So what do you think?!?!

Update: Chase just called a little bit ago and this is the convo I had with hubby over that conversation. Thought you might enjoy :0)

Me: How much does Skyler weigh?
Hubby: 6 lbs. 13 oz.
Me: Oh he's a little guy
Hubby: :) (Smile)
Me: How long is he?
Hubby: I don't know.
Me: Any hair?
Hubby: Dunno
Me: uhhhhh you're such a dude ~~ details man details!!
Hubby: hahahahahahahahaha!!!!

Okay we are still just thrilled, and giddy, and excited, and CAN'T wait to meet him, and, and, and. . . . . . . I could go on and on!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So do think that Grandpa and Grandma Winslow is too much for a baby to say ? ! ?

I DON'T THINK SO!! Yep HE'S HERE!! Oh PRAISE THE LORD!!

We are so excited!! He came screaming his way into the world late this afternoon and we couldn't be more thrilled. We'll be heading up in the morning to meet our beautiful new bouncy grandbaby boy!!

Mom and Dad are totally and completed exhausted, so as badly as we'd like to go up this evening we will refrain and go in the morning. There was so much going on today that I was unable to go up to the hospital today, and Dick had some craziness of his own, but God was in it all!! So we will practice a little patience and meet Skyler officially in the morning!!

Mom's appointment went okay. She will be having a Myelogram next Thursday to check her spine. We will actually find out the results at the end of August. I'll will be posting more about this at a later day. But we would really appreciate your prayers for mom; she is tough, but this will be a difficult test for her.

So let me close with a question? Do you like MiMi Dawn, Grandmother Dawn (yuk :0), NaNa Dawn, or Grandma Dawn or what do you think? Do you have another suggestion? I'd love to hear them ~~ come on think outside that box after all I am not your average Grandparent, no-sir-ree I enjoy some originality in my life :-)

And Dick, probably Grandpa or PaPa Dick. Or hey you, gaagaa-googoo Yep he so doesn't care, he's just thrilled HE'S HERE!!!!!

Blessings and lots and lots of G-ma hugs,
Dawn

He's on his way . . . Go Go Baby Skyler you can do it!!

Oh I'm so excited I can hardly stay seated in my chair ~~ and if I had better knees I'd be jumpin' you know I would!! Even as I'm typing, my words would be all misspelled and jumbled (usually are anyway I know ~~ but that's a different post :0) from all the jumpin' and dancin' around, okay moving on :-) !!

Chase called us at about 1:00 this morning and they were at the hospital. At about 10:30 last night Tonya was having a bad back ache, so Chase thought maybe a warm bath would help, well it did. Her water broke ~~ WOOHOO ~~ Here we go!!

I'm just so excited for my husband. I'm not kidding he is just the best dad to Chase and step-dad to my Dakota that you could ask for. And this grandbaby? Well just get-out, because he is just over the top ridiculously in love with this little guy already!!! I love the heart my Father gave to my husband. He loves deep!! I've never been loved by another person on this earth the way that my man loves me ~~ NEVER!! So this grandbaby ~ the most blessed little booger ever!! We're just thrilled - thrilled I tell ya, yep thrilled!! (Okay so maybe grandpa isn't the only one excited huh?)

Well, I just thought I'd write early, because I'll probably be away from my computer when the little fella makes his entrance. But ya know if you my blog friends would want to help a sista out, I wrote Psalm 139:13-14 in my journal today, it was our (Dick and my) verse-of-the-day and I'd love it if you could pray it over our little Skyler boy today in thanksgiving to our GREAT GOD!! Yep we are all fearfully and wonderfully made and just in joy and thanksgiving I'm praising and praying these verses over this new little life coming into the world today. We serve a truly GREAT GOD!!

Let me just side note it here. I won't be able to be at the hospital today, because my mom has appointments that I'll be taking her to. So while your praying for little Skyler, my mom sure could use a shout out as well. We go this morning to get her (cancer) port flushed and then to see a Neuro-Surgeon. We found out at mom's last fall that she has something called Spinal Canalstenosis - which is basically a narrowing of the spinal canal, and mom's is up high on her spine around her neck. So if you'd pray for wisdom for us in making any decisions that might need to be made, that'd be great.

Well, I'll update later today (hopefully :0)

Love you,
Dawn

Ready. .Set. . .Let's Go!!

So sorry I haven't blogged in a couple of days. It was Bible Study Tuesday week and that keeps me very busy!!

We had such a sweet meeting yesterday. There was just four of us yesterday, which allowed for a more intimate meeting and God had been putting this in my heart even before I knew that there'd be just four of us this week.

We had another amazing meal: Hashbrown Quiche, Spinach-Raspberry Salad, Kelly's Cherry Limeade Punch and we finished with Blueberry Torte ~~ Delicious!! There was just a wonderful sweet feeling to the whole day. My friend Carrie came early and made everything (except the Torte I'd made the night before and the punch - it's a throw together - so easy)!! I will just tell ya it is absolutely the best to have a friend like my dear Carrie. She comes to help just because she loves me and she expects nothing in return. She just wants to help ~~ I love her so much!! She totally ROCKS, yes she does ~~ Thanks again Carrie!!

God had really put on my heart to have a special prayer time and so we did and He just really met us at our specific needs. It was such an encouragement to all of our hearts. In two weeks will be our last meeting, and I will be sad, but I have just really grown through this study and through the hearts of the ladies that have attended because of their willingness to share and do life together!!! I'm so glad that God laid this on my heart; it has been life-changing!!

Well our school district is really growing and have been building a new high school which will open for school on August 14th. Dakota is so excited!!!!!!!!! This new building will bring a lot of new opportunities for the kids ~~ it is just so great!!

August 10th is the ribbon cutting and dedication and our CYC (Clever Youth for Christ) group will be hosting a prayer walk. We are just so thrilled to have this opportunity. We met today at our house and had breakfast with them. It was so great to see them all and hear how their summer has been going.

At the prayer walk the students will be opening each of our school buildings and giving the parents and community a chance to go in and pray for this up coming school year, students, faculty, staff and administration. So the students got together today and can I just tell you it was GREAT to see them jump in and make decisions on how they thought it should go. We made fliers and one student even went and had copies made and brought them back to us ~~ it was GREAT!! It thrills my heart so to see the students willing to sacrifice of their time to do this ~~ they are a wonderul group of young people.

A couple of updates: Still haven't heard anything from Mayo, but my doc's office should be calling me later today to let me know if they've heard anything.

