tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6764311205083405102024-03-05T04:20:50.776-05:00...with thankful hearts...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.comBlogger660125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-3248432388860282552012-05-16T11:24:00.001-04:002013-01-23T07:39:43.222-05:00we're moving...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">... with thankful hearts... is moving! </span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Much like real life, this is a process. Imagine boxes partially unpacked, things not yet moved, and finding forgotten items under the recliner. I'm in that process... only virtually. No boxes clutter my living room but I'm still partially unpacking, still moving things and still finding forgotten items buried. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm moving over to wordpress... <a href="http://www.heidikreider.com/">www.heidikreider.com</a> and I hope you'll come with me. When all is said and done, all of this blog will reside there. As well as new posts, reviews, thoughts and pictures. This blog here will become a stagnant pond out in the wide expanse of cyberspace with no new water moving through and nothing going on.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Instead of titling this "I'm moving," I chose to say "we" because I hope you'll come too! It's kinda like bringing your best friends with you to when you move to your new neighborhood. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-146454551876246282012-05-13T22:19:00.001-04:002012-05-13T22:19:48.534-04:00when you know you are loved...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cd3cTjzJg0kEHJPLHAq3iIs0B_qTkyJ72x7jEVKCrtbNXNlb_8g5S7NaI1UyVs3BTQT87NVJOoD2R0Bx0PhLGVJClR6zSwz7zB53o5Y0DsP-JKU6SoOn95IkvRUi6mIZ4vA2z4o45Ps/s1600/Image05132012145512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cd3cTjzJg0kEHJPLHAq3iIs0B_qTkyJ72x7jEVKCrtbNXNlb_8g5S7NaI1UyVs3BTQT87NVJOoD2R0Bx0PhLGVJClR6zSwz7zB53o5Y0DsP-JKU6SoOn95IkvRUi6mIZ4vA2z4o45Ps/s1600/Image05132012145512.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I often forget. I get caught up... caught up in the the things of this world that don't matter and I forget those that do. I get wrapped up in the worries of life... trying desperately to please people and I forget those who are already pleased. I find myself struggling... attempting to make sense of the pain and disappointment of this journey and forgetting the joy that sits before me.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qbxBDFNujR55Slgm098bxh-GVOYLvGKNya-Mgd3GUReT92ut-E4Dm6B05FBWbZKZqcz6whbi6iIJHDOTdYTJwT-gHPPUjbfvXIpLXdtJlDgrbOARbYGGkMGmqu8bO_KeRFB0pnltb20/s1600/Image05132012145528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qbxBDFNujR55Slgm098bxh-GVOYLvGKNya-Mgd3GUReT92ut-E4Dm6B05FBWbZKZqcz6whbi6iIJHDOTdYTJwT-gHPPUjbfvXIpLXdtJlDgrbOARbYGGkMGmqu8bO_KeRFB0pnltb20/s1600/Image05132012145528.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Sometimes I need to be reminded. I need the reminder that I am loved... I am cherished... I am adored... by four. And, if there were only four, that would be enough. However, I am blessed much more than that.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2d81WzWKE2n7tmcppKWvC7eWxILbXqQ_IYBAxyFCZv2LqJIjtRCBGCsMdJU1kBbQ4gl5OKelHQOml6As2Q7mbURUUIfX-Aa508wLWRELJVJIHzFfmid7p3aIDLglleHQmqY8k902Lr0g/s1600/Image05132012145550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2d81WzWKE2n7tmcppKWvC7eWxILbXqQ_IYBAxyFCZv2LqJIjtRCBGCsMdJU1kBbQ4gl5OKelHQOml6As2Q7mbURUUIfX-Aa508wLWRELJVJIHzFfmid7p3aIDLglleHQmqY8k902Lr0g/s1600/Image05132012145550.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I'm learning... learning to take the gifts set before me. To take a day of rest... to park the taxi in the garage and take up a book instead. I'm learning to set my book aside... to pick up The Boxcar Children instead. I'm learning to rest... to take myself to bed early, if need be, so that I can be a better wife, mother, and friend.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I'm learning... anew... that I am loved by those who matter most.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>~*~</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>joining in with <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/">the gratitude community</a> again this week... counting the gifts that grace my days with a heart of gratitude...</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>for these things and many more, I am grateful...</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for Sabbath rest</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for a garage</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for finding incredible books to read at my favorite library</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for a new mug</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... and Guatemalan coffee in it</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>.... with creme brulee creamer</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the not so little one who still wants me to read Boxcar Children books to her</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for back rubs from smallish hands</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for giggles</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for sibling love</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the calm of her daddy</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for protection</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for his hand and wisdom to put her back together again</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for a day as a family</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the joy of being together</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... knowing my family wants to be with me</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the peace of knowing a mother is celebrating in heaven</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for prayer for her family</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for a celebration of her life yesterday</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for a God who always sees</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... and always knows</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... and never fails to love completely</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>what gifts has He bestowed on you this week?</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>join us in counting 1000 gifts and beyond!</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghb8EqXe825MYkdfyvn3fbNcFUMnnEfjKl7CJuzDE9HzEuSHMTiQOXsOxuiXwFcRswJ1W-kyl-Ccrp7Pxq9TVN24yxWs5oBKTCyaLlB6WNJoPU3vNr0FKRqNR4FS8Xx6xBT1Uxq6XvhOw/s320/multitudesonmondaysbutton2-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-14329368368530250152012-05-11T08:12:00.003-04:002012-05-11T08:12:59.436-04:00this mom's identity...<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>On Fridays over here a group of people who love to throw caution to the wind </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>and just write gather to share what five minutes buys them. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Just five minutes. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Unscripted. Unedited. Real.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Your words. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>This shared feast.</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<i>Those are Lisa Jo's words... joining with her and <a href="http://thegypsymama.com/2012/05/five-minute-friday-identity/">her writing community at Gypsy Mama</a> for five minute Friday. </i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<i>Today's topic: identity</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<i>GO</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<i>I <a href="http://www.withthankfulhearts.blogspot.com/2012/05/yes-maam-you-are-amazing.html">wrote of this yesterday</a>... this sense of finding my identity now that my children need me less and less. A decade and a half of my life spent as Mama, Mommy, Mom. A decade spent educating at home... gathering around great books, exploring together through field trips, and living life together. I would do it all again.. over and over and over.</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<i>I wouldn't have spent this time in my life any other way. I'm now wondering though, what do I do next? In investing that much of my life, I also invested my identity. I laugh because I meet people in my area now who say to me, "oh, you're that homeschool mom." To my children's friends, I am "Eric's mom" or "Emily's mom" or "Ellen's mom." Perhaps to the neighborhood dogs, I am even "Ebony's mom."</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<i>I knew parenting wasn't for the faint of heart before I jumped in. I did not know, though, that I would willingly invest myself to my very core into the lives of these 3 Es. I didn't know that I would want to give up my individual identity in order to help them form theirs. I didn't know they would become so much of who I am.</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<i>Even in the midst of a new school this year... a broken arm and a 3 hour surgery... a trip to another country... writing a novel... and another year of homeschooling my youngest, I've spent this year re-evaluating. </i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<i>Who am I? What will I do next? What is my purpose? My worth? My identity?</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<i>I don't have all the answers yet... and I may never. However, I do know the One who knows. And... I know that my true identity belongs in Him. </i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<i>I also know that my children will always need me. </i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<i>They have their own identities now... I don't need to give them mine.</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<i>STOP</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfDhfudZ_XcI6d8YJNiAmg91ueo-iFteKBdTvcaJoPwiyZSGtOPpyZmy_4hg7nRUNWBEBtEvYeGXF6-7C0DtkPAz8E0-7JPSWEjMj4GifwW3dMcuiLzXIZb-J2fy4_fxMpPLYxVBAbzs/s1600/5-minute-friday-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfDhfudZ_XcI6d8YJNiAmg91ueo-iFteKBdTvcaJoPwiyZSGtOPpyZmy_4hg7nRUNWBEBtEvYeGXF6-7C0DtkPAz8E0-7JPSWEjMj4GifwW3dMcuiLzXIZb-J2fy4_fxMpPLYxVBAbzs/s1600/5-minute-friday-1.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-87935907588684516512012-05-10T10:07:00.001-04:002012-05-10T20:36:10.129-04:00YES, Ma'am... you are amazing!<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyF0uDBx-1lZDGWMaiJngVo0kSlHudnPPgNQcLsrqBVzZ5JDsxUzqz8RDYqZ9tYGHkrsYJ-BZ6qY54LgazMMY38cduKcagqWkSkOl7SwmviUpCNEMNkd_tq9AveBfUlDBdvUtHQrsQc5U/s1600/IMG_7498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyF0uDBx-1lZDGWMaiJngVo0kSlHudnPPgNQcLsrqBVzZ5JDsxUzqz8RDYqZ9tYGHkrsYJ-BZ6qY54LgazMMY38cduKcagqWkSkOl7SwmviUpCNEMNkd_tq9AveBfUlDBdvUtHQrsQc5U/s320/IMG_7498.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Do you know that you are amazing?</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Yes... YOU!</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>and YOU...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>and me...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>we are all amazing!</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I don't know about you, but I'm a middle-aged mom. I've invested fifteen years into my offspring, eighteen years into my teammate. I've done more loads of laundry than the sum total of the population of the state of Indiana... and I've probably done more dishes than that. I've homeschooled for a decade and I changed diapers for almost that many years. And, I've fallen into bed exhausted night after night wondering if I managed to accomplish anything in my day.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>For all this time, mothering is how I've defined myself. It's where I found my spot in this world and it fulfilled a deep need in me that I didn't even know existed.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>What do I do now?</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>What do you do when your family needs you less and less? </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>What do you do when you're no longer sure of your place because your place is fading? What do you do when you find yourself a middle-aged mom </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>whose children need her less and less?</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Instead of putting myself out to pasture, I want to encourage you... and you... and me. Though we may be middle-aged mothers with increasingly independent children, we are still amazing women. We have been created in the image of the Creator with specific gifts and abilities personally designed for each of us.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Take a moment this weekend as your family celebrates you (and if they don't celebrate you, call me and I will!). Look at what you've done! You are an expert in managing, multi-tasking, event planning, transporting, training, educating, task completing, and the list goes on and on. You had "real-life" training... you excelled... you have much to offer... you are the expert!</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Join me this weekend in celebrating our accomplishments as Middle-Aged Amazing Moms (MA'AM)... </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>YES, Ma'am... you are amazing!