Happy Birthday Jay

19 yrs ago today was an exciting day for me, my nephew was born! That's right my brother and I were expecting our first child at the same time and I was actually suppose to have my baby before him, but God had another plan. Jay was born first.

Some call him JayJay, or Jaybird or just Bird but whatever he is called he is the best Nephew ever! We have enjoyed so much watching him grow up, playing all his sports, going on vacations, or just hanging out at our house or theirs ...to many memories to name. Being in College now, I think this is the first year we have not been able to actually be together and celebrate his birthday but I did get to see him at his sister's ball game last night :) Jay has become such a handsome young man now playing football at the University of Findlay. Go Oilers!

Happy Birthday Jay, may God bless this day and this year until we celebrate your next birthday. I love you!

Hugz,

7 Things

7 THINGS THAT ARE ALWAYS TRUE

1. GOD LOVES YOU
2. GOD IS WORKING AROUND YOU
3. GOD CAN USE YOU
4. GOD IS SPEAKING TO YOU
5. GOD INVITES YOU TO TRUST HIM
6. GOD WANTS YOU TO OBEY HIM
7. GOD WANTS YOU TO EXPERIENCE HIM

7 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO EXPERIENCE GOD

1. REMEMBER THAT GOD IS PRESENT
2. UNDERSTAND THAT GOD LOVES YOU
3. SEEK TO SERVE GOD HOWEVER YOU CAN
4. LISTEN TO GOD THROUGH SCRIPTURE, PRAYER AND WORSHIP
5. DEPEND ON GOD MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE
6. CHOOSE TO DO THINGS GOD'S WAY
7. FOLLOW WHERE GOD LEADS

HUGZ,

Special Friends

How Awesome to have Special Friends in our lives. I want to share this poem with you that a Special Friend gave to me.

Dear Special Friend

You are a friend who's special

A friend who really cares

A friend who always listens

A friend who's always there.

And forever I'll be grateful

For everything you do

And thankful to the Lord above

For a special friend like you.

I'm truly the one that is Blessed to have such special friends in my Life!

Hugz,

Happy Birthday Cody

Let's see, what was I doing 16 years ago on January 20th? That's easy....having a baby! Yes that's right my baby is 16 years old. A little scary how fast time flies. One day I have a beautiful brown eyed, adorable baby boy in my arms and then I no more than turn around and he's a handsome young man that is 6'4 and I have to look up to, who very easily comes behind me as
I' m cooking dinner and lifts me up.


So what did we do for Cody's birthday....we had some pizza after Cody's game on Friday with some of his friends and our family. That was fun.
Ashley and I took him to Flat Top Grill on Sunday, that was fun........... but today is the day Cody was really waiting for!



Yes he is now a licensed driver!


Congratulations Cody....Drive Safe!


I Love YOU!




Hugz,

Friends

During this time of recovery I have been truly blessed by all of my friends. The Meals you have brought have been yummy, the cards you have sent have been encouraging, the gifts you have brought have been lovely, the prayers you have said have been uplifting, the phone calls and text messages have been amazing, but your visits have been timely! God knows just the right time to send a friend to your door when you need them the most! First he sent a friend and her husband with a meal and great laughter..even when it hurt to laugh! Thanks Cindy! Then he sent a pastor to Pray for me! Thanks Dave! Then he sent a friend that I hardly ever get to see anymore for great conversation! Thanks Sue! Then he sent me a friend who had gone through a tough time with her teenager as we were dealing with during this time! Thanks Sally! Then he sent a nurse on the evening I was on the phone with my sick daughter at college! Thanks Becky! Then he sent my aunt who has never been to my house! Thanks Drema ! Then he sent me a great Prayer Warrior when i needed prayer! Thanks Gloria! Not to mention my Mother and Mother in Law who brought food for my family! God's timing was perfect when he sent each of these friends. God has truly blessed me with many friends young and old and I cherish each one of you!
Michael W. Smith's song says: "A friend's a friend forever if the Lord's the Lord of them."
I think we will be friends forever because you all have obviously been the hands and feet of Christ in my life during this time. A Love that only comes from having Jesus Christ be the Lord of your life. Thanks for being such special friends! I love you all!
Hugz,

ps... I week after surgery and I went back to work yesterday!

Best MOM

I have the best mom in the world...one that still takes care of me even though I'm...... well as old as I am! (we'll leave that for you to decide!) During my gallbladder recovery she brought my family supper (Potato soup!yumm, she brought me flowers (fresh flowers! ahhhhhh) and she sent me this card. I think when things aren't going quite as we think they should this card has great advice. Young or old we all go through things in life that are tough!
by Helen Steiner Rice
Let Go and Let God
When you're troubled and worried
and sick at heart
And your plans are upset
and your world falls apart,
Remember God's ready
and waiting to share
The burden you find
too heavy to bear.
So with faith, let go
and let God lead the way
Into a brighter
and less-troubled day.

Hugz

Be Still

In the hustle and bustle of life, God always has a way of slowing us down doesn't he? But do I really have to have surgery to do that? I guess so because yesterday was the day that the gallbladder came out. The surgeon was good, the nurses were good, my family was by my side, my friends were praying for me and now here I sit recovering.
Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God.
He always has a way of slowing me down and reminding me of what is truly important in my life.
Hugz

Disappointments and Rainbows

Last night was Game Night, OSU VS LSU, everyone was pumped up and ready for a Buckeye Victory...at least at the party I was at. Good Food,Good Friends, Good Fun and Good Football.

