This and That Tuesday

There are NINETEEN shopping days left People! 19 ~ ONE NINE Are you ready? Have you got them wrapped and under the tree? Can you hear the panic in my typing??? ;) If so, You are correct-a-mundo! Cause' I am NOT done let alone have anything wrapped!!!

This week we will attending our daughter, Jenna's, Senior Football Banquet. It is quite the big deal! All the players and trainers will be honored. Everyone gets all dressed up and we are served a very nice meal! The kids are given an awesome poster size photo or collage of some of the best shots of the year. It will be an exciting night for all of them and most likely a tearful one for all the parents!

At Physical Therapy yesterday I had my first progress note. I am sooo happy to report I am doing awesome in my range of motion. I haven't been able to do any strength rebuilding but as of today that will all change! GULP I am so very thankful to be able to do Physical Therapy and let me just tell you ~ the staff are the most wonderful group of People. EVER!! They all just bring me so much Joy even if they also inflict pain at the same time ;)

As long as I have been married to Brian (20 years now) we have had a dog in our home. I realized just recently that every one of the dogs was male. January of this year we got a new boxer and HER name is Maggie. Well......Maggie has become a woman. LOL. Well, what I mean is she is in heat for the first time!! Let me tell you she is HUMILIATED to wear these diapers! She is one whiney dog and looks as pitiful as I've ever seen a dog look. Any of you have some advice? I am really not experienced in this LOL

I am sharing an awesome review today on my book blog! You should go check it out.....GET IT???.... check it out!?!?!? LOL It is a book Titled "A Path Less Traveled" by Cathy Bryant. She is a precious woman of God and one of my new favorite authors for sure!


Today is the first forecast with a mention of snow in it!!! I doubt it comes but even if so....as they say in our State "If you don't like the weather, Hang on for about 15 minutes, it will surely change!" That is about right on because later in the week we are almost in the 60's again!

Remember the REASON for the SEASON
My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can't know him if you don't love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God.
The Message (MSG)
1 John 4 : 9-10

Christmas in Heaven

Over this past week, I feel as if I experienced every single emotion known to woman. Not feeling well was not helping in my mind set but I also know that so much of it was that this time last year my brother and I were boarding a plane to see our Daddy who was suffering with Stage 4 lung cancer. Honestly, neither one of us knew how bad it was until we saw him. The healthy (on the outside) man I had left just 2 months prior was barely skin and bones. It took everything in me not to just crumble when I saw him lying in his bed. As I laid my head on his chest to give him a hug, yet he made a grunt of sorts, it was then I realized that even my head was to heavy for him to hold. My daddy. My strong daddy was no longer strong.

Our days and nights over the next few weeks were filled with late night emergency rooms trips or regular appointments to receive fluids but as time went on nothing was working. Daddy's body was filled with the horrible cancer and he was getting tired. It became more and more obvious that our time with Daddy was ending. I was a constant by Daddys side, wanting to do whatever it was he needed. Drink, pull the covers tighter, blot his lips from being so dry, you name it, I just wanted to help him.

It was early summer 2 yrs. ago when we heard of Daddy's diagnosis. Lung Cancer. How did this happen? He hadn't smoked in 32 years. He hadn't done anything to speak of except take amazing care of his body. He was a runner. He watched what he ate. He took vitamins like crazy and would never take anything hardly except an aspirin and vitamin c tablets when sick. On the outside he was amazingly fit and healthy. But it was the inside that I knew needed to be healthy. I was a fairly new blogger when I heard of Dads diagnosis. It was at this time that I learned of the hearts of those that the Lord had connected me with. So many of you all prayed for Salvation for him. Sooo many of you covered us in prayer.

As I sit hear and reflect on those days with tears and with joy I can still recall the moment in which I heard daddy tell me he had asked Jesus to be his Lord and Saviour as he took my hand in his and woke up as clear as anything. It was such a gift and such of time of rejoicing. Angels were rejoicing as were all of those who had whispered a prayer on behalf of my Dad.


