. So why should I try everything my way first? It hasn't worked so far!

FRIDAY'S FEAST

Appetizer

Name a color you find soothing.

While blue is my most very favoritest color of them all I don’t consider it soothing because blue just makes me smile too much! Yes, I am strange. I find that a really soft yellow makes me calm and mellow.

Soup

Using 20 or less words, describe your first driving experience.

Learning to drive a stick was a special time between my father and I because he was a patient man!

Ha! And you thought I wouldn’t keep it to under 20 words or less. LOL!

Salad

What material is your favorite item of clothing made out of?

Do pajama’s count? I bought an over sized Minnie Mouse nightgown at Disneyland on our honeymoon, which was almost 24 years ago! Over the years of wearing it and washing it so often has made it very thin, but oh so comfy! It’s too see through to wear around my son now. It is so soft that even my hubby tried it on just to be silly one night and he understood why I love to wear it so much! I had to fight him to get it back! Not really.

Main Course

Who is a great singer or musician who, if they were to come to your town for a concert, you would spend the night outside waiting for tickets to see?

Those of you that know me will think I am going to say my man, Donny Osmond, but I am not! Now don’t pass out on me just yet peeps! I would spend the night outside to buy tickets for my very favorite Christian group 4Him! Sadly, they are no longer together because God has called them to different ministries, which really is a good thing since they are following His will.

Have you ever noticed when you listen to Christian music it’s hard to stay in a bad mood or feel down? I like to focus on God’s promises and His plan for me!

Dessert

What is the most frequent letter of the alphabet in your whole name (first, middle, maiden, last, etc.)?

This question was interesting to me. The most frequent letter in my name is “I”. I have five of them if I include my maiden name. And I use 14 letters of the alphabet in my name. That was more than I thought I would!

If you are still reading this I say THANK YOU! What is one blessing you've had this week?

Wordless Wednesday - Yeah, right!

One of my daily stops each day (besides you!) is the live Giraffe Cam! Someday I want to visit this zoo as well and feed my friends. They also have a Meerkat cam too. You know I love my giraffes and I was excited to see a little one in the bunch!

Have a wonderful day everybody. I'm going back to watching one of God's many creations!

Laughter Is The Best Medicine

No matter how lousy my day can get all I have to do is bring up YouTube and listen to a baby truly laughing from the heart!

1000 BLESSING'S FRIDAY

226. What a blessing it was to spend the whole day with my daughter on our shopping excursion. Even if we didn't find the great deals it would have been a blessing because it was time with just her! Now I need to make a date with my other two kids for some one on one time.

227. Blessed with gor-ja-mous weather today! We had lots of needed rain yesterday and today we basked in the warmth of the sun. And had a barbeque at lunch with our employees. FUN!

228. I sit at my desk in amazement everyday. Last year at this time I was bedridden and in tears the whole day because it was just to painful to even exist. I am blessed with freedom of pain and the ability to help at the shop again and have a clear sense of mind to actually do the work my husband needs me to do! So very thankful to my Lord for seeing me through!

229. Blessed by my momma everyday! She drives me crazy at times because she calls so often to see how I am feeling, but I am thankful for her. She cares very much for me and unlike my father, she is still here on earth and I am able to hear her sweet voice everyday ask, "Are you hurting today honey?" And then she sighs when she hears my answer and then says, "Then I just need to pray that much harder for you. I'll get down on my knees right now." I am loved!

230. Even though this has nothing at all to do with me directly I feel blessed in seeing God's hand in people's lives. My aunt had to have emergency surgery due to an appendicitis and developed an infection, my cousin had a lung collapse and was in ICU for many days and my SIL's father had surgery for pancreatic cancer. Through lots of prayer my aunt is doing very well now and back to work. She is almost 70 but you'd never know it. My cousin is totally better now. I still have yet to find out if they know the cause of the collapsed lung. And Tom, my SIL's daddy did AMAZING! He is well into his 70's and again, you would never guess it. His surgery was very long and I really thought he would be in a lot of pain. But nope! He is one tough bird. He's home and moving like he was never cut open!

I wanted to share a couple of food blogs that I have been enjoying. Check 'em out when you have a chance!

A Year of Crockpotting

Cookie Madness

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Reminder: Donny & Marie are hosting the beauty pageant tonight. I know how all of you are into beauty pageants! LOL. But please don't call me because I'll be glued to my television screen. Maybe even licking it!

Thursday Thirteen

13 DEALS WE FOUND ON OUR SHOPPING SPREE!!

My daughter and I love to spend a day together shopping, eating and being silly. We also enjoy the thrill and the hunt of finding the best deals and using coupons to get stuff for free! It can be addicting, I tell ya.