Oh Guess What, GUEss WHAt, GUESS WHAT, we will be grandparents tomorrow. (Yes I am a very young grandma-ma :0) !!! Chases's (my stepson) baby boy is suppose to be here tomorrow. Tonya has been walking, walking, walking and still the little fella wants to stay where he's at!! But they are suppose to break her water in the morning and here we go, SHOW TIME!!!!!!!!!! We are sooooooooo thrilled!! Having a little one around again will just be the BEST!!

Okay so now one more thing. I've been hinting (in very overt tones :0) that I should have my recipe blog up and running soon ~~ well it's ready YEAH!!!!!!! So go here and check it out. I've posted a few recipes on it, but there are many more to come. On the side is labels listing different categories, so if you want something specific you can just click there. I'm trying to keep it fairly organized so maybe you can find recipes and hints quick. I just LOVE to cook and so I thought what better way to keep a list of my recipes and fun hints and just food stuff than on a blog. Plus the whole design feel of the blog is a throw back from the 30's ~~ thank you so much Ashley for your blog design genius.

Well kids that's it for now. I'm off to laundry world, where the laundry just NEVER ends!!

Love and hugs to you all,
Dawn

The Tired Sacrifice . . .

Cross Country season is upon us and Dakota has started practicing. He had two CC camps this summer, only one was he required to go to because he ran last year, but he opted to go to both. One was in June and the other just finished up last week.

For those of you who don't "run" (all pun intended :0) around in the CC world, let me educate you a little. The kid's don't have games they train for, they have meets. Dakota's first meet is the first weekend in September, and they must have 14 practices in before they can participate in their first meet.

The practices are grueling and are ment to be that way. They "meet" (again the pun - such wittiness for way to early to be posting in the morning :0) at 6:30 AM (Yep he is a teenager and that does say AM) for practice and they are done at about 7:30 (just in time to shower and get to school). His first official practice is August 11th, but at the end of camp last week coach told Dakota to be running 30-45 minutes 4-5 days a week until then. Now a lot of teens might have blown this advice off, but not Dakota. He set his alarm for 6:30 AM this morning and got right up (Yep you read that right ~~ if you have teens you know the feat this is). Now granted he was tired and wanted to go back to bed, but let's face it, mom's are cheerleaders. Even if we never got to be one in real life because we had laryngitis at the audition (no I'm not bitter :-). He was looking to me this morning for encouragement although he really wanted to be encouraged to go back to bed. The funny thing is I really didn't even say anything, I just looked at him as he was talking and that's all it took; just a moment of eye-to-eye, you are my boy and I love you period no matter what, and the next thing he said is "I'll run." He went in, got in his run gear on and off he went.

Now for those of you who are unfamiliar with the particular's of CC, it is a 5K race, yep and a 5K is 3.2 miles. Yep no sissy's here. They RUN 3.2 miles without stopping!!!!! And practices are anywhere from 4-5 miles and beyond or sometimes they do tenths which is sprinting 1/10 of a mile for the whole mile and during camp they did tenths for 3 miles. Can you imagine 3 miles of tenth sprinting?!? Seriously, I need a Sonic Cherry Limeade about now, anyone else with me? And something that really blows me away is these kids are running these 5K's fast. Medal contenders run it in 18 mins or less ~~ that is cooking for long distance!!!!! And Dakota's on the hunt for a medal this year!!!!!!!!!! You go my boy ~~~ You TOTALLY ROCK!!!

So you see this got me to thinking. Hebrews 12:1 says, "Therefore, since we are surronded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." I need to be throwing off some things and running with perseverance this race marked out in front of me, even if I'm tired, even if I hurt. I need to be running strong and yes some days my sacrifice will be of the tired nature, but it is the heart in which I sacrifice it that matters. If I'm tired but willingly sacrificing my time and effort, God honors that.

Dakota just called me from the track and yep, he is tired, but I put my best cheerleader voice forward and told him he would feel so good for getting out there today, the first day of solo practice for the next two weeks, and I told him I was sooooooooo proud of him. And guess what? That was the boost he needed. He got his almost 45 minutes in and now he gets to shower and start his day energized from a few minutes of tired, but willing sacrifice. Moments like today will serve him well in his life, this I know.

So how about you? What can you lay down today to pick up more of God? For my son it was his sleep time ~~ whew that's a tough one!! But God honors that!! What is it for you? Go on lay down that thing and let God pick you up. He will child, He will!!!!

So Why The Music?

So I'm sure you have noticed that I've added music to this site recently. And I also know that there are various and sundry opinions about music on blogs. Yep I've read them, I know ~~ one word ~~ distracting ~~ !! But for this season it just feels right to me.

Music has ALWAYS been a solace in my life. God has ALWAYS spoke to me through music. Even when I was away from Him and doing my own thing (YUCK, that was messy ~~ still cleanin' that one up !!), I would feel Him through music.

Ah yes, my love affair with music started as a very small tike. My mom says I was about four years old, and we'd just come home from church and she was fixing lunch for us when she heard something coming from the music room, and yep it was me. Little miss four year old standing on my tippy toes playing a song on the piano. She said I could barely reach for the keys and I couldn't see over the piano, but I was playing the song none the less. Mom was shocked, she had no idea I could play. Hmm neither did I, only four remember? :0) She asked me what I was playing and I told her that it was a song I'd heard in Sunday school, well from that moment to this I have never gotten over the gift of music in my life.

Let me back up a moment; my mom was a very promising concert pianist in High School. And at the age of 18 she was in a very tragic car accident. Her 12 year old brother was killed and my mom was in a coma for 5 weeks. She had to learn to do everything over, including playing the piano. Well, she is today still a very accomplished and beautiful piano player, although she says nothing like she used to be. While it is true her concert piano days were over by industry standards, she can still play a mean Vilverde (I'm sure not spelled right :0)

Well, my mom wanted one of us kids to be musical, so when it came time for me to be born (3rd child of 5 ~~ yes middle child, explains a lot huh? :-) she decided that my middle name would reflect her love of music and desire for one of her children to be musical. So my dad named me Dawn and my mom gave me the middle name Melody ~~ so I was dubbed Dawn Melody. Fitting since music is such a part of who I am today. Although she couldn't have known that would be the case.

So needless to say, I have played the piano every since that day back in 1970. In my high school days I started writing music and really found a niche there. God has been so good to allow me to express my feelings through writing them down to a Melody (hmmm, thanks mom). For my high school graduation my class asked me to sing a song I had written. It was a great honor for me.