</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I'd love a comment hearing of </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>what makes you amazing...</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://inthedetails-gabeanddave.blogspot.com/2012/05/flip-side.html">joining with my sister</a></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>and the community at </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://www.canvaschild.com/">imperfect prose</a></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmz8e3hkUj5Os_kXS3gYAj9d2Pmg70JGB_5CnoXNg_G30vJjn7BXhM4hbZ-9F_8E8Am0In2ai47HSLRV_8rSEbHhbVqP5umwnwSv4oIpfRfE50R9qt4s-8mfAbyVvE4QBi7jppqarg_I/s1600/imperfectprose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmz8e3hkUj5Os_kXS3gYAj9d2Pmg70JGB_5CnoXNg_G30vJjn7BXhM4hbZ-9F_8E8Am0In2ai47HSLRV_8rSEbHhbVqP5umwnwSv4oIpfRfE50R9qt4s-8mfAbyVvE4QBi7jppqarg_I/s1600/imperfectprose.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-32805931869112798632012-05-09T19:29:00.000-04:002012-05-09T19:29:57.422-04:00don't lose heart...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I'm quick to give up... to give in... to lose heart. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>And... I'm not alone.</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>So many of us struggle to get out of bed in the morning. We fight to stay in the fight when we'd rather walk away. We argue with God... making demands that are not ours to dictate. We become disillusioned and we lose heart.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Life is pain. I know this... why am I so quick to forget? Why does giving up seem easier than going on? </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I don't know for anyone else... but, I do know for me. I give up, give in, and lose heart when I take my eyes off the goal. Much like Peter walking on the water to Jesus, it's when I start looking at the storm around me rather than gazing at Jesus that I begin to sink. Of course, then I begin to look at the fact that I'm sinking, and go further under... </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>blub...blub...blub</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I know this because I do this... often. And, equally as often, a nail-scarred hand reaches out and pulls me up and sets my feet on solid ground. He does this simply because He loves me. He calls me His child and He promises He has a plan for my future... one of good and of hope. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I often forget... He never fails. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I am quick to sink... He is quicker to rescue. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>look at the storm, the waves, the water, </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>anywhere but at Him... His gaze never waivers.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>This week, I threw in the towel on this God-sized dream I have. I told Him I don't have what it takes... I forgot that He does, though. The very next day, He sent me a book to review, a community to join, and wisdom and creativity from some of the best in the business. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I will post a review soon. I have to say tonight, though, that <a href="http://www.michaelhyatt.com/">Michael Hyatt</a>'s newest release, <u><a href="http://michaelhyatt.com/category/publishing">Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World,</a></u> is speaking volumes to this heart that almost gave up.... </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>and, it came the morning after I gave up. My Redeemer redeemed. He felt my tears and heard my heart's cry and reached out with what I needed for the moment.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>If you've almost lost heart tonight, don't. Please don't. I promise His hand is waiting for you to take it. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...take it from someone who loses heart often.</i></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-36275050555448207982012-05-08T10:23:00.001-04:002012-05-08T10:23:55.369-04:00craving bread...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I've been craving bread lately...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNvBUDFJV-IlHFSUiSHuUqSsl8Xmagox6x8X4jUWA8JRdro3lcjZr5ggjWp25eAnUrfRGJJ4-IxqKwZ-ib-ooUF-RguTTZ4Ke8UpA9T4HYqDSMJHb7LG7wDZC5xO9iILj5RnkAPa1eNQ/s1600/Image05052012093122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNvBUDFJV-IlHFSUiSHuUqSsl8Xmagox6x8X4jUWA8JRdro3lcjZr5ggjWp25eAnUrfRGJJ4-IxqKwZ-ib-ooUF-RguTTZ4Ke8UpA9T4HYqDSMJHb7LG7wDZC5xO9iILj5RnkAPa1eNQ/s1600/Image05052012093122.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then Jesus declared, </span></b><span class="woj"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“I am the bread of life. </span></b></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whoever comes to me will never go hungry"</span></b></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">John 6:35 (NIV)</span></b></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal;"><span class="woj"><b><br /></b></span></span></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Ym29mFD3byPy56q63VBqCW12K44CysSFOlj6MTBU8Tna5rQmzwTxwmTsnjSzusWO7arU1LZ9qaoldXegA0LwoINCPM0eTQ14uFpylaVPwCidf3iXzeMo6K-1c5l_5QoiI3iyDEaxNwQ/s1600/Image05052012093152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Ym29mFD3byPy56q63VBqCW12K44CysSFOlj6MTBU8Tna5rQmzwTxwmTsnjSzusWO7arU1LZ9qaoldXegA0LwoINCPM0eTQ14uFpylaVPwCidf3iXzeMo6K-1c5l_5QoiI3iyDEaxNwQ/s1600/Image05052012093152.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal;"><span class="woj"><b><br /></b></span></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b> </b></i></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b>“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; </b></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b>yet not my will, but yours be done.”</b></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b>Luke 22:42 (NIV)</b></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVXE_0MzjuuEXe6Au0v6OBSFX1JBzkVCT2YfOg7Qf3fCXNDH-f8TRTFMlLFu1KN3r2-Q26jV5jzZA2LQ-a9zq-3z8PX3gB-_q5IcvKSB1L1MgrgKqHxLQHQtt_Ljs-Ej1F9A0_tYG6AI/s1600/Image05052012093516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVXE_0MzjuuEXe6Au0v6OBSFX1JBzkVCT2YfOg7Qf3fCXNDH-f8TRTFMlLFu1KN3r2-Q26jV5jzZA2LQ-a9zq-3z8PX3gB-_q5IcvKSB1L1MgrgKqHxLQHQtt_Ljs-Ej1F9A0_tYG6AI/s1600/Image05052012093516.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" id="en-NKJV-18717" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But He </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">was</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> wounded for our transgressions,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He was</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> bruised for our iniquities;</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The chastisement for our peace </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">was</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> upon Him,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And by His stripes we are healed</span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV)</span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrYwpo8m0bFnvOFSoyeJO-uxwhCjpImBjkWEmrbMbmZvzvxOQISeOoeZxevkgiVD68DK7F1HvZWsCYX6EFBttH7R4-tWzqNF3s-Kh1Dfyis0g924B3g1DfinkaFom0F8gcfJz2fEkH5w/s1600/Image05052012094711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrYwpo8m0bFnvOFSoyeJO-uxwhCjpImBjkWEmrbMbmZvzvxOQISeOoeZxevkgiVD68DK7F1HvZWsCYX6EFBttH7R4-tWzqNF3s-Kh1Dfyis0g924B3g1DfinkaFom0F8gcfJz2fEkH5w/s1600/Image05052012094711.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="text John-6-32" id="en-NIV-26290"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jesus said to them, </span></span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="text John-6-32" id="en-NIV-26290"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you </span></span></span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="text John-6-32" id="en-NIV-26290"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the bread from heaven, </span></span></span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="text John-6-32" id="en-NIV-26290"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">but it is my Father who gives you the true bread</span></span></span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="text John-6-32" id="en-NIV-26290"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> from heaven.</span></span></span><span class="text John-6-33" id="en-NIV-26291"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></sup></span></span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="text John-6-33" id="en-NIV-26291"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"></sup>For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven </span></span></span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="text John-6-33" id="en-NIV-26291"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and gives life to the world.”</span></span></span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="text John-6-33" id="en-NIV-26291"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b>John 6:32-33 (NIV)</b></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="text John-6-33" id="en-NIV-26291"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9AdvirnNaeuWniAqOQV48XNqwejTBCXzPYUW6vvaowe0vMEWtVjg4B1Af-mWmw9OrYZq5GIpiX_RnIv_GpOpq-HAoC90ElGOvtNWx4J-tS2mnjrkMAl8VGoN9oN8wRLA5F_MxNi9a0KU/s1600/Image05062012102159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9AdvirnNaeuWniAqOQV48XNqwejTBCXzPYUW6vvaowe0vMEWtVjg4B1Af-mWmw9OrYZq5GIpiX_RnIv_GpOpq-HAoC90ElGOvtNWx4J-tS2mnjrkMAl8VGoN9oN8wRLA5F_MxNi9a0KU/s1600/Image05062012102159.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="text John-6-33" id="en-NIV-26291"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="text John-6-33" id="en-NIV-26291"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="text 1Cor-11-23" id="en-NIV-28624"> <i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, </span></b></i></span></span></b></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="text John-6-33" id="en-NIV-26291"><span class="woj"><i><b><span class="text 1Cor-11-23" id="en-NIV-28624"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">took bread,</span></span><span class="text 1Cor-11-24" id="en-NIV-28625"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and when he had given thanks, </span></span></b></i></span></span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="text John-6-33" id="en-NIV-26291"><span class="woj"><i><b><span class="text 1Cor-11-24" id="en-NIV-28625"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">he broke it and said,</span><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“This is my body, which is for you; </span></span></span></b></i></span></span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b><span class="text Isa-53-5" style="position: relative;"><span class="text John-6-33" id="en-NIV-26291"><span class="woj"><i><b><span class="text 1Cor-11-24" id="en-NIV-28625"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">do this in remembrance of me."</span></span></span></b></i></span></span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Corinthians 11:23-24 (NI</span></b></i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>V)</i></span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvzj5r6ISp_EGyI9xsxKWC1nu1rRhHd8m6KweHtgVZIGvi9bAW89_mSbjfwvhCuxLreefQfZGAirc1Zif7wFVWulmbVzB-KWbpkmMmU_oP1vN6LgFGike1bbpvD_p0sNnjr80p72v5kE/s1600/Image05062012120942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvzj5r6ISp_EGyI9xsxKWC1nu1rRhHd8m6KweHtgVZIGvi9bAW89_mSbjfwvhCuxLreefQfZGAirc1Zif7wFVWulmbVzB-KWbpkmMmU_oP1vN6LgFGike1bbpvD_p0sNnjr80p72v5kE/s1600/Image05062012120942.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Ps-34-8" id="en-NIV-14397" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Taste and see that the </i></span><span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Lord</i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i> is good;</i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i> </i></span></span><span class="text Ps-34-8" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.</i></span></span></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-34-8" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Psalm 34</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>:8 (NIV)</i></span></span></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-34-8" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4S51pC1D3RZpkBAHZkiMNNGdQqu_X6wRmymESJd8Cs1ZCDFt_bBttmSdOtW7d5RyQOBPYO_cEcjaEcKdNPxp_F0Vq0qGB-rpn8PnhZm2YuvBwh4Mj8hrVT0uvV4H69iqkLcMByJR5T70/s1600/Image05062012121718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4S51pC1D3RZpkBAHZkiMNNGdQqu_X6wRmymESJd8Cs1ZCDFt_bBttmSdOtW7d5RyQOBPYO_cEcjaEcKdNPxp_F0Vq0qGB-rpn8PnhZm2YuvBwh4Mj8hrVT0uvV4H69iqkLcMByJR5T70/s1600/Image05062012121718.