Then Sings My Soul Saturday~HAPPY

This is one of my son's favorite songs! I am HAPPY about several things that will take place tomorrow. We will be able to use our master bath shower for the first time in over a month since our renovation began. The leak first appeared in January and I am HAPPY that it is finally resolved. My son has a soccer game tomorrow and it makes me HAPPY to cheer him on because I know what a privilge it is. Lastly, I will be spending the afternoon with some awesome girlfriends scrapbooking, but mostly just talking! That makes me HAPPY, too! Seriously, I am counting my blessings because I had let myself get too stressed out to focus on the little things that matter like friends and family(and a hot shower at home) :)

For more great music, pop on over to Amy's.

Then Sings My Soul Saturday~It's Like Me

Earlier this week, I happened to pick up the Sunday edition of the Atlanta Journal solely for the coupons. I didn't get around to going through the paper until Thursday and I almost missed one of the headlines. The article was about my rheumatologist, Dr. S, and how he had passed away the previous Saturday. I haven't been to see him since 2004 because I decided to pursue other treatments, but I knew that he had been seriously ill with pulmonary artery sarcoma(cancer). I will always remember how he consoled me the day of my diagnosis when another patient said that I would die soon. I vividly remember how he told me that my mild lupus was the disease most people would wish they would have if they had to have a disease. Neither of us knew how his own health would soon deteriorate. He just had such a big heart for all of his patients!!
I knew that he was Jewish, but I didn't know how involved in the Jewish community he was until I read that article. It saddened me that he died without knowing Jesus and I wondered if anything would have been different if I had kept going to his office. I kept thinking of this song by Kutless and how many opportunities to share our hope we miss all the time.


ALSO...

My sweet friend Tonya blogged about a fun game. I am always up for games of all sorts and I love to learn about other people. So, anyone that wants to play, leave me a comment and I will give you a letter. Whee, I get to be Vanna White for a day!!!

Things I love that begin with the letter "S"(BTW, thanks for that letter, Gabe-He is Tonya's son)

1. SON~My fun six year old, ALEX!

2. SANDY~She is my sister! Whenever my dad would get in a hurry and try to call one of us, he would stumble over our names. We are forever known collectively as "Standy". Get it? Stephanie mixed up with Sandy!!

3. SINGING in the SHOWER! Where else would a BAD warbler belt it out?? I bet my neighbors aren't thrilled that I turned off the air and opened the windows.

4. SUSAN AND SANDRA~I love my aunts, but I wish that they did not live in Texas and Florida respectively.

5. SNUGGLES!!!

6. SCRAPBOOKING FRIENDS! Laurel, Roxy, Sandy, Misti, Lisa, Rebecca, Diane

7. SCRAPBOOKING SUPPLIES!!!!!!!!! Oh, what fun!

8. SISTER-IN-LAW~Autumn is one of my closest friends and is like a sister to me!

9. SAVIOR~These uncertain times remind me that this is not my FOREVER home! It is with Jesus!!!!

10. SARAH PALIN~I just LOVE her!!

For more uplifting songs, visit Amy!

Then Sings My Soul Saturday~I can hear your voice

Earlier this week, I was praying for Ann, a sweet family friend, who is in the end stages of pancreatic cancer. I have learned so much from God while praying for Ann over the last couple of months and this time was just as powerful. I had my MP3 player going softly in the background and this song that I am sharing came on just as I was starting to get upset. I never really listen to this CD of Michael W. Smith's, so I was unfamiliar with this song. The lyrics really resounded with me!

I'm in the river that flows from your throne
Water of Life
Water of Life
It Covers me and I breath again
Your love is breath to my soul

I can hear Your voice as You sing over me
It's Your song of Hope breathing life into me
I can feel Your touch as I come close to You
And it heals my heart
You restore and renew

This song was a gift in a difficult moment!

Cousins and Cowboy Boots

 
 
 
 


My Cousin Kana made a friend for life when she eagerly jumped at the chance to play soccer with Alex. She grabbed her boots(she's from Texas) and came outside to teach him a few things. Alex adored her, from start to finish, and I am afraid that she didn't have a moment's peace the whole weekend!

Thankful Thursday~God's presence in my life

I am thankful that despite feeling angry at God and doubting Him in so many ways, He has been fully present in my life over the last couple of months. Perhaps soon I will be able to come here and share some of those experiences, but for now, my heart has softened and I am finally able to accept things that I can't change.

I am thankful that I still remember feeling and knowing that Jesus was with me as I watched the towers fall seven years ago today. There is a story to that, but I will save that one for a later post.

I am thankful that I was able to attend my grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary party this past weekend. It was not only a milestone in years, but because my grandfather was not supposed to survive Christmas two years ago!

I am thankful that we finally received some rain this week and that property damage was minimal despite the strong storm Monday night.

I am thankful that my husband supports my crazy ideas like learning guitar. Thanks for the lessons and the guitar, sweetheart! I am enjoying the chance to torture others with my "talent"!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! I will be praying for all of you in Texas as Ike approaches.

Go visit Iris at Sting My Heart to be inspired by other thankful hearts!

Thankful Thursday~Thankful for Legs and Lupus

Yes, I know that I have been gone a while from posting. So long that I forgot how to sign into my account and I still might have to get my friend Tonya to give me a refresher course in linking within a post. Haha! One of the biggest reasons that I have been away from the computer is that I have made some changes in my daily routine. That leads me to what I am thankful for each and every day.

As some of you may remember from an earlier post, my grandfather(paternal)had both of his legs removed within the past year due to disease. I am so grateful that he is still with us because he defies all of the doctors and their odds each day he is alive. In my heart, I know that he would love nothing more than to walk across a room, but that is just not possible given his age and overall health. So, I began to feel that the best way to honor him is to put my own legs to good use. Our family joined the local YMCA. I have been a devotee of water aerobics and the cardio machines for about a month. It is my grandfather's wish that none of the rest of us will have to live our lives without our legs.(Diabetes is frequent in my family). I am grateful that I have the opportunity to take care of my own health while I still have the legs and strength to use them.

Another thing that propelled me to the Y was that my Lupus was giving me fits. I was so exhausted each day and my poor son just wanted to play with his mama. I am grateful that things had taken a turn with Lupus so that I couldn't be complacent any longer. I may have Lupus, but it does NOT and WILL NOT have ME!!

For anyone looking for an exercise facility, I can't sing the praises of YMCA enough. I am thankful to have such a wonderful place for my whole family to get fit and play together. In fact, my son wants me to play one of his favorite songs every time we head on over to the YMCA. Can you guess the song?? Yep, that good ole tune from the seventies by the same name. I am also thankful for Youtube! So, get ready to dance and by all means, TURN UP YOUR SPEAKERS! BTW, the performance in this video uses a puppet machine, so it is worth watching.



Visit Iris at Sting My Heart to read more thankful posts.

Happy Thankful Thursday!
~Stephanie~

Favorite Foto Friday~Unwelcome Visitor!!!!!