The Holidays are difficult to get through when you are missing your loved ones. I have read soooo many who have shared their sadness or their difficulty because they too have experienced a loss during this month. It doesn't matter when we lose them, it is not having them with us each and everyday that hurts.

I pray for all of those who are hurting and going through a difficult time. Please know that the Lord WILL Strengthen you, HE WILL Comfort you, and pour HIS Love over you as only a Father can. His HOPE carries me through the difficult moments, and sometimes it takes the whole day but the Lord reminds me that one day we will be together again.


Christmas in Heaven

I see the countless CHRISTMAS TREES around the world below
with tiny lights like HEAVEN’S STARS reflecting on the snow.

The sight is so SPECTACULAR please wipe away that tear
for I am spending CHRISTMAS WITH JESUS CHRIST this year.

I hear the many CHRISTMAS SONGS that people hold so dear
but the SOUND OF MUSIC can't compare with the CHRISTMAS CHOIR up here.

I have no words to tell you of the JOY their voices bring
for it is beyond description to HEAR THE ANGELS SING.

I know HOW MUCH YOU MISS ME, I see the pain inside your heart
for I am spending CHRISTMAS WITH JESUS CHRIST this year.

I can't tell you of the SPLENDOR or the PEACE here in this place
Can you just imagine CHRISTMAS WITH OUR SAVIOR face to face

I'll ask him to LIFT YOUR SPIRIT as I tell him of your love
so then PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER as you lift your eyes above.

Please let your HEARTS BE JOYFUL and let your SPIRIT SING
for I am spending CHRISTMAS IN HEAVEN and I’m walking WITH THE KING.

~ by Wanda White



I ♥ you all!

TGIF

It's Friday! Time for some laughs! Our Friday Funny Queen is in the midst of moving so there is no mclinky today but I know she would want us all to still share some funnies with you!! She also wouldn't mind prayers for this move! It has been quite the ordeal but she has praised God all the way through!

Have you all seen the hilarious Target commercials lately! OMG I love them! Here is one of my favorites!! I bet this lady is a hoot to be around! She is soo stinkin funnneee!


Happy Friday you guys! Love to you all XOXO

The Crud got me

I wish I could say I disappeared from blog land because I was.... oh ..... say, shopping or taking a mini vacation ~ You know, something FUN! But no, I have been in B.E.D. coughing, aching, stuffyhead, fever kind of stuff. When my DH had to go out of town this morning I knew I better get into the DR. so that I could be amongst the living LOL and take care of the kids. Man, I am glad I did. Found out I have double ear infection and the beginning of bronchitis..... can you say YUCK!! He put me on my all time favorite drug....Prednisone. You know how I love being on STEROIDS!!! NOT and a strong antibiotic and I am praying it kicks in because I am suppose to begin Christmas shopping with my Mom tomorrow!!

While I sat in the waiting room coughing with all the other sick people in my little town I saw this clip on the TV. The Rachael Ray show was on and I just love her but she shared the newest YouTube Phenomenon video. It was quite entertaining and I thought I would share it with you all since you might have missed it ;)





I hope everyone is having a blessed week ~

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!

1 Chronicles 16:34

Homemade Lotion Recipe

The chilly winter dry air is here and with it comes dry itchy skin...well, at least for me it does. How about you?? I have tried numerous lotions or bath oils but I have yet to find anything that stopped the itching UNTIL..... one day at lunch with my girlfriends last year we started talking about how bad our skin was and my friend Connie spoke up saying she had a homemade recipe for a lotion that her mother swore by! Well, I had to give it a try and let me tell you I am hooked! One of the best things about it is that you can customize it somewhat to your liking!