Now my writing takes the form of praise and contemplation of all things Spiritual. It helps me to live life through my pages of the written word. It is a beautiful thing for me.

I have contemplated putting music on my site for a while, but have read how annoying and distracting it can be to those of you reading, but at the same time, my soul just cries out for music right now. Sometimes (like now) I'll just bring the site up and let it play while I do things in another window, it is so soothing and cathartic. It is a solace for me, yes it is. So for now in this season, it will remain. Please fill free to mute, it will not hurt my feelings, but please don't stop coming to visit. I love each of you. God has been so good to give you to me during this season.

I'm sure I'll be adding new songs to the list as I walk (with crutches :) through this season. The walking/limping part of this journey is not pretty right now, but I know it is necessary. God is doing a work, seriously a work. And I am so thankful for it. He Reigns!!

Breathe . . . . Just Breathe . . .And Pray!!!

So today my friend Georgia came over and we hung out a while. She went out to help me pick tomatoes and look things over. Then we cut zucchini to freeze and did, ya know, just stuff.

Well it came time for her to go, so I asked her if she wanted to walk out to the garden with me again before she left (I go out several times a day usually ~~ I love our garden :0)

So we get out there and something was moving, uhh plants aren't suppose to move and then we saw it ~~ there was a snake ~~ A SNAKE!!!! AHHHHHH!!! AHHHHHH!!! Run away Run Away ~~ Oh yeah your knee won't run away ~~ stand and yell ~~ STAND AND YELL!! Oh yeah and LAUGH!!! and LAUGH!! and LAUGH!!! It was a garden snake but still BIG and STILL A SNAKE!!!

Okay so my friend Georgia, yeah she is like REALLY afraid of snakes ~~ ridiculously afraid of snakes ~~ so that's where the laughing comes in ~~ thought there would be some serious hyperventilating going on!! So when she starts breathing again she says, "You're not afraid of snakes?" To which I answered: "Not really, I don't like them, but their not MICE!!" She just laughed and laughed. Isn't it funny how we all have little creepy crawlies that we don't like. Yep for me it would be mice ~~ YUK GROSS DISGUSTING ~~ even typing the word makes me squirm. So we had an exciting afternoon ~~ Too funny!!!

So excuse while I switch gears, but do any of you ever fix supper without a real "main" item like chicken or beef? Well, we had that kind of supper tonight. We had fresh green beans from the Farmer's Market, slow cooked with onion and dill, so good !! ~~ corn-off-the-cob that I cut and froze, stuffed mushrooms (YUMMY ~~ one of our fav's) and then fried zucchini using a recipe I got here ~~ yep from Pioneer Woman's friend Ryan. This was a good recipe for an abudance of zucchini. Then for dessert we will be having Double-Berry Shortcake (left over from last night) soooooooo good!! This was a GREAT summer supper!! So do any of you cook like this?

Speaking of cooking, I LOVE TO COOK ~~ and I am working on getting my recipe blog filled and up and running, it is going rather slowly, but hopefully I will get it added soon ~~ really soon :0)

So let's switch gears one more time :) This morning I didn't want to pray or study. Nope I was having issues with myself. I wish I knew why this happened but I think it has something to do with the fact of "I" (which "I" have used 7 times in this paragraph alone!!!!) Yep, "I" was the problem. So "I" did something "I" don't ever remember doing before, "I" just told God that "I" didn't want to pray, but was going to anyway, and WOW, let me just say, GOD IS AWESOME!! He totally showed up for me and helped me to see that even when "I" don't feel like it (maybe especially when "I" don't feel like it), if "I" trust Him and put my selfisness aside He is there ~~ HE IS ALWAYS THERE!!! (Yep used "I" a total of 16 times in this paragraph alone ~~ are you sensing a problem :-)

So I started praying and then started reading the Word, and went to Isaiah 55 and read the whole chapter and God spoke to me and gave me direction for Bible study on Tuesday and He said I needed to read this whole chapter to the ladies. So after prayer time I picked up the "No Other gods" study and started reading the intro to the next week, and then the first day and BOOM there it was the verse for that day. (Kelly Minter always has a verse that she focuses on for that day). You know what it was for today? Isaiah 55:1 ~~ I'm not jk'ing here, seriously. So what did I do ~~ started crying and praising God and wrote in the margin about how God showed up for me this morning!! Listen, I didn't want to pray today or study; I wanted to wallow in self-pity and doubt, and be disgusted with myself and overeat and just be stinky. I'm so glad that God wouldn't let me do that. I'm accountable to people and if for no other reason than that I made myself study and pray today. God is so Good!!!!!!!!! I will never be able to say it enough. If you have a time you don't want to pray or study, go ahead do it anyway and watch God show up, because I am convinced He will!!! HE WILL!! He showed up for Paul and Silas in jail, He showed up for the disciples in the boat, and He will show up for you!!!!!

Thank you so much for reading. This is a difficult season for me right now, and even with all that God showed me this morning I still had an attack of anxiety and fear this afternoon ~~ I am pitiful!! But God showed up again and started telling me to trust Him and I did and I do. So if you are going through tough stuff hang in there friend ~~ God Never Changes and He so gets you ~~ He does !!!!!!!! And He loves you!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a GREAT evening,

Dawn

Just a couple things . . .

Okay so I just have a couple things today and then I think I'm gonna lay down awhile.

I've had a couple of you interested in the rice dish with the turkey. Seriously sooooooooo easy. Just Minute brown rice (if you haven't tried - oh you really should, really you should :0) the texture is perfect (if cooked on the stove) and the taste?-divine!! I just make it according to the box but instead of water I use chicken stock (I like Rachael Ray's if I don't have homemade), and cook and then when you take it to the table put some cashews along side to top at the plate and you are ready to eat ~~~~~ YUMM YUMMM YUMMM!!!! And it is also delicious left over (just make sure the cashews stay on the side until you're ready to serve and then top at the plate other wise they get stale).

And can I just say THANK YOU to all that inquire about and prayer for my knees. I wanted to let you know that my doc contacted Mayo Clinic yesterday, and they are reviewing my records and we should know if they'll be able to help in about a week. So again THANK YOU for caring so much and for all the kind words and thoughts that go up to our Father on my behalf!!