 
So, I have no idea what the FFF theme is this week, but I am pretty sure that it is not about front porch snakes. I had to post this, not because it is my favorite, but because I need to "talk" about it so I can sleep tonight. I don't mind snakes as long as they disappear, unseen whenever I am around. I don't want them in my house, in my yard, or on my front/back porches. It shouldn't be too much to ask that they stay way off in the woods away from all us city slickers.




My sister came home from the store tonight and just as she began to climb the step onto the porch, she heard "plop". There was this snake right there between her and the front door. She actually took the time to evaluate its triangular shaped head and black markings. Bless her foolish heart, she even took out her key and made a dash for the door. Me, I would have run back to the car and locked myself inside. Quick as a flash, my cellphone would have dialed up hubby on the inside of the house to open the garage door. No one would recognize the streak that would be me as I flew to the garage.




Right before she came home, I was getting ready to go down to the basement. That is my happy space and it has all of my scrapbooking supplies. I have never minded the insect critters that make up my unfinished space, but the thought of that snake winding up my leg as I sat at my desk was too much for me. Harrison Ford said it best,"Snakes, why did it have to be snakes?????" Amen Indy! The welcome mat on my porch does not include snakes!!!!!

So, my husband came home just a few minutes ago from a softball game. I had already called him on his cell phone about the snake because I am a thoughtful wife(okay, maybe a panicky one, too!) He said,"Stephanie, do you want to come down here?", he called up as he went out the front door. "Uh, no, as a matter of fact, I don't want to come down there, but thanks for asking!" Of course, I begrudingly went downstairs because I was afraid that he would turn from a computer programmer into a snake wrangler. Someone has to be close enough to dial 911, you know! He coaxed me out on the front porch by telling me that the snake had climbed up into the Camellia bush alongside the porch. So, I tentatively stepped out on the porch with my camera in hand. As I was focusing, my darling husband goosed me on the arm in a mock snake bite. We now have a skylight in our porch where my head went through it!!! But I have some "great" pictures of our new pet. Anyone need us to adopt their cat?????



For pictures of cute children, not slithery serpents, visit Sarah at Kiss the Frog 4 for me.

Then Sings My Soul Saturday~For Alex

I haven't seen this movie or play(RENT), but I really like the concept of measuring time with love. This song makes me want to stand up and sing, so get out your earplugs. Last night, my sweet boy graduated from preschool and the school put on a circus for the occasion. I have tons of memories, art projects, worksheets and pictures to measure each year that he went to this awesome preschool. So, this post is dedicated to the little clown that makes everyday a "gift from Above". Thank-you to his wonderful teacher, Ms. Rhonda and his directors, Ms. Penny and Ms. Denise for their dedication with all the children. We will miss you!!!!! Alex, I love you, Punkin Doodle and I can't believe that you still want me to call you that!!!!!

To hear more great songs for Saturday, visit Amy at Sign, Miracles and Wonders.

Miracle Monday~He knows ALL of our pain!

I haven't felt like posting for a while because this particular post has been on my heart for several weeks. Today is a day that is unpleasant to remember. Everyone else celebrates Cinco de Mayo, but it brings up waves of grief for me. I can't celebrate something that has caused so much pain for someone that I love. What I am about to share is the true story of my childhood best friend, Amy, and the loss of her brother, Ryan. It is not easy to write, but I hope that it honors Ryan's memory and brings comfort to Amy's family on this difficult milestone.

In May of 2004, I was visiting my husband's family one Saturday. My cell phone began ringing soon after we arrived. I glanced down and noticed that one of my parents was trying to reach me. They never call me when they know that we are visiting David's family, so I knew that something was wrong.

I walked outside to answer the phone and heard my mom sobbing as she wordlessly passed the phone off to my dad. By this time, I feared that one of my grandparents had passed away. I was deeply saddened and shocked by what my dad told me next. I have never witnessed my dad in tears, but he was choked up as he began to tell me why he had called. I will always remember how his voice cracked as he quietly said,"Stephanie, I just thought you would want to know that Amy's brother was murdered Wednesday night. He was shot in the driveway of his home and died in Bo's arms right there." He went on to tell me that the cause of the shooting was unknown. We would later find out that Ryan had been shot by two Hispanic gang members as a way to gain favor among the gang the itself. It just so happened that Ryan was a random victim of gang activity that took place on Cinco de Mayo.

After I ended the call with my dad, I stood motionless in the spot where I had answered that call. I remembered thinking that the particular tree where I stood would forever be connected with that call in my memory. It seemed surreal to be standing among the beautiful cherry blossoms on a warm spring day while receiving the worst news of my life. To this day, I can't look at that tree without recalling that horrific phone call.

I waited until the next day to phone Amy and her family, because I still had to return to my in laws and try to have a "normal" visit. The phone call that I made on that Sunday to Amy was the hardest call that I have ever made. It was Mothers' Day and my heart was grieved, as a mother, to think of Amy's mother, Linda, suffering a loss like that. I would like to say that I was strong as Amy picked up the call, but I fell to pieces when I heard her voice. It hurt that my childhood friend was enduring the worst of the worst and there was nothing I could do to lessen her pain. When we were five years old, I would walk her to class because I didn't want anyone to pick on my best friend. Here we were almost 30 years later and she was facing something that I couldn't fight off for her. I desperately wanted to attack them and torture those then unknown assailants in a way that they deserved.

Ryan's death became the biggest spiritual crisis that I have ever had. I wanted to know why Ryan was taken just as he was making significant, positive changes in his life. It just wasn't fair to his family and that made me angry. They shouldn't have to live out their lives without their son, their brother and their friend. He was a big hearted guy that looked out for others. Ryan got that kindness from his own family. They welcomed people into their home with open arms and were always a soft place for those that might be hurting. In fact, Amy's parents were like second parents to me when we lived on a naval base in Mississippi over 30 years ago. It didn't make sense that they were forced to grieve for Ryan.

Soon after he passed away, I heard a song by Casting Crowns that reminded me of my struggle with God. I love how the song Who Am I highlights that God knows and feels our hurt, but it took me a while to really understand that He is there. I think of Amy everytime I hear that song because I want her to know that He feels her pain and hurt, too. I don't have all of the answers about why it happened, but I do know that God can take something bad and bring some good from it. One of the things that I owe to Ryan is my search for spiritual answers. Prior to his death, my faith was just a routine and something that I thought I should take part in each week. Tonight, the lesson in our lifegroup was about forgiving others as God, through Christ, has forgiven us. It was hard to sit through that lesson because I haven't forgiven the two murderers for what they have done to Amy's family. I am not sure that it is my place to forgive them. I am not the one living daily with Ryan's loss. At the end, we were asked to write sometime this week on a piece of paper the name of someone we most needed to forgive.

I will be writing GOD on my paper because I am only beginning to understand that He did not kill Ryan. Instead, He is always there to heal our hearts when we have been wronged by the actions of others. God has held me when I angrily demanded answers and revenge for Ryan. And I don't think I am loved any less for questioning Him. God was there the night Bo and Linda held their dying son. He is with them now as they live through another milestone, another year without Ryan. It is a miracle to me that God knows our every hurt. Where else in the world can we find that depth of comfort?