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="text Ps-19-9" id="en-NKJV-14178" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="text Ps-19-9" id="en-NKJV-14178" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>The fear of the </i></b></span><span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>Lord</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i> </i></b></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>is</b></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i> clean, enduring forever;</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span><span class="text Ps-19-9" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>The judgments of the </i></b></span><span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>Lord</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i> </i></b></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>are</b></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i> true </i></b></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>and</b></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i> righteous altogether.</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span><span class="text Ps-19-10" id="en-NKJV-14179" style="position: relative;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; left: -4.8em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; vertical-align: top;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i> </i></b></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>More to be desired </i></b></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>are they</b></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i> than gold,</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span><span class="text Ps-19-10" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>Yea, than much fine gold;</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span><span class="text Ps-19-10" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb</i></b></span></span></span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="text Ps-19-10" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>Psalm 19:9-10 (NKJV)</i></b></span></span></span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="text Ps-19-10" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-34-8" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-34-8" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Is there any greater thanks</i></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>than to thank Him for what He has done?</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Is there any greater way</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>to counteract <a href="http://www.withthankfulhearts.blogspot.com/2012/05/when-life-disappoints.html">the disappointments of life</a></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>than to give thanks?</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>eucharist = eucharisteo </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>giving thanks again today</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>even when it's hard to make sense of life</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/gratituesday-wrapping-it-up"><img border="0" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjES5qTMcdJTwF1GQeRa31dkRN69sKTi2eCgRJqxF13hF_oDyLmQ3M7fQ777avmCMaCh6jCLKOpbTvS79Yyk-QFJwxc_IJ3566QoitZhaITvCYxjLF87HdvQqEokFG1Ix8h1BYlaQPnx0I/s320/gratituesday1010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><u>Sweeter than Honeycomb Unleavened Bread Recipe:</u></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>3/4 c. scaled milk</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>1 egg</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>1/4 c. honey</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>1/4 c. butter, melted</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>2 1/2 c. flour</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>mix together milk, egg, honey, and butter. Stir in flour until well mixed. Knead on floured board or counter until smooth. Cut in half. Roll each half out and cut into desired shapes/pieces. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 8-10 min at 375 or until lightly browned.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><u><br /></u></i></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-7182047048436543472012-05-07T09:29:00.000-04:002012-05-07T19:55:18.903-04:00when life disappoints...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>What do you do when life serves you a great big dose of disappointment? When you realize that these trips around the sun... they're really meaningless, and you can't find hope or joy or peace. What do you do when you feel as if you are barely hanging on and you can hardly find the gifts in the day?</i></span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>hold on</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Hold on to truth and let go of the lies you've believed for so long go. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Somewhere in these 43 trips around the sun, I've bought the lie that health, wealth, and happiness equal God's blessing. Which means I've also believed the flip-side... that when you don't have health, wealth, or happiness you are not blessed. Lies from my enemy. Lies that I have believed for so long.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I didn't think I believed those lies. I thought I knew. I was sure that my heart knew all the right answers... I guess I just didn't have the test yet.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Yesterday, I felt my heart ache, my stomach churn, my mind buzz... and my eyes leak. I stood around the campfire yesterday as my man held me and let me question the meaning of life and the goodness of God in the land of the living. He said little and listened much.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>And, in the end, I came around... around to the fact that when life dishes me a great big dose of disappointment, I counter it by counting. Some days it's easy to count, to see the gifts all around... yesterday, I struggled to count but in the struggle to find even ten things for which I was thankful, I felt my heart realign with His and I recognized the lies for what they were. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>and, I held on</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>~*~</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Feeling gloomy on a gloomy Monday morning but still joining with the <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/">gratitude community at Ann's</a>... where we all come together to count the gifts of grace from the Giver of grace.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Today I am grateful for...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... the fact that I was blessed to know Peggy</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... and how she encouraged those around her</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for how she came alongside this newbie homeschooler and walked with me</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the fact that she is with Jesus today</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the arms that wrapped around me yesterday</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the comfort of silence grown over 18 years</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for seasoned love</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for my 3 Es who convinced me to have friends over for a cookout last night</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for renewed friendships</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for wisdom shared in the firelight</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the blessings that do indeed abound</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the fact that we have food in abundance</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... even Guatemalan coffee!</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the fact that simple personal accounting mistakes that result in "insufficient funds" are easily fixed and not the end of the world</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for an incredible day of worship yesterday</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for tears that flowed freely at church</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for a God that came and met the rag-tag group that meets in a gymnasium and sits on simple folding chairs</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for watching my girl take leadership in worship yesterday</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the answered prayer that my children would love Jesus</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... and the answered prayer that we would find a church that is their home too</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for knowing we all have a place in our church family</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for a God who blesses more than I can count</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... and lets me ask the hard questions</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... and comforts me in the asking</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... and then reveals the answers</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghb8EqXe825MYkdfyvn3fbNcFUMnnEfjKl7CJuzDE9HzEuSHMTiQOXsOxuiXwFcRswJ1W-kyl-Ccrp7Pxq9TVN24yxWs5oBKTCyaLlB6WNJoPU3vNr0FKRqNR4FS8Xx6xBT1Uxq6XvhOw/s320/multitudesonmondaysbutton2-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-22127365038679708052012-05-04T02:14:00.002-04:002012-05-04T02:21:20.012-04:00velveteen real... 5 minute Friday<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>It's Friday... well, just barely... but Friday, nonetheless... </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>thus, it is 5 minute Friday time!!</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>It's that time, where, to quote <a href="http://thegypsymama.com/2012/05/five-minute-friday-real-2/">Lisa Jo, aka the gypsy mama</a>, we write...</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><b><i>On Fridays over here a group of people who love to go all out buck wild for the fun of the written word gather to share what five minutes buys them. Just five minutes. Unscripted. Unedited. Real.</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i>Today's topic... <b>real</b>...</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVskPoykCE1E9oSYFiKmNOVSdklpcFXAHtH8iLQgVTLGQ95ttyoKC_fok093aL_fXYENg1FNLEXFoBExTZIz4JvdksdEqu7-zrs-tbfz5nRC6joMZZGei1Ehha-Macibn488oNtYbtbNI/s1600/velveteen2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVskPoykCE1E9oSYFiKmNOVSdklpcFXAHtH8iLQgVTLGQ95ttyoKC_fok093aL_fXYENg1FNLEXFoBExTZIz4JvdksdEqu7-zrs-tbfz5nRC6joMZZGei1Ehha-Macibn488oNtYbtbNI/s1600/velveteen2.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><b>GO</b></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i>What is real? It's a question a soft and smooth bunny once asked. He asked the old and worn and well played with horse this question. Perhaps the rabbit was simply making conversation... or, perhaps, he was seeking. Seeking something that seemed unattainable.</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i>Real. I want it. I seek it. It often alludes me. </i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i>I think I want it. I think I want to be real... to show the real me... until I look in a mirror. What looks back is not what I want to be seen. Just as when I reveal the "real" me, what comes out is not what I want others to see.</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i>Being real is a great catch phrase. It's a great excuse. It's not for the faint of heart. For being real requires courage... being authentic requires strength. Revealing the "real" me requires me to strip of the pride, self-righteousness, and arrogance that I clothe myself in to hide the naked truth... I am a mess.</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i>What is real? For me... for such a time as this... real is the opposite of having it all together and acting as such. </i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i>It's much easier to pretend than to be real. Perhaps someone should have told the Velveteen Rabbit that all those years ago. </i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i>...but, then again, the old horse might have been on to something when he told the little bunny that though being real hurt, it was worth it because when you are real, you are loved.</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i><b>STOP</b></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://thegypsymama.com/2012/05/five-minute-friday-real-2/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfDhfudZ_XcI6d8YJNiAmg91ueo-iFteKBdTvcaJoPwiyZSGtOPpyZmy_4hg7nRUNWBEBtEvYeGXF6-7C0DtkPAz8E0-7JPSWEjMj4GifwW3dMcuiLzXIZb-J2fy4_fxMpPLYxVBAbzs/s1600/5-minute-friday-1.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-78151749069320566632012-05-03T23:34:00.000-04:002012-05-03T23:45:08.316-04:00anything... a review<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>What would happen if I surrendered it ALL?</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>What would happen if I would pray, "God, I will do anything. Anything."</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqZ_d0yk5u-OgVsq_jJJOoP8Kq1iayO1yBCJWt7eSfe8RVokg7wiox738O5Po435RvJYhC1gljMB0AaLbzmRS4lAVgs1KiKcCbziOnvLVaMuIJ48PxVbJT8xVvLaAIuuIw2Pzg0lJe2k/s1600/anything.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqZ_d0yk5u-OgVsq_jJJOoP8Kq1iayO1yBCJWt7eSfe8RVokg7wiox738O5Po435RvJYhC1gljMB0AaLbzmRS4lAVgs1KiKcCbziOnvLVaMuIJ48PxVbJT8xVvLaAIuuIw2Pzg0lJe2k/s1600/anything.png" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://www.jennieallen.com/">Jennie Allen</a> and her husband, Zac, did just that a few years ago. Tired of empty pursuits, they offered all that they had... their very lives... to God. In a simple prayer of "God we will do anything. Anything" their life, as they knew it, radically changed.