Yesterday, I went to my regular doc because I've been having A LOT of headaches - like every day for over a month - and was getting a little concerned, so she took a look at me and thought that I'm having tension/stress headaches (I apparently need to chill :-) so she gave me some medicine and we're going to try that. If it doesn't work then I'll have to go in for tests, ya know MRI's and so forth, but hopefully this will do it.

Okay well, enough about that. I wanted to put a link to this site. My cousin sent this link out on her blog of the message one of their Pastor's preached this past weekend. And can I just say ~~ WOW!! Are you kiddin' me? Just right along with what I've been studying and hit me right between the eyes, but sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good!! Really soooooooo good. It is 37 mins long, but if you have the time to sit and listen it is well worth the time. It is one you will think about a long time!!!

And since this is a random post, let me just leave you with this little bit of randomness.

Me: Dakota you could make your bed if you wanted.

Dakota: I could go lay down in the grass and get hives, too.

:) Apparently he did not want to make his bed this morning. But thankfully he did and I didn't have to get the Epi pen out!! :0) He is so cute ~~ Really just so cute!!!

Have a GREAT afternoon and evening,
Dawn

PS It is now raining ~~ Yeah for the garden!!!!

Decisions. . . .Decisions. . . What's a Girl to do?!!?

Well, Good Monday Morning to you!! I hope your weekend went well!! Ours was fun and interesting.

Last Sunday while we were laying in bed getting ready to get up and around for church, I asked my sweet husband how he felt about Thanksgiving in July just without all the company (yeah he never knows where I'm going :) I like to keep him guessing :) Well I explained to him that I had a turkey in the freezer that really needed to make it's entrance onto the table because I needed the room and it had been in there since Christmas time. So since he loves turkey he was all for it, and not to have to clean for two weeks and deal with me all stressed out is an added bonus to Thanksgiving in July (hahahaha)!!

So Friday, that's what I did. I brined the turkey Thursday evening and cooked it on Friday and can I just say ~~ YUM!! If you've never brined a turkey you should, you REALLY should!! It comes out so moist and juicy. Not to mention I stuffed it full of garden herbs like rosemary and thyme ~~ be still my heart!! Delious!! So what does one fix with turkey in the summer ~~ yep corn-on-the-cob and brown rice cooked in chicken stock and then add cashews at the table!! I'm telling ya, you need to give this one a try ~~ YUMMMMMMM!!!!

Well, on Saturday we decided it was time to go check out the new digital box thingys we're going to need come Feb something or another 2009 (you can tell I'm really up-to-date:) !! What a crazy thing this is. You can get coupons for $40.00 off from the government, but you have to send for them. It takes like almost a month for them to send them out and then another like 7-10 days for you to get them in the mail. And then if you go to Radio Shack you can't even buy them on the spot, you give them the coupon and they send you the box thingy in another 5 days or so to your house ~~ I was exhausted just hearing about all the hoops one must jump through just to not pay for TV (which we don't and yes we have the rabbit ears on our 52" TV (I have boys) and yes I know it seems a little crazy not to have a satellite hanging from my roof, but I am unconventional and not paying an astronomical amount just to watch TV ~~ okay off the soap box ~~ I'm done ~~ stick a fork in me ~~ moving on ~~ :) And yes my son does think it is cruel and unusual punishment not to have 5,417 channels, but life marches on, yes it does. My husband says one day Dakota will be telling his kids: "Yes kids, daddy didn't even have cable on his TV or Internet in his room." hahahahahaha

Okay so moving on, really I'm moving on now ~~ so then we went to Best Buy and found out you could buy this box thingys without ordering them. So we filed that under things to know, and I figure that will be something we purchase before our coupons come in because the Olympics start 8/08/08 and we are HUGE Olympic fans and our NBC station yep, really fuzzy with the 'ole rabbit ears, so I'm sure coupon or no we will be getting a box thingy for the monstrosity that is our TV :)

So again, moving on, well then we went to Target and can I just say ~~ love that store!! My bag that I bought there in the Spring, well it's unraveling at the strap and since I totally dig that bag I figured I'd better get another, before it completely gives it up and I'm left holding the bag ~~ ohhhh I crack myself up ~~ yep that was BAD BAD BAD!!!!!!!!

So here is the bag I bought in the spring ~~ yes I know, adorable!!

But . . .

It is starting to unravel, and since I carry a lot of my stuff and the boy's stuff . . .

It was time for a new one.

TA-DA !! Enter new bag!!

So how cute is this little lovely jewel? I love it!!

I tried to zoom in so you could see what is perched on this bag's material ~~ yep BEES!!

How cute is that?!?! My hubby says it looks like me and you know what? Yep he's right!!

So what in the world does any part of this post have to do with having to make decisions. Well, what I haven't told you is that the knee went kaplooy again this weekend. Yep on Saturday when we got home I was getting ready to fix supper and a very serious pain attacked my knee, different than I've felt before, serious bummer!! But let me just take the time to say I have the BEST husband and son a girl could ask for. They jumped right into help mode and fixed supper and iced me down practically simultaneously ~~ They are THE BEST GUYS!!!

So now the decisions have to begin I guess. I'm calling the doc today and have him get the ball rolling for the Mayo Clinic. He has suggested that I go there for help. He said there is nothing more they can do for me in Springfield, MO. So I'm going to call his office today and see what we can do to get started. Please pray that God will show us favor and this process will go well. So if healing does not come supernaturally for me in this case then I pray that the Lord will touch me through medicine. I really want to be able to hike with my guys!!

I have a doc's appt this morning for some other things that have been going on, but I'll just keep you posted on that front.

It sounds like I'm really a mess, but truth be known I'm not. God is so very good to me, so even if nothing were to change on the knee front, I know that God is God and He absolutely knows best. I trust Him and He is always altogether good!!!!!!!

I was reading blogs last evening and went to one of my fav's MiMi's. You really must read her post from yesterday. It is OUTSTANDING!! I thought of it this morning during my quiet time. She is a very good writer and communicator. Great job MiMi thanks again for your guidance and your heart that comes right on through that blog of yours ~~ beautiful!!

Have a GREAT Monday!!

Love and Hugs,

Dawn

Thankful Beyond . . . Just Beyond!!!!

So there is some randomness that will sneak into this post, but I'll try to keep you with me. I have a tendency to ramble :) No not me ~~ really?! Yep, say it isn't so!! (See?!?)