Amy, I hope you know how much my family loves you and your parents. We don't talk as often I would like, but I pray for you each and every day. I wish we were still those happy little girls that almost got kicked off the school bus for singing Delta Dawn WAY too loud. Maybe we were best buddies then because God knew that you would need a longtime friend to understand your loss. Whatever the reason, I am grateful that I met you that long ago day while you and Cheryl played Barbies at the BOQ. Forever know that I am just a phone call away!

Visit Beth at A Mom's Life to read more Miracle Monday stories.

Please pray for Grumps

My grandfather has been taken to a local hospital with stomach issues. He apparently has some type of internal bleeding. An upper GI will be performed later today, so please pray for the doctors to pinpoint the cause soon. My grandfather has been through so much over the last couple of years with dialysis, numerous surgeries, and the loss of both legs. Please keep him and my grandmother in your prayers!

Thankful Thursday~Your Love Amazes Me

 





Nine years ago today, I married my best friend. The years have flown by and I can remember our wedding like it was yesterday. In fact, it doesn't seem like I have known him for 16 years, but I have. David and I met through a mutual acquaintance, yet neither one of us can remember her name! She was in one of my classes and she invited me out with some of her friends one night. Neither David nor I knew it at the time, but she was hoping to set me up with David's roommate, Pete. She had an enormous crush on Peter, but he was not interested in her. So, she was hoping to live vicarously through me, but I have yet to understand how that was going to work for her.

I was not looking for a boyfriend or even someone to date. My agenda at that time was to get out of college and I was tired of the dating scene in Athens. Yet, I met my future husband that night and he wasn't the long-haired, drummer named Pete. Instead, I met David and he had the warmest smile of any guy that I had ever seen. He is handsome, but it was that smile that hooked me!! We went on our first date the next night to hear a local performer named John Berry. John would go on two months later to hit the Nashville country music charts.

For several years prior to meeting, David and I had both spent time at local establishments(yea, bars~the library was just TOO crowded, haha) listening to John Berry's music. The venues were always small, yet we never crossed paths. I guess it wasn't the right time for us to meet.

David has been the best friend that I have ever had! He stood by me through some really tough family times and his own family filled in the gap during those years. He has supported me as a stay-at-home mom and I am forever grateful for that. When I was diagnosed with Lupus in 2003, he immediately provided for my needs whether it was rest that I needed or emotional support. Plus, he is an amazing dad to our son! The most important thing that I can attribute to him is my faith. Because of His relationship with Christ, David has been an example for me and has endured many, many spiritual questions from his ever curious wife!

David, I am excited about our date tonight. I also picked this song by John Berry because it sounds like something fun to do on our date. So, come on and "Kiss Me in the Car"


To be inspired by more thankful hearts, visit Iris at Sting My Heart.

Then Sings My Soul Saturday~My Savior, My God

My Savior, My God by Aaron Schust

The emotion in this song always takes me back to my junior year of high school. During the spring of that year, I became close friends with a senior named Linda. We were both on Flag Corps, so we spent almost all of our free time together. She had already shared many, many times about Christ's love for me. Still, I remained skeptical. I finally agreed to go with her to a Friday night Bible Study because her faith did interest me. The group she took me to had a funny name...People in God's Service or P.I.G.S. At first, I was a little put off by the name and the kids that were there. I thought I had stumbled into a weird cult, not only due to the name, but most of the teens there had come from broken homes, alcohol problems, drug problems, and the guys all had long hair,etc. My parents were(and are) still married and I had never tried drugs or alcohol because I was too scared. So, I was a little unnerved by my surroundings and not sure what to expect from the evening.

One of the guys led the worship/study time and I remember feeling included right from the start. Unlike high school, no one spoke or acted judgemental toward anyone else. I quickly figured out the most important thing that I had in common with these kids was the desire to be unconditionally accepted. As the study wrapped up, everyone was encouraged to seek out a place in the house or in the yard for some quiet time with God. I had no idea what this meant and I was unsure of what to do. So, I spent that time studying everyone else. Some were weeping, others were singing, and there were a few animated conversations going on with God, too. This fascinated me because I had absolutely no idea what prayer was, how to do it, or even why. What I noticed as the group came back together, was the peace that had settled over the gathering.

I enjoyed the summer at those Friday night studies and I went along as they ministered to other people in the community. A favorite place to serve was the local nursing home where most of the kids would visit and pray with the residents. It was a beautiful time for me, but was also extremely confusing. As the summer months went on, I expressed to someone in my family that I wanted to be baptised. It did not go over well! Christianity was a crutch for the weak and lazy to keep from making decisions for themselves, I was told. I brokenheartedly walked away from something I was beginning to believe toward an upbringing that left me empty. It was a heartbreaking turning point in my young life that impacted me throughout many seasons.

For the past few years as my heart has drawn closer to God, I have been looking for a group of believers like those awesome kids. It frustrated me that church seemed to be a place of who you knew and how you knew them. I missed the passion and the awe for God that I had found that spring, along with the unconditional acceptance. The thought that kept nagging at me was that maybe I should keep looking for THAT church and THOSE people. I even tried that out for a time, but I only ended up frustrated with the results. Recently, I have come to realize that I was given that special time to discover the fire within and to take that wherever I am planted so that others will be able to find their own way to a deeper relationship with Christ. In figuring that out, I began to see that God had placed people in my life with that same passion and thirst for Him. I love and cherish each one of those special people He brought into my spiritual walk! I only wish that I knew how to find the girl that started it all, Linda.

For more songs, visit Amy at Signs, Miracles and Wonders. Not everyone is as long winded as myself...I promise!!! Haha!

Favorite Foto Friday~Sibling??

Well, this week's theme for Favorite Foto Friday is siblings. Alex doesn't have any brothers or sisters and my own sister would have my head if I posted a picture of her. So, I will just post a picture of the little boy that keeps asking, not for a dog, but a brother or sister! Yesterday, he told me that he wanted one of each to carry around in HIS tummy! The pictures here are from an impromptu Easter egg hunt with Cousin Jacob that turned into an Easter Egg Race/Wrestle Fest. They are both only children, so they act like brothers in EVERY way!

To check out more cute photos, go over to Kiss the Frog 4 me!

Thankful Thursday~Random Thoughts

I am thankful today for my sweet husband who hurried home on Monday to pick-up Alex at school because I had suddenly become ill. He also stopped by the store without any prompting from me to pick-up necessities like Ginger Ale, Jello, soup, and Saltine Crackers. Thank-you for looking out for my unspoken needs, Sweetheart!

I am thankful to the wonderful little boy that loves me everyday, but especially when I am sick. He always offers to give me back rubs and showers me with expressions of his affection for me. I love you, TigerRoo!

I am thankful that God is not a procrastinator like myself. See, He could have created everything except Man and decided to rest on the sixth day instead of the seventh. It could have gone something like this,"Whew, I think I am going to make today the Day of Rest. Maybe tomorrow I will get around to creating Man. He is going to be a project and a half. I will have to create Woman just to keep him in line! So, I am just going to rest here in my Heavenly Hammock and I'll get around to Man one of these days!" Yep, I waited until April 14th to start our taxes and I finished in time despite my bout with the stomach flu. I guess that is what I get for procrastinating!