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://www.jennieallen.com/projects/anything">Anything</a> chronicles Zac and Jennie's journey of reckless abandon and heart-wrenching surrender of their earthly lives, through Jennie's lens. Deep and raw are Jennie's words as she shares her heart's struggle to live out the prayer that she prayed. She neither sugar-coats her struggles nor does she take herself too seriously as she allows her reader to see into her struggles to discover the joy that she uncovered in her quest for <b>anything</b>.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Praying the prayer of <b>anything</b> changed Jennie's perspective on everything. No longer content to coast through life, God brought her to the place of recklessly living for Him... daily surrendering to His desires, His will, His plan for her life. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>In Jennie's words...</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b>All my life I thought I had God's stamp of approval because my life wasn't going badly. Now I was faced with the fear that it might actually be the opposite. What if my life was going so beautifully because I wasn't chasing after God?</b></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b>Even though the thousand problems in my soul had shifted toward one goal and one hope and I felt free, I had one new problem: life was getting hard, the pace was picking up, and I felt reluctant. </b>(<u>Anything</u>, pg 108)</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Last fall, <a href="http://withthankfulhearts.blogspot.com/2011/12/stuck-booksneeze-review.html">I reviewed Jennie's first Bible study, Stuck</a>, through my affiliation with <a href="http://www.booksneeze.com/">BookSneeze</a>. While I enjoyed that study, and have since suggested to several others, <a href="http://www.jennieallen.com/projects/stuck">Stuck</a> doesn't even come close to <u>Anything</u>... <u>Anything</u> is just that good.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Jennie Allen's words, her struggle, her desire for more resonate deep within me. I understand her discontentment with the mundane... I can relate to her questions of the purpose of her life... I know the feeling of craving more. I've been there. I am there. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Do I have the courage to pray "God I will do anything. Anything?" </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I don't know yet...</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><u>Anything</u> is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, ChristianBook Distributors and other major retailers. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>*****</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>disclaimer... I was sent a complimentary copy of <u>Anything</u> through <a href="http://www.sheltoninteractive.com/">Shelton Interactive</a> for my honest review of this book. I received no other compensation.</i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-64363363069819980202012-05-03T15:32:00.000-04:002012-05-03T15:32:05.055-04:00my happy place... Crazy Day Gourmet<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>two hours this afternoon</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>and no children...</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobN5ffBaVZlEecnsA4QeuK-00eJgARKmSQqeSzAVRe2H_ohsGql1eCs1XUV3vHSWtual44jfIYlSDbIU1D-kRa2lhhIxYgWzCzhzm4Z6myYq5ZugpRj056qDJDFpSoCQPPe5NzCJZGKM/s1600/Image05032012131837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobN5ffBaVZlEecnsA4QeuK-00eJgARKmSQqeSzAVRe2H_ohsGql1eCs1XUV3vHSWtual44jfIYlSDbIU1D-kRa2lhhIxYgWzCzhzm4Z6myYq5ZugpRj056qDJDFpSoCQPPe5NzCJZGKM/s1600/Image05032012131837.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I run to my happy place...</span></i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxu2GTF1jYFQ1GanLcHzMe_iOaM_-Zz_ZBXikpXi_1YVFv9SID0_tsMrzSZU52A9PzVfIy-oM4wqHo8zCMztnJ8pU7tZayJf2cyHu3Y6veAL1wYFJ0tzzliRvNv7aA0W4ijLptJWZ3pM0/s1600/crazyday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxu2GTF1jYFQ1GanLcHzMe_iOaM_-Zz_ZBXikpXi_1YVFv9SID0_tsMrzSZU52A9PzVfIy-oM4wqHo8zCMztnJ8pU7tZayJf2cyHu3Y6veAL1wYFJ0tzzliRvNv7aA0W4ijLptJWZ3pM0/s320/crazyday.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">especially on a hot May day</span></i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoF7-l56Y3nSpsjCSyFIOZaszOzwVxJBF-Koy84PI6hPLF706CRFbZxJOMcms9SHUPAw-eeNLF0SExz-VZgFzaimfvec2Vnr5FwwDwW17H6VhQ7VKrAC9BmdLINQtx-gR9UubDsWvMmcc/s1600/Image05032012132229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoF7-l56Y3nSpsjCSyFIOZaszOzwVxJBF-Koy84PI6hPLF706CRFbZxJOMcms9SHUPAw-eeNLF0SExz-VZgFzaimfvec2Vnr5FwwDwW17H6VhQ7VKrAC9BmdLINQtx-gR9UubDsWvMmcc/s1600/Image05032012132229.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">for some amazing organic white peony iced tea</span></i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(although I really wanted Iron Goddess of Mercy iced tea)</span></i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6TiipD1QEsJkX7Oq2LVTw-6aSzer1hLpY5fNGfJQF1zjo9SUxgd8CX3ikfCeoF_a069NbcAxa0VvlwfPm0kqATbwdEqb66N8v1wUi0flrjALGHyvVFNCYniIP4CzwnYtUqyhcGGdmm4Y/s1600/Image05032012132112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6TiipD1QEsJkX7Oq2LVTw-6aSzer1hLpY5fNGfJQF1zjo9SUxgd8CX3ikfCeoF_a069NbcAxa0VvlwfPm0kqATbwdEqb66N8v1wUi0flrjALGHyvVFNCYniIP4CzwnYtUqyhcGGdmm4Y/s1600/Image05032012132112.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">seriously! </span></i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>This is my new favorite place!!</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilfD5VHzntOLr4pOCsUhDG8Z1aYrDkZ8MrCC0SAg9IyJx_uLsU7NHKGWJ4wIetNk7R8UVoRXO_TtiWhzQrCVV53-XOwwWhCKNbiS2J5TkQiHVY_NB4rngOkrzgYXdpPMzrYsR73YyuylM/s1600/Image05032012132035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilfD5VHzntOLr4pOCsUhDG8Z1aYrDkZ8MrCC0SAg9IyJx_uLsU7NHKGWJ4wIetNk7R8UVoRXO_TtiWhzQrCVV53-XOwwWhCKNbiS2J5TkQiHVY_NB4rngOkrzgYXdpPMzrYsR73YyuylM/s1600/Image05032012132035.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://www.crazydaygourmet.com/">Crazy Day Gourmet</a></i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>opened last year</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>serving ready made meals</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>to pick up and take home </i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>bringing families back together around their tables</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHf8IxAGMdyeYqwpaJYo2T3RA4GHkdgnLihcO1HhwLSP9gZ-KSbVvXbM8jR2SJXNUkkQzc8DfCH_BQ8aciG8pYb68bEIal2zBK8egMlevJTSB4JJ7Lf9DSRM6-jqSx1o9dWJRP0RUz1zE/s1600/Image05032012132635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHf8IxAGMdyeYqwpaJYo2T3RA4GHkdgnLihcO1HhwLSP9gZ-KSbVvXbM8jR2SJXNUkkQzc8DfCH_BQ8aciG8pYb68bEIal2zBK8egMlevJTSB4JJ7Lf9DSRM6-jqSx1o9dWJRP0RUz1zE/s1600/Image05032012132635.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>last week</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I met my friend, <a href="http://www.stephaniehapner.com/">Stephanie</a> </i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>(the goddess of all things allergen and gluten-free)</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>here for coffee and catching up</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>and discovered more than</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>ready made meals at Crazy Day!</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-Dy7dJXyS-GczEyuE3f3Eg_iWJPZJJB-CeGgE5gepCdOF4fhM2i4XtR61OzbNqvmttrr0CFArdoIP1L6VhyphenhyphenH5-Vtss9XEPlisOcymHX0C4mMfyaUHxiDDqq9zSKNL8ekdazKanQkyIM/s1600/Image05032012131946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-Dy7dJXyS-GczEyuE3f3Eg_iWJPZJJB-CeGgE5gepCdOF4fhM2i4XtR61OzbNqvmttrr0CFArdoIP1L6VhyphenhyphenH5-Vtss9XEPlisOcymHX0C4mMfyaUHxiDDqq9zSKNL8ekdazKanQkyIM/s1600/Image05032012131946.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>besides meals to go,</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Crazy Day is also the home of...</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Intelligentsia coffee, Intelligentsia tea </i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>and incredible homemade sweets</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUG_9XDJqiig2W9NET_KLTIkSsv5Gco5AzEVf8RAKfSP1TuVDCd7oY25WI3awZQXnWx7MEHYjeX5VnDTSm8e3KC4-EPtGlhXapLEJ1mGyK6bvFvt7Jn-SRMYMQZ9DHiuPEHKBfv6qEisk/s1600/Image05032012132654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUG_9XDJqiig2W9NET_KLTIkSsv5Gco5AzEVf8RAKfSP1TuVDCd7oY25WI3awZQXnWx7MEHYjeX5VnDTSm8e3KC4-EPtGlhXapLEJ1mGyK6bvFvt7Jn-SRMYMQZ9DHiuPEHKBfv6qEisk/s1600/Image05032012132654.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>is it any wonder</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>this is my happy place?</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQfqZAs0-_DY13nkYPDrd-IHet5rPJsQ_eBwZvug58LAAxajY5XhnanDitlSzJqidcIqKKVGylmAMo5xg5YbMiRger9Ek-hMnIyIWzev-0V0gLdLfBnCJOVCTUyVUL3u-GJ3vKlBeRLw/s1600/Image05032012132103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQfqZAs0-_DY13nkYPDrd-IHet5rPJsQ_eBwZvug58LAAxajY5XhnanDitlSzJqidcIqKKVGylmAMo5xg5YbMiRger9Ek-hMnIyIWzev-0V0gLdLfBnCJOVCTUyVUL3u-GJ3vKlBeRLw/s1600/Image05032012132103.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I can sit and write </i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>while the sights and smells</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>assail my senses</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXju0J84X1KW2ol8Zi6BXmtVKX-lfQLFDYHU4Qsv7-cS9XY0dYcKz0u11hdu7PxRSXMXtyF3NC2sInmeUddgSspIEyg7kFYYqrFtSr0mUx3TON8Yn8o6332lL5RbNA0TtGLeGhmk-Q0RY/s1600/Image05032012132009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXju0J84X1KW2ol8Zi6BXmtVKX-lfQLFDYHU4Qsv7-cS9XY0dYcKz0u11hdu7PxRSXMXtyF3NC2sInmeUddgSspIEyg7kFYYqrFtSr0mUx3TON8Yn8o6332lL5RbNA0TtGLeGhmk-Q0RY/s1600/Image05032012132009.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>ahhhhh!</i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-31436769035394826982012-05-02T09:45:00.000-04:002012-05-02T09:45:18.626-04:00project Salud y Paz....<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Five years ago, I felt God's tug at my heart... write Bible studies for children. That tug became an all-consuming fire and for four years I wrote individual Bible studies for children, teens and families as well as all of the children's curriculum for our church, including VBS. More truthfully, I should say "God wrote... I typed." </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Four years ago, I put the individual Bible studies and some of the curriculum online in .pdf format and offered them to be used free of charge. When asked why, I would simply answer, "God freely gave them to me, who I am to charge for them?" </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>In February, I reformatted several studies for eBook and electronically published them through <a href="http://smashwords.com/">smashwords.com</a>, still offering them free of charge. To date, almost 700 copies have been downloaded! It blows my mind!!</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I still have people say things like, "these have value, you should put a price on them to reflect the value of them." Honestly, I understand this line of reasoning. However, how do you put a price on God's Word? </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I've had other people say, "I would pay you for this. Please let me give you something." And, my answer has been, "pay it forward."</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Last night, my man had a brilliant idea... <a href="http://www.saludypaz.org/">project Salud y Paz</a>...</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJUdU3jeClXqeoiQGBJavawb_Zbp4BvEn07ZtKOJySnDrSheDegkQgosHxUBvi8zKZXH6E2PGwjIZrtgd7_vN1-XlbYChVHK9rfBE5l9m9ilBeNlbScXxZ6BVcmMpyF43Ox8pUPMa8hU/s1600/emmechadguat12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJUdU3jeClXqeoiQGBJavawb_Zbp4BvEn07ZtKOJySnDrSheDegkQgosHxUBvi8zKZXH6E2PGwjIZrtgd7_vN1-XlbYChVHK9rfBE5l9m9ilBeNlbScXxZ6BVcmMpyF43Ox8pUPMa8hU/s320/emmechadguat12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Salud y Paz is the organization that runs the clinic where Chad and Emme spent their time in Guatemala. Salud y Paz also sponsors other clinics and schools in Guatemala. This organization has become near and dear to our hearts.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>So... today, I'm introducing Salud y Paz to you. If you feel as if you want to give toward any of the Bible studies that you've downloaded or read, please click on through to <a href="http://www.saludypaz.org/">Salud y Paz</a> and give to the health, healing and education of the people of Guatemala.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54BBnEYA2Ni9sHlr7e2_pvHqIj2sXMME8JN94onlND8YhI8ppfunYNJOTIvC1a_ePE8oski-3rVzISIiMMCc6COhatrh6u9oVvf0C5FFM51UoH32hh5UvrVxF7e-Cqog_o5KGET2Bm20/s1600/chadguat12-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54BBnEYA2Ni9sHlr7e2_pvHqIj2sXMME8JN94onlND8YhI8ppfunYNJOTIvC1a_ePE8oski-3rVzISIiMMCc6COhatrh6u9oVvf0C5FFM51UoH32hh5UvrVxF7e-Cqog_o5KGET2Bm20/s320/chadguat12-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Thank you!!</i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-39591511668341349912012-05-01T07:59:00.000-04:002012-05-01T07:59:35.384-04:00team of two on GratiTuesday...