Okay well first of all Tuesday was Bible Study Tuesday. And can I just say emphatically that I/We serve an AWESOME GOD!!!! I mean seriously Awesome!!!!!!!! When K got here I asked her about her sis C (you remember, she accepted Christ as her Savior!!!!!!!!!!!) And let me tell you I was blown away by her answer ~~ I mean seriously blown away!!!!!!

C is back in California and when she was leaving Bible Study I gave her a copy of our "No Other gods" study (she'd been sharing with her sis). At first she looked at me like, "Are you for real?" God told me to give it to her. He is soooooooooo great!! Well, K told us that when she got to California she started her own NOG (No Other god's) group. Are you kidding me?? No really, she formed her own group, there's about 5 of them made up of fam and friends, and they meet at a coffee shop to discuss their study. How Great is that!! I mean really, God is just altogether THE BEST!!!

When K was telling me this, she also said that she had never seen her sis act so grown up before. Now with all of this positive in her life she is, of course, being attacked by the enemy, but she is praying, praying, praying and God is showing up and helping her at every obstacle. She has this awesome child-like faith that is uncomplicated and refreshing. Oh the blood of Jesus that washes white as snow. He has the power to change lives and does. If you are believing God for something today I just encourage you today ~~ Believe ~~ just step out in child-like faith like my friend C and watch God move. He will - He seriously will!!!!

Bible Study Tuesday's are always hectic but exciting days for me. I'm always amazed at how God brings it all together. Remember when I started, I was scared silly!! But God has worked through my fear to give me GREAT joy in this journey. Now that is not to say that I don't still deal with fear in this, but God is helping me. This is not about me, it is ALL ABOUT HIM!! And when I'm praying for our meetings I ask God to make it all about Him. Oh that I could remember that ~~ It is all about Him!!!!!

Well, again it was another week of fab food. The menu: Pioneer Woman's Chicken Spaghetti, Cucumber Sandwiches, Apple Crostata and The Most Amazing Banana Pudding Ever!!
Now I made the Chicken Spaghetti and the Cucumber Sandwiches, really we was suppose to make one or the other, but since I can't eat MSG, which is loaded in Chicken Spaghetti, I made both and wow glad I did. The Cucumber Sandwiches ~~ amazingly refreshing and yummy. I am currently working on my recipe blog and hope to have it launched soon, and I'll put the recipe there. Seriously GREAT!!!!!!!!!! And I made the Banana Pudding for dessert, the best I've ever had ~~ ever!! And everyone who ate the Chicken Spaghetti said is was great as well, and it got the seal of approval from my fab hubby who ate it for supper !! YEAH!! It's a keeper!!

So my baby sis gave me some early apples from one of her neighbors when she was here Monday, and they looked so pretty in my bread/apple basket :) that I had to take a pic. And yesterday I made the apple crostada, and can I just say ~~ delious!!

And of course I had to take a pic of our flower centerpiece from Tuesday.

Our hydrangeas have really out did themselves this year. So I cut, scalded, dunked and arranged ~~ Beautiful!!

Then Tuesday night I came into my kitchen to find this. . . .

And this . . . yes my teen was at it again :)
Oh yeah and this . . . Dakota quit torturing the zucchini (hahahahaha)

This kid just cracks me up!! Yeah and that is the closet he ever gets to eating a zucchini.

So I guess I'll take what I can get huh?!!

So yesterday afternoon I canned aforementioned zucchini. My sis brought me a bushel of zucchini over on Monday ~~ Thanks so much sis and B-I-L you two Rock!! ~~ so I canned this zucchini relish. Does anybody have anymore suggestions for zucchini and storing it for winter?
And lastly, (if you made it this far in the reading Bless you!!) Has anyone read this book?

My friend brought it to me on Tuesday. It is an amazing story ~~ can't wait to get started.

So what summer reads have caught your attention. I've read 4 books so far this summer. I'll have to give some blog time to them soon as I LOVE to read!!

Thanks so much for reading. I appreciate you all so much. My life is so greatly enriched by all who stop by ~~ Much Blessing to you my dear ones,

Dawn

Blackberry Bliss !!!

Okay can I just tell you what fun I have just going to the blackberry patch. It is just a great joy for me to climb over a fence and hunt me some blackberries. Now keep in mind with knees like mine they sometimes get away (hahahahaha)~~ but ahhh the fun in trying :)

So this is "THE" patch!! What you are seeing is one - count 'em - ONE bbp in a whole field of bbp's. AMAZING!! My friend Georgia (the one in the red hat) and I picked last year at this patches and got more berries than we could eat!!! So this year my sis wanted to go ~~ but, she, like me had never been bb-pickin' ~~ It was such a fun time!!

Here is my neice doing a little pickin' ~~ she stayed with me a let G & D go down the hill ~~ so sweet, Thanks Becca!!
And then, ahh yes, that's me ~~ yes that is my BB disquise ~~ very clever huh?!? :) (WOW I look REALLY old huh!?!?) Tell me it's the hat, please tell me!!! :)

Okay any way just thought I'd share a little bit of our day on Monday. I'm actually finishing this today, Wednesday but I wanted to get this posted ~~ It really was just sooooooooo fun!!

Yesterday was Bible Study day, I'll share more about in the coming days and I also have some fun stuff going on today that I'll be sharing.

So I hope you all have a GREAT day, and get out there in those bbp ~~ a little chigger washes right off and the berries are so worth it :) YUMMY

Dawn

In the Midst of Life . . . Blog Style !!

As I was working on this post, my husband was hit hard with a migraine. It came on quick just after his bike ride. I was just in praying for him, and would so appreciate if you would join me in prayer. I'd be very very grateful!! I know I've said it before, but he is the BEST, and I hate to see him hurting so badly. Thank you for praying!!

_________________________________________________________________

Well, what a week and weekend it has been!! And in true bloggy style I wanted to show you our week in pics :)

Well, it has been well documented on this blog how much I love it that our house is one where the kids hang out, and this week was no different!!

Brandon hadn't been over in a while, and so he came over and spent the day with Dakota and what a day it was. The kid's always love to cook when they come over and this was certainly no exception. I'd made some jalapeno bacon-wrapped thingys from the Pioneer Woman the night before, and we only had a couple left, but when Brandon tasted these he decided he must have more, so they set their little selves to cookin'.

And here they are stabbing their jalapenos!! So much fun to watch!! Teens cookin' with jalapenos ~~ look ma no gloves ~~ yeah they paid for that one :)

Okay call me shameless but I love getting presents, especially in the mail. And seriously it doesn't have to be much, a card, a postcard even ~~ I just love getting mail!