I am thankful that we endured our first THE TALK with Alex tonight. You know the talk I am referring, too! It is the one that all of us parents worry about from day one. I give all the thanks to God for giving me the words to explain some of the Birds and Bees. I pray that Alex will continue coming to us for those answers instead of seeking them out from the World. For those of you that missed us at church tonight, now you know why. Alex's timing is impeccable!

I am thankful for my in-laws. They are so much fun and I love being with them. My FIL sent me a joke today that I will share here.

The Human Race


A little girl asked her mother, 'How did the human race appear?'

The mother answered, 'God made Adam and Eve and they
had children, and so was all mankind made.'

Two days later, the girl asked her father the same question.

The father answered, 'Many years ago there were monkeys,
from which the human race evolved.'

The confused girl returned to her mother and said, 'Mom, how
is it possible that you told me the human race was created
by God, and Dad said they developed from monkeys?'

The mother answered, 'Well, dear, it is very simple. I told you about
my side of the family, and your father told you about his.'

For more Thankful Thursday, visit Iris at Sting My Heart.

Word Filled Wednesdays-Manna or Jello

The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan. Exodus 16:35

I am a little loopy tonight, so I might be the only one out there to understand why I chose this verse. Food and I have been on the outs since yesterday when I was besieged by a stomach monster. Ginger Ale has been my best friend through it all and I am still not hungry for even Jello. So, this is where the story gets interesting.

My son was going to get to go with my husband to our church softball game IF he ate his dinner. There was a Stouffers chicken pot pie in the oven for each of them, but my son is picky! Instead, he devised a plan to rid himself of the offending meal and still get to go the game. "Mom," the sneaky thing said as he patted me sweetly on the head, "Won't you eat my chicken pot pie so that I don't have to eat it, but I can still go to the game? You haven't eaten anything all day!" He knew that I wouldn't have one to eat, but he was hoping that I would love him enough to sacrifice for him!!

I got to thinking about this verse during dinner. Don't you know that God was probably sick of hearing how the Isrealites didn't like manna? Can you imagine how hard it would have been to get finicky kids to eat the same thing over and over? But wait, aren't we like that today? God provides for us, but it wasn't what we had in mind. So we dismiss it and beg for something else to "eat".

I think I could stand to be a little more content and blessed with what God has given me, even on days when I don't want any of the food that he provides.

For more Word Filled Wednesdays, visit Amy at

Good-bye Germs

I will be taking some time off from posting because the stomach flu has found me. Last week, I told my aunt in a random conversation that I never get stomach bugs because I have a stomach of steel. Never say never! Here I am humbled...and queasy.
And there sure are a lot of food commercials on T.V. when you feel sick to your stomach!!

I've Been Tagged!!!

Hi Everyone,
I am visiting family right now for Spring Break, so my computer time has been very limited. Melanie at The Fruit of the Spirit was kind enough to tag me for a TAG, YOUR IT game(my son's favorite game to play in real life).

Here are the rules of the game for Tag if you want to play. Anyone reading this can participate because I am too new at this to know who has not been tagged. So feel free to share in the game, but do leave me a comment if you participate so that I can visit your blog to get to know you! These are the real rules, if you don't want to cheat like me!
1) Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog
2) Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3) Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4) Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here are my 7!!!

1. My first car was a 1974 Orange Datsun 610 with two bullet holes in the drivers' side. No, I did not shoot the car, but my Mom and I were accused of that by the GBI. We had left it overnight because it broke down near our house. The next morning, we got a call from the GBI to come to the place we had left it. We arrived in a gray car, so that was the first reason we were the prime suspects-there was a gray scrub mark where the "getaway" car left its mark. The other reason that we were their suspects...bumper sticker on the car "If this car was a horse, I would have to shoot it!" They thought we shot it for insurance money, even though we only had liability on it. Later, they determined that someone had tried to shoot the lock mechanism in order to steal it. Hmmm...why would someone try to steal a broken down junker that spent more time on the back of a tow truck than the road?? The mystery of the bullets was never solved, but we were local celebrities for a short while. I can live without that kind of fame!

2. I love to go on cruises with my family. Our last one was in November to Hawaii, but my fav stop so far was Tortola, B.V.I. during a Carribean cruise.

3. I am a night owl, which is why I am up right now posting!!!

4. Before I became a stay at home mom, I was a certified massage therapist. Other than being a mom, that was by far my favorite job.

5. I am wanting to learn how to play guitar. I don't have one, so in the meantime, I am reading "Guitar for Dummies"! You might be laughing at that, but those Dummies books really break stuff down.

6. I seem to always procrastinate...ask me if I have finished our taxes yet and I will tell you that it is not the 15th yet! Oh, and it has been days since I started this post and I am still not finished!

7. I took a 5 question test to see what punctuation mark I am. I am a Question Mark and my husband guessed immediately which one I was...I guess I ask him too many questions!! :0) It was a fairly accurate test and if you would like to participate, the link is below.

You Are a Question Mark

You seek knowledge and insight in every form possible. You love learning. And while you know a lot, you don't act like a know it all. You're open to learning you're wrong. You ask a lot of questions, collect a lot of data, and always dig deep to find out more. You're naturally curious and inquisitive. You jump to ask a question when the opportunity arises. Your friends see you as interesting, insightful, and thought provoking. (But they're not always up for the intense inquisitions that you love!) You excel in: Higher education You get along best with: The Comma

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

My Soul Sings Saturday

Alex and I like to sing this song together, but sometimes he wants to play a game instead. He points to either me or himself when it is our turn to sing a part. For some reason, his share of the song is always a great deal more than mine when we get done singing. What do we think he is trying to say about my voice?? I guess I won't be auditioning for American Idol.

For more songs, visit Amy at Signs, Miracles, Wonders.

Favorite Foto Friday-Spring Break Slime

Alex and I have had a FUN week visiting my parents. We have spent time with them and some of my Mom's family. It has been wonderful! For the past two days, Alex and I have gone off on my parents' golf cart to explore the city. They live in a planned community with over 100 miles of cart path. Today, we visited FOUR different parks, a fun library, the pizza parlor from my Senior year(when my parents moved there) and lakes/ponds. ALL by golfcart...totally cool fun with AWESOME weather! On the way home, we stopped at the duck ponds for some more fun. It was less crowded than some of the others, so it was nice to sit and relax. The kids here have been open to playing with all ages, so we have really enjoyed that! That isn't something Alex is used to back home. Anyway, I have let him play in the pond spillway both days because I would have been there as a kid. I knew he would eventually get ALL wet, so I wasn't upset at all. I was thrilled that he was having such a great time with other kids. This afternoon, he was playing with two other boys along the edge of the pond. One of them decided to start sliming the others with pond scum. Alex was not a happy camper at first, until he realized how much fun Hide and Slime can be with friends. I almost joined in the fun, but I figured that the green would totally stand out in my blonde hair for the fundraiser we attended tonight. Maybe next time...lucky for me it is supposed to rain tomorrow, so no slime for me!