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>A week ago, we celebrated our eighteenth wedding anniversary... nothing fancy, just lunch out at an authentic taco stand. The fact that he had returned to home the night before from eight days in Guatemala was enough for me.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I missed him while he was gone.... I missed him much! Isn't it amazing what we don't realize we have until it's gone? The void of him gone was much bigger than the hole in my heart that he filled all those years ago. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Know what I missed the most, though? I missed my teammate. For these years, we've been a team. Sometimes we've been amazing together... like the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s... we've been unstoppable. During those times, women have commented to me, "I wish I had a marriage like yours." It was good.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>We've also been a team much like last year's Indianapolis Colts. Times where one (or both) of us has abdicated our role and stepped out of the game. It becomes quite obvious that you can't play without all the players. Though no one said this, I wonder if people often thought, "why do they bother to stay married?" It wasn't so good.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Years ago, my brother and sister in law wrote a marriage curriculum called "Team of Two." At the time, they were a team of two, a family of two. I ignorantly thought that that title had nothing to do with me because we were a team of four, almost five. I missed the point... I think I even missed the entire target. Their team of two was their marriage, not their family. The two of them, regardless of how many children come later, were a team and they played the game of life together, both fulfilling their God-given roles. Together their team was a force to reckon.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>On this <a href="http://www.heavenlyhomemakers.com/">GratiTuesday</a>, I'm respectfully borrowing Steve and Susy's title... I am so grateful for my team of two! Life is not easy and in these years of driving children to and fro and passing the baton back and forth, I often lose heart. I'm easily overwhelmed with the details of when... where... and for how long. Yesterday was one of those days. A day where Chad was on call for surgery (this really means, don't count on him but he may be around...). I've considered typing out the driving schedule I had yesterday for posterity but it really doesn't matter... it was simply a very busy day, and I thought I was the sole driver. I forgot, for a moment, that we are a team of two. The reminder came when the text came...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I'm off. I will come get Eric and take him to work.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I was reminded, again, that I'm not in this parenting game alone. I'm not in this marriage game alone. I'm not even in the game of life alone. I am in those things as a team member and thus, it doesn't fall on me to make sure the game happens. Instead, we do it together, and I am grateful!</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.heavenlyhomemakers.com/"><img border="0" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjES5qTMcdJTwF1GQeRa31dkRN69sKTi2eCgRJqxF13hF_oDyLmQ3M7fQ777avmCMaCh6jCLKOpbTvS79Yyk-QFJwxc_IJ3566QoitZhaITvCYxjLF87HdvQqEokFG1Ix8h1BYlaQPnx0I/s320/gratituesday1010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-20058620049083756672012-04-30T10:05:00.000-04:002012-04-30T10:05:36.841-04:00gratitude from Pinterest...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmCRYXpxvYg2NFDKeifa0AivXZ7DKqNdmH-uNYRGAv4hTsYBVJM0q0JpRApIj-jPXbQp74Q4F3ATy3093rPf0-_sVnRvTJOybvvbhaSBD1Aa7lj4lr3MFKk55s4TCSY8WFLtspw2OZj0/s1600/gratitude.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmCRYXpxvYg2NFDKeifa0AivXZ7DKqNdmH-uNYRGAv4hTsYBVJM0q0JpRApIj-jPXbQp74Q4F3ATy3093rPf0-_sVnRvTJOybvvbhaSBD1Aa7lj4lr3MFKk55s4TCSY8WFLtspw2OZj0/s400/gratitude.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>This was floating around on facebook this weekend. I think it originated on Pinterest but I don't know where... I don't know who gets the credit for this, I only know that I like it!</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>gratitude unlocks</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>the fullness of life</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>it turns what we have into </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>enough and more!</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>it turns</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>denial into acceptance</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>chaos into clarity</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>problems into gifts</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>failures into success</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>the unexpected into perfect timing</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>and mistakes into important events</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>gratitude makes</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>sense of our past... brings peace</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>for today and creates a vision </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>for tomorrow</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Two years ago, I started following <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/">Ann</a>... I started joining in on Multitude Monday. I started counting gifts to change the way my heart saw things. I took Ann's challenge to find 1000 gifts in the everyday and I was overwhelmed. I thought that there would be NO WAY I would ever be able to count 1000 things for which I was grateful. Instead, I was thrilled to find 100. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I was wrong. So wrong. As my heart began to change, I discovered more and more gifts. I've counted to 1000 a couple of times and I continue to count... because my heart needs to continue to change and I need to be more grateful.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>~*~</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>On this rainy Monday morning, I'm sitting in a bowling alley with fifty jr/sr high students. They're having a blast bowling for a fundraiser. I watch my girl. The one that <a href="http://withthankfulhearts.blogspot.com/2011/08/from-3-to-1.html">won a year's tuition</a> at this private school. She's having a blast! ... and my heart is full of gratitude to the one that provided this year for her.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...so my list continues....</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for gifts that include school</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for new friends</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for a day of fun with old friends</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for the privilege to help the ones who have helped her this year</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for a week with the one I love the most</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for all the stories from their trip to Guatemala</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for no more nights sleeping alone</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for the laughter and fun around me</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for the one who is still homeschooled</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for wisdom gifted as we continue to seek His face with their education</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for his new job</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for the thrill it gives him</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for the privilege to watch him grow up</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for this life that looks nothing like I imagined</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for the fact that it is so much better</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for dreams that are being fulfilled</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for rain</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for refreshment</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for the sound of storms in the middle of the night</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for the rain of His grace on my parched heart</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for His faithfulness in spite of my failures</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...for the fact that His love is boundless and endless</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghb8EqXe825MYkdfyvn3fbNcFUMnnEfjKl7CJuzDE9HzEuSHMTiQOXsOxuiXwFcRswJ1W-kyl-Ccrp7Pxq9TVN24yxWs5oBKTCyaLlB6WNJoPU3vNr0FKRqNR4FS8Xx6xBT1Uxq6XvhOw/s320/multitudesonmondaysbutton2-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-24610801748002474552012-04-28T11:49:00.002-04:002012-04-28T11:49:48.278-04:00gainfully employed...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>This mama's heart is happy...</i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2u9nclOVqZ0tFE4fukwZ1YFpaIN8AJZjCxszFQIiwJtgt7q6ca_1rogG6-5P2ftr8wFLQyeeFgtSr0iNb_jglU58LHqPLwQplhMYEGW7k8PPKMfz2NYEuGF0o9W3ysF-yNy6eg_uoz8/s1600/Image04102012162931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2u9nclOVqZ0tFE4fukwZ1YFpaIN8AJZjCxszFQIiwJtgt7q6ca_1rogG6-5P2ftr8wFLQyeeFgtSr0iNb_jglU58LHqPLwQplhMYEGW7k8PPKMfz2NYEuGF0o9W3ysF-yNy6eg_uoz8/s1600/Image04102012162931.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>after a great interview...</i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPCpFKZxh2dnEDGymSGGQ6aAg73egcYI29m0S35JeHRqyePYfgQKX3Rx-Os_G6vqIwM3W6AQSZZ1ZhuhHhHoWV-_wf90ZD7oAHflArOTD-K9mpVni7MakfyydcEwHDfcdH9SPq1G6zKE/s1600/Image04262012152751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPCpFKZxh2dnEDGymSGGQ6aAg73egcYI29m0S35JeHRqyePYfgQKX3Rx-Os_G6vqIwM3W6AQSZZ1ZhuhHhHoWV-_wf90ZD7oAHflArOTD-K9mpVni7MakfyydcEwHDfcdH9SPq1G6zKE/s1600/Image04262012152751.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>he's gainfully employed!</i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaK9rC4BIRWl8JZSLm6lP_cwYxFywPax2lixUpqG_MsIoFFZMrNHL97SAx2i2UFYJG2Ei-ptPFJDyb-D3KH8Ukn5kkDDbQfOMudJMPh3wsJgCpeGsDYfoEZBrLqhzYC-SssVVBJBvn4Us/s1600/Image04272012202543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaK9rC4BIRWl8JZSLm6lP_cwYxFywPax2lixUpqG_MsIoFFZMrNHL97SAx2i2UFYJG2Ei-ptPFJDyb-D3KH8Ukn5kkDDbQfOMudJMPh3wsJgCpeGsDYfoEZBrLqhzYC-SssVVBJBvn4Us/s1600/Image04272012202543.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Do you suppose this</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>will help my grocery budget?</i></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-21332865853960391032012-04-27T09:56:00.000-04:002012-04-27T09:56:05.534-04:00clique or community... five minute Friday<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>It's Friday... the day when <a href="http://thegypsymama.com/2012/04/five-minute-friday-community/">we gather at Lisa Jo's</a> to write on one common topic for five minutes. We write simply to write... no worries, no critiques.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I'm finding myself looking forward to Friday and to what the common theme will be. Today our theme is...</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>community</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b>GO</b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I think we have all been created for community. Most of us long for it and some of us pine for it. In the Christian women circles I've seen, it seems as if the longing for or pining for is exasperated.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>For instance... how many times have you heard the word "clique" in Christian women circles? In my world, I'm not sure I can count that high. However, have you ever heard Christian men complain about cliques in their church, school world, and social world? Not likely.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I'm generalizing here but there are many, many Christian women who complain about cliques. I've noticed that they only complain when they perceive there is a community of friends and they are not included. IKR?</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>What if, instead of complaining about cliques, we started working towards community? What if instead of complaining about the cliques in our worlds, we, instead, developed community of like-minded friends who meet together, encourage one another and develop deep roots? What if instead of complaining, we act?</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Not all of us will fit in the same community. I think thirty years ago, someone should have said "THAT'S OKAY!!" It's okay that we don't fit in with a particular community... it's even okay that they don't want us... </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>because....</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>you can start your own community!!! (not quite rocket science but close...) Seriously, ladies, let's all stop blaming our insecurities on this perceived clique or that one and instead start investing in community with one another. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Find like-minded women and invest in a community.... trust me, it's way better than complaining about the community that you perceive is an exclusive clique. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b>STOP</b></i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...forgive me... obviously this is brewing deep within... and has been for a very long time. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Once upon a time, the young, teenage me complained to my mom that all the "cool kids" were doing their own thing after youth group. I was appalled that I had not been invited and immediately assumed I was purposely excluded. With hardly an acknowledgement of my perceived predicament, my mother wisely said, "so start your own cool kids group and do your own cool things. Cool is only a perception of yours. Overcome it!"</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Ladies... I venture to say that your perceived cliques and your own perceived exclusion is just that... your perception. And, if I'm wrong, why would you want to be with those people anyway?</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...I'm done now...</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://thegypsymama.com/2012/04/five-minute-friday-community/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfDhfudZ_XcI6d8YJNiAmg91ueo-iFteKBdTvcaJoPwiyZSGtOPpyZmy_4hg7nRUNWBEBtEvYeGXF6-7C0DtkPAz8E0-7JPSWEjMj4GifwW3dMcuiLzXIZb-J2fy4_fxMpPLYxVBAbzs/s1600/5-minute-friday-1.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-21829557186664510862012-04-23T21:50:00.000-04:002012-04-24T07:19:54.827-04:00when someone believed in me...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>My heart is full of gratitude because someone believes in me... </i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...and in this pipe dream I have.</i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Sometimes we go through life chasing shadows and pipe dreams... sometimes we share those dreams with others and other times we chase them alone. </i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>When a dream is a group effort we spur one another on... encouraging and exhorting, praying and praising... a community dream becomes a community effort, and no one person takes all the credit or all the blame. </i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Then, there are the times we go it alone... and the road gets lonely... there's no traffic in sight. Those are the times it's easiest to give up on the dream... we convince ourselves its time to grow up, give up the dream and return to reality.</i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>What happens though when someone else believes in the dream? I wonder... how many pipe dreams could have become the new reality if someone else would have met the dreamer where they were and walked a bit of the journey with them? Would they have encouraged them enough to stay in the chase? To not give up? To not give in?</i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>This journey of authorship didn't begin when my fingers typed words on the computer screen, nor did it end when I clicked "publish." Instead, it's an ongoing journey... one that I feel as if I'm forging as I go... so often in over my head and gurgling as the waves wash over me. I know it's a God-sized dream and I desperately lack the God-size faith to see it through.</i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...then He moves.</i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>He brings along someone who says "because I believe in you, I want to invest in you" handing me money to move forward with printed copies of <a href="http://withthankfulhearts.blogspot.com/2012/04/secret-of-counting-gifts-chapter-1.html">The Secret of Counting Gifts</a>. Print-on-demand copies available through major retailers... a real-live-hold-in-your-hands-and-turn-the-pages kind of book... with my name on it...</i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...because someone believed in me.</i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>And... all I can do is say "THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!!" and continue chasing the dream.</i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>~*~</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>joining in with <a href="http://www.heavenlyhomemakers.com/">GratiTuesday again at Heavenly Homemakers</a>... </i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/gratituesday-date-time"><img border="0" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjES5qTMcdJTwF1GQeRa31dkRN69sKTi2eCgRJqxF13hF_oDyLmQ3M7fQ777avmCMaCh6jCLKOpbTvS79Yyk-QFJwxc_IJ3566QoitZhaITvCYxjLF87HdvQqEokFG1Ix8h1BYlaQPnx0I/s320/gratituesday1010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-11647135637597430242012-04-23T14:37:00.003-04:002012-04-23T14:37:38.816-04:0018 years of gratitude...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>He came home from 8 days of surgeries in Guatemala just in time to celebrate 18 years with me. There could be no greater anniversary gift than his presence to fill the void of last week.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Eighteen years together... and I look back and think "how many minutes and days that added up to months and years have I wasted in anger, jealousy, envy, strife and discontent? Would it add up to years of un-gratitude for the gift of him?" Probably.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Eighteen years ago, I woke up at my grandparent's lake house and smiled. It felt like Christmas morning to my heart. I couldn't capture all the gifts of that day... I simply did my best to live in the moment. To this day, April 23, 1994 was the BEST day of my life... all because my best friend covenanted to love me, honor me, cherish me and put up with me for the rest of his life! </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I was young and stupid. There was much my heart didn't know or understand. I didn't know there would be days that he wouldn't like me and that there would be times I had to work hard to remember that I loved him. I didn't know that I would find ways to fling words that cut deeper than a knife at his heart.... or that both of us would invent ways to maim. I didn't know that marriage is harder than anyone ever mentions... and on that day, everyone let me live in my fairytale world as I said "I do."</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I also didn't know that you cannot undo. Instead, you move on. Redemption, forgiveness, grace, mercy and gratitude...those are the things that makes a good marriage into a great marriage. You celebrate the good times and commit them to your heart memory. Equally, you cling to each other in the bad and choose to forget and remember them no more.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Nine days ago, I sent him to Guatemala with hurtful words still ringing loud in my heart... and in his. Last night, he came home and I marveled at how his heart could forget and forgive and move on. I marveled more at the deep bond of companionship that simply picked up where it left off... forgetting and forgiving what lies in the past and moving forward in love and in gratitude.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I'm joining in with <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/04/what-your-scars-can-really-be/">the gratitude community at Ann's agai</a>n... this time counting eighteen ways I am deeply grateful for that gift eighteen years ago... the gift of Chad...</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the ways he loves me</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the ways he forgives me</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the ways he makes me laugh</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the ways he provides</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the way he holds my heart</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the way he takes care of the little things so that I don't have to</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for his sense of adventure</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for his leadership</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the ways we have grown together</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the memories we have made</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the fact that I can't sleep without him</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the way he makes up games with our children</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the way he makes them laugh</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the way he disciplines with love</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the ways he understands their hearts</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for his unwavering commitment to me</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the fact that he loves Jesus more than me</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for his spiritual leadership in this house</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/04/what-your-scars-can-really-be/"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOusX5KK7k3Txz4jvqs1eqUJr0H9bWe9alL10hOMSliWEO2Tv1nLUgKIz32Q_jA4MuJZ3q9g0PUJwcqm8w1r-lVAky783CrrA-SVKAFQDx0_DhJ84Bm5IT72gu6VbYYMw2uzG88Z_XkVo/s320/multitudesonmondaysbutton2-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-71451076500004178662012-04-19T23:32:00.000-04:002012-04-19T23:32:24.171-04:00growth spurt...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>The doctor told him, last week, that he was probably done growing. At 6'2" and 15 years of age, he may only get one more inch of height. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>He was disappointed.</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>What he doesn't know, is that, really... the doctor doesn't know. While it is true that this doctor has seen the inside (quite literally) of Eric's elbow and knows from first hand experience that there is no growth plate left... it is equally true that this doctor is making an educated guess. Much more educated than my guess, I might add.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I tried to tell Eric this... </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I highly doubt that he believes me. </i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I should have told him that he would grow in other ways... </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>but, maybe he already knew that.</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span id="goog_1705314834"></span><span id="goog_1705314835"></span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>While he may be close to finished growing physically, he's doing an amazing amount of spiritual growing lately... just about the time that this mom thought he had settled comfortably in a stagnant pond of mediocrity.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>This one... that 6'2" 15 year old I mentioned... he shot up a few spiritual inches this week. I've been praying for years that my children would experience God in ways that they recognize Him for Who He is. I've prayed that God would be gracious and merciful and reveal Himself to them in ways that their own individual maturity could recognize. I've prayed that He would move in their hearts and they would know Him.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Though he has known Jesus for most of his life...</i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: auto;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>he now knows Him deeper...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>he knows what it's like to feel the Spirit move within...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>he's felt the Wind stir...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>he's obeyed the Voice, wondering...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>and he's experienced the tears of joy that bubble up...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>when you know you're part of something much greater than you</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...just when this mom thought he was comfortably floating along, he gave his Bible away... to a friend in need.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...a spiritual growth spurt</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>of a tall 15 year old</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>and an answer </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>to this mom's prayers.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span id="goog_1630846202"></span><span id="goog_1630846203"></span></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-80334816633235610342012-04-17T10:57:00.000-04:002012-04-17T10:57:59.525-04:00grateful for Guatemala...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaONn_yoIoOHUhxpPlRppBD5Nupx852Y1K6HvafgxjLoSeGgFZLovC6dLG6OsVMRfIrRA9C7_mTYbnmGq6Sc5KHvFl_rPAExf7RB_g9CqAaaqWv2hLfPhvunf-s4Pbho52DXgeC6WFqt8/s1600/emmeguat12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaONn_yoIoOHUhxpPlRppBD5Nupx852Y1K6HvafgxjLoSeGgFZLovC6dLG6OsVMRfIrRA9C7_mTYbnmGq6Sc5KHvFl_rPAExf7RB_g9CqAaaqWv2hLfPhvunf-s4Pbho52DXgeC6WFqt8/s1600/emmeguat12.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I miss her... this almost 13 year old of mine... and I miss then one she is with more. I miss them with my whole heart... this heart of mine that is tied up in knots this week. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I know that she will return on Sunday full of smiles and stories and joy. She will tell me about surgeries she watched and patients she helped for pre-op or post-op. She will tell me of her love of Guatemala and its people... and of her love for all things medicine. She will return and I will hold on to her for a little while longer.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>This picture... its the future of Emme. There will be a day when she will go... and stay. I am confident of this... for I know her heart. I know that her heart was made to serve in this way. My mother's brain knows this... my mother's heart ties up in a new knot... and I pray.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I pray much this week. I think I pray for me more than for them. I pray that somehow I will make it through. I count the days (5 1/2 more...) as I lie awake at night. Then I do what my heart is being conditioned to do... I count gifts. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I give thanks.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I thank Him for Guatemala and for this opportunity. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I thank Him that Guatemala has stolen her heart and his. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I thank Him for what she will see and what she will do. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I thank Him for His work... started last year at this time in an 11 year-old heart. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I thank Him that she loves what she is doing this week. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I thank Him for modern technology that I could even get this picture across the miles</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>and across a continent.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...because the honest answer is I wasn't grateful and I wasn't giving thanks last week. I sent them off with a heart full of resentment. I told him so. I spewed venomous words in my anger. He took those words with him when I dropped them off. I brought the resentful heart home with me.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>God's been working on the resentment. He's showing me that gratitude is the cure for a good many things... discontentment, jealousy, pride, anger, self-righteousness... and resentment. It's a lesson I hate learning, but one I need!</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...so I look at this picture of this girl I love and I thank Him for Guatemala.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjES5qTMcdJTwF1GQeRa31dkRN69sKTi2eCgRJqxF13hF_oDyLmQ3M7fQ777avmCMaCh6jCLKOpbTvS79Yyk-QFJwxc_IJ3566QoitZhaITvCYxjLF87HdvQqEokFG1Ix8h1BYlaQPnx0I/s1600/gratituesday1010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjES5qTMcdJTwF1GQeRa31dkRN69sKTi2eCgRJqxF13hF_oDyLmQ3M7fQ777avmCMaCh6jCLKOpbTvS79Yyk-QFJwxc_IJ3566QoitZhaITvCYxjLF87HdvQqEokFG1Ix8h1BYlaQPnx0I/s320/gratituesday1010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-88168745980810215892012-04-16T12:11:00.000-04:002012-04-16T12:11:12.605-04:00blown-in blessings<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1blqDswH77lO07ahImhQZD0YULWGxbEMVpVmoG4ls78fLLcSnhusTidcIdJsnqXwrFRIl1LNM9chS5deghmJqGisRnxBNY3KGwIx7c8tj44JfhHAlSspjB6GX6f07PwS7TT7_h2fnjuI/s1600/windsday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1blqDswH77lO07ahImhQZD0YULWGxbEMVpVmoG4ls78fLLcSnhusTidcIdJsnqXwrFRIl1LNM9chS5deghmJqGisRnxBNY3KGwIx7c8tj44JfhHAlSspjB6GX6f07PwS7TT7_h2fnjuI/s1600/windsday.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Winds-day!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>It's windy... a hold-on-to-your-hat day or a Pooh-hold-on-to-Piglet Winds-day... around these parts. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Sometimes I feel God's presence much in the same manner than Piglet felt the wind of Winds-day. I feel as if I am holding on for dear life as He swirls above and below me... rocking my world. I think I fear the wind less as I experience it. I'm learning that He has me and He is trustworthy. He will never let go!</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I also think I'm finally learning to look around in the wind to see the blessings blowing in. Just as He never lets go... He never stops blessing!</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Joining in with <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/04/why-you-really-can-celebrate-in-the-midst-of-messy/">Ann and the gratitude community</a> to count blessings... grace gifts... again this week.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>~*~</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>My gratitude list continues..</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for conversation with the one who rarely opens up</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for long car rides</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for a day visit to Mama and Papa</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for special one on one time with each</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for a dad who takes a son alongside to teach</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for a safe journey to Guatemala</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for modern technology that keeps us in touch</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for another trip for these two that I love deeply</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the opportunity to use their gifts</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for a chance to be part of something greater yesterday</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for friends who loan things like tablecloths and cake plates</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for other friends who come alongside</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the privilege of seeing those I've prayed for smile again</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for providence and protection through the storms</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for rain that renews</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for wind that reminds</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for wisdom shared by my sister</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... and long phone conversations</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for laughter</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for He who blows through my life</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for His protection</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for His provision</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for His blessings</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghb8EqXe825MYkdfyvn3fbNcFUMnnEfjKl7CJuzDE9HzEuSHMTiQOXsOxuiXwFcRswJ1W-kyl-Ccrp7Pxq9TVN24yxWs5oBKTCyaLlB6WNJoPU3vNr0FKRqNR4FS8Xx6xBT1Uxq6XvhOw/s1600/multitudesonmondaysbutton2-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghb8EqXe825MYkdfyvn3fbNcFUMnnEfjKl7CJuzDE9HzEuSHMTiQOXsOxuiXwFcRswJ1W-kyl-Ccrp7Pxq9TVN24yxWs5oBKTCyaLlB6WNJoPU3vNr0FKRqNR4FS8Xx6xBT1Uxq6XvhOw/s320/multitudesonmondaysbutton2-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-74817595915956070932012-04-15T18:27:00.000-04:002012-04-15T18:31:02.721-04:00Beautiful Me... the conclusion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNc8lstRVuDMzi6C81RgOHzWB2Rv3ycjQRVC1ShXNm-K9S5y_NsTQmZgPzxnHP5bNqd0LBmQcGQ1Zf_3mIJ2FUjFICFgYX5rX_wXbl8sO2gtjl8qYms6ghW16ZjkxzHUK6GjLEzgoLOQ/s1600/Image04152012150634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNc8lstRVuDMzi6C81RgOHzWB2Rv3ycjQRVC1ShXNm-K9S5y_NsTQmZgPzxnHP5bNqd0LBmQcGQ1Zf_3mIJ2FUjFICFgYX5rX_wXbl8sO2gtjl8qYms6ghW16ZjkxzHUK6GjLEzgoLOQ/s1600/Image04152012150634.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://withthankfulhearts.blogspot.com/2012/04/beautiful-me.html">On Wednesday</a>, I posted about an incredible opportunity I had today to be part of a local fashion show for our area cancer care fund. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOFcehEnlBVRcyyI4565hWV3fEisF5CR1wtLsMVwEchBNHDUb4RbMYyEnN5Wqrr_Aw5D32qSelpSaqP1h9qSUQkTxfyKdFaJHQXLvmoJyFhox2ep1nznyYsnweqHc4JCUI_Jtn0PF8jo/s1600/Image04152012144451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOFcehEnlBVRcyyI4565hWV3fEisF5CR1wtLsMVwEchBNHDUb4RbMYyEnN5Wqrr_Aw5D32qSelpSaqP1h9qSUQkTxfyKdFaJHQXLvmoJyFhox2ep1nznyYsnweqHc4JCUI_Jtn0PF8jo/s1600/Image04152012144451.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I have the world's greatest friends!! Rachelle (on left) and Ginger (on right) spent their Sunday afternoon with me passing out approximately 90 coupons for a free copy of <a href="http://withthankfulhearts.blogspot.com/2012/04/secret-of-counting-gifts-chapter-1.html">The Secret of Counting Gifts</a>...</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQaGjwGMIyNrONuudE3rrnaClvLxPxkyX4BRRmF-pRmU3ZQwO01MoBun7OwShQaex6Fe3nusq_JMJbjvnl0lAKZKkMx21qvdvMc0QfRUKU8TiQUzKsMqmjT57rCTxHhD-NCM4pWAiw-yo/s1600/Image04152012150701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQaGjwGMIyNrONuudE3rrnaClvLxPxkyX4BRRmF-pRmU3ZQwO01MoBun7OwShQaex6Fe3nusq_JMJbjvnl0lAKZKkMx21qvdvMc0QfRUKU8TiQUzKsMqmjT57rCTxHhD-NCM4pWAiw-yo/s1600/Image04152012150701.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>We passed out some chocolate too... because chocolate makes every day better, right?</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6OV1p56nRZfC4ADHK2gpTTPkZ8M0RC3byr9Fh_jUFk6Nd-1cC9UZLTB7j8eYibDXb15eTAzXtUEqeHEavc-N0w-r8PxYAeuSqrvs7rmJrhyphenhyphenrURGE2_ZSFUBy2-3ICxjsHca3QRW-ge4/s1600/Image04152012133235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6OV1p56nRZfC4ADHK2gpTTPkZ8M0RC3byr9Fh_jUFk6Nd-1cC9UZLTB7j8eYibDXb15eTAzXtUEqeHEavc-N0w-r8PxYAeuSqrvs7rmJrhyphenhyphenrURGE2_ZSFUBy2-3ICxjsHca3QRW-ge4/s1600/Image04152012133235.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>It was a blessing to see three women I have prayed for model for the fashion show. They are truly beautiful!</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... and, the two incredible young women who organized this event helped raise over $1000 for our local community cancer fund. A beautiful afternoon at Beautiful Me!</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-71514489347669417642012-04-14T13:08:00.001-04:002012-04-14T13:35:48.011-04:00let's party!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1hChucLVcgt9KUp2fmA3onKiT-BFfDR9JVioMG8Zv1Ri_LkeNs3hHPhTIR68o24R32fH_YWSVdkDxZX0PGP3V729c7mzA0AILsZCkjYD5m-51HMP1EsvOQiIilg3_MIsWawFDkWWpgGI/s1600/UBP590x150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="81" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1hChucLVcgt9KUp2fmA3onKiT-BFfDR9JVioMG8Zv1Ri_LkeNs3hHPhTIR68o24R32fH_YWSVdkDxZX0PGP3V729c7mzA0AILsZCkjYD5m-51HMP1EsvOQiIilg3_MIsWawFDkWWpgGI/s320/UBP590x150.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>They're leaving ... on a jet plane... and I've decided to party while they're gone (my RN husband and 12 year old daughter are traveling to Guatemala today for a week long medical missions trip. This is their second trip and I now understand that my heart will be in a knot for 8 days). </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i> It's been a few years since I've joined the <a href="http://www.5minutesformom.com/51797/ultimate-blog-party-2012/">Ultimate Blog Party</a>. So, I figure there is no better way to make time go faster than to party, right?</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Thanks to Janice and Susan at <a href="http://www.5minutesformom.com/">5 Minutes for Mom</a> for hosting the Ultimate Blog Party. Join in! </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iOrJ7TdAxwJK-NdlCE8wZ4rLKk5OAyQyzg8LrSxMVPsC986zvt7TgZXt-bXIOiwC01DiUVtjdNhc4mitEcQDJMAaLv21mDuWQ94KNnxZr0zSaqg8IWGs5DIhBdTtzqV9BowYhwN3S-o/s1600/momelle11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iOrJ7TdAxwJK-NdlCE8wZ4rLKk5OAyQyzg8LrSxMVPsC986zvt7TgZXt-bXIOiwC01DiUVtjdNhc4mitEcQDJMAaLv21mDuWQ94KNnxZr0zSaqg8IWGs5DIhBdTtzqV9BowYhwN3S-o/s320/momelle11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I'm Heidi... and, honestly, sometimes this is what being a mom to 3 feels like for me. Crazy, out of control fun... and often my peripheral vision is blurry and unclear! I never know what's coming next. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I am mom to 4 Es (if you count the dog). Eric is 15, Emily is almost 13, Ellen is 8, and Ebony, our lab/chow mix is 3. For many years I described myself as a homeschool mom. I found my identity in the homeschool community and started to dig deep roots there... thinking I would be the quintessential homeschool mother who graduates her brilliant children with high honors. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>The greatest lesson I'm learning these days is to not get very comfortable with life. This place... this earth... this life, it's not my home. God has taught me this lesson by uprooting me a few times. Last year, he uprooted Eric and he went to public school and loves it! He's a dynamite athlete and is excelling above our expectations with his academics and with his athletic ability.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>So... I redefined myself as a homeschool mom of two girls and thought I could be happy letting Eric do his thing and I would graduate my two girls. Wrong again. In mid August of last year, God allowed Emily to win a one-year scholarship to our local Christian academy for 7-12 grades. She loves it there and in her own right is excelling in sports and classes above our expectations. She's clearly where God wants her... and I'm down to one at home.