Ohh and how great when it is something I won on another blog. My first win!! WOOHOO ~~ Thank you Heather!! I won face stuff from Boscia. I haven't used it yet but I will, I will.

It was just so pretty - it came wrapped in blue & brown (isn't that the new black? :) and when I opened it, oh my stars, what to my wondering eyes did appear, but another box wrapped in the same wrapping paper. I cannot tell you the glee ~~ the utter glee my little heart felt to get to unwrap two, count 'em two, boxes in the middle of July ~~ oh what JOY!! Thanks again Heather you REALLY made my day!!

Okay now let me preface this next pic by saying that I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE REALLY LOVE blueberries!! They are my favorite shade of blue loveliness. Blue is not even my fav color until it comes to a berry and then move over ~~ hello Big Blue Wonderful Berry!! And in honor of blueberry season ~~ I made this for breakfast ~~ Yes blueberry shortcake. I know I know it's suppose to be strawberry, my recipe even calls for strawberries, but since I am allergic to strawberries :( I substituted the Big Blue wonder and voila !! YUMMY!!
Okay and then this happened. I was just sitting on the couch enjoying me some quiet time with my blog buddies ~~ yep reading your blogs ~~ on Friday evening, when I went to move my right leg and my knee was locked - tight - really tight!! So I had Dakota get Dick and in he ran!! (I just love that about him!!) Well after trying to get it unstuck with no success, we decided to stand me up. Well, we did and as soon as I stood it came out with a POP!! And then swelled up like a basketball. Bummer!! So I spent the rest of Friday evening and all Saturday on these!! Hummpff. (It's some better today and we are so thankful!!)
So on Saturday Georgia came over to help, since I was laid up with the 'ole knee, and helped me put up 2 dozen ears of corn ~~ Yummy ~~ I love summer goodness and then helped me ~~ make the following . . . I can hardly type it I'm so excited . . .

BLUEBERRY FREEZER JAM~~~~~

Oh be still my blueberry lovin' heart !!!!!!!

So it was really a wonderful weekend (except for now my hubby has a migraine) and I hope yours was as well. Filled with fam and fun!!

Well, LPM posted our menu for Bible Study on Tuesday, so I need to make my grocery list for that, and tomorrow my baby sis and neice are coming down and we're going blackberry pickin' ~~~ Fun in the summertime ~~ Love it ~~ So I best get busy!!

Love and hugs,

Dawn

Such a Tiny Offering . . .

"If ever He loved me, He loves me forever!!" This is a quote my Pastor refers to often. It has stuck like superglue to the corners and crevices of my heart. God loved me when I was completely unlovable and loves me today still. I fought hard to keep the deep places hidden, but you just simply cannot hide from God. There is no where that He is not, but also there is nothing in those deep hidden places that surprise Him, for that I am so thankful!!

It is interesting to see Him work though. He has drawn me out of my seemingly safe shell, and has placed me here on this incredible journey on the Internet super highway of life. And most importantly, He has placed me here because of my relationship with His Son Jesus Christ. I want to proclaim His Name until no breathe remains in me, and what better place and time to do that than today where we can reach millions, sitting in our homes typing on an extremely intricate piece of electronic machinery, no bigger than a textbook ~~ Truly Amazing!!

I want to tell you about something that has happened this week in my heart. On Tuesday I told you all about one of the most painful times in my life. It was very difficult to get it down on "paper" (Internet paper if you will :) and have it make a modicum of sense and still due honor to memory and past experiences without appearing weak and frail because of it. Because really I am so much stronger because of the realness of that time in my life.

I posted it on Tuesday and then yesterday just couldn't wait to post again because I wanted something much more upbeat here and fun like Summer WOOHOO!! But that was me wanting to cover, yet again, the pain of life. Some how I thought if I posted quickly that maybe it wouldn't hurt so bad or you'd accept me better, yes I know CRAZY!! These are just some raw feelings I dealt with yesterday. So I posted.

Well a dear fellow blogger Betsy (I love her blog; you really should check it out!!) wrote a very sweet comment and said that she almost didn't scroll down to Tuesdays entry, (there were lots of pics yesterday and in a way I guess I was trying to hide Tuesdays blog ~~ pathetic!! Again just keeping it real), but she said she was so glad she did. Thank you B, I so appreciate each and every comment and this one God really worked in and started doing a work in this girl's heart.

My testimony really isn't about me, so much as it is about God and His faithfulness and His ability to redeem a broken, lost and angry girl; it is about what He has done in my life in spite of the pain and hurt that resides within my testimony. Why is it I try to make it all about me? I really am pathetic sometimes!! Yes it happened to me, but no it is not about me!! WOW now there's a light bulb moment for you!! (that I should have already known ~~ I know I know pathetic!!)

So this morning I woke up with a song in my heart: "God with Us" by MercyMe. And the part that is really sticking out to me this morning is this:

Such a tiny offering,

Compared to Calvary,

But nevertheless, I lay it at Your feet!!

Listen our lives here are but a vapor. And God wants to use every breathe of that vapor to draw us to Himself, so others will also be drawn to Him because of our relationship with the Father. It really is a beautiful thing. So today my tiny offering is my testimony from Tuesday. You can scroll down and read it (July 8th) or check it out here.

God, thank you for working out Your wonderful plan of love for my life. You have never let me go and I am so grateful. My life, it's such a tiny offering, compared to Calvary Lord, but here it is, I lay it at Your feet Jesus!! All that is within me cries, to You alone be glorified Immanuel God with us ~~ My heart sings a brand new song, my debt is paid these chains are gone, Immanuel God with us!! Praise Your Name Jesus!! Amen

Summer Lovin'

Well, hello lazy, hazy, rainy days of summer !! So do you see a word that doesn't fit? (You know like those games you used to play in school when your teacher was trying to get you to learn something while still having fun ~~ their so tricky!!) Yep, you guessed it (you're so smart :) rainy. It's kind of gloomy and rainy again today. We have standing water in the yard, again, but it is okay because there have been years when we were praying for rain because of all the dryness. So I am choosing to put a positive spin on this another morning of rain (it is starting to clear). And I haven't had to water much so that saves money, right? Hello glass half-full!! Look at me being an all partly-sunny day kinda gal :) !!

Okay so let's look at some pics of summer around our house over the last two weeks!!