Thankful Thursday~Love is a GIFT from above!!

1 Corinthians 13:13

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.


Most of my post for Thankful Thursday actually comes from another blog. If you have read some of my earlier posts, then you already know about the mission trip that some of our church members are on to a Childrens' Home in Ongole, India. One of the guys on the trip created a blog so that we could all see the awesome things that God is doing during their time there. I would love to be in India hugging on all those sweet children, but Wes' blog from earlier this week was the next best thing! Be sure to pay close attention to the ways that these children with so little, shared love with so many. I am thankful for their example of how to reflect God's love with others. Here is what Wes wrote...




Children Receive Their Gifts From Their Sponsor Families

Ok, if you ever feel the need to experience first hand what it means to appreciate what you have and see God move in a significant way, give a child who once had nothing a ziplock bag of $1 items with a photo of yourself. . . It was the best 2 bags we checked out of all our luggage by far :0)





Late this evening (Monday), we gathered the children upstairs in the room where the boys sleep. They sat patiently as we called each child up to the front . . . and when I say “called,” I really mean announced with great vigor as the room went crazy nuts for them. They came up and were presented their ziplock bag including things like gum, pencils, stuffed animals, small t-shirts, and little toys. In hindsight, I should have taken a picture of their face as they sat waiting for their name to be called. You would have thought that they were waiting on the last number in a 10 digit lotto ticket that had just matched the first 9 numbers. When their name was announced the smile that came alive inside of them wrapped around their face several times. They then took a picture with Rocky or their respective sponsor if present. For a brief moment, they were Rock Stars! The smile on their face only became brighter as they searched the inside of the bag like it was a ransomed buried treasure. If that were not enough to send our hearts into sensory overload here’s the two kickers from these incredible children:





1. The most treasured possession for them was any and every picture their sponsor family had placed in the bag. They lit up with excitement showing off the picture of their American Mom, Dad, sisters, and brothers. They ran up to everyone saying, “this is my mom, or my sister’s names are. . . . “ So excited to have people to call MY FAMILY. My eyes fill with tears as I recall the experience in my head.





2. Before I write the specifics of number 2, I want you to picture in your mind what this scene would look like in a big city’s inner city, or any places of poverty you ever been, or even better yet Christmas at our own homes. Children who have nothing are given something they absolutely love. These incredible children began taking things out of their new treasured ziplock bags and tried to give some of the items to our team who they have drawn close to. Kids were taking candy out of their bag and literally putting it in our mouths desiring to share with us what little they had. They would take out two pieces of candy and seek out someone to share with. Some of them were even trying to give us the biggest and brightest toys out their newfound gifts. Aside from the Chintapalli family themselves it was the most selfless act I had ever experienced. Truly these children teach us twice over what we are trying to teach them.





After posting the last blog with all the inside jokes, I could not go to bed until I balanced it out by sharing this experience with all of you. Again, the prayers are felt in a powerful way and the e-mail notes of encouragement mean a great deal, so keep ‘em coming!





Love to all --





wes

You can read more about this fantastic and uplifting journey here.

For more Thankful Thursday, visit Iris at Sting My Heart. By the way, I have been "tagged" and I promise to complete that post soon as Spring Break comes to an end.

Then Sings My Soul Saturday~India Mission Group

I was looking for a song tonight in honor of our mission group that left for Ongole, India yesterday. Imagine my surprise when I ran across two videos made by Wes, one of the guys on the trip to the childrens' home. His sense of humor is evident in both of these videos, so be sure and check them both out for a laugh. The second video is a music video of a Telegu song with the mission group added to the mix. Hilarious! I can't wait to see the highlights of their trip and all of the childrens' ecstatic faces.


Here is the Grace Chapel "dance team"!




For more Then Sings My Soul Saturday, visit Angela.

Favorite Foto Friday-Celebrating My Papa

Today would have been my Papa's 80th birthday! He passed away almost 11 years ago, but I still miss him everyday. Papa was a treasure to everyone that knew him. He was so much fun, yet he taught me so much throughout my childhood. Playing with him was always a lark because he was such a big kid himself. He would act like he was going to tickle me and that alone would send me into gales of laughter. We spent many afternoons boxing with his boxing gloves. In an attempt to teach me music, he tried to give me guitar lessons. It turned out that I did not have a natural talent for playing the guitar. :)

He and my grandmother(Muner) have been the best earthly examples of unconditional love in my life. The two of them planted the seeds the faith I hold dear today by talking about Jesus and taking me to church with them whenever they had the chance. He was indispensable to me during a tumultuous period in my life and I owe so much to him for what he did. It was only after he died, that I learned how much my grandfather had given to others. Two years into my grief, God surprised me with a job at the company where my grandfather had spent 40 years of his life prior to retirement. It never failed that on the days that I missed him the most and memories of him at work overshadowed me, someone would arrive at my desk with a funny story about him or how he had helped them at a difficult time in their life. He was a gift to everyone!

One of his favorite things to do was to teach people how to water ski. He taught countless numbers of us how to ski without ever getting into the water. His patience was unparalleled. For this reason, I eagerly jumped at his offer to teach me how to drive. He would travel the 30 minute distance to my house and take me for lessons in the country. I learned more than just driving on those Saturdays! Whenever I hear the song "Drive" by Alan Jackson, it takes me back to our road trips.

He wasn't perfect and he did have his flaws, just like the rest of us. His two biggest drawbacks in my eyes were his love for HeeHaw and his admiration for Dolly Parton. His affinity for HeeHaw interfered with my desire to watch The Muppet Show on the Saturday nights that I got to spend with my grandparents. He also seemed to have a continual craving for ice cream, which in itself isn't bad. For a skinny man, he could polish off an entire homemade ice cream freezer by himself! There were always two freezers at family gatherings...one for him and one for the rest of us!!

Some other things that remind me of him are Candy Corn, the Oak Ridge Boys, and the word "Girl". When I was 3, my grandmother left him in charge while she went to the grocery store. Papa let me eat an entire bag of Candy Corn while he polished off a bag of Orange Slices. I got violently sick after my grandmother arrived back home and his secret was then out! My papa also loved country music such as the Oak Ridge Boys and the Statler Brothers. He was a little irritated when my sister was discovered ripping his beloved eight track tapes while muttering,"hate county, hate country, hate country...". But my sister and I knew that he loved us despite our own shortcomings. He would always greet us with a warm hug and a "Hey Girl". In fact those were the last words that he spoke to me before he took an unexpected turn toward eternity.

Papa, your patient guidance continues to influence me to be a better mom to the spunky grandson that you never got to meet on this Earth. Alex and I tickle each other everyday because I know that is what you would do with him if you were here. I am wanting to learn guitar again and this time, I will pass on what I learn to Alex. You made me laugh every time I was with you! I also know how much you treasured me. I only hope that you knew how much I cherished you! I am looking forward to the day that you greet me with your loving "Hey Girl". Then, as the song below says, "there will be no more sad farewells"!



