He Knows Your Name

Christmas was wonderful , one of the best in a few years..... I will have pictures tomorrow....and it snowed today .....YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was a beautiful snow.......huge snow flakes........ It almost persuaded me to get out in it........ I miss the energy that was mine as a child....... but the child in me was jumping for joy........ We do not get much snow here in southern Oklahoma so when we do it is wonderful......... My sweet hubby went out and got a video for me to blog........ I think he will have that for me tomorrow......... I am still pretty new at this blogging thing but I bet I figure that out.......
.... As this year of 2007 slips away, I look back on the hard times and they are overshadowed by the blessings......... I turned 60 in 2007 in natural years and September 10 of this year I turned 30 in my spirit life.....
....I remember the very dark places in my life and so many times I cried out to the Lord to make sure that the terrible mistakes in my life would not go to waste... I cried to the Lord that He would allow me to help if only one young woman to avoid the pitfalls that I fell into.

....I feel that the Lord has finally moved me into the place that He will begin to use the "wisdom" of the years from walking through the dark places...... walking by faith and sometimes just walking and wondering where He is........... there were those places........ but always, always when I came out on the other side He was already there....... It has been such an amazing walk with the Lord.. I have to keep reminding myself that He does not wear a watch and that the past 30 years for me has been three steps forward and two steps back... but to Him it was only yesterday that I was born into the kingdom.

...Thirty years of making the same mistakes too many times until it finally sinks into my thick head... Sometimes in the past 30 years I wondered why in the world the Lord puts up with me........I feel like the apostle Paul, the chief of sinners........ I am amazed at my life and the sin stain that covered me and my heart is overwhelmed at His grace that saved me....and continues to save me...

... When I was first born-again I thought that I had arrived...... a few years into this walk with the Lord I would have told you the 3 step method to getting your prayers answered........ Me and Jesus was going to save the world......... How pompous was I........... Now 30 years into this walk with the Lord , if you ask me anything having to do with life and the pain that comes with it I will cry with you and do what I can to help you but I will tell you this one thing.........

.......For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2

...I have no answers for a broken life but I know the man that does have the answers and I can introduce you to Him ... and if you think about it... it no longer is your wisdom that matters... it is just your relationship to Him ........it is Jesus that brings people into the kingdom.......... we just need to bring people to Jesus.....

... I heard a saying once....... Christianity is not my responsibility, it is my response to His ability... I believe that....... In myself I can do nothing for I have tried. The word tells us in

Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

....My prayer for you this new year and my prayer for myself this new year that we will move into Him in a greater measure, understanding that standing alone from Christ we are clouds without rain... It is while we are moving and living and having our entire being surrounded by the Savior of the world that we truly live................ I want to live so that when people see me there is a shadow of the one true Christ about me and they will ask who is that Man.... and I can respond.......... He is the Christ ............ and He knows your name............

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.


And this [shall be] a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

You Will Love This

Take a few minutes to watch this video..... It gave me such a laugh.. I read somewhere that it is all men............what a hoot........... Watch the one on the left as he gets his black hood over his face and then watch the one on the right dance as he lifts his sign........... What a fun thing this was to watch............. Hope you enjoy.................... DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT LOOKING DOWN AT MY NEXT POST... My Basket of Blessing.............. :)

Denise

Basket of Blessing

Such a wonderful surprise in the mail. I received my note pads from Deena at Pretty In Pink a few days ago.. What a wonderful spirit is this lady Deena.... She took the time before her surgery to give something away.....What a blessing she is......Then in the mail came my new book Humility : True Greatness by C.J. Mahaney... from Sharon B and with the book was some candles, hand lotion, Starbucks coffee and some goodie chocolates...( a few of them may not have lasted long enough to get into the picture) I put it all in this basket and will just let it sit a while... What a nice surprise........... Thanks ladies...... You blog ladies have blessed my soul more than you can even imagine...... You are the real gift.. the stuff is just extra.................. Denise

Speak Now Or Forever Hold Your Peace

....He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. Isaiah 53:7

My Memory Verse for Today

… I have been giving this some thought the past few days and is in response to a post by Edge of Design. When you get a minute take the time to go and read.

… The 53rd and 54th chapters of Isaiah are two of my favorite chapters in the entire word of God. It is rich with promises from the Father. In the above verse we see where the Christ, who could have called legions of angels to free Himself from the hands of man, we see a Messiah that at the age of 12 was teaching in the temple. YET He opened not his mouth and spoke not a word. He opened not His mouth in order that we could. We have the God given right to open our mouth. We have the God given right to speak of the goodness of God and the God given right to speak those things from the public square. He kept silent so that we would raise our voices.
… It is easy to see that in the day and age that we live in that the Christian faith is the only faith that is being discriminated against. We are the ones that THEY (whoever they are) want to silence. Now, we can take great comfort in that. The word tells us that they hated Him before they hated us.
….Born-again believers in Christ will be hated, rejoice and know that your name is written in the Lambs Book of Life. There is a scripture in

Revelations 12:11 that says: And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

.....The second part of that scripture talks about the word of their testimony. We testify that He is the Lord and He is the only way unto eternal life.
…. Do I care about the rights of others to speak what they believe? I do. Freedom of speech is what this great nation was built upon, however it is foolish of the Christians today to think that our freedom exists today. Our voices are being muffled on a daily basis and to whom do I lay blame? I lay blame on myself. I have in many times past read something in the local paper or heard something on the news or even heard about something that caused the hair on my neck to stand straight up. The righteous indignation rose up in me and I went looking for my soap box. .....However, given enough time, the hair on my neck laid down and my soap box was in a closet with dirty socks. What I mean to say is, I do not always listen to the voice of the Lord in my heart. I am not always faithful to do those things that my spirit man jumps at. BUT…. There are times that I am faithful and I do speak up.

… I think in the day and age that we live there needs to be more times that we do speak up as not. I, personally need to listen more closely and speak more often. After all He stood silent and spoke not a word. He did that so that we would be free to speak.

…. It is no wonder that the world hates us.. It is no wonder that at His name demons tremble…

….For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

…..There it is, the word is alive and it sees the heart and knows what lies beneath. Have you ever wondered why the world will use the word God but you will not hear the name of Jesus spoke? Because at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow.