The ingredients are as follows:

2 -15 oz baby lotion
1 - 8 oz vaseline
2 - 8 oz vitamin e cream Note: I could only find this in 4 oz. jars so I got 4 of them


The Ingredient containers below:


4 of these "Fruit of the Earth" Vitamin E cream (I found this at Walmart in the Beauty section)



2 bottles of Baby Lotion (here is where you can customize it for YOU! Choose the smell you like best! If you haven't shopped for baby lotion lately you will be soo surprised at all the different choices! I chose the Shea Butter but also loved the Lavender as well)


You only need 8 oz. of vaseline so I bought the larger size and just kind of guess how much 8 oz. is since it's cheaper than buying the smaller size jars.



Also, If you have a lotion that you just love add some of that in as well. I add in some coconut vanilla shea butter from Bath&Body just because I love the smell)

Pour all the ingredients into mixing bowl and blend with mixer until all is blended well. I use the Vitamin E jars and fill them up with the new lotion and also bought containers to store the lotion in. This makes a great gift so you may want to get some cute containers (air tight of course) for giving.

Note: This makes alot of lotion so if you want to make sure you like it then modify accordingly. either cut the ingredients in half or even cut it into 1/4's.

The lotion is light and doesn't leave a film or feel like you just put lotion on at all. My husband hates that feeling and he loves this lotion! So ladies there you go! I have to include my dear friend Clif as well since he so kindly made me aware that men could benefit from this lotion as well! ;) I just love him and love that he keeps me on my toes!!

Turkey Talk

I pray everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving! Are your leftovers gone yet?? Did the tryptophan put you on the couch LOL?

We had such a Peace-filled Thanksgiving and we were sooo excited that our oldest daughter and husband along with our Precious Rylee were able to come and spend the evening with us! A rare treat indeed. For the past 10 years or so we are out of town with my Mom and Stepdad and so it was just wonderful having them join us. Sitting around our table and sharing Thanks was just so very special. I know you all are dying to know if I made a turkey LOL well.....my DH grilled a turkey tenderloin ~ Does that count ;)??
It was delicious and of course we had all the fabulous sides. We were stuffed!

The rest of the weekend we spent decorating for Christmas. Our lights went up outside and look fabulous! I Just LOVE having our house lit up. I am figuring out that I get that from my Daddy. I remember this time last year when my brother and I boarded a plane to Florida to see Daddy. When we arrived at his house it was like a winter wonderland and I have NEVER seen so many lights! I am so glad Daddy was able to see his lights up before he passed. I remember pushing him outside in the wheelchair and just seeing his face light up and that smile! Daddy had such a beautiful smile!! That moment was such a gift!

What about you guys? Did you get your Christmas decorating started? Tree up? I really can't even believe this week starts December!! It's just amazing how quickly this year has flown isn't it!?!

On Sunday I put up a Facebook Status that I was making my Winter Lotion and some asked if I would share the recipe ....so come back tomorrow if you're interested or if you suffer from dry itchy winter skin!!

Spiritual Sundays

To join in Spiritual Sundays go here

I explained last week about our Thanksgiving plans having to be changed due to the Football Team making it into the Third round of the Playoff games. After having somewhat of a "fit" I finally came to accept that we wouldn't be in Branson with the rest of my family enjoying a cabin in beautiful Ozark country! I also shared that our chances of winning were slim to NONE.

I. was. right.

While we did lose the game (oh how we lost the game 75-28) we NEVER lost heart and NEVER gave up. In fact, the last touchdown we scored was in the final minutes of the game. No matter what, this team wasn't going to quit!

As I was reflecting on this final game of the season, I thought about our Spiritual walk.

When we first come to know the Lord ~ we are all fired up, excited and ready to share the Gospel with anyone who will listen! Remember the Joy and Excitement of being Saved and knowing Jesus!! As time goes by, we grow in our Wisdom and Knowledge. For some, troubles come and it is during this time that our Faith and the depth of that Faith are revealed.

We question God from different angles....Where are you God? Why did this happen? Why am I not seeing my loved one healed or how could this happen to us when we are doing everything we know to do?