The first is a pic of the centerpiece on our table last week for Bible Study. Yep basil and daisy's from our garden ~~ too cute!! And this is the big picture!! Isn't it good to take a look at the big picture once in a while? Just a thought. Anyway, that pound cake you see there ~~ yes I said pound cake like the kind with so much butter in it that it practically clogs your arteries just to look at it!! And then the funniest thing, it has two, yep 2 sticks of butter and then you add butter flavoring ~~ what? Doesn't make a lot of sense, but DELIOUS!!
TA-DA!! Our first tomato of the garden hanging out with one of my fav garage sale finds of the last 5 years!!!
And another TA-DA ~~ our first sunflower ~~ Oh it does my Summer Lovin' heart so good to see this beauty shining in all her glory!!
And then for the biggest TA-DA of them all ~~ Dakota and the catfish he caught on Saturday at Fellows Lake ~~ Get out!! Great job son!!

Well, I hope your havin' a Summer Lovin' kinda day!!

Go on love you some summer!!

Blessings to you,

Dawn

Only He could Save the Day!!!

"Circumstances may appear to wreck our lives and God's plans, but God is not helpless among the ruins. God's love is still working. He comes in and takes the calamity and uses it victoriously, working out His wonderful plan of love." by Eric Liddell

I have considered this post practically since the onset of this blog. What would I say? How would I approach this? And this morning in all my frailties I know, just trust God.

Twenty-two years ago today, July 8, 1986 ushered in a very sad and dark time for me in my life. A darkness that would last for years, in fact so dark that I didn't even realize it was dark anymore; it just became my life for that very long season.

I was married on November 14, 1985 to David. He was in my estimation "the best guy ever" (in my best valley girl accent :) I met him on a blind date just before my senior year of high school. It was an up and down relationship, as often they are when you're really young. But just two short years later we were married in a beautiful wedding.

In April of 1986 tragedy struck our family; we lost my sister Dana in a motorcyle accident. You can read about that here if you'd like. Then on July 8, 1986 tragedy struck again. I'd kissed my husband and watched him drive down the road out of sight. I went back in and got ready for work and left. I had no idea my whole life was about to change, and I was only 19 years old.

I got a call at about 10:00 am that there had been an accident involving my husband and I needed to get to the hospital right away. I really didn't know what I'd find, but I certainly wasn't expecting what happened. By the time I got to the hospital, he was gone. He'd been electrocuted on the job and didn't make it. I couldn't comprehend or fathom what had just happened in my life. It was unthinkable. I'd just lost my sister three short months before, how could this happen now when the pain from that was still so raw?

Nothing made sense. God to me in that moment made no sense. I was so angry. The "whys" were flying all over the place. I was so hurt and broken, I didn't know what to do. I did not have a close relationship with Christ. I'd known Him when I was younger, but the path I'd taken didn't really include Him much. And now, instead of clinging to God I ran, hard, the other direction.

I lived life in a fog for years after that really. Yes I remember things, but not all things as I should. There were moments of happiness that touched me, and there were of course many mistakes, many failings. But in the course of this time God was doing a work. He wanted me to know Him; I could feel Him, I knew He was there somehow. He started softening my hard heart and started nudging me ever closer to Him. I'd built a very large and fortified wall for myself, determined not to be hurt again by life as I had been in 1986. Even as I type this I cringe.

So why even talk about this? Why bring it up? Because what God has done in my life since that time has been nothing short of miraculous!! If you were to look inside the girl at that time and then peer into the one that sits and types this post you would say the two were not even related; and yet we are the same physical person. But God has so done an overhaul of my heart.

The song that is playing in the background is one that just lifts my heart and spirit, because truly that is what God has done, He's "Saved the Day" and not just for a broken widow, but for all of us who Believe!! He tore the veil away and opened wide the prison gate, He saved the day!! He is hope that springs eternal, because of Him all things are new!! And I am a testimony of that fact. My life is new because of Christ Jesus. He saw the broken down widow I would become, drowning in sadness and the whys of life, and He Saved the Day for me.

What happened to me in 1986 was tragic and changed my life, but I wouldn't be the person I am today had that not happened to me. God has made me stronger because of what life dealt me.
Today I sit here a woman of more faith and strength than I had. I have a husband that loves me completely and Biblically, and a terrific child, and all of this because of God's touch into my very broken life. I still struggle, it is true, and even as I write this my heart is still sad. But I suppose it will always be. It is a solemn reminder of the way things were. But hope springs eternal. God is so Good. He loves me so far beyond what I deserve. He's been reminding me this morning that He is Sovereign, He is good and He is beyond all I can ask for or imagine Him to be. I'm so thankful that He didn't let me go. I'm so thankful that His ways are not mine, because trust me I'd have really messed things up and still would on a daily basis!!

So my dear ones reading this, please don't be sad, the story is sad, but the result of God's working through it ~~ WOW ~~ life transforming. He took the brokenness and made it whole, the sadness and turned it to joy. I am reminded of a post by Angie of the broken vase that she glued back together. That is how I kind of feel, back together, but not the same as I was before it happened, Hallelujah!! The vase, in my estimation is more beautiful today sitting as the centerpiece on the table of life's experiences than it was when it was deemed "useful" by the world.

So I sit here today glued back together but still with the scars of those days some 22 years ago. I'm so thankful that God didn't throw this lump of clay away. I'd like to leave you with Words from Jeremiah 18:1-4:

"This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 'Go down to the potter's house and there I will give you My message.' 3 So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him."

Abba Father,

Thank you for shaping me into what is best for You. You are beyond everything, and I love you beyond my ability to express it!! Thank you for allowing me to be with the family You have given me, and thank You for making all things new!! Thank you for Saving the Day through Christ Jesus Your Son and my Lord!! You are AWESOME!! Amen.

Learning to Lean (through the stress) . . .

Happy belated July 4th to all!! I hope yours was safe and happy for you ~~ filled with food cooked on a grill and lots of popping in your ears from all the firework festivities!!

Generally on the 4th we have people over and do the cookout thing and watch the neighborhood fill with smoke as our neighbors celebrate with all things Boom-worthy :) We don't buy many fireworks; really no reason. Our neighborhood is a vertiable stage for watching, so we just sit back and enjoy (for about 30 mins and then the man and I are generally done and ready for bed!! ~~ When did we get so, well, middle-aged? :) But this year Dakota wasn't home, he went elsewhere to enjoy and participate in The Works, and we didn't have anyone over, because we did that a couple of weekends ago when our town had their fireworks, so really it was pretty quiet, but really nice.