....In the arrogance of men’s hearts they see themselves as whole and complete not needing anyone or anything. Self sufficient. They do not see the need of a savior. So I always try and use the name of Jesus when speaking about the goodness of God. It is at that name that demons tremble, it is that name that will pierce the heart of the unbeliever. It is at that name that a seed will be planted…

…… I once heard a pastor friend of mine say… when speaking about Jesus you always want a reaction. Good or bad, but a reaction. We sometimes recoil at a bad reaction when we speak of the goodness of Christ, but it is the word that is piercing that heart and it is the word that will plant a seed that someone somewhere sometime will come along and water.
…. So I guess I said that to say this; it is our responsibility to stand and be heard regardless of the reaction. It is our God given right regardless of who says otherwise to speak the name of Christ..
…… Maybe that is a good way to start this new year… by asking the Father to help us open our mouth and speak.
Thanks Edge for the great post…………..

Mind of Their Own

I think this blogger has a mind of it's own..... It has messed up my header.. I cannot fix...... Oh well..... have a great Sunday

Hey Hey,, My dear husband helped me fix it....... he is soooooooo

smart......... It is good to have a computer guru for a husband...

12-Christmas-Things-About-Me Huppla

I've been tagged !!!!!!!!!!!! from Sharon over at Sit With Me A While

Yeah............ it is my first time to be tagged.......... at my age I do not have many first times left.............ahhahahhah soooooooooooooooooooo here goes..........

12-Christmas-Things-About-Me Huppla

1........... I have spent Christmas in England, Philippines, Taiwan, California, Florida, Delaware, Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Idaho, Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, Pennsylvania and New York.

2........ As children, we never saw our Christmas tree until Christmas morning...... Family tradition of Dad's...... When I married and moved away I put my tree up before Thanksgiving....

3.... I made hundreds of sugar cookies for my two boys for years and years and years... We made them on a Saturday and decorated them all day ...... Then we had cookies for months after..... The boys will tell you that they remember Christmas sugar cookies more than the gifts.... How fun.... Maybe I should make some sugar cookies and have for Chris on Christmas morning...... He will laugh..

4..........My very WORST Christmas gift ever was a bowling ball........... A bowling ball....... can you imagine.. !!!!!!!!!!! A bowling ball....... ahahha

5......I refused to put up a artificial tree all the years my boys were growing up.......... We would go and cut down a tree (with permission)........ How much fun was it to go tramping out through the woods to find just the right tree.

6...... 1973 I cried this Christmas eve when my church showed up on our front door with gifts for my boys......... Wrapped matchbox cars and trucks, candy canes, sweaters and socks, chocolate, and all the things that would make two little boys eyes light up the next morning... We were alone the three of us and money was pretty tight... Ain't God good.

7........ I ate Christmas pudding in England, they set it on fire you know! Is that strange or what, but you talk about Delicious!!!!!!!!!!!

8...... The greatest thrill in my life one year was to watch my two boys stand on stage and little elf's with pointed hats and pointed toes........... Each child had a single card to turn over one at a time... Their cards would spell out Merry Christmas........... Christopher was 7 and he was the third from the last.......... when he turned over his card it was upside down........... the crowd of parents began to smile then smiles turned to laughs as when finished read Merry Christwas...... what a hoot............ I still see that little face with a big grin as they all filed off stage..... He was the life of the party............

9....... I love Christmas carols and in 1964 I was asked to sing at our church Christmas program. I sang O Holy Night and my Dad was sitting down off stage with an easel and as I sang Dad sketched out the stable scene with the star ........ He timed his charcoal drawing to my finishing my song........... I wish I had that picture....... I was 17.......... I will never forget that.

10...... I do not remember many of my Christmas gifts when a child but there were two that I remember as it were yesterday.......... One was when I was very young and it was a vanity table with a mirror and a lacy skirt with a little bench..... I think that is what caused me to become so vain.............ahahhahah I must have been somewhere around 7-8 years old........do you know that I still had that little table up until about 9 years ago...... It finally needed to be discarded... but my my , I loved that little table......... the second was a stereo, you know the kind that opened from the top and you carried like a suitcase? It had that big center thing where you could stack lots of 45 records...... I think I was somewhere around 12 or 13 not sure, but with the stereo there was a STACK of 45 records......Oh my.......... I was in hog heaven....... Wonder what happened to all those records? I would love to reminisce for just a while...

11.... I still get up early in the morning and fill my husband and my single son's stockings with all kinds of good things........... There is just something about hiding something very special down deep in the toe...... This year I will have two more stockings to hang ........... but I cannot say much as my little 90 year old Dad will be reading this and one of them might be for him........

12........ Christmas 1999... my first Chritmas with my soul mate..... I was 52 when the Lord brought Dennis into my life.....I do not know why it took so long, he is here... We will spend the rest of our lives waking next to each other on Christmas morn..........

Now............ It is your turn........... here are the rules................

1. List 12 random things about yourself that has to do with Christmas.

2.... Lets call it hoopla........ something abut a dreaded 'm' word.. Someone will have to clue me in on that

3.... You must specifically tag your people...

4...... Hurry, Christmas is coming and the geese are getting fat... hahah

I tag................ Edge ... Dee.... Mary (is she has not already been tagged) and my dad... Paul.

To-Do

.... Just a quick post this morning before I begin my day.... Dad is much better so that makes the day much brighter despite the rain outside.... He gave us a bit of a scare....
.......... We all have too much on our plates this time of year and I am no different... some days it is a bit overwhelming like Monday and Tuesday............... I am not one to make a "list".

........... My sweet husband is, he is always making a list and I guess that is why he is much more organized than I am........ Maybe I will try that one day.... anyway... My to-do list is in my head and that is not a good place to be right now... It is sharing space with so many other "right now " jobs that it is always on the back burner.............

.... Monday was a pretty much trashed day... computer software was crashing, and that is the program that I create all my embroidery in....... but with a lot of persuading I at least finished the two jobs left in the shop....... My son Chris went to Vegas on Sunday despite the fact that he is very sick....... Then he calls and I find out that he is much worse and I cannot get to him...... Now if you are a mother and reading this you know what that causes...... Ok, he is 38 but what in the world does that matter......... I cannot get to him.......... I talked with him again yesterday and he is much worse that Monday.........now the tears....... cannot handle that and I made him promise that if he was still as sick today he would catch a flight home........... he promised......... I have not heard from him yet today.................. AND I said all that to say this.. my to-do list is falling by the wayside...........

.............. Sometime yesterday afternoon durning the hustle to finish in the shop and the tears over Chris.......... I guess a lot of things came flooding in on me......... You know ladies that once you start that tear thing it is hard to stop........... Monday was my oldest son's birthday along with Dad's..... He turned 42........... I have not been able to hug his neck on his birthday since he was 19.......... oh my............ I cried over that yesterday.... but sometime in the early afternoon I had an encounter with the Lord and all things changed......... I called an end to the self pity party and my to-do list was rewritten by the Lord...............

He wrote it on my heart and not my mind thus it has taken priority this day.............

