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.