As the score in the football game became more and more obvious that our team had no chance of catching up, let alone winning! The true heart of this team came through:

They fought hard. They stayed the course. They remained strong.

Even when some of the fans were leaving the game and only a few remained to cheer them on ~

They persevered. They pushed through.

God's Word tells us we will have trials in this life but not to lose sight. Gods Word tells us He is with us ALWAYS.
God's Word says not to grow weary in doing good because we will reap a harvest if we won't give up!

I have a feeling that at the end of the game while gathering in the locker room this team heard these words from their Coach:

"Boys, You have made me proud. You have made our community proud. You fought hard. You never gave up. You gave everything you had in you. Well done team ~ Well done."

In our Spiritual walk ~ we can't ever let go. No matter what tries to come against us. We must persevere. Fight hard. For in the end I long to hear those words:

Well Done Good and Faithful one!

Don't you?


Have a blessed weekend

Happy Thanksgiving

Colossians 3:12-17

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.


I am so thankful for all of you! May you have a blessed and very Happy Thanksgiving! I love you ALL!

JOY ♥

Give me a J
Give me a O
Give me a Y
What's it spell? JOY of course!! Hop on over to Angel's blog and help spread the JOY


I am filled with JOY because:

My kids are out of school for the remainder of the week and my Honey is off work too! Woohoo for Family Time!

I took my son lunch on Tuesday. He is an office aide so when I arrived he was working hard and assisting all the parents and students who were in the main office. Since he was sooo busy I told him I would just leave his sandwich and go so as not to interrupt him. He said "No, wait a minute" More and more people came into the office so again I said "Honey, your busy I should go" He helped a few more people and then walked around the counter and gave me the biggest hug and said "Thank you for lunch MOM" Isn't that just Sooo sweet! I just thank the Lord for my kids ~ all 3 of them!!!

When I had my surgery I wasn't able to keep our Grandaughter since I couldn't pick her and do things she needed. She hasn't spent the night since Oct. 15th!! It has broken our hearts and we have missed her so much! But last night she came to spend the night since we are all home!! Oh how we have missed her! Jenna had a fun time making pony tails all over her head! She sat completely still for her too! Isn't she too adorable!






then Jen decided to do the same thing to her boyfriend LOL




I am filled with JOY by each and every one of you! May you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Psalm 100
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

This instead of That ;)

I am perplexed! What to do now that our Thanksgiving plans have changed!??!! What am I going to cook for Thanksgiving??? I have NEVER made a turkey in all my life! Now now, before you get all excited and say "NEVER?? Girl, you need to learn" or something to that affect....Here is a secret for ya....shhh! I don't like T.u.r.k.e.y!!!! (well, ok I do like turkey IF and only IF it is a deep fried turkey! YUMMY!!) I guess I will be a rebel this year and maybe fix some soup, or possibly roast a chicken, or better yet...I might just have my DH make some Homemade Tamales! Oh my! they are to-die-for! and His homemade Salsa! Scrumpdillyumpscious!!! (Oh the spell ck is having a fit with that word!!)

As for the rest of the time.... you know, shopping at the outlet malls that we would have done, going to a show in Branson...hmm, I guess we could go to a movie here at home and save a ton of money since there are NO outlet malls here! There is nothing that could replace missing my Mom and Stepdad..Nothing. ZIP. Zilch. NADA! That is the worst! They are going ahead with the plans and I hope they have a wonderful trip, just the two of them! My Moms sister moved to Branson just about a year ago so they will go visit her & her husband, have desert, and who knows what else the four of them will do!! LOL

We will put up our tree, decorate the house and get the lights put up :) We will go to the Playoff game and Cheer our boys on! Be proud of them no matter what the score is! They are the one of four teams that have EVER made it this far! That is something to be thankful for! Something to be VERY PROUD OF for sure!

Yes, as my dear friend Darcie said "Thanksgiving is what you make it." We have sooo much to be thankful for! God has blessed me beyond my wildest imagination! No matter where we are ~ I am Thankful!