T0-D0

.......... Pray for the sweet ladies here on the blog that are walking is some very dark places this day......... One in the foremost of my mind is Deena...... What she is going through makes my trivial problems fade into obscurity...
.......... Pray for our soldiers, they are in harms way and they need the protection of the Father that comes from the saints on their knees...
.......... Pray for my family member that have their lives so messed up that only God can piece together the pieces.........
..........Pray for healing of relationships that are so broken that the world would look on and say how impossible to fix............. but God can....
.......... Take time to sit and read the word of God and let the Holy Spirit put my life in order of priorities...... Not the priorities that I THINK but the priorities that HE thinks.........
......... Take the time to call out the names of those that have lost a loved one this year ...... They will need the Lord to get them through this Christmas season...
......... Pray for my husband ............ he lost his dad on May 30th this year.........
......... Pray for my son Chris........ he wants so much to marry and settle down, but she has not shown up on the scene yet...
.........Pray ........... just pray..........

........ What a gift we are able to give to all those in our lives, the gift of prayer.........

It knows no distance or time....

It is effectual and God turns His eyes toward a praying saint...

Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16

Prayer is faith filled words spoken by the believer that brings God on the scene..........

Prayer is our acknowledgement that we are totally reliant upon God........

Prayer is a conversation between the Father and the daughter..or a son.

Prayer is making our petitions known and if He hears He will answer........

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 1 John 5:14

Prayer is spoken in any language or is spoken in no language at all..........

Prayer is a cry from the heart......... and is assisted by the Holy Spirit in times when words are not enough........

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Romans 8:26

blessings to you today........ I have started a new to-do list..... and I think I will write it down...

Happy Birthday Dad........ and Thanks for the Medicine

.......We had a little get together last night for Dad..... Seems that Monday night no one could be here... Life is too fast....PE and Alpha and Mom and Dad and then myself and Dennis...... We had pizza and cake....... Root beer...... Dad did not want a party..... He just gets too nervous around too many people anymore....... I wanted to have big party with streamers and confetti and such, but I guess at some time in life you just want to slow down........

............ We have a sister in Tulsa that works nights and could not be here..... Grand children are scattered around and the one grandchild that could have been here was home very sick.......... soooooooooo we ate cake and did enjoy that pizza and talked with Mom and Dad and laughed..........

........ Tomorrow is his birthday and he will be 90...... He has the best sense of humor and my older brother PE and I inherited that........ mine is sometimes to a fault..... and we will not even talk about PE's........... he and I were sent away from the table so many times when we were growing up I cannot even begin to count the times... and church......... that is another story......

...Seems I was always sitting by Grandma and something would happen that would set me and PE off we would begin to laugh... grand mom would pinch the fire out of me and that would just cause me to get worse......... Dad usually was sitting in the choir and we dare not look at him....... You could see his shoulders shaking and there we would be...... out the back door or in mucho trouble when we got out of the church........ those were the days growing up with Dad...

... I am so thankful for that sense of humor, it has got me through some really bad times in my life..... the word of God tells us that laughter is good medicine and that is the truth........ I think it has saved my life on many occasions...........

.... He still enjoys laughter and has maintained that wonderful sense of humor....... we do have to remind him on occasions that life just happens and he needs to remember to laugh...... He did go through some dry times last year after his cancer surgery but he is much better in the past few months.....

.....I appreciate him as a father but much more I appreciate that he passed down his gift of laughter....... PE and I are still a tough act to follow and anyone will tell you that when you get the two of us together there is trouble coming........ My husband Dennis and PE's wife Alpha just know what to expect.......... and they just let us roll.........

........ I love to laugh, I love my Dad and the gift he gave me........... I love that he is 90 and still in pretty good health and living in my back yard.......... I love that I can walk across my back yard and share the laughter that has been such a big part of his life and is alive and well in my life... I hope that the laughter continues for many more years...................

............ We had pizza and chocolate cake and we laughed.............

Happy Birthday Dad

I Was Hungry and You Fed Me

.... Just a real quick post this morning... I need to get over to the rent house and help my precious husband... but......... here is my Be a blessing this Christmas....

...While out and about the other day I ran into an old friend that I have not seen in several years....How strange it is that we live in a small town (25000 people) and do not see people for years... Anyway, I lived with her several years ago when I had no home and no money..... Hard times they were... She rented me one of her bedrooms and it was such a life saving time for me... I had bought a business and I was working 7 days a week and most of those days were 12-14 hour days..... Making ends meet was tough at the least... Anyway, she took me in.........

..... Come to find out she has had a bad car wreck, laid in a coma for months and then had to have complete hip replacement... She is now on disability as she can hardly walk and lost her car and the finances to replace it........... she owns her own home thank God but had to have the phone turned off........ (and I complain about the work I have to do in my shop) .. To make this long story short I asked her about her meals and what does she do about cooking... She cannot stand for long periods of time..........

......Soooooooooooo I will go to my local hospital that offers a hot meal every day right to your door for handicap persons or shut in elderly... My husband and I will pay for her meals on wheels each month for as long as she needs that service. She will get a hot meal delivered to her home each day at noon and I will know that she is at least getting the nourishment that she needs......... AND.......... I will take time to go see her and take her shopping or whatever she needs..........

.......... I will deliver her first meal early next week with a little Christmas gift to put under her tree......

....... It does not take too long to look around us and find out that we are blessed beyond measure... and the blessing is not in the things but in the heart of each of us the believers... an new heart that sees a need and responds.........

.........help us Lord to ALWAYS be listening for that still small voice that directs our path to those that need a touch from the Lord............

.......... We are His hands that can touch.......... we are His feet that can go........... we are His heart that can love..........

have a great day...

Blogger Buddies are the Best

... No time to blog today or yesterday.... My son Chris is sick ........ did not get to go out to dinner with him yesterday for his B-day............ He leaves for Vegas on Saturday so dinner will have to wait...........Dad is sick again tonight and Dennis and I just got home from being over there.......

........ I am blessed to have such a wonderful husband that is right there beside me through thick and thin..........We have only been married 8 years......... he is a gift from God............. He is all I need under my tree on Christmas morning......

......... My shop is so busy and this day has been so long........... I am headed to bed............... I will blog latter...........

Love to all my blogger buddies........... I think I will create a BB graphic to give to all my blogger buddies.............. but that is for another day.............

good night

The Prodigal Son

.....No time the past two days to blog and I can tell you that I really miss it... I have a small embroidery business at my home and this time of year it can get a bit busy........ I have one more day tomorrow to finish up some orders and then I will be finished for this holiday... I love my business and I love the fact that it is at my house..... but it can take the joy from Christmas if I let it.....