Today was church and can I just say "Praise the Lord for the church we attend!!" He is good to us and has sent us to just the best place for us to hear from Him in that setting. To be really honest I've been struggling some lately. I know God loves me, although sometimes I'm not sure why, I know that He is moving in my midst, and I know that He is worthy!! And that's the thing that so moves me to tears. In my fraility and humaness He is All in All and so worthy of all my Praise!!

So another reason that this weekend was a quiet one was because I was sick, like all weekend with a headache, and if there is one thing that will debilitate me to the point of the couch or bed it is a headache. Just want to say here that Heather if you're reading, I so feel for you and have been praying sista' that these migraines will be a thing of the past for you SOON!!

So I spent a lot of time on the couch vegging trying to get rid of this neck/headache. Well, I've had headaches at times a lot, but this one is in the same place on the back of my head in the neck area and probably, yep you guessed it the tension/stress related type. And the worst part about it is that I know better!! I've been letting things build up rather than taking care of them as they come up. I let them remain in instead of getting them out, and apparently they have found a home in my neck ~~ what a pain in the neck!! (Oh yeah that was bad ~~ sorry :)

Thankfully, very very Thankfully, I have a husband that knows me really well and can see the train wreck in the future and tries to help prevent it. After church Sunday, we went into town and went to Target (Yeah!!) and then to lunch and he just talked to me about all the stress I've been under lately and how I needed to deal with it in a healthy way instead of letting it build to the point of neck-popping-off-body kind of pain!! (Thank you my sweet, I love you so much!!)

So why I am so stressed . . . because I'm not trusting enough. God is so working in my life right now, but there are still so many things that I'm trying to do on my own, and I know better!! (Oh brother, if I'm not pathetic!!)

In my study today, Kelly Minter talked about the lies that Satan tells us, and we believe. And sometimes they are very simple ~~ not the big ones ~~ but the seeminly little lies that we believe and that affect the whole of our lives. Wow did I find myself here.

So my hope today is just to lean in close to the Father and hear His voice in my life, and not let the cares and worries of this life choke out the voice of God. He wants to talk to us, He wants us to listen . . . so I'm listening and staying close.

Father,
In the secret in the quiet place,
In the stillness You are there.
In the secret hour I wait only for You,
Because I want to know You more!!

Falling down and getting up!!

UPDATE: Well we're back from the doc and mom's collar bone is definitely broken, but the ligimates (spelled wrong I'm sure) are fine. The doc said that she needs to behave, now that could be a problem :) When they found out that her "boyfriend" was over when it happened, well let's just say that everyone, including mom got a good laugh. She is during remarkably well though for being in so much pain. In fact she called while I was typing this post and Dakota was laughing so hard he could barely stand up ~~ yep grandma on pain meds ~~ priceless!!

Well, I wanted to post real quick like since I need to get the 15 3/4's up (yep it is 7:06 AM), oh it's really mean I know (poor guy), but it is a new day and there are things to do!!

Okay so yes there is a reason to get said teen up so early ~~ we have to take my mom to the orthopaedic doc today. Here is a quick run down of what happened:

Mom fell on Saturday, didn't call anyone until Sunday (Mom seriously now).
We took her to the emergency room and she has broken her collar bone.
She also has something wrong with her neck and we have to go see a neuro-surgeon for that.

Mom has been in a lot of pain the last couple of days. It makes me so sad. We've tried to help, but really she just needs to heal. So I wanted to post quickly before we go and ask for prayer for her today. She really needs a touch from our heavenly Father in that left shoulder and just in her life. She deals with A LOT of physical problems on a moment-by-moment basis. I love my mom so much and pray Psalm 27:13 over her a lot:

"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living."

I love this verse and it pretty much sums up what I would like for my mom everyday of her life; "to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."

So in true mom fashion, what does she do after a fall? She gets right back up and on with things. No wallowing, no crying, no pouting just a lot of getting back up!! She is a tenacious woman of faith!! Who has a broken collar bone right now :(

Thank you for praying and I will update later this afternoon!!

Love and hugs to ya,
Dawn

Joy in Heaven . . .

Well, today was Bible Study Tuesday!! And all 6 ladies (+ me :) was in attendance. I tell ya it just does my heart good to see them all show up with Bible and studies in hand and with smiles on their faces ready to eat (homemade combination pizza and bbq chicken pizza and homemade pound cake ~~ oh my word, get out of town ~~ so good!!) and dig in to the Word of God.

And well let's face it, when your doing a study with the title "No Other god's" there is bound to be some dying to self that has to happen and that certainly is not always pleasant. In my own life there has been a lot of that going on lately, but here a while back I prayed that God wouldn't let me get by with anything, and hold on because when you pray that He's going to call you on the stuff of your life that needs to be dealt with in one way or another. It has been time for me to grow up more in the Lord. And I'm so thankful for that!!

The love and power of our Lord to save and change lives will always be truly amazing to me. He loves us so much and desires for us to live an abundant, victorious life in Him. He is just all that let me tell ya!!

Today ended up being a very special day in Bible study indeed. We have had a young lady that came last time and this (the one I told you about that came with her sister that originally was not going to be able to come), and she has come with her little 5 month old sweet baby boy. She has just been so sweet and you could tell that she really needed to hear the Word of God. Last time she told us that she had not been to church and really didn't know much about the Word, but you could tell she was open.

Well, she has her plane ticket bought and is scheduled to go back to California next week, so this was her last week in Bible study with us. (Unless God changes her mind :) As we talked today and shared about our own short comings and the things that really hinders us in our walk with Jesus, it was really occuring to me that this was foreign to her. She started talking and telling us about her own feelings of selfishness and pain, and as she was talking I was praying. The Lord was doing a work; you could feel it!! It was so beautiful. My heart is just so full thinking about the love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Well, we got to share with her the Love of Christ, and she accepted Christ as her personal Savior!! Psalm 136:1 "Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His love endures forever!!"
The verse that is coming to my mind is Luke 15:10 "Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

There is no greater decision a person will make than to follow Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior!! Watching this miracle today strengthens me as a child of the Most High!!! He is AWESOME!! May I never get over Him!!

God, You are so good!! You love us beyond what we can fathom. Thank you for the gift of salvation!! Thank you for saving C today and thank you for saving my soul some years ago!! You are truly the BEST!! Truly!! I love you Lord, Amen