To enjoy more Favorite Foto Fridays, hop on over to Kiss the Frog 4 Me.

Thankful Thursday~Thankful for Laughter

Today and everyday, I am grateful for the laughter that my son brings into my life. When he was a baby, I used to play all kinds of silly made-up games so that I could hear his infectious laugh. Now the tables have turned and there isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't make me crack up about something. Yes, he is high energy and sometimes exhausting, but more fun than I could have ever imagined!

Sometimes, his ability to make me laugh is intentional. Like when he sneaks up on me to strip off my socks and tickle my feet. Oh, that elicits loud, uncontrollable laughter from me. And when we play the "let's see who can go the longest without laughing while being tickled" game...well, we can assume that it is NOT me that wins.
Recently he started telling corny jokes for a laugh. "Dad, I have a joke for you." My husband replied, "Alex, is it a dirty joke?" I gave my husband a scowl because I certainly don't want to explain the difference between a clean or dirty joke at 5! Alex immediately said,"Yes, it is a dirty joke!" Okay, by now I am worried about what he is learning at his CHURCH preschool. "Why did 500 pigs jump in the mud?" Give up?? "To get DIRTY".

Alex also makes me laugh at the unintentional things he does. For instance, today I heard the phone ring about the time that my husband would be calling to say that he is on his way home. I kept waiting to hear a conversation between father and son, but that didn't happen. Instead, I heard Alex say,"He is at work right now." Then I hear him say, "Well, she is in the potty, but you can still talk to her while she is in the bathroom!" I burst out laughing and prayed hard that it wasn't someone that I knew. Fortunately, it was a telemarketer that had hung up(while laughing) before I could even say a word. Phew!

Now, I am off to lecture Alex about what not to say on the telephone. But first, I better wipe this BIG grin off of my face.

To find out what others are thankful for visit Iris at Sting My Heart.

Word Filled Wednesdays

This verse spoke to me this week. Sometimes the plans that God has for us are so different than what we envisioned for ourselves. I never imagined that I would start a blog about drawing closer to Him, but that is where I am. Recently, I have shared this blog with some treasured friends. Several of them approached me this weekend to tell me that they feel that I am beginning to write my book. Funny, I never told them that I have always had a passion for writing nor did I mention that God began urging me to put my story on paper about four years ago. I kept that secret because then I could change my mind and tell myself that I was just imagining that prompting from Him.

Back in August of 2007, I desperately wanted to change churches. I told myself that I needed to sing in a choir, experience contemporary worship, and be exposed to a different denomination altogether. Please don't take that I am now condemning anyone for participating in those paths of worship. I was just using those as part of my escape plan. We left our church quietly and began attending another local church. The people were friendly and I was counting down the days until I could join the choir because I thought that this was the place for us(ME). My husband and I decided to take a class that would describe what life at that church would be like. I was excited about all of that, plus the opportunity to meet new people. God had other plans!!

The class that we attended was a three week class and was limited to 10 people. Guess what! In this enormous church, we were the only couple in this class. The teacher(we will call him John) would later tell us that he felt that was God's intention all along.

As the class continued, the content of the class was less about different ministry options and instead, focused on becoming a disciple of Christ. There were several topics covered that rocked my boat. I realized that I had been more concerned with what others thought of me and less focused on reaching those that I was trying to impress. That was the first chink in my armour! It was at that moment that I knew where God was leading us and I did not like it one little bit! Several uncomfortable, yet necessary, weeks passed in that class. I was wrestling with this decision to switch churches in a mighty way. John closed in prayer that week by saying,"Lord, I feel that David and Stephanie are so in LOVE with YOU..." He went on to express many things in that prayer, but I felt moved in a way that I can't explain. I had never realized that I was in love with Him, but was terrified of what that meant and where it would take me.

It was clear after that class, although the church we had been attending was a great church, it was not where God was leading us. I fought Him on that as hard as I have ever fought anything and yearned for a different answer even after we went back to our church. Now, several months later, I am beginning to see why He led us back. For me, it has become a place of unconditional love and support for the person that I am and the story that I have to tell. This was His plan all along.

For more Word Filled Wednesdays, visit The 160 Acre Woods here.

Miracle Monday-Grump's Story

I wasn't going to post for Miracle Monday today, but then I received an email that changed that plan. Originally, I had thought about posting my grandfather's story this morning, but I changed my mind because today has just been too busy. Earlier this evening, I opened an email from my grandfather with a link to a beautiful miracle presentation. It was breathtaking and inspiring, but not nearly as much as the loved one that thought to send it to me. In December of 2006, my grandfather's health reached a critical time of decision and the odds were stacked against us. Due to advanced kidney disease, he was in danger of losing his legs. The greater concern was how his body would handle the surgeries that would be needed. Lastly, he pretty much did not want to live without his legs, so I was uncertain how he would handle losing even one. There were many tearful moments as we waited for the outcome of surgery after surgery. I lost count of how many surgeries he has endured in just one year. Over the course of several months, he did have to let both of his legs go. This was an enormous blow to a man that has always been fiercely independent. Thankfully, the good Lord has brought him to a place where my grandfather can accept it and use his story to minister to others. Within the last couple of weeks, he has earned a special drivers' license that allows him to drive a vehicle with hand controls. It has been awesome to see how God has brought him so far from where we were that Christmas. He is miracle to me and I am so glad that I can still love on him when I visit. For anyone interested in the link that he sent me, you can click here for Wisehearts.

The picture below is of Alex visiting with Grumps and Grandma Teen-Teen a few years ago. I am so thankful that Alex has an opportunity to know his great-grandparents. When I was a little girl, my grandfather and I loved to watch Pink Panther together. My son loves that cartoon and now he will have the opportunity to watch with Grumps, too. God has truly brought my grandfather a LONG way!


If you would like to join us for Miracle Monday or to read other miracle stories, visit Beth at A Mom's Life.

Soapbox Sunday-Loving God

In January, our church began a journey with the first step being loving God. All quarter long, each class and sermon have focused on the ways that we, as a congregation could focus on this. Each member was also to search out ways to grow in love with God. Ironically, He was working on my heart just before our church began this endeavor. It was around that time that I felt the pull to start writing about my relationship with Him.

Today was "Boat Sunday" at church. I know you all may be laughing at that concept, but it was a reference to Peter getting out of the boat to faithfully trust Jesus. He sank only when his trust in Jesus faltered. This morning, my church shepherd asked me to say a few words about how I have deepened in my love for God, so I shared my experiences with this blog. I spoke of how I have always had a passion for writing, but just recently realized that it was a God-given passion to be used for His purposes. I shared how writing has brought me as close to God as I have ever been. Then, I spoke at length about all of you in blogland who are a light to others through your own sites. Every comment that you have left on my blog, every email that you have sent to me, prayers, and each of you sharing your heart on your own sites has encouraged me in a way that you will never know. Imagine the impact that it has on those that visit our sites and leave no record of their time there. I heard recently that the internet is fast becoming the way many people are searching for spiritual answers. With so many pitfalls online, I have found a safe place amongst my believer buddies.