1. I had many coupons for different food items. And since we didn't want to waste out money buying food we used these for our lunch. One coupon for a free chicken sandwich at Chic-Fil-A. Two free coupons for a lemon ice at Fazoli's. One coupon for a free value basket at Culver's which was a huge double cheeseburger, fries and a large drink. BTW, Culver's has the best tasting root beer! So we had more than enough food between us and was ready to start our shopping spree!!!!

2. Our first stop was Fashion Bug. I had a coupon for $10 off anything as long as I spent $10. Score! I also had a gift card with $4 left on it. They were also having anywhere from 20% to 60% off clearance. Double score! I found a really pretty pink and white striped sweater and an awesome huge black purse with some kind of print on it. I think I am going to give it to my secret pal because she loves purse too! Plus I got a pair of cute socks and I didn't pay any $$$ out for any of it! How cool am I? And I did look kinda cute in my new sweater. ;o)

3. My daughter didn't have any coupons, but she also found a really cool purse similar to mine, only a little more hip. Which is good considering she is only 20! She also signed up to get a charge card so she could receive 15% off her order. She only paid a little over $3 for the bag and a pair of leggings. Makes a momma proud! She also charged her order and then immediately paid it off. She is trying to build credit for herself which is a good idea!

4. Wally World was the next stop. It's not my favorite place to shop, but it's about the only place I can find tennis shoes to fit my wide, flat feet. Sure enough I found a pair and they were only $9.50! Cool beans! I don't spend much on tennis shoes because I am not hard on them at all and I have never been able to tell a difference in the expensive and the cheap. So why pay more?

5. My daughter also found a cute pair of backless tenny bops for $4!! And they were a good name brand. I just can't remember right now.

6. I love going to The Dollar Tree! That was next on our journey and I only spent one dollar and bought a long handled scrub brush for taking my showers. I love it and it is quite useful for me because I have limitations on my range of motion. I should have bought two!

7. Although we did not stop because we were still full from lunch we saw that they have built a Sonic! I have read about Sonic on other blogs and can't wait to try it sometime. Any suggestions on what to get?

8. Next stop you ask...Bed, Bath & Beyond! I needed to buy a wedding gift. Now bear with me on this one because I hope this makes sense. I had received a coupon for 20% off one item in the store. I was also returning an item that I had bought two months ago for $12.99. On the receipt along with the $12.99 item was another purchase for $49.99. With me so far? I picked out a wok to buy for my wedding gift that was on sale for $14.99. I was also having it gift wrapped and shipped directly to them. When I was checking out I noticed the cashier took the 20% off the old receipt of $49.99. I reminded her that I was buying a wok for only $14.99 and that coupon just took $10.00 off my total. She said that was correct! I asked how. She said that it didn't matter how old the receipt was and that if we brought in a coupon they would take it off the highest priced item. I said I felt like I was ripping them off! She said, "No, we want to save you the most money we can and we want to keep your business." So after my return and buying a wok, wrapped and shipped I only spent $2.21!! I will definitely go back and I will be saving ALL my receipts!

9. We were off to the mall to enjoy the rest off our day. My daughter wanted to buy a cell phone cover from one of the kiosks in the middle of the mall. Before she went I taught her to never pay full asking price. You and I both know those covers probably cost a whole fifty cents and they were asking $25.00. Can you believe that? I told her to offer them half, but she got scared and asked if they would take $5 off. Of course they said yes! Grrrr. While she considered it a deal I knew that she could get that little, glittery, pink with hearts piece of plastic for a lot less! Live and learn I guess. She's happy with it and that's all that matters. Plus it was her money so what do I care? LOL!

10. We were getting hungry again so we went to Subway for their foot long subs for $5. We split one and went without a drink because we thought we might splurge and get a smoothie. We had heard that if you ask for the broken cookies at Subway they have to give them to you and no charge. We tried it and it worked! So we each had a couple of broken cookies!

11. With a full tummy we were off again and we went to Old Navy. I needed some prizes for my girls at Awana and I found some! They had the prettiest backpacks on clearance!! Wheeeeee! They were big and sturdy and ever so cheap.....only $2.00 people! I grabbed what was left, which was five and I high-tailed it out of there because I felt like I was robbing the place! And yes, the girls are very happy with them!

12. No shopping trip is complete without stopping by Bath & Body Works and Victoria's Secret! Raise your hand and shout~You go girl! if you agree with me! Now we did end up spending most of our money there, but a girl has got to smell good, ya know?! We had our coupons and took advantage of their sales. We each got adorable purses filled with three good sized bottles of stuff at VS. And at B&BW we also walked out with a huge bag of soaps, lotions and sprays! I love those stores, don't you?

13. The best deal of my day was getting to spend the entire day with my daughter!!!! I was giddy the whole day through and she kept laughing at me because I would smile and giggle and just be silly in general. I was thrilled, too, because even she was having so much fun spending the day with her old momma!

This was only a few of our bargains found that day! We had our van FULL of packages and honestly, we barely spent any money! What's a great bargain you've found lately?