The score at the end of the game was not what we had hoped for 24-38 LSU.

How disappointing for the Buckeye players and all their fans. The hard work that the players put into getting ready for the big game, the anticipation of game day and then to be beaten. How Disappointing.

I thought about this as I was driving in my car on the way home from an appointment today. It was raining and gloomy. Life is so full of disappointments isn't it. People let us down, even people we love and who love us will let us down and disappoint us. We get beaten just as in a game but in the game of life. It might not be intentional but it happens.

As I drove further the rain stopped and the sun came out just long enough to put a beautiful rainbow in the sky. God's promises.....yes even through all the disappointments in life, a lost football game, a broken relationship, an illness, an argument, whatever the disappointment, we need to remember God's promises. John 16:33 says "In this world you will have trouble (disappointments) But take Heart! I have overcome the world." Jesus does not abandon us to our struggles and disappointments. If we remember the ultimate victory has already been won, we can claim the peace of Christ in the most troublesome or disappointing times. Jesus Loves you and will not disappoint you, he will turn your disappointments into rainbows!

Hugz

GO BUCKS

O * H * I * O
Go Buckeyes!!!!!!!!

Hugz

Change My Heart Oh God

I lead our High School Sunday School Class, or at least I am present and let God teach it through me. I probably end up learning more then they do.

Today our lesson was: New Year, New You..... "Are you Happy with who you are?"

Happy?........ Happiness evokes visions of unwrapping gifts at Christmas, or strolling hand in hand with someone you love, being surprised on your Birthday, or a good laugh with a friend. Circumstances......Everyone wants to be happy, chasing their dreams, spending money, collecting things. But what happens when the dream fades, you run out of money or you get tired of collecting things? Are you Happy...with who you are???

In Contrast to Happiness is Joy. Happiness depends on Happenings but Joy Depends on Christ. Joy runs deeper and stronger, joy is the quiet confidence of God's love and work in our lives no matter the circumstance or situation. Joy is what we really want rather than happiness and it's only through a personal relationship with Christ that we can experience joy in our life.
"Do you have Joy in Who YOU are?"

Then we go to worship and our Choir sings:

Change my Heart Oh God
Make it ever true,
Change my Heart Oh God,
May I be like you!

Joy..comes from a changed heart, surrendered to Christ.....EVERYDAY!



Hugz

Hope

Hoping in the Lord is expecting that his Promise of strength will help us to rise above life's distractions and challenges. It means trusting God .


Isaiah 40:31 " but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles: they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."


When I saw this little guy at the feeder it reminded me of this verse.

God has a way of speaking to us and reminding us of His word even when we are not looking for it. How can a little bird such as this not grow weary of flying to this bird feeder in freezing cold temperatures, against the wind every day during the winter months? How does he do it?
Just as he does not grow weary, God promises us that if we put our hope in Him he will continue to renew our strength day after day after day. No matter what the circumstances, no matter what the situation. When we get tired and can't do it and don't want to do it, He will carry us!
Do we let Him do that? If we believe in Him then we must have Hope in His Promises.

Have an awesome weekend!
Hugz

I LOVE YOU!

Today is My Dad's Birthday. Happy Birthday Dad! My Dad is one of the special guys in my life! Just as a dad should be. I only grew up with Dad on the weekends when I was a child because my parents were divorced but we've always been close. My Dad is very tender hearted and would do anything for anyone, but don't make him mad because he does have a temper!(is that where I got mine??) I love to meet Dad at our local "Bubba J's " for lunch and he is always there watching his grandkids play their ballgames. I love my dad a lot but do I really tell him that I love Him? Do I actually say "I love you"..... enough? How often do we tell the special people in our lives that we love them? Is it harder to say it to the people that we love the most? or the least? All to often we take for granted the ones we love. We get caught up in our day to day activities and we neglect to show our true feelings to each other. Maybe your family just didn't say I love you to each other when we were growing up and it is not normal to us. But how do YOU feel when someone says to you "I love you!" I LOVE IT!!!! Everyone needs to hear words of love and I know I don't say it often enough. I love you Dad! Happy Birthday!
And to all you reading this post I Love you !
Hugz

My Biggest Fan

Both of my kids have played sports in High School, mainly basketball. At least Ashley did until she tore her ACL the first game of her Senior year. Ashley is in College now and Cody is a Sophomore in High School currently playing Basketball. I have always been their biggest fan. Now you would think they would do the same for mom....be my biggest fan that is! I'm not playing basketball or any other sport for that matter, I am only trying to figure out this whole blogging thing. But what do I get from them.....you are going to Blog MOM??? You better believe I will be waiting to catch them reading MY blog and when I do ....ahhhhhh then I will know they are my biggest fan!! Who is your biggest fan?

Hugz

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU, NEW BLOG?

So, what was your New Years Resolution?

Didn't make one?...me either ...but what I did do was decide to
to create this blogsite.
What will you find here? I'm not real sure at this
point. My life isn't that exciting, but content and fulfilled, it is pretty simple but full of Love.
I have so many wonderful people in my life that make life a wonderful place and an awesome God who made it all happen.
I hope you find some encouragement, and always a Hug
at the beginning, middle or end of your day!

I have been reading a Max Lucado book called "Cure for the Common Life" Living in Your Sweet Spot. What is your sweet spot? It is the "thing" that you were created for.... the purpose that God gave you all the qualities that you have for......the "thing" that only you can do.

Use your uniqueness (what you do) to make a big deal out of God (why you do it) everyday of your life (where you do it)

Hugs,