... The holidays are a bit hard on me anyway and I will let you in on the reason. I have two son's, the older one will turn 42 on Monday the same day as my Dad turns 90. The other younger son is Chris and he will turn 38 tomorrow. The oldest son married 22 years ago and he has not been in my home for one Christmas since then. The three of us were very very close and spent most of our years just the three of us....... We had some bad times but the good times really out weighted the bad......... He married a gal that refuses to share and over the years it was just easier for him to stop trying and succumb to what she wanted. They have three beautiful children that do not even know what a wonderful grandmother I would have been.. They live only 4 hours from me but I will spend another holiday without my son... Some days I think it is getting easier but it does not.... his children are 16 , 14 and 8..... I would love to have known them....

..... Then there is Chris.... he is a blessing in my life and he is the son that every mother would want. He has never married yet, (but I pray and I look) .. hahahah . He is in law-enforcement and has seen so many homes in turmoil and children in abusive situations. It has kind of put him off........ but I am hopeful that one day that beautiful woman will walk into his life and sweep him off his feet......... He too misses his brother...... It is like we do not exist... I am not sure how a person does that but it seems that it happens more than I would like to know...

...... I know that the Lord can bring the prodigal son home... I know that, but I would like to ask the Lord to bring him home soon........... I miss my son................. I will cry again this year as I do each year..... Wonder why it is the holiday that always turn us into a big ball of emotions?

.........Here is a picture of my son Chris on the left and his brother on the right...... I will take Chris out to dinner tomorrow night for his birthday and let him know how much his mother loves him..........

Monday Memory Verse

......Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. Zechariah 4:6

... When we study the story of Zerubbabel we find a task that was far bigger than any man....Go and rebuild the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. A task that could not be altered by all the kingdoms of the earth.

.. We must always keep in our minds and hearts that it is by the Holy Spirit of God that we accomplish any task asked of us....... It is when we set aside any thought of our strength that the Holy Spirit makes provision..

.... Over the years the Lord has had to remind me that it is by His Spirit that our mountains are moved...

Bible Study

...........I have a great web site that I am going to share with you gals....(and guys) The web is called Blue Letter Bible. I found it a year or so ago, my husband and I listen to bible study every night on the ION TV channel and we started learning Greek translation. In my search for help I found this web site. I just went in and found a bible study that is great.....

..... It is through the bible in one year and you can pick the translation that you want. You can then pick the way that you read it, from Genesis to Revelation or you can read through by history or you can read through in chronological order, or you can read through with the Old Testament combined with the New Testament. What is so great about this, when you sign into your account it will open up the scripture that you are on....... you read it right there then click on OK when you finish and they will load your next day study...........

......Now!!!!!!!!!!!!! if that is not great enough I just found that I can LISTEN to the reading of the word right there... they offer the written text or the spoken text............... YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I have just plugged in my ear buds and I am beginning with my first lesson........... I have done this before but you can never read through the bible too many times.......... Now I am listening to the word and my spirit man is being fed...... I think that we need to hear the word spoken........

..... If you are interested, just click on the link for the BLB web site and click on Devotionals and follow that to the translation that you want and the method that you want......... It is wonderful.

........ I have the bible on tape and on CD but this is so much easier... A wonderful way to hear the word................ I wonder if I can listen in Hebrew or Greek? I will have to go and see..

..........My Sunday was busy, I decorated my Mom and Dad's deck... Put up lights and made a big wreath for them... Tomorrow we will put up their tree........... They would have loved to help but they came to the door a couple of times and just gave me a big grin....... When I finally finished and went in to let them know, Dad was so sweet.......... He was so appreciative of me doing that.............. WELL of course I wanted to do that........ It helps them with their well being and sense of purpose.......... It is Christmas time and although there are no longer little children running around and paper being thrown everywhere they enjoy the season as much as anyone.... It was fun...... I love doing things for them..............

......... I will take pictures soon and let you see where the little folks live...............

I pray that your Sunday was peaceful and you are well rested...........(we can dream)

........I finished cleaning my shop and now I have several jobs to start on tomorrow... I have created another blog on this one called SEW THE WORD......... That is the name of my on line store if I can ever get it open........ I do primitive embroidery and am trying my hand at some primitive dolls.......... I think I will give something away this week on that new blog............ BUT ... I will let you know in pleanty of time to be involved.........BE WATCHING.......................

...........

Overcome

.....I am overcome this morning with thankfulness of what the Lord has done in my life. Growing up I had all the same dreams any little girl would have.. Husband, home, children... house with white picket fence....... Lace and ruffles and all things sweet......... Life gets in the way of dreams and life will swallow you up and spit you out.

.....Divorce was not in my vocabulary nor my thoughts.. I am sure if you asked anyone that knew the ravages of divorce they would tell you that they did not ever imagine that would happen to them. However it does...
.... The woman at the well is my most treasured gift in the word of God. She is the perfect example of a life gone wrong and of the Grace that is handed out to all those that will receive.

....Jesus was a busy man but He was always in tune with the Holy Spirit and on that day He knew that there was a woman, seeped in despair headed to a well. She would draw water that day but the water she would receive would change her life and she would thirst no more.
......Jesus came to save the lost and the undone........ This story is a story of forgivness and mercy in a world void of any compassion. They only knew the law and the law cast her out. He brought grace and forgivness and took her in.........

...I cry when I see the transformation of a broken heart to a heart of hope. She was broken and undone and I am sure that each morning brought with it another day of hoplessness. The sun did arise on that day but in its rising brought with it new life where there was only guilt and shame.
.... I have hung my head in shame and disgrace... I have opened my eyes on mornings that life was just too hard to bear.... I have wandered alone in my darkness not knowing whether to turn right or left.......... I have shook my fist in the face of the law of religion and asked why? I have lived the life of the woman at the well...........
..... I have cried until I could cry no more........ and now this morning I am overwhelmed with the goodness of my Father God and I cry........... not because I am broken but I cry that because on September 10, 1977 I met a man at the well of my despair and He did not repair my heart, He made it new......... I used to cry because I was broken, now I cry because He made me whole.