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I no longer have visions of grandeur and after ten years of homeschooling, I'm learning to redefine myself. I'm realizing that I am uniquely made by my Creator to accomplish great things for Him. I am not defined by one aspect of my life, whether good or bad. Instead, there is a grander scheme and I have been made for more.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i> I am a homeschool mom but I am also many other things...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I am child of the King, seeking to live for Him</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I am a wife, of almost 18 years, who still struggles to put her husband first</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I am a mother, to three incredible individuals</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I am a home maker, whose home is constantly being unmade</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I am a sister, who maybe is finally figuring out that sisters are your best friends for life</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I am an aunt, I have 11 nieces and nephews who I adore</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I am a friend, who is blessed beyond measure</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I am an elders wife, though I often fail to embrace my role in ministry</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://withthankfulhearts.blogspot.com/2012/04/secret-of-counting-gifts-chapter-1.html">I am an author</a>, who, now that 2 kids are in school, is pursuing a life-long dream</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>So... you see, that funny iPhoto picture of Ellen and I. I think it's an accurate portrayal of myself. I'm learning to let go... to have fun but to not get comfy. This life... my life... it's fleeing and maybe that is why the edges are blurry and unclear. I don't need to see what is in the edges, I just need to keep my eyes on Jesus.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-22888400387426393672012-04-13T08:11:00.000-04:002012-04-13T08:11:24.340-04:00five minute Friday... goodbye<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Linking up with <a href="http://thegypsymama.com/2012/04/five-minute-friday-good-bye/">the writing community at gypsy mama</a> again for five minute Friday... that time when we write just to write... we write on one common theme for five minutes without worry of syntax, grammar, verb tense, spelling, punctuation, and the like. Care to join in?</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Today's topic? ... goodbye. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>GO</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>A timely topic, to be sure. In approximately 16.5 hours, I drop them off, kiss them goodbye, and drive away. They will get on a bus and drive 3 hours the other way... to the airport... to fly to Guatemala.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I woke up this morning with my heart in a knot, again. This time I recognize the angst for what it is. Last year, when they left, I couldn't articulate how I felt deep inside. I didn't know the words for the thrill that my man and my girl were going to serve others and the deep loneliness without them. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Someday I will go and there will be no goodbye. I think sooner than later, we will all go... five of us getting on a bus in the middle of the night to spend 20 hours traveling. We will do this as a family. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Until then, though, tonight I will kiss my man and my girl goodbye and send them on... on to serve and I will remain and pray...</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... and count the days until they return eight days later.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>STOP</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://thegypsymama.com/2012/04/five-minute-friday-good-bye/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfDhfudZ_XcI6d8YJNiAmg91ueo-iFteKBdTvcaJoPwiyZSGtOPpyZmy_4hg7nRUNWBEBtEvYeGXF6-7C0DtkPAz8E0-7JPSWEjMj4GifwW3dMcuiLzXIZb-J2fy4_fxMpPLYxVBAbzs/s1600/5-minute-friday-1.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-60432972517372081102012-04-11T08:04:00.000-04:002012-04-11T08:08:36.992-04:00Beautiful Me...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I have the incredible opportunity to be part of something so much bigger than any of us individually... and I can't wait!</i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>On Sunday, there will be an over-the-top cancer benefit in our community... Beautiful Me Fashion Show. Two incredible young ladies have organized a community-wide fashion show and fundraiser. Twenty local cancer survivors and/or family members will be modeling fashions from our local stores. In addition, there will be booths of sponsors set up with ongoing fun fundraisers, and other goodies. All proceeds go to our local community cancer care fund to help care for local families who need financial assistance while undergoing cancer treatment.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwWHqbaT7C60VkmHo2PNruDo4DnqmZonrnCIklSD_7fOw6mO3dhJ_aLkl4udOaWlD5YSVkdHlCvHe9QOaTN_v8kNi6NhPderu029ok2USbOPPxOHFEtvloU2027XwYCGSGnnwbJPfFUM/s1600/bookcoverthumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwWHqbaT7C60VkmHo2PNruDo4DnqmZonrnCIklSD_7fOw6mO3dhJ_aLkl4udOaWlD5YSVkdHlCvHe9QOaTN_v8kNi6NhPderu029ok2USbOPPxOHFEtvloU2027XwYCGSGnnwbJPfFUM/s1600/bookcoverthumb.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><u>The Secret of Counting Gifts</u> will be there!! I've seen the ravishes that cancer can do to a family. I've witnessed friends struggle to find enough money to pay for the gas to get to the treatment. And, I've watched friends help each other through the often dark and lonely journey of cancer. Because of this, I believe in what Sarah and Emily are doing on Sunday and I feel blessed to be able to support them in this endeavor.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Some are asking... why use your book to sponsor such an event? I wrote a novel about two lifetime friends and the struggles of life, including breast cancer. I have had many friends struggle through this devastating disease... and some have gone on to enjoy their eternal reward with Jesus. This is an opportunity to give back to my community and to help, in a small way, those currently in the battle by offering them a free book.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>If you are in Northern Indiana, would you consider joining me? Cost is $15 or $25 for VIP seat. We will spend a fun filled afternoon together supporting a great cause. I'll introduce you to my friends, Kim and Cindy, who are models for the day and amazing women. I promise it will be worth it! If you would like ticket information... please email me... kreidermom {at} yahoo {dot} com.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>In honor of this event, the price of the book is $.99 again. Get it while it's hot or come to the show and get it FREE!</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Secret-Counting-Gifts-ebook/dp/B007306CNO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334146061&sr=8-1">at Amazon for kindle</a></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/127432">at Smashwords for Nook, iPad and .pdf</a></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-676431120508340510.post-45223085875000117962012-04-09T13:31:00.000-04:002012-04-09T13:31:13.340-04:00thoughts from Emmaus....<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Then he said to them, "So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Why can't you simply believe all that the prophets said? </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Don't you see that these things had to happen, that the Messiah </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>had to suffer and only then enter into his glory?" Then he started at the beginning, with the Books of Moses, and went on through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the Scriptures that referred to him.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Luke 24:25-27</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I've read the account of the followers of Jesus on the road to Emmaus many times. I thought I knew it... I really did. Until yesterday.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Yesterday, Resurrection Sunday 2012, I realized that I could have easily been one of those travelers... we think along similar lines... we doubt.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>On the very same day that Jesus defied death FOREVER and rose again, </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>those followers of Him doubted...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>we thought He was the One...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>On the very same day that Peter saw the empty tomb, </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>those followers of Him doubted...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>it's been three days...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>On the very same day that Jesus revealed Himself </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>and His risen body to Mary in the garden, </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>those followers of HIM doubted...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>not our Jesus...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>So often... I doubt.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>On the very same day that a miracle happens,</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I doubt...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>it's just a coincidence...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>On the very same day that I see something empty,</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I doubt..</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>but I've prayed for 3 days.. or 5 days... or forever...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>On the very same day that He shows Himself to me...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I doubt...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>it couldn't be Him</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Yesterday... on the very same day we celebrate a risen King... I doubted and then I heard Him...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>So thick-headed</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>so slow-hearted!</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I don't want to be like those followers of Him who walked to Emmaus in doubt and disbelief... I want to be like the women at the tomb who ran and told everyone HE IS RISEN!</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/">Counting gifts again with the gratitude community at Ann's</a> because one of the best ways to announce HE IS RISEN is to shout all the ways He shows Himself to me and to list all the ways He blesses...in gratitude there is no room for doubt.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>~*~</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the privilege to serve a risen King!</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the freedom to worship </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the privilege to honor and celebrate Resurrection Sunday</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for early mornings and remembering the women who ran to the tomb</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for sunrises services</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... and church brunches</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for worship</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... and laughter with a church family</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for a friend filled week</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... and friends who traveled to be with us</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for conversations that pick up where you leave off</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for great cousin time</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for sunrises</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... and sunsets</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... and friends who for a campfire that ends a great spring break</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the opportunity to tell my story again</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for the Author who pens a story that brings Him glory</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for modern medicine</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for a long-time doctor who understands</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for another antibiotic</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>... for a Savior who reaches down in the middle of a church service to speak directly to this slow-hearted, thick-headed follower.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/04/what-you-really-need-to-know-the-day-after-easter/"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXm6H_F9bkw5RJRSZL78AOYxTbQwSW_jBvzmXn2uBu8bRvPHH25r1t3qkmCR1dXDUjWgYBW5QZ0O1ZBZmH9gx_IvcP4D34ptePk-wmfcaGuTgniR2HqNOAEbdBbBn20qO0AgmC6SA74Y/s320/multitudesonmondaysbutton2-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06990798033393558082noreply@blogger.com3