I don't think that this a true "soapbox post", but it was foremost on my mind today. So, let me end today by challenging you, whomever you may be, to get out of the boat and let God direct you to places that you never dreamed existed. And to all of you that have impacted my walk, thank-you for your examples and for your encouragement!

Matthew 14:30 (New International Version)

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

Now, I would like to share Tonya's post for Soapbox Sunday because it is a cry from her heart on something that could impact anyone of us. You can visit Tonya here.





I don't have anything with spiritual depth for this post, however it is one that is very close to my heart. As you may already know we lost our son to childhood cancer. If you'd like to post with me on this Soapbox Sunday then PLEASE FEEL FREE to copy the exact post below to your site. (Or you can email me and I'll send you the EXACT post with the codes and all already in place - I'll check my email first thing in the morning then again mid-afternoon. We'll be meeting with our Bible study group from 9-? My email address is nason5@aol.com) The more people we can get involved, the GREATER the impact. If you do post with me just leave a comment and we'll "blog hop" around. THANKS SO MUCH for your time!


Now, besides the fact that childhood cancer has struck our home, the statistics are HORRIFIC. The information below was taken from lunchforlife.org



Childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in the US and it kills more children per year than cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, asthma and AIDS combined. There are 15 children diagnosed with cancer for every one child diagnosed with pediatric AIDS. Yet, the U.S. invests approximately $595,000 for research per victim of pediatric AIDS and only $20,000 for each victim of childhood cancer.


The information from here to the end of this post was copied from an email. The main site is curesearch.org However there is a link below that will take you DIRECTLY to the place you'll quickly fill in your information and you'll have helped INSTANTLY!


Please help us pass the CONQUER CHILDHOOD CANCER ACT. This bill authorizes $30 million annually for five years to support pediatric cancer research. Imagine hearing your beloved son or daughter has cancer. 12,400 US families will hear these words each year. 35,000 US children are in active cancer treatment and 2,300 will die annually.

This is unacceptable when you consider we've spent 500 billion on a war overseas. 150 million over 5 years for the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act seems like a "drop in the bucket" in comparison. On the plus side, we have 52 wise senators supporting the CCCA. We need 8 more to reach 60, a majority to help pass this landmark legislation. Please honor those children that have been fighting for their lives and those who have earned their wings by taking 5 MINUTES to e-mail SENATORS that are NOT yet CO-SPONSORS. If this bill is not passed by 2008, it dies and we're back to square one.
Here is a list of states that need sponsors...Alabama (2), Alaska (2), Arizona (2), Colorado (2), Florida (2), Idaho (2), Iowa (2), Kansas (1), Louisiana (1), Maine (2), Mississippi (1), Missouri (2), Montanna (2), Nevada (1), New Hampshire (2), North Dakota (2), Ohio (1), Oklahoma (2), Oregon (1), Pennsyvania (1), South Carolina (1), South Dakota (1), Tennessee (2), Texas (1), Utah (2), Virginia (1), West Virginia (2), Wisconsin (2), Wyoming (2).


Click HERE to send a letter to your Member of Congress urging them to vote to pass the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act. It will take LESS THAN 5 MINUTES.


If you have a CaringBridge site, blog, or myspace, please copy and paste this info to your site. If you know someone who lives in one of these states, copy and e-mail it to them. If you're feeling ambitious, lead a letter writing campaign in your state that needs co-sponsors. One grandma sent out thousands of copied letters to family/friends in other states. All they needed to do was sign the letter and mail it in.

"The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it." - William James (1842 - 1910)

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

Tonight, we had one of those near miss moments where you realize how bad a situation could have been. David, Alex, and I had gone to Lowe's to pick up a few things for our yard because it desperately needs some TLC. In our shopping cart, we had 3 big bags of sand and one huge bag of weed/lawn fertilizer. The cart was so heavy from all of those bags that pushing the cart was difficult. As we were going down the main aisle, Alex decided to jump onto the front end of the card. His impulsive act made his feet slip into the bottom grate of the cart, so he grabbed the cart itself. If David hadn't caught the tipping cart, the weight of all of those bags would have crushed Alex. As it was, his feet were stuck in the bottom rungs and I had to pry them out. That was a frightening moment because David and I both realized that we narrowly missed "that life changing instant". Many, many prayers of relief and praise went up tonight, you can be sure of that!!

After all of that drama, I wanted to hear some peaceful, prayer provoking music. Several weeks ago, I searched on YouTube for versions of one of my favorite songs, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. I ran across an artist that I was unfamiliar with by the name of David Nevue. He uses his music on the piano to reach people and give them hope through Christ. I drift off to sleep each night while his music plays and I also love to write while listening to his songs. I enjoy just about all types of music, but this was the one that I needed most right now. Alex's safety tonight was indeed a blessing! Here is the website for David Nevue where you can hear more of his music if you wish, as well as read how he shares his music and his faith.

Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
mount of thy redeeming love.

Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I'm come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here's my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.

For more Then Sings My Soul Saturday, visit Amy's site.

Favorite Foto Friday~Fathers Are Out of This World

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4

This evening was Fathers' Night at Alex's preschool. It is a special event that celebrates each father and the contribution that they make in their childrens' lives. The theme this year was "Fathers are out of this world". Tonight, they enjoyed pizza, games, and races. They also made something special together. Here is their special creation-I can't wait until it is dry enough to come home. All the kids in his class sang a song to the daddies about being out of this world. You will notice that there is only one girl in the class, but I don't think that she minds.

Mothers' night is May 1st, so stay tuned for a FFF from that sweet night, too. Yes, I am guilty of being a sappy and sentimental mom, but I wouldn't have it any other way!! For more FFF, hop on over to Sarah's place. Have a great weekend! Stephanie

Thankful Thursday

I am so thankful that I was there last week when Alex learned to ride a bike without training wheels. Who wouldn't want to be part of a moment like that? Well, it was a day that meant a great deal to me. When Alex was about 14 months old, I began having some strange health issues. My family doctor believed that I had Lupus and sent me to a rhuematologist for further testing. As I sat in that waiting room, all kinds of doubts began their assault on my heart. Alex played happily at my feet while I tried to keep the tears at bay.

Another patient came over next to me, even though all the other seats were empty. Normally, I love to meet new people, but I really just wanted to be alone that morning. She asked me why I was there and I reluctantly told her of my doctor's suspicions. I had hoped that she would say something brief and then move on to read a magazine. Instead, she chose to continue the one-sided conversation. "Oh, I hope you don't have lupus. I have had more than 20 friends that have died from Lupus and I am the only survivor!" These were not words of comfort! Her eyes fell on Alex as he started walking towards me, "Mark my words, you won't be alive by the time he is 5." Thankfully, the nurse opened the door and summoned me into a treatment room.