Dont Be a Baby

......When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1 Corinthians 13:11

.... it is strange but I do not remember much of my childhood... What little bits and pieces there are are good ones.. I had two brothers that I grew up with and some of my most favorite memories are of the three of us. One memory is playing King of the Hill. We would all run toward the railroad tressel in the back of Grandma's house and up on the tracks we would go. The tracks cross the blue river that ran through the little town of Roff Oklahoma. It was there that we would laugh and holler and push each other off of that railroad tressel mound until only one of us remained. I could not tell you how many times I won or lost but just that I remember those days so well. Of course as we grew older and went our separate ways only to reunite on Thanksgiving and Christmas, no longer did we three break away to claim victory over that old hill. We were grown and childish things were in the past. Those memories serve me well and they always bring a smile to my face.....
.....In my Christian life it is no different. I remember the younger years of my walk with the Lord and how I thought I had arrived. I was full of myself and was going to save the world. Little did I know that arrived I had not. I did not know squat but I would have told you that I did. I look back on my life and that journey that started out 30 years ago and those memories always bring a smile to my face. Little did I know that my journey would take me through dark places that only the Grace of God could keep me. It was in the darkness that I learned to see the unseen. It was in the dark places that the still small voice was the only thing heard. It was in those times that life was hard and I would rather have gone on to see Jesus that I learned how to live. It was in the darkness that I grew to be out of the carnal and into faith.
......... today there are things that I have let go of....childish things that hindered me... Things that have hung onto my flesh for so many years that need be discarded. Is it not a wonderful thing that as we grow and mature in the Lord, He always takes us to a place that reveals the hidden things in our lives and it is there that we grow.......My prayer today is that the Lord continue to inspect my heart and reveal the things that need to be revealed so that I might come into His fullness and reproduce like kind..........

Leave Things Alone

........ I am such a creature of habit... I move my furniture, I rearrange my my kitchen cabinets. I sort and clean and fix but never get anything done. Being a graphic artist that is just my nature. The Lord has been showing me some things about this and what He says makes sense. Duh!
...My life was out of control for so many years with the divorce's, the abuse, the failures. Sorting and cleaning and rearranging was just my way of being in control of something. Makes sense to me.
....However, my life for the past 8 years has been so wonderful. When the Father gave me Dennis it set me free and I have no need of being in control. I like that. Gives me room to be me, BUT it is hard to loose that habit, hard to just be me but I am learning.
...I said all that to say this, that is reflected in my blog......... I love to change things, but I have so much to say and I need to get on with what God has appointed me to do, so I will leave this blog alone and get one with my writing. After all, it is the spirit of the words that I type and not its beauty where the anointing lies.............
........ but! do you like this new look? ahahahhahhah

Be blessed

Save My Widgets

....Good morning ... I am going to change my blog back to the two column sometime today .. I have tried and tried to get my Samaritan Woman back at the top of this page to no avail... sooooo if anyone knows of a good three column site to find layouts or a good two column site I would appreciate knowing... this site is so limited on the layouts you can choose.. sooooooooo just send me email if know know of any good sites with blog layouts... I have search around a lot but have not really found much... Just send email or just leave comment... This time I am going to save my widgets................

Blessings to you.................

Saturday Blues

.... Just a short post tonight... I am a bit under the weather... Tried to help hubby yesterday paint and clean a house that we are trying to get on the market, but had to come home. Seems that this happens every year. Last year I was in the ER on Christmas day... I have a tendency to over do as most of you I am sure.. I need to learn to slow down and give myself some time off. That is what I did today. Sat in my comfy chair and read a book and napped and worked on my blog a bit. Tonight I am sinking fast and will head to bed here pretty quick.

..... I am reading the best book called "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller. It is an amazing book. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry because of the brutal truth. He has such a way of sharing his conversion from sinful man to being redeemed. If you get a chance to read it do so, but it is not your typical "christian" read.

.... I have created a new blog for my weight loss journal. It is not quite finished but I will post a link when it is ready. I wanted something for myself mostly. A journal to keep me on track but you will be free to read it off an on as you please. I need to loose 59 lbs and now it is health related and not my vanity.... I created the blog a few weeks back before I realized that I could create more than one blog with the same email address .... Thus it has a different account log in and password..... bummer.......... If anyone knows how to link it to this one I would appreciate the help...
..... I had an experience with the Lord the day before Thanksgiving and I am going to post that tomorrow.. I have it started but not finished....... I am anxious to share it with you..

Be blessed

Sugar High

...I woke up this morning with the worst headache possible. Too much sugar. My husband and I do not eat sugar. I bet we have not bought a 5lb bag of sugar in the last 7 years, but yesterday we ate pie. Pecan pie, chocolate pie, lemon meringue pie, etc.etc.etc. ahahhaha. I will chase it all away with a couple of cups of caffeine and away we go.
......We had a wonderful day yesterday. Mom was especially alert and joined in the conversation, that is until I plugged in my lap blanket and turned it on low warm, it was then she went sound to sleep. Dad ate a very good meal and seemed to enjoy the day. Most families get larger as the years go by but mine seems to be getting smaller... There was no word from the other brother that lives only 20 minutes away. I just cannot understand that but maybe it is not mine to understand.
...... My son Chris even cooked for the occasion. He brought with him a pumpkin junk cake (at least I think that is what he called it) and it was tasty........ He is 38 and gooooooooood looking and still single......... I have tried over the years to help him out a bit but nothing ever sticks. I have given that over to the Lord and now I just sit back and wait to see which direction she comes from. He is in law enforcement here in town and despite never one day of college he has done well for him self. He is now an investigator for the Chickasaw Nation. I am proud.
.........PE and Alpha of course were here (brother and sister (in-law). What a blessing they are... We are meeting them here in town today to look at a house... and then most likely coffee somewhere... They are a hoot to be around and my husband Dennis and PE get along so well.... The four of us laugh a lot....... It is good for the soul..
...My husband and I are trying to get a house ready to put on the market. It was not of our choosing to do it now but do it now we must. It was a rent house that was left in, well, not a very good condition. We decided to sell instead of rent but there is a lot to be done. We will spend his next 3 days off painting and cleaning.....
.... The Lord did an amazing thing in my heart the day before Thanksgiving... Maybe I will sit down and share that with you tonight after the paint brushes are put to rest... have a good after turkey day ladies............ and if you are the shopping kind I wish you the best sales in the store...

.......... Just wanted to wish all you gals and guys a happy Thanksgiving... Tomorrow will be busy with cooking and getting ready for family... I seem to have taken up the mantle for family gatherings... I love to cook and do and decorate and have my family all together...However it has been many years since we were all together and that saddens my heart... I am a peace keeper but I have not been successful in mending and gathering together...

............God knows my heart and He knows that I have tried... Mom and Dad would love to see their 4 children all together laughing, talking and just enjoying the moment, but it seems that it will not happen again this year... I also have a son that has not been in my home for a holiday in 24 years now. He has three children and I have not been a part of their lives. That is a long story for another day..........

..... I have made my mistakes as we all have but some just cannot seem to understand that life is so short and family should forgive and be forgiven.

......... So to Mom and Dad I say............. I love you and I look forward to another Thanksgiving with the two of you across the table from me... To my brother Paul and sister-in-law Alpha I say, thanks for being not just family but best friends.... You are so loved........ To my son Chris I say that I am so proud of you and the accomplishments in your life and your dedication to family.............. I am truly Thankful for my family and I will take it all in and cherish the times that I am able to spend with my family.

.........

Found My Widget........

I found most of my widgets...... but cannot for the life of me get my Samaritan Lady back on my header..... It shows it in the edit but when I hit save it goes away......... oh well..... maybe tomorrow... I am tired and headed to bed... We will chat tomorrow.....

Dumb, dumb....

Trying something different with my blog... ahhahaha messed up... No time to fix this morning but maybe tonight.. i lost my widget! What is a widget? I bet I find out and fix it...

have a great day

Home Again

......... Dad is home again and he is fine... Thanks for all the prayers ladies.. Prayer knows no time or distance. Dad was happy to get home to Mom, they do well together. Little Mother did ok but has to be watched pretty close. She spent the evening with us watching TV and listening as we visited with my older brother. We put her to bed under the electric blanket and she slept like a baby... Dad will not have an electric blanket so it was a treat for her.
....... Sunday mornings are my favorite. Time to be still and just enjoy the view. Life is too fast but Sunday mornings slow me down for just a bit. I have been decorating my house the past few days and I need to finish the task today. Every year I say I am going to cut back and every year I do the same things.......... creatures of habit!
..... I am the peacekeeper in the family and every year this time I try to get all four of us kids together in one place, and I do it just for the sake of Mom and Dad. I hope this year will be different and the two that are estranged from the family will decide to spend a little time with us here..... We do not know what next year will bring or when we will have this chance again.........

..... Have a great Sunday gals and take it slow and easy...................
Be blessed

Just Pray

Had to put Dad in hospital early this morning.... so I most likely will be gone a few days... My problem is I cannot leave Mom here alone so I cannot go to hospital much......... I would appreciate your prayers for Dad....... (check out his blog) He is so talented ... He seems to be fine but they are just keeping him a couple of days to make sure... Had trouble with his right leg going to sleep this morning so we decided to make sure that he was not having another stroke... CT scan was clear so that is good news............ Well got to go... You ladies have a great weekend...

Be blessed
Denise

Christian Tee Design

Here is a picture of the first Christan Tee that I will print..... it will be on black Tee..........Tell me what you think ladies.......

I AM

....The hustle and bustle and the here and yon........ I have to slow down a bit... I love the holidays so much and I decorate my house for Christmas the week before Thanksgiving...... It is my favorite time of year.... there will be just a hand full of people here this year and that makes me kind of sad.... Mom and Dad, my brother PE and his wife Alpha, my son Chris, myself and my husband... I do not get to see my oldest son and his three kids. Seems that families are fragmented more and more these days and I wish it were different..... However it does not stop me from decorating. I hold out high hopes of one of these days having the laughter of grandchildren running around my house but until then I am thankful.

........ The Lord gifted me 8 years ago with my soul mate and for that I am thankful. My youngest son Chris is a blessing to all those around him and he is the faithful son that has stood by me through bad and really bad. He is an investigator for the Chickasaw Nation here in town and is goooooooooooooooooooood looking..... I just cannot seem to get him married off....... I pray and pray but seems that the Lord is waiting for that special one.......(she needs to hurry, I need grand babies) for Chris I am thankful....... I have an older brother, Paul that is a friend as well as brother and his wife Alpha is more of a sister than an in-law. Then there is Mom and Dad....... they are precious people and I am thankful that the Lord has given them long life so that we may share the beautiful days of Autumn here in Oklahoma.
..... I am thankful for my health and for the quiet times as well as the rush..... I am thankful for a country that allows such freedom as we have and the right of every person to worship as they see fit.....
......Most of all I am thankful for the grace of God that allows me to be me and the mercy of God that forgives my sin...... I am thankful that God touches my life on a daily basic and lets me laugh and dance and enter into His presence.....

I am thankful that : He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me is love. Song of Solomon

Hey!!!!!!!!! I am thankful that I have found YOU!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all and to all a good night (oops this is for another day)

Be blessed

Saturday Reflection

.......... Saturday morning and all is well... I have not been able to post all week and I am amazed at how fast time passes by. I am a graphic artist by trade and have a small shop here at my home (I will post some pictures one of these days). I do custom graphic design with screen printing and embroidery. I had to close my shop for several months due to bringing my Mom and Dad out here but I am up and running......... However I have made the decision to really retire... My husband has been trying to get me to do this for a couple of years now but I get caught up in helping with the finances and just get overwhelmed some days...... So....... I am going to listen to my husband and close the doors......... THEN.......... I can pursue the things that I have wanted to do for a long long time............... YEAH..........
.........Let me explain.......... I have been creating Christian Tee shirt designs for a long time but never having time to produce them for myself... Always working for the other guy...... Anyway... I am going to take one of my designs and have them printed and put them in local Christian Book Store and see how they do............ THEN............ I am going to try and have some sort of contest and give one away to one of you great people here in the blog world........... Is that fun or what................ soooooooooo give me some time and one day you will click on my blog and there it will be........... Oh my I do look forward to that..............
......I am thankful to the Lord for all his goodness and I am excited about stepping out into this new adventure...........
........... Also, I have been writing for some time now and I have created a new blog just for my devotionals that I hope you will take time to read... Some of them are quite lengthy so I have decided to just create a second blog..... I have found an on line company that will publish my devotionals and we are talking....... It is not a publishing company just a web site that will publish others work from time to time... I have something to say and I will have faith that The Father will provide me with the opportunity to do so...
Have a great weekend....................

Count Your Blessings

Mary over at Mary's Writing Nook and other bloggers are joining together to start a blogging tradition..... Let's be a blessing during this Christmas season. Tell us your ideas....... Here is a couple of mine........

* Christmas Card List
When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, D. C. 20307-5001

* Check with your local churches or community services for a single mother that might be in school or working two jobs to make ends meet........ Make her a gift basket with pretty bath salts, lotions, bubble bath and all the frilly things that a young mother will not buy for herself. It might be the only thing under that tree for her.............. :) I was once one of those mothers...... I would have loved that.............

Monday Memory Verse

Karen at Karen's Ramblings is hosting Memory Verse Monday, as she does every week. To join in the fun, visit Karen by clicking on the name of her website to find out all about it.

This is my scripture for today........

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Jer 29:11

.....For so many years through such turmoil in my life, I was lost and undone and try as I might I could not get it right. With every mistake my head hung lower and so unworthy of any one or anything... When I was born again in 1977 and began to learn who I was in Jesus Christ I found this scripture....... what a promise, what a statement of love that my Father God has in me..... It is one of my most favorite scriptures....... One that I quote often when my spirit man feels down and overwhelmed............