The details of the actual visit with the doctor are fuzzy, but I do remember him confirming that I did indeed have Lupus. He tried to reassure me that it was mild, but after what I had just heard, I wasn't sure what that meant or even if it was the truth. My doctor sent me down for xrays to give him an idea of how the disease had affected my joints. The xray tech was backed up and the wait was at least reported to be 2 hours. That was an extremely long time to contemplate the words of the patient that I had encountered earlier. So, deep sobs began to escape from me despite my best intentions to control them.

Another patient saw how upset I was and came over to sit beside me. This time I didn't care what was said to me because I had already heard the worst. She touched my shoulder and asked if I wanted to talk. She was just so sweet and comforting that I found myself spilling out all the details of my visit that day. When I was done talking, she asked if she could pray with me. I don't remember her words, but I do remember the peace that came over me as she spoke that prayer. It was that moment that I realized God would be there for me throughout my life with the ups and downs of Lupus.

I am thankful that the first patient I encountered was incorrect in her prediction. Alex is now well on his way to 6 and I have exceeded her life expectancy by about 7 months. Yes, I have challenging days, sometimes weeks, but that is when I draw nearer to Him. I am even more thankful to the two women that I met that day at the doctor's office. They each played a role in strenghtening my faith. One showed me how not to encourage others, while the other demonstrated her deep and abiding faith by praying with me.

28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

To join read more about what others are thankful for or to join our blogging fun, go check out
Iris' blog at Sting My Heart.

A Day to Trust or Walk Away

"Throughout the history of God's people as given to us in the Bible, we see that life is a test. We have before us the option to trust God "no matter what," or to walk away from Him. To walk away from God is to leave the fragments of our dreams in pieces on the floor, but to trust Him is to let God pick up the pieces and make us whole again. When we choose to let Him make us whole again, he will make our lives more beautiful than before." What I Learned from God While Quilting Ruth McHaney Danner & Cristine Bolley


When I read this quote earlier today, I immediately thought back to a day in March during my sophomore year at college. I had sought out a place called Memorial Park (photo above) near my university campus because there were some decisions weighing on me that I wanted to sort out. In fact, I had been searching for this very park throughout my freshman and sophomore years because it was one that my dad used to take me to as a small child when my parents attended UGA. I did not go to the park that day to seek God. He wasn't really part of my life at that time and I was unsure that He even existed. Looking back, I can say that He was definitely there as I sat on that bench and thought things out.

It was a drizzly, cold afternoon and the park was completely deserted on the day that I rediscovered the park of my childhood. Renovations were in progress and it was in the process of becoming a park that I would not have recognized if I had come a week later. As I shivered from the dampness, I began to pray, even though I could not have explained why I felt the need to do something that I felt was powerless. After about half an hour of weeping and praying, I was pretty sure that He was indeed real and that I knew the direction that He wanted me to take . Peace settled on me like a comfy blanket in front of a roaring fire and I felt that I could leave the park that day with my decision firmly made. As I rose to begin the uphill walk to my car, I spotted something that made me pause. Across the pond, I spotted part of an old playground set made out of logs that was being torn down to make way for a shiny, new play set. Memories came flooding back as I remembered laughing with my dad and climbing on that very same equipment as a three year old. He and I had unearthed worms in our front yard and walked to the park to "fish" in the murky water from the bridge. As the picture of that child playing happily with her father became clearer, God's presence began to cloud over as I pushed Him away. At that moment, I knew that if I chose God's direction, I would never win my dad's approval again. We had drifted apart throughout my childhood and finding this park was my effort to figure out why there was a divide between us. At the end of that afternoon before I left for my home, I chose my earthly father over my Heavenly Father. It was a decision that would turn out to be a drastic turning point in my life.

Several years ago, I finally yielded to God and allowed Him to pick up the pieces. He led me to share my testimony with a body of believers. At first, I was terrified to speak publicly, but I once again felt that comforting presence that can only come from God. He sustained me through that morning at church and I know without a doubt that it was exactly what I was led to do. I am thankful that those pieces of me have been put back together in way that has a heart for the Lord. There has been some doubt on my part since I shared my story, but only during those times that I have tried to take back the reins of my life. I am very blessed to have several encouraging people in my circle that have seen me through those faltering moments. Most of all, I am glad that God did not walk away from me when I deliberately strode away from Him!

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28(NIV)

Favorite Foto Friday

"God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (Genesis 1:27)

Hi Everyone,

This is my first time sharing a favorite photo. I have a new(used) computer, so very few of my pictures prior to January are on it. So, I selected a picture that I snapped of my exuberant five year old son, Alex. We were playing together this afternoon in the front yard and he decided to hang from the cherry tree. This is completely 100% Alex! He has been described by others as "all boy" and I am not sure if that is a compliment or not...I guess it depends on how much damage he left in his wake before each person said that about him. Haha! But I think that this picture is evidence that God has a fun side! Alex keeps telling me that he is ready to go to Heaven to play with God and Jesus. It used to upset me terribly to think about what that would mean, but now I see it as what awaits us all that believe in Him. What a (Fun) Friend We Have in Jesus! Happy Easter!

Thankful Thursday

This is my first post for Thankful Thursday and I am excited to sign on to this topic. Easter is always a special time for me because it reminds me of my childhood. When I was growing up, my family was one of those HollyLily families, except that we didn't attend at Christmas time. So, I guess we were just "Lilies". I loved knowing that I could expect to go to church as Easter approached. Sure, my new Easter dress was always exciting to wear for the first time, but I felt something special whenever and wherever I attended church. We rarely went back to the "scene of the crime" more than once, so it wasn't any particular person that I was looking forward to seeing. I was just thrilled for Easter Sunday to arrive so that I could learn more about my friend, Jesus. That was a really special time in my life and I would have to say that I am grateful the "world" seems to think they must go to church on Easter. Without that expectation, I might not have the relationship with Christ that I have today. I know that most churches dread Easter because of all the challenges it brings about it. Somewhere amongst all of those visitors, there is someone that may not get the chance to hear how Jesus loves them.

Sweet Swapna

A few years ago, our church began supporting an orphanage in Ongole, India. The young children there came to the WINGS home primarily because they lost their families in the tsunami that ravaged that area. Everyone at our church was given the opportunity to sponsor these precious children and provide financial support to keep the home running. The most important aspect of this endeavor was to also have a personal relationship with each sponsored child. Our family quickly jumped at the opportunity and we selected Swapna, then 8, to be the one that we would personally sponsor.

This is different than what we all see on t.v. because members from our church have visited these children several times a year. So, we "know" our sponsored child as well as we will know her without getting on a plane for India ourselves. (After our nine hour flight from Hawaii to Georgia, I am in no hurry to board another plane!) During the visits from our church, the traveling groups have taken small gifts to the children from their sponsor families and the children usually send back cards and drawings for us. It is so special!

In April, another group is heading to Ongole, so we have put together some special gifts from us for our sweet girl, Swapna. Out of seventy plus children, the similarities between what she likes to draw and things that I have drawn since I was a teen, are very similar. It seems that God had a hand in that plan to "draw" us together across the MANY, MANY miles. I hope to draw something for her so that she too will see the similarities. Swapna, if you get to read this, please know that you are very much loved by our family!!!!