Be blessed

Yellow Mums

I have a fall display sitting in my front yard with three gigantic yellow mums that I purchased from a local flower shop. Those mums must be 4 feet in diameter.... What a sight sitting here early morning as the sun bounced off the top of those mums.....My husband of 8 years and I are sitting here at the dinning room table enjoying a quiet moment with a cup of coffee. The silence is so peaceful with only the occasional comment from him regarding some story he reads in the newspaper. The is the type of morning that I can sit and reflect on the goodness of God...

.... My soul is at such peace and my life has meaning. Taking care of my folks is bitter sweet, it is such a gift to have them out here and able to see them every day. However watching them grow older and more dependant is heartbreaking. There are special moments that I will treasure forever. Dad and I have moments that we sit and visit on his nice new deck and laugh about one thing or another. We have serious moments that we discuss family issues that cannot be corrected. All those times with Dad are priceless and I am thankful that God has giving me this time with my parents. I am the oldest daughter and I traveled a lot in my earlier years and missed out of many years of their lives......
......Eight years ago this October God gave me the gift of Dennis... I was already 52 years old and had pretty much given up on ever marrying again. God gave me Dennis on April 24th 1999 right out of the clear blue....... and my life has never been the same. After years of being in very abusive marriages I had just given up on marriage and had settled in my heart to be a single women the remainder of my life.
.... My Father God has such love for his children and He gives gifts just as our natural Father will give gifts. Since our marriage in 1999, I understand the meaning of "one flesh" for Dennis and I are truly one flesh. I would have rather found him a bit earlier in my life but my Father God has perfect timing. I said all that to say this, because of the love that my husband has for me I am in a place to care for my parents.
... I am a graphic artist by trade and I do custom graphic, screen printing and embroidery. My husband converted our two car garage into a beautiful little shop where I only need to step out my kitchen door to go to work. It is the perfect situation for working and caring for my Mom and Dad........... What a God we serve.....
... I will quit with the on and on and wish you each blessing on this beautiful Sunday.

This is the Day ..............

That the Lord has made......

…..Well it was a better day today and I did not wake up crying. Mom and Dad were doing well this morning and it was good to see them up and around and actually enjoying the morning.

......I have met a lot of new friends here and I will tell you girls it does help.


.... Now let me tell you a funny story...... for in laughter is great healing.... I was taking myself a short break and sitting in my rocking chair looking out the window at the fall colors sometime around 2:00... We live on 10 acres and even though the neighborhood is growing we are still far enough out of town for it to be soooooooooooo peaceful. There is a road that passes the front of my house that is not too busy but there is several cars and trucks that travel this way throughout the day. Anyway, I was sitting musing about the fall colors and how I love this time of year when right before my eyes passed my 88 year old Mother with her new walker (I got them the new fang dangled ones with the wheels and the breaks with the seat in case they get tired) headed south bound right past my house. I had been talking to her about getting out more and getting those knees of her working better. I had no idea that she would choose today to take that hike, but there she was, just as pretty as a picture………… I had to laugh and then quickly grabbed my jacket and headed out the door. Now Mother is a bit hard headed and trying to get her to move closer to the edge of the road was futile, so I kept an eye on the possible traffic and she had her head down and was moving on down the highway…………. Lol…… I am thankful that she is feeling well enough to test out her new wheels………. It was a light moment in the day and one that I do cherish. I did however put a little bug in my Dad’s ear to give me heads up next time…..

….. So ends another day in the life of little Helen and Paul…….. I am thankful that it was a good day and I will keep the memory of little Helen moving on down the road as the days and weeks bring with them their own triumphs and struggles.

Faint Not

……It is hard I must admit and to say otherwise would just be dishonest. I woke up this morning and in about 30 minutes I was in tears…(I think I just needed another cup of coffee) Anyway, I am just tired. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not a complainer by nature but there are just days…………Now I can tell you that when reality came knocking at our door and it was nothing like I expected. To make a long story short my mother who will be 88 this December spent the first week of June the third week of June and the 1st week of July in two different hospitals terribly ill. I give all the thanks to my Father God she recovered but due to her lack of strength and the shear fact that they just need help now, Mom and Dad ended up coming into our home.

……. Now don’t get me wrong, I love them with a passion. They are precious to me and I am thankful to my Father God that we are in a place to help. However had it not been for my oldest Brother Paul and his wife Alpha and of course my husband Dennis I would just fold under the pressure. They have been right there from the get go and every step of the way since. After getting her home here with us along with Dad we purchased a gorgeous little modular home and put it about 50 yards from my back door. After about 12 weeks with them living with me and my husband we moved them into their own little house….

…….Although though they live in their own place, there is the cleaning and the medicine and the daily care the just checking on them and overall watching them many times a day just to keep them safe and well. I get tired, me and my husband are very restricted to where we go or when we go… What would I do without my brother…………

Here is the point of my rambling………. My Mom and Dad have 4 children and all 4 of us live near………There is a brother and a sister that also live close… However they choose not to help with the folks... It is sad to me and I do not understand why... When in earlier years after we were all married we would get together at Mom and Dad's for Sunday dinner and have the best times. There would be horseshoes in the back yard and much laughter around the dinner table. I miss those times and I miss my brother Larry and his laughter.

…….I find it hard to watch Mom and Dad grow older before my eyes… I am now having trouble getting Mother to drink enough thus she becomes dehydrated, which brings on a whole new litany of problems. I walk over there every hour or so just to remind her to drink. (She gets mad at Dad if her fusses at her) that works some days but other days she gets angry at me also,,,,,,,, but I still go over there and I still fuss at her…….

.....I am tired, just want to voice that…. My life is not going quite like I thought it would but I think that is why it is called life……..Each night as I lay in bed and talk to the Lord, I thank Him for my health, I thank Him that I have the strength to do what I do and I thank Him for my brother Paul and my sister (in law) Alpha …… I thank Him for my husband that is my soul mate and is my strength when I cry before breakfast… I pray for my sister that stays too far removed from this situation and my brother that seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. I miss him very much.

When I get to the place that I just cannot do it anymore my Father God whispers to me that He has all things in His control.
…. There is one scripture that He gave to me many weeks ago and I etched in my heart……

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Galatians 6:9

I am trying not to faint……………..

Pray for me, pray for my husband ……….Pray for my Mom and Dad……….

Be blessed
Denise

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET !!!!!!!!!!!

I read a very interesting book last spring.. or it might have been late last winter.. It is Max Lucado: Cure For The Common Life ..... I would recommend that every Christian read it...... I have read it several months ago and I must say I was confused as to what my "Sweet Spot " was...... I had a rather uneventful childhood with very few friends and not much going on.... My father was in the Air Force and we were never in one place long..... My elementary schools were many and I cannot remember much of any of them and my Jr High and High School was a mixture of a very very small school in Roff Oklahoma and a very very large High School outside of Travis AFB in California........ I did have a few friend of which I am grateful but nothing every in my life that I thought would point me to my "Cure" A few years ago I had undisputable encounter with the Lord and He only spoke three words….. Write a book…. I can tell you that at that time it was the furthest thing from my mind to put my life story in print……. To make a long story short a couple of years latter He gave me the title “Samaritan Women Among You“.….. having no writing skills I dismissed it as just something from my own mind………

I finally did start the Samaritan Women news letter a few years ago and I now have several hundred women reading my email and my web site….. I have hit and missed at it over the past two years because of my busy life and sad to say because of the confidence that I lack in my self that I am doing any good at all……
Then I read that book and I can tell you that at first I had no idea how to apply it to my life.. I am so hungry to fulfill the will of God in my life that just reading the book gave me hope…… And then it happened…………Just a few months ago I was cleaning out some old boxes and found a notebook full of poetry that I had written in high school…… One of them was even published in the school paper and posted on all bulletin boards around the campus……… I remember writing that poem and it took me about 5 minutes……. It came very natural……. I sat for a while reading through the poems written back in the late 60’s ….. I then found half a box full of church news bulletins in which I wrote a weekly news letter for the singles in our church……….. I must say I had a good laugh as I read through the bulletins and poems……… I threw the bulletins away but stored the poems away for future reading…….. It was not until a few month latter that while going through my book case and came across that book did it all come together…….. The Lord was grooming me to write….. He does have something for me to say and He has given me the ability to do so…… The apostle Paul stated in I Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power…….. There is no need for me to try to write, there is only need for me to speak from my heart where the spirit of the Lord lives and it will touch lives……… I now understand what Max Lucado’s book means, now I know that the Lord has been grooming me for years to write. Now is the time, I am retired but caring for my aged parents but I have time. I have started the book. I have written many a devotional for my web site. I will begin to post them…….. From a very young age the Father put into my makeup the desire to write……… What a wonder is the Father God…… He has a plan for us each and from the earliest of days that plan begins to manifest…… we just have to sit and listen and wonder back into our minds and focus in on the things that brought us joy…….. Find your sweet spot and never look back………….

Old Goat

I am not sure if my grief is because of the loss of such a friend, or if I am so guilt ridden that my heart is breaking....... I lost a friend tonight at 5:00. No warning, nothing, he was just gone..... It is the phone call that takes your heart and squeezes it till all the blood drips out and nothing but pain is left.... Nelson Trobrough was his name and he was a hoot.... We were friends for years and years and there are more good times to remember than I could possibly put to pen...... He and I would have verbal spars over a plate of fried zucchini sticks every Friday night after the Church bowling league... There would be 6 or 8 of us sitting around the table and we would laugh and laugh…….. I don’t know when the nickname old goat came into play but somehow it stuck……He was known from that day till this as the old goat.……. That was back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. It is hard for me to understand that he is gone………. He was just 60 something and so full of life………….. I miss him………… Our lives took a turn a few years ago and we did not get to see much of each other in the past 10 years……… His sweet wife Jean and I talk often on the phone but we just did not find time to visit……… How sad it is that we become too busy with life that we fail to take time for our friends……. I cannot even tell you what has kept me away this past year.. I think it has been a year since I talked to Nelson. I think it has been a year, maybe not but it has been too long, and now he is gone………. I have cried and cried and as I write this blog I cry…………I will make a pledge to take more time for my friends, I will talk to the Lord tonight about my failure as a friend and I will ask the Lord to help me do better….. I will go see Jean tomorrow and I will cry…………. I think I need her forgiveness but it is not about me, but I need to be forgiven. How hard it is to lose someone that you love and I loved Nelson….. It will be hard for me to say good bye to him……….. But he has moved into my future and I will see him again………………..

This is dedicated to Nelson Trobrough........ a good friend....... He made me laugh......

Little Old Angels

We are moving my parents out to my property here in a few weeks, and I must say they are so excited. My older brother, his wife, myself and my husband have been working on this for several months now. My husband and I purchased a modular home and then the four of us went and picked out colors for carpet walls and trim. I did so enjoy doing those things for Mom and Dad. I wish we had thought of this before now, but as they say “ better late than never.”

They will be out here on 10 acres with a huge deck, lots and lots of birds and deer and other creeping things. Mother and I have talked about planting her some roses and maybe even a small garden. The operative word there is small. Of course I know that I will be doing the planting and hoeing and taking care of any landscaping and other things that she wishes to put in the ground, but what a joy to be able to do this for them.

Mother does not do well with her medicine, so I can help with that and Dad is a worrier about so many things and we will be able to reassure him everyday that we will look out for him and Mother in all aspects of his life. Dad will be 90 this year and Mother will be 88. They are both ok health wise but very very fragile. Dad uses a walker to walk and even then someone has to be behind him as he has a tendency to fall backwards.Dad does most of the cooking now as Mother is just not able and I will be able to most of that for them. I hate watching them grow so frail and unable to do the normal things of life but I am so thankful that the Lord has put me in a position to do this for them.

After we get them moved in and settled we are putting in an in ground pool behind our house which will be about 50 foot from them. They make what is called a buddy seat in the pools now and it is toooooooooooooooo cute. It will be a cut out in one side of the pool on the shallow end and it looks like a small hot tub seat. Mother (and my sister in law Alpha) will be able to walk right across the shallow end and sit down in this buddy seat and just enjoy………. How fun will that be for Mother!!!!!!!!!! Of course Dad will not come near that pool, but he can sit and watch. I am excited about the summer projects around here but I am already tired of the thought of all there is to do, but I also and looking forward to improving their lives and being the care giver for as long as needed.

My older brother and I are putting into place conditions that will protect them and make sure that they are not ever taken advantage of again. It is a shame what some of our senior citizens have to endure.. sometimes at the hands of those that should be the protectors......we are finding out through our attorneys that there are a lot of laws to protect our little folks....... We will certainly take advantage of the steps that we can take...

I thank God every day for the gift of my husband Dennis almost 8 years now and the gift of my parents that are precious to me. I thank God that he has allowed me to have my own small business right here at the house ……….He knows the road before us and He saw that Mom and Dad would need watching over in these years of their lives. How great is our God………..

I will post some pictures when they are moved in………… Above are some pictures of my little